Brownells recently reviewed some interesting new products including Howa Barreled Actions and a low-profile titanium gas block for AR-platform rifles. We really like the Howa Barreled Actions as the basis of a varmint or hunting rifle build. The actions are smooth and the Howa-supplied, adjustable HACT 2-stage trigger is excellent. Brownells will stock these barreled actions in a wide range of calibers and barrel profiles (including some with threaded muzzles for brakes or suppressors).
Watch Brownells NEW PRODUCT Review 3/11/2016:
Starting at $407.00, Howa Barreled Actions include hammer-forged barrel, bottom metal, magazine (internal or DBM), and the HACT 2-stage trigger. The three-position safety allows you to manipulate the bolt with the trigger blocked. These Howa barreled actions, which are drilled and tapped for scope mounts, come in Blue or Cerakote Gray finish in Short, Long, and Mini-Action sizes. The Howa Mini-Action is a great basis for a light, compact small-caliber varminter.
Low-Profile Titanium Gas Block for AR-Platform Rifles
The Battle Arms AR-15 Titanium Gas Block (#100-800-003) provides a very trick, low-profile set-up for an AR “space gun” or 3-Gun rig. Light and strong, the Battle Arms Ti gas block fits underneath almost any handguard. This slim, ultra-lightweight Titanium block helps keep an AR-15 rifle/carbine fast and maneuverable by reducing front-end mass. Brownells price is $99.95.
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Sometimes simpler is better when it comes to targets for fun shooting and load testing. While we normally use test targets from our Downloadable Target Page, it’s sometimes easier to just use brightly-colored “Hi-Viz” adhesive target dots.
Hi-Viz Stick-On Dots in Assorted Colors and Diameters
You can order 1″ target dots in bulk from Labeloutfitters.com. Many colors are available including fluorescent (hi-viz) Red, Green, Orange, and Yellow. These are bright and easy to see even in fading afternoon light. A pack of twenty (20) sheets (1260 dots total) costs just $5.97 (that works out to $4.74 per thousand). For the 1″-diameter stick-on dots you get 63 dots per sheet. Larger, 1.5″-diameter fluorescent dots are also available in 20-sheet packs for $5.97, with 24 large dots per sheet (480 dots total). If you want even bigger, 2″-diameter dots, sheets with 20 Hi-Viz dots per sheet are on sale for $5.97 per 20-pack (400 dots total).
Our friend Danny Reever really likes the bright dots from Label-Outfitters: “Ordered some of the 1″ dots from LabelOutfitters.com and recieved them in two days Priority Mail! Bought the flourescent red,green, and yellow and they are really nice — especially for the price.”
If you prefer smaller, 3/4″-diameter circles, Amazon.com sells Avery packs with 1008 adhesive dots for just $2.99 or $3.99 per pack. Colors include Neon Red/Orange (item 5467), Neon Yellow (item 5470), Neon Green (item 5468), and Bright Blue (item 5461). We recommend the Neon Red/Orange for most uses, or the Neon Yellow dots for use on a black background. There is even a dispenser-box option with 1000 3/4″ dots on a roll in a box. Amazon.com also offers 1″, 1.25″, and 2″-diameter target pasters in 1000-dot rolls for $13.99 per roll.
Half-Inch Fluorescent Dots for 100-200 Yards
For close-range work, you may prefer 1/2″-diameter dots. Forum member Steve found a source for very small 1/2″ dots: Uline.com. The 1/2″ dots are available in a wide variety of colors including fluorescent Red, Pink, Yellow, and Green. Price is $12 for a roll of 1000 dots (item S-2063). Steve notes: “A 1/2″ circle at 300 yards is not quite entirely covered by Nightforce crosshairs at 42-power (I’d say 70% coverage). I.e., it seems easier to line up repeatedly than with the bigger (3/4″) circles, which I used to use. Note that, for me, neon green and neon orange work best on brown cardboard targets. Neon orange works well on white paper.”
