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June 16th, 2014
Who is buying ARs and AKs, and in what quantities? Jim Curcuruto, NSSF’s Director of Industry Research, answers those questions in the May 2014 Issue of AR Guns & Hunting. In this interesting article about “Modern Sporting Rifles” (MSRs), Curcuruto provides answers to questions such as “How many Americans own an MSR?”, “Why are they being purchased?”, and “Who is buying them?”.
What the Heck is a ‘Modern Sporting Rifle’?
The term “Modern Sporting Rifles” is used to describe “AR- and AK-Platform rifles” — semi-automatic rifles with detachable box magazines. These are generally derivative of the original AR15/M16 or AK47 designs, although Modern Sporting Rifles may have different furniture, modular components, and scope rails in place of iron sights. Note: The “AR” in “AR-15″ rifle stands for ArmaLite rifle, after the company that developed it in the 1950s. “AR” does NOT stand for “assault rifle” or “automatic rifle.”
MSR Questions and Answers
Q: How may AR-type and AK-type rifles have been sold in recent years?
We don’t have an exact sales number. However, since 1990, over 8,200,000 MSRs have been “brought to market” in the USA. This is based on manufacturing stats, ATF sales records, as well as International Trade Commission (ITC) import numbers.
 Q: How Many Americans Own MSRs?
A: 4.8 million American have an AR-type or AK-type rifle, according to a consumer survey and ATF and ITC statistics.
Q: What Kind of People Purchase MSRs?
A: MSRs are purchased by successful, educated people: “The average MSR owner is 35+ years old, married and has at least some college education. 54% of MSR owners have a household income of more than $75,000 and they are spending approximately $1,060 on each MSR[.]” Roughly one-third of MSR owners are active or former law enforcement or military personnel.
Q: Why Do People Purchase ARs and AKs?
A: The main reason Americans purchase MSRs is for “recreational target shooting”. The second most important reason is for home defense.
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June 15th, 2014
Cabela’s Web Deals and In-Store Sales
Every year Cabela’s runs a big Father’s Day Sale with some awesome web specials on Cabelas.com. Through end of day, 6/15/2014, you can also get FREE Shipping on orders of $99 or more. Enter promotion code 4DADSDAY during checkout (some heavy items excluded from this offer).
Plus there are in-store-only sales at most Cabela’s retail outlets around the country. CLICK HERE for a list of stores, then click “Store Info” for the store nearest you. That will take you to a page where you can view the Father’s Day flyer for that store.
Below are some hot deals we found for hunters and shooters:
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June 15th, 2014
Victor Company USA, manufacturer of tactical “skins” for AI rifle chassis, has introduced a new tactical stock for Ruger’s popular 10/22. Victor Company’s new Titan 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock features a vertical-style grip and a wide, beavertail forearm with molded nibs for enhanced grip. In the rear, the buttstock features a cut-out for the user’s off hand with a deeper “keel” for riding the bags. This stock should work well for the Tactical Rimfire game. We also bet many varmint shooters will order these stocks — a Ruger 10/22 never looked so good. This product, set for release in July, 2014, is so new we don’t have pricing yet. Visit www.victorcompanyusa.com for more details in a week or two.
Victor Company 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock (CLICK photo for full-size image.)
 
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June 14th, 2014
BAT Machine recently launched a completely updated and upgraded website at www.batmachine.com. The new website is much easier to navigate, and the site features more and better photos.
Click on the Actions Pull-Down Menu for detailed descriptions of all the action types with zoomable images. There is also a helpful Action Selection Guide that can help you chose the right configuration for your next rifle build. And BAT fans can now purchase BAT rings, tools, parts, and logo gear through a secure BAT online store.
Helpful “How-To” Maintenance Videos from BAT
BAT’s revamped website features an impressive new Video Archive. There you’ll find many informative videos about bolts, ejectors, action maintenance, and other technical matters. Here are two examples:
How to Grease and Maintain Your BAT Action and Bolt:
How to Remove (and Re-Install) Firing Pin Assembly:
More Helpful Information on the New BAT Website
One thing that people might easily miss is the large spreadsheet that details the specs of all BAT Machine actions. To download that .xlsx spreadsheet to your hard drive, Right Click (and “Save As”) this link: ACTION CONFIGURATION PART LIST. After opening the spreadsheet, on the “ACTION” worksheet, you’ll find action model, body shape, weight, bolt faces available, and tenon spec among several other items. Note that there are two worksheet tabs (look down at the bottom left). Use these spreadsheet tabs to switch between “Action” and “Accessories”.
