As part of the Black Friday/Cyber Week marketing hoopla, Daniel Defense and Baretta are running big contests, with a combined $50,000 in prizes.
$20,000 in Prizes with Daniel Defense Thanksgiveaway
Daniel Defense, in collaboration with other brands, is running a big Thanksgiveaway Weekend contest with $20,000 in total prizes. The $20K number was chosen because Daniel Defense is “celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year”. There will be four big prize packages given away at the end of this holiday weekend. To enter the $20,000 “Thanksgiveaway Weekend” contest, visit: DanielDefense.com/Sweepstakes.
The promotion includes four packages totaling over $20,000 in prizes featuring products from Daniel Defense, Trijicon, Fort Scott Munitions, Premier Body Armor and training provided by Warrior Poet Society. Enter beginning Black Friday, November 26, at 12:00AM EST, and ending Cyber Monday, November 29, at 11:59PM EST, with no purchase necessary.
Beretta Experience — $30,000 in Prizes Including Trip to Italy
The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), in partnership with Beretta, Galco, Leupold, Pelican, Primary Arms, and Remington, has launched the Beretta Experience Giveaway. This contest offers $30,000 in prizes — guns and gear plus a trip to Italy. Entry deadline is Tuesday, November 30, 2021.
“Beretta is excited to announce that we are teaming up with USCCA, merging 500 years of firearms development with a future million membership organization” said Nicoloa Lorenzi of Beretta. Founded in 1526, Beretta is the oldest firearms manufacturer in the world. Beretta will welcome the winner and one guest to visit its headquarters, with an exclusive tour of the Beretta Museum in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy. Built in 1880, the Beretta Museum hosts over 1,500 firearms products.
Here are the prizes the Contest Winner will get:
From USCCA: Elite USCCA Membership (1 Year)
2-Day Travel & Hotel for Winner + Guest to Italy
TOTAL MSRP: $10,504
From Galco: Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $3,000
From Leupold: Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $3,000
From Pelican: Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $3,000
From Beretta: Beretta Headquarters Visit
Exclusive personal tour of the Beretta Museum
Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $5,000
From Primary Arms: Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $3,000
From Remington: Gift Card/Product
TOTAL MSRP: $3,000
The Beretta Experience Giveaway winner will be awarded a one-year elite membership to the U.S Concealed Carry Association. The organization offers online training and education and works with firearms experts to provide new and improved training courses.
CLICK HERE for official giveaway rules and more information.
Share the post "Are You Feeling Lucky? $50,000 in Prize Giveaways"
Wind effects are complex. In trying to access wind speeds and angles, you’ll want to watch multiple indicators — mirage, dust, wind-flags, grass movement, and more. You’ll also need to be concerned about wind cycles. In the video below, Bryan Litz talks about variable wind speed along a bullet’s flight path. A respected ballistics guru, Bryan is the founder of Applied Ballistics and a designer of Berger’s Hybrid Match projectiles. He is also a past F-TR National Champion and a High Master Palma ace.
In this video, Bryan discusses how wind effects can vary in intensity at different points along the bullet’s flight path to the target. Sometimes the firing line is sheltered, and the strongest winds come into effect in the middle of the trajectory. Bryan concludes: “Wind matters everywhere … but the best thing you can do is try to get a handle on the wind [velocity and angle] where you are. That may or may not represent the wind down-range — that’s when you have to look downrange and make a judgment[.]”
Litz Competition Tip: Select your wind shooting strategy carefully. For beginners and veterans, most points are typically lost to wind. Successful shooters put a lot of thought into their approach to wind shooting. Sometimes it’s best to shoot fast and minimize the changes you’ll have to navigate. Other times it’s best to wait out a condition which may take several minutes. Develop a comfortable rest position so you have an easier time waiting when you should be waiting.
More Wind Tips from Wind Wizard Emil Praslick
In these two short videos, Emil Praslick III, former coach of the USAMU and USA National long range teams, explains how to find the wind direction and how to confirm your no-wind zero. Praslick is widely considered to be one of the best wind coaches in the USA.
