What do you call a shooting match that draws 125 competitors (ages 7 to 70), with 30 first-ever shooters, 36 ladies, and 17 juniors? We call that a rip-roaring success. Credit the Old Fort Gun Club in Arkansas for hosting such a successful event on April 26-27, 2014. The impressive turn-out shows the appeal of the NSSF Rimfire Challenge format, a fun match with FREE ammo provided by sponsors.
Video Shows Rimfire Challenge Fun Match.
The match attracted target shooters from 10 states. More than 30 participants said it was their first time competing in a shooting event. Thirty-six of the 125 competitors were female, 17 were juniors, and 17 were seniors. This is the kind of match that is fun for all age levels.
The NSSF Rimfire Challenge is a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. NSSF Rimfire Challenge was developed to introduce newcomers to target shooting by providing individuals and families with a safe, fun and exciting first-time experience using .22-caliber handguns and rifles and steel targets.
Awards were given to the top three finishers in Open and Limited Divisions, along with the top finisher in the Juniors, Seniors, Ladies, and Cowboy/Cowgirl categories. All registered shooters were also eligible to win sponsor-provided prizes.
Support for the match was provided by Volquartsen Custom, Brownells, Ruger, Hogue, and other companies. “I’d like to thank NSSF for supporting these matches,” said Bill Striplin, match director and Old Fort Gun Club president. “In my opinion, the NSSF Rimfire Challenge is the most fun shooting game in the world.” Learn more about the NSSF Rimfire Challenge at www.NSSF.org/rimfire. That web site also has a schedule of future Rimfire Challenge matches around the country.
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What does a 1000-yard target look like when viewed through a 25-power* First Focal Plane scope? Here’s the answer, thanks to our Dutch friend Jim de Kort. This interesting photo shows the Stickledown Range at the National Shooting Centre in Bisley, England.
Click any image for larger view.
Jim has published some other interesting images on his Facebook Page. Here is a view looking downrange at a 300m shooting facility. Jim says “It was nice to have 300m all to ourselves”. The overhanging baffles stop stray shots that might otherwise fly out over populated areas. This photo was taken at the Schietsportcentrum Emmen in the Netherlands.
How many of these cartridge types do you shoot? Jim has quite the collection of calibers.
Jim likes faithful canines and accurate rifles. We know the feeling, and we bet many of our readers share Jim’s “favorite two hobbies” — dogs and guns. Jim says: “Dogs are like guns…. They bark, smell, eat expensive food, need cleaning once in a while and you have to take them outside regularly.”
*NOTE: The scope in the top photo is a Premier 5-25x56mm ER-MOA with 1/4 MOA clicks, “set at 20x so [Jim] can watch both neighbors”.
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With so much attention given to the newest hardware, and most recent reloading innovations, we sometimes forget that Benchrest shooting, as a competitive sport, has been around for quite a long time. And some of those “old school” shooters managed to put together some pretty fine groups even without 21st Century gadgets and gear.
Click Photo to See Larger Version.
Here are some of the founding fathers of benchrest shooting, in a photo taken nearly six decades ago (4/3/1955). Men’s fashion has changed a bit over the years. Tony Boyer notwithstanding, you won’t find so many Stetsons at a shooting match these days. Courtesy of Sierra Bullets, here’s a “throwback” image of Benchrest shooters at the Brea, California “Round-Up” Shoot April 2 – 3, 1955. Left to right are: Frank Snow, (Founder of Sierra Manufacturing Company), John Moffit, K. E. “Smitty” Smith (NBRSA Director), Al Christie, E.F. Stewart, Jack Rice (sitting), I. F. Jack Williams, Lindsey King (behind Williams), Don “6mm” Smith, Frank Hemsted, and Art L. Elliott.
If you like this sort of “trip down memory lane”, visit Sierra Bullets’ Facebook page. Every Thursday morning, Sierra publishes a “Throwback Thursday” photograph from some decades past, together with a short featurette on the shooting-related item/person in the photo.
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For a few years now, Lyman has offered the Case Prep Xpress, an all-in-one case prep center that chamfers necks (inside and out), cleans and uniforms primer pockets, brushes the inside of case-necks, and uniforms flash holes. The unit can also ream out the crimps on military brass. However, the Lyman Case Prep Xpress does NOT trim cases.
The Lyman Case Press Xpress comes with all the necessary tools and attachments (listed below), so you don’t have to purchase extra accessories. The 5 gear-driven heads on the unit are powered by a high torque, low-speed motor ideal for case prep operations. Lyman’s Case Prep Xpress features handy storage areas for accessories, a removable brass shavings dump pan, and a handy clean-up brush.
