That’s custom paint on the stock, NOT a Hydro-dip coating. Impressive paintwork!
Our Sunday GunDay showcase rifle belongs to Shane Sivertsen (aka SoDakDasher in our Forum). This eye-catching tactical rig was smithed by Travis Stevens at TS Customs in Miller, South Dakota. Shane tells us that Travis is a “top-notch builder who builds tack-driving rifles that are still extremely shooter-friendly. Plus he is one of the friendliest guys you’ll meet.”
This rifle features a Lone Peak Fuzion Action with Trigger Tech Diamond trigger (flat shoe). Up front is a Benchmark 26” MTU barrel chambered in 6mm BRA (a 40-degree 6mmBR Improved “BR Ackley”). It’s all nestled into a McMillan A5 stock with adjustable cheekpiece. Getting him on target is a Vortex Razor 4.5-27x56mm optic in Hawkins rings with a Vortex throw lever on the power ring for quick magnification changes. The Atlas PRS Bipod rides on an Area 419 ARCA rail up front. The barrel is finished off with a Piercision 5-Port Self-Timing Muscle Brake.
Custom Camo-Pattern Paint Job
All work on this rig was performed at TS Customs, including Cerakoting the action. The pattern on the McMillan A5 stock is NOT a hydro-dip! That is a custom Kryptek camo paint-job done in-house by a TS Customs employee. Shane liked the Kryptek pattern from day one: “It’s always a good thing to do something a little different to your equipment to stand apart from the rest of the pack.” Shane says the paint pattern is the first thing everyone notices about the rifle.
6mm BRA Chambering
Shane spent quite some time trying to decide which 6mm cartridge to choose. After much deliberation with Travis, he chose the 6mm BRA, mainly due to the reputation this little cartridge has earned for accuracy and ease of tuning. This rifle is Shane’s second TS Customs-crafted rifle: “the [other] is basically the same action/barrel combo but set in an MPA chassis and chambered in 6mm Dasher.”
Excellent Accuracy with Varget and Berger 105gr Hybrids
Shane’s 6mm BRA is showing impressive accuracy: “Thanks to Mother Nature this spring (with cold, snowy weather), I have only been able to get 100 rounds fire-formed and the barrel broken-in. I started with 30.5 grains Varget in Lapua BR brass with CCI 450s and topped off with Berger 105gr Hybrids. Velocity averaged 2830 FPS with an SD of 4.7 from 10 rounds randomly picked from the lot.”
Shane knows there’s still more load development to do. But this rifle is grouping under one-half MOA and Shane says the gun can definitely out-shoot his abilities. He admits it’s still a work in progress but he is happy with the gun’s performance so far.
Shane praised his Piercision 5 port Muscle brake. Shane tells us: “While I am a suppressed shooter by preference, I wanted to give this brake a try. It works very well — the control and ability to stay on target for followups is remarkable. This brake works perfect on my 18-lb 6mm BRA and will be used indefinitely. Plus it will be a little payback to the other big-braked shooters on the line.”
While it’s still such a new toy, Shane doesn’t expect to make any modifications in the near future. However he says he might “upgrade to a Tangent Theta optic by the end of this season.”
Left to Right, Sherri Jo Gallagher, Mother Nancy Tompkins, and Michelle Gallagher — All Champions.
Happy Mother’s Day
Today we want to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms around the world. All of us must remember that we literally owe our lives and our well-being to our mothers, who brought us into the world. Without the love, support, caring, and nurturing of our mothers, none of us would be here. So to mothers everywhere, we say:
“Thank you. Bless you. May your lives be filled with happiness today and everyday.”
At the top is a cherished photograph of the one of the greatest moms in the shooting community, Nancy Tompkins, along with her two little girls (who both turned into pretty darn good shooters themselves). On Nancy’s right is Michelle Gallagher, multi-time National Long-Range Championship. On the left is Sherri Jo Gallagher, who was the second woman in history to capture the NRA National High Power Championship at Camp Perry. Who was the first woman ever to accomplish that feat? You guessed it — Nancy Tompkins, Sherri’s mom, was the first-ever female High Power Champion. Nancy is married to another great shooter, Mid Tompkins. This is truly America’s “First Family of shooting”.
Nancy Tompkins is one of the greatest long-range shooters in American history. She has won the National Long Range Championship 5 times (1986, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2015), the across-the-course National High Power Championship (1998), the Metric Smallbore Nationals (2012), and the Fullbore Nationals (2012). She has also been the Wimbledon Cup winner (1993) and a 7-time Leech Cup winner (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2012). She has won both team and individual medals in the World Championships and has been on 8 Palma Teams (as both a shooter and a coach).