When Winds Are EXTREME — Near Gale Force at Ben Avery
This video shows INSANE winds at NBRSA 100/200 Benchrest Nationals. This was filmed at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, AZ during the recent NBRSA 100/200 yard National Championships. Extreme to say the least. Based on what we’re seeing here, there are 20-25 mph crosswinds, with gusts to 35 mph — near Gale Force. Video by Hall-of-Fame Benchrest competitor Gene Bukys, whom we sadly lost to COVID last year. RIP Gene.
Texas gunsmith Mike Bryant reports: “This video shows the Unlimited Class 200 at the Nationals in Phoenix. I had three 10-shot groups in the low 2″ range with a 2.228″ being my big group and was glad they weren’t bigger. Thursday and Friday were the worst of the windy days. Unfortunately those were the days for the UL 200 and it was about as windy through most all of the Sporter 200.”
Excellent Wind Reading Resource
The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters covers techniques and tactics used by expert wind-readers. The authors provide a wind-reading “toolbox” for calculating wind speed, direction, deflection and drift. They explain how to read flags and mirage, record and interpret your observations, and time your shots to compensate for wind. Here are two reviews:
This is a must-have book if you are a long-range sport shooter. I compete in F-Class Open and when read it from cover to cover, it helped me understand wind reading and making accurate scope corrections. Buy this book, read it, put into practice what it tells you, you will not be disappointed. — P. Janzso
If you have one book for wind reading, this should be it. It covers how to get wind speed/direction from flags, mirage, and natural phenomenon. This is the best book for learning to read wind speed and direction. — Muddler
Share the post "Wind Reading Tips from Bryan Litz and Emil Praslick III"
With ammunition in short supply these days, we know ammo production is on people’s minds. Top industry leaders have said the USA will face ammo shortages well into 2021. So ammo-makers big and small are ramping up production to meet demand. If you’re curious how ammunition is created on the assembly by a relatively small, speciality manufacturer, watch the video below to see the entire process, start to finish.
This video from Fog Ammunition reveals how .223 Rem ammo is made. Starting with boxes of bullets and bags of cartridge brass, this video shows how components are bulk-sorted, then .223 Rem ammunition is produced on a modern, linear multi-stage loading machine. In assembly-line fashion, cases are primed, powder is added, bullets are placed, final seating depth is set, and then the case is crimped.
If you’ve never seen an automated loader in action you should definitely watch this video. With this kind of machine, a new round is produced every second or so (see video 1:15 to 1:55). The .223 Remington ammunition featured in this video is loaded with Sierra BlitzKing bullets. Fog offers both rifle and pistol ammo loaded with quality components.
Video Shows Automated Loading Process Start to Finish (Worth Watching):
Remember when primers were plentiful and priced affordably?
Share the post "How .223 Remington Ammunition Is Made — Production Video"
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. Midsouth — RCBS ChargeMaster Lite Scale/Dispenser, $234.49
⏺ Save $30 or more on this very popular Scale/Dispenser
Dispensing very accurate powder charges is critical for precision reloading. One of the most popular electronic powder scale/dispensers is the ChargeMaster Lite. Featuring an easy-to-use digital keypad, large powder hopper, accuracy to +/- one-tenth of a grain, the ChargeMaster Lite will help you load more accurate charges AND save time.
2. Sportsman’s WHSE — Savage 110 Switchback Rifle, $499.99
⏺ Excellent choice for hunting rifle, with nice, adjustable stock
Savage produces good, accurate rifles at attractive prices. If you are looking for a new hunting rig, consider the Savage 110 Switchback bolt action rifle. Available in many of the most popular hunting chamberings, the Savage Switchback features an ergonomic stock with adjustable length of pull, a one-piece +20 MOA rail, and a flush-fit muzzle brake. These are featured-packed hunting rifles at a good price.
3. Midway — 10% OFF Qualifying Optics (Many Brands)
⏺ Large selection of big name optics on sale with Bonus 10% Discount
Right now Midway has a wide variety of quality scopes on sale, with big discounts shown with RED Sale Prices. Plus if you use Code optics111721 during checkout, you will get an additional 10% Off ALL qualifying optics. Choose from many top optics brands including Vortex, Leupold, Sightron, Holosun, and more. You’ll find everything from simple red-dots up to high-magnification competition scopes. In addition, binoculars and rangefinders are on sale as well. To get 10% Off use Code optics111721.