Lyman Case Prep Xpress Includes:
Inside Deburr (VLD) Tool
Outside Deburr Tool
Flash Hole Uniformer
Primer Pocket Uniformer (Large & Small)
Primer Pocket Reamer (Large & Small)
Primer Pocket Cleaner (Large & Small)
Case Neck Brushes (25, 30, 38 & 45 Cal)
Case Neck Lube (Mica)
Removable Brass Shavings Dump Pan
Clean-up Brush
In the two years that this product has been on the market it has been a hot seller. We’ve used the Case Prep Xpress. If you’re prepping hundreds of cases, this unit will save considerable time and reduce hand/finger fatigue. While the Case Prep Express is not as sturdy as the metal-bodied Hornady prep center, the Lyman unit offers a lot of functionality for the price ($108-$125 at various vendors).
Video clearly illustrates all case prep functions. Worth watching.
You can find Lyman’s Case Prep Xpress for under $120.00, making it much less expensive than the larger Hornady Case Prep Center, which runs about $400.00. The Hornady unit is beefier, and will trim cases. However, we think the compact Lyman unit makes sense for guys who already have a good case trimmer, such as a Forster or Wilson. The Lyman Case Prep Xpress is hundreds of dollars less than the Hornady prep center. The money you save will buy lots of bullets and brass.
Case Prep Xpress $108.08 at Midsouth
The Lyman Case Prep Xpress is sold by most of the big vendors. The best current price we found was at Midsouth Shooters Supply, which sells the Lyman unit for $108.08.
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
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Sierra Bullets is running a contest through the end of May, 2014. Here’s how it works. Shoot the free target shown below, and send your target to Sierra. One entry per person is allowed. 17 winners will be selected from all the targets submitted, regardless of score. The prizes are two (2) reloading manuals, five (5) Sierra T-Shirts, and ten (10) Sierra hats. CLICK HERE to download target as PDF File.
TARGET INSTRUCTIONS:
Starting with #1, shoot targets 1-5 for 1 point each. Shoot 6-11 for 2 points each.
How to Enter:
Photograph/scan your target and email the digital file to web [at] sierrabullets.com. Make sure you include your contact info! Alternatively, you can mail targets to:
Sierra Bullets, Attn: NRA Target
1400 W Henry Street
Sedalia, MO 65301
NOTE: Entries must be emailed or postmarked by 5 p.m., May 30, 2014. Mailed targets will not be returned. Void where prohibited.
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Today we want to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms around the world. All of us must remember that we literally owe our lives and our well-being to our mothers, who brought us into the world. Without the love, support, caring, and nuturing of our mothers, none of us would be here. So to mothers everywhere, we say:
“Thank you. Bless you. May your lives be filled with happiness today and everyday.”
Here is a photo of the one of the greatest moms in the shooting community, Nancy Tompkins, along with two of her little girls (who both turned into pretty good shooters themselves). On Nancy’s right is Michelle Gallagher, a top long-range shooter. On the left is Sherri Jo Gallagher, who was the second woman in history to capture the NRA National High Power Championship at Camp Perry. Who was the first woman ever to accomplish that feat? You guessed it — Nancy Tompkins, Sherri’s mom, was the first-ever female High Power Champion.
When folks inquire about shooting glasses, they often ask: “Should I get clear lenses, or high contrast lenses, or dark lenses?” The answer is “Yes”, “Yes”, and “Yes”. Variety is good — this lets you pick the best lens for the conditions and for the discipline you are shooting. In a 3-gun match in the summertime, you may want darker lenses. On a hazy day, when shooting F-Class, you may want a high-contrast lens (yellow or orange). When bench-testing rifles or competing at benchrest matches, under a roof or awning, most of the time we prefer clear lenses. This is especially true if the targets are in the shade.
So, there are good reasons to have a variety of lens types. But does that mean you must carry around a half dozen sets of shooting glasses in your range bag? Not at all. Many eyewear makers offer shooting glasses with interchangeable, snap-in lenses. This allows you to adapt your eyewear to the conditions. And now you can get a handy, multi-lens kit for under twenty bucks.
Pyramex 5-Lens Shooting Eyewear Kit
One of the best deals we’ve found is the Pyramex Ducks Unlimited Shooting Eyewear Kit, available now for just $19.30 at Amazon.com (with free shipping for Prime members). This Kit gives you a comfortable frame with five (5) different anti-fog lenses: Clear, Amber, Sun Block Bronze, Orange, and Infinity Blue. The interchangeable lens design lets you easily switch lenses for different lighting situations. Pyramex is a well-known manufacturer of safety eyewear. The Pyramex Kit meets ANSI Z87.1+ safety standards.
Complete Kit with Five Lenses, Case, Retaining Strap
This versatile Pyramex Kit boast five (5) interchangeable lenses. The polymer frame features adjustable temples, rubber nosepiece, and temple pads. The Pyramex Ducks Unlimited Kit includes neoprene carrying case, neck cord, and microfiber lens cloth bag. All lenses exceeds ANSI Z87.1+ standards and provide 99% UV protection. This is a very good deal. Heck, you could pay $8-$9 just for a Croakies neck retainer.
