The 2019 IBS 600-Yard Nationals took place October 12-13th at the Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club (GRRC.org) in Harris, Minnesota. It was a challenging event, given the cold and stormy conditions. Nonetheless many of the nation’s top shooters shot very well, and some young newcomers had strong showings. The real star of the match was new 600-Yard National Champion Jason Wolf. He delivered a masterful performance, winning the 2-Gun Overall, Light Gun Overall, and Heavy Gun Overall.
Dave Holland, past GRRC Bench Director and Host of 2010 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals.
Match Report by Kent Bratten
MD, IBS 2nd Vice President and Awards Chairman
There was some scrambling before and during the Nationals due to the weather. Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club is a large, multi-discipline range set among marshes and woods just off I-35, about 40 miles north of a large metropolitan area in Minnesota. Because of the topography, winds and mirage can often be tricky.
Due to the forecasted poor weather, a large circus-tent style cover was rented in place of the usual canvas/pole type temporary structure (see AcccurateShooter’s article on the 2010 1000-yard Nationals at Harris). It is likely the clean-up crew would still be picking up the pieces if that structure had been used.
Course of Fire for IBS 600-Yard Nationals
The event was run with the same format as the 2018 IBS 600-Yard Nationals in St. Louis. The course of fire was Light Gun (total weight 17 lbs. max) on Saturday and Heavy Gun (no weight limits) on Sunday. Each of the 63 competitors shot eight (8) targets daily in four relays. Saturday evening Vapor Trail Bullets hosted a banquet, at which time the Light Gun titles were awarded, along with a large prize table drawing afterwards. Sunday was Heavy Gun and had 61 shooters (two dropping out due to a family emergency). Despite no further snow and no ferocious winds, conditions were hardly ideal as it was still cold in the morning with swirling winds throughout the day. Hence on neither day did the group averages drop below two inches and there were only a handful of perfect scores.
Formidable Performances Even in Tough Conditions
Despite the conditions and several DQs on Day One, the top guns still put on a very good performance. Scotty Powell of North Carolina won the Light Gun Group and Chris Nichols, also from North Carolina, won the Heavy Gun Group award. Jason Wolf of South Dakota was the big winner, taking home the Light Gun Score, Light Gun Overall, Heavy Gun Overall, and the 2-Gun Overall titles. Jason’s performance was superb. Along with his LG, HG, and 2-Gun titles, Jason shot the smallest group of the match, a stunning 0.673″ in Heavy Gun. He also placed second in Heavy Gun Group Agg, just 0.166″ off the best, while finishing third in Light Gun Group Agg, .340″ from the top. All in all, it was a dominant showing by the South Dakotan.
Robby Vick smiling despite the cold. But did you really need the fan Robby?
Snow Flurries and Other Shooting Challenges
After the match, we interviewed most of the Top Ten shooters. We covered topics such as as strategies for bad conditions and their previous shooting experience. Several mentioned having trouble seeing the marks on the white-painted steel sighting plates. And, because of snow flurries, some could only see the last round hit (last sighter), about 5-10 seconds before their record target came up. Accordingly, many competitors depended on the tracking ability of their rifles and maintaining their point of aim throughout the record period. As for shooting backgrounds, many of the Top 10 enjoyed long range hunting and varminting — especially prairie dog adventures. Some had started out with rimfire bench competition, some began with short range IBS matches, while others already shoot long distance (1000-Yard) IBS matches and F-Class. For all those interviewed, the result was pretty much the same. After starting in competitive shooting, they had gotten hooked on precision, and sought to push their skills to the limit.
Possible New Trends in Equipment — Wider Stocks
The Top 10 Equipment Lists show the favorite actions (BAT), bullets (Vapor Trail and Bart’s) and scopes (Nightforce) with a sprinkling of different barrels and stocks. We note there does seem to be a trend towards wider stocks. When we reviewed the Top 20 List (about 30% of the pool) we noted a growing number of stocks with wider fore-ends (4 inches or more), especially the Wheeler/McMillan Tracker. As for chamberings, the 6 BRA (6mmBR Ackley Improved) seems to be very popular, but is not dominant over the 6 Dasher yet.
Junior Champ Andrew Powers, setting up. Beside him is his grandfather, Johnny.