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At the request of our readers, we have launched a “Deals of the Week” feature. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Midsouth — Nosler .308 Match Monster Bullets, $119.99 for 500
Looking for high-quality, name-brand .308-caliber bullets? You won’t beat the price on these Nosler bullets from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Five options are offered: 155 grain, 168 grain, 168 grain (with cannelure), 170 grain, and 190 grain. The 155s and 168s are just $119.99 for FIVE HUNDRED bullets. The 170s cost $131.28/500 while the big 190s cost $137.74/500. Those are insanely good prices, any way you cut it. The price on the 168s works out to just $23.99 per hundred. You could easily pay $40.00 per hundred for bullets of this quality. These are not seconds or blems — the are quality Nosler-made bullets produced for Midsouth’s Match Monster bulk sales program.
Match photo courtesy Varide Cicognati, Sightron dealer in Italy.
This 10-50X Sightron isn’t as good as a Nightforce 15-55X Competition scope, but it is definitely good enough to win long-range benchrest and F-Class matches. At $968.05, the Sightron is nearly $1400 cheaper than the 15-55X Nightforce. It is even $450 cheaper than the old 12-42x56mm NF Benchrest scope. On a value-for-money basis, then, the Sightron 10-50x60mm makes sense for competitors on a budget. The money you save (compared to a 15-55X NF) will pay for a BAT or Kelbly action, with money left over.
3. Southern Shooters — 17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire
With ballistics far superior to a .22 LR, the 17 HMR is ideal for Prairie Dogs and small varmints out to 180 yards or so. Now you can get a reliable, name brand 17 HMR rifle for a very attractive price. That’s right, Southern Shooters is selling the 17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire, with 22″ barrel, for just $252.63. FFL required. For other vendors with this rifle, CLICK HERE.
Like the RCBS ChargeMaster, this Lyman Gen6 Powder System will automatically dispense and weigh powder charges. This unit features a touch screen, rapid warm-up, anti-static/anti-drift technology, and electronic shielding to resist interference from other electronic devices. It’s a good deal at $205.99.
5. Grafs.com — Hornady 17 HMR Ammo $10.99 for 50 Rounds
This is one of the best prices we’ve seen in recent years on 17 HMR ammo. We really like the V-Max bullets in 17 HMR ammunition — you get excellent accuracy plus the tipped design is very effective on small varmints. Grafs.com is having a big ammo sale right now, so you can get this quality Hornady 17 HMR ammo for just $10.99 per 50-round box. You could easily pay $16.00/box at a local gunstore. This is a GREAT deal — stock up while you can.
6. CDNN — Walther PPX M1 9mm for $299.99
It may be ugly, but this Walther PPX M1 is a very good 9mm pistol. This Editor has shot the PPX and, IMHO, it has a better trigger than the Glock, better ergonomics, and better accuracy. Right now you can get this German-made Walther 9mm pistol for under $300.00 — about half the price of a new Glock. Interested? Then read this Walther PPX Review. It confirms what we’ve said — this is a good pistol.
7. Amazon — AR500 10″ Steel Gong and Rack, $69.99
We love reactive targets for shooting at 300 yards and beyond. You’ll find that, even with a premium spotting scope, it can be hard to spot small bullet holes in paper much past 350 yards (unless viewing conditions are perfect). With a reactive steel target, however, you get instant confirmation of a hit. This Viking 10″ AR500 Steel Gong is a good size for shooting at 400-500 yards. At 500 yards, the 10″ diameter of the gong works out to 2 MOA. For guys looking for a budget-priced hard steel target, this is a good deal — the gong system comes with everything you need: AR500 (armored) round steel plate, chain, fasteners, and support rack.
8. Cabelas.com — Lyman Power Case-Prep Tool
This handy, cordless power tool handles most case-prep chores. The high-torque rechargeable driver runs at the correct speed for deburring and chamfering. The accessories have hex shafts that snap in and out of the driver (much like with a cordless screwdriver). The kit includes the power unit and seven (7) accessories: two case neck brushes, two double-ended primer pocket tools (large and small), an outside 45° neck-chamfer tool, an inside 30° neck-chamfer tool, and a combo standard/phillips screw-driver bit. Regularly $39.99, this tool is on sale for just $24.88 at Cabelas.com.