Verified purchasers of this Pyramex Kit have posted very positive reviews on Amazon.com:
“These glasses were really impressive. At the price I was not expecting anything this nice. I am in the military and my unit gets issued the Oakley M frames which go for around $120 if the government doesn’t give them to you for free and I like these better. They extend in length which one might expect but closer to the frame there is another joint that lets you adjust the angles of the [temple arms] separately.” — Zac
“I was surprised by just how many lenses and accessories come with this very complete package. The lens change out is a bit awkward, but with the sheer variety of lens choice which will cover just about any lighting condition you encounter, it more than makes up for that. Great packaging, I really do think the tilt feature is useful as hearing and eye protection at present isn’t really integrated. I use them for shooting, where cheek weld, eye relief and clarity are all important and these do the job well.” — Richard
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Need a high-quality front rest at an affordable price? Here are some of the best deals we’ve seen in years. Bullets.com just announced a massive price cut on its Bald Eagle brand front rests. Both the regular rests and the deluxe rests with flex-shaft windage adjustments are on sale. (These windage-adjustable rests are great for F-Class shooting.) Windage-adjustable rests start at just $215.00, while the conventional rests are marked down to $179.95 (less than half the original price!) Choose from Cast Iron or Aluminum bases, triangle or slingshot (wishbone) footprints. These are high-quality rests, with CNC-machined parts. They have been used successfully by many top F-Class and benchrest shooters.
Bullets.com tells us: “These rests were originally designed by a Benchrest shooter and refined by a member of the U.S F-Class Open Rifle Team. The rests have been thoroughly tested and proven to be reliable and capable of quick and accurate adjustments during string shooting.”
Bald Eagle Shooting Rests with Windage System ON SALE
BE1004 – Triangle, Aluminum, Reg. $425.00 — SALE $215.00
BE1005 – Slingshot, Aluminum, Reg. $425.00 — SALE $215.00
BE1006 – Slingshot, Cast Iron, Reg. $475.00 — SALE $235.00
Bald Eagle Shooting Rests without Windage System ON SALE
BE1128 – Triangle, Aluminum, Reg. $375.00 — SALE $179.95
BE1130 – Slingshot, Cast Iron, Reg. $399.95 — SALE $179.95
BE1129 – Slingshot, Aluminum, Reg. $375.00 — SALE $179.95
Along with offering super deals on front rests, Bullets.com has also slashed prices on its front and rear sand bags. Front Bags are marked dow to $27.50, while Rear Bags are on sale from $52.50 – $64.50. Large-diameter F-Class rest feet are also on sale currently. Get more details at Bullets.com.
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Here’s good news for varmint hunters. Hornady just announced that it is ramping up production of the 17 Hornet: “For those of you who love the 17 Hornet, we are manufacturing ammunition right now and you should see it back in stores soon!” The 17 Hornet is a fun, fast cartridge that is ideal for ground squirrels and other small varmints. It has light recoil similar to a 22 WMR, but with the ability to reach out to 300 yards and beyond. Since the 17 Hornet is a centerfire cartridge with reloadable brass, it can actually be more economical to shoot than the 17 HMR, provided you “roll your own”.
Speed Kills — 3650 FPS
Based on the 22 Hornet cartridge case, the 17 Hornet can drive a 20-grain V-MAX bullet at 3,650 fps. At this velocity, the 17 Hornet can match the trajectory of a 55-grain .223 Remington load, but with much less noise and recoil. Take a look at the chart below. You can see that the 17 Hornet’s trajectory (blue line) is almost an identical match for the larger .223 Rem (red line) all the way out to 400 yards or so. The 17 Hornet is an economical, fun .17 caliber centerfire cartridge with way more “reach” than a 17 HRM or 22 WMR.
17 Hornet — Trajectory Comparison
3,650 fps muzzle velocity with a 20 grain V-MAX bullet.
Same C.O.L. as the 22 Hornet – uses the existing action.
Trajectory comparable to a 55 grain 223 Rem, but the felt recoil of a 22 WMR.
Lower cost and comparable quality to the 17 Fireball and .223 Remington.
Video Explains 17 Hornet Features and Performance
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Here’s a cool product that can help you level your front rest and rear bag, level your scope, align your target frame, and perform a myriad of tasks around the house. The Digital Angle Cube (aka Electronic Level and Protractor Gauge) is basically a high-tech level that gives you exact angular read-outs to within 0.2 degrees. That’s a lot more precise than any bubble level.
