SIG Sauer has released the new Cross Rifle, a “crossover” rifle for hunting, competition, and long-range shooting. The Cross bolt-action rifle, built for precision, will be offered in .308 Winchester and 6.5mm Creedmoor with .277 SIG Fury Hybrid to follow. The design features a one-piece receiver with free-floating modular handguard and side-folding adjustable stock. Choose Black or First Lite Camo finish.
The Cross has some interesting design features:
— Two-stage Match Trigger adjusts from 2.5-4 lbs.
— Interchangeable flattop system that fits 0-MOA or +20-MOA rails.
— 3-Lug Bolt with 60° throw and interchangeable bolt handle. AI Mags.
— Light-weight 16″ barrel .308 Win version weighs just 6.2 pounds.
SIG designed the Cross series rifles for both hunters and PRS/NRL shooters: “Hunting rifles are typically focused on less weight, and accuracy is secondary. Precision rifles are designed for extreme accuracy, with no weight limitations. What was missing from the market was a true crossover. Our engineers took the best of both worlds and developed the CROSS featuring the characteristics of a hunting rifle, with the accuracy of a precision rifle”, said SIG Executive VP Tom Taylor.
Our hunting Editor Colton Reid, has been looking for a modular light-weight hunting rig with a folding stock for easy carry. SIG’s new Cross rifle could fit the bill. In .308 Win with 16″ barrel, the rifle weighs just 6.2 pounds (without optics), and is just 25″ overall with stock folded. That’s short enough to fit easily in a small day-pack. We’ll see if we can get one of these new Cross rifles for testing.
MSRP is $1779 and Gun Is Made in USA
The SIG Cross rifle retails for $1779.00, so it qualifies for PRS Factory Class. (We expect “street price” to be about $1550). SIG’s Tom Taylor noted that this is truly an “All-American” rifle: “Everything about the Cross from concept to completion… comes directly from our U.S. operations here in New Hampshire.” The Cross rifle was designed and built entirely at SIG Sauer’s New Hampshire facilities.
Factory Product Description
The CROSS Precision Bolt-Action Hunting Rifle is a lightweight precision rifle with a push button, foldable SIG precision stock, a one-piece aluminum receiver that eliminates the need for bedding the action, and AI magazines for creating the most accurate precision hunting platform.
The CROSS features a stainless-steel barrel with a free-float M-LOK handguard, a 2-stage match-grade trigger externally adjustable from 2.5 – 4 lbs., ambi-safety, a three-lug bolt design with a 60-degree throw and interchangeable bolt handle. The precision stock is spring-loaded for one-handed operation and can be fully adjusted in the field for length of pull and comb height with no tools. The rifle has a full-length replaceable Picatinny rail that allows for direct optics mounts, 20 MOA, and O MOA. The CROSS is available in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 WIN, and the soon-to-be-released .277 SIG Fury Hybrid.
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Each Wednesday, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) publishes a reloading “how-to” article on the USAMU Facebook page. In this article, the USAMU’s reloading gurus help you avoid potentially disastrous mistakes with a progressive — such as double powder changes. The USAMU experts caution that: “beginners would be better served by starting on a single-stage press”. That said, owning a progressive makes sense if you shoot more than 100 centerfire rounds a week. If you own a progressive press, or are thinking of buying one, you should read this article.
For those interested in progressives, we’ll examine different key features among the types and relate them to handloading processes. The first, and simplest, type is the manually-advanced progressive. The shellplate holds the several cartridges being processed with each stroke of the handle. On these presses, the loader must manually advance the shellplate after each handle stroke.
While this obviously slows production vs. a press that cycles the shellplate automatically, this feature does have advantages though. (The disadvantages follow shortly.) No case is advanced to the next station until the operator deliberately does so – which is especially helpful for the new handloader.
Problems that arise during loading can be diagnosed and fixed without fears of some “extra” operation happening unnoticed with cartridges at the other stations. Beginners NOTE: one way to positively prevent this risk is to remove the cases from each press station when a problem emerges, before beginning diagnosis. Usually, however, experienced loaders omit this step as a time-saving measure, being confident in their understanding of the loading machine, process and the appropriate remedy.
