Benchrest Hall-of-Famer Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez has teamed up with the Shurley Brothers on a new ARK series of wood laminate competition stocks. Speedy has combined the best features of various popular F-Class and Long-range Benchrest stocks into new designs to be produced by Shurley Brothers Custom in Austin, Texas. These stocks should be very straight and geometrically correct as they will be crafted on the Shurley Brothers’ new CNC mills. These stocks will be made with new-generation precision technology, not old school duplicating machines.
Initially two models will be offered: the “Hand of God” (HOG) and the “Spear of Destiny” (SOD). Both are designed for multiple shooting disciplines, so they should work well both for benchrest and for prone F-Open shooting. (FWIW, John Myers used a Speedy-crafted stock to win the 2015 Mid-Range National Championship). The forearm is 76mm (2.99″) to comply with F-Open limits. A wide variety of options will be available including adjustable Cheek Piece, adjustable length of pull, carbon fiber inserts, and exotic woods.
We like many aspects of the new stocks. First, the front of the stock is low profile, placing the barrel close to the bags for better tracking (and less hop). However, a deeper (top to bottom) section extends forward of the action — this is important. We have seen some low-profile stocks that suffer from forearm flex/hinging because they don’t leave enough wood under the action area. Speedy’s design eliminates this problem. Another nice feature of this stock is the subtle curve from the back of the action to the buttpad mount. Speedy calls this the “scooped cheek”. This allows the “driver” to shoot without face contact if he prefers, but it also allows for a higher buttpad position — which is useful when shooting heavy recoiling chamberings such as the .300 WSM.
Note how the comb area has a curve to provide clearance. For those shooters who prefer to have face contact on the gun, an adjustable Cheek Piece is offered.
Shurley Brothers Custom says these new ARK stocks are fully customizable for competition shooters with optional carbon fiber, adjustable R.A.D. systems, and many other features. The stocks, uninletted, will run $750.00. CNC-inletting (for action of your choice) is an additional $100.00. Here are some of the many available options:
— Pillar Bed and Inlet: $425.00
— Custom Wood Upgrade (Price Dependent On Wood): $100.00 – $500.00
— Full-length Carbon Fiber Stringers: $200.00
— Cheek Piece Addition: $100.00
— Cooling Ports (Buick Vents): $60.00
— R.A.D. System #2A: $335.00 (plus $100.00 to install)
— 3-Way Butt Plate: Call for Price
— Adjustable Neodymium Magnetic Cheek Piece: Call for Price
— Install Neodymium Magnetic Cheek Piece: $150.00
— Stock Finish & Clear Coat: $350.00
— Carbon Fiber Forearm Tunnel: $300.00
The underside of the forearm is relieved in the center, leaving twin outboard rails. This helps stabilize the rifle and aids tracking. (A conventional, flat forearm without rails tends to rock if there is any hump in the middle of the sandbag). Between the rails is a carbon-fiber stiffening insert.
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Weatherby’s new TacMark Rifles should be popular with long-range shooters (at least those with plenty of coin). We hope you like recoil — all three chamberings are powerful: .30-378 Wby. Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum, and .338-378 Wby. Magnum. To handle these powerful cartridge types, TacMark series rifles have a beefy receiver with integral recoil lug, set in a CNC-machined aluminum bedding system. The bolt is interesting — it has nine (9) lugs and a 54-degree bolt throw.
The composite stocks are adjustable for length of pull (13¼ inches to 14¾ inches), drop at comb, and drop at heel. The stock also has a near-vertical pistol grip with a trigger finger depression and a wide, flat-bottom fore-end with a stud for bipod and/or sling. The TacMark (11.25 lbs w/o scope) comes in black while the TacMark Elite (11.75 lbs w/o scope) is finished in High Desert Camo with black accents.
The $5000.00 TacMark Elite features a hand-lapped 28″ Krieger cut-rifled barrel*, fitted with a large muzzle brake. The Range Certified (RC) TacMark Elite is accompanied by an Oehler Ballistic Imaging System printout signed and certified by Ed or Adam Weatherby, verifying the accuracy. The Elite is guaranteed to shoot sub-MOA for three shots (and we suspect it can do a lot better than that).
