The NRA Blog has produced an interesting graphic guide to firearms function. This “How Guns Work” infographic shows the basics of bolt-action rifle operation and how a centerfire cartridge propels a bullet through a barrel during the “firing sequence”. There’s some good artistry here, with cutaway drawings letting you look inside an action and cartridge.
Enjoy this technical graphic. The NRA Blog says: “In celebration of cartridges big and small, we partnered with OutdoorHub to bring you a detailed look into how guns work. While the infographic will be most instructive to newcomers, we think avid shooters will find it interesting, too.”
Someone is going to snag a heck of a deal. As part of its End of Year Clearance Sale, Midsouth Shooters Supply is offering bulk quantities of quality Norma brass at a huge discount. Right now you can get 2000 pieces of Norma 6mm PPC or 6mmBR brass for just $798.26. You can also get twenty-five .22 PPC cases for just $11.06. There are similar discounts on other products at Midsouth, but we just had to bring this to our readers’ attention. That’s enough brass to last a lifetime. If you are thinking of building a PPC-based or BR-based varmint rifle, such as a 22BR, 2000 cases will see you through a week-long varmint safari. This brass would also make a great item for a youth program.
The Norma brass is outstanding — certainly capable of winning matches. It may not be quite as hard as Lapua brass, but it is nonetheless very high quality stuff. NOTE: This is the last day of Midsouth’s E.0.Y.C. sale, so don’t dawdle. You snooze you loose. You could pick up one of these 2000-count cartons and sell off some to your shooting buddies.
Share the post "Get 2000 Pieces of Norma PPC or BR Brass for under $800"
OK, you guys can now officially stop complaining about the price of rimfire ammunition. Right now Cabelas.com is offering “Holiday Packs” of 40gr CCI standard velocity LRN ammo. Price is $3.99 for 50 rounds, with no limits (until inventory is sold). If you need good, reliable plinking ammo… place your order soon. Here’s a review from a recent purchaser: “Good Deal! I ordered 40 boxes and got them all. I have already used a box and they work great! I may need to order more before they are all gone! Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes.”
NOTE to California-based readers — you may want to stock up on affordable .22 LR ammo before the ammo-buyer licensing requirements take effect on 1/1/2018. New laws will prohibit all mail-order ammo sales for California residents.
Terms of Sale: Online Only, Do Not Call, one coupon per order.
Item number#: IK-219647; SKU#: 931GFT ($4.99); Sale Price $3.99 per 50-round box.
Share the post "Get CCI Holiday Pack Rimfire Ammo for $3.99 Per Box"
Here is the original Sierra manufacturing facility in Whittier, CA.
Sierra Bullets — How It Got Started
Report Based on Story by Carroll Pilant, Sierra Bullets Media Relations Manager
What became Sierra Bullets started in the late 1940s in a Quonset hut in California. In 1947, three aircraft machinists, Frank Snow, Jim Spivey, and Loren Harbor, rented machine space to produce rivets for the aircraft industry along with fishing rod guides and rifle front sight ramps. In the post-WWII years, sport shooting was becoming hugely popular, but quality ammunition was in short supply. For shooting enthusiasts, reloading was the solution to the ammo supply shortage. Snow, Spivey, and Harbor recognized this, creating Sierra Bullets to help fill the void. Before long, they were selling a 53-grain match bullet to the Hollywood Gun Shop. These bullets are still in production today as the Sierra #1400 53-grain MatchKing.
A few years later, an accomplished competitive shooter named Martin Hull joined Sierra. Hull helped develop new bullet types and served as manager of Sierra’s ballistics laboratory for nearly 20 years. With Hull’s help, Sierra’s output grew rapidly. The California company outgrew several locations before it moved to a large facility in Santa Fe Springs, CA, in 1963.
New Owners and New President in the Late Sixties
In 1968, the Leisure Group bought Sierra Bullets. Other Leisure Group companies included Lyman Reloading, High Standard Manufacturing Company, Yard Man, Thompson Sprinkler Systems, Flexible Flyer Sleds, and Dodge Trophies (Which made the Oscar and Rose Bowl Game trophies).
Soon after purchasing Sierra, the Leisure Group hired Robert Hayden as President and General Manager. Hayden was a mechanical engineer who had worked for Remington Arms. Hayden remained the president of Sierra for 42 years, retiring in 2012 when Pat Daly became president.
