It’s great to be able to access online load data for your cartridges. You can quickly get load data for a particular powder and bullet weight. However, there are times when we prefer to consult old-fashioned printed/bound load manuals. The primary reason is that manuals produced by bullet- and tool-makers will, for a particular cartridge, include data for powders from multiple manufacturers. Having a single source can save you time and trouble. For example, if you want to find 6.5 Creedmoor loads using H4350 (Hodgdon), Reloder 16 (Alliant), and N150 (Vihtavuori) you would have to visit three different powder-maker websites, one after another. OR you can pick up a modern load manual and find everything in one place.
There are many excellent printed load manuals on the market. We have used the Berger Manual, Sierra Manual, Speer Manual, Lyman Manual, and Hornady Manual. We like the Berger and Sierra manuals for match rifle cartridges, and the Lyman and Hornady manuals for hunting loads and pistol cartridges. Unfortunately, the popular binder-format Sierra Manual is currently back-ordered. But the excellent Nosler Reloading Guide 9 is back in stock at Midsouth for $28.99.
The Lyman Reloading Manuals have earn praise over the years:
“Every other reloading book I’ve used favors their own bullets over every other manufacturers. With Lyman you get an honest representation of a wide variety of different… manufacturers. [Lyman has] a ton of reloading data on just about any bullet style you can imagine. I’ve tried a wide range of their recipes and everyone I’ve tried has been spot on. The overall breadth of information this book covers is impressive.” Review by RangetoReal.com.
Along with the Lyman 50th Edition Manual, here are other recommended Reloading Manuals:
Here Are Four General Instructional Books That Cover Reloading Procedures:
POWDER BURN RATE TABLE
Here is the most recent powder burn rate chart from Hodgdon/IMR that we could find. Click links below to access printable PDF. Note, some readers have suggested a couple powder ranking issues in the table. However, this is the latest official version from the IMR website, released in November 2019.
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. Grafs.com — Sightron Optics Sale, Save 25%
⏺ Great prices on high-magnification competition scopes
If you need a high-magnification competition or long-range varmint scope, but need to keep costs down, check out the Sightron Sale at Graf & Sons. You can get an excellent 10-50x60mm SIII optic for $1124.99, 25% off the regular price. The 36X and 45X fixed power optics — good for short-range benchrest disciplines — are 25% off also. NOTE: When you visit Graf’s Sightron SALE, be sure to scroll through ALL THREE PAGEs to see all sale items.
2. Guns.com — Ruger American Rimfire Long Range, $591.99
⏺ Great rimfire rig — good action/barrel/trigger — takes 10/22 mags
This limited-edition Ruger American Rimfire .22LR Long-Range Target rifle features a 26″ free-floated heavy barrel and a competition-worthy stock, with adjustable comb, adjustable LOP, and forearm M-LOK rail. The hammer-forged 0.860″ bull barrel has a threaded muzzle with thread protector. The gun comes with a bedding block system, 60-degree bolt throw, and 3-5 lb. adjustable trigger. This rifle would be an excellent choice for a precision rimfire match. The rifle accepts all 10/22 magazines. Full SPECS HERE.
3. Creedmoor Sports, American Bullet Co. Bullets Sale
⏺ Get excellent practice bullets at significant discounts
Need bullets but your budget is limited? Check out American Bullet Company bullets at Creedmoor Sports. There are multiple bullet weights in both .224 (52gr, 55gr, 69gr, 77gr) and .308 (125gr, 168gr, 175gr) calibers, plus 107gr 6mm bullets. Creedmoor Sports states: “American Bullet Company bullets are factory seconds, and are priced accordingly to provide more range time without breaking the bank”. Save up to 50% compared to first-run offerings. These ABC bullets are a good choice for M1 Garand, M1A, and 1903 Springfield shooters running .30-06 or .308 Win chamberings. And, at just $22.95 per 100 and $104.95 per 500, the 52gr and 55gr .224 bullets will also work well for high-volume varmint shooters. NOTE: Use Promo Code ABC to save an additional 15% on these bullets.
⏺ Good deals on Timney triggers for Rem 700 hunting and competition rifles
Here are good deals on Timney triggers for Rem 700s and clone actions. Get the Elite Hunter Straight for $116.41. This same trigger sells for over $150 elsewhere. Or get the advanced Rem 700 HIT Curved Trigger or Straight Trigger for $165.79, discounted from $230.99. The HIT trigger adjusts from 8 ounces up to 2 pounds — making it good for competition rifles. The trigger’s sear and trigger shoe are precision-machined, heat treated to 56 Rockwell with a black oxide trigger coating and an NP-3 plated sear.
