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April 12th, 2015
Here’s a clever new product from Birchwood Casey, makers of Shoot-N-C targets. The innovative, spring-loaded “Belly Dancer” target moves when hit. This does the duty of a gong at a fraction of the weight and cost. The Belly Dancer is handy, easy to transport, and affordable ($34.07 at Amazon.com). What’s the down-side? Well, eventually you’re going to hit those springs and they will need replacement. Also, while the polymer target zone can withstand hundreds of shots, it will not last forever.
Ground Strike “Belly Dancer” Target
The new Belly Dancer Target employs springs to move back and forth when hit. The 9.5″ x 6.5″ yellow target section is made from a self-healing polymer that can withstand hundreds of hits. Designed for use with any caliber from .22 up, this Belly Dancer target doesn’t “clang” like a gong but the waiving motion indicates a hit. Shoot the neon-yellow gong-shaped head by itself or add stick-on 6″ Bullseye targets for precision work. This Belly Dancer target system works well as long as the ground is relatively soft. In rocky areas you may have trouble inserting the support shafts. But we still like this new product. It’s great for rifle practice at 300-600 yards.
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Belly Dancer Target Features
– Yellow Hit Zone measures 9.5″ high and 6.5″ wide.
- Metal stand is 14″ high.
- Rated for all calibers and firearms.
- Long-last technology handles hundreds of rounds.
- Includes twelve 6″-Diameter Shoot•N•C Targets.
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April 11th, 2015
Click to zoom photo to full-screen
The NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits is underway in Nashville. 550 vendors and organizations have exhibits at the big NRA Show this year. All totaled there are nine acres of guns and gear on display. Here are images from the Exhibit Hall at the Music City Center.
Stuff to Do on Saturday at the NRA Meeting:
NRA Freedom Festival presented by Beretta
8:00am – 6:00pm, 5th Avenue
Jam out with rising country music stars all weekend at this free block party right outside the Music City Center. Today’s lineup includes Jacob Davis, Radio Romance, Tim Dugger, and seven other up-and-coming artists.
Wall of Guns
8:00am – 6:00pm, Main concourse
The NRA Foundation’s popular gun give-away is back for another year. Sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Kel-Tec, and Kimber, the Wall of Guns features more than 70 different makes and models. A winner is selected for every 100 $20 tickets that are sold.
Seminars, Workshops & Special Presentations
Various times and locations on the 2nd floor
Learn the basics of the popular 3-Gun shooting sport, the best way to cook wild game, different methods for concealed carry, take a Refuse To Be A Victim course, hear the history of sniping in the First World War, and so much more.
April 11th, 2015
 Our Irish Friend Enda Walsh has been working overtime on a new project, and it’s a beauty. Enda has produced some stunning wood stocks for long-range F-Class applications, and now he’s come up with a new design for the short-range rimfire game. Enda’s new stock combines an ergonomic, prone-style grip area with a stiff, carbon-reinforced fore-end. The very front of the stock features “winglets” for smooth bag-riding. Believe it or not, this stock weighs under two pounds!
Enda tells us: “This Benchrest stock was the most time-consuming job I’ve done in a while as there was a two-pound weight limit. I used black walnut and carbon fiber to achieve a very strong yet lightweight stock. The stock features a lacquer finish and the .22LR Anschütz action was pillar-bedded into the stock. I’m delighted to have ended up with a stock weight of one pound, 15 ounces.”
About Enda Walsh, Master Stock-Maker
There are few master craftsmen who can create a truly “bespoke” wood stock customized for the owner. Ireland’s Enda Walsh is one such talent. Through Custom & Precision Rifles Ireland, Enda creates high-quality stocks for hunters, prone shooters, and F-class competitors. Enda first started building stocks in 2001 for himself and friends, and grew the business over time. Enda explains: “Demand gradually increased until in 2009 the decision was taken to make it my full-time occupation. My goal with my business is to manufacture precise custom rifle stocks to the highest standard, tailored in every detail to best serve the shooters requirements.” Enda adds: “I started Guns Stocks Ireland (now Custom & Precision Rifles Ireland) to produce custom, individually-tailored gunstocks. I build from hand casts so your gun is genuinely an extension of your arm.”
April 11th, 2015
Gear Review by Germán A. Salazar, Contributing Editor
Reloading at the range with an arbor press and Wilson dies is my preferred method of load development. I’ve had a chance to test and evaluate the Arbor Press from 21st Century Shooting. I have to say I’m very favorably impressed by it.
 An arbor press’ basic function is simple enough: exert sufficient downward pressure on the die to either size the case neck or seat the bullet depending on which die is in use. It isn’t a mechanically challenging function. So why do we use an arbor press and what should be look for in one? Consistent operation, sensitive feel, quality of design and machining are the hallmarks of a good arbor press and this one from 21st Century comes away with good marks in all areas.