COMMENTARY from Match Director Doc Bratten
It was a somewhat hair-raising experience leading up to the Nationals, with the bad forecast followed by a two-day period before the match when high winds made practice difficult. A major concern was that the weather would worsen and cause a major delay or cancellation. But, like the D-Day invasion of 1944, prayers for a break in the weather were answered. We also had an unexpected shortening of staff. But the Nationals team still did a wonderful job of running the line and everyone chipped in with putting up the “mess tent”, line cover, and helping in the target review area. Also hats off to the target crew and scorers in the Red Shed. With the snow and wind, it could not have been easy working with those targets and drying them after.
Into the quagmire to look at targets…
We are very grateful to all our IBS sponsors, whose generosity ensured rich prize tables for both the Hawk’s Ridge 1000-Yard Nationals and here in Minnesota. I would especially like to thank Sally and Jim Bauer of Vapor Trail Bullets for sponsoring the Awards Banquet. We very much appreciated the Grand Prizes supplied by Alex and Matt Findley of AMP Annealing, David Dorris (and Ms. Krag) of BenchSource, Alex Wheeler of Wheeler Accuracy and Bart Sauter of Bart’s Bullets. The full list of IBS 600-yard and 1000-yard Nationals sponsors can be found on the IBS Website.
Finally, we extend a very special thanks to our friends at Gunstop Reloading and Gunstop of Minnetonka gun sales for their trophy donations. We also thank Dave Newell, Past President at GRRC, current Club newsletter editor, and exceptional wedding photographer, for his great photos of the match.
We’re approaching winter — the perfect time to stock up on your propellants for next season. And now you can earn up to $5.00 per pound on your favorite Vihtavuori powders. Vihtavuori makes some great powders that have been used to set many records. With Vihtavuori’s Keep Your Cash Rebate, you can get up to $100 cash back on qualifying Vihtavuori powder purchases.
Vihtavuori $100 CONSUMER REBATE
This offer is valid on qualifying purchases made between November 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020. This applies to all sizes, 1-lb, 4-lb, and 8-lb. You can also mix and match powders to maximize your rebate. Pick up a Rebate Form from your favorite Vihtavuori retailer or download the PDF Form linked below. Then submit the form with your proof of purchase no later than January 31, 2020.
The 2019 Vihtavuori Rebate program is currently under way. For a limited time, earn $5.00 back per one-pound bottle, $10.00 per four-pound bottle, and $20.00 back per eight-pound bottle when you purchase Vihtavuori powders (maximum $100 rebate). Offer is valid on qualifying purchases made between November 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020. All rebate coupons must be received by January 31, 2020.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or 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. EuroOptic.com — HUGE Nikon Scope Close-Out Sale
EuroOptic.com is running a huge close-out sale on quality Nikon riflescopes. This sale includes the excellent Black FX1000 (FFP), and Black X1000 (SFP) tactical scopes, plus the M-Tactical and P-Tactical series optics. If you are looking for a great tactical or hunting scope at a crazy low price, head over to EuroOptic this week. For example the 4-16x50mm FX1000 MRAD is marked down from $749.95 to just $369.95, a 50% savings! And the 2-7x32mm P-Tactical and M-Tactical series scopes are just $99.95! Nikon scope mounts are also discounted.
Thompson Center (T/C), a Smith & Wesson company, has a reputation for building accurate rifles and the Thompson Center LRR in 6.5 Creedmoor is no exception. This versatile rig features a high-quality aluminum chassis stock with adjustable cheekpiece and LOP. The action includes a +20 MOA Picatinny-style rail. The 5R barrel is fluted and fitted with a factory muzzle brake. This is a great choice for PRS Factory Class.
3. EuroOptic — 50% Off Minox with Mauser Rifle Purchase
The Mauser M18 is a proven hunting rifle offered in many popular calibers/cartridge types. If you’re looking for a fine, affordable hunting rifle definitely consider the M18. And for added incentive you can get 50% OFF a Minox scope with the purchase of a Mauser rifle from EuroOptic.com. CLICK HERE to get the 50% OFF coupon which you can redeem with Minox USA after your purchase.
