What’s the best part about the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits? Well, if you’re a kid (or a kid at heart), the answer is the indoor shooting range. Every year, the first place we visit at the NRA Show is the Air Gun Range operated by Pyramyd Air. There you can try out, for a nominal fee, many different kinds of air pistols and air rifles. It’s fun, and its great to see so many young people learning about marksmanship is a safe, supervised setting. (Photos courtesy Pyramyd Air.)
Arsenal of Air Guns
A host of air guns will be available to shoot under the guidance of qualified instructors. You can get your hands on new models from Air Arms, Air Venturi, AirForce, Beeman, Beretta, Benjamin, Crosman, Remington, Swiss Arms, Stoeger, Umarex USA, and Walther.
One of the rifles at the Air Gun Range, the Stoeger Arms X20S, even has a suppressor.
Pyramid Air-Sponsored Air Gun Range Hours and Location
The “Pyramyd Air” Air Gun range will be located in room 103 in Music City Center. The air gun range will be open the following hours:
Thursday, April 9: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, April 10: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 11: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 12: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The 2015 Oklahoma CMP Gameswill be held at the Oklahoma City Gun Club next week, April 8-12, 2015. The popular OK Games will feature clinics, SAFS/M16 match, EIC Rifle Match, GSMM Four-Gun Aggregate, Vintage Sniper Match, CMP As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match, Military & Police Service Pistol Match, EIC Pistol match, and several other events! All events will take place at the OKC Gun Club’s Range in Arcadia. Visit the CMP Website for more details and to register.
Below, Leon Rutherford, CMP Master Instructor, helps a shooter on the firing line during the CMP Small Arms Firing School. The SAFS teaches safety, positions, how to load and clear the rifle, how to loop a sling and prepare for practice firing. Students are issued AR-15 rifles to use during the school and will fire the M16 EIC Rifle Match.
The young shooter IS wearing eye protection, an all-clear set of plastic glasses.
Our friend Robert Whitley of ARX Enterprises LLC has learned, through careful measurement and testing, that some barrels threaded 5/8″ x 24 tpi at the muzzle may not deliver optimal accuracy. The reason is that the end of the barrel can bell out slightly, like a trombone, because too much steel has been removed. This is particularly true with .30-caliber barrels, but it can also be a problem with smaller caliber barrels (even 6mm). Robert demonstrates this phenomenon in the video below. All gunsmiths, and anyone considering threading a barrel, should watch the video. At 1:00 – 1:30 Robert gauges a 5/8″ x 24-threaded .30-Caliber barrel. You can see the belling effect clear as day.
“When setting up a commercial barrel in the lathe, we noticed that the maximum-sized bushing that would fit in the bore at the chamber end was almost .0015” smaller [than what would fit] at the muzzle. That precipitated my pin-gauging of a number of different commercial barrels that were threaded for 5/8” x 24 tpi. What I found is what’s shown on the video.” – R. Whitley
Solve Problem with a Larger Thread Diameter
If 5/8″ x 24 threading is potentially harmful to accuracy, is there a solution? Yes, you simply need to leave a little more steel on the barrel. (See Video starting at 02:40.) Frank Green of Bartlein barrels states: “We get these questions all the time. I say run the largest thread diameter that is possible.” Robert Whitley has found that a 3/4″ x 28 tpi threading does not cause the “belling effect”. Accordingly Robert recommends 3/4″ x 28 if you need to thread your barrel for a muzzle brake or suppressor. Robert explains: “We only make 3/4” x 28 tpi muzzle brakes and that’s what we recommend to customers.”
“See how much meatier the 3/4″ threading is vs. the 5/8″. The 3/4″ threading offers a lot more metal around the bore. There’s a lot less opportunity for the bore to become bell-mouthed…” – Robert Whitley
Barrel Threading Diameter — What’s Important to Know By Robert Whitley
In truth, the 5/8” x 24 tpi threading never came out of any accuracy-based think tank or set-up, it’s a military .30-Cal threading for barrels that someone has to carry around (they needed to keep the barrel weight down so it was smaller in diameter and the threading had to work with that situation). People have somehow assumed because the military uses that threading for certain things that it must mean that it’s also fine for a highly accurate rifle too, but that’s not really correct.
I don’t think there is any better and realistic option than the 3/4” muzzle threading, and we also do it so there is no relief cut behind the threads on the barrel (i.e. put the relief cut on the brake or jam nut, don’t chop down on the muzzle of the barrel). For some reason many have a hard time grasping that the metal at the muzzle end of a rifle is “sacred” and you should not cut it down any more than absolutely necessary. A little threaded pencil diameter nub on the end of a barrel is not ideal for accuracy especially if it’s threaded and you need to torque on it. I cringe when I see a barrel with something like an MTU or Heavy Varmint contour, only to have an itty-bitty pencil thin threaded nub right at the muzzle so someone can “screw on a can” or a muzzle brake.