If all cartridge cases are left in place, the operator must monitor what’s happening at each station. For example, raising the press ram twice may result in a double-charge of powder. With rifle cartridges, this usually results in a massive powder over-flow, alerting the loader to the problem. With pistol cases or small rifle charges in large cases, such an over-flow isn’t guaranteed. [Editor — one way to be sure you don’t have an overcharge or undercharge is to use a Lock-Out Die — see below.] The manually-advanced progressive keeps all operations under the loader’s control at all times. This is intuitively easier for the beginning loader to understand and to operate with confidence.
However, this same characteristic can be problematic if the loader isn’t paying 100% attention to what they are doing during routine operation. Some new handloaders apparently aspire to load progressively while daydreaming and paying little attention to the operation. Their plan is to feed components in, like feeding potato chips to a monkey, while good ammo drops out at the other end. Unfortunately, such an approach may likely result in something other than “good” ammo dropping out at the end…
Forgetting to cycle the shellplate when appropriate will cause problems. As with all handloading, distractions MUST be kept to a minimum for safety purposes. Never watch TV, talk with friends, or have other distractions (such as a rambunctious pet or child) in the room when loading. Avoiding distractions will do much to ensure that one produces consistent, high-quality ammunition, free of defects. For example, when a case doesn’t line up correctly with the case mouth expander or powder drop tube, a difference in “feel” often alerts the loader to correct the problem without ruining a case. If one is interrupted or becomes distracted, be certain to examine ALL cases in the shellplate before resuming loading.
Better Safe Than Sorry — the RCBS Lock-Out Die
RCBS Makes a “Lock-Out Die” that senses the powder charge. This will halt the Progressive press if you have a double charge, or an undercharge. Your Editor has the Lock-Out Die on his RCBS Pro 2000. It has “saved his bacon” a half-dozen times over the years. It can be used on Dillon and Hornady progressives as well as RCBS machines.
Other advantages of the typical manually-advanced progressives are that they are usually simpler in design, with fewer moving parts to get out of adjustment. This appeals to the mechanically dis-inclined! Caliber conversion kits are usually cheaper and take less time to install. This especially benefits the enthusiast who reloads for a wide variety of calibers.
However, many popular manually-advanced progressives have fewer die stations than the higher-end, auto-advancing machines. One item that is very useful when actually dispensing powder on a progressive press is a cartridge case powder-level sensor. This warns if powder levels in each case are too high or too low; however, it does require a die station of its own.
This condition (incorrect powder charges) often results from powder (especially extruded rifle powder) “bridging” in the powder measure. That is, one charge doesn’t fully empty into its cartridge case. This leaves some extra powder hanging up in the measure to join the normal charge in the next case. With some extruded powders, this can be quite obvious without a sensor. However, the sensor can detect small variations that would not be obvious to even an experienced, attentive operator. Considering the machine’s potential to use a powder sensor in addition to one’s other customary dies is a wise idea.
Similarly, pistol shooters are best served to seat bullets and crimp cartridges in separate operations. This should be taken into account when selecting a progressive press. Whenever loading fully-progressively, choosing powders that dispense very easily, e.g., ball/spherical or very fine-grain extruded powders, can help keep charges quite uniform.
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“Shooting Chrony” is a product name. “Shooting Chrony” should not describe (post-mortem) what you have been doing to your chronograph. Sooner or later all of us may make a mistake, and ventilate our chronograph. With luck, the bullet just “wings” your chronograph, and the damage is minor. But if you hit the unit smack dab in the middle, you may have to retire your chrono for good.
A while back, Forum member Jeff M. (aka “JRM850″) experienced a “low blow” that put his Shooting Chrony out of commission. With tongue firmly in cheek, Jeff started a Forum thread entitled Chronograph Not Picking Up Shots in Bright Sunlight Anymore. Looking at the photo at top, the problem is obvious — he ventilated his Chrono.
This was Jeff’s first chrono kill in 23 years of use, so we shouldn’t be too critical. Jeff explained: “I didn’t realize a friend was shifting from a 300-yard target to 100 yards.” The agent of destruction was a low-traveling 58gr V-Max running at 3415 fps. What happened? Well, when one is shooting at 300 yards, the trajectory will be higher than at 100 yards. We should say, however, that this may have been a low shot, or the 100-yard aiming point may have been placed lower to the ground (closer to the bottom of the target frame), as compared to the 300-yard aiming point.
Other Forum members offered some sarcastic responses:
Try it on an overcast day – it might work again.