4. Bruno Shooters Supply — Open Box / Demo Scope Sale
Here’s your chance to grab a great scope that’s basically brand new and discounted just because it was on display. Check out Bruno’s Open Box/DEMO Scope Sale and choose from assorted brands and models. There are major-brand scopes for just about any kind of shooting — Benchrest, F-Class, PRS, Hunting, ELR, and even Multi-Gun competition.
5. Midsouth — Hornady RAPiD Safe AR Gunlocker, $238.49
Storing guns for quick access has usually come at the detriment of security. Now with the RFID-enabled Hornady RAPiD Safe AR Gun Locker you can securely store your guns AND access them in an instant. With an RFID fob or bracelet you can open the locker without using a key or even punching in a code. Order soon and get a Hornady rebate — two free boxes of their Critical Defense ammo. See how the RAPiD Safe Gun Locker operates in the VIDEO BELOW:
6. Area 419 — AutoTrickler Hopper/Funnel Lid, $65
If you own an AutoTrickler, you probably wish you could cover up the top of the Trickler unit after you’ve filled it with powder. Well, wish no more as Area 419 has now released a very nicely-designed AutoTrickler Hopper Lid. Not only does this metal Hopper Funnel/Lid cover your Trickler powder supply, but it also nearly doubles the amount of powder you can keep in the Hopper. Nice product Area 419!
Whether for hunting, practical competitions, or varminting, a laser range finder is a great tool to have. Snatch up the Bushnell Prime Laser Range Finder and know the exact distance all the way out to 1300 yards. Priced at under $125, this ultra-affordable unit is small enough to fit in a pocket for easy storage.
8. Amazon — Highwild Adjustable Target Stand Base, $23.99
Carrying large targets in your vehicle is never fun or easy but with the Highwild Adjustable Target Stand Base you can quickly assemble frames that break down easily for transport. Just bring wood pieces and cardboard backer, and clamp the stand together. The black clamp units have screw-in clamps that hold the wood elements. Combine multiple stands larger target arrays. You can create your own custom-size stands with 1×3 wood pieces.
9. Amazon — Tactical Eyewear Kit, $15.99
Wearing eye protection should be second nature for anyone around firearms for so many obvious reasons. Whether for you, a backup or to have for those shooting with you grab a set of XAegis Tactical Eyewear Kit that come complete with 3 different lenses and protective case. You can easily switch from Gray, to Yellow, to Clear lenses, popping them into the frame. This 3-Lens shooting Kit is an Amazon #1 Best Seller.
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Looking for a nice .22 LR rimfire training rifle that works well with rear bags and bipods? Then check out the new B-14 R from Bergara. It is set up for rimfire training and tactical-style competitions. The action and magazine are full centerfire dimensions, so that you can train with a rimfire rifle offering centerfire-style “feel” and ergonomics. MSRP is $1150.00 so expect street price to be around $1000.00.
We think this would be a good choice for the NRL22 tactical competition for shooters preferring a conventional-style stock. It has an adjustable cheekpiece and LOP adjusts with spacers. The toe of the buttstock is straight so this will work well with bags. And if you want to later swap to a metal or composite chassis, the B-14 R barreled action will fit stocks and chassis systems designed for Rem 700s. In fact you can even use aftermarket Rem 700-compatible triggers.
B-14R Bolt Action .22 LR
The Bergara B-14 R Bolt Action Rifle in .22 LR is the latest offering in Bergara’s popular B-14 series of rifles. The company states: “The Bergara B-14 R has been a product that our customers and enthusiast have been requesting for quite some time, and with the growing NRL22 and PRS .22 competition matches, we believed that the time was right to introduce a rifle of this nature.”
This rifle is designed as a true rimfire trainer with the feel of a Rem 700 centerfire rig. The action shares dimensions of a Rem 700 receiver so you can upgrade to Rem 700-compatible stocks, and triggers. The single-stack .22 LR magazine has the same external dimensions as the commonly-used short action AICS mag for centerfires. So even your mag swaps will duplicate the “feel” of your centerfire rifle.
Bergara B-14 R Specifications
Barrel: 1:16″-twist 4140 Bergara, 18″ free-floated
Muzzle Thread: 1/2-28
Rifle Weight: 9.25 lbs. (without optics)
Rifle Length: 38″ with all spacers
Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds
Scope Mounts: 6-48 screws, Rem 700 compatible
Stock: Bergara HMR stock molded with full-length integrated mini-chassisinternal mini-chassis, integrated OD flush cup sling mounts and swivel mounts, adjustable cheek piece and length-of-pull.