5. Palmetto/KYGUNCO — Taurus TX22 .22 LR Pistol, $273.99
⏺ Ergonomic, reliable fun-shooting rimfire pistol
The Taurus TX22 is a good little gun for fun plinking or rimfire cross-training. Good trigger, excellent ergonomics. It’s on Sale now starting at $273.99. Owner reviews have been very positive: “Fantastic ergonomics, great trigger! More than 500 rounds through this pistol without a single jam or failure to feed. Can’t recommend this pistol enough. Buy one!” Another: “Really great shooting gun. It even ate through the cheap ammo with no problems.” And a third buyer notes: “This gun is very accurate… a fantastic training gun. Reliability is excellent. I would recommend this handgun to a friend.”
6. Amazon — Steiner 8×30 AF Predator Binoculars, $195.00
⏺ Excellent 19 oz. compact binoculars with unique focus feature
We have used Steiner binoculars for years. These 8×30 AF Steiners are great for hunters. On sale for $195.00, the 19 oz. 8×30 AF Predator is light yet rugged. And once you adjust the oculars to your eyes, everything from 20 yards to infinity is in focus. And the CAT lenses do help spot prey. One verified purchaser posted: “For hunting close quarters the CAT coating will be a game changer.” We like the 8X magnification, but if you prefer 10-power, Steiner also offers 10×42 Predator AF binoculars for $285.00. BestBinocularsReviews.com named the Steiner Predator AF binoculars as the “2019 Best Lightweight Binocular for Hunting”. The glass is excellent considering the price, and the focus system is a huge advantage — once you set the individual eye-pieces, no fiddling with focus knobs required — everything beyond 20 yards is sharp.
7. Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Perfect Seat Priming Tool, $59.99
⏺ Precise Depth Control, 12 Shell Holders, Quick-Change, Carry Case
Seating primers to a consistent depth helps deliver enhanced accuracy and low ES/SD. However, most priming systems don’t allow precise depth control. If you’re looking for a priming tool that allows you to adjust primer seating depth, check out the Frankford Arsenal Perfect Seat Hand Primer. This tool comes in a protective case along with a full set of case holders and primer flip tray. A quick thumb release system allows you to switch from small to large primers quickly. Get this now for $59.99 on Amazon.
8. Palmetto State Armory — Norma TAC-22 Ammo, $3.99/box
⏺ Excellent rimfire ammo at a GREAT price — .22 LR Deal of the Year
We’ve found no other .22 LR ammo that rivals Norma TAC-22 at anywhere near the price — just 8 cents per round ($3.99/box). If you shoot NRL22 or just practice for fun, grab some Norma TAC22 .22 LR ammo at Palmetto State Armory. On sale at just $3.99 per 50-round box, this TAC-22 ammo is a truly great bargain. In our test, it out-shot some ammo that cost $8 per box. During testing with a CZ 457, one of our Editors had multiple 5-shot groups at 50 yards that were typically one ragged hole (all shots touching). He observed “It’s amazingly good ammo for the money”.
9. BarrelCool and RifleKuhl Portable Cooling Units, Under $40
⏺ Get barrel coolers for hot summer months, extend Barrel Life
In summer it can be tough to keep your barrel at moderate temperatures. But a compact cooling fan device can really help. Two of the best barrel coolers on the market are the original yellow BarrelCool at $39.99 and the red Magnetospeed RifleKuhl at $39.09 . NOTE: The RifleKuhl is shown as $60.00 MAP price. Add to Cart to get the low $39.09 price! Both cooler units double as empty chamber indicators, feature high power fans, and can cool your barrel down to a usable temperature in about 10 minutes.
⏺ Excellent Tool Kit for rifle, shotgun, pistol maintenance tasks
Finding the right tools to work on your guns, scopes, rings and other items can often be frustrating. Regular tools from the hardware store work in a pinch but often aren’t hollow ground to protect your screws and the sizes may not fit precision firearms parts. Solve your tool dilemma with the Lyman Master Gunsmith Tool Kit now $45.52 on Amazon. This handy kit includes bits for slotted screws, Hex screws, 6-lobe screws, and Phillips screws to fit just about anything in your gun safe, all in a convenient case.
Precision Benchrest and F-Class shooters favor premium brass from Lapua, Norma, Peterson, or RWS. (Lake City also makes quality brass in military calibers.) Premium brass delivers better accuracy, more consistent velocities, and longer life. Shooters understand the importance of good brass, but many of us have no idea how cartridge cases are actually made. Here’s how it’s done.
The process starts with a brass disk stamped from strips of metal. Then, through a series of stages, the brass is extruded or drawn into a cylindrical shape. In the extrusion process the brass is squeezed through a die under tremendous pressure. This is repeated two or three times typically. In the more traditional “draw” process, the case is progressively stretched longer, in 3 to 5 stages, using a series of high-pressure rams forcing the brass into a form die. While extrusion may be more common today, RWS, which makes some of the most uniform brass in the world, still uses the draw process: “It starts with cup drawing after the bands have been punched out. RWS cases are drawn in three ‘stages’ and after each draw they are annealed, pickled, rinsed and subjected to further quality improvement measures. This achieves specific hardening of the brass cases and increases their resistance to extraordinary stresses.” FYI, Lapua also uses a traditional draw process to manufacture most of its cartridge brass (although Lapua employs some proprietary steps that are different from RWS’s methods).
