This photo is one of Nightforce’s series of picturesque “Gunscapes”. SEE MORE HERE.
With all the commercialization and buying frenzy associated with Black Friday/Cyber Monday, we should remember the real reasons most of us enjoy the shooting hobby. Many of us like shooting because it gets us outdoors, away from work pressures. Shooting gives us a chance both to enjoy solitude as well as have fun with friends and family in the outdoors. For this editor, a solo trip to the range in mid-week was often the perfect antidote to job stress. Going to a scenic venue and sending a few shots downrange was satisfying. And getting out of the hustle and bustle of the city did indeed calm the soul.
Talented 3-position shooter (and trick-shot artist) Kirsten Joy Weiss says that any day at the range is “always a good day”. Here is her photo to prove it. If that shot doesn’t motivate you to spend a day outdoor with rifles, we’re not sure what will. Here’s hoping you’ll have a chance to get in another few days of shooting this season before the snow falls. This Editor hopes to test some rimfire ammo this weekend…
Readers know Jim Borden as a Hall of Fame shooter and the owner of Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles. Jim won 10 IBS National Championships, set 10 IBS world records, and was inducted into the Benchrest Hall of Fame in 1996. But Jim is not just a great shooter. This highly-trained engineer is very much a Renaissance man. He is as skilled with cameras as he is with benchrest rifles.
Jim is a talented outdoor photographer who has compiled an impressive portfolio of wildlife and landscape photographs. For our Thanksgiving-day edition of the Daily Bulletin we are featuring some of Jim’s favorite nature images. We hope readers enjoy them as much as shooters prize Borden’s Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, in a hunting household and hunting community, Jim learned about shooting at a very early age. He started hunting at the age of nine with his father and grandfather. His grandfather had an avid interest in photography while they were on hunts and Jim became interested as well. Jim began using SLR cameras in the 1970s, often carrying cameras on his hunts. As the years passed, Jim became more interested in “shooting” the animals with a camera versus a gun. Jim converted from film to digital in 2006 and in 2007 Jim’s wife Joan started accompanying Jim on the photo safaris. Jim has a particular passion for elk, moose, and eagles and Jim also enjoys scenic photography. Jim and Joan both shoot Nikon professional equipment. Their photographs can be viewed at www.BordenPhotography.com. You’ll also find Jim’s images (along with photography tips) on his JandJB Wildlife Photography Blog.
All in the Family
Jim’s grandfather was a gunsmith who taught Jim the trade when Jim was very young. Jim’s father and grandfather ran a country business that included an auto repair shop, welding, a small lathe, and a forge. Jim earned a degree in Mechanical engineering at Penn State University. For 23 years he worked for Procter and Gamble (P&G) as an engineer and as an engineering manager/project manager.
Borden Rifles — A Success Story
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles has been a source for precision benchrest and hunting rifles for many years. Jim started doing his own gunsmithing while competing in benchrest and high power silhouette matches. Jim launched his business in 1987, working nights and weekends while still employed at P&G. The business became full-time in 1995 with Jim and his wife Joan doing the work. The business was expanded in 1999 with the construction of the new Springville, PA facility and the addition of sons Jim Jr. and John to the staff. Son-in-law John Mecca came onboard in January 2000. Now the Borden shop continues to make some of the finest rifles and actions in the world. Joan tells us that the company has seen a significant growth in ultra-high-quality precision hunting rifles in recent years.
Jim and company began making Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions in 2001. They added Borden Alpine and Timberline actions in 2006. These actions are made in an advanced manufacturing facility which has three CNC vertical Machining centers, three CNC lathes, three manual lathes, a manual knee mill, a surface grinder, a cylindrical grinder and wire EDM machine. To learn more, visit BordenRifles.com, call 570-965-2505, or send email to info [at] bordenrifles.com.
It’s not Black Friday yet… but there are already some notable bargains to be had. Brownells has kicked off its Pre-Black Friday Sale today. Along with dozens of marked specials, you can get $10 Off $99+ with code NBM (plus FREE Shipping), $15 Off $150+ with code NCS (plus FREE Shipping), and $20 Off $200 with Code M8Y (plus FREE Shipping). Jump on those code deals — they may expire soon.