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Since its introduction in 2001, the .300 Winchester Short Magnum (.300 WSM), has proven very popular for hunting and long-range competition. The case has ample capacity to drive the heavy .30-caliber bullets, and with proper case prep and annealing, the WSM is capable of outstanding accuracy. When Nebraskan Greg Anderson decided to build his “ultimate long-range hunter”, he selected the .300 WSM for its accuracy and its ability to drop large game at long distances. Teaming up with Chris Matthews of LongShot Rifles, Greg developed an impressive long-range hunting rig, with high-tech components to reduce weight. The 26″ barrel is a carbon-wrapped composite over a Rock Creek stainless blank. The carbon technology saved about 3 pounds over an all-steel barrel of similar length/contour.
The Manners Composite stock also features carbon fiber construction for stiffness and reduced weight. Greg’s carbon/carbon rifle tips the scales at just 10.8 pounds, including scope and bipod. A conventional rig could easily weigh 15 pounds or more. Greg’s carbon hunter has proven accurate as well as innovative. With 175gr Sierra MKs, the gun shoots well under 1/2-MOA out to 600 yards and beyond.
The Ideal Spot and Stalk Rifle
by Greg Anderson
The purpose of this project was to create a hunting rifle that would be inherently accurate at long range and have an acceptable weight for hunting in rough country. I researched the question of overall weight with several gunsmiths. The smiths confirmed that while fat-contour barrels could deliver improved accuracy, there was a price to pay and a lot more weight. With a heavy barrel, the finished rifle would be most likely weigh about 15 pounds. That’s more than I wanted to haul around in the field. To reduce barrel weight, the suggested “traditional” solutions were fluting, which would reduce barrel weight by at least one-half pound, or going with a smaller diameter barrel.
The Quest for Reduced Weight without Accuracy Loss
Fluting didn’t promise enough weight savings, and a slim, sporter barrel probably wasn’t going to deliver the kind of consistent accuracy I wanted (particularly as the barrel heated up). Accordingly, I decided to “think outside the box”. My research on lightweight barrel options lead me to Advanced Barrel Systems, (ABS) a company in Lincoln, Nebraska that once produced custom carbon-wrapped barrels. ABS President Mike Degerness could wrap a barrel to virtually any shape and diameter, allowing great stiffness even with a huge reduction in barrel weight. As the “core” for his carbon-wrapped barrels, Mike recommends a cut-rifled blank made by any of the quality cut-barrel makers. [NOTE: ABS is not taking orders at this time. You cannow get excellent carbon-wrapped barrels from Proof Research].
Significant Weight Saving with Carbon
How much weight can you save with a carbon-wrapped barrel? Well a 24-inch, #7 contour ABS carbon-wrapped barrel will weigh about 2.5 pounds compared to about 5.5 pounds for a steel barrel of the same length and contour. So, this means that you can put a fat, stiff competition-contour barrel on your hunting rifle and save over half the barrel weight compared to an all-steel barrel. Saving three pounds is a blessing when you’re carrying the rifle all day long in the field. I placed an order for a 30-caliber Rock Creek barrel blank with an 1:11.25″ twist and a finished length of 26″. Mike wrapped the barrel and finished it to an M24 contour.
Carbon Can Also Improve Barrel Vibration Damping
One interesting benefit of carbon barrel-wrapping is that the carbon components have a vibration-dampening effect. According to ABS, the extreme rigidity of the finished composite barrel dampens the vibration nodes of the barrel making it shoot like a plain steel barrel of much greater mass. Carbon fiber has a high modulus of elasticity that has the effect of lowering the amplitude of the vibration of the barrel when fired. This is what makes the ABS barrels perform so well, according to Mike.
Impressive Accuracy For a Hunting Rifle
Looking at the targets below, one may ask, “Does the rifle always shoot this well?” The answer, not surprisingly, is: “it depends on the trigger-puller”. The rifle is capable of outstanding accuracy. But it took some time and effort for me to develop the skills required to shoot up to the rifle’s inherent accuracy. I nearly always practice prone from bipod. Initially, I was getting horizontal stringing until I changed my grip and learned to be more consistent from shot to shot. Shooting a heavy-recoiling .30-caliber rifle from the ground is not the same as shooting a .223 Rem from the bench.