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No doubt you’ve heard the term “reticle” before, but it probably brings to mind the cross-hair you see through a rifle-scope. This term “reticle” can also describe an optical aid used to score targets. This story discusses a new scoring reticle with precisely-defined circles etched on clear plexiglass. This scoring reticle (as attached to a magnifying crystal) is used to determine whether bullet holes fall inside or outside the scoring circles on targets. This unique new scoring reticle allows match scorers to “equalize” the shot placements of all popular calibers from .204 up to .308. This way, there’s a “level playing field” for all calibers, and any caliber rifle can compete on an equal basis with the 30s.
New ‘Equalizer’ VFS Scoring Reticle
by Ron Goodger
The ubiquitous controversy over the advantage of larger caliber bullets in VFS (Varmint for Score) matches still rages, but there is a simple solution that is being embraced by all to whom I have shown it. The concept is simple, and it accomplishes the same thing the UBR (Ultimate Benchrest) targets do with the advantage that it can be used on any target a club happens to have on hand.
I had heard shooters complain about the advantage that larger calibers have many times and wish there was a fair way to score targets that would level the playing field for all calibers. The UBR concept came along and I read up on it. When a match was held close enough that I could enter, I did so and observed first hand what it was all about. The UBR targets essentially make the distance from the bullet hole center to the scoring ring edge the same for each caliber by using different-sized rings on the caliber-specific targets. After seeing the accompanying disadvantages of using this method (the chief one being the large number of targets required by UBR rules and the resulting increased time required to hold a match), I began searching for a simpler way to accomplish the same thing. I was aware of a number of mid-West clubs wanting to make scoring fair but unwilling to use the UBR method because of the disadvantages.
I came up with an idea late in 2015 and designed a scoring reticle that would do the job. The following diagrams graphically explain how UBR and my scoring reticle accomplish the same thing. The illustration above shows how different caliber bullets hitting the same center point of impact will each just score the 10 ring edge on the different-sized, caliber-specific UBR 10 Rings . It is clear that it is the distance from the center of the bullet to the scoring ring that is made uniform by the different 10 Ring sizes.
The illustration below shows how my VFS scoring reticle accomplishes the same thing by scoring every shot with an .308-equivalent ring that circumscribes the inner caliber-specific ring. The dotted line shows that the center of each bullet hits the same distance from the edge of the scoring ring. It is clear that, using current VFS scoring techniques, the .224, .243, and .257 bullets would score misses. However, scoring each bullet with the .308 ring around the hole illustrates that all calibers would be scored the same.
Scoring Reticle Converts Any Caliber Shot to a .308-Equivalent Hole
The above photo of an IBS 100-yard target has a 6mm hole that is clearly a nine (9), using current scoring methods. But consider that, if a .308 bullet from a 30 BR hit in the very same location, that .30-caliber shot would score in the Ten Ring. Why should the 6mm bullet, whose center was just as close to the middle of the target, be penalized because of the bullet diameter? The image on the right shows the scoring reticle with the 6mm scoring ring centered on this hole. With this scoring reticle, the .308 ring around the 6mm hole clearly scores the 10 Ring, just as a 30-caliber bullet centered in the same spot would do. That is as fair as it can get.
The above image (two shots per frame) from a Hillsdale Michigan varmint target has two 6mm holes that scored a 16. Score values are 10 points for a shot in the white, 5 points for a shot in the orange, and 1 point for hitting the center dot. This was a match that had 30BRs shooting in it. The next photo shows how scoring this frame with the VFS reticle would have resulted in a 21 because the left side of the reticle’s .308 circle just extends into the 10-point white bulls-eye region. So, in effect, there were two (2) shots in the white for 2×10 points (based on the .308 equalizer effect of the reticle). This shows how the reticle will level the VFS playing field regardless of what target is being used.