Sierra Moves to Missouri
In 1990, Sierra relocated to Sedalia, Missouri, where the company remains today. Sierra Bullets now employs over 100 people including five full-time ballistic technicians who answer daily reloading and firearms questions by both phone and e-mail.
The Making of MatchKings — How Sierra Produces SMKs
All Sierra bullets begin life as a strip of gilding metal, an alloy consisting of 95% copper and 5% zinc. To meet Sierra’s strict quality requirements, the gilding metal requires three times more dimensional and quality control standards than is considered standard in the copper manufacturing industry.
A blanking press stamps out a uniform disc and forms the cup that will be drawn into the MatchKing jacket. The cup is then polished and sent to a draw press to be drawn into a jacket that is longer than needed for the future MatchKing, thus allowing for the trim process. Press operators constantly check concentricity to make sure we have only quality jackets. The jackets then go to a trimmer where they are visually inspected again.
After being polished a second time, the jacket travels to the bullet press. In the meantime, 80-pound lead billets are being extruded into lead wire for the cores where great care is taken so that the core wire is not stretched. The core wire is lightly oiled before continuing to the bullet press to be swaged.
The lead core wire and trimmed jacket meet at the bullet press where the first stage forms a boattail on the jacket. The lead core is then formed on top of the bullet press and fed down into the jacket. In one stroke of the press, the MatchKing is formed.
Quality control technicians pull samples from each lot of MatchKings to make sure they meet Sierra’s stringent standards. Samples are then sent to Sierra’s 300-meter underground test range (shown below) to be shot for accuracy on mechanical mounts referred to as “unrestricted return to battery rests” that Sierra designed and built in-house.
After inspection, the bullets are placed in the familiar green box along with reloading labels. They are then shrink-wrapped and shipped all over the world.
Share the post "Sierra Bullets — How It All Started Nearly 70 Years Ago"
A 7mm Snake for Santiago
Our friend Dennis Santiago has a reptilian rig in his arsenal. It’s actually an Eliseo R1 single-shot tubegun chambered in .284 Winchester. The eye-catching aspect of Santiago’s .284 bolt-gun is the snakeskin dip job on the exterior. This really creates a distinctive look. Dennis tells us: “It was Gary Eliseo’s idea to try a water-transfer printing finish for this rifle. There are many patterns to choose from — this is the WTP-260 Snakeskin Illusion-Fall Copper from WaterTransferPrinting.com. For a single shot LR gun, I figured something on the bright side would be interesting and pick up less heat from the sun in the summer.”
Dennis will use his new rifle in prone matches, where a single shot works fine. He says: “Underneath the hood, it’s a Rem 700 Long Action, chambered in .284 Win. Yes it’s a single shot! I don’t need anything else for a prone gun. Nothing to get in the way of building the perfect position.”
Dennis says: “Length of pull, offset and cast initially set the same as my similar RTS .308. My gun, my body dimensions.”
A FFP 6-24x50mm Sightron Rides on Top
The optic is a Sightron 6-24x50mm, FFP MOA-2. Dennis reports: “I looked at many scopes (within my determined price range), and this is the one that had the best combination of features for for this gun’s particular application. The sight line sits about 3 inches above bore line on these guns. It’s been leveled, bore-sighted and pre-dialed for a 200-yard estimated zero for the ammo I plan to use. Those are Gen II A.R.M.S. rings. Super easy to tailor to different rail widths. Same rock-steady steel performance.”
Share the post "Reptilian R1 — Santiago’s Snakeskin TubeGun"
Images courtesy of Bernard Martinage and AmVIEWnition
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, 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 — End of Year Clearance with 42% to 77% Off
Now through 12/31/2016, Midsouth Shooters Supply is running its incredible End of Year Clearance (E.O.Y.C.) Sale. Prices are lowered each day as we approach the end of 2016. Eventually prices will be 77% off. The deals get better with time…but if you wait too long, someone else may grab the item(s) you want. We suggest you check back daily.
NORMA BRASS on SALE: As part of Midsouth’s E.O.Y.C., Norma match brass is on sale. For example, right now .22 PPC, 6mm PPC, and 6mmBR Norma brass are 35% off. This is excellent brass — maybe not quite as hard as Lapua, but still very, very good. You can get the 6BR brass today for just $57.38 per hundred — that’s a huge savings compared to new Lapua 6mmBR brass.