3-Shot Group at 200 yards | 6-Shot Group at 500 Yards
Completing the Project Build
To smith the rifle, I selected Chris Matthews of LongShot Rifles, LLC because of his expertise with the WSM cartridges and long-range shooting equipment. Because cost was a factor, we decided to use a donor Remington long action that had been used on a Remington 7mm magnum. Chris trued the action and we had Dave Kiff from Pacific Tool & Gauge grind us a bolt to fit the action more perfectly. Chris chambered the Rock barrel and installed a .300 Badger recoil lug.
Carbon-reinforced Hunting Stock from Tom Manners
Being a fan of carbon fiber technology, I selected an MCS-T stock from Manners Composite Stocks. These stocks have an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio and the high comb of the MCS-T gave an almost perfect alignment with the scope. The finished rifle was topped off with a Leupold 4.5-14x40mm LR scope equipped with M1 windage and elevation turrets. A Harris bipod completed the package. All up, including scope, steel rings, and bipod, my .300 WSM rifle with 26″ barrel weighs 10.8 pounds.
Load Development for Accuracy
I developed a load using 63.0 grains of H4350, 175gr Sierra Match Kings with Federal 210M primers in Winchester-brand brass. This load gives 2960 FPS out of my rifle. The load would shoot sub-MOA from bipod from 100 yards to 600 yards and was adopted as the “go to” load. I have also tried the 208gr Hornady A-Max in this gun. The A-Maxs shot well but the Sierras work well for everything (paper punching and hunting) so the 175gr SMK is my bullet of choice.
Brass Prep and Annealing Are Very Important
The Winchester-brand brass is good, but you have to prep it thoroughly if you want good results. My brass prep consisted of turning the necks, de-burring the flash holes (inside and out), and chamfering the case necks. Using a Sinclair neck-turning tool, I turn the necks to .0135″ per side. That provides a complete clean-up of the necks, which run about .015″ neck-wall thickness out of the box.
One thing I’ve learned to do is anneal the brass every 3-4 firings. I started to do that after I noticed that the force required to seat bullets became inconsistent after just a few loading cycles. I also experienced flyers that were going out of the group for no apparent reason. Annealing the cases every 3-4 firings has eliminated most of the unexplained flyers and annealing has also made bullet seating much, much more consistent. I’ve also noticed a significant improvement in my groups at 500 and 600 yards now that I anneal regularly. Group sizes at 600 yards can be as much as 2″ smaller with annealed brass than with un-annealed, work-hardened brass.
Greg Anderson was successful with his .300 WSM on his very first hunt, dropping a nice buck at 364 yards. Chris reports: This was on some private land in Nebraska. As daylight faded… there were a couple of bucks, but one looked to be the best of the lot. The buck gave me a broadside shot ranged at 364 yards. I settled behind the scope and took one shot. It hit right where I aimed and the buck just folded.”
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Politicians need to justify their existence. That means they are constantly writing new laws, even when none are needed. For example, in California, corrupt Democratic Gov. Newsom signed 15 new gun laws last month, none of which will actually do much to cut crime (but these statutes will create problems for law-abiding gun owners). With each passing year, it gets more difficult to comply with all the new gun laws. With legal requirements constantly in flux, it can be difficult for gun owners to keep track of their responsibilities under state and federal law. Thankfully, USLawshield.com has prepared summaries of recent federal and state legislation.
In addition, U.S. Law Shield has created a series of videos that spotlight important legal issues (and situational challenges) gun owners can face. Here are five Law Shield videos covering important legal matters for firearms owners.
Five Important Videos That Can Keep You Out of Jail
Every day innocent legal gun owners are questioned by police in public. Understand the three types of contact you might have with police, what your rights are during the contacts, and if you have to tell the officers you are carrying a firearm.
Do you plan to travel through multiple states with firearms in your vehicle? Federal AND state laws are involved. You should check the regulations of ALL the states (and big cities) you will be visiting along the way. There are definitely some areas to avoid (such as New Jersey and New York City).
Gun owners can find themselves in trouble with the police for a variety of reasons. You need to know what to do after a self-defense use of firearms. You also need to know how to comply with regulations on carry, storage, and transport of firearms.