Tompkins’ treatise, Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting, is a must-read for serious Palma, F-Class, and High Power shooters. The revised Second Edition includes F-Class equipment and techniques, and newly updated information. Topics include Mental and Physical training, Reading Wind and Mirage Shooting Fundamentals, International Competition, and Loading for Long Range.
To help the shooting sports thrive, we need to introduce new participants. And now is a great time to bring a new shooter to the range — the NRA promotes May as Mentor Month. This month, make a commitment to enlist a new shooter. You’ll be helping the fight for the Second Amendment, PLUS you can get a chance to win valuable prizes in the NRA Mentor Sweepstakes.
Tips for First-Time Range Sessions with New Shooters:
1. Start with rimfire — bring a .22 LR rimfire pistol and rifle if possible.
2. Shoot a variety of targets, both paper and steel. The satisfying “clang” and movement of a hit on steel provides “instant gratification” that can make shooting more fun.
3. Invite a buddy AND his spouse. It’s great to get couples involved in the shooting sports — we need more lady shooters. And there’s evidence that women learn faster than guys!
4. Be sure to bring good ear and eye protection for yourself and all guests. We recommend ear-plugs under muffs for maximum sound protection.
The NRA Mentor Initiative is designed to bring new participants, of all ages, into the shooting sports. The aim is to expand interest in firearms, and foster hunting, competitive shooting, and support for Second Amendment rights. CLICK HERE to find a range near you. On that page click the “Places to Shoot” button and type in your Zip Code.
Former NRA President Pete Brownell states: “May has been designated NRA Mentor Initiative month. We are calling on … NRA Members [and] the firearm community, to find someone who has never fired a firearm before, take them to the range and help them put their first rounds on target. It’s been my experience that within minutes of the safety briefing, a lesson on marksmanship and the first pull of the trigger, all of the preconceived notions and media-fueled biases melt away…”
The NRA has a good resource for mentors (and their students). The NRA’s A Guide for New Shooters contains essential safety information and range etiquette instructions. You’ll want to download this PDF to share with your trainee(s).
Click photo to download PDF Guide for New Shooters.
The NRA offers helpful, short videos for new shooters. This video covers safety basics, with a focus on indoor pistol shooting. We actually prefer to start novices at an outdoor range, shooting .22 LR rimfire rifles. Indoor ranges tend to be dark and noisy. The outdoor experience is more like a day at the park.
In the benchrest game, both 100/200 yard disciplines and Long Range, it’s important that your rifle track smoothly and repeatably every time. You want the rifle to come straight back without twisting, rocking, or hopping on the bags. When you’re trying to drill your entire 5-Shot or 10-Shot string quickly, it’s also important that the gun returns to the same position after each shot. When the scope crosshairs return to virtually the exact point of aim, you can make successive shots with minimal aim adjustments.
For top “runners” who try to get five shots down-range in under 20 seconds, not having to make significant aiming corrections with your front rest controls can really speed up the process. Shooting quickly permits the competitor to “stay in the condition”, sending all his shots to the target before the wind direction or wind velocity changes.
TEN Shots in 20 Seconds at 1000-Yard Match
To see how rapid shooting works, watch this video of Tom Mosul, one of the USA’s best 1000-yard shooters. In a 10-shot Heavy Gun relay, Tom shoots his 17-lb Light Gun chambered for a 6mmBR Improved cartridge. He pulls the trigger for the first time at 00:20 and he fires his tenth (and last) shot at 00:40. Tom makes TEN SHOTS in 20 seconds, an average of just 2.0 seconds per shot!
TEN Shots in 31 Seconds at 1000-Yard Match
This second video, filmed from the side, shows Tom Mosel shooting a different 17-pounder. Again, note how smoothly the stock slides back and forth. Here Tom completes Ten Shots in 31 seconds, with the first shot at 00:13, and the tenth (last) at 00.44.
Adjustable Stock Rudder Through-the-Lens Video
Gunsmith Alex Wheeler sells stocks with an adjustable metal “rudder” or “keel” on the underside of the rear section of the stock. This rudder is the only part of the stock that contacts the rear bag. This aluminum rudder can adjust slightly left to right as well as adjust up/down for angle. Some guys want the keel nearly flat while others prefer the keel to be slightly lower in the rear.