Also, on the BAT website FAQ page, you’ll find prints for barrel tenon machining, firing pin sizes, torque specs, and tons of other very helpful info. This is well worth a look. — ELR Researcher.
Story Tip from Boyd Allen and EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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June 14th, 2014
 Here’s a smart new product that monitors the temperature and humidity inside your gun safe — with a convenient LCD display unit located on the outside of the safe. You don’t need to string wires or cut a small hole in your safe — there are two separate components, one inside and one outside. The sensor unit (on the inside) communicates wirelessly with the display unit (on the outside).
The new GoldenRod Wireless Hygrometer was designed to display the temp/humidity in your safe without the need to open the safe. NOTE: the wireless LCD display can show BOTH in-vault AND in-room humidity and temperature levels. You can attach the display to the vault door with its built-in magnet, or simply place the display unit on top of the safe using the handy flip-out kickstand. The unit costs just $20.89 at Amazon.com.
GoldenRod Wireless Hygrometer Specifications and Features:
- Measures In-Vault and In-Room humidity from 20% to 95%.
- Measures In-Vault temperature range from 14°F to 122°F.
- Measures In-Room temperature range from -4°F to 158°F.
- Records Min/Max temperature and humidity history.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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June 13th, 2014
This month Ruger is introducing a new varmint version of its popular Ruger American Rifle (RAR). The RAR “Predator” model is offered in six (6) different chamberings: .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .308 Winchester. All have 22″ free-floated, medium-contour barrels except the .308 Win, which has an 18″ tube, making it a very handy truck gun.
Gun writer Ed Head got his hands on one of the new RAR Predator rifles, chambered in .223 Remington. He reviewed the Predator for the DownRange.TV blog. The reviewer liked the compact 6.62-pound rifle, which features a molded polymer stock and hammer-forged 1:8″ twist barrel. Ed Head liked the short-throw bolt, and he praised the crisp trigger. Accuracy, as tested, was not that impressive — 1.224″ on average at 100 yards. But the tester noted that some types of ammo shot much better than others. So, conceivably, with handloads, this gun could shoot well under 1 MOA. Shooting at steel targets, the tester “managed to shoot 1.5-inch groups at 100 yards, 2.5-inch groups at 200 yards, and 7-inch groups at 300 yards, all with the Lake City ammunition.”
CLICK HERE To Read Full Review of Ruger American Rifle Predator
Overall, reviewer Ed Head liked the Predator enough that he decided to purchase his test rifle: “I like this rifle and I’m going to buy it from Ruger. It will shoot ‘minute of squirrel’ at reasonable ranges and should do well on bigger critters — predators — out to 400 yards or more.”
Rifle Features
- One-piece, 3-Lug 70° bolt with full-diameter bolt body and dual cocking cams.
- Integral bedding block system that positively locates the receiver.
- Action comes with factory-installed aluminum Weaver-style scope rail.
- Two-position safety can lock trigger (but not bolt) to allow safe unloading.
- Adjustable 3.5-lb Ruger Marksman trigger with Savage-style inner safety blade.
- Barrel factory-threaded at muzzle for muzzle brakes, flash hiders, and/or suppressors.
- Rotary magazines with 4- or 5-round capacity (depending on caliber). These magazines are a little tough to load correctly.
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June 12th, 2014
One of our Shooters’ Forum readers, Trent from Louisiana, asked for help deciding between a .260 Remington and a 6.5×55 for his latest gun project. In the Forum thread, respected UK gun writer Laurie Holland provided a good summary of the differences between the two chamberings. Laurie writes:
 “The 6.5×55 case has 6 or 7% more capacity than the .260s, even more in practice when both are loaded to standard COALs with heavy bullets, which sees them having to seated very deep in the .260 Rem using up quite a lot of powder capacity. So loaded up for reasonable pressures in modern actions, the 6.5×55 will give a bit more performance.
The issue for many is what action length is available or wanted, the 6.5 requiring a long action. So sniper rifle / tactical rifle competitors will go for the .260 Rem with the option of the many good short-bolt-throw designs around with detachable box magazines. If a bit more performance is needed, the .260AI gives another 100-150 fps depending on bullet weight.
Brass-wise, you’ve got really good Lapua 6.5×55 off the shelf that needs minimum preparation, and it’s strong and long-lived. There is an Ackley version too that was popular in F-Class in Europe for a while that isn’t too far short of 6.5-284 performance. If you go for .260 Rem, the American brass isn’t as good but you can neck-up Lapua or Norma .243 Win and trim them (or neck-down .308 Win or 7mm-08). This has the downside that doing so usually creates a noticeable ‘doughnut’ at the case-shoulder junction, that may cause problems depending on how deep bullets are seated. [Editor’s Note: After Laurie wrote this, Lapua began producing high-quality .260 Remington brass.]