It looks like the V-Max performed just about as advertised.
Aww…a little duct tape and some Super Glue and you’re good to go.
If you are using a LabRadar or Magnetospeed, your chrono shouldn’t be in the line of fire, but for those will conventional chronos, here’s some good advice…
Double Check Your Aim Point and Trajectory BEFORE You Shoot
The lesson learned here is that you should never change targets (or aim points) without checking your bullet’s flight over the chronograph. We like to align the barrel so the bullet exits a good 6-8 inches above the electronics (check your manual for recommended shot height).
In addition, we always boresight the barrel so we can see the actual target through the bore. Then, with gun UNLOADED, bolt removed and action clear, we look back down the barrel so we can see daylight through the bore, with the gun set on solid rests. If you look through the middle of the “V” formed by the sky screen supports and you can’t see light shining through the barrel’s bore, you probably have a set-up problem and you should re-align the rifle.
Use a Test Backer to Confirm Your Bullet Trajectory
You can put tape on the support rods about 6″ up from the unit. This helps you judge the correct vertical height when setting up your rifle on the bags. Another trick is to hang a sheet of paper from the rear skyscreen and then use a laser boresighter to shine a dot on the paper (with the gun planted steady front and rear). This should give you a good idea (within an inch or so) of the bullet’s actual flight path through the “V” over the light sensors. Of course, when using a laser, never look directly at the laser! Instead shine the laser away from you and see where it appears on the paper.
After you have used the laser boresighter to get the rifle centered up in the chrono’s “sweet spot”, confirm with a test shot or two (see photo). Even when using an in-chamber laser boresighter, it is not uncommon for the bullet’s actual point of impact to be different than the laser’s dot location.
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SIG Sauer is offering a limited number of authentic M17 pistols originally issued by the U.S. Army and fielded during the initial domestic and in-theater deployment of the Modular Handgun System. These unique firearms feature the original Coyote controls, the original government-issue markings and serial numbers, along with the U.S. Army specified orange rear and green front Night Sights. As these were fielded by the U.S. Army, their condition will vary, making each one uniquely different, and making this truly an opportunity to own a piece of history. Tom Taylor, SIG Executive VP notes: “These handguns [will be] coveted by both military and firearms collectors alike.”
The M17 Surplus handgun is a 9mm, striker-fired, P320-based handgun platform, featuring a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide, coyote-tan controls, a coyote-tan medium carry grip module, with the U.S. Government slide markings and serial numbers. The handguns are equipped with SIGLITE sights (orange rear & green front), removable night sight rear plates, and the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, ready to fit a SIG Sauer Electro-Optics ROMEO1Pro Optic. The M17 features an ambidextrous manual safety, ships with (1) 17-round and (2) 21-round magazines, includes an official SIG Sauer M17 Certificate of Authenticity, and comes packed just as the handguns are delivered to the U.S. Military. Limited quantities available soon. Call your local dealer for pricing/availability.
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In these days of Smart Phones, WiFi-equipped cars, and Alexa digital assistants, conventional books may seem old-fashioned. But for presenting a wide range of information, with charts, tables, photos, and a handy index, there is much to be said for conventional paper publications. These can be used anywhere and anytime, even where there is no cell service. You can annotate the pages with your own comments, and make simple, manual bookmarks for your most-used pages.
One resource we use regularly is the Cartridge Comparison Guide, a remarkably comprehensive 340-page spiral-bound book. Covering over 250 cartridges, the 2nd Edition of the Cartridge Comparison Guide covers most available factory cartridges from .17 caliber all the way up to .50 caliber. This resource also compiles cartridge data from major manufacturers Barnes, Federal, Hornady, Norma, Nosler, Remington, Sierra, Swift, Weatherby, and Winchester. If you shoot factory ammo, you should definitely get the Cartridge Comparison Guide.
Shooters putting together a print-format resource library will have many good choices. Creedmoor Sports has a large library of books in stock, with many currently on sale. On the Creedmoor Sports Book/Video page, you will find dozens of great offerings. You can search by format, author, price, and even shooting discipline. In addition, while you’re visiting Creedmoor Sports, you’ll find many tools and shooting accessories on sale.