The less expensive ($3600.00) TacMark also boasts a 28″ barrel — one of the longest barrels currently available on a factory rifle. This should be good for a little extra velocity. Both the TacMark and the TacMark Elite feature Weatherby’s Mark V action and Weatherby’s new LXX trigger, which is user-adjustable for pull weight down to 2.5 pounds. The Mark V TacMark and TacMark Elite rifles will be available through the Weatherby Custom Shop.
* A features list on the Weatherby website shows 26″ barrel length for the Elite. However the actual specifications show the barrel to be 28″ for both TacMark and TacMark Elite. You should verify barrel length before ordering.
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Here’s a very interesting spotting scope stand, from Forum member (and ace F-Class shooter) Monte Milanuk. You can see this stable rig can be adjusted super-low for prone shooting. The components are from Italian photography accessory maker Manfrotto (but it’s not as expensive as you might think).
Monte tells us about his spotting scope stand, which is really a conventional photography tripod adjusted to a very low position, with a special head:
This stand has a Manfrotto 322RC2 pistol-grip head to make positioning easier. It actually goes even lower, and much, much higher. Both the head and the tripod are about $170-ish each, so it’s a bit more expensive than a Ray-Vin, a little less than a Creedmoor Polecat, and a whole lot more flexible overall.
This Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod is actually a little on the big side – probably should have gone with a Manfrotto 190 model (couple inches shorter on the legs) so it can be a bit of a hassle to set up when you have to shoot two-to-a-mound a la Fullbore.
It’s probably not as [expensive] as you might think… a Ray-Vin F-Class stand (without head) is about $170 from Creedmoor Sports. A Ray-Vin stand head is $150, plus the outrigger attachment is another $100+. I’ve got two of them downstairs for when I used to shoot conventional prone[.]
Comments from Facebook Fans: Pretty high end setup, should work well for prone, not sure about other positions. — John T.
An excellent and sturdy Manfrotto stand. I have one that I use not only for a spotting scope but to mount the rifle on when allowed for unknown distance tactical matches.–Dennis Santiago
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Thinking of getting started in 3-Gun competition? In this NSSF video, Top Shot Finalist Chris Cerino reviews the hardware you’ll need for multi-gun matches. Chris talks about carbine configurations — including barrel, handguard, and optics options. In reviewing shotguns, Chris discusses shotshell caddies and the high-capacity extended tubular magazines now available. Cerino also demonstrates pistol techniques and explains the key features of a belt/holster rig for 3-Gun competition.
Gun Control — Tips on AR Shooting with Jerry Miculek
In another NSSF video, pro shooter Jerry Miculek provides tips on handling an AR-type rifle in 3-Gun matches. First, Jerry recommends a slightly forward stance, with your nose over your front toe. Second, it is important to have a consistent trigger pull. No matter how good your sight alignment, Jerry cautions, you can miss the target with a sloppy trigger pull. Finally, Miculek recommends placing your non-trigger hand well forward on the handguard. That provides better balance, tames muzzle rise, and gives you better control over the rifle for quick follow-up shots. Some shooters use a low hand position on the magwell, but Jerry says that makes the AR-15 feel top-heavy. Having your support hand out front on the handguard lowers the AR’s perceived center of gravity, allowing faster transitions for better stage times.
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Note: The orange-color metal support frame is sold separately.
Reactive targets are fun. This versatily target offers both conventional black on white bullseyes as well as slots for reactive clay targets. Matterhorn Innovations produces the unique ReVersa Target, a heavy paperboard target with large bullseyes on the front, plus pre-cut tabs for clay pigeons on the reverse side. You can start with the black & white side for precision work, and then flip the target over and blast away at a dozen clay birds held in individual tabbed pockets. ReVersa targets cost just $4.99 each at Brownells.com. That price does NOT include the wire target-holders shown in the photos — those sell separately for $19.99.
