The year 2022 is now behind us. We wondered — “What new firearms did Americans purchase the most last year?” Well Gunbroker, via the GunGenius.com site, answered that question based on its 2022 sales data. GunGenius.com publishes a monthly Top Sales Report featuring the Top 5 Best Sellers for each major category of firearms on GunBroker.com. This culminates in a year-end report listing the Top Selling Firearms of the Year. Just recently, GunGenius.com released its gun sales report for 2022. Across all gun categories, the report ranks the Top 22 Best-Selling Guns of 2022. Check out the list below.
Here Are the Top 10 in Each Major Category:
Here are the 22 Top-Selling Firearms in 2022:
1. SIG Sauer P320
2. Remington 700
3. SIG Sauer P365
4. Smith & Wesson M&P9
5. Ruger 10/22
6. Mossberg 590
7. Remington 870
8. Glock G19
9. Ruger American Rifle
10. Springfield Armory XD
11. Glock G43
12. Beretta 90
13. Colt Python
14. Ruger Mark IV
15. SIG Sauer P226
16. Springfield Armory Hellcat
17. CZ-USA CZ 75
18. Winchester Model 70
19. Ruger Mini-14
20. Glock G17
21. Henry Arms Big Boy
22. Mossberg 500
New for 2023 — 36 NEW Firearms Showcased at SHOT Show
This 17-minute Backfire Channel video covers three dozen firearms from multiple manufacturers. There are tactical rifles, hunting rifles, modern sporting rifles, plus a wide selection of new-for-2023 handguns from major manufacturers including S&W, Beretta, and Canik. Here are the firearm brands covered, with the respective times in the 17-minute backfire video. NOTE: More than one rifle per brand was reviewed so there are 36 guns covered among 22 manufacturers. For rifle fans we recommend Tikka (4:12), Howa (7:00), Bergara (10:11), and Browning (12:05).
New Rifles with Notable Features at Attractive Prices
Most of the 2022 best-selling bolt-action rifles* are traditional rigs such as the Remington 700 and the Winchester Model 70. Will some new rifles challenge these classics? Mossberg has a semi-tactical style Patriot rifle with a very attractive $1085.00 price. And Bergara has some nice, lightweight hunting rifles with advanced carbon stocks. These are priced competitively compared to carbon-stocked models from Gunwerks and Christensen Arms.
New Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical Rifle
Mossberg’s new Patriot LR (Long Range) Tactical looks like a winner. This $1085.00 rifle has many cool features (MDT Chassis, 20 MOA Rail, threaded muzzle). Get a Patriot in 6.5 Creedmoor for local PRS-style events, and it can serve for deer hunting also. Then slip on a .22-cal barrel and use the rifle for varminting. We like the ergonomics of the stock and it offers an adjustable cheekpiece and Length of pull (with spacers). Like all Patriot rifles, the Patriot LR Tactical has Mossberg’s patented LBA™ (Lightning Bolt Action) user-adjustable trigger with 2 to 7-lb adjustment. Priced at $1085.00 MSRP, the rifle is currently offered in 6.5mm Creedmoor and .308 Win with 22″ barrel, and 6.5 PRC with 24″ barrel. FULL Specs HERE.
Bergara Carbon-Stocked B-14 Squared Crest Rifle
Bergara’s new B-14 Squared Crest is an ultralight rifle for demanding backcountry hunters. It features a proprietary carbon-fiber monocoque stock with an internal spine for greater strength and rigidity. The new 100% carbon fiber stock is crafted using CF-RTM technology, a state-of-the-art method used in the aerospace industry. This manufacturing process consists of assembling dry carbon fibers by hand with an injected resin. With grey Cerakoted stainless steel 20″ barrel, unloaded weight is approximately 6.8 pounds. MSRP starts at $1999.00.
* We were curious about the Top 10 sellers among bolt-action rifles. There were some surprises. Here is the GunGenius.com list of the Top 10-selling bolt-action rifles: Ruger American Rifle, Browning X-Bolt, Savage 10/110, Savage Axis, Remington Model 700, Tikka T3, CZ-USA 457 Rifle, Ruger Precision Rifle, Mossberg Patriot, and Savage Model 93. We note this is somewhat inconsistent with the Top 22 list above. For example, if the Browning X-Bolt ranks higher among bolt guns than Rem 700s, then why is the Rem 700 higher on the overall list? We can’t really explain that. Perhaps the overall ranking is based on new AND used sales, but GunGenius doesn’t really give an explanation.