4. Lock & Loaded — EAA Girsan MC9 Pistol with Red Dot, $491.85
⏺ Impressive 9mm for Action Pistol matches, with Red Dot
We love finding deals on high-quality pistols that can be used for competition and defense. A great example is the EAA Girsan MC9 9mm pistol. With its 17rd high-capacity magazine, interchangeable backstraps, ported slide, and included Red Dot sight the EAA MC9 is match ready. Priced at under $500, this is a great deal on a sophisticated 9mm handgun that can win matches.
5. Cabela’s — SIG Kilo 2200 BDX Laser Rangefinder, $279.97
⏺ Quality laser rangefinder that communicates with BDX scopes
Knowing the distance to your target or game is critical for safe and effective shots. The SIG Sauer KILO 2200 BDX Rangefinder is a very good LRF for the price. With the industry’s fastest digital signal processor, this Kilo 2200 BDX rangefinder delivers near-instantaneous rangings. This “smart” rangefinder also communicates with BDX-enabled scopes, showing range and holdover points in your BDX scope’s reticle. SIG Sauer states that the KILO 2200 BDX can reliably range deer out to 1000 yards, trees to 1400 yards, and reflective targets way out to 2,200 yards.
6. Creedmoor Sports — MTM Wind Flag, $19.95
⏺ Effective wind reading tool at a fraction of the price of other wind flags
Serious benchrest competitors always employ wind flags. And even when you are doing load development or practicing, it makes sense to have your own flags. Wind flags provide a constant “read” of current wind angles. This will help you stay on target. And watching the flag will quickly improve your understanding of wind patterns. If you are looking for a simple, affordable wind flag, the MTM Wind Reader Shooting Range Flag is a bargain at just $19.99, including stake-type support and tail ribbon. This MTM wind flag is easy to set up and it stores flat for transport.
7. Amazon — Magpul Rifle Bipod, $99.80 – $115.02
⏺ Strong, versatile bipod with M-LOK and Picatinny options
The Magpul Bipod is an excellent, mid-priced general purpose bipod which can be used on anything from PRS rigs to hunting rifles. This sturdy bipod features spring-tension legs that stow neatly forward and lock into place. The leg extensions slide and lock securely with the push of a button on seven half-inch spaced locking detents. Amazon’s Magpul Bipod prices start at $99.80, varying with color and attachment options (M-LOK, 1913 Picatinny, A.R.M.S. 17S, Sling Stud QD).
⏺ Well-designed, stable pistol rest, at a great price
When you’re testing the accuracy of any kind of handgun, it’s important to have a stable support. Consider the Caldwell Matrix Adjustable Shooting Rest. This ambidextrous rest is designed with a wobble-free front cradle plus padded support for the bottom of the pistol grip. It is easily adjusted With a spring-loaded tension mechanism and height adjustment knob. NOTE: This versatile rest features a removable rear section with V-cradle for a rifle buttstock. This allows the rest to be used with a rifle. However it is primarily designed for handgun use.
9. ShootSteel.com — 35% Off Steel Targets with Code
⏺ Use Code IMPACT to save 35% on steel targets
Shooting reactive steel targets is fun. And now you get get a whopping 35% off quality targets from SteelTargets.com. With this early Black Friday Deal, with Code IMPACT you can save 35% on a wide variety of tough AR500/550 steel targets including poppers, dueling trees, silhouettes, Texas Stars, speed racks, rimfire racks, and more. For the larger complex targets, this promo can save you over $300! In addition, surplus 1/2″ AR500 steel is 40% off with no code required. All orders over $350 ship FREE.
10. KYGunco — Anderson AM-15 Lower, $38.99
⏺ Super low price on a good AR-15 lower receiver
With Federal politicians threatening new gun regulations, you may want to get your “black rifle” while you still can. If you don’t want to purchase a complete AR-platform rifle at this time, consider just getting the lower receiver — the key serialized part purchased through an FFL. One of the best current deals is the Anderson AM-15 No Logo Lower Receiver currently selling for just $38.99. This anodized aluminum lower receiver can be finished with the fire-control group, grip, and stock of your choice, all sold separately.