We expect most ReVersa target buyers will use these 2′ x 3′ cardboard sheets inside 200 yards. However we think the ReVersa targets would also be useful for long-range shooters who want to try reactive targets for a change. We often shoot at clay pigeons at long range, but we either have to set them on the berm, or tape them one by one to a cardboard backer. With the ReVersa target, you can easily position a dozen clays up off the ground where they are more visible. Buyers have been happy with these jumbo-sized, double-sided targets — user feedback on Brownells.com has been all positive. Here are reviews from actual purchasers:
“Five Star. Great quality target. Many areas to shoot on the same target. I can see why this is top rated product. I plan to buy many more in the future.”
“Five Star. These are the best targets I have used. They even stood up good in the wind when my other targets would get blown over. Highly recommend…”
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If you want to load ultra-accurate ammo and shoot very small groups, you should read this article, which we are re-publishing by popular demand. Many novice handloaders believe that neck bushing Inside Diameter (ID) size is the only important factor in neck tension. In fact, many different things will influence the grip on your bullet and its ability to release from the case neck. To learn the ins and outs of neck tension, take some time and read this article carefully.
Neck Tension (i.e. Grip on Bullets) Is a Complex Phenomenon
While we certainly have considerable control over neck tension by using tighter or looser bushings (with smaller or bigger Inside Diameters), bushing size is only one factor at work. It’s important to understand the multiple factors that can increase or decrease the resistance to bullet release. Think in terms of overall brass-on-bullet “grip” instead of just bushing size.
Bullet grip is affected by many things, such as:
1. Neck-wall thickness.
2. Amount of bearing surface (shank) in the neck.
3. Surface condition inside of neck (residual carbon can act as a lubricant; ultrasonic cleaning makes necks “grabby”).
4. Length of neck (e.g. 6mmBR neck vs. 6mm Dasher).
5. Whether or not the bullets have an anti-friction coating.
6. The springiness of the brass (which is related to degree of work-hardening; number of firings etc.)
7. The bullet jacket material.
8. The outside diameter of the bullet and whether it has a pressure ridge.
9. Time duration between bullet seating and firing (necks can stiffen with time).
10. How often the brass is annealed
— and there are others…
One needs to understand that bushing size isn’t the beginning and end of neck tension questions, because, even if bushing size is held constant, the amount of bullet “grip” can change dramatically as the condition of your brass changes. Bullet “grip” can also change if you alter your seating depth significantly, and it can even change if you ultrasonically clean your cases.
In our Shooters’ Forum a reader recently asked: “How much neck tension should I use?” This prompted a Forum discussion in which other Forum members recommended a specific number based on their experience, such as .001″, .002″, or .003″. These numbers, as commonly used, correspond to the difference between case-neck OD after sizing and the neck OD of a loaded round, with bullet in place. In other words, the numbers refer to the nominal amount of interference fit (after sizing).
While these commonly-used “tension numbers” (of .001″, .002″ etc.) can be useful as starting points, neck tension is actually a fairly complex subject. The actual amount of “grip” on the bullet is a function of many factors, of which neck-OD reduction during sizing is just one. Understanding these many factors will help you maintain consistent neck tension as your brass “evolves” over the course of multiple reloadings.
Seating Depth Changes Can Increase or Decrease Grip on Bullet
You can do this simple experiment. Seat a boat-tail bullet in your sized neck with .150″ of bearing surface (shank) in the neck. Now remove the bullet with an impact hammer. Next, take another identical bullet and seat it with .300″ of bearing surface in another sized case (same bushing size/same nominal tension). You’ll find the deeper-seated bullet is gripped much harder.
Neck-Wall Thickness is Important Too
I have also found that thinner necks, particularly the very thin necks used by many PPC shooters, require more sizing to give equivalent “grip”. Again, do your own experiment. Seat a bullet in a case turned to .008″ neckwall thickness and sized down .003″. Now compare that to a case with .014″ neckwall thickness and sized down .0015″. You may find that the bullet in the thin necks actually pulls out easier, though it supposedly has more “neck tension”, if one were to consider bushing size alone.
