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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Katrina Demerle, 17, of Hamilton, Ohio, is a living legend of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Gary Anderson Invitational. Katrina has now claimed four straight overall wins in the junior air rifle event in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. That’s four straight titles for the talented Katrina. And she could make it five in 2022: “I will be back to try to win again next year!”.
Over 340 athletes competed in the 2021 match, held annually at the 80-point electronic air gun ranges at the CMP Competition Centers at Camp Perry, Ohio and Anniston, Alabama. This is a three-position (3P) match with shooters firing from prone, standing. and kneeling positions.
Last year, Demerle fired a national Precision Individual 3×20 plus Final record score of 701.4 using her Pardini GPR1. Shooting 700.6 overall this year with the same Pardini air rifle (which she named “Giorgio”), Katrina took top spot in the precision category. “There was a little bit of added pressure [this year] since I wanted to have another consecutive win and also wanted to beat my national record from last year.”
Competing in nearly 400 matches since 2014, the talented young athlete is a member of the USA Shooting National Junior Team for both international and three-position air rifle. Before the GAI, she had already recorded a memorable year — earning second at the Junior Olympic 3P National Championships and the overall top score at the CMP 3P National Championships, becoming the overall winner at the Junior World Championship in Lima, Peru, and winning the Junior Air Rifle National Championship in international air rifle. And the talented Ms. Eberle currently holds six national records in total.
Katrinia has nicknamed her Pardini GPR1 Air Rifle “Georgio”: CLICK HERE for large Pardini GPR1 photo.
Finishing second behind Demerle in the precision individual competition was Isabella Baldwin, 17, of Nashville, Tennessee, with a score of 697.8. Gracie Dinh, 15, of Starkville, Mississippi, fired 693.9 for third.
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Shoot Like A Girl is proud to announce that the Sea To Shining Sea Tour will hit the road in early 2022, bringing a mobile range to locations across the country. This organization is dedicated to educating women and their families about the importance of firearms safety. The Shoot Like a Girl’s signature semi-tractor trailer, fitted with state-of-the-art firearms simulators, will allow attendees to gain experience in handling and shooting handguns, long guns, and compound bows. The experience is FREE for participants.
Stops on the 2022 Sea To Shining Sea Tour include:
Dallas Safari Club Expo (Dallas, TX) – January 6-9, 2022
SHOT Show Industry Day at the Range (Boulder City, NV Restricted) – January 17, 2022
Cabela’s (Fort Worth, TX) – February 5-6, 2022
National Wild Turkey Federation Convention (Nashville, TN) – February 17-20, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Spanish Fort, AL) – March 5-6, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Bossier City, LA) – March 19-20, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Little Rock, AR) – April 2-3, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Olathe, KS) – April 23-24, 2022
Cabela’s (Grand Junction, CO) – May 14-15, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Reno, NV) – June 4-5, 2022
Cabela’s (Springfield, OR) – June 25-26, 2022
Cabela’s (Tulalip, WA) – July 9-10, 2022
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Mountain Festival (Park City, UT) – July 21-24, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Auburn Hills, MI) – August 6-7, 2022
Cabela’s (Columbus, OH) – August 20-21, 2022
Cabela’s (Hamburg, PA) – September 3-4, 2022
Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR Event (Bristol, TN) – September 15-18, 2022
Bass Pro Shops (Morgantown, WV) – October 1-2, 2022
Cabela’s (Round Rock, TX) – October 15-16, 2022
Cabela’s (Glendale, AZ) – November 5-6, 2022
What To Expect
At any Shoot Like A Girl event, guests 16 years of age or older can train with handguns and long guns under guidance from certified female instructors. The mobile range features a state-of-the-art, military-grade firearm simulator which provides realistic recoil, impact, and sound feedback. Archery coaches will also be onsite to assist guests with shooting bows. Outside the range, at the Shoot Like A Girl gun counter, visitors can handle non-firing firearm samples, including revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, shotguns, and rifles. Additional products will be on display, including optics, conceal carry bags, holsters, TrueTimber camouflage gear, SABRE pepper spray products and more. More information about Shoot Like A Girl’s mission, partners, and event schedule is available at ShootLikeAGirl.com.
“Shoot Like a Girl” long-sleeve shirt from Savage Infidel.
Check the ShootLikeAGirl.com Website for Mobile Range 2022 Travel Schedule.