2. CDNN Sports — Ruger .308 Win American, $299.99
If you want a simple, reliable, and very affordable deer rifle, look no further. Right now the Ruger American in .308 Win is on sale for just $299.99. This rifle features a crisp trigger, short-lift 3-lug bolt, and smooth-feeding flush-fit rotary magazine. An integral bedding block system positively locates the receiver and free-floats the 22″, 1:10″-twist barrel. The polymer stock has a matte camo finish and soft rubber recoil pad. For a basic, work-horse hunting rifle it’s hard to beat this 6.1-lb Ruger for $299.99.
3. Natchez — Special 5 Reloading Press Kit, $199.99
Looking for a great holiday gift for a family member getting started in metallic cartridge reloading? This RCBS Kit has everything a new reloader needs: single-stage press, powder measure, scale, powder trickler, priming tool, cartridge tray, “rocket” chamfer tool, case lube and more. This is an excellent entry-level reloading kit, on sale for just $199.99 at Natchez Shooters Supplies. We like the relatively compact Special 5 press for most reloading duties. Eventually you may want to add an additional, large heavy press, but this will get the job done. For the combined package, with all the tools one needs to hand-load quality ammo — this is a stunningly good deal at $199.99.
4. Cabela’s — Vortex Crossfire II 1-4x24mm scope, $99.99
New NRA/CMP Service Rifle rules allow the use of optics up to 4.5X magnification. You don’t need a big budget to equip your AR Service Rifle with a suitable scope. This week, Cabelas is offering the Vortex Crossfire II 1-4x24mm scope for just $99.99. That’s a true bargain. This scope can also work for a bolt-action hunting rifle, providing fast acquisition and a wide field of view. Along with this low price you can get $5 Flat Shipping with Code 2016FLAT (this applies to all orders over $99.00).
5. Stocky’s Stocks — Composite Stock with Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a killer deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with a matte black, tan, or olive baked-on textured finish for $199.99.
6. Amazon — Motorola Walkie Talkies, $46.99 per Pair
Walkie-Talkies are “must-have” items for long-range shooting. The 22-CH Motorola MH230R Two-Way Radio is Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in FRS/GMRS Handheld Radios. This under-$50.00 set offers 22 channels with a claimed range up to 23 miles (We’ve used them and they worked at 3 miles line of sight). The kit includes: 2 radios, 2 belt clips, 1 dual drop-in charger, 1 charging adapter, 2 NiMH rechargeable battery packs. Run-time is about 10 hours — plenty for a full day of shooting. There is also a newer version, the Motorola T260 for $58.99.
7. Amazon — Frankford Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler, $34.99
Look no further for a great deal on a reliable tumbler. We’ve used this very same machine to tumble both pistol brass and rifle cases. We like the see-through, transparent top and the large capacity — this will hold up to 350 .223 Rem cases. With 1000+ customer reviews on Amazon.com, this Frankford Quick-N-Easy Case Tumbler has earned a 4.5-star rating. If you need a tumbler, you might want to order soon — this is the best price we’ve seen in a while.
Need quality .22 LR rimfire ammo at an affordable price? Consider Norma. Most folks think Norma only produces centerfire ammo and cartridge brass. As a result, people haven’t been looking for Norma rimfire ammo. Their loss is your gain. Accurate, reliable Norma .22 LR ammunition is in-stock right now at leading online vendors. This is good quality ammo, made in Europe. Bullets.com has Norma Tac-22 ammo in stock at $5.25 per 50-rd box (SKU: BL7819). In addition, Bullets.com offers Norma Match-22 ammunition at $7.50 per 50-rd box (SKU: BL11887).
We like reactive targets. It’s fun to “ring steel” and see a target move instantly when hit. For just twenty bucks (including shipping), it’s hard to go wrong with this 8″ AR500 Steel Gong. The 8″-diameter size is big enough for zeroing at 200 yards, yet offers a nice challenge at 500 yards and beyond. There is also a 6″-diameter model for $16.00.
Share the post "Bargain Finder 67: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week"
Our friend, gunsmith/stockmaker Doan Trevor recently created a lovely, one-of-a-kind silhouette stock for an Anschutz rimfire action. Built as a true custom design, this stock combines ideal standing position ergonomics with light weight — the entire stock weighs a mere two pounds. This project really showcases Doan’s remarkable skills with wood. Read the full story about this project (with more photos) at DoanTrever.com.
Doan explains his design process: “A customer came to me wanting to know if I could build a silhouette stock that was 2 pounds or less. I used the Koa wood because it is a lower specific gravity than Walnut (which makes it lighter) and stronger. I was still able to use pillar bedding and keep the weight down. The fore end could be shortened to reduce the weight even more. Since the drops on a silhouette rifle are different than a prone rifle, I kept the pistol grip from the prone rifle which is comfortable and tried to come up with a higher cheek piece and more drop to the buttplate. All of this required lots of hand carving.”