VFS Scoring Reticle Features and Specifications
The 6mm circles have been placed in the center of the reticle because it is expected to be the most commonly-used caliber, and that makes it easier to see in the crystal. Any of the ring sets can be used for a .308. The sizes of the circles are guaranteed accurate to within .001″ on the outside edge of the circle by the reticle’s manufacturer. I have found the best magnifier crystal to use is a genuine Badash crystal that measures 3.25″ in diameter. They are available from several eBay sellers and are easily attached using a piece of packing tape about 3/4-inch wide around the edge of the reticle (visible on the crystal in the lower part of the photo). That makes the Plexiglas reticles easy to replace in the event they become scratched up from frequent use.
A number of Midwest rifle clubs have already purchased these scoring reticles. The Plexiglas reticles are available for $15.00 each plus $2.04 shipping from the author (does not include the crystal). Email him at LRGoodger [at] gmail dot com for more information.
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Here’s a great search service that can help you locate hard-to-find ammunition and reloading components — while saving money in the process. Ammoseek.com monitors more than a dozen online vendors — checking current pricing and available inventory, for pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition. Need .45 acp ammo for your 1911? Just select “.45 ACP” from the “Quick Seek” list on the right. Likewise you can find .223 Rem and .308 Win Rifle ammo with one click.
Find .22 LR Ammo Quickly
Looking for hard-to-find .22 LR rimfire ammunition? Well AmmoSeek makes it easy — you don’t even have to enter any search words. Simply click on the highlighted links for AmmoSeek’s 22LR Page.
Use Ammoseek.com to Find Reloading Components Too
Ammoseek.com also lets you search for reloading components, including powder, primers, brass, and bullets. This is a huge time-saver. You can instantly check a dozen or more vendors to see if a particular type of powder is in stock. Likewise, you can quickly check for primer availability. If you have a big match coming up and are short on primers — this could solve the problem.
Story Tip by Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
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Take a good look at this unusual ammunition. We think you are looking at the future of handgun ammo — at least for range and practice work. This patent-pending ammunition features a 100% lead-free bullet blended from polymer (plastic) and copper powder. The polymer-copper matrix (PCM) composition offers three major benefits: 1. the bullets do not ricochet; 2. the bullets are lighter and therefore faster than conventional projectiles; and 3. the bullets are environmentally friendly. We think this is a big deal — we predict matrix pistol bullets will become extremely popular in the years to come.
At the 2016 SHOT Show Media Day, we shot ammo with PCM bullets in a half-dozen handguns. The ammo performed flawlessly, without a hitch. In .40 SW and .45 ACP pistols, the felt recoil was considerably less than with conventional lead-core ammo (the difference was less noticeable with .380 ACP and 9mm Luger).
Ruger is now offering Ruger-branded ARX ammo with polymer-copper matrix bullets. This ammo will be produced under a licensing agreement with PolyCase Ammunition, the Georgia-based business that originally developed this bullet technology.
While Ruger is touting this ammo as a self-defense solution, we think the most common use of this new ammo will be for indoor practice, plinking, gun games such as IDPA, and use on steel and reactive targets. If you like to shoot steel, matrix bullets make sense. The polymer-copper matrix bullet basically disintegrates into very small fragments when it hits metal.
This video includes extensive tests of Ruger 9mm ARX ammo:
Ruger ARX Ammo with Injection-Molded Matrix Bullets
The fluted projectiles are injection-molded from a polymer-copper matrix. This offers many advantages. First, being completely lead-free, these bullets can be used at indoor facilities that prohibit lead-based ammo. Second, because the composite bullets weigh 30% less than comparable lead-based projectiles, shooters experience less recoil (even though velocities are higher). Third, the composite matrix bullet has low-ricochet properties. When these bullets strike metal, they are designed to disintegrate, rather than ricochet. This makes them well-suited for indoor use, or use with metal plates.
Ruger’s new ARX line of lead-free ammo features injection-molded bullets that are much lighter than conventional projectiles, caliber by caliber: 56 grains for .380 ACP, 74 grains for 9x19mm, 107 grains for .40 SW, and 114 grains for .45 ACP. The lighter bullets fly faster, but ARX ammo still offers reduced perceived recoil.