After the cases are extruded or drawn to max length, the cases are trimmed and the neck/shoulder are formed. Then the extractor groove (on rimless cases) is formed or machined, and the primer pocket is created in the base. One way to form the primer pocket is to use a hardened steel plug called a “bunter”. In the photos below you see the stages for forming a 20mm cannon case (courtesy OldAmmo.com), along with bunters used for Lake City rifle brass. This illustrates the draw process (as opposed to extrusion). The process of draw-forming rifle brass is that same as for this 20mm shell, just on a smaller scale.
River Valley Ordnance explains: “When a case is being made, it is drawn to its final draw length, with the diameter being slightly smaller than needed. At this point in its life, the head of the draw is slightly rounded, and there are no provisions for a primer. So the final drawn cases are trimmed to length, then run into the head bunter. A punch, ground to the intended contours for the inside of the case, pushes the draw into a cylindrical die and holds it in place while another punch rams into the case from the other end, mashing the bottom flat. That secondary ram holds the headstamp bunter punch.
The headstamp bunter punch has a protrusion on the end to make the primer pocket, and has raised lettering around the face to form the headstamp writing. This is, of course, all a mirror image of the finished case head. Small cases, such as 5.56×45, can be headed with a single strike. Larger cases, like 7.62×51 and 50 BMG, need to be struck once to form a dent for the primer pocket, then a second strike to finish the pocket, flatten the head, and imprint the writing. This second strike works the brass to harden it so it will support the pressure of firing.”
Thanks to Guy Hildebrand, of the Cartridge Collectors’ Exchange, OldAmmo.com, for providing this 20mm Draw Set photo. Bunter photo from River Valley Ordnance.
Bauer Power. Today’s Sunday Gunday story features Jim Bauer and Sally Bauer, a “power couple” in the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) mid-range and long-range benchrest game. Jim and Sally both compete at 600 yards and 1000 yards, and both have been VERY successful. A decade ago, in 2012, Sally was the IBS 1000-yard Shooter of the Year. She had a great season, piloting her impressive Stars & Strips Heavy Gun (shown above). Sally now serves as the IBS Treasurer.
Jim Bauer has also been a top IBS performer shooting a similar, wide-forearm Maxi-Tracker Heavy Gun, with beautiful Eagle-on-black paint scheme. Jim Bauer won the IBS 2015 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes. And Jim holds the IBS 1000-yard 20-Target Light Gun Aggregate Score Record. He set the record in 2021 with 47.15 Agg Score and 5.4171″ group average — that’s very close to half-MOA for 10-shot groups at 1000 yards!
Jim Bauer Wins 2015 1000-Yard Title with Duel Dashers
Jim Bauer won the IBS 2015 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun Classes. Here’s his match-winning Heavy Gun. Smithed by Gordy Gritters, Bauer’s Heavy Gun featured a BAT action, Krieger barrel (in barrel block), Shehane HG stock, and Nightforce scope.
At the 2015 1000-Yard Nationals, Jim Bauer was both Two-Gun Champion and Overall winner. Bauer shot great in both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) matches, posting Top 10 finishes in both classes. Bauer ran 6mm Dashers in both Divisions (LG and HG) with Vapor Trail bullets.
Sally Bauer Honored as 2012 IBS 1000-Yard Shooter of the Year
In 2012, Sally Bauer became the first (and only) lady to win the title of IBS 1000-yard Shooter of the Year. Sally earned that honor through hard work, dedication, and a burning desire to “be all she can be”. While helping her husband Jim rise to the top of the 1000-yard benchrest game, Sally was taking notes and working toward her turn at the top. Well friends, Sally took no prisoners in 2012 and earned Shooter of the Year honors. Sally’s handsome 67-lb Heavy Gun, “Stars & Stripes”, is painted with an American flag theme.
Sally Bauer and the IBS 1000-Yard Heavy Gun Record
A decade ago, in 2012 Sally Bauer set a then-pending International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) Score Heavy Gun (HG) record for 1000-yard competition. Her score was 100-5X with a 3.495″ tie-breaker group. Though that record has been surpassed (with a smaller tie-breaking group), Sally was the first lady ever to post a pending IBS 1000-yard benchrest record.
Sally’s Amazing 1K Group
At the end of the Heavy Gun match #10 Sally was directed by Range Officer Gordy Mitchell to leave all of her equipment and rifle setting on her bench. Sally was perplexed by Gordy Mitchell’s direction but he assured her “It is a good thing”. Rumors swirled and Dave Holland was summoned to the pits.