Share the post "Bargain Finder 322: Accurate Shooter’s Deals of the Week"
Late season hunting success. Photo courtesy Winchester Blog.
Nikki Boxler, a former NCAA athlete, is an avid huntress who hunts game and waterfowl around the country. Nikki grew up on a large dairy farm in Western New York and continues to reside there today. This setting has shaped her love of the outdoors and is how she developed a passion which drives her to spend as much time hunting and fishing as possible. For her, hunting is not about the kill, it is about the experience, the memories, the moments and having fun. Her most memorable adventures take place not only in the woods but also around the grill. Nikki says she thoroughly enjoys her role as co-host of Winchester Life providing content about hunting, fitness training, cooking and other topics. An athlete in college, Nikki works out regularly.
Nikki has authored a number of helpful articles for the Winchester Blog and is featured in many other stories. Nikki is the host of some good videos about hunting and fitness. CLICK HERE to see all of Nikki’s Winchester articles.
Nikki Boxler Hunting Articles
Here our some of our favorite Nikki Boxler stories from the Winchester Blog:
Nikki wrote an excellent article about late season hunting that offers very helpful advice for hunters of all experience levels. Nikki offers many smart, practical tips in this article Late Season Whitetail Tips & Tactics. Here are examples:
If you find food then you find the deer! Bucks can lose up to 30% of their body weight during the rut so they tend to concentrate on filling their bellies and putting weight back on after the rut. Identifying several hot food sources in the area could be the key to success.
After gun opener, deer seem to be on edge. So, I keep the location I hunt low pressure and take every precaution to be stealthy in hopes that deer use my section of property as a safe haven.
If the wind isn’t blowing in my favor it is critical to adapt and change up the game plan. I am a firm believer in hunting the wind. If I have the slightest hesitation about wind, I will move to a different stand or rely even more heavily on scent blockers.
Binoculars can be one of the greatest tools for helping you locate bucks and watch their movement patterns without getting too close. Scouting and knowing the popular travel paths are great, but if you don’t know which path they are going to choose you may be wasting your time. Instead, opt to watch bucks from afar. Once you see which path he chooses, hustle to beat him to the punch.
Nikki Boxler takes to the woods in search of whitetail on her family’s property in Varysburg, New York. Despite the cold and snow, Nikki is ready and willing to dial in on a buck with her Winchester Model 70. READ MORE HERE.
Getting Ready for Whitetail Hunting — Sighting-In Your Rifle
In this video, Nikki shows her set-up for Whitetail hunting — a Winchester Model 70 rifle chambered for .270 Winchester. In the video Nikki sights-in her rifle and gets ready for hunting season. READ MORE HERE.
Tips to Stay in Shape for Late Season Hunts
Here are a few basic (and relatively simple) exercises Nikki uses and can recommend for starters. These exercises can add flexibility and improve your core strength. That helps when you’re packing out the harvest from a successful hunt. READ MORE HERE.
Share the post "Wisdom of the Huntress — Hunting Tips with Nikki Boxler"
MidwayUSA’s Cyber Week Sale runs November 22, 2021 through Monday, November 29, 2021.
MidwayUSA’s big Cyber Week Sale kicks off today November 22nd and runs through Monday, November 29, 2021. There are deep discounts on popular shooting, hunting, and outdoor products. You’ll find really great deals on select shooting gear, ammunition, optics, hunting clothing and more from brands like Vortex, Sightron, RCBS, Browning, MidwayUSA, Magpul, and IMI just to name a few. Select products will also be eligible for FREE shipping.
New products go on sale every day during the Cyber Week promo.
Here are some of the specials available today 11/22/21:
“2021 has been a crazy year for product availability. Delayed shipments and high demand have caused some products to be really hard to find,” said Jeff Larkin, VP of Marketing. “Our team has worked really hard to get some really great stuff at fantastic Cyber Week prices. This could be our best promotion yet!”