This video shows how the cross-hairs stay on target once the stock rudder is adjusted properly. Alex adjusted this particular rudder by shimming the height* and moving the back of the rudder to the right.
The rudder’s horizontal adjustability allows benchrest shooters to correct for stock flaws that might adversely affect tracking. Essentially, by adjusting the rudder, you can achieve perfect alignment. Alex Wheeler explains: “If you pull your rifle back in the bags and the cross hair moves, your stock is not straight. The easiest fix is to use an adjustable rudder. They come standard on all my stocks.”
Wheeler explains: “The white box in the center of the 1000-yard target is four inches square. With a properly-adjusted rudder it’s easy to obtain less than one inch of cross-hair movement at 1000 yards.” You can see that, once Alex made the rudder adjustment, there’s hardly any detectable movement. Alex adds, “the more you play with it, the better you get it.”
*Initially Alex says he is going to shim the front. Later in the video Alex says he shimmed the rear. It can be a trial/error process. Credit Boyd Allen for finding these videos.
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12th, and Father’s Day is just a month away. Perhaps you’re thinking about giving your parent(s) a firearm for sporting use or self-protection. While gifting a gun is allowed in most jurisdictions, there are important state and Federal laws with which you must comply. And while Federal laws cover the whole country, the rules on firearms gift transfers vary significantly from state to state.
Bottom line here — you need to know the law BEFORE you deliver that shiny new firearm to a family member, close friend, or relative.
Image Courtesy NSSF. This story is based on an NSSF Article.
The first thing to remember if you’re thinking about giving someone a gun is that … it’s a gun! You already know that ownership of a firearm brings with it some serious legal and ethical obligations that other consumer products don’t. So let’s look at some questions you may have about giving a firearm as a gift.
The first question you have to ask is whether the intended recipient can legally own the firearm where he or she lives. With more than 20,000 different gun laws on the books, even the kinds of firearms that law-abiding citizens can own vary from place to place. For example, juveniles (under age 18) generally speaking are precluded by law from possessing a handgun. Check out the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) website for an overview of local laws and, whatever you do, don’t forget that you can never under any circumstances transfer a firearm to someone you know — or have reasonable cause to believe — legally can’t own one. That’s a federal felony, so be careful.
There’s no federal law that prohibits a gift of a firearm to a relative or friend who lives in your home state. Abramski v. United States, a recent Supreme Court decision involving a “straw purchase” of a firearm did not change the law regarding firearms as gifts. The following states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington State) and the District of Columbia require you to transfer a firearm through a local firearms retailer so an instant background check will be performed to make sure the recipient is not legally prohibited from owning the gun. Maryland and Pennsylvania require a background check for private party transfer of a handgun. There are exceptions, so it’s important to check the law of your state or ask your local firearms retailer.
Consider a Gift Card Instead of Direct Gift
The ATF recommends that if you want to give someone a new firearm, rather than going to a gun store and buying the gun on your own, consider instead purchasing a gift certificate/card from your favorite gun retailer. Then give that gift card as the present. That way the recipient can choose the exact gun he or she wants, and there’s no question about who is “the actual buyer of the firearm,” which is a question any purchaser must certify on the Federal Form 4473 at the time of purchase. The Gift Card option avoids any “straw purchaser” issues.
Gun guys are always shipping stuff around the country — whether it’s a barrel to be chambered, or a scope that needs to go back for warranty repair. Or maybe you’ve sold some bullets or reloading dies you no longer need. To ensure your precious packages get to their destination in one piece, it’s important to take precautions when boxing up your items. And by all means insure packages for full value — even if your packaging is perfect, there is always the possibility that your shipment might be lost altogether. Sadly, that can happen, no matter which carrier you choose: Fedex, UPS, or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Here are some tips for shipping gun stuff — we explain how to pack items properly and how to minimize the risk of loss.
Tips for Shippers
Dennis Haffner from McGowen Precision Barrels offers some advice on how to avoid damage when shipping gun parts or other valuable or heavy items. Dennis explains:
“First, I started double-packing the contents and in many cases double-boxing. I spend a fortune on heavy-reinforced shipping tape. If the contents are loosely packed, the package is going to get crushed. On real important items or delicate items, wrap the content in plastic and spray the inside void areas with non-expanding foam. They make shipping foam just for this. This method really works. Since I started paying more attention to packaging, I have just about wiped out my issues with all three companies (Fedex, UPS, USPS). Yes, I hate doing it, but in the long run for us, it’s cheaper.