Dave and Gordy brought the target back to the scoring shed and had club officials and some respected competitors measure and sign the target. All agreed Sally had just shot an IBS record score. Sally’s rifle and equipment were measured and photographed and the target sent off to the IBS for final measurement and verification.
Sally’s Heavy Gun Specifications
Sally’s 67-lb Heavy Gun was originally purchased from Bill Shehane, and it uses Bill’s Maxi-Tracker stock. The gun was originally chambered for the 6-6.5×47 Lapua Improved. But the gun didn’t shoot like the Bauers wanted, so it was rechambered to 6mm Dasher by Gordy Gritters. The action is a 2″-diameter, round, chrome moly, 3-lug, 7 ½” BAT. The barrel is a 28″, 1:8″-twist Krieger, with 1.45″-diameter straight tube. The barreled action is secured in the stock with a 9″-long barrel block. The gun uses a 12-42x56mm Nightforce BR scope and a Jewel BR trigger. Gordy Gritters smithed the rifle. Jim Sauer states: “We have known Gordy for years now and trust every phase of our gun projects — all of them are mechanical works of art. When we get our guns from Gordy we know we can put our focus on brass prep and load development and don’t have to worry about the guns being right. That really helps save time.”
Editor’s NOTE: The following information was for the original 2012 load Sally ran in her IBS Heavy Gun. Load details and procedures may have changed now, a decade later.
Reloading Procedure for Sally’s “Stars & Stripes” Maxiby Jim Sauer
With every new rifle we start with new brass. The first step is to run them through a full length sizing die, then over an appropriate expander mandrel. Since we use a .270 neck on our 6 Dasher chambers, neck turning amounts to a 80% cleanup of the new Lapua brass necks. We do the normal primer pocket and flash-hole uniforming.
We fire-form two times to make sure we get nice sharp shoulder corners before competition. We then separate them according to weight using 1/10th of a grain differences for each box. Much of our loading process is geared around time savings. We look for easy-to-use, consistently good products and don’t vary from them unless we have a problem or results aren’t to our standards. We have chosen to shoot Clay Spencer’s 103gr 6mm bullets. We weight-sort and bearing-surface sort them and that’s it. I gave up trimming and tipping simply because it didn’t improve how Clay built them. We also use only one primer, the CCI 450.
We use one of four different powders. Our “go-to” powder is RL15, next we try Varget, then IMR 8208, and if that doesn’t work we try H4895. We have found that these bullets usually shoot best at 2970 fps. This is not an absolute, just what normally works best. We always try higher and lower velocities looking for that special load. Once we find the powder and quantity that works the best we play with the seating depth. Usually this is a fine-tune method and most of the time 15 thousandths into the rifling works the best. But don’t be afraid to jump the bullets as much as 0.100″. When we use this procedure we usually find a combination that will shoot nice, round ¾” groups at 400 yards.
Our reloading regimen starts with ultra-sonic cleaning our brass, then tumbling until shiny. We anneal the brass every time. We proceed to full-length resizing, repriming, and lubing the inside of the necks with graphite. We then charge with our selected powder and seat the bullets. We measure for concentricity, [shooting] the best ones for the record and the others for sighters. The load that Sally shot the record with is 33.0 grains of IMR 8208 XBR, CCI 450 primers, Spencer 103gr bullets, Lapua brass, bullet seated 15 thousandths into rifling, Velocity 2980 fps.
About Sally Bauer – In her “formative years” of competitive shooting, Sally listened to proper and basic instruction and learned at her pace. She developed her own style and discipline. Not wanting to be dependent on others Sally learned to set up her rests and carries Stars & Stripes to the bench by herself.
Jim Bauer reports: “Sally and I would like to thank the kind people we have met in this crazy frustrating game of shooting. For the most part fellow competitors have been helpful and giving of the time, experience and knowledge. Every range owner and operator we have come across has treated us like family and friend. I can think of no other sport where the participants give so freely.”
Bauer Power in Action at the 2017 IBS 600-Yard Nationals
Would you like to see this IBS “power couple” in action? Here are videos of Jim Bauer and Sally Bauer shooting at the 2017 IBS 600-yard Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jim Bauer sends 5 record rounds down range with his “Eagle” HG in Maxi-Tracker stock
Sally Bauer shoots sighter rounds with her Stars & Stripes HG in Maxi-Tracker stock
Transporting Big Heavy Guns in Style with Slide-out Carriers
The Bauers have created a very smart and clever system for transporting their rifles to matches. The Bauers have a great transport set-up, with custom, slide-out rifle carriers fitted to their van. You can see Jim’s and Sally’s Heavy Guns in the lower drawer.
And here is a close-up of the Light Gun in the Bauer’s second slide-out carrier (top in photo). The patriotic “We the People” message is welcome.