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If you couldn’t attend SHOT Show 2023, don’t despair. You can now access complete digital editions of the official SHOT Show Daily Magazines provided to SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors. CLICK HERE to access all the SHOT Daily magazines distributed at SHOT Show 2023. In addition, you will find FREE digital issues of SHOT Business magazines from 2022.
Each of the four (4) issues contains a major product review, and many interesting shorter features. We highly recommend the major feature stories. In the Day 1 Edition, check out the Guns 2023 article starting on page 28. In the Day 2 Edition, look for the Optics 2023 article starting on page 38 and Ammo 2023 on page 22. New Knives are featured in the Day 3 Edition. In the Day 4 Edition, there is a summary of new Accessories starting on page 22. CLICK HERE to see ALL FOUR SHOT Daily 2023 magazines.
Even if you’re not interested in the latest retail trends it’s worth browsing all four issues, because there are a number of articles relating to Second Amendment issues, range operations, hunting, and competitive shooting. In addition, you’ll find many shorter items of interest to rifle shooters.
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Anschutz .22 LR rifle set up for F-Class competition. Photo courtesy Sportschieben Blog.
Here’s a fun new discipline that will grow in years ahead — Smallbore F-Class with .22 LR rimfire rifles. Rest-supported prone rimfire matches have been held around the world for quite some time, but only a few years ago was the discipline officially codified in the NRA Smallbore Rulebook. And the first-ever Smallbore F-Class National Championship was held in July 2018 in conjunction with the Smallbore Nationals at Camp Wa-Ke’-De in Bristol, Indiana. The Nationals involved multiple days of prone shooting at 50 meters and 100 yards. For more information read Hap Rocketto’s Shooting Sports USA Smallbore F-Class Report.
Smallbore F-Class competitors may shoot F-TR style with a bipod, or use a front rest. In the above photo from the inaugural NRA National Championship you can see a shooter with SEB Coaxial Rest at top, with a competitor using a low-profile bipod at bottom. Note the extended handle used to adjust bipod elevation. This is not a coaxial joystick, but rather a long handle attached to the mariner wheel.
Smallbore F-Class — The Future Looks Bright
With the high cost of centerfire ammunition, and the limited number of 1000-yard (or even 600-yard) ranges, we can envision that Rimfire F-Class will become a popular event at ranges across the country. Clubs don’t even need benches — just a 100-yard target bay and flat ground for the shooters. You can start with an inexpensive rimfire rig and Harris bipod. Then work up from there. Here is a custom rimfire F-TR style rig that belongs to F-Class ace and past centerfire F-TR National Champion James Crofts.
Rimfire F-Class and Fun Prone Matches with Front Rest or Bipods
Rimfire F-Class offers the fun of centerfire shooting at a much lower cost. Shooting is done prone with either a front rest or a bipod. You can shoot a relatively inexpensive rifle such as a CZ 457 MTR, or a custom build that has the same design features, weight, and ergonomics as a full-size F-TR or F-Open rifle. The choice is yours. We like shooting smallbore F-Class, because you can find decent .22 LR ammo for just $0.20 per round. By contrast, you’ll probably spend at least $1.20 per round for F-Class centerfire ammo (counting bullet, powder, primer, and part of the brass cost).
Top-Tier Vudoo V22-S Target Rifle for Rimfire F-Class
Vudoo Gun Works now offers an impressive .22 LR Single Shot Target Rifle that should prove ideal for rimfire F-Class (Open division). It features the new V22-S single-shot action, McMillan stock, and Flavio Fare BR-VS trigger.
Rimfire F-Class in the Canary Islands
This video comes from the Canary Islands, part of Spain. The voice-over is in Spanish but there are English sub-titles. The host explains: “In this video we summarize the main characteristics of this [shooting sport] that is practiced at 50 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters with your .22 LR. Learn how to prepare your rimfire carbine and learn how to score your own targets by following our simple explanations. In another video we will delve into shooting techniques, shooting accessories and field accessories.”
Here is another rimfire F-Class video from the Canary Islands. This shows how the sport can be done with a variety of rimfire rifle types, even including a .22 LR AR clone. Some shooters are using a wide-base bipod, others are using normal Harris-type bipods, while others are using a large, benchrest-style front rest.