To make things even better, there are some MORE Brownells discount codes in play through 11/25/18 (Sunday) at 11:59 pm. These all use the FN prefix. Get Free Shipping with no minimum with Code FN4. Get $20 off $200 with Free S/H with code FN3. Get 10% Off $300 with Free S/H with code FN3. As Brownells says these are great deals.
OK, now here are the Brownells Product deals. NOTE: These are individually discounted prices in Brownells Pre-Black Friday sale. We can’t confirm how long the sale prices will last — but there are still some great deals to be had. Such as the LabRadar Chrono for $499.99 ($60 Off), Howa 300 WM Barreled Action (with trigger) for $349.99, and Geissele Enhanced AR Trigger for $139.99 ($75 Off). There are also great savings on Nikon optics. Plus when you buy a complete firearm, you can get a Brownells gift card worth up to $100.00 — Check it Out:
In addition, there are a variety of great deals on factory loaded ammunition, including up to $100 off on Federal “Black Pack” bulk ammo.
Today is Thanksgiving. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to blast away at some bearded gobblers (of the paper variety). Here’s our custom Turkey Day target, ready for family fun. This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.
Get a Full Set of Animal Targets
For your convenience, we’ve packaged the Turkey Target along with five (5) other varmint/animal-themed targets. These are all offered in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format for easy printing.
Note the owner’s name, “S. Limbourne” was engraved on the bolt release (and trigger guard, see below).
Who doesn’t like a spectacular figured-wood stock, particularly when it is combined with a superb custom action and a tack-driving barrel. Here’s some eye candy for Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This is a custom .284 Winchester F-Class Open division rig created by gunsmith Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez for competitive shooter Scott Limbourne. The handsome Bacote wood figured stock comes from Cerus Rifleworks, while the action is a polished Borden RBRP BRMXD. Two Brux 1:9″ twist barrels were chambered for the project, both finished at 32″. The stock is also fitted with a R.A.D. Recoil System. This rig has top-of-the-line hardware all around.
Action: Borden BRMXD – Polished
Rail: 20 MOA Polished
Chambering: .284 Winchester
Trigger: Jewell BR – Blueprinted
Barrel: (2x) Brux 32″ 1:9″ Twist
Stock: Cerus F-Open in Exhibition Grade Bacote
Recoil System: R.A.D. System
Extras: Carbon Fiber Tunnel Plate, Custom Engraving Work on Action, Trigger Guard, and Bolt Release.
You’ll find more impressive rigs on Speedy’s Facebook Page. If you’d like a superb custom rifle like this, call Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez at 972-672-6630, or send email to: speedy.godzilla [at] msn.com.
Here’s a treat just in time for the holidays — you can see a video view of 1000-yard Benchrest competition tonight on Shooting USA television. The Wednesday, November 21, 2018 episode of Shooting USA features the 2017 IBS 1000-Yard National Championship held at the Whitehorse Shooting Center in Peeltree, West Virginia. This Shooting USA episode takes you to the Whitehorse 1K Range in September 2017. You can see the action on the firing line and the Shooting USA team also interviews many competitors. Watch this episode on the Outdoor Channel at these times: 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central.
If you want to learn about the 1000-yard Benchrest game, definitely tune in to Shooting USA on September 26, 2018 (tomorrow) to watch last year’s IBS action. There were nearly 120 shooters competing (118 in Light Gun, 107 in Heavy Gun).
To learn more about on this event, read our detailed 2017 IBS 1K Nationals Match Report. At the 2017 Nationals, conditions were challenging to say the least, with rain storms, spiraling winds, and fog. In fact, rain and fog on Saturday (with cancelled relays) caused the Nationals to be extended by one day through Monday. What’s more, of the 107 shooters listed in the Two-Gun Overall results who actually shot both guns, there were dozens of DQs.