Shooting Wire Editor Jim Shepherd reports that ARX ammo delivers on its low-recoil promise: “Having spent time testing the PolyCase ammunition (largely in Ruger firearms), I know the reduction in felt recoil isn’t just hype. While firing PolyCase ARX ammunition in calibers ranging from .380 in small concealed carry pistols (including a Ruger’s LCP) up to .458 SOCOM in modern sporting rifles, the lessened felt recoil was noticeable.”
Polymer-Copper Matrix Bullets Show Good Penetration
Despite their lighter-than-average weight, ARX bullets show good penetration in ballistics gelatin, thanks to their unique, fluted-tip design. This video shows penetration tests:
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Planning to put together an AR-platform rifle? Or are you looking to upgrade your AR with a new barrel, stock, or trigger group? Then you should check out the AR-15 Rifle Build DVD from our friends at UltimateReloader.com. This DVD covers all the details of a custom build, using high-resolution video sequences, and helpful supporting graphics.
In this DVD, Gavin Gear guides you through the entire process including selecting components, acquiring and using the necessary tools, assembly steps and details for each component, and even mounting a scope. Building an AR-15 can be overwhelming, but with the right guidance and help it’s not difficult and is a lot of fun. With this DVD you’ll be able to build your AR-15 with confidence.
Right now, as a New Year’s promotion, the AR-15 Build DVD is on sale for just $9.90 (plus $3.80 shipping/handling). This DVD can pay for itself many times over by showing you how to do your own gunsmithing (and get quality AR components at attractive prices).
Upper: Barrel / Gas Block / Gas Tube
Upper: Handguard Installation:
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When we first ran this story a year ago, it spurred a hot debate, with strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Some guys argued vehemently that volumetric powder dispensing was best — citing the experience of short-range benchresters, most of whom still throw their charges. Others say weighing your charges is best, so long as you have a very precise, and very repeatable scale. We know some of the top 1000-yard shooters weigh their charges to the kernel.
The Great Debate: Volume vs. Weight
Most competitive long-range shooters weigh powder charges for their handloads. Some even use ultra-precise magnetic force restoration scales to load to single-kernel tolerances. But is weight-based measuring always the best way to fill a case with powder? Another option is volumetric charging. This method fills a precisely-sized cavity with powder and then dumps the charge into the case. A Harrell’s rotary powder measure works this way, as does the sliding powder filler on a Dillon progressive press.
Lower ES/SD with Precise Weighing
For long-range applications, most people believe that precise weighing of powder charges is the best way to achieve optimal accuracy and low ES/SD. Our testers have definitely seen ES/SD go down when we started weighing charges with a lab-grade force restoration scale. However, those short-range Benchrest guys still do pretty darn well with their thrown charges, at least at 100 and 200 yards.
Our friend Dennis Santiago recently observed something that made him scratch his head and wonder about weighing charges. His AR-15 match rifle shot better with volumetric (cavity-measured) charges than with weighed charges dispensed by an RCBS ChargeMaster. Here’s what he reports:
Cavity vs. Dribble (Dennis Santiago Report) I had the chance to compare nominally identical ammunition loaded two ways. These were all .223 Remington match loads using 77gr Sierra Match Kings over 23.4 grains of Hodgdon Varget. Same gun. However I loaded some ammo with charges dispensed with a Lee cavity-style powder measure while other rounds were loaded with powder weighed/dispensed by an RCBS Chargemaster. The cavity-drop ammo (with powder dropped from the Lee unit) was consistently better than the weighed-charge ammo. I have no idea why…
So, ladies and gentlemen — what do you think? Why did Mr. Santiago’s volumetrically-charged ammo shoot better than ammo filled with weighed charges? What’s your theory? Gary Eliseo suspects that Dennis’s Chargemaster might have been drifting. What do you think? Post your theories in the comments area below.