Cyber Week Sweepstakes — Win Primers, Ammo, Electronic Scale/Dispenser and More
In connection with the 2021 Cyber Week Sale, MidwayUSA is running a big Cyber Week Sweepstakes. Visit MidwayUSA.com/sweepstakes for your chance to win 10,000 CCI Primers, RCBS Rebel Master, RCBS MatchMaster Scale/Dispenser (worth $900), RCBS Rebel Press, Caldwell Lead Sled, 240 rds Hornady Hunting Ammo, AR-STONER EV2 Upper, YETI LoadOut GoBox, and more. Total prize value is $4,310.70!
Share the post "MidwayUSA Cyber Week Sale Starts Today 11/22/21"
For today’s Sunday Gunday feature, we present a splash of color — the beautiful blue 7mm-270 WSM of Forum member Ian B. (aka “Elwood”) from Great Britain. A very knowledgeable guy, Ian has been one of the UK’s top F-Class shooters. And he’s the proud owner of a very “Flash” F-Class rig.
About the Shooter — Ian’s Background
Ian tells us: “I started shooting F-Class Open [many] years ago when a good friend invited me to Bisley to shoot with the Dorset Riflemen. I found it very enjoyable and a real challenge. The next year I attended the GB F-Class league’s Introduction to F-Class course, and soon afterwards started to compete in the GB F-Class league, while still shooting once a month with the Dorset Riflemen. In this short time frame, I’ve managed to finish 8th in the league last year, 12th in the Europeans, and I was a part of the GB squad that won the team event at the European Championship. I was then selected for the GB F-Open World Championship Team. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, I have had to withdraw.”
Ian’s Beautiful Blue 7mm-270 WSM F-Class Rifle
Report by Ian B. (aka “Elwood”)
Having spent my first year competing with a magazine-fed 7mm WSM tactical/sporting rifle (Surgeon action and AICS mag) and doing reasonably well with it, I then moved on to a .284 Shehane (.284 Winchester Improved). I love the Shehane and still use it but … I wanted something for those windy long-range days and so there was only one logical choice, the 7 WSM. This time I chose a 7mm-270 WSM as I quite enjoy case prep (just kidding). Actually, there’s not much to do really. The quality of Norma brass is well known and the Norma 270 WSM brass is quite easy to obtain in the UK.
The action is a Right Bolt, Left Port (RBLP) Stolle Panda F-Class action, with Jewell trigger. There wasn’t any particular reason behind the RBLP configuration — it was more of a case of that’s what I could get at the time. I had a 1.250″-diameter, straight-profile Bartlein barrel finished at 32 inches and chambered for the Berger 180gr VLD with a .313″ neck diameter. All my metal work and quite a bit of the wood work is done by the excellent Neil McKillop of McKillop Engineering. As with all top gunsmiths, Neil is meticulous to a point of obsessiveness and he’s the name behind quite a few winning rifles including several used by the GB Open and F-TR teams. Neil also inletted the stock from a blank and did the bedding for the action and the front bag runners.
Loading for the 7mm-270 WSM
I have one “tried and tested” load: 7mm Berger 180gr VLDs, seated .020″ into the lands, Vihtavuori N165 powder and CCI BR2 primers. This load is supremely accurate, but at 2990 FPS it’s a bit slow. To get more speed, I’m currently testing H1000 with good results, but it looks like I may have a slow barrel. I have another Bartlein barrel chambered and ready to screw on when the weather gets warmer. If that new barrel shoots well, the current barrel will probably be used as a practice barrel.
Loading Procedure
I do full case prep, neck-turning, uniforming primer pockets after the first firing, chamfering necks inside and out, and removing burrs around flash holes. Even the best brass sometimes suffers from imperfect quality control. I try to use Redding dies if possible, and will use bump dies, neck bushing dies, and competition seating dies.
I use an RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 to throw a charge just slightly under my desired weight and then trickle-up to final weight using the superb Dandy trickler and a Gem Pro 250 scale.
I anneal every other firing using a Bench-Source machine. Before this I used a Ken Light and also did them by spinning them in a drill. Never again will I do that after using the Bench-Source. After I have annealed, I always run a nylon brush wrapped in 0000 wire wool into the neck to remove any debris.