About Shoot Like A Girl
Shoot Like A Girl is committed to growing the number of women and their families who participate in the shooting sports by empowering them with confidence. The Shoot Like A Girl semi-tractor trailer, utilizing InVeris Training Solutions state-of-the-art military grade firearm simulator, travels to cities all across the United States. This allows attendees to shoot pistols, rifles, and bows in a fun, safe, and comfortable atmosphere. The event is free to each guest thanks to Shoot Like A Girl’s corporate partners.
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We know our readers like gun-related bargains. Our Monday Deals of the Week feature is usually the most popular article of the week. Well we’ve found another internet resource that can steer you to bargains on firearms, optics, reloading tools, ammo, bullets, brass and more. That resource is GunDelio.com.
The folks at GunTalk Media created GunDelio.com to help you save money when purchasing guns, ammo, and accessories. GunDealio.com finds current special offers, discounts, and promotions.
Here are nine notable bargains valid this week. There are dozens of more deals on the Gundelio.com website. You’ll want to check back regularly to find up-to-date listings of the best current bargains.
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This week, Shooting USA TV spotlights the 2021 GAP Grind, the largest PRS Pro-Am Tactical match with nearly 400 competitors. The 2021 GAP Grind/Bushnell Pro/Am took place in October at the K&M Precision Shooting Complex in Finger, Tennessee. The 3-day event, the biggest PRS match of the year, included professional and “amateur” classes with both individual and team competition. Here are highlights from the 2021 event in this Area419-produced video:
GAP Grind 2021 in Tennessee:
SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
The GAP Grind is held at the impressive K&M Shooting Complex in Tennessee:
Lots of Action, with 20+ Stages
The GAP Grind is a challenging, “high tempo” match with minimal down-time between stages. Over the course of 20+ stages, competitors will fire 200+ shots at a variety of steel, paper, moving, and reactive targets out to 1,200 yards. Targets vary in size/difficulty based on the shooter’s position, distance, and time allotted. Most stages include “stressors” — i.e. time limits or required movement(s).
The GAP Grind typically attracts over 300 competitors — half experienced shooters and the other half newcomers to the sport. The key to growing the shooting sports is attracting new shooters. The best way to bring in “new blood” seems to be the Pro-Am type format. At the GAP Grind, experienced shooters share their knowledge and guide the new shooters through the competition.
Great video shows K&M Complex — overhead and action shots — Click II pause to halt:
GAP Grind Hardware
You’ll find the latest and greatest PRS hardware at the GAP Grind. Notable in 2021 was the fact that many top competitors “stepped down” from the 6.5/6mm Creedmoor to the smaller, more efficient 6mm Dasher, 6BRA and other 6mm cartridges. The Dasher offers excellent accuracy with less recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Also, many top shooters are now running Kahles optics and we predict will be running the new Zeiss FFP scopes in 2022. Photo by Shelley Giddings.
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Airport photo by Politikaner under Creative Commons License.
Record Number of Airport Gun Seizures in 2021
According to CBS News: “Nearly 5,700 firearms have been confiscated at airport security checkpoints in 2021, the highest number recorded by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) since its inception. A whopping 5,674 guns were stopped in 2021 alone[.] The vast majority of weapons — 85% — were loaded with ammunition.”
“It’s an all-time high,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske told reporters during a TSA briefing this week. He said the previous high mark was 4,400 guns confiscated in 2019. This year, the locations with the highest number of gun seizures were airports in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston.
If you DO bring a handgun to the airport, be sure to comply with ALL regulations. The gun must be UNLOADED in a locked, locked hard-sided container sent as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag(s) at the ticket counter. NEVER put in it your carry-on — the gun will be confiscated and you could be charged.
Firearm magazines, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case. And there are specific transport requirements regarding ammunition — ammo must NEVER be transported in a carry-on case. No guns, no ammo EVER in the passenger compartment. NOTE: — If you have ever used a duffle or backpack at the range and then later use that as a carry-on, double-check BEFORE you bring it to the airport. You might just find a live round deep in a side pocket.
Here are the TSA’s key guidelines for travel with firearms:
Firearms
When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.
If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.
Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.
Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.
Bringing an unloaded firearm with accessible ammunition to the security checkpoint carries the same civil penalty/fine as bringing a loaded firearm to the checkpoint. You may find information on civil penalties at the Civil Enforcement page.
Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.
Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.
Ammunition
Ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).
Small arms ammunition (up to .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge) must be packaged in a fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal box specifically designed to carry ammunition and declared to your airline.