 For purely target shooting, I think I’d go with 6.5×55 if I was making the choice again today for performance and brass-preparation reasons. In fact, I’ve considered going back to the gunsmith to have the barrel rechambered.
You want a multi-purpose rifle though and that makes things trickier depending on the bullet weight(s) you want to use. The [typical] 6.5×55 and 6.5-08 throats are really designed for 140s, so 90-120s make a long jump into the rifling. If you’re always going to use 130s and up, it’s less of an issue. If you want to use the lighter stuff, I’d say go for .260 Rem and discuss the reamer with the gunsmith to come up with as good a compromise as you can depending on the mix of shooting. 1:8.5″ twist is the norm and handles all the usual sporting and match bullets; you can go for a little slower twist if you won’t use the heavies.
Over here in the UK, in Scotland to be precise, we have a top sporting rifle builder (Callum Ferguson of Precision Rifle Services) who almost specializes in .260 Rem usually built on Borden actions. He throats the barrel ‘short’ so it’s suited to varmint bullets, but will still handle the 100gr Nosler Partition which he says is more than adequate for any British deer species including Scottish red stags.
Accuracy-wise, I don’t think there’s anything between them if everything else is equal. The 6.5 has a reputation for superlative accuracy, but that was high-quality Swedish military rifles and ammunition matched against often not-so-high-quality military stuff from elsewhere. Put the pair in custom rifles and use equally good brass and bullets and you’ll be hard pressed to tell them apart.” – Laurie Holland
 After Laurie’s helpful comments, some other Forum members added their insights on the .260 Rem vs. 6.5×55 question:
“To me, the .260 Remington has no advantage over the 6.5×55 if one is going to use a long action. Likewise, the only advantage the .260 has in a modern rifle is it can be used in a short-action. There is more powder capacity in the 6.5×55 so you have the potential to get more velocity plus there is a lot of reloading data available to you for loading at lower velocity/pressure if you choose. The Lapua brass is great and Winchester brass is pretty good at low pressures. Having loaded a good bit for both, the 6.5×55 would always get the nod from me. To me, if someone wants to use a short-action, the 6.5×47 Lapua is even a better option than the .260 for a target rifle.” — Olympian
“There is just one small item that has been missing from this conversation — the 6.5×55 has a non-standard rim diameter of .479″ vs. the standard .473″ of a .308 and all of its variants. Depending on your bolt this may be an issue, or it may not.” — Neil L.
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June 12th, 2014
Creedmoor Sports has hired ace marksman Tyrel Cooper “as the newest addition to the Creedmoor Sports family”. Ty brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience as a service rifle shooter, match rifle shooter, and long range shooter. Cooper’s shooting resume includes five national championships (one each in 2008, 2011, 2012, and two in 2013). He is the current (2013) NRA National Long Range Champion, and reigning (2013) NRA National Service Rifle Champion.
Creedmoor’s General Manager, Dennis DeMille, states: “I’ve known Ty and watched him progress from the time he was 14 years old attending matches with this parents, Lonnie and Lupe, and his sister Sam. Even at that young age his maturity and potential was obvious. His 10 years as a member of the elite USAMU squad allowed him to realize that true potential, becoming one of best service rifle shooters of all time…and he’s not done. Customers who call Creedmoor Sports to get advice on shooting equipment, or shooting in general, will be able to get that advice from either Ty or myself. His quiet, polite and humble demeanor make him a perfect champion and representative for Creedmoor. When we heard Ty might be available we couldn’t risk missing an opportunity to get him on board.”
Below is a 2012 file photo of SSG Ty Cooper shooting a service rifle. Cooper won the 2013 NRA National High Power Rifle Long Range Championships with a final score of 1243-71X. In the Long Range Championships, Cooper used a Nesika-actioned bolt gun with long barrel chambered in 7mm SAUM.
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June 12th, 2014
 It is an iconic American firearm design — the Thompson submachine gun, or “Tommy Gun”. Here’s your chance to add the real thing to your firearms collection. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLPD) plans to auction off twenty-nine (29) historic Tommy Guns. These 1920s-era .45-caliber weapons have been stored in a vault for decades. The SLPD is selling the highly-collectible submachine guns to raise money for new service pistols for its officers. The auction will take place later this year, but no exact auction date has yet been set.