Rimfire F-Class-Style Local Fun Match in Oregon
In this video, F-Class John shoots an F-Class-style local fun match in Oregon. He is using a .22 LR rimfire rifle that has a full-size stock very similar to his custom F-Open centerfire rifles. This allows him to easily switch from centerfire F-Class to rimfire prone shooting with front rest and rear bag. The local fun match rules are a little different than an official F-Class match, but the shooting skills required are the same. Shooting this kind of local rimfire match allows John to keep his F-Class skills at a high level at a fraction of the cost of shooting centerfire F-Open.
Rimfire F-Class in Russia
NOTE: This video was filmed in Russia. The dialog is in Russian (without English subtitles), but it is still interesting to watch. Shooting F-Class with .22 LR ammo has become popular in Russia and other parts of Europe. You can have fun on a relatively short (200m) range with low-cost ammo.
Smallbore F-Class Course of Fire
The Smallbore F-Class Nationals was completed on paper targets at 50 yards and 100 yards. According to Shooting Sports USA: “The tournament ran during the any sight and metric phases of the 2018 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships, featuring a daily course of fire which mirrored the sling shooters, 40 shots at 50 meters on the A-50 target, a Metric Dewar, followed by 40 shots at 100 yards on the A-33 target. Although the international targets were shot throughout, the first two days were titled ‘conventional’ and the last two ‘metric’.”
The specifics of the match such as rifle requirements, rests, and sights may be found in the Provisional Smallbore Rifle F-Class Rules (Section 23), found on page 65 of the current NRA Smallbore Rifle rulebook. Any rules not covered in Section 23 will [reference] the normal rules of Sections 1 through 22.
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Need some informative reading material for winter days? Here’s a vast resource available free from Sierra Bullets. Here are links to over 60 articles with information on bullets, ballistic coefficients, wind drift, up/down angles, temperature effects, tailwind effects and much more. Most of these resources come from the respected Sierra Reloading Manuals, 4th and 5th Editions. There are enough articles to read one per week for a year!
This is a grim tale. A man almost lost the use of his right hand, and did suffer terrible injuries to his fingers. All because he picked the wrong bottle of powder off the shelf. We have run this story before, and we will continue to run it every year, as a caution to our readers. This mistake is easy to make, but the consequences can be dire. Always, always double-check your powder labels before you start the hand-loading process. If you don’t, you may not have a hand to load with next time…
Similar Labels, Disasterous Consequences
The shooter, Denny K., was assembling some rounds for his brand new 7mm-08 Savage hunting rifle. He thought he was loading with Hodgdon Varget. Instead he had filled his powder measure with Hodgdon TiteGroup, a fast-burning pistol powder. The labels are similar, so the mistake is understandable. But the results were devastating. Here’s what 41 grains of TiteGroup can do in a 7mm-08:
Posting on the Firing Line, in a thread entitled “Lucky to Be Alive”, Denny writes:
“This is the hardest post to post. I know if I had read it a week ago my comment would have been: ‘You have no business reloading’. I had everything perfect, except pouring the wrong powder in the powder measure. I type this slowly with my left hand, embarrassed but … possibly saving someone else a tragedy or, like me, a long drive to the Emergency Room and surgery to save my finger.”
The Still-Sealed Bottle of Varget
Denny did not initially comprehend exactly why the kaboom happened. He thought maybe his new Savage rifle was at fault. Then, on his return home, he discovered something…
Denny wrote: “The seven-hour period it took to go to ER, transport to Trauma Center and surgery made me think it was a Savage rifle issue. Brand new rifle, new brass, triple-checked loading data. The next day I was humbled when I realized the Varget powder was still sealed.
I knew what powder to use. I thought [Varget] was what I used. Not until the following day did I realize the Varget was still sealed.”
At that point, Denny realized what caused the accident — “operator error”. He knew he had to warn others about using the wrong powder: “I knew I needed to share my mistake, even though it is embarrassing, just to remind people. I’ve been reloading for 30 years…”
Editor’s Comment: Denny was not a novice reloader. His experience demonstrates that this kind of mistake can be made by any hand-loader, even one with decades of experience. Be safe guys, take your time when you load your ammo. Remove powders from measures after your loading sessions (pistol powders can look very similar to rifle powders). And by all means CHECK the LABEL on the jug. As the TiteGroup label says: “A little goes a long way.”
It’s not a bad idea to separate your pistol powders from your rifle powders, or perhaps even load for pistol in a separate part of your workshop.