Here are six of Creedmoor Sports’ most popular book titles:
Here’s an interesting book for gun owners. Get away from the TV and test your skills on these gun-centric crossword puzzles. The Shooters Book uses terms and names relating to firearms, their use, and development. At 178 pages, this crossword puzzle/word search book offers something for all firearm enthusiasts. Each crossword puzzle has correlated word searches included to help solve it.
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Christmas is just one week away, so today we’re featuring a hand-picked collection of “stocking stuffers” for precision shooters. Some of these are recent new inventions. All are handy items that you’ll use over and over again at the range, on your vehicle, and/or at your loading bench (so you’re allowed to buy them for yourself, even after Christmas).
B&T Industries BT62 Determinator — $7.95
The acrylic BT62 Determinator measures groups with laser-cut concentric measuring rings. Check group size quick and easy — simply place the Determinator over shot group. Adjust until one of the circles crosses the center of the two outer-most holes. That gives you the center to center group measurement (1.5″ maximum). Alternatively, you can measure edge to edge (of the farthest shots) and then subtract the bullet diameter. Cool tool for gun guys. The supplied lanyard also glows in the dark.
Surveyor’s Tape (for Wind Indicators) — $1.99
Always watch the wind when you shoot. Inexpensive, Day-Glo Surveyors’ Tape (aka “Flagging Tape”), attached to a stake or target frame, makes a good wind indicator. It will flutter even in mild breezes, alerting you to both angle and velocity shifts. This should be part of every range kit. Don’t leave home without it. This can also be ordered from Creedmoor Sports for $3.95 per roll.
Cabela’s Multi-Tool (Various Colors) — $5.00
You won’t find a more versatile tool at this amazingly low price — just $5.99! The Cabela’s multi-tool performs many functions. It features flat-nose pliers, wire-stripper, knife, Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, saw, bottle opener, and scissors. Nylon sheath included. This handy tool is available in size colors: Red, Green, Orange, Purple, Teal, and Silver. A nylon sheath is included.
Amazon — Bore-Snake Two-Pack — $7.99
While bore cleaning should be done with a good cleaning rod and fitted bore guide, there are times when Bore-Snakes can be handy, such as when cleaning pistols and 10/22s. Now on Amazon you can get two (2) convenient GogoKu Bore-Snakes for just $7.99. Get two of the same diameter (.22 up to 12ga), or choose a Kit with both .223 and .308 sizes. Great stocking stuffer for a shooter.
Work Sharp — Pivot Plus Knife Sharpener — $7.95
The new, easy-to-carry Pivot Plus Knife Sharpener from WorkSharp provides a 3-stage honing process for keeping your knives sharp in the field.. Sharpen straight-edge blades with a few pulls on the carbide and ceramic v-cut sharpening slots, and hone your serrated blades with the diamond-coated rod. A great stocking stuffer, this little sharpener costs just $7.95 on Amazon.
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?
Amazon — Camouflage Neoprene Scope Cover — $8.98
Here’s a great gift item for a hunter. This reversible Camo-pattern Neoprene Scope Cover fits scopes up to 10″ long and 45mm lens diameter. The cover cushions your scope and protects against moisture and scratches. Note: Along with Camo, there is also a black version with bright red trim.
Creedmoor Sports — Leather 20Rd +2 Ammo Holder — $25.00
This handsome red leather ammo holder secures twenty (20) rounds of .308 Win-size ammunition, in a handy plastic carrier. In addition there are loops for 2 more sighter rounds on the outside. This is a very nice gift for a target shooter or hunter. There is also a .223 Rem version in black leather. Both these leather ammo holders conveniently fit into a shooting coat pocket via a leather pocket flap.
This Outers-brand, 51-piece set contains all the drivers you could ever need: Flat-head, Phillips, Hex (Allen), and Torx. Priced at just $6.99, this driver set offers great value for the money. Even if you already own high-quality Allen and Torx wrenches, you can buy this as a spare set for your gun room. And this also makes a great holiday “stocking stuffer” for gun guys. These drivers work great for installing scope rings or bases, or everyday use around the home.
• Molded Driver with Magnetic Tip
• 15 Flat Head Bits
• 10 Hex Bits (inch)
• 9 Hex Bits (metric)
• 4 Phillips Bits
• 9 Torx Bits
• 2 Extra Long Phillips Bits
• 1 Hex to Square Adapter
Creedmoor Sports — ECI, Mag Block, and Dust Cover Flag
How many times have you gone to look into a barrel or dark corner of a gun only to find you just can’t see in there? You can easily solve this problem by picking up this Compact Bore Light for just $8.52 on Amazon. A bore light is a “must-have” item for handgun owners, and these are also handy for inspecting dies, rifle chambers, and tool interiors. Honestly for this price you should grab a couple so you have one in your range bag and another on your bench.