I keep to the same lot numbers of primers, powders, and bullets. Even the Bergers can vary from lot to lot — I have two different lots of 7mm 180gr VLDs that vary .020″ from bullet base to the ogive. I trim and point my bullets. Pointing may be a mental thing — I had a fantastic shoot while using trimmed and pointed bullets so I do it all the time now. ( A fellow GB team shot refers to them as “Pointless Dies” — I have witnessed him shoot a 99-14V at 1000 yards with bullets that weren’t trimmed or pointed). My next move will be to start measuring bearing surface…where does it all end?
Custom Wood Stock Was Modified by Ian and Treated to a Fancy Paint Job
The stock is a custom-made design crafted by Joe and Simon West of Joe West Rifle Stocks. I had several modifications done to one of their existing stock designs. Having done a lot of my shooting with the AICS, I was quite used to a thumbhole stock, so thought I would try one in F-Class. I told Simon what I wanted and he sent me down a prototype made from very inexpensive Tulip wood. We had a few discussions and then made some more mods..
I made two main changes to the stock. First, I removed the lip at the bottom of the pistol grip because I felt I might rest my hand on this and possibly disturb the rifle. Second, I had the protruding pistol grip base removed so that the bottom of the stock was completely flat like the Precision Rifle & Tool F-Class stock. Simon also made the finger grips to fit my hand and flattened them off to allow for a bit more movement. The stock was then sent to Hydro Graphics in the UK to have a custom exterior finish. The paint color is a Marbleized Candy Oriental Blue. As always, Hydro Graphics did a great job.
Optics and Rings
The scope is the excellent 5-50x56mm March with the MTR-2 reticle — far and away the best reticle I have used for F-Class. March makes great optics. During the 2012 European individual F-Class event, using another March (my 8-80x56mm), I could see my shooting partner’s impacts in the white V-Bull at 800 yards! And just recently at a club match I called two V-Bulls at 900 yards using the 8-80X (not at full power). Granted the light has to be perfect to be able to do this, but my highest praise for the Deon Optics glass is that it rivals that of Schmidt & Bender. Having owned both March and S&B scopes and compared them side-by-side, I feel that I can make this statement fairly.
UK-based Third Eye Tactical made the nice, 34mm rings. The UK is now producing some excellent products. We now have UK-made custom actions, rings, rails, stocks and more. It would be nice to think we could have a 100% British-made rifle, and not rely completely on USA-made products. I think all we need is the trigger? But I can’t see there ever being a UK-made scope!
Share the post "Sunday Gunday: British Blue Beauty — F-Open 7mm-270 WSM"
“Science tells us that exposure to continuous noise of 85 dB for eight hours is enough to cause permanent hearing loss, and worse, spikes of 130 dB and more can result in permanent hearing damage instantly.” Source: NRA Blog.
The Risk of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be progressive and irreversible. If you are a shooter, this is serious business. As the NRA Blog cautions: “You may not even realize you’re harming your hearing. Hearing loss occurs gradually, and can go effectively unnoticed until symptoms become severe. By then, the damage is done.”
Nobody wants to go deaf. But we often see shooters without effective hearing protection when they are walking around a few yards behind the firing line. That’s bad — even if you are away from the firing line, gunshot noises can damage your hearing. You MUST use effective hearing protection every time you go to the range. Good foam earplugs costs mere pennies but they can prevent deafness in your later years. Many folks also wear muffs over plugs.
Sound Levels for Common Noises:
9mm Luger pistol: 160 dB
Jet aircraft engine (near): 140 dB
.22 LR pistol: 134 dB
Normal human pain threshold: 120 dB
Noisy Nightclub: 110 db
Riding Motorcycle at 65 mph: 103 db
Power Lawnmower: 95 dB
Hearing damage possible: 85 dB (sustained for 8+ hours)
Ringing Telephone: 80 dB
Normal conversation: 60 dB
The Myth of the “Quiet” .22 LR
The NRA Blog notes that “many rimfire shooters, particularly those using the beloved .22 Long Rifle cartridge, argue that the small .22 LR caliber doesn’t produce enough sound to damage your hearing”. So, is that really true … or is it a myth?
In fact, a .22 LR can be much louder than you think — a .22 LR pistol can produce sound levels of 134 dB. That’s well above the normal human pain threshhold.