Bullet shipments are the worst — a shipment of 500+ bullets can destroy a cardboard box. I have ordered bullets from individuals who put them in baggies and filled the remainder of the box with foam peanuts. That is not going to work. Any piece of metal, including a die, will puncture a cardboard box, or destroy a padded envelope. Just look at the tracking information and imagine your package bouncing around in the back of the shipping truck, probably under many other packages. My advice is to NEVER use padded envelopes. Barrel nuts or recoil lugs will most likely never make it.
ORM-D items are required to be shipped in heavily-reinforced, double-walled containers. The packages still get a little damage, but the contents usually survive.
How do shipments get damaged? Consider this — one of the shipping companies this year flipped (overturned) one of our new CNC machines (which rendered it useless). Maybe your small packages were in the same delivery truck as my CNC machine. I wonder how many little boxes were crushed underneath it.
As for USPS flat rate boxes — you would not believe what people try to stuff in these boxes. USPS finally put a weight limit on the boxes — they had to. I sometimes take my delicate items packed in an envelope or small box. I spray foam in a larger flat rate box and insert the smaller package, then fill the remainder of the void with foam. It works, and part usually arrives undamaged.”
Shipping Rifle Barrels (PVC Tube and Tennis Ball Method)
A new match-grade barrel can cost $350 or more, and it might take six months (or more) to replace it, given the current wait time with top barrel-makers. So, you don’t want your nice new tube to get damaged in transit. Forum Member Chuck L. (aka “M-61″) offers these tips for shipping rifle barrels:
“Packing a barrel can be a problem. Here’s a shipping method that won’t stop lost shipments but so far has stopped damage. Get a PVC pipe (of size appropriate to your barrel) with fitted caps for each end. Attach a cap to one end. Tape the barrel threads and tape over the muzzle. Then drop one standard tennis ball into the pipe. Place barrel in pipe. Next add whatever peanuts or foam you can jam in to support the barrel on the sides. Then place a second tennis ball into the opposite end of the PVC pipe. (So now you have a tennis ball on either end of your barrel.) With everything secure inside, attach the upper cap and tape it down securely. With this packing procedure, when the carrier launches the pipe like a javelin, at least the barrel will not come through like a spear and be gone. Label the pipe with very large address labels so no one suspects it’s just garbage laying around. This procedure may seem ridiculous but it has worked for me. Oh and definitely get insurance. If your item is insured, the shippers will look harder to find it.”
Editor’s Note: Fedex also makes a triangular-profile cardboard shipping box. This 38″ x 6″ x 6″ x 6″ Fedex Tube (designed for blueprints and posters) is free for the asking. For most barrels, there should be enough clearance to hold your PVC tube (with barrel packed inside tube). However, don’t ship the barrel inside the cardboard box by itself. Cap and pad the ends and bubble wrap it heavily, or better yet, use the PVC tube method described above, with the PVC tube inside the box.
In 2020, Camp Atterbury will host Smallbore, High Power, and Pistol National Matches.
Big changes are coming to Indiana. First, all the major NRA National Match Championships — Smallbore (.22 LR) Rifle, High Power Rifle, and Precision Pistol — will be consolidated at Camp Atterbury, IN, starting in 2020. In addition, the NRA plans to create a major competition center at this National Guard facility, a “brand new, competitive shooting Mecca in Indiana.” This was revealed in an NRA-TV interview with Cole McCulloch, NRA Director of Competitive Shooting.
McCullough declared: “This is a great opportunity to establish a state-of-the-art facility at Camp Atterbury in cooperation with the Indiana National Guard[.]” As reported by John Parker, Editor of Shooting Sports USA, major upgrades are coming to Camp Atterbury in the upcoming months:
“State-of-the-art facility is an understatement…. For example, the pistol range will feature a mind-boggling, 300 individual points of fire, all of them covered. There will be two, 1000-yard High Power rifle ranges, which will include the proper pit/target systems and parking that will operate on one area of the base. Pistol and smallbore will be located on a totally separate part of the base, meaning they won’t have to split range time. This provides more flexibility for scheduling matches.”
The NRA has big plans for Camp Atterbury, envisioning that it will host other popular shooting disciplines, beyond the traditional NRA Smallbore and High Power events. According to Shooting Sports USA, in the future Camp Atterbury may host Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competitions, 3-Gun Events, America’s Rifle Challenge matches and more. “The possibilities are limitless.”