Laws governing gift transfers of firearms vary from state to state. Before giving a gun, even to a close family member, you should check the statutes in your jurisdiction. If you have any doubts, it may be better to give a pre-paid gunshop gift card, rather than the firearm itself.
Your firearm was just stolen. What are your next moves? Most people aren’t taking the right steps in this situation. Law Shield Attorney Richard Hayes helps you avoid three common mistakes gun owners when guns have been stolen.
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Halloween 2019 is history, so it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving — Turkey Day. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to blast away at some bearded gobblers (of the paper variety). Here’s our custom Turkey 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.
Looking to acquire a handgun for personal protection of home and family? There are countless options on the market. Your buying decision may be simplified by seeing what other consumers have chosen, as revealed by nationwide sales trends. You can now check firearms sales figures using “Gun Genius”, a new data-crunching service of Gunbroker.com. On GunGenius.com you can select any type of firearm (handgun, rifle, shotgun)* and see the top sellers for that category.
Here are the five (5) top-selling NEW semi-auto handguns for October 2019:
And here are the five (5) top-selling USED semi-auto handguns for October 2019:
*Chose semi-auto pistols, revolvers, semi-auto rifles, bolt-action rifles, lever-action rifles, single-shot rifles, semi-auto shotguns, pump shotguns, and more. You can also filter for sales trends (upwards and downwards). Drill down to see detailed product specifications and current prices.
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Noted gun writer Glen Zediker (author of Top Grade Ammo), regularly contributes tech articles to the Midsouth Shooters Blog. One of Glen’s Midsouth Blog articles covers Bullet Design. We suggest you read the article — even seasoned hand-loaders will learn a few things about projectile properties (and how to choose the right bullet design for your needs). Glen also wrote a recent Blog article on cartridge pressure signs, linked below
Glen explains: “A ‘match’ bullet’s job is to perforate a piece of paper. A bullet designed for varmint hunting, on the other hand, is designed to produce explosive impact, and one for larger game hunting strives to strike a balance between expansion and penetration. However! No matter how it’s built inside, there are universal elements of any bullet design, and those are found on the outside.”
In his article, Glen identifies the key elements of a bullet and explains how they are defined: “Base, that’s the bottom; boat-tail, or not (flat-base); shank, portion of full-caliber diameter; ogive, the sloping ‘nosecone'; tip, either open or closed (open it’s called the ‘meplat’). The shape of the ogive and the first point of ‘major diameter’ are extremely influential elements. The first point of major diameter can vary from barrel brand to barrel brand because it’s the point on the bullet that coincides with land diameter in the barrel — the first point that will actually contact the barrel as the bullet moves forward. When there’s a cartridge sitting in the rifle chamber, the distance or gap between the first point of major diameter and the lands is called ‘jump’, and, usually, the less there is the better.”
Ogives Analyzed — Tangent vs. Secant Bullet Designs
Glen notes that bullet designs reflect secant or tangent profiles, or a combination of both: “The two essential profiles a bullet can take are ‘secant’ and ‘tangent’. This refers to the shape of the ogive. A tangent is a more rounded, gradual flow toward the tip, while a secant is a more radical step-in, more like a spike. Secants fly with less resistance (less aerodynamic drag), but tangents are [often] more tolerant of jump [or to put it another way, less sensitive to seating depth variations].”
Glen adds: “Ogives are measured in ‘calibers’. That’s pretty simple: an 8-caliber ogive describes an arc that’s 8 times caliber diameter; a 12-caliber is based on a circle that’s 12 times the caliber. The 8 will be a smaller circle than the 12, so, an 8-caliber ogive is more ‘blunt’ or rounded. Bullets with lower-caliber ogives are more tolerant of jump and (usually) shoot better, easier. Higher-caliber ogives [generally] fly better, farther. This is an important component in the ‘high-BC’ designs.”
Learn More in Zediker Books
Glen has authored a number of excellent books for hand-loaders and competitive shooters. Here are three of his most popular titles, including his latest book, Top Grade Ammo:
All these titles are available from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Click each cover above to purchase from Midsouth.