Compact, Low-Profile NRR 27 dB-Rated Ear Muffs
Many hunters and competitive shooters prefer low-profile ear muffs. As these typically have a lower Noise Reduction Rating, perhaps NRR 22-27, we recommend running earplugs under muffs. If you use low-profile electronic muffs, such as Howard Leight Impact Sport Muffs, you should still be able to hear range commands even with plugs underneath.
Another good option for hunters and range visitors are hearing bands, basically earplugs connected with a semi-rigid plastic band. These banded products provide “quick access” hearing protection for hunters. You can keep them handy around the neck while spotting game, and then insert the plugs before shooting.
Howard Leight MAX NRR33 Earplugs, Just $11.50 for 50 Pairs.
20 Pairs
50 Pairs
These Howard Leight NRR33 Max-1 Plugs are your Editor’s favorite foam earplugs. Between shooting, motorcycling and mowing lawns, I probably have Howard Leight foam plugs in my ears 3-4 days a week. They are comfortable and the flared outer edge helps the NRR. There is also a Max-30 corded version, with the same excellent 33 dB Noise Reduction Rating. Get five pairs of Max-30 Corded Plugs for $6.65 on Amazon, or 100 pairs of Max-30s for $27.86.
Share the post "Say What? How to Prevent Serious Hearing Loss"
Splatterburst 1″ circles, 62 per sheet, 10-pk $8.99. These can be pasted on other paper backers.
We’ve all seen conventional splatter targets with a single large black bullseye. When a shot hits the target, a halo (usually neon yellow) appears around the bullet hole. This makes it easier to see your shot placements indoors, or at long range outdoors. Today we feature a variety of other targets that also offer the cool halo/splatter effect. We’ve found grids, multiple bull targets, sheets with 62 one-inch circle pasters, handgun training targets, and even white background splatter targets (that produce black halos). Try out some of these targets for fun (kids love plinking with splatter targets).
In our Shooters’ Forum, there’s an interesting thread about a very light hunting rifle. Featuring a Defiance ultra-light all-steel action, this 6.5×57 Lapua lightweight tips the scales at just 4.93 pounds including scope and rings! For reference, a half-gallon of milk weighs 4.3 pounds, so this rifle is LIGHT! Here’s a report from the proud owner who built the rifle for a future Kodiak Island Alaska mountain goat hunt.
Ultralight Rifle Report by Forum Member Dave
I decided I wanted the challenge of a Mountain Goat hunt after I turn 60. It was the perfect excuse to put together an ultralight, something I had wanted to do for years. I wanted to see how light a bolt action rifle could actually be. My goal was to stay under 5 pounds, without going to a Titanium action, including rings and scope. I knew this would be difficult but I did manage to achieve the goal.
I started with a Defiance anTi model Rem Model 7 short action. This is an extremely smooth action that weighs just 19.2 ounces in this size. I had Carson Lilja of Lilja Barrels program a barrel taper to my dimensions for a 6.5mm 1:8″-twist stainless, 3-groove 22″ barrel. As fitted in the rifle, the barrel is free-floated except for the first inch or so forward of the action.
Other rifle components are: Bix n Andy Dakota trigger, aluminum trigger guard, blind magazine with an aluminum follower, titanium action screws, and a Leupold 3-9X lightweight optic in Talley rings. I also had an aluminum adapter installed in the for-end to accept a magnetic mount Javelin carbon fiber bipod.
The rifle was chambered up in 6.5×47 Lapua by my friends at Sportsman’s Outfitters in Knox, Pennsylvania. Then I sent the barreled action to Wayne at Oregunsmithing (Pendleton, OR) to have a Kevlar stock built. The stock weighs a whopping 14 ounces! When it came back I had everything Cerakoted (see bottom photo before coating). This stock was a full custom, built around my barreled action. Wayne’s work was reasonably priced with a 3-month turn around.
Excellent Accuracy — 5/8″ Three-Shot Groups at 100 Yards
Now it was time to shoot the rifle and I was not disappointed. It shoots both Barnes TTSX 100s or Swift Scirocco II 130s into 5/8″ at 100 yards. Off a bipod at 400 yards, three go into 3″ or so. This thing is crazy light even though it wears a 22″ barrel.