As part of the development of Camp Atterbury as a central hub for firearms competition, the current Camp Atterbury welcome center will be converted to a training center with “multiple training simulators” open to the public. At this training facility, jointly leased by the NRA and the Indiana National guard, visitors will be able to learn about a variety of shooting disciplines.
All Major Disciplines at Camp Atterbury in 2020
Starting in the summer of 2020, Camp Atterbury will host the NRA National Matches for Smallbore Rifle, High Power Rifle, and Precision Pistol. It will also continue to host the NRA Long Range Championship. This will consolidate multiple major National Championships all in one location.
How is Camp Atterbury as a match venue? Very good. Here is a report from a 2017 Nat’l Match competitor, as posted on Facebook:
Just got back from U.S. Nationals at Camp Atterbury … Here are my observations:
1. The range was outstanding. Facing the south wasn’t a problem.
2. On-base accommodations were great and inexpensive.
3. The base is only 45 minutes from Indianapolis International Airport.
4. The base is close to towns with restaurants and shopping.
5. The transportation to and from the pits [was in] air conditioned vans.
6. By all accounts the event ran smoothly.
Want to learn marksmanship from top-flight instructors, with guns AND ammo provided? Then check out the CMP’s Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) program. The CMP will host several travel Small Arms Firing Schools this year. The programs include classroom instruction, range training, practice, and firing a service rifle match. Rifles and Ammunition will be provided by the CMP, as well as Kongsberg Electronic Targets. Visit the CMP website for additional information.
SAFS is designed to train beginners on rifle essentials and competition basics in a closely monitored setting, utilizing the talents of qualified CMP staff, trainers and members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Participants learn through classroom discussion and hands-on training At the conclusion of the course, participants fire in a real match, under the supervision of instructors. No previous knowledge in marksmanship is required for the course, with all experience levels welcome to attend.
CMP Provides Rifles and Ammo at Small Arms Firing Schools
At each SAFS, equipment, including rifles and ammunition, will be provided. Personal equipment, such as a shooting jacket or glove, will be permitted during the course as well. Participants are required to bring hearing protection and eye protection is strongly encouraged. Matches will be shot on the CMP’s traveling Electronic Targets (see video below):
SAFS Course Objectives
Led by certified military and/or civilian instructors, SAFS programs are structured toward teaching new shooters, so no past firearm experience is required, though intermediate and advanced marksmen are also welcome to participate. During the course, students will learn basic instruction and firing practices, competition skills and live range firing, as well as compete in a real Service Rifle EIC Match.
Did you know that Shilen Rifles Inc. (Ennis, TX) offers barreled actions and complete rifles? And that Shilen offers a Savage-style, barrel-nut system for its Rem-clone actions? After several years of development, Shilen now offers custom actions ($950.00), barreled custom actions ($1500.00), and complete rifles ($3200.00 and up).
The new Shilen custom actions are CNC-milled from high-grade stainless steel. Two types are offered — the multi-shot DGR (Repeater) or the single-shot DGV (Varminter) action. Both actions will be offered in most common bolt faces and both right-hand and left-hand actions are immediately available. The DGR and DGV actions have a 1.350″ diameter with 8-40 scope base mounting screw holes, and an 0.300″ pinned recoil lug. The spiral-fluted bolts feature a floating bolt head with an interchangeable bolt handle knob. These actions feature a footprint similar to the Remington Model 700. Both DGR and DGV actions will accept many aftermarket components crafted for Rem-700 style actions, including triggers and bottom metal.
Barreled Actions with Barrel-Nut System for Easy Barrel Exchanges
Along with the stand-alone DGR and DGV actions, Shilen is offering barreled action assemblies, chambered and ready to drop into Rem 700-inletted stocks. The actions are fitted with Shilen match-grade barrels. The barrels feature a 1-1/16″x20 barrel thread and are attached to the action by a barrel nut. This Savage-style barrel nut system simplifies headspacing, allowing easy swapping from one barrel to another. With the simple barrel-exchange procedure, you can shoot multiple chamberings with a single action/rifle. For example, shooters can change from a .223 Remington to a .204 Ruger or a .22-250 to a 6mm BR in a matter of minutes.
Complete Rifles with McMillan Stocks
With Shilen’s complete rifles, buyers can choose their chambering, and select barrel and stock configuration. Shooters can choose between a sporter weight wood stock or a variety of McMillan fiberglass stocks. With all complete rifles, the entire package is delivered in a quality gun case and Shilen even includes table mat, cleaning rod, bore guide, jag, bore brush, and cleaning patches. For more info, call (972) 875-5318 or email comments@shilen.com.