Ammunition may be transported in the same hard-sided, locked case as a firearm if it has been packed as described above. You cannot use firearm magazines or clips for packing ammunition unless they completely enclose the ammunition. Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be boxed or included within a hard-sided, locked case.
Please check with your airline for quantity limits for ammunition.
This video reviews popular options for airline transport cases for pistols and rifles:
Choose a quality gun case with strong locking hasps. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted.
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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.
⏺ Fast, programmable, accurate dispenser at great price
The Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper is a high-quality powder scale dispenser. It’s accurate to +/- one-tenth of a grain, dispenses in seconds, and can be controlled by a handy mobile App that can store various charges weights for different cartridges. This unit has a 7000-grain capacity with both Auto and manual trickle capability. This price won’t last long, so act soon to get the Intellidropper for $195.46 on sale.
2. Brownells — Black Rifle Christmas Sale — Big Discounts
⏺ Wide variety of AR uppers, lowers, accessories, magazines, and optics
3. KYGUNCO — S&W M&P9 Shield EZ Range Bundle, $445.95
⏺ Good 9mm S&W pistol plus hard case, eye protection and muffs
For the Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm Shield pistol by itself, $445.95 is a good value. But you get more — a LOT more. This package includes a nice Plano hard case, Walker’s NRR 22 low profile ear muffs, Walker’s ANSI-certified shooting glasses, and even a pull-through cleaning cord. This great package deal is part of KYGUNCO’s 12 Days/Deals of Christmas.
4. MidwayUSA — Vortex Sale, Riflescopes and Spotting Scopes
⏺ Save 30-44% on Vortex Viper Scopes and Razor HD Spotters
As a holiday promotion, MidwayUSA has a large selection of Vortex Optics Riflescopes and Spotting Scopes on sale. Save up to 44% on scopes. The 6.5-20x44mm Viper HS is a steal right now at just $259.99, a 34% savings. And for long range varmint hunters the 5-25x50mm Viper PST RZR is hard to beat at $699.00 a 30% discount. There are also good deals on Vortex binoculars and Razor HD Spotting scopes.
5. Palmetto SA — S&W M&P15-22 Sport Rimfire Package, $429.99
⏺ Good, reliable rimfire AR clone for NRL22 and cross-training
This Smith & Wesson AR-style M&P15-22 provides the fun of an AR15 with the low cost of rimfire ammo. This can work well for cross-training or NRL22 matches. The S&W M&P15-22 SPORT features a slim M-LOK handguard that easily accepts a variety of accessories without removing the handguard. The M&P15-22 SPORT comes standard with removable Magpul MBUS front and rear folding sights. This $429.99 package includes 3 magazines and a nice gun case.
6. Midsouth — Tipton Basic Gun Vise, $39.99
⏺ Durable, easy to move around, versatile — at great price
The original Tipton Gun Vise is ON SALE for just $39.99 at Midsouth. Great Deal — this sells for up to $59.99 elsewhere. This is a tough, versatile product you’ll use for years. This Editor has used one of these for more 16 years (with all sorts of rifles) and it is still going strong. This vise has handled everything from an 18″-barreled lever gun to a 32″-barreled F-Class rifle. The unit works well for many tasks: cleaning barrels, stock refinishing/bedding, scope mounting, trigger adjusting, bore-scoping barrels, and checking throat length with a Hornady OAL tool.
7. Midsouth — Aguila Super Extra .22 LR Ammo, $3.99 for 50rds
⏺ Decent .22 LR rimfire ammo at pre-Pandemic price
Well this is encouraging — $3.99 for a 50ct box of decent .22 LR rimfire ammo. We haven’t seen that kind of price in a long time. This Aguila Super Extra Hi-Vel (1255 fps) 40gr ammunition is decent training ammo for NRL22 matches or good fodder for fun plinking on reactive targets. Order soon before Midsouth sells out. This price works out to just 8 cents per round.
8. Browning — Gun Safe Rebate, save up to $100
⏺ Save $50, $75, or $100 on high-quality large Browning gun safes
Need a high-quality gun safe for your growing firearms collection> This Rebate offer from Browning can save you up to $100. Receive a manufacturer’s rebate of $50, $75, or $100 when you purchase a new, eligible Browning ProSteel safe at retail between November 22 and December 31, 2021.