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Bullets as art? Here’s an interesting product — a collection of fully-expanded hollowpoint bullets. If you’re shopping for self-defense ammo, take a gander at these projectiles in “full bloom”. The $69.95 Boom Box includes five (5) popular hollow-point bullet types in three different calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. That’s a total of fifteen bullets. Bullet types are: Barnes TAC-XPD, Federal HST, Hornady XTP, Sig Sauer V-Crown, and Speer Gold Dot. All 15 bullets have been live fired, cleaned, clear-coated, and labeled.
Does the .45 ACP really more stopping power than 9mm? Which manufacturer makes the best self defense bullet? What bullet design expands most reliably? These are common questions among gun owners. The Boom Box bullet samples can help answer your questions about expansion, terminal ballistics, and lethality. Plus, let’s face it — these fired, fully expanded bullets just look cool.
The Story Behind Boom Box Bullets…
Anthony Zambai, mechanical engineer and owner of BulletsBouquets.com, started the business shooting Federal HSTs into a tall bucket of water, then turning the expanded bullets into desktop ornaments, jewelry and magnets. After a year of improving on processes and techniques, Bullet Bouquets gets consistent expansions that closely mimic established terminal ballistic test results. They shoot each round, one by one, and recover them. After some cleanup, they spray a durable clear coat on the exposed lead to keep it from oxidizing and discoloring, as well as helping to keep the lead off of fingers. Finally, the expanded bullets are each labeled with caliber, brand, and bullet weight, then placed in the display box.
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Browning is running an excellent Winter Savings promotion this month. You can save up to $100.00 on select Browning shotguns, rifles and pistols. This rebate offers applies to the consumer retail purchase of any new Browning firearm (A5, Maxus and BPS shotguns, AB3 rifles, Buckmark and 1911-22 pistols) purchased between February 1, 2016 and March 31, 2016.
Fine Print (this is a summary of the most important rules):
Offer valid only on the consumer retail purchase of any new Browning firearm (A5, Maxus and BPS shotguns, AB3 rifles, Buckmark and 1911-22 pistols) purchased between February 1, 2016 and March 31, 2016. This offer is valid for end-users only. Limited to one Winter Savings firearm rebate submission per firearm/serial number. All documents must be postmarked no later than midnight April 15, 2016. Allow 6-8 weeks for processing and delivery of rebate. Offer void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Offer valid in the United States only. All purchasers must be citizens or legal residents of the United States. Must be 21 years of age to qualify for pistol rebate.
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The 2016 IWA Outdoor Classics trade show (aka “Euro SHOT Show”) is now history. The IWA event increases in popularity each year. In 2016 there were 1457 exhibitors with nearly 5000 products on display. The final 2016 attendance count is not complete but there were probably close to 44,000 visitors at the IWA show in Nuremberg, Germany. Last year, in 2015, there were 41,748 trade visitors from 122 countries. The video below shows highlights of the 2015 IWA Outdoor Classic event:
IWA Outdoor Classics 2016 Wrap-Up Video
Many interesting new products were showcased at IWA this year. Here are some of the more innovative or noteworthy guns and shooting accessories on display in Nuremberg:
Anschutz 54.30 Smallbore Action and Rifle
The new Anschutz 54.30 smallbore target barreled action features a threaded receiver and barrel — a change from the past (when barrels were pressed and pinned). The new 54.30 action has many other important design improvements. The loading port was moved 30mm rewards and was reduced in size by 18%, resulting in a more rigid receiver. The closer location of the loading port is more ergonomic, allowing less movement when in position. The weight of the firing pin was reduced, resulting in a velocity increase of the firing pin and a shorter lock-time. Anschutz also claims that a newly-designed barrel chamber improves overall accuracy. The new 54.30 match action can be installed into all available stocks which fit Anschutz round match actions such as the 1907 or 1913.
Dentler Basis Vario — Modular Rifle Scope Mounting System
Dentler has introduced an interesting modular scope mounting system that allows you to quickly switch optics while retaining zero. The system offers many variations for scope height, optic type, and fore-aft position. Dentler claims this system offers 100% repeatable zeroes. Watch the video to see how the BASIS VARIO mounting system works.