In practical terms, because thick necks are less elastic than very thin necks, when you turn necks you may need to run tighter bushings to maintain the same amount of actual grip on the bullets (as compared to no-turn brass). Consequently, I suspect the guys using .0015″ “tension” on no-turn brass may be a lot closer to the guys using .003″ “tension” on turned necks than either group may realize.
Toward a Better Definition of Neck Tension
As a convenient short-cut, we tend to describe neck tension by bushing size alone. When a guy says, “I run .002 neck tension”, that normally means he is using a die/bushing that sizes the necks .002″ smaller than a loaded round. Well we know something about his post-sizing neck OD, but do we really have a reliable idea about how much force is required to release his bullets? Maybe not… This use of the term “neck tension” when we are really only describing the amount of neck diameter reduction with a die/bushing is really kind of incomplete.
My point here is that it is overly simplistic to ask, “should I load with .001 tension or .003?” In reality, an .001″ reduction (after springback) on a thick neck might provide MORE “grip” on a deep-seated bullet than an .003″ reduction on a very thin-walled neck holding a bullet with minimal bearing surface in the neck. Bushing ID is something we can easily measure and verify. We use bushing size as a descriptor of neck tension because it is convenient and because the other important factors are hard to quantify. But those factors shouldn’t be ignored if you want to maintain consistent neck tension for optimal accuracy.
Consistency and accuracy — that’s really what this all about isn’t it? We want to find the best neck tension for accuracy, and then maintain that amount of grip-on-bullet over time. To do that you need to look not only at your bushing size, but also at how your brass has changed (work-hardened) with time, and whether other variables (such as the amount of carbon in the neck) have changed. Ultimately, optimal neck tension must be ascertained experimentally. You have to go out and test empirically to see what works, in YOUR rifle, with YOUR bullets and YOUR brass. And you may have to change the nominal tension setting (i.e. bushing size) as your brass work-hardens or IF YOU CHANGE SEATING DEPTHS.
Remember that bushing size alone does not tell us all we need to know about the neck’s true “holding power” on a bullet, or the energy required for bullet release. True bullet grip is a more complicated phenomenon, one that is affected by numerous factors, some of which are very hard to quantify.
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Did you know that, since 2009, Canada has had its own dedicated website for short-range benchrest: www.Benchrest.ca? Founder/webmaster Rick Pollock notes: “As Benchrest up here in the great white north has little or no web presence, a website was long overdue. It is non-commercial and not affiliated with any one sanctioning body. The only aim is to get more people into Benchrest in Canada.”
The site is a valuable resource. You’ll find upcoming BR matches (in Benchrest.ca online forum), a list of clubs, recent news, and, of course, match reports. In addition there is a buy/sell “classifieds ads” section, as well as a photo gallery. Benchrest.ca also has a YouTube Video Archive with clips showing many of the legends of the sport. Here’s a 2010 Benchrest.ca video showing Tony Boyer at the 2010 NBRSA Nationals:
If you live “North of the Border” and shoot benchrest for score and/or group, definitely visit (and bookmark) www.Benchrest.ca.
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While AccurateShooter.com focuses on rifles, we know that a large percentage of our readers own handguns, with 1911-style pistols being particular favorites. For you 1911 owners, here are four short videos from Brownells showing how to fieldstrip, clean, lubricate, and re-assemble a 1911-style pistol.
The 2015 Long-Range F-Class National Championships were tough, with brutal winds on the last couple of days. Two men triumphed over the tough conditions with impressive performances. David Gosnell won the F-Open Division, while Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics won the F-TR Long-Range title. Both men were coming off strong showings in the Mid-Range Nationals held earlier in the week in Phoenix. Bryan won the F-TR Mid-Range Championship, while David (1792-100X) was a close second in the F-Open Mid-Range event, finishing just two points behind Mid-Range Champ John Myers (1794-111X). Obviously both Litz and Gosnell brought their “A Game” to Ben Avery this year.
Ray Gross, Captain of the USA F-TR Team, observed: “The conditions at this year’s National Championships seemed more challenging than in the past few years. The final couple of days seemed to be the toughest, with the many competitors changing position in the last two matches.” Newly-crowned F-Open Champ David Gosnell said the last couple of days saw “some of the toughest conditions” he’s ever experienced in a match in the United States.