9. Midsouth — Berry’s Tri-Can Ammo Carrier, $21.99
⏺ Very Handy New Product has Three Clear-Top Compartments
The Tri-Can Utility Box Carrier is on sale now at Midsouth. Choose either black containers or tan containers for the same $21.99 price (31% off the previous price). This Berry’s Tri-Can is a handy, versatile organizational tool that simplifies range trips. The tough injection molded plastic base and lids, rubber seal gaskets, and cam-lock latches keep contents safe. The Tri-Can boasts a strong, handy carry handle. The Tri-Can is made up of three translucent-lid containers with three internal compartments. If you need even more capacity, MTM offers a 5-can Ammo Crate system for $35.66.
⏺ Compact cleaning kit for pistols, rifles, shotguns from .22 Cal to 12ga
Here’s a handy pack for gun cleaning on the go. NOTE: For quality match rifles we recommend using a one-piece cleaning rod with a fitted bore guide. But if you have ARs, pistols or shotguns that need a quick clean, this compact Remington/Bushmaster kit can do the job. The Bore Squeeg-E Cleaning System Kit contains cleaning tools for ARs, rifles, shotguns and handguns in .223/5.56mm, .308/7.62mm, .357/.380/.38/9mm, .44/.45 and 12/16/20/28GA. The compact canvas pack features quiet zipper pulls, and MOLLE mountable rear-velcro straps. There are rifle and handgun Pull Cables with T-pull handle.
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The NRA Blog has produced an interesting graphic guide to firearms function. This “How Guns Work” infographic shows the basics of bolt-action rifle operation and how a centerfire cartridge propels a bullet through a barrel during the “firing sequence”. There’s some good artistry here, with cutaway drawings letting you look inside an action and cartridge.
Enjoy this technical graphic. The NRA Blog says: “In celebration of cartridges big and small, we partnered with OutdoorHub to bring you a detailed look into how guns work. While the infographic will be most instructive to newcomers, we think avid shooters will find it interesting, too.”
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The Pew Pew Tactical website has interesting article on rifle and pistol cartridges and bullet types. This contains a large selection of interesting photographs and illustrations. If you load and/or shoot for a wide variety of cartridge types, you’ll find that article well worth reading. It has nearly 50 photographs and more than a dozen short videos. READ FULL Article.
The article shows all types of pistol bullets, along with a variety of rifle projectiles. It even illustrates multiple types of shotshell cartridges.
The article also explains the basic components of modern cartridges –bullet, case, powder, and primer:
Photo courtesy Ammunitiontogo.com which sells ammo from many leading brands.
Popular Cartridge Types Profiled
The article provides quick summaries of popular ammunition types including 9mm Luger (9x19mm), .357 Magnum, .40 SW, .45 ACP, .223 Rem, and .308 Winchester. The author’s favorite pistol round is the 9mm Luger: “9mm is my personal favorite and if there was a “Goldilocks” round, this would be it. The very first gun I bought was a 9mm. They’re fun at the range. They’re good for defense. It is the standard round for NATO countries and the majority of police forces around the world. It is mild shooting, can vary in weight from 115 to 147 grains, and has varying stopping power based on the type of bullet.”
This Pew-Pew Tactical guide to cartridge types also provides a quick explanation of cartridge ignition — both centerfire and rimfire: “The rimfire’s primer is built into the rim while the centerfire cartridge has the primer in the center. Pro tip — if you can see a circle in the middle…it’s a centerfire cartridge.”
There are two common types of centerfire primers — Boxer and Berdan. This helpful Wikipedia illustration shows how Boxer, Berdan, and rimfire primers ignite the powder in the cartridge:
This centerfire and rimfire ignition animation is by BBODO – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.