A Million Dollars Worth of Full-Auto Firepower
The Tommy guns are expected to fetch from $15,000 to $40,000 each, putting a estimated value of the whole collection at as much as $1,000,000. According to the Washington Times: “The collection was appraised by a local dealer in 2012 at $770,000, but police and some collectors believe it could sell for much more. The collection includes rare 1921 and 1927 Colts and a model made in 1942.”
SLPD chief Sam Dotson stated: “We’re told [that] outside of the military and federal government we have the largest cache of Thompson machine guns.”
Because these are fully-automatic “Class III” weapons, subject to the National Firearms Act (NFA), purchasers much fill out the proper paperwork, pass background checks, and obtain a Federal Tax stamp for each Tommy gun purchased. The SLPD expects the majority of the firearms will be purchased by wealthy collectors or museums.
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June 11th, 2014
Forum Member John V.S. (aka BPD459) has a special story to tell — about rifle craftsmanship and a life-long friend. What you see below is John’s new .243 Win prone rifle. It sports a beautiful Zebrawood stock crafted by Mr. James Cloward. Here’s the story of Jim Cloward and John’s new gun:
James Cloward of Lake Stevens, Washington did the stock in just a month. The stock is African Zebrawood, with an Ebony grip cap and a WTC rail. Jim had the Zebrawood in stock. I wanted a lighter-colored stock and this blank called my name and did not eat my wallet either! Photos do not do it justice! The rifle features a Barnard action, and 30″, 1:7.5″-twist Krieger chambered in .243 Win by Randy Gregory. Sights are Warner rear and RightSight front.
CLICK Photo to See Full-Screen Version
Jim Cloward surveys the original blank.
Jim’s stock work is above reproach. His hand-cut checkering is better than a couple custom 1911s I had done by “big name” builders! When Jim refined the original Roy Dunlap stock, he created history. There is no better feeling / handling stock on the world than a Cloward Dunlap stock. I wanted him to do a Dunlap for my Barnards and we could not get it to work due to the size and trigger placement on the Barnard action. So, I just had to make due with his prone stocks — life is rough sometimes.
Respect for a Master Craftsman
I am honored to have known Jim since I was 12, and even more honored to call him a friend. Growing up, it was always “Sir” or “Mr. Cloward” when I would ask him something. When I was 35, Mr. Cloward told me “You can call me Jim now”. I felt like I was a grown-up adult that day!
I have several Cloward-built XC rifles and two other prone rifles that Jim stocked. It still amazes me how Jim can take a big piece of rough-sawn firewood and turn into artwork that’s functional and better looking than anyone else’s stocks!
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June 11th, 2014
The NRA now offers an online training course for its Range Safety Officer (RSO) program. The online course teaches the skills needs to conduct and supervise safe shooting activities and range operations. Online RSO Course students can access the electronic course materials for 90 days. You can complete the course in multiple sessions. The program will save your progress so you can return later.
 The Online RSO Course consists of SIX LESSONS:
• Introduction to the NRA Basic Range Safety Officer Course
• The Role of the NRA Range Safety Officer and
Range Standard Operating Procedures
• Range Inspection and Range Rules
• Range Safety Briefing
• Emergency Procedures
• Firearm Stoppages and Malfunctions
Who Can Take the Course?: The Online RSO Course is available to anyone who currently possess a valid NRA Firearms Instructor certification or NRA Coach appointment. Course cost is $125.00. Individuals without a trainer rating must attend the in-person Range Safety Officer course consisting of both classroom time and practical exercises on a range.
 Certification Procedure: Students must complete all six lessons and a short electronically administered test in order to become a certified Range Safety Officer. Once the test has been passed, newly certified Range Safety Officers will receive an electronic completion certificate that can be printed or saved to a computer.
The NRA RSO program was developed in response to the demand for a nationally-recognized range safety officer certification. More than 54,000 NRA Range Safety Officers are involved in aspects of target shooting, training, and range supervision around the USA.
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June 10th, 2014
Father’s Day (Sunday, June 15) is right around the corner. If dad enjoys hunting, here’s a way to save fifty bucks on a nice gift for the old man. Now through June 15, 2014, Zeiss is offering a $50.00 rebate on the TERRA 3X series rifle-scopes or TERRA ED Binoculars. The scopes offer 1/4-MOA clicks with a choice of standard Z-Plex or RZ6 or RZ8 ballistic reticles. Pick your power: 2-7x32mm, 3-9x42mm, 4-12x42mm, 3-9x50mm, and 4-12x50mm. CLICK Here for more details.
If you’re wondering about these binoculars, trust us, they are high quality. TERRA ED Binoculars feature SCHOTT ED glass — just about the best you can get. These binocs, in 8x42mm or 10x42mm versions, offer great low-light performance and a wide-angle field of view.
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