Below, Bryan Litz checks out the conditions…
F-TR Long-Range Championship — Litz Wins Again
Bryan Litz won the Long-Range Championship with a 1558-55X. That was the second big win for Bryan at the Nationals, as he also captured the Mid-Range F-TR Championship. (READ Story HERE.) Bryan was shooting a low-profile John Pierce-built rig with a high-tech Scoville carbon-composite stock. Bryan was shooting Berger 215gr Hybrid bullets with Hodgdon Varget powder. CLICK HERE to learn more about Bryan’s Rifle and his winning strategy. There were a half dozen countries represented at the U.S. Nationals and many of them did quite well. Australia’s Mark Fairbairn came in second in the F-TR division at 1556-56X. Ray Weaver was third, and past F-TR Champs Derek Rodgers and James Crofts were fourth and fifth respectively.
David Gosnell Wins F-Open Long Range Championship
A popular, yet modest, Champion, David Gosnell has been on a tear this year. He recently set a pending F-Open 1000-Yard record at the Deep Creek Range, a masterful 200-17X. At this year’s Mid-Range Nationals, David rode his fast-shooting technique to a solid second place, then it all came together for Gosnell (aka “Zilla” in our Forum) at the Long Range Nationals.
Click above photo to see large version.
David had accuracy to spare at the LR Nationals — he finished with way more Xs (91) than anyone else. David says the stock is part of the secret to his rifle’s exceptional performance: “David Bailey made the stock for me, and it is really, really straight. It tracks beautifully.” David also wanted to credit his gunsmith, Jack Leather of Leather-Built Custom Rifles in Texas.
David was not shooting a super-hot cartridge. His rifle was chambered for the standard .284 Winchester. He pushes pointed 180gr Berger Hybrids to moderate velocities with Hodgdon H4350 powder, loaded to the kernel on a Sartorius force-restoration scale. At the Nationals he used both the new Norma .284 Win brass as well as necked-up Lapua 6.5-284 brass. The action is a BAT MB (RBLPRE), while David’s barrel is a Brux, 32″, 1.25″-diameter straight contour. David says his Brux has proven to be exceptionally accurate, and it cleans up nicely.
Speaking of cleaning up — David employs a conservative barrel cleaning regime. He cleans at the end of the day, so he may have as many as 80 rounds through the barrel (with three strings plus sighters). He does one pass with a bronze brush and Boretech Carbon cleaner followed by wet patches with a copper cleaner.
When asked for the secret to his success at the Nationals, David told us: “You have to have a really flat-shooting gun. When I do my load testing, all I care about is vertical.” David also advised shooters that “consistency is key — you need to address the gun the same way every time, pull the trigger the same way, and make sure the gun is tracking the same from shot to shot.”
David also advises competitors to stay calm and don’t change things near the end of the match. He told us: “In 2011 in Lodi, I was in contention going into the last string. And of course I shot terrible and blew it. But the reason was, I tried to get careful and was trying to ‘guide’ the shots in instead of just shooting my normal style. This past Saturday, going into the last string, I was thinking about that a lot. So I just shot it the way I had been doing all week and it turned out good. So, the moral here I guess is, shoot your normal game.”
That’s good advice David — thanks for sharing. And congratulations on your outstanding performance in Phoenix this past week. AccurateShooter.com is proud to see you holding that big trophy. Well done!
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Do you own an RCBS electronic powder dispenser? If you do, take the time to watch this ChargeMaster Tuning video from 8541 Tactical. This nine-minute video demonstrates how to re-program your Chargemaster to “tune” the dispensing process. The video shows the exact programming procedures to follow, step-by-step. Some folks want a faster powder flow — others tune their machines for a more reliable drop (with fewer over-runs). One cheap and popular modification is to insert a 1″-long section of a McDonald’s straw in the ChargeMaster’s silver dispensing tube. This works surprisingly well to smooth kernel drop and prevent “clumping” that can cause an over-charge. The McDonald’s straw MOD is demonstrated in this video, starting at the 6:22 mark.