Top Guns at the 2017 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals were Edward Kenzakoski (Two-Gun Overall Champion), Mike Gaizauskas (Light Gun Overall, plus LG Score Agg), and Mike Brennan (Heavy Gun Overall, plus HG Score Agg). Group Agg winners were Richard Schatz for LG, and Charlie Lentz for Heavy. Two ladies also deserve mention. Sally Bauer shot the smallest group of the match, a 1.923″ 5-shot group in LG — that’s 0.184 MOA! Ruth Edwards drilled a 2.104″, also mighty impressive. Here’s Sally below with her very patriotic Heavy Gun…
In today’s economy, Free is good. Here’s a list of classic, older shooting books that can be downloaded for FREE from Google Books. This list includes many classic treatises on marksmanship that still have value for today’s competitive shooters. In addition, we’ve included illustrated firearm histories, such as Townsend Whelen’s fascinating book, The American Rifle, and The Gun and its Development (9th Ed.), by William Wellington Greener.
In the list below, the title link will take you to the Google Books page for each book. You can read the entire book online, or (in most cases) you can download it to your computer as a PDF file* and save it (or print it). You can also create your own Google Library and save the books there for access from any computer.
*To download a book, first click the title from the list above. Then, once you’re at the Google book site, look for the icon that looks like a gear in the upper right-hand corner. Click that and a pull-down menu will appear. Select “Download PDF” from the menu — this will bring up a security question to make sure you are a human. Respond to the security question correctly and your normal download prompt will appear. Choose a location to hold your new e-book, and click “save”.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce that it has established a $100,000 grant program to be used by firearms ranges in support of their NSSF First Shots® introductory shooting programs. Grants up to $2500.00 will be awarded to help shooting clubs offer introductory “First Shots” events. These First Shots events serve the dual purpose of providing a safe, fun and educational introduction experience for people new to firearms and shooting while fostering community outreach and developing a new customer base for member ranges.
The grant program is now open for application by shooting ranges and organizations. Applicants may apply for grants of up to $2,500 to be used to create or enhance marketing and advertising efforts for First Shots events held preferably before April 1, 2019, or within 90 days of receiving the grant. They can also apply a portion of their funds for any necessary equipment purchases such as loaner firearms. The grant program is open to current and former NSSF Member First Shots host ranges and organizations, as well as those ranges just getting started with or that plan to start hosting First Shots events for the first time. New and former First Shots host ranges will be given Grant award priority.
“First Shots is well-established as a program that connects people interested in learning about firearms safety and target shooting with the ranges and instructors in their communities, and it’s proven to not only get these people to the range for their first shots but to keep them coming back,” said Zach Snow, NSSF Director, Shooting Range Services. “We expect this grant program, along with the additional program support we offer our First Shots host ranges, will go a long way towards improving shooting sports safety training, participation numbers and enhancing the viability of our Member ranges.”
Ranges and organizations that wish to apply for the First Shots Grant Program are encouraged to do so at their earliest opportunity. For more information, contact Ann Gamauf, NSSF Retail & Range Business Development Coordinator, at agamauf [at] nssf.org or CLICK HERE .
Sturm, Ruger & Co. has created a series of 11 short videos that trace the history of firearms, from matchlocks to modern semi-autos. Ruger’s “History of the Gun” video series provides a fascinating look at firearms technology throughout the years. The host is Garry James, Senior Editor of Guns & Ammo magazine. Featured here is Segment 7 on Rifling. Other installments in the series are linked below.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, 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. Natchez — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit, $269.99
Everything you see above can be yours for just $269.99. Great Deal. Right now, Natchez is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $269.99, a great price considering all the hardware you get: Press, Primer Tool, Scale, Powder Measure, Loading Tray, Reloading Manual and more. Heck, the Rock Chucker press alone is worth $160.00+. This is good starter kit for any reloader with sturdy items (like the Rock Chucker press), that will last a lifetime.
2. Bruno Shooters Supply — All Lapua Brass on Sale
Chances are you use Lapua brass and if you’re like most serious shooters you can’t resist it when it’s on sale. Here’s your chance to pick up nearly every variety of Lapua Brass at some of the best prices we’ve seen. Bruno’s is known for only shipping one consistent lot of brass whenever possible if you order multiple boxes. So don’t hesitate to lay in a good supply now. NOTE: You’ll find the most popular brass types, including 220 Russian, .223 Rem, .243 Win, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5×47 Lapua, .260 Rem, 6.5-284, .308 Win (sm and lrg primer), .30-06, 50 BMG and more. However 6mmBR is currently offered by Bruno’s only as custom neck-turned brass.