Share the post "Doan Trevor Carves a Silhouette Special from Koa Wood"
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our 33,500 Forum Members. This marks our 12th Christmas “in business”, and the site keeps growing each year. AccurateShooter.com (and 6mmBR.com) are now accessed by over 550,000 visitors every month. Part of the reason for that success is the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise that our contributing writers (and expert consultants) share with other shooters.
Unsung Heroes Deserve Recognition
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge some guys who have really helped out with the site. Number one is Jay Christopherson, who performs “mission-critical” work as our information systems manager and Forum Admin. Jay, who is also a talented competitive shooter, has enabled us to maintain modern, high-speed servers, with smart security protections. Jay deserves our thanks for all his hard work, invaluable expertise, and dedication. Thanks also go to Jeff Williams, our “Answerman” who fields miscellaneous questions from our readers. We have a great place to test rifles thanks to our good buddy (and designated trigger-puller) Joe Friedrich. Special thanks go to the 6.5 Guys, Ed Mobley and Steve Lawrence, who contributed SHOT Show videos and regular gear reports. I also want to recognize our correspondents, including Bryan Litz, Vince Bottomley, German S., Jason Baney, Emil Kovan, John Whidden, Mark LaFevers, James Mock, Tony Chow, Gavin Gear and others. And we must acknowledge Boyd Allen and EdLongRange who tirelessly supply story leads for the Daily Bulletin. These guys (and many others) have all contributed much time and effort.
Thanks to Site Supporters and Sponsors
Finally, I’d like to thank all of you who have made donations (large or small) to the site this year. User support is very important. Donations help us provide key services for our readership. We also want to express our appreciation for our many commercial sponsors — from large vendors such as Midsouth Shooters Supply, Bruno Shooters Supply, and Powder Valley to important product-makers such as Berger Bullets, Krieger Barrels, Lapua, and Schmidt & Bender. We’re grateful to all our sponsors and advertisers. In particular, I want to acknowledge Shiraz Balolia, a great friend of the shooting sports, and a gifted marksman in his own right. Shiraz has provided key support for this site though his companies Bullets.com and Grizzly Industrial. We are all part of a very special community here at AccurateShooter.com — and we appreciate your support!
Our friend and product tester Joe Friedrich is the proud owner of a spectacular Pappas front rest. Built by James Pappas, this rest is used for both air rifle and rimfire benchrest matches. The fancy Pappas front rest is a shortened, front-support-only version of the Pappas one-piece rest, which is popular with rimfire benchresters. Pappas engineered this rest to comply with air rifle benchrest rules which do not allow use of integrated (one-piece) front and rear rests. The end result was a 30.8-lb masterpiece of machining. Sadly, James Pappas passed away in 2014. This beautifully-crafted rest, built in 2011, is one of the finest examples of his work — a fitting legacy.
The workmanship on this Pappas front rest is astounding. Accurately described as a “work of art” by Joe Friedrich, this rest, crafted of aircraft-grade aluminum, sets new standards for “Benchrest BLING”. It looks like it should be on display in an art museum. Nearly all components of this rest, including the adjustment controls, have been polished to a mirror finish.
Convenient Rear Windage and Elevation Controls
The Pappas front rest features separate fine-tuning controls for windage and elevation, plus a central gross-elevation control. Normally, once the rest is centered-up on the target, you can make all needed elevation and windage adjustments with the rear (fine-adjustment) controls. In the video below, Joe explains how the controls work as he practices with his modified Theoben Rapid MFR air rifle. (Note: In the last minute of the video, the back-lighting was so intensely bright that we lost detail in the foreground. We apologize for that flaw, but you can still hear the audio.)
Price for this Masterpiece? Don’t Ask…
If you are interested in getting a similar rest, visit PappasRimfireProducts.com, or call (325) 754-5771. Be forewarned — “If you need to ask about the price, you probably can’t afford it.” This is truly the “Rolls-Royce” of front rests, and it will be priced accordingly.
Share the post "Benchrest Bling — The Pappas Front Rest for Rimfire BR"
Many of our favorite vendors have announced special holiday sales for the Christmas Weekend, or through the end of the year. With special discount codes you can save up to $30.00 off your order. In addition, Midsouth Shooters Supply is running its incredible End of Year Clearance (E.O.Y.C.) Sale. Now through the end of the year, prices are lowered as we approach the end of 2016. Eventually prices will be 77% off. But if you wait too long, the items you want may be sold.