Large-Diameter Dispensing Tube Mod
Many folks have had success with the McDonald’s straw modification demonstrated in the above video. However, some folks would like to get even better flow performance (with virtually no clumping). Forum Member Frank B. has come up with a new option using a brass hose fitting with a large outside diameter. The hose fitting (with tape wrapped around the barbed nose section) is placed inside the RCBS dispensing tube (be sure to have some kind of wrap — you don’t want metal-on-metal). Here’s how the unit looks installed:
Frank tells us: “I have found a cure for the over-throw problem. It is a simple 1/4″ barbed hose nipple. I wrapped a couple layers of tape around the barbed end for a snug fit. With this in place, I have thrown 100+ charges of Varget without a single overthrow. The ID of the barbed end needs to be approximately 3/16″ to feed a steady flow. This works because of the larger ID at the drop.”
Frank adds: “You can see in the photo that the powder is not stacking up. You can watch it drop one grain at a time. Hope this will take the aggravation out of your case charging.” For best performance with this brass fitting MOD, we recommend de-burring and smoothing out the front edge of the brass fitting over which the kernels drop.
Brass fitting mod suggested by Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
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Close-up of the Tri Way cutter with clear plastic chip guard removed.
Tired of trimming and chamfering your cartridge brass by hand? Giraud Tool may have a solution. Giraud, makers of rugged bench-mounted case prep machines, now offers a new case trimmer/chamferer that works with a power drill (or other power source). Giraud’s patent-pending Tri Way Case Trimmer is a self-contained unit powered by your drill or motor. Using a sharp carbide blade it will trim your cases to length, deburr, and cut both inside and outside chamfers — all in one pass. That’s pretty impressive for a $98.00 tool that fits in the palm of your hand.
Product Features
1. Fully adjustable for cartridge length (and depth of chamfer).
2. Tool includes carbide blade that cuts a 15° inside case mouth chamfer and 45° outside chamfer.
3. Case holder supported by sealed ball bearing raceway.
4. Tool includes removable, transparent plastic chip guard.
5. Tool can work in any orientation (vertical, horizontal, or any angle).
The Giraud Tri Way Trimmer is designed to be powered by a portable hand drill, drill press, or other dedicated rotating power source. The tool indexes off the shoulder of your cases, but the blade adjusts so that cartridge overall length (COAL) can be controlled with precision. Constructed out of 6061-T6 aluminum and 303 stainless steel, the Tri Way is rugged. Note: This tool is not universal. The Tri Way is dedicated to a single cartridge and “related” cartridges with similar body dimensions. Thus you need a specific tool for each cartridge family. For example, the .308 Win tool will also trim .243 Win, .260 Rem, and 7mm-08.
Cartridge Sizes Available for Giraud Tri Way Trimmer:
.223 Remington (Also trims .17 Rem, .204 Ruger, .222 Rem, .222 Rem Magnum)
7.62 x 39mm (Russian)
.300 Blackout (Also trims .17 Rem Fireball, .221 Fireball)
.308 Winchester (Also trims .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 7mm-08)
.30-06 Springfield (Also trims .25-06, .270 Winchester, .280 Remington)
.300 Winchester Mag (Also trims .264 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum)
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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The prestigious GAP Grind tactical match took place 16-18 October, at the K&M Shooting Complex in Finger, Tennessee. Here’s a “sizzle reel” video showing highlights from this year’s match, which drew talented competitors from across the nation. Held in association with the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), this year’s Grind features a Pro/Am format with professional and amateur competitors aiming for individual and team honors.
Watch GAP Grind 2015 Video (Loud Soundtrack):
Lots of Action, with 20+ Stages
The GAP Grind is a challenging, “high tempo” match with minimal down-time between stages. This year, over the course of 20+ stages, competitors each fired 200+ shots at a variety of steel, paper, moving, and reactive targets out to 1,200 yards. Targets varied in size and difficulty based on distance and time allotted. Most stages included “stressors” — i.e. time limits or required movement(s).
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In our 
Neck-Wall Thickness is Important Too