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SHOT Show 2023 was a big success, drawing over 52,000 registered visitors from over 100 nations. The show was virtually sold out of exhibit space with 2500+ exhibitors overall. Everything you can imagine relating to firearms and hunting was on display at the show: rifles, pistols, shotguns, ammunition, optics, stocks, barrels, reloading equipment, safety gear, gun cases, and more.
Today, January 20th, 2023, is the last day of SHOT Show 2023. To celebrate the successful show this year, we’ve collected a variety of images from the event. If you’ve never been to SHOT Show, the biggest gun-related gathering in the world, these photos provide a “look inside”, offering a vicarious SHOT Show experience for our readers.
SHOT Show 2023 — Images from the Big Event
Yes, SHOT Show can be crowded! This is opening day at the Venetian EXPO, Level 2.
Ace pistol, PRS, and 3-Gun competitor Doug Koenig records a Podcast at the Ruger booth.
Line-up of display stocks with mounted rifle scopes.
Brightly colored purple and black AR pistol from GunTec USA.
The quantity and variety of guns on display can be a little overwhelming for show visitors.
Above all SHOT Show is about commerce — connecting manufacturers and wholesalers with retail dealers/vendors across the nation and the world.
SHOT Show 2023 featured a small archery range set up on the plaza near Caesars Forum.
On Wednesday there was an All-Star Jam Concert outside Caesars Forum, next to Great Outdoors Plaza.
SHOT University’s ATF Compliance seminar drew hundreds of firearms retailers.
Setting up SHOT Show 2023 at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum (above) was a massive job requiring heavy equipment. Over 2500 companies exhibited at SHOT Show 2023.
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The ZEISS LRP S5 525-56 rifle scope has won a prestigious honor from Outdoor Life magazine. This advanced 5-25x56mm First Focal Plane (FFP) optic was named “Best Overall” in the article entitled The Best Long Range Rifle Scopes of 2023. This ZEISS scope won overall top honors for its exceptionally good lenses and its best-in-class elevation adjustment. Outdoor Life’s award article summarized: “Why It Made The Cut: Built around premium glass and a reticle designed for Precision Rifle Series steel-target competitions, the [ZEISS LRP S5 525-56] has the best turrets and most adjustment range in the class.”
The review continued: “The LRP S5 … easily won the top award in this year’s Outdoor Life optics test, taking top spots in both the resolution and low-light portions of the test. But what wowed testers were the features built for both dialing and holding for distant targets.
The illuminated ZF reticle is available in either MOA or MRAD versions. The MRAD version incorporates a tree-style structure with abundant elevation and windage references without seeming cluttered. The MOA version is more of a hash-style, with references on the main stadia. Both are fast, precise, and simple. In keeping with those superlatives, the [ZEISS LRP S5] scope has a crazy amount of internal adjustment in the 34mm tube, 40.7 MRAD (140 MOA) of elevation travel and 24 MRAD (60 MOA) of windage adjustment. That means you can engage targets from inside 100 yards out to 1,500 yards simply by holding on the reticle’s center aiming point and dialing your aiming solution.”
Advanced Optical Technology — ZEISS LRP S5 Features
The ZEISS LRP S5 525-56 has many notable features, including a lockable windage turret, adjustable reticle illumination, and a HUGE amount of elevation travel — 40.7 Mils in the MIL model and 140 MOA in the MOA version. That gives this optic the ability to shoot at extreme range without requiring holdovers.
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SHOT Show is one of the biggest trade shows of the year among ALL industries. This year there are thousands of exhibitors spread out over two exhibit halls the combined size of 14 football fields! Thankfully a number of YouTubers have been working hard, finding interesting new products in the miles of aisles. Today we feature some notable videos from SHOT Show 2023. The first video in our showcase comes from Backfire, a popular gun-centric YouTube Channel with over 600,000 subscribers. This video spotlights 36 new rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Keep scrolling to view a dozen other videos highlighting a wide variety of new firearms as well as the all-new Mark 7 GENESYS progressive press.
36 New Guns at SHOT Show 2023
You’ll need some patience to get through this entire 17-minute Backfire Channel video, but it’s worth it. The hosts cover three dozen different firearms from multiple manufacturers. There are tactical rifles, hunting rifles, modern sporting rifles, plus a wide selection of new-for-2023 handguns from major manufacturers including S&W, Beretta, and Canik.