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One of the most popular features of our Shooters’ Forum is the Official ‘Pride & Joy’ Rifle thread. There you’ll find dozens of interesting rifles, with photos and descriptions supplied by proud owners. Today we’re spotlighting one of the more interesting ‘Pride & Joy’ rifles unveiled this year, a Mosin Nagant “senior citizen”. This 72-year-old Russian bolt gun is not like any Mosin Nagant you’ve ever seen before. It has been brought into the 21st Century with a handsome target stock and some first-class upgrades, including Lothar Walther barrel and Timney trigger. Here’s a look at a very nice Russian rifle, belonging to Forum member Ben C. (aka “Grimstod”):
Video Shows Rifle Shooting Sub-Half-MOA from Bipod (in the Snow):
Name of rifle: Smyert Mk3 (Modified Mosin Nagant)
Make: Izhmekh/Izhevsk (“Izzy”) High Wall
Model: 91/30 | Year: 1942
Scope mount: Rock Solid (looks like an action sleeve)
Scope: SWFA 20x42mm MRAD
Gunsmith: Sheppard
Bolt handle: Rock Solid with Surgeon tactical handle
Bipod: Versa Pod
Total Weight: 18.6 lbs
Grimstod’s Mosin Nagant Custom Shoots Under 0.5 MOA From Bipod
Even in harsh winter conditions, the rifle shot well. (I guess we should expect that for a Russian gun). The photo below shows a group shot from bipod. (The video shows Grimstod’s snow-bound range session). Grimstod calculated the group at 0.394 MOA measuring from outside edge to edge. Using our On-Target software, which measures center to center of most distant shots, we came up with 0.428 MOA. Still that’s impressive for an ancient action being shot in the dead of winter with snow falling. To learn more about this rifle (and view photos of the build process), visit the SurplusRifleForum.com.
The History and Features of the Mosin Nagant M1891
Now that you’ve seen a modernized Mosin Nagant, we through we’d provide some information about the original rifle, first issued in the late 19th century. It is one of the most mass-produced military bolt-action rifles in history with over 37 million units having been made since 1891.
The is a lengthy Wikipedia article on the Mosin Nagant rifle design and history. The 3-line rifle M1891, known in the West as Mosin Nagant and in former Soviet Union as Mosin’s rifle (Russian: винтовка Мосина), is a five-shot, bolt-action, internal magazine–fed military rifle. It is primarily chambered for its original 7.62×54mmR cartridge. The 3-line rifle, Model 1891, its original official designation, was adopted by the Russian military in 1891. There have been several variations from the original rifle, the most common being the M1891/30, which was a modernized design introduced in 1930.
Here is a test of the Sniper Version of the Mosin Nagant:
Photo credit: Nemo5576 retouched by Ewan ar born, Copyrighted free use, via Wikimedia Commons.
Like the Gewehr 98, the 1891 Mosin uses two front-locking lugs to lock up the action. However, the Mosin’s lugs lock in the horizontal position, whereas the Mauser locks vertically. The Mosin bolt body is multi-piece whereas the Mauser is one piece. The Mosin uses interchangeable bolt heads like the Lee–Enfield. Unlike the Mauser, which uses a controlled-feed bolt head in which the cartridge base snaps up under the fixed extractor as the cartridge is fed from the magazine, the Mosin has a push-feed recessed bolt head in which the spring-loaded extractor snaps over the cartridge base as the bolt is finally closed similar to the Gewehr 1888 and M91 Carcano or modern sporting rifles like the Remington 700. Like the Mauser, the Mosin uses a blade ejector mounted in the receiver. The Mosin bolt is removed by simply pulling it fully to the rear of the receiver and squeezing the trigger, while the Mauser has a bolt stop lever separate from the trigger.
Photo courtesy Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum), public domain.
Like the Mauser, the bolt lift arc on the Mosin Nagant is 90 degrees. The Mosin bolt handle is similar to the Mannlicher: it is attached to a protrusion on the middle of the bolt body, which serves as a bolt guide, and it locks protruding out of the ejection/loading port in front of a split rear receiver ring, also serving a similar function to Mauser’s “third” or “safety” lug.
In this video Jerry Miculek tests the carbine version of the Mosin Nagant:
The rifling of the Mosin barrel is right-turning (clockwise looking down the rifle) 4-groove with a twist of 1:9.5″ or 1:10″. The 5-round fixed metallic magazine can either be loaded by inserting the cartridges singly, or more often in military service, by the use of 5-round stripper clips.
Photo courtesy Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum), public domain.
Wikipedia text courtesy Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC BY-SA).
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Forum member Roy Bertalotto did a real nice off-set scope installation on a bolt gun to help a sight-challenged shooter. Roy explains: “A friend of mine shoots left-handed and has lost the sight in his left eye. I built him a scope mount so he can still shoot left-handed, but now use his right eye.” Roy’s fabrication work is impressive and we praise his efforts to help a fellow shooter stay in the game.
Roy bolted a plate to the existing scope rail on the top centerline of the Rem 700 action. This plate extends a few inches to the right. On the outboard end of the plate, Roy fitted a second scope rail, aligned with the bore. Weaver-based rings are then clamped to the outboard (right side) auxiliary rail.