3. Many Vendors — LabRadar Chrono $60 Off Nov. 15 — Dec. 9
If you’ve been wanting to get a LabRadar Chronograph, here’s your chance. Now through Dec. 9th you can save $60 on this very advanced piece of technology — probably the most sophisticated chronograph system ever offered to the general public. That’s notable because you almost never see this discounted below the $559.95 MAP price. Recent updates also now allow you to operate your LabRadar with your mobile device making it that much more amazing. You can take advantage of this deal and grab one for $499.95 or $499.99 at Brownells (Code VB5 for FREE Shipping), Bruno’s Shooters Supply, Creedmoor Sports, or Midsouth Shooters, or MyLabRadar.com.
Looking for a great spotting scope to score targets and observe mirage and wind conditions? These Kowa 82SV combos sold out earlier this year but they’re back in limited supplies at Creedmoor Sports for just $849.95. Not only that they come with the desirable 25X LER eyepiece that is ideal for watching mirage — a key task for long range competitors. With this LER eyepiece you can quickly move from riflescope to spotter (and back again). Kowa is a a highly-respect optics maker, and this is a very good value for a quality spotting scope that should last a lifetime.
Still laying on the ground or using your wife’s yoga mat for shooting? For $21.25 now you can grab this NcStar Vism shooting mat and give your knees, belly, and elbows a break from the ground below. It opens wide and even has straps for pre-loading your bipod. This is a quality pad that helps put some space between you and your rocky position. When you’re done simply fold in the edges, roll it up and it takes up the same or less space as a sleeping bag. This is a good product tested and used by our staff.
6. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a good 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 handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $199.99.
We’re in the holiday season with many super stocking stuffers to choose from. Here’s a great knife design from one of the premier knife-makers in the country. This Kershaw CQC-6C is on sale for just $15.49. This Kershaw is versatile, easy to open, and converts for left- or right-handed use. Who wouldn’t love to find one of these in a stocking on Christmas morning?
8. Bullet Central — Magnifying Light, $12.95 – $19.50
If you’re like most shooters, you can use more light and magnification when inspecting brass and small gun parts. Here is the perfect tool to help and it doesn’t take up a ton of space. With the Bullet Central Magnifying Light you can ease your eyes and see into the primer pockets, flash holes or case-necks without straining. With your choice of battery-powered or rechargeable models, why not buy two and give one to your favorite range buddy?
9. SK Ammo — $5/Brick Rebate Now Through December 31, 2018
SK makes excellent rimfire ammo, and this Holiday Special makes SK even more attractive. Now you can get $5 cash back per 500-rd brick, up to $100. The offer is valid on qualifying SK rimfire ammunition brick purchases from November 15 to December 31, 2018. Download the rebate form at www.Capstonepg.com/skrebate. To get your rebate, mail in the sales receipt PLUS the UPC/Lot codes from your SK ammo boxes no later than January 31, 2019. This deal is good for purchases through the end of the year. Additional conditions apply — see Capstone website for details.
Credit Forum Member F-Class John for most of this week’s deals.
Jim is a talented outdoor photographer who has compiled an impressive portfolio of wildlife and landscape photographs. For our Thanksgiving-day edition of the Daily Bulletin we are featuring some of Jim’s favorite nature images. We hope readers enjoy them as much as shooters prize Borden’s Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions.
Borden Rifles — A Success Story
To learn more about on this event, read our detailed 
In today’s economy, Free is good. Here’s a list of classic, older shooting books that can be downloaded for FREE from Google Books. This list includes many classic treatises on marksmanship that still have value for today’s competitive shooters. In addition, we’ve included illustrated firearm histories, such as Townsend Whelen’s fascinating book, The American Rifle, and The Gun and its Development (9th Ed.), by William Wellington Greener.