Midsouth Shooters Supply End of Year Clearance Sale
You will find some amazing deals at Midsouth Shooters Supply in the next week. Now through December 31st, Midsouth is slashing prices on special items. The deals get better with time…but if you wait too long, someone else may grab the item(s) you want. We suggest you check back daily.
MidwayUSA — Promo Codes for Up to $30.00 Off
Use the following codes to save up to $30 with purchases of in-stock, qualifying products at MidwayUSA.com. Use Code 10SANTA16 for orders over $100; Code 20SANTA16 for orders over $200; and Code 30SANTA16 for orders over $300.00.
Bruno Shooters Supply — FREE Shipping With Order over $100
Now through the end of the year, Bruno Shooters Supply is offering FREE shipping with all orders over $100.00. In addition, Bruno’s has a number of special items on sale. For example you can save $100.00 on the purchase of BAT Actions.
Precision Reloading — $10 Off with Code LIGHTS
With orders over $100.00 at Precision Reloading, you can save $10 with Code LIGHTS. In addition, now through the end of the year, Hazmat Fees are just $15.00 per shipment. That discounted Hazmat rate could save you $20-$25 when purchasing powder or primers.
Creedmoor Sports — FREE Shipping on Orders over $49.87
Creedmoor Sports has slashed prices on all items in its Bargain Bunker, including popular Creedmoor Rifle and pistol ammo. In addition, now through the end of the year, you can get FREE Shipping with all orders over $49.87. Use Code CHR4987.
Share the post "Last Minute Xmas and End of Year Sale Promotions"
Some interesting products were featured in Brownell’s New Product Review this week. Brownells Merchandise Manager Paul Levy looks at a new Rem 700 Magwell system from Magpul, along with Hornady’s impressive new Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 10th Edition. For a quick look at these and other new products, check out the Video below:
Magpul Magnum Long Action MagWell — This fits Long-Action Rem 700 and Rem clone actions. Priced at just $75.95, this composite “bottom metal” is light-weight polymer, with a handy ambidextrous magazine release on either side of the trigger guard. Designed to work with AICS-pattern long action magazines, this kit also includes one Magpul PMAG® 5ACL magnum magazine for .300 WM-based family of cartridges.
Hornady 10th Edition Reloading Manual — This was just released, so it is one of the most up-to-date load manuals in print. Hornady’s new Manual is very comprehensive. It includes new information for the 6.5 Creedmoor and other modern cartridge type.
Smith Tactics Battle Bar — For Black Rifle fans, this slick extension that makes it easier to operate an AR’s bolt release.
Nowlin Drop-In 1911 Pistol Barrels — Upgrade your 1911 with a new barrel in .40 SW or .45 ACP. If you have an older pistol with many thousands of rounds this can be a “drop-in” accuracy fix.
Note: If you are interested in these or other Brownells products, you can get free ground shipping for orders over $99.00. Use Code LYH at checkout.
Share the post "New Products in Review — Brownells"
Here’s a great deal for you tactical guys out there. Now through January 2, 2017, McMillan Fiberglass Stocks is offering $125.00 off its popular A5 Stock. And what’s more, you can even get FREE Shipping: “Take $125 off your purchase of the McMillan A5 – Standard Stock in our online retail store and receive free shipping! Use promo code: HOLIDAYSALE16 . Supplies are limited. Offer is only valid for the online retail store. Hurry, this offer ends Monday, January 2, 2017.”
DROP IN READY FOR:
— Right hand Remington 700 short or long action.
— BDL hinged floor plate or Badger M5 Detachable Box Magazine.
— Remington varmint/sendero/tactical/5R barrel.
On McMillan’s A5 Standard Page, you can select your desired variation of the A5 — select color, action length, inletting type and more. NOTE: Offer is only valid for the online retail store. Free shipping applies to orders in the Continental USA.
McMillan A5 Sale tip from Edlongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Share the post "Tactical Bonanza — Save $125.00 on McMillan A5 Stock"
A 7mm Snake for Santiago
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our 33,500 Forum Members. This marks our 12th Christmas “in business”, and the site keeps growing each year. AccurateShooter.com (and 6mmBR.com) are now accessed by over 550,000 visitors every month. Part of the reason for that success is the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise that our contributing writers (and expert consultants) share with other shooters.