Lessons Learned Over the Years
A number of years ago I did a 30BR rifle project with Craig Kostyshyn who was big in the 30BR game and he made some of the best 30BR rifle barrels for benchrest competition. When I did the project I wanted a medium-heavy Palma type contour barrel I could use and also have a muzzle turndown for a front sight band. When he found out I was going to have the muzzle turned down he said “whoa, I need to provide for that when I make the barrel because if you turn the front down later you’ll be shooting a trombone” (i.e. the muzzle bore dimension would open up).
What he did was rough contour the barrel with the turndown (about .010” oversize) before he lapped the barrel, then when he lapped the barrel he took it easy in the muzzle area and worked the back of the barrel more. I thought he was a little bit excessive in his concerns but the barrel shot great and I wasn’t going to argue with him, after all he was shooting groups in the ones. I kind of just filed that away and never thought about it until recently when I went to have Fred from Sabreco do some chamber re-work on a commercial .30-caliber barrel I had. When setting up the barrel in the lathe and indicating things Fred noticed that the maximum-sized bushing that would fit in the bore at the chamber end was almost .0015” smaller [than what would fit] at the muzzle and he mentioned it to me. That precipitated my pin- gauging of a number of different commercial barrels I had that were threaded for 5/8” x 24 tpi. What I found is what’s shown on the video.
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Thinking about going to Camp Perry this year? Well registration has opened for the 2015 CMP National Pistol and Rifle Matches. The National Matches at Camp Perry include the CMP National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches, the Pistol and Rifle Small Arms Firing Schools, CMP Games rifle events, and the NRA National Pistol, Smallbore Rifle, and High Power Rifle Championships. These matches are conducted jointly by the CMP, NRA, and the Ohio National Guard. Here are registration links for the CMP Trophy events for High Power Rifle, Rimfire Rifle, and Pistol. Note: You will have to register separately for the NRA Events.
EuroOptic is running a big sale right now through April 12, 2015. You can save hundreds on riflescopes, LRFs, and binoculars from big-name companies such as Schmidt & Bender, Zeiss, Leica, and more. NOTE: If you call EuroOptic at (570) 368-3920, be sure to ask for Jason Baney and mention AccurateShooter.com. Jason will tell you about all the latest (and greatest) deals.
The NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits extravaganza is just a week away. Registration starts on Thursday April 9th, and the Exhibit Hall opens at 9:00 am on Friday the 10th. If you are planning to attend, here are some links that can enhance your experience:
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Friday, April 10: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 11: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 12: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Hours:
Thursday, April 9: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, April 10: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 11: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 12: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Exhibit Hall is FREE to NRA Members and their immediate family. If you are not an NRA member you will be required to join before the show or when you arrive.
Free Hotel Shuttle Bus Service
The NRA offers free shuttles from downtown hotels to the Music City Center all weekend. There are three routes serving different hotel areas. Shuttles run 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday.
FREE Event Planner Mobile App
NRA Annual Meeting Attendees with smartphones should definitely download the FREE Show Planner App. With versions for both iOS and Android devices, the App includes: Interactive Map of Exhibit Hall (with booth locations), Event Schedule, New Product List, and Seminar/Workshop Info.
Firearms Law Seminar
The 18th Annual NRA Foundation National Firearms Law Seminar will be held Friday, April 10. This seminar will cover current litigation trends, civil rights, self-defense laws, ATF audits, NFA Trust law, firearm forensics, and more. To register, visit NRAFoundation.org/lawseminar or call 1-877-NRF-LAWS.
Country Music Concert on Friday
The NRA Country Jam Street Festival will light up lower Broadway in Nashville on Friday, April 10. The FREE 5th Annual NRA Country Jam, starting Hank Williams Jr. and Colt Ford, starts at 6:00 pm right outside the Music City Center.
The new 36th edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values has just been released, and is now available through Amazon.com. The Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Fjestad is the leading gun valuation resource. Remarkably there are now 1.6 million copies in circulation worldwide.
Blue Book of Gun Values, 36th Edition
Publication Date: April 1, 2015
2512 Pages with 20,000 gun descriptions, and 175,000+ Prices
Nearly 1500 Makes Covered
This new edition contains updated values for countless firearm types. New-for-2015 makes and models have also been included, along with updated values on discontinued and antique firearms.
CD-ROM, Mobile App, Web Database
You can purchase the 36th Edition of the Blue Book in CD-ROM format. Moreover, all the data in the 36th Edition is now available via Mobile App, or a paid web subscription. To subscribe, get the App, or buy the CD-Rom, visit Bluebookofgunvalues.com.