BONUS — TACTICAL STOCKINGS for Your Stocking Stuffers
Don’t have a stocking to hold your small gift items? Well we’ve got you covered — check out these cool, heavy-duty stockings. These Garud Tactical Stockings come in three camo varieties plus OD Green, Black, and Khaki. They all feature 4 MOLLE attachments, rugged carry handle, hanging hook, swivel carabiners, outside draw pocket, and even Velcro USA Flag Patch. Get all this for the low price of $12.99 (solid colors) or $14.99 (Camo). These stockings are sure to bring smiles to your tacticool family members and friends. And right now they ship for FREE on Amazon.
This 50 Cal Days of Christmas video features some fantastic slow-motion footage of a Barrett .50 Caliber M82. This bad boy pumps out some serious muzzle flash. Watch carefully at the 1:05 mark and you can see the .50-caliber projectile exit the muzzle brake and spin through the ball of smoke and flame. For best viewing, you may want to change your video settings to 720p or 1080p High Definition and view full-screen (using the video controls).
The video carries “overkill” to the max, as the shooter uses his big Barrett to blast Christmas ornaments and a snow-globe. To top things off, at the 2:50 mark, the shooter fires the .50 cal at a pyro-equipped gingerbread house. (The gingerbread shot is taken from a standing hold no less!) The results (at 3:22) are impressive — gingerbread house becomes flaming gingerbread pudding.
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NOTE: The contest is OVER, so ignore information on the PDF about submitting targets — that’s from back in 2013.
Here’s a target for the holidays that can provide some fun at the range. This Christmas Tree Target was created by Sierra Bullets for a 2013 contest. This contest is now over, but you can still have fun with the target. This tree target is designed to be shot at 15 yards with pistol, or at 100 yards with rifle.
Santa’s Extra Accuracy Challenge
Start with the big circles, and then work your way down to the small circles (7,8,9,10) as you build your confidence. Shoot the gifts for bonus points.
For an extra challenge (with an accurate rifle), try working your way back up to the top, aiming for the X-Marks in the circles and finishing with the small, inset star at the top. Try to hit each X-Mark and then put your final shot in the inner star. Have fun!
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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. Sportsman’s Warehouse — RCBS & Hornady Sale, 25% Off
We’ve seen reloading sales before but never two major brands with 25% OFF for all items in stock. Head over to Sportsman’s Warehouse and take advantage of the big RCBS and Hornady 25% Off SALE. Think of the savings — on a Progressive Press, you can save $120 or more. On a Reloading Kit you can save $80+, and on a Powder Scale/Dispenser you can save $70 or more. Hundreds of items are on sale now. But act quickly — this sale will end soon.
2. CDNN — Thompson Center Compass, $269.99
In you want a solid, low-cost hunting rifle, look no further. CDNN is running an amazing sale on the Thompson Center Compass. At just $269.99, this is a perfect first rifle for a family member. This is a $129 savings over normal retail. At this ultra-affordable $269.99 price, six (6) different chamberings are available: 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7mm-08, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield, and .300 Win Magnum.
3. EuroOptic — End of 2019 Sales — Many Brands
EuroOptic.com is one of the very best source for quality scopes and rifles. And now EuroOptic is running a huge 2019 Year End Sale with truly outstanding bargains. There are rifles, handguns, and premium optics at deep discounts. Even premium Kahles, Leica, Swarovski, and Zeiss optics are deeply discounted. If you want top-of-the-line equipment at the lowest possible price, check out EuroOptic’s YEAR END SALE today.
4. Brownells – Gift Center 2019 Major Savings
Brownells.com is always a perennial favorite for many shooters. Through the end of December, you can find many great bargains on Brownell’s Gift Center 2019. You’ll find great deals on rifles, reloading supplies, optics, gun parts and more. Or get a gift for a friend or family member. There’s bound to be something you need at significant discounts.