Story by Boyd Allen
While many top competitive shooters trickle their stick powder charges to a kernel or two, that would be impractical when loading charges for giant naval guns. You may be surprised, but the shells fired by the U.S. Navy’s massive 14″ and 16″ naval guns were also propelled by stick-type extruded powders. You couldn’t trickle these ‘kernels’ though — a single stick or ‘grain’ can be over 2″ long.
The U.S.S. Iowa fires her massive 16″ main battery. The U.S. Navy’s Iowa-class battleships carried nine huge 16-inch Mark 7 cannons in three turrets. The big naval guns were 50 calibers long, i.e. 50 times bore diameter, making the barrels 66.7 feet long from chamber to muzzle.
In connection with a Benchrest Central discussion that drifted to the subject of powders used in large naval guns, I heard from Joe McNeil, whose father was involved in manufacturing those very propellants as a DuPont employee. Joe writes:
“My Dad worked for the DuPont company for over 40 years. Every time the nation went to war he was assigned to the gun powder plants which DuPont ran for the government for $1.00 per year! His last assignment was at the Indiana Ordnance Plant in Jefferson, Indiana from 1952 through 1958. He had a display case made of all of the different powders made at the plant and left it to me. That’s why I have a grain of 16″ gun powder. He took me out to the Jefferson proving grounds once when they tested the powder in a 16″ gun. We watched from a half-mile away but it left a lasting impression when they fired that gun. They actually had a set of rings they fired through to test the performance of the powder and shell. This was a truly fond memory of my Dad and his work.”
Here are some pictures of the gun powder “grains” made during the Korean War at the Indiana Ordnance Works where Joe McNeil’s father worked.
Above is the display case with the different powders manufactured at the DuPont plant. They include: 37 MM/AA, 75MM Pack Howitzer, 50 Cal. 5010, 20 MM 4831, 30 Cal. 4895, 76 MM, 3″, 5″, 90 MM, 4.7″, 240MM, 8″, 280 MM, 175 MM, 155 MM Howitzer, 155 MM Gun M.P., 8″ Gun M.P., 12″, 14, 16″. There are different-sized ‘grains’ for specific rounds.
16-inch/50-caliber gun projectile plus six propellant bags. Display mockup aboard U.S.S. Iowa (BB-61) in San Pedro, CA. Photo by James Madison per Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-4.0 license.
AccurateShooter.com offers a dozens of free, printable targets in our Target Collection. However, we know that sometimes shooters may prefer a commercially-printed specialty target. These may offer unique designs, hi-viz colors, splatter effect, or special functions (such as scope checking). Here are a variety of excellent commercial grid targets you can buy via Amazon or the target-maker’s website.
EZ-AIM 12″x12″ Grid with Orange Bullseyes — $5.78 for 13-pack
We like this EZ-Aim Sight-in Grid Target for sighting-in, load development. and general practice. The full 12″x12″ target is covered with a precise black-lined grid on white background. There is a large center orange bullseye, plus four additional bulls, one in each corner. Right now this target is a bargain. You can get a 13-pack of targets for $5.78 — about 44 cents per target.
Freedom Targets — Bullseye Sight-In Grid Target, 25 for $11.98
Here’s a great Bullseye Sight-in Grid Target. This target provides a central bull on a 1″ grid pattern. There 8 additional small orange dot aim points, plus helpful numbers on the central vertical and horizontal lines. The outer four orange aim points are set inside heavier black lines to help align your scope crosshairs. This target is nicely printed, with sharp lines and bright orange circles. You get a pack of 25 targets for $11.98 — that’s $0.48 per target.
Birchwood Casey Grid — Black on White Splatter, 10 for $8.99
We’ve all seen conventional splatter targets with a black bullseye or grid. When a shot hits the target, a halo (usually neon yellow) appears around the bullet hole. Here is another kind of splatter target that creates a black circle on a white background. This can be very effective for spotting your hits at long range. This Birchwood-Casey White Grid Target is $8.99 for a 10-pack. These Shoot-N-C Sight-In Targets have a self-adhesive backing, making for easy put up and take down. In addition, the target pack comes with corner pasters to cover holes or use as additional aim points.
High-Viz Option — Yellow on Black Grid with Yellow Halos
If you prefer seeing ultra-high-contrast yellow/green “halos” for your hits, Birchwood Casey also makes adhesive grid targets with five yellow-edged diamonds. Red circles provide precise aiming points in the middle of each box. You can quickly estimate group size or dial-in your zero using the Hi-Viz yellow 1″ grid lines. These yellow-on-black targets are available in three sizes: 8″ square, 12″ square, and 17.5″ square. These yellow-on-black grid targets start at $4.99 for an 8″ six-pack.
B-2-B Precision LR Load Dev & Scope Tracking Target — 3 for $22
Here is one BIG target that handles a myriad of important tasks at the range: Zeroing, Load Development, Click Value Verification, and Click Tracking Repeatability Tests. Box to Bench Precision (B2B) offers the most versatile (and biggest) precision targets ever developed. With precise grid geometry, and razor-sharp printing, B2B’s targets are probably the most advanced shooting targets ever created.