For my initial session with the press, I seated 72 bullets in .30-06 cases, another 70 in .308 cases and neck sized a handful of cases (just for evaluation since I prefer to full-length size). The design of the actuating arm, which angles slightly away from the press was very convenient, allowing me to operate it with less jostling of the press because my fingers weren’t bumping into the press head as they sometimes do with my previous press that has the handle parallel to the press head. That’s a nice touch and shows the press was designed by someone who has used these things.
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The press uses a relatively light return spring which materially aids the feel of seating pressure. I prefer this to a heavier return spring which would reduce the feel that I really look for in an arbor press. For someone who uses very heavy neck tension this might not be a big concern, but because I usually use 0.001″ to 0.002″ neck tension, the ability to detect small levels of variance in seating pressure is important to me.
 High Quality Machining and Parts Finishing
Every part of the 21st Century press reflects careful thought and skilled machining. The knurled wheel for adjusting the height of the press head is a distinct improvement over the plastic hardware store knobs seen on many presses.
The aluminum press head itself is nicely anodized, the steel base well blued and the shaft nicely polished. Even the decapping base (photo at left) reflects careful design as well as precise machining. Overall, the press gives a look and feel of quality and is a welcome addition to my range reloading setup.
 Editors’ Note: The designer of the 21st Century Arbor Press has decades of tool-making experience, and he has designed tools for many “big-name” companies. 21st Century stands behind the product with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser. The Arbor Press is currently offered in four different versions, with two post heights (8.5″ or 10.5″), and two baseplate sizes (small 3″ x 4″ or large 4″ x 5″). Prices start at $94.99 for the 8.5″ post and small baseplate. CLICK HERE for more info.
21st Century Shooting
www.21stCenturyShooting.com
(260) 273-9909
This review originally appeared in RiflemansJournal.com in 2010. 21st Century Shooting Inc., a site advertiser, supplied an Arbor Press for testing and evaluation.
April 10th, 2015
The Exhibit Hall doors opened this morning at the NRA’s 144th Annual Meetings & Exhibits. For the past few days workers have been hustling night and day to set up the large booths and exhibits. Today, industry reps and NRA Members get down to business in the convention center. This year the Show is hosted in at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Appropriately, on Friday afternoon, show visitors were treated to an outdoor Country Music Jam.
Another Thursday highlight was the appearance of the “Gun Gurus”, the experts from the NRA Firearms Museum. Thursday afternoon, nearly 30 lucky individuals took the stage for a special spot on Outdoor Channel’s Gun Gurus. They brought with them historic and collectible firearms to be reviewed by the Gun Gurus. “It’s been a few year since we’ve held an evaluation at the Annual Meeting,” said NRA Museums Senior Curator Philip Schreier. “After seeing the firearms at this year’s event … it was well worth the wait.”
Big Show Requires a Big Effort
Hundreds of companies will showcase their products in Nashville. NRABlog.com editor Lars Dalseide explains what it takes to put on a show of this scale: “When members arrive here in Nashville for the NRA’s 144th Annual Meetings & Exhibits, most will make way for the famed Exhibit Hall. What they’re going to see is the finished product, but it takes a lot to get there.”
Lars notes: “The more impressive the booth the more time and manpower it takes to assemble. One to two to three days worth of carpeting and constructing and a good deal of sweat goes into the final product. Some are put together by the vendors and some by local crews here in Nashville. Either way, someone went through a great deal of effort to make it all possible.”
April 10th, 2015
When evaluating firearm finishes, one should consider hardness, chemical resistance, lubricity, abrasion resistance, and color. However, none of these factors are as critical as corrosion protection. The average firearm owner deals with corrosion more than any other finish-related problem. Accordingly, when selecting an exterior finish for the metal components of your guns, you should look for a product with superior corrosion resistance. Thanks to Cerakote, we now have some science to help you make that decision….
How well do various firearm finishes resist corrosion?
Watch the video below to find out.
Eight Gun Finishes Tested — With Surprising Results
Eight (8) various finishes are tested, including Blueing, Cerakote, DuraCoat, FailZero, Ion Bond, KG Gun Kote, NiBX, and Phosphate (Parkerizing). Eight metal firearm components (each with a different finish) are placed into the salt chamber to see how long it takes for each finish to show initial signs of corrosion. To provide a baseline for comparison, a “naked” 416 stainless steel barrel was also placed inside the test chamber. The test was started, and for each coating, the time was recorded when corrosion started to appear. FYI, if you thought “stainless steel” can’t rust, think again. The stainless barrel sample (along with the blued metal sample) showed visible corrosion after just 24 hours!
After 24 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 48 Hours in Salt Chamber
After 172 Hours in Salt Chamber
Salt Chamber Testing — 5% Salt Concentration at 95°F
According to ASTM B117-03, the Corrosion Test provides a controlled corrosive environment which has been utilized to produce relative corrosion resistance information for specimens of metals and coated metals exposed in a given test chamber. The salt chamber is set to a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit with a 5% salt concentration. Salt Chamber testing is used to draw a comparison between metals and finishes and does not correlate to a specific number of hours of real world use.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
April 10th, 2015
 Shoot 101 Quiz
Vista Outdoors (formerly ATK Sporting Group) has launched a new multi-platform media campaign called Shoot 101. Combining print, web, and television, Shoot 101 provides “how to” information about shooting, optics, and outdoor gear.