5. Bruno Shooters Supply — L.E. Wilson Reloading Tools Sale
L.E. Wilson makes outstanding tools and reloading dies. We use Wilson dies with our Arbor presses, and use Wilson Trimmers. Now you can save on the full line of Wilson dies and reloading tools. Bruno Shooters Supply is running a great Wilson Product Sale this month. There’s lots to choose from including case trimmers, die sets,and more.
6. Amazon — Wheeler Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, $54.31
Every serious shooter should have a good trigger gauge. The Wheeler digital trigger gauge is precise and repeatable, measuring pull weights up to 12 pounds, making it suitable for all types of firearms. The load cell directly contacts the trigger making it extremely accurate with +/- 0.2 ounce precision. There are two modes: “Peak” and “Live.” Peak mode shows max force for each pull and calculates the minimum, maximum and average pull weights. Live mode continuously shows the force on the sensor. It even has a special adapter for Savage-style triggers with bladed inserts.
7. Amazon — Chapman Tool Kit, $45.00
If you’re using cheap “box store” drivers and wrenches for your scopes, guns, dies, and presses then you’re risking damage. You need proper, quality tools to do the job right and the components in Chapman tool kits are exactly that. Choose from a variety of Champman Kit with multiple drivers. With these tools you can work on your fine firearms with confidence.
8. Longshot Target Cameras — All Systems on Sale!
Target cameras have come a long way in the last year or two and Targetvision is leading the charge with their Longshot camera systems. The top-end LR-3 System offers longer range (2 miles), higher resolution, and better software than you get with any other consumer target camera system. The Longshot systems have earned some of the highest reviews on the market and also have a ‘bulletproof’ option which guarantees a replacement in the event your unit gets shot.
9. Midsouth Shooters — Sparc AR Red Dot, $119.99
Not everyone needs a high-tech $500 red dot optic for their AR or shotgun. There are plenty of guys who just love having fun and want a red dot sight that does the job and the Sparc AR red dot is exactly that. Pick one up for a crazy low price of $119.99 and start having some fun today.
10. Amazon — MTM Cleaning Rod Case, $22.89
Good cleaning rods are expensive and can be easily damaged if you’re not careful. To protect those valuable cleaning rods, we recommend the MTM cleaning rod case which holds four rods as well as cleaning supplies. This case protects your rods both at home and while traveling. With this handy, durable case you can stop worrying about bending or breaking those important cleaning rods.
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The Action Target Sport Plate Rack is specifically designed for .22 LR Rimfire shooting. This rack features six 4″-diameter plates that reset with a provided cable.
Shooting plates is fun. You get immediate feedback — “instant gratification” when you make a hit. When shooting steel inside 100 yards, we like to use .22 LR rimfire guns. The ammo is inexpensive, noise levels are lower (though you still need ear protection), and at close ranges there are fewer issue with ricochets and bullet splash-back. Additionally, for busy folks who don’t have time to reload, you can pick up a .22 LR rifle or pistol, grab a couple $5 boxes of ammo, and get to the range in a few minutes. The convenience means it is easier to shoot every week if you like.
Above, SFC Joel Turner from the USAMU’s Action Shooting Team offers a few pointers on how to shoot plates quickly and accurately. He’s using a centerfire pistol, but the same principles apply for rimfire handguns. Click speaker icon to activate audio.
New .22 LR CP33 Pistol is Great for Plates
If you like shooting plates, one of the better new handguns for the job is Kel-Tec’s CP33. We tested this interesting handgun at the 2019 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, and were impressed. The pistol is big, but balances well. The sights are easy to see, and the full-length rail lets you easily mount a variety of optics. The trigger is surprisingly good — better than 90% of rimfire handguns out there. For the plates game, this “quad-stack” gun can handle long stages without mag changes. The standard clear-sided CP33 magazine holds 33 rounds of .22 LR ammo.
If you are interested in an affordable, but very accurate, high-capacity semi-auto rimfire pistoldefinitely consider Kel-Tec’s new CP33. 22 Plinkster agrees — this is a nice pistol. In his video review below 22 Plinkster reports: “This handgun has been 100% reliable IF I load the magazine the right way… and it’s pretty dog-gone accurate.”
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) tested Keltec’s CP33 with a variety of ammo. The CP33 consistently shot about one-half-inch for five shots “from a 25-yard sandbag bench rest using the iron sights.” SSUSA noted that the gun disassembles quickly and easily by removing one central pin. SSUSA’s tester, Chris Christian, was impressed with the gun, saying it balanced well and the sights aligned naturally.