B2B’s 100 Yard Long Range Load Development and Scope Tracking Target performs many functions. This big, 30″ x 23.5″ target has specific aiming points for various tasks. In the upper left, there are 11 small orange circles for precision load testing. Over on the upper right are 7 more small, orange circles for doing a Seating Depth Comparison test. The bottom half of the target has larger black-on-white circles that serve multiple functions. Use the corner circles to do a “Box Test” to confirm scope tracking. On the bottom row is one B/W circle to confirm zero and another to use for velocity testing. There’s another great feature on this target — running up the center of the target is a tall line that shows elevation in both MILs and MOA. That helps you confirm the TRUE click values of your optic. Get a precision 100-yard 3-Pack for $22.00, or the 100m version 3-Pack for $13.00.
Splatterburst — 12″ x 12″ Splatter Grid Targets, 10 for $10.99
This 12″x12″ Splatterburst Target combines splatter shot marking with a grid background, with five aiming points. The bright neon shot circles make it easy to see your shots. And the handy grid lets you quickly estimate your group size. Get a 10-pack for $10.99, or a 25-pack for $19.99 (better deal). This particular target has earned rave reviews — 87% of verified buyers gave this a FIVE-Star rating. One example: “Excellent quality and durability. The adhesive is really strong and the splatter contrast is [great].”
Forum member F-Class John is an avid F-Class competitor and expert handloader. John reviews reloading hardware and shooting-related products for his popular F-Class John YouTube Channel, which now boasts 300+ videos. John also does important product testing for AccurateShooter.com. Through his YouTube channel, John has reviewed many of the latest and greatest reloading tools and accessories. For today’s Video Showcase, we selected eight F-Class John tool and reloading product reviews.
If you like these informative videos, consider joining F-Class John’s Patreon Channel for live video meetings, more in-depth videos, and detailed explanations.
AndiScan Micro A2 Doppler Radar Chronograph
This is break-through technology folks. Imagine a device that replaces a big, bulky chronograph and is a small fraction of the size and weight. The revolutionary AndiScan Micro A2 chronograph records bullet velocity with great precision. Yet it can fit in your pocket, and be easily mounted on your rifle or front rest. This recent video follows up on F-Class John’s initial AndiScan Test Video. And yes folks, this product is now, finally, in production according to the maker: “(6/July/2022) Model A2 will be available on e-shop in several supply batches. Batches of first small production series will be available during July and August.”
The AndiScan Micro A2 is an advanced 24 GHz Doppler radar for measuring velocity of projectiles. This extremely small form-factor device can be directly mounted on your rifle. This makes set-up fast and easy. Plus the AndiScan Micro A2 can be used in dynamic situations, such as multiple distance matches, multi-position stages, or PRS/NRL courses. SEE: AndiScan Micro A2 Product Information.
21st Century Hydro Press and Standard Arbor Press
John notes: “You can’t really talk about precision reloading without taking about inline dies and arbor presses. For my money there’s nothing better than the lineup from 21st Century Shooting. They offer the Hydro Seater which is hands-down the best manual seater out there as well as their standard arbor press which is great for taking on the road to push back bullets as needed.”
Zero Turret Press with Whidden Sizing Die
The new Zero Press from Area 419 is arguably the best turret press ever crafted. It offers unrivaled precision, along with the highest-capacity turret head with NINE die/tool stations. Milled from billet aluminum and stainless steel, this press moves with the help of 14 bearings. In this video, F-Class John shows how to use a Whidden Gunworks full-length sizing die on the Zero Press. And John has two other video reviews of the $1200 Zero Press: 1. Zero Press First Thoughts Video; 2. Loading on a Zero Press.
Dillon 750 Tips and Tricks
The Dillon XL 750 is a favorite of high-volume reloaders. With the optional case feeder, the XL 750 offers high output with great reliability. And Dillon offers one of the best warranties in the business. In this video, F-Class John features upgrades including the Armanov tool-head holders from Europe. These are drilled and tapped for all FIVE stations allowing the user to put threaded dies in any station.
Concentricity Checking with Accuracy One Gauge
Every serious hand-loader needs a quality concentricity gauge. The Accuracy One Concentricity Gauge boasts a smart design that delivers precise, repeatable results. We like the unit’s easy adjustability and its ability to work in a variety of configurations. The Accuracy One Gauge measures internal and external neck runout of cartridge cases as well as seated bullet runout. It can also measure the runout of the ogive, bearing surface, and boat-tail of individual bullets. And it can even measure your primer pocket runout.
Teslong Rigid (Shaft) Borescope with Monitor
Seeing inside your barrel can provide clues to how well you’re cleaning and the bore’s overall health. One of the best tools on the market is the Teslong Rigid Borescope. This features a solid rod for easy use in barrels. Plus it comes with a self-contained high-definition viewing monitor so no smartphones or WiFi tablets are needed. If you’re looking for something more portable and a bit more versatile, try the Teslong Flexible Borescope, $99.99 including monitor. John was impressed with the new rigid Teslong he tested, and he likes having a dedicated monitor (no WiFi required).