Be Careful of Canting Issues with Offset Scope Installations
We’re pleased to see that Roy developed a solution for a shooter with an optical disability, but we want to stress that this is a specialized installation that can create some problems with point of impact shift if the gun is not maintained perfectly level. With the amount of horizontal offset (between the scope’s optical axis and the bore axis) built into this rig, if the rifle is canted, point of impact can shift rather dramatically. For a southpaw who is willing to adapt his/her shooting style, it may be better, in the long run, to learn to shoot right-handed if his/her right eye is the only good eye. Likewise, if a right-handed shooter can only see well through his left eye, he may benefit from learning how to hold the stock and work the trigger with his left hand. The shooter could still work the bolt with his non-trigger hand. Changing from right-hand to left-hand shooting (or vice-versa) may require a stock swap if the stock is not ambidextrous.
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Area 419’s ZERO reloading press is a brilliantly engineered 9-station turret press with some very unique features. This press was designed to be the most precise turret ever created. As tested by Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com, the ZERO turret press delivered very impressive shoulder-bump consistency and ultra-low seated bullet run-out (about +/- 0.0005″). The numbers were as good as you can get from a quality single-stage press, so Area 419 did some impressive engineering. We would expect that, as this is an expensive product — MSRP is $1200.00. SEE FULL REVIEW on UltimateReloader.com.
The ZERO turret press lets you install up to nine (9) different reloading dies in the large top turret, which revolves around a central axis. But unlike most turret presses, the ZERO doesn’t have flex or wobble when you’re loading. This is because Area 419 includes a clever system for locking the turret in position after you’ve selected the die from your array. Area 419 also uses a unique system for securing shell-holders (see video at 12:00). This, likewise, adds to the precision of the press.
In the video above, you can see how the turret is secured with a “wedge clamp”. By loosening the wedge clamp you can index the press easily to any station. Then, when you have selected your die, you tighten the wedge clamp again. You can see this important procedure at 13:20 – 13:35 timemark in the video.
ZERO Turret Press Has Very Smooth Operation
Gavin observed that this ZERO turret is both smooth and very precise, thanks to smart engineering and the use of multiple bearings. Area 419 describes the design features:
— Turret (zero-slop) eliminates variability induced when removing and resetting dies
— The turret head holds nine 7/8×14-threaded dies (1-1/4 thread in future)
— Available ram-stroke here is 4.4″, allowing use of very tall cartridge types.
— Adjustable/interchangeable handle setup for maximizing leverage/feel based on operation
— Internally contained primer-catch system, slide-out drawer
Important Features of ZERO Turret Press
1. Press frame: 6061 Aluminum, clear anodized
2. Wedge clamp (locks turret into indexed position)
3. Turret (7075 aluminum and steel construction)
4. Adjustable handle with roller knob (set either left- or right-handed operation)
5. Bearings: Ball bearing plus roller thrust bearings for side plates
6. Ram riding in self-lubricated linear bearing
7. Spent primer catcher drawer
Milled from American billet aluminum and stainless steel, this press employs 14 bearings, including a self-lubricating linear sleeve bearing for the precision-ground 1.25″ ram. The linkage system also glides on bearings providing smooth operation with near-ZERO slop. The oversized ram features a 0.75″-diameter steel arm and ZERO-friction knob. The turret system is located with an oversized ball-detent system and secured using an over-sized, custom-made ZERO-point pull-stud. Locking the turret after indexing require only a half-turn of the supplied T-handle (see photo above). When indexing the turret, repeatability variance of the system should be less than .0005″.
The opening in the press will allow for sizing and seating of cases up to.338 Lapua Magnum, and will accept standard 7/8″ dies and standard shellholders. NOTE: Area 419 will be making and selling shellholders specifically fit to the system later in 2020.
SUMMARY — Impressive Press Delivers Precise Results
Gavin Gear was very impressed with Area 419’s new Zero Press, which he said offers the precision of a quality single-stage with the versatility of a turret: “There will always be people that prefer a traditional single-stage. Where the ZERO will be compelling is to those who want the precision of a single-stage without the need to screw dies in and out. Leaving your dies set can have benefits for precision as well — everything comes back to the ‘same place’ when dies are indexed into position. Screwing dies in and out can impose variation, and variation is the enemy of the ‘white lab coat shooter’. I plan on testing the ZERO press with ultra-high-end dies, and custom dies that I ream to my own specifications. I’m thinking that will show the true potential of this press!”
Area 419 ZERO Press Video with Operation Instructions
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