On the Shoot 101 website, you’ll find a Ballistics Quiz. The questions are pretty basic, but it’s still fun to see if you get all the answers correct.
You don’t need a lot of technical knowledge. Roughly a third of the questions are about projectile types and bullet construction. Note, for some reason the layout doesn’t show all the possible answers at first. So, for each question, be sure to scroll down using the blue scroll bar on the right.
CLICK HERE to Go to Ballistics QUIZ Page
Sample Ballistics Question
April 9th, 2015
Click Photo to View Full-Screen Image
Trijicon has introduced a new line of Second Focal Plane scopes with illuminated reticles. Trijicon’s new AccuPower™ riflescope series includes four models. The smallest AccuPower, well-suited for short-range hunting and 3-Gun Games, is the 1-4×24mm. Next up is a general purpose 3-9×40mm. For hunting and sporting use there are a 2.5-10×56mm and a 4-16×50mm with bigger objectives for better low-light performance. All these four models offer either 1/4-MOA or 0.1 Mil clicks. AccuPower scopes feature aluminum scope tubes, multi-coated lenses, and application-specific illuminated reticles. The 3-9x40mm has a 1″-diameter tube while the other models have 30mm tubes.
The AccuPower series incorporates a hybrid black chrome/etch and fill illuminated reticle system available in red or green, with eleven (11) brightness settings. Notably, there is an “off” feature between each brightness setting.
Four reticle choices are offered: MOA reticle, MIL-square reticle, Duplex crosshair, and the popular competition Segmented Circle crosshair with BDC capabilities.
April 9th, 2015
Remington has introduced the brand new RM380, an ultra-small DAO .380 ACP carry pistol. This alloy-framed gun weighs just 12.2 ounces (unloaded), and is very compact, measuring 5.25 inches long. Capacity with flush-base magazine is 6+1, and Remington plans to offer a 7-round magazine with a pinky extension. Because it is hammer-fired, the RM380 has second-strike capability. There is no manual safety.
The RM380 is different that many small .380 ACP pistols in using a locking breech rather than a straight blow-back action. Remington claims this reduces perceived recoil. At a media preview hosted at the Arizona Gunsite Academy, pre-production models were tested. Those examples proved reliable, running extended strings (100+ rounds) without failure. However, testers commented on the long, very heavy, 7.9-pound trigger pull.
| Remington RM 380 Specifications |
Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 6+1 rounds
Weight Unloaded: 12.2 Ounces
Sights: Fixed, F/R |
Length: 5.25 inches
Width: 0.94 inches
Height: 3.86 inches
Trigger Pull Weight: 7.9 lbs. |
April 9th, 2015
By Dennis Santiago
 Competition teaches you things. Compared to loading for benchrest bolt guns, producing ultra-reliable and accurate ammo for tight-chambered, semi-auto .308 target rifles requires a different approach to case prep. Smoothness of operation is much more important in a field course gun. Reliability trumps everything (even case life) for these types of guns.
In the photo below, there’s a Redding small base body die for bumping the shoulder and making sure the case body is at SAAMI minimum. This body die is not just nice to have. It is vital. There are also a full-length sizing die and a Lee Collet neck-sizer in that turret holder. One or the other gets used after the body size die depending on what rifle the ammo will be used in. The semi-auto rounds always go through the full-length sizing die. After that comes trimming and finally cleaning — then loading can begin. The cases are trimmed using a Gracey trimmer so everything’s the same each and every time. I use an RCBS Competition Seater Die to seat the bullets. One nice feature of this RCBS die is the open side slot that allows you to place bullets easily.
It’s a long path methodology but uniformity is accuracy. More important for safety, controlling “stack-up” errors in the system solution is how one achieves reliability. The chamber-hugging philosophies of benchrest bolt guns do not apply well to AR-10s. Like most things, the right answer is context-dependent. Success is about accepting and adapting.
Dennis Talks About Using a Semi-Auto in Tactical Competitions
I have succumbed to the Dark Side — deciding to put an AR-10 together. For tactical competitions you want a bolt gun most of the time but there are times the course of fire favors the use of a semi-auto. I was using an M1A that gives me 0.75 MOA performance but I heard people were getting almost bolt-gun-level, half-MOA accuracy out of their AR-10s — so I wanted to see if that was really achievable. A quarter-MOA difference in accuracy potential may seem tiny in practical terms but it will make a difference in competition. In a match, the difference between 3/4-MOA and 1/2-MOA can alter your hit probability on a small target by 20-30%.
The AR platform also lets you tinker with triggers, stock ergonomics and muzzle brakes that help in managing the dynamics of a long distance shot better. Well I found out you can get the incremental accuracy but there’s more work to do to get the same reliability. Being a curious sort, it’s worth it to me to explore it. It’s a far cry from as-issued M-1 shooting with whatever HXP is handy. This is definitely swimming in the deep end of the pool.
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