SSUSA notes: “The rapid growth of rimfire competition in Steel Challenge has prompted some gun makers to enter the fray. Kel-Tec is one, and their new CP33 .22 LR pistol has a lot of potential.”
GunsAmerica also reviewed the Keltec CP33, which it called “The Most Innovative Gun of 2019″. Reviewer Riley Baxter liked the ergonomics and sights. He tested a variety of ammo, getting the best results with Norma Match-22. Baxter concluded: “I thoroughly enjoyed every moment that I spent shooting the KelTec CP33[.] The magazines took a little bit of trial and error… but once I had this down, the CP33 ran reliably and loading 33 rounds took no time at all. This is a gun that I would recommend to anyone who may be interested in buying a .22 pistol[.]”
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Earlier this year, CCI introduced a new type of .22 LR rimfire ammunition. CCI’s innovative Clean-22 Ammo features polymer-coated bullets. This is actually a pretty important development. The bullet coating on CCI’s new Clean-22 ammo provides three main benefits:
1. Copper fouling in the barrel is greatly reduced.
2. Lead fouling in the barrel is greatly reduced.
3. Lead build-up in suppressors is reduced by 60-80%.
CCI offers two versions of Clean-22 ammo: High Velocity (944CC, 1235 FPS MV) and Subsonic (934CC, 1070 FPS MV). Both feature 40gr lead bullets with polymer coatings. The High Velocity ammo has red-coated bullets, while the Subsonic has blue-coated bullets. MSRP for both is $9.95 for 100 rounds. This ammo is available right now from TargetSportsUSA for $6.99 per 100ct High Velocity or 100ct Subsonic.
Clean-22 High Velocity: 1235 FPS | Clean-22 Subsonic: 1070 FPS
Clean-22 Ammo with Polymer-Coated Bullets
Clean-22 uses an exclusive polymer bullet coating to greatly reduce copper and lead fouling in the barrel without leaving a residue. It also cuts lead buildup in suppressors 60 to 80 percent. Both the Sub-Sonic and High Velocity loads feature a 40-grain round nose lead bullet with geometry that’s been optimized for accuracy. With dependable CCI priming and consistent propellant, Clean-22 provides reliable cycling through semi-automatics and all 22 LR firearms.
John Whidden’s Championship-Winning Rifle
For this Sunday GunDay we feature John Whidden’s very special Palma rifle, the rig that carried him to his 5th NRA Long Range National Championship in 2017. John captured his fifth Long Range crown with a superb performance in the Palma match. The caliber is .308 Win, as dictated by the Palma rules.
This unique .308 Win prone rifle from Whidden Gunworks features a Barnard “P” action in a converted aluminum Anschutz “Precise” smallbore (rimfire) stock. The combo of Barnard action and Anschutz ergonomics is hard to beat, says John, who told us: “this is easily the best Palma rifle I’ve ever had.” John told us this gun handles like no other: “After recoil, with this Anschutz stock, the sights fall right back on target — better than any other prone rifle I’ve shot”.
As a bonus, the Barnard “drop-in” required no major modification of the Anschutz Precise stock. This means John can actually swap in his rimfire barreled action and shoot smallbore with the same stock.
Whidden’s Perfect Palma Match
Whidden secured the 2017 LR Title by shooting “clean” (not dropping a point) in the tough Palma competition. In the NRA Palma match, rifles must be .223 Rem or .308 Winchester, with metallic sights (no scopes). The match is conducted at three yardages, 15 shots at each distance of 800/900/1000 yards, with unlimited sighters at 800 and two sighters at 900 and 1000.
Sling Rifle Evolved: The Ultra-Accurate Hybrid Palma Rifle
by John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks
The mental component of Long Range competitive shooting is always challenging but having tremendous confidence in the accuracy of your equipment is a huge benefit. There’s nothing to start your Palma match off well like knowing that you are shooting the most accurate Palma rifle you’ve ever owned.
Whidden Palma Rifle
Action: Barnard “P” (three lugs, 60° bolt lift)
Barrel: Bartlein 32″, Light Palma contour, cryo-treated by 300 Below.
Stock: Anschutz Precise aluminum smallbore stock, set up for centerfire barreled action.