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In this NSSF Video, Ryan Cleckner, a former Sniper Instructor for the 1st Ranger Battalion, explains how to gather and organize D.O.P.E. (Data On Previous Engagements) and how to organize this information to make it readily available in the field. As the term is used by Cleckner, D.O.P.E. includes observed bullet drop information at various distances, as well as the effects of wind, temperature changes, humidity and other environmental variables.
If you know your muzzle velocity, and bullet BC, a modern Ballistics App should be able to calculate bullet drop with great precision at distances from 100-1000 yards — often within a couple 1/4-MOA clicks. However, because a bullet’s BC is actually dynamic (changing with speed), and because ballistics solvers can’t perfectly account for all variables, it’s useful to collect actual, verified bullet drop data.
It’s smart to start with ballistics data from a solver app, but, as Cleckner explains: “Odds are, you’re going to have to fine-tune that data to your gun and your system. Every scope and every rifle and every bullet [type] act differently. Your scope may not track the same from rifle to rifle, so it’s important you get the data that’s unique to you.” Cleckner also explains that the ballistic data supplied with some factory ammo may only give you a crude approximation of how that ammo will actually shoot through your gun.
Keeping Your Drop Data with the Rifle
Cleckner also offers some good advice on how to record D.O.P.E. on simple index cards, and how to keep your ballistics data with your rifle. This can be done with a laminated drop chart or data transferred to a scope cover (photo right). CLICK HERE, to learn more about creating handy field data cards.
At the 4:15 mark on the video, Cleckner shows a calibrated tape he has fitted around the turret of his riflescope. The tape shows distance numbers (e.g. “4” for 400 yards, “5” for 500 yards etc.) that correspond with the number of clicks (rotation) required to be zeroed at that particular distance. With that system, you simply “dial your distance” and your point of impact should equal your point of aim. It takes some skill (and the right software) to create these tapes, but the concept is great.
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Chances are that many of you have packed away your ammo and shooting supplies for the winter. Maybe you put your brass in a storage bin that might also contain solvents, old rags, or used bore swabs. Well, if you use any ammonia-based solvents, we suggest you separate the brass and ammo and keep it away from potential ammonia vapors. This is because long-term exposure to ammonia fumes can cause cracks to form in your brass. This can lead to case ruptures and possible injury.
This case-cracking phenomenon has been called Season Cracking, a form of stress-corrosion cracking of brass cartridge cases. Season cracking is characterized by deep brittle cracks which penetrate into affected components. If the cracks reach a critical size, the component can suddenly fracture, sometimes with disastrous results. If the concentration of ammonia is very high, then corrosion is much more severe, and damage over all exposed surfaces occurs. The brass cracking is caused by a reaction between ammonia and copper that forms the cuprammonium ion, Cu(NH3)4, a chemical complex which is water-soluble. The problem of cracking can also occur in copper and copper alloys such as bronze.
Season Cracking was originally observed by the British forces in India a century ago. During the monsoon season, military activity was reduced, and ammunition was stored in stables until the dry weather returned. Many brass cartridges were subsequently found to be cracked, especially where the case was crimped to the bullet. In 1921, in the Journal of the Institute of Metals, the phenomenon was explained by Moor, Beckinsale, and Mallinson. Apparently ammonia from horse urine, combined with the residual stress in the cold-drawn metal of the cartridges, was responsible for the cracking.
Don’t store ammunition (or brass) for long periods in a box or container holding ammoniated solvents:
The Australia Department of Defense (AUSDOD) has also explored the problem of brass cracking caused, at least in part, by exposure to ammonia. A study was done to see whether the amount of cracking (from ammonia exposure) varied according to the duration and temperature of the annealing process used on the brass. CLICK HERE to read AUSDOD Research Report.
Story idea from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
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One thing I’ve learned to do is anneal the brass every 3-4 firings. I started to do that after I noticed that the force required to seat bullets became inconsistent after just a few loading cycles. I also experienced flyers that were going out of the group for no apparent reason. Annealing the cases every 3-4 firings has eliminated most of the unexplained flyers and annealing has also made bullet seating much, much more consistent. I’ve also noticed a significant improvement in my groups at 500 and 600 yards now that I anneal regularly. Group sizes at 600 yards can be as much as 2″ smaller with annealed brass than with un-annealed, work-hardened brass.
Keeping Your Drop Data with the Rifle