CK Technology — Granular Rubber Bullet Trap
This is a smart use of recycled rubber materials. CK Technology of Belgium has created a new bullet trap that uses small rubber beads to capture bullets. The granular bullet trap is made of rubber granulates placed on an inclined galvanized steel plate. It offers many advantages compared to traditional steel bullet traps– most importantly there is less pollution, reduced noise, and most importantly, bullets are captured intact so there are no ricochets. This system works for up to .50 caliber bullets, and can be installed indoors or outdoors. The CK bullet trap takes up less space than a conventional steel bullet trap — an advantage for indoor ranges.
SIUS AG — Color Touch-Screen Electronic Scoring Display
SIUS AG is a leader in electronic scoring technology, and the new SA951 control/display unit represents the state of the art. The latest generation SA951 is designed for all types of pistols and rifles, centerfire, rimfire, and airguns. SIUS states the the SA951 is currently the only unit with ISSF Phase III approval for all types of firearms and airguns. The SA951 features a sharp 10.5-inch color touchscreen that permits the competitor to see his/her targets and easily navigate a variety of functions — all with the touch of a finger. Using the control menu and selecting programms and screens is easy, quick and intuitive. The control unit can also be operated via the remote control or the proven barcode scanner. This allows users the same kind of operation as with predecessor models SA931/SA941.
Korth Super Sport Revolver
This is one serious wheelgun. The new Korth Super Sport Revolver is big and beefy with Picatinny-type rails on top and on both sides of the barrel. Chambered for .357 Magnum, this gun was designed for used in action matches such as the Bianchi Cup. Weighing a hefty 3.64 pounds (1.652 kg), the Korth Super Sport is over 11 inches long, without compensator. This gun has many innovative features, including: externally adjustable hammer spring, externally adjustable double-action cycle (with pressure point wheel), adjustable iron sights, and quick-change cylinder (for caliber change to .38 Special or 9mm Para). Here’s video of the gun being shot at the SHOT Show Media Day event in January.
Svensk Jaktvision PhoneCam Holder
Svensk Jaktvision of Sweden offers a handy product that mounts a smartphone above your rifle-scope. This product is designed for hunters who want to record their experience in the wild. But the system is also useful for marksmanship training. The top-mounted smartphone screen allows a coach/instructor to see how the rifle moves in the hands of the trainee. Watch the video to see how the Jaktvision PhoneCam holder can be employed in the field.
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We recently showed a video of an incident at a pistol match that easily could have resulted in the death of a range worker. If you watched that video, you’ll understand that one momentary oversight is all it takes to put someone in the hospital (or the morgue). That’s why shooters should be prepared for the worst. Get first-aid training, and carry a basic first-aid kit whenever you go to the range.
Carry a Basic First-Aid Kit Shinnosuke Tanaka, reporter for RECOIL Magazine, offers some good advice: “OK, most of us have seen the [pistol match incident] video. YES, it is RSO’s fault not checking down range enough. BUT it’s your bullet that could hurt someone when it happen. So don’t let someone take care of safety for you, look around one more time after the command ‘Make ready’.”
Four basic firearms safety rules always apply. The Fourth Rule is: “Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it”. Shinnosuke adds: “My own fifth rule is ‘If there is doubt, don’t pull the trigger’.”
Shinnosuke cautions: “If you play with firearms you should know how to deal with gunshot wounds… Carry a simple medical kit. Here is my first aid kid, always carried on top of my shooting pack. Seek professional training and know how to use it. It’s your responsibility to stop the loss of your blood when an accident happens.”
Watch Gun Shot First Aid Video
If someone at a range is seriously injured by a gunshot, you should immediately summon emergency medical professionals. In addition, basic first aid can help stabilize the injured individual. This 55-minute video explains Basic First Aid for Gunshot Wounds:
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Hi-Viz Stick-On Dots in Assorted Colors and Diameters
The Great Debate: Volume vs. Weight
Bullets as art? Here’s an interesting product — a collection of fully-expanded hollowpoint bullets. If you’re shopping for self-defense ammo, take a gander at these projectiles in “full bloom”. The 