Lyman Powered Case Trimmer Review
The Lyman Case Trim Xpress is an efficient, precise unit that allows easy adjustment of trim length with a click-adjustable collar. The trimmer comes with a set of cartridge-specific bushings that index off the case shoulder. One nice feature is a variable speed control. For the price, $154.99 on Amazon, this trimmer delivers excellent performance. F-Class John has another video review of the Lyman Case Trim Xpress which shows set-up and operation.
Primal Rights Competition Priming Seater (CPS) Review
If there is a Ferrari of priming tools, it has to be the Primal Rights Competition Primer Seater (CPS). This impressive bench-mounted tool allows very precise control over primer seating depth. A vertical tube holds primers ready for insertion. The action is smooth and precise. John believes that this is definitely the best priming tool on the market, though it may not be for everyone given its premium $600.00 price.
Gunsmithing Torque Wrench Comparisons
When you are working on custom rifles that might cost $5000+, and mounting scopes that can run $3000 (or more), you need to use very high-quality tools. Precise torque settings are essential, both to avoid damage to valuable parts, and to have the rifle and optic perform optimally. In this video, F-Class John looks at a variety of torque wrenches suitable for gunsmithing duties.
What is the most-used piece of equipment on this Editor’s reloading bench? No it’s not my Rock-Chucker press, my priming tool, or even my calipers. The one item in near-constant use is a small, folding magnifying glass. Mine folds into a square case and offers 4X viewing with an 8X bifocal insert. With this handy tool I can inspect case mouths for burrs, check primer pockets, inspect meplats, and look for flaws on bullet jackets. I also use the magnifier to see rifling marks on bullets seated into the rifling, or check my bolt for galling. The number of uses is nearly endless. I keep one magnifier at my reloading bench and another in my range kit.
Folding magnifiers are so handy yet inexpensive that you should own a couple spares (including one in the range box). I bought my magnifier in a book-store, but you can also find them on Amazon.com and FoldingMagnifier.com starting at under $2.00. To see inside cases and dies and view fine details, consider the 5X Meromore Folding Magnifier with a built-in, battery-powered LED light, plus a 11X high-magnification insert.
With a decent small magnifier, you can easily see any minute flaws in your barrel crowns. That’s important because crown damage can cause hard-to-diagnose accuracy issues. We’ve known guys who spend weeks tinkering with loads, when the real problem was a worn-out or damaged crown.
The slide-out iLumen8, shown at left in top photo, offers 3X power with built-in illumination. An “Amazon’s Choice” item, this palm-sized magnifier is $20.75 on Amazon.
A new discipline has proven very successful. The NRL Precision Hunter Challenge features a multi-distance, walk-around shooting course similar in some ways to PRS/NRL, but limitations on weight and cost of equipment make this more affordable and more practical. The new discipline is catching on — the 2022 NRL Precision Hunter Challenge match, held June 24-26, 2022, in Price, Utah, drew nearly 150 competitors. Hornady was the title sponsor of the event.
Shooters from all over the country competed in 20 challenging stages. The course of fire consisted of 160 rounds with hiking between stages at the North Springs Shooting Complex. The Precision Hunter Challenge featured target distances from 200-850 yards, and angled shots between 0-10°. At the North Springs Shooting Complex, there were natural terrain obstacles and tree stands. Competitors had to navigate the terrain to establish their shooting positions — very much the opposite of a benchrest match!
“The NRL HUNTER Series is designed to help educate new and seasoned hunters about their skills, gear, and personal limitations. The Hornady Precision Hunter Challenge did just that!” said Travis Ishida, President of the NRL. “With a well-designed course of fire that was both challenging and fun, this match encompassed everything we are looking for. With over 50% new faces at this match the NRL HUNTER Series is growing faster than we ever imagined” he added. Verl Dallin, Match Director, added: “With the help of the staff and ROs, the Hornady Precision Hunter Match turned out simply fantastic”.
This video contains highlights from the 2021 Hornady Precision Hunter Challenge:
Here are the 2022 Hornady Precision Hunter Challenge division and class winners:
Factory – Kevin Wilkey
Open Light – Morgun King
Open Heavy – Serge Ducourneau
Team -Tyler Payne & Scott Peterson
Top Young Gun – Marshall Lewis
Top Lady – Katalin Burjan
CLICK HERE for complete 2022 Precision Hunting Challenge Match results on Practiscore.com. The next major NRL Hunter event is the 2022 COMPEXPO Hunter Challenge taking place July 20-22, 2022, at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex, in Palisade, Colorado.