Trigger: Barnard Two-Stage adjustable
Whidden’s Wonder-Gun: German Stock, New Zealand Action, American Barrel
John built this Palma rifle in early 2016. With it, John won back-to-back long-range Championships in 2016 (Camp Perry) and 2017 (Camp Atterbury). The major components are: Barnard ‘P’ action, Anschutz Precise smallbore stock, and Bartlein barrel. The caliber is .308 Win, as dictated by the Palma rules. Palma matches are fired from 800, 900, and 1000 yards utilizing iron sights only. No optical sights are allowed.
The Anschutz Precise stock is so well-designed that once I finished adjusting the details, I realized that my hold was about 1/3 smaller than with the stocks I shot previously. While in recoil the gun will track vertically and fall back down right on my own target just as it should. In the past, with my other Palma rifles, it was frankly sometimes a struggle to get them to settle back on target after a shot.
Whidden Gunworks has installed a variety of different actions in the Anschutz Precise stocks. Though the stocks are designed for the .22 LR caliber 2013 action rifles, we’ve successfully installed Barnard, Kelbly, Bat, Nesika, and Remington clone actions into them. The Barnard Model P makes a particularly simple installation because there is no modification necessary to the stock at all. A competitor can then shoot both his centerfire rifle as well as his smallbore gun in the exact same stock. The location of the trigger and bolt handle on the Barnard are positioned just right to make this work. Other actions do require at least some amount of modification to the stock, and we have found the Barnard works the best.
Barnard manufactures several models of actions as part of their lineup. All of the actions in the lineup use three lug bolts which give a shorter 60-degree bolt lift when opening and closing. All of the critical surfaces are machined after heat treating. This means that they are exceptionally true and square, more so than other actions. The Model P action is most familiar to Palma and F-Class shooters and are commonly seen on the firing line. The fact that Model P actions include an excellent two-stage trigger makes also the pricing very attractive.
Based on my previous excellent experiences, I selected Bartlein barrels for this rifle. When shooting internationally in the Palma matches we are restricted to 155 grain .308 bullets, but I made the unusual choice of a 1-10″ twist for these bullets. I’ve shot this fast twist for some years with the 155s with good success and it’s pleasing to know that Bryan Litz is finding benefits in some cartridges to shooting faster twist rates than we previously thought we needed. The load is Vihtavuori N140 Powder with Berger 155gr Hybrid bullets. The chamber is the 2011 Palma and the barrel is a Light Palma contour finished at 32” length. The barrel was cryo-treated by 300 Below. The point of impact isn’t changed at all by barrel heating and the accuracy is incredible regardless of the temperature of the barrel. This can’t be said of all the barrels I’ve owned.
Get Your Own Whidden Wonder-Gun
Like this Anschutz-Barnard hybrid rifle? Whidden Gunworks can build you a rig like this, fitting a centerfire barreled action in the Anschutz Precise stock. John tells us: “The price of a rifle like this one but without sights or mounts would be under $5000.00. We attempt to keep all of the parts except the stock in inventory, so lead time should be under eight (8) weeks.”
Stock Offers Great Adjustability One thing that is quickly noticed about the Anschutz Precise stock is its adjustability. The engineers did a very good job of allowing many of these adjustments to be made while in the shooting position, most notably the cheekpiece adjustments. When a shooter picks up a Precise stock for the first time they also notice how narrow the fore-end is. This really contributes to reducing the pain in the forward hand in prone when shooting with a sling. This stock is, by far, the most comfortable sling stock I’ve ever handled.
This rifle was very accurate right away and very comfortable to shoot. I’ve built some really good shooting Palma rifles but this is easily the best Palma rifle I’ve ever had. The Barnard action with its superb quality and excellent two-stage trigger has been the best choice I could have made. When you can go to the firing line knowing that you have the very best, the foundation for success has been set.
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One resource we use regularly is the 
Santa’s Extra Accuracy Challenge
One thing that is quickly noticed about the Anschutz Precise stock is its adjustability. The engineers did a very good job of allowing many of these adjustments to be made while in the shooting position, most notably the cheekpiece adjustments. When a shooter picks up a Precise stock for the first time they also notice how narrow the fore-end is. This really contributes to reducing the pain in the forward hand in prone when shooting with a sling. This stock is, by far, the most comfortable sling stock I’ve ever handled.