Without scope and rings, before Cerakoting the action and barrel, this 6.5×47 rifle tipped the scales at a mere 4.20 pounds (67.2 ounces). Check it out:
Share the post "Can a Hunting Rifle Be Too Light? Nah…"
Do you ever use military-style brass with swaged primer pockets? Then you can really benefit from the new LEE Ram Swage tool. This innovative swaging tool provides a fast, simple, and efficient method of removing the primer pocket crimp on milsurp brass.
Primer pocket swaging is necessary when reloading brass with crimped primer pockets. Many brands of brass for military (and some law enforcement) applications have this crimp. You may find such primer pocket crimps on a variety of milsurp brass types including: 9mm Luger, LEO .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .223 Rem (5.56×45), .308 Win (7.62×51), and .30-06 Springfield, as well as older European cartridge types such as 6.5×55. If you use a progressive press, this new LEE Ram Swage is a boon. Nothing reduces priming problems on a progressive press more than properly swaged primer pockets.
Why use milsurp brass? Surplus military and police department brass is a great low cost source of cases. It is typically very strong, long-lasting, and can often be acquired for a fraction of the cost of new commercial brass. For example, Lake City 7.62×51 (.308 Win) brass is excellent.
Note: This tool is designed for Boxer-primed cases only, not cases with Berdan Primers.
The Lee Ram Swage works on all single stage presses with 7/8″-14 frame threads, and rams which take common “universal” shell-holders. This new tool features spring-assisted case extraction, and an all-steel case guide. This ensures that your cases will be positively centered on the push rod. The swage holder, large or small, installs in seconds into your press ram with no adjustments required.
LEE’s engineers devised a clever “Shell-holderless design” for the LEE Ram Swage. This allows you to swage any small or large primer pocket, without swapping to a different size shell-holder. The hardened steel swage punch is automatically extracted from the primer pocket by five disc springs. The complete LEE Ram Swage set includes one guided 7/8″-14 threaded swage push die, with both large and small ram swage holder assemblies.
Popular Powders In Stock at Brownells at Reasonable Prices
We all know that reloading powders have been hard to find. And when you do find an appropriate powder, some vendors are asking crazy high prices. Well we’re pleased to report that Brownells has a number of popular powders IN STOCK today (11/20/2021), and the prices are quite fair, starting at $24.99 per pound for Ramshot Competition. Grab some excellent Hodgdon H380 for $33.99 per pound, or IMR 4198 for $38.99 per pound. CLICK HERE to see all available in-stock powders at Brownells today.
Save Money with Brownells Discount Codes
While you’re shopping at Brownells, don’t forget to use one of the current Discount Codes to save money. There are many current codes that can save you up to 10% on your purchase. And with special Pre-Black Friday Code RTC you get $30 off $300 PLUS FREE Shipping and handling through November 23rd at midnight. Fill in the applicable Code during checkout.
Current Brownells Discount Codes:
Code FR6: $85 off $875
Expiration date November 30, 2021
Code FR5: $55 off $575
Expiration date November 30, 2021
Code RTC: $30 off $300 and FREE Shipping/Handling
Expiration Date November 23, 2021 at 11:59pm
Code FR4: $25 off $275
Expiration Date November 30, 2021
Code TAG: $15 off $150
Expiration Date Unknown
Code SAE: $15 off $150
Expiration Date Unknown
Code PTT: $10 off $100
Expiration Date Unknown
Code Q63: Free Shipping/Handling over $99
Expiration Date Unknown
Share the post "Brownells Has Many Powders in Stock at Good Prices"
Nikki Boxler, a former NCAA athlete, is an avid huntress who hunts game and waterfowl around the country. Nikki grew up on a large dairy farm in Western New York and continues to reside there today. This setting has shaped her love of the outdoors and is how she developed a passion which drives her to spend as much time hunting and fishing as possible. For her, hunting is not about the kill, it is about the experience, the memories, the moments and having fun. Her most memorable adventures take place not only in the woods but also around the grill. Nikki says she thoroughly enjoys her role as co-host of Winchester Life providing content about hunting, fitness training, cooking and other topics. An athlete in college, Nikki works out regularly.
Here our some of our favorite Nikki Boxler stories from the Winchester Blog:
Optics and Rings
The Risk of Hearing Loss
The 