SSG Amanda Elsenboss, now with the Pennsylvania National Guard, is the 2021 NRA National High Power Champion. And Amanda also won the NRA Long Range National Championship in 2019. These two major titles place Amanda among the greatest American shooters and one of only three women in U.S. history to win the High Power title. Amanda combines a superb “mental game” with outstanding gun-handling and wind-reading skills.
In the archives of On The Mark magazine, DCM Emeritus Gary Anderson, an Olympic Gold medal-winning shooter in his younger years, offers sage advice for competitive shooters.
In his article Ten Lessons I Wished I Had Learned as a Young Shooter, Anderson provides ten important guidelines for everyone involved in competitive shooting. Here are the Ten Lessons, but you should read the full article. Anderson provides detailed explanations of each topic with examples from his shooting career.
LESSON 1 – NATURAL ABILITY WILL NOT MAKE YOU A SHOOTING CHAMPION.
(You also need hard work, training effort and perseverance.)
LESSON 2 – ANGER IS THE ENEMY OF GOOD SHOOTING.
(The key to recovering from a bad shot is to stay cool, no matter what happens.)
LESSON 3 – BAD SHOTS CAN TEACH YOU MORE THAN GOOD SHOTS.
(Today, error analysis is one of the most powerful tools for improving scores.)
LESSON 4 – NEVER GO WITHOUT A SHOT PLAN.
(A shot plan is a detailed breakdown of each of the steps involved in firing a shot.)
LESSON 5 – PRACTICE IN BAD CONDITIONS AS WELL AS GOOD CONDITIONS.
(Most competitions are fired in windy conditions or where there are plenty of distractions.)
LESSON 6 – CHAMPIONS ARE POSITIVE, OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE.
(Negative shooters expect bad results; positive shooters expect to train hard to change bad results.)
LESSON 7 – IT’S NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE.
(It’s about how hard you try to win.)
LESSON 8 – YOUR DOG WON’T BITE YOU AFTER SHOOTING A BAD SCORE.
(Hopefully your coach, parents and friends won’t bite you either.)
LESSON 9 – YOUR PRESS CLIPPINGS CAN HURT YOU OR HELP YOU.
(Winning can go to our heads. We start thinking we are so good we don’t have to work hard any more.)
LESSON 10 — YOU NEVER SHOT YOUR BEST SCORE.
(Great champions are always looking for ways to improve.)
USAMU shooters on the firing line at the Wa-Ke’-De outdoor range in Bristol, IN. Photo courtesy USAMU.
About Gary Anderson Gary Anderson served as the Director of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) from 1999-2009, and is now DCM Emeritus. As a Nebraska farmboy, Gary grew up hunting and shooting. Dreams of winning an Olympic Gold Medal in shooting led Gary to the U.S. Army. In 1959, he joined the elite U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Just two years later, he won his first national championship.
At the 1962 World Shooting Championships in Egypt, Anderson stunned the shooting world by winning four individual titles and setting three new world records. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Gary won the 300m free-rifle Gold Medal, setting a new world record in the process. At the 1966 World Shooting Championships in Germany, Anderson won three additional world titles. At the 1968 Olympics, Gary won a second gold medal in the 300m free-rifle event.
After his “retirement” from international competition, Gary competed in the National High Power Championships, winning the President’s National Trophy in 1973, 1975 and 1976. Over his competitive career, Anderson won two Olympic Gold Medals, seven World Championships, and sixteen National Championships. He is unquestionably one of the greatest American marksmen ever.
Precision Benchrest and F-Class shooters favor premium brass from 
The headstamp bunter punch has a protrusion on the end to make the primer pocket, and has raised lettering around the face to form the headstamp writing. This is, of course, all a mirror image of the finished case head. Small cases, such as 5.56×45, can be headed with a single strike. Larger cases, like 7.62×51 and 50 BMG, need to be struck once to form a dent for the primer pocket, then a second strike to finish the pocket, flatten the head, and imprint the writing. This second strike works the brass to harden it so it will support the pressure of firing.”
Sally’s Amazing 1K Group
What is the most-used piece of equipment on this Editor’s reloading bench? No it’s not my Rock-Chucker press, my priming tool, or even my calipers. The one item in near-constant use is a small, folding magnifying glass. Mine folds into a square case and offers 4X viewing with an 8X bifocal insert. With this handy tool I can inspect case mouths for burrs, check primer pockets, inspect meplats, and look for flaws on bullet jackets. I also use the magnifier to see rifling marks on bullets seated into the rifling, or check my bolt for galling. The number of uses is nearly endless. I keep one magnifier at my reloading bench and another in my range kit.
In the archives of 
Gary Anderson served as the Director of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) from 1999-2009, and is now DCM Emeritus. As a Nebraska farmboy, Gary grew up hunting and shooting. Dreams of winning an Olympic Gold Medal in shooting led Gary to the U.S. Army. In 1959, he joined the elite U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Just two years later, he won his first national championship.