SHOT Show Special Episode on May 8, 2019
If you watch just one episode of Shooting USA TV this year, it should be this week’s SHOT Show Special. Tonight, May 8, 2019, enjoy a full hour of SHOT Show coverage at 9:00 pm Eastern and Pacific, 8:00 PM Central. Jim Scoutten’s team works hard every January, bringing you highlights from the gun industry’s largest trade show. Jim, son John Scoutten, and other staffers prowled the 12 miles of aisles in the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, visiting many of the 1,600+ exhibitors. This episode provides a “first look” at the new guns, optics, and gear introduced for 2019. Click HERE to learn more about this week’s 2019 SHOT Show episode.
2019 SHOT Show Highlights: Ruger Precision Rimfire, Hornady 300 PRC, JP MR-19, Kestrel HUD, Manners Stocks, Savage MSR-10, Volquartsen Ultralite, Walter Q5 Match, and much more.
Shooting USA Hour AIR TIMES
Shooting USA’s SHOT Show Special will air for a full hour on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 on the Outdoor Channel. Here are the air times, but you should check your local schedule. Look for Shooting USA TV on the Outdoor Channel.
Wednesday Night Schedule:
Eastern Time – 9:00 PM
Central Time – 8:00 PM
Mountain Time – Check Listings
Pacific Time – 9:00 PM
Here are some of the 50+ new products featured on the SHOT Show Special:
Custom Camo-Pattern Paint Job
Happy Mother’s Day
Nancy Tompkins is one of the greatest long-range shooters in American history. She has won the National Long Range Championship 5 times (1986, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2015), the across-the-course National High Power Championship (1998), the Metric Smallbore Nationals (2012), and the Fullbore Nationals (2012). She has also been the Wimbledon Cup winner (1993) and a 7-time Leech Cup winner (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2012). She has won both team and individual medals in the World Championships and has been on 8 Palma Teams (as both a shooter and a coach).
The first question you have to ask is whether the intended recipient can legally own the firearm where he or she lives. With more than 20,000 different gun laws on the books, even the kinds of firearms that law-abiding citizens can own vary from place to place. For example, juveniles (under age 18) generally speaking are precluded by law from possessing a handgun. Check out the 
Consider a Gift Card Instead of Direct Gift
Gun guys are always shipping stuff around the country — whether it’s a barrel to be chambered, or a scope that needs to go back for warranty repair. Or maybe you’ve sold some bullets or reloading dies you no longer need. To ensure your precious packages get to their destination in one piece, it’s important to take precautions when boxing up your items. And by all means insure packages for full value — even if your packaging is perfect, there is always the possibility that your shipment might be lost altogether. Sadly, that can happen, no matter which carrier you choose: Fedex, UPS, or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Here are some tips for shipping gun stuff — we explain how to pack items properly and how to minimize the risk of loss.
“First, I started double-packing the contents and in many cases double-boxing. I spend a fortune on heavy-reinforced shipping tape. If the contents are loosely packed, the package is going to get crushed. On real important items or delicate items, wrap the content in plastic and spray the inside void areas with non-expanding foam. They make shipping foam just for this. This method really works. Since I started paying more attention to packaging, I have just about wiped out my issues with all three companies (Fedex, UPS, USPS). Yes, I hate doing it, but in the long run for us, it’s cheaper.
How do shipments get damaged? Consider this — one of the shipping companies this year flipped (overturned) one of our new CNC machines (which rendered it useless). Maybe your small packages were in the same delivery truck as my CNC machine. I wonder how many little boxes were crushed underneath it.
“Packing a barrel can be a problem. Here’s a shipping method that won’t stop lost shipments but so far has stopped damage. Get a PVC pipe (of size appropriate to your barrel) with fitted caps for each end. Attach a cap to one end. Tape the barrel threads and tape over the muzzle. Then drop one standard tennis ball into the pipe. Place barrel in pipe. Next add whatever peanuts or foam you can jam in to support the barrel on the sides. Then place a second tennis ball into the opposite end of the PVC pipe. (So now you have a tennis ball on either end of your barrel.) With everything secure inside, attach the upper cap and tape it down securely. With this packing procedure, when the carrier launches the pipe like a javelin, at least the barrel will not come through like a spear and be gone. Label the pipe with very large address labels so no one suspects it’s just garbage laying around. This procedure may seem ridiculous but it has worked for me. Oh and definitely get insurance. If your item is insured, the shippers will look harder to find it.”