Features of the new Blue Book of Gun Values:
· Important pricing updates on major trademark current, antique, and discontinued models, including Colt, Winchester, Smith & Wesson, and Sturm Ruger.
· Double action revolvers from both Colt AND Smith & Wesson have fluctuated significantly.
· 2,512 Pages of content covering nearly 1,500 manufacturers and trademarks, almost 20,000 gun model descriptions, and over 175,000 prices.
· More information, more values, and more history than any other guide on the market, by far!
Review by Tom Gresham, Gun Talk Radio Host
“At some point, every gun owner asks the question, ‘What’s it worth?’ The leading reference for decades has been the Blue Book of Gun Values. Whether you are a seller, a buyer, a shopper, or just curious, this constantly-updated gold mine of research is your friend.”
Ruger 10/22 owners should cheer. Victor Company USA has finally started shipping its new Titan 1022 stock for Ruger’s popular 10/22. We like Victor’s new stock, and we think it will be a great for tactical rimfire matches and cross-training. We bet a lot of varmint shooters will grab one of these Titan 1022 stocks as well. At just $169.99, it’s quite affordable. (MSRP is $189.99, but Victor Company’s website currently shows “Introductory Pricing” of $169.99.)
CLICK Image for full-screen version
Victor’s Titan 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock features a vertical-style grip and a wide, beavertail forearm with molded nibs for enhanced grip (max barrel diameter is 0.920″). In the rear, the buttstock features a cut-out for the user’s off hand with a deeper “keel” for riding the bags. With “Introductory Pricing” of just $169.99, the stock is available in two colors: Flat Dark Earth (above) or Matte Black (below). A Ruger 10/22 never looked so good. Visit www.victorcompanyusa.com for more details.
Victor Company 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock (CLICK photo for full-size image.)
Cross-training with a .22 LR
Shooters can improve their centerfire skills by cross-training with a .22LR rimfire rifle. In terms of wind drift, shooting a .22LR at 150 yards is equivalent to shooting a .308 at 330 yards. (See Chart)
.22 LR vs. .308, Distances for Equal 10 MPH Wind Drift
This table shows the corresponding distances at which a 10 mph full-value crosswind pushes a .22 LR bullet and .308 projectile roughly the same amount. Values are based on 0.130 BC for a 40gr .22 LR bullet, and 0.496 BC for 175gr .308 bullet.
22 LR 40gr 1050 fps
50 yd Wind 1.0″
75 yd Wind 2.2″
100 yd Wind 3.8″
125 yd Wind 5.8″
150 yd Wind 8.2″
175 yd Wind 11.0″
200 yd Wind 14.3″
.308 Win 175gr 2650 fps
130 yd Wind 1.07″
180 yd Wind 2.15″
230 yd Wind 3.68″
280 yd Wind 5.63″
330 yd Wind 7.98″
380 yd Wind 10.71″
440 yd Wind 14.56″
Along with the training benefits, rimfires are fun to shoot, with less noise, less recoil, and a much lower cost per shot. If you like competition, many clubs around the country offer rimfire tactical matches, or something similar (multi-distance matches shot from a variety of positions). With paper and/or reactive targets from 25 to 150 yards, tactical rimfire matches are fun and challenging.
New for 2015, Redding Reloading Equipment will offer both Standard Full Length and Deluxe Die Sets with the most popular options already included. Branded as Premium Die Sets, these new offerings include a Carbide Expander Button and a Micrometer Adjusting Seat Stem. Redding’s new Black and Gold-boxed Premium Die Sets offer handloaders their most preferred die features in a convenient kit.
Redding recognized that many customers were upgrading their dies in the quest to produce more precise reloads. Accordingly, Redding decided to incorporate the most popular upgrades in the new Premium line. The Carbide Expander Button reduces stress on the case neck and also is free-floating which many believe improves overall concentricity. The Micrometer Adjusting Seat Stem allows for very precise control over bullet seating depth.
The two-die Premium Die Set has a Full Length sizing die and a Seating Die with Micrometer Seat Stem. The three-die, Premium Deluxe Set has those two dies but also adds a Neck Sizing Die. They are available in the most popular calibers offered in the Redding “Series A” calibers. For more info, or to request a copy of the 2015 Redding catalog visit www.redding-reloading.com.