Numerous Shooting-Related Applications
For you position shooters who like to run angled sights, this tool will help you set the rear sight and front tower to exactly the same angle. For High Power guys with 3-way and 4-way adjustable buttstocks, this digital angle gauge can help you quickly and precisely set buttstock angle and cast-off. Even tactical shooters and long-range hunters can use this device to confirm exact shot angle, with greater precision than a plastic protractor or even an expensive Angle Degree Indicator (ADI). Heck you can even use the thing as an anti-cant device (if you don’t mind the extra weight). We’re sure that our clever readers can find even more uses for a digital angle read-out tool.
The Digital Angle Tool sells on Amazon.com for $29.50. It comes with magnets on the sides so you can attach the tool to any ferrous metal surface for a “hands-free” reading. You can find similar devices in hardware and home improvement stores. One of these square, magnet-equipped electronic protractor/levels is made by INSIZE. The illustration below shows how the INSIZE gauge can be used in the field.
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
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At most American shooting facilities, you’re lucky to have running water and an electrical hook-up. Those Germans, with their penchant for advanced engineering, have created an amazingly high-tech (and even luxurious) indoor shooting facility that is truly state-of-the art. The NRA is proud of its modern indoor range in Fairfax, Virginia, but the NRA range can’t hold a candle to the advanced Müller Schiess Zentrum Ulm (MSZU) facility in Ulm, Germany. This vast complex features an indoor benchrest range with video monitors, a full-sized trap/skeet hall, pistol ranges, and a “running game” hunting simulator that actually displays (in 3D view) the placement of your bullet strike in the moving animal prey. On top of this, the MSZU has a cafe, a restaurant, and a large shopping/retail facility.
We still prefer shooting outdoors, but for a country like Germany, where long, cold winters limit the opportunities for outdoor shooting, a deluxe indoor facility like this makes sense. German reader JPeelen adds: “The problem in Germany is not [just] the weather but density of population. Noise problems led to the closure of many outdoor ranges. Ulm is unique because it offers a 300 meter indoor range, not just 100 meters[.]” Overall, you have to hand it to the Germans for “raising the bar” to a whole new level. View the Müller Schiess Zentrum’s amazing facilities in the video below. The editor of The Firearm Blog wrote: “I have seen the future… and it is in Germany. If you don’t do anything else today, just make sure you watch this video.”
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At first glance, these handsome illustrations look like vintage advertising sheets from the early 19th Century. But then you’ll smile a little when you read the slogan for “Lesters Ammunition”.
Potential buyers of “America’s Cheapest Ammunition” are assured that “It Usually Works”. Well, that’s comforting. There is also a British version for “Lesters — The Empire’s Cheapest Ammunition”, illustrating a well-fed lion. These Golden Age Parodies are offered as full-size wall posters or magazine-size framed prints, starting at $95.00 from Blue Loon Fine Arts.
Cheap Tin Signs sells a 12.5″ x 16″ retro-style tin sign printed with the Lesters Bear-Eats-Hunter scene. This vendor offers other parody-style tin signs that should bring a smile to your hunting and shooting buddies. In addition, Cheap Tin Signs offers dozens of other (non-parody) tin signs, with vintage 30s-style artwork for Colt Revolvers, Winchester Rifles, and Smith & Wesson pistols.
Great Man Cave Gift
Looking for an amusing gift for your best shooting buddy, or a “conversation starter” to hang on the wall of your local shooting facility or club-house? Consider a frameable parody print from Blue Loon Fine Arts or a “retro-style” tin sign from CheapTinSigns.com. Both vendors offer art that harkens back to outdoor hunting illustrations from the 1920s and 1930s. But when you look carefully, you’ll see there’s a twist that will leave art-viewers chuckling.
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You can find Lyman’s Case Prep Xpress for under $120.00, making it much less expensive than the larger 
Today we want to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms around the world. All of us must remember that we literally owe our lives and our well-being to our mothers, who brought us into the world. Without the love, support, caring, and nuturing of our mothers, none of us would be here. So to mothers everywhere, we say:
Here’s good news for varmint hunters. Hornady just announced that it is ramping up production of the 17 Hornet: “For those of you who love the 17 Hornet, we are manufacturing ammunition right now and you should see it back in stores soon!” The 17 Hornet is a fun, fast cartridge that is ideal for ground squirrels and other small varmints. It has light recoil similar to a 22 WMR, but with the ability to reach out to 300 yards and beyond. Since the 17 Hornet is a centerfire cartridge with reloadable brass, it can actually be more economical to shoot than the 17 HMR, provided you “roll your own”.
At most American shooting facilities, you’re lucky to have running water and an electrical hook-up. Those Germans, with their penchant for advanced engineering, have created an amazingly high-tech (and even luxurious) indoor shooting facility that is truly state-of-the art. The NRA is proud of its modern indoor range in Fairfax, Virginia, but the NRA range can’t hold a candle to the advanced 