F-Class shooting is the fastest-growing form of NRA rifle competition. While sling-shooting is in decline, the number of F-Class shooters grows every year. Recognizing this, the NRA Competitive Shooting Division has decided to expand the sport of F-Class with a new, third classification: F-TRipod. Like the current F-TR class, F-TRipod will be limited to .223 Remington or .308 Winchester chamberings. However, the rifle support can have three legs, and the weight of the tripod will NOT count in the rifle’s overall weight limit, which will be the same as F-TR, (8.25kg or 18.18 pounds). That way all current F-TR shooters will automatically “make weight” in the new F-TRipod class.
Three-legged shooting platforms can be adapted from photo tripods using a variety of mounts.
Why did the NRA create a new division for F-Class? According to Ryan Tromper of the NRA’s High Power Committee, “It’s all about improving the competitor’s experience. This new class should make the sport more popular among shooters of all ages and all levels of physical ability.” Ryan noted that many current F-Class shooters are not happy shooting on the ground: “At the 2014 F-Class Nationals in Phoenix, we polled F-Class shooters. The number one complaint was the shooting position. We heard many comments such as ‘I’m getting too old for this, I just can’t stay comfortable for a whole match anymore'”. After hearing many complaints about “eating dust all day on the ground”, the NRA realized there was a problem. F-TRipod is the solution.
The addition of the F-TRipod division should make F-Class competition more accessible for older competitors and for the many “weight-challenged” Americans who have difficulty getting down into the prone position. “We want F-Class to be inclusive. No matter what your age, your size, your shape, or your weight, we want you to be able to shoot F-Class and enjoy the experience”, said Tromper. This should make a big difference to shooters who have limited mobility.
With the advent of F-TRipod competition, shooters will no longer have to spend all day long on their belly in the dirt. Instead they can shoot from a comfortable seated position. F-TRipod competitors will be allowed to sit on the ground or in a portable chair.
F-TRipod Competition Should Be More Affordable
Affordability was another key factor in the NRA’s decision to create a new F-TRipod classification. As Derek Rodgers, the only man to win both F-TR and F-Open national titles, explains: “Let’s face it, F-Open has evolved into a hardware race. A complete F-Open rest set-up, with coaxial front rest, pad, and a couple custom rear bags, can run close to $1500.00. That’s not affordable for a lot of guys.” With the new F-TRipod division, all you need is a photo tripod and some kind of support head. With a used eBay tripod, and the $135.00 Pig Saddle, the whole system can be assembled for under $200.00. That’s half the cost of today’s most exotic F-TR bipods. Other than the tripod (with cradle) the only other accessory an F-TRipod competitor needs is a cushion for his or her posterior. (NRA rules will allow competitors to use cushions or camp chairs).
Favored by PRS competitors (and military snipers), tripods will soon be seen at F-Class matches as well. In the video below, the 6.5 Guys review various F-TRipod options.
Both current F-Class disciplines, F-Open and F-TR, are shot from the ground. Though rifle supports are permitted, this is essentially prone shooting (on your belly), and for many shooters, this is uncomfortable. Below, AccurateShooter’s Jason Baney demonstrates a modern rifle tripod system with a double cradle upper.
NRA F-Class Rifle Rules
3. EQUIPMENT AND AMMUNITION
3.4 F-Class Rifle
(c) F-Class Tripod Rifle (F-TRipod) – A rifle restricted to the chambers of unmodified .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO or unmodified .223 Remington/5.56mm x 45 NATO cartridge cases. The rifle must be fired off a tripod, on which the rifle rests, or to which the rifle is attached. Any three-legged support, meeting the definition of a tripod, may be used but the tripod may not weigh more than 10 kilograms (approximately 22 pounds) and it may not contain any powered adjustment mechanisms or leveling systems. The tripod support may employ rigid or sliding mounts or cradles and manually-adjustable tilting heads are allowed. Any safe, manually-operated trigger is permitted. Any sighting system is permitted, but it must be included in the rifle’s overall weight.
(1) The rifle’s overall weight, including all attachments such as sights, sling, and rail(s), must not exceed 8.25 kilograms (approximately 18 pounds). The tripod and any mount or cradle permanently affixed to the tripod are not considered “attachments” if they can be separated from the rifle after the shooting sequence.
(2) The rifle must be fired in the seated or kneeling position from the shoulder of the competitor using rifle as defined in 3.4.1(b).
Thinking about going to Camp Perry this year? Well registration has opened for the 2015 CMP National Pistol and Rifle Matches. The National Matches at Camp Perry include the CMP National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches, the Pistol and Rifle Small Arms Firing Schools, CMP Games rifle events, and the NRA National Pistol, Smallbore Rifle, and High Power Rifle Championships. These matches are conducted jointly by the CMP, NRA, and the Ohio National Guard. Here are registration links for the CMP Trophy events for High Power Rifle, Rimfire Rifle, and Pistol. Note: You will have to register separately for the NRA Events.
The new 36th edition of the 