New Bolt-Action Rifle from Stag Arms
Stag Arms, a major producer of AR-type rifles, surprised SHOT Show attendees with an all-new, bolt action rifle, the Pursuit Line Bolt Gun. This rifle features a pivot pin behind the action which allows rapid and easy change of stock types. There are many other interesting features in this new bolt-action rifle.
New Beretta and Smith & Wesson Pistols
This 5-minute video was mostly created at the Beretta and Smith & Wesson booths at SHOT Show. Highlights include the new S&W 5.7 pistol (1:50 time-mark, see also S&W video above), which shoots the high-velocity FN 5.7x28mm cartridge. For CCW, there’s a nice little Beretta BX-4 Compact Carry with factory Red Dot sight (1:12). If you want a “Show-Off” pistol, check out the eye-catching faux-gold finish Girsan Hi-Power clone (0:17). Revolver fans will appreciate the massive S&W 350 Legend revolver (1:29).
New Shotguns and Upgraded LUPO Rifle from Benelli
Benelli showcased new shotguns and an enhanced version of its handsome LUPO Rifle, first introduced in 2020. Benelli expanded the choice of LUPO chamberings to include 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield, and .300 Win Mag. The LUPO featured Benelli’s proprietary BE.S.T. (Benelli Surface Treatment) which is guaranteed against rust and corrosion for 25 years. BE.S.T. is high-gloss, unlike Cerakote. This proprietary finishing technology is a hybrid Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) technology that applies a protective coating to parts. PVD and PECVD processes utilize electricity, radio frequencies, and plasma in a high vacuum environment to deposit a solid coating that precisely and uniformly covers the treated parts.
New Benchmade Knives for 2023
Here is a report from the floor of SHOT Show 2023. The video features a variety of cool new knives for 2023 from Benchmade. Some of these are coming soon, but you can check out all the latest Benchmade knives available at the KnifeCenter website.
New Savage 1911 Pistol
You read that right, rifle-maker Savage Arms is now producing a 1911-type pistol and is looks very good. It has ambidextrous controls, a forward rail, target crown, and nice sights. The new Savage 1911 is built built from stainless steel, has a dual recoil spring, machined sear and disconnector. It is offered in three styles: Black Nitride, Stainless, and Two-Tone (black slide, stainless frame). MSRP is $1499.00.
Lyman Mark 7 Progressive Reloading Press Line-Up
SHOT Show’s Amy Sweezey visited the Lyman booth to look at Lyman’s Mark 7 progressive reloading presses. The Mark 7 line of presses is very advanced. The all-new, automated Mark 7 GENESYS press featured in the video can be set, via a keypad, for a shorter pistol ammo up/down stroke or a longer rifle cartridge stroke. Output is 2500 rounds per hour for pistol and 2000 rounds per hour for rifle! For more info on the GENESYS and other Mark 7 progressives, visit LymanProducts.com.
New Glock Performance Trigger for Gen 5 Pistols
In this episode of TFB-TV, James Reeves interviews champion shooter Shane Coley. The key topic is Glock’s new factory-built Performance Trigger. Yes, Glock is now making a high performance trigger for its Gen 5 pistols. Shane explains all of the relevant details, including a surprisingly reasonable price. This new trigger should be available very soon.
QUICK FLIX
Rise Armament Iconic 2-Stage AR Trigger
Henry Homesteader Semi-Auto 9mm Rifle
LEFT: Rise Armament claims this is the first-ever “mechanically independent” two-stage trigger for AR-platform rifle. The first stage is 1 pound while the second stage is 2 pounds for 3-pounds total pull weight. As you can see in the video, there is a very short reset — good for 3-gun competition and tactical games.
RIGHT: Here is the new Henry Homesteader semi-auto 9mm rifle as displayed at Industry Day at the Range. This PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine) shoots 9x19mm (9mm Luger) pistol ammo. As you can see, recoil is minimal. Testers really liked this new Henry rifle. READ Full Report.
Shadow Systems Pistols
BONUS Last Year Video of ELR Shooting at Raton in New Mexico
As a “blast from the past”, this 2022 SHOT Show TV video has a great sequence from Cutting Edge Bullets with big-bore rifles shooting at extreme long range in Raton, NM. This is a nice intro to ELR shooting. Look carefully and you can see advanced optics, Doppler Radar, and other high-tech gear.
NOTE: The ELR sequence in the video below starts at 23:48 mark, but if you click the center arrow start button the video should start at 23:48:
Parting SHOT — One More Day to Go
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Kestrel Ballistics will host a live Q&A session with four leading industry professionals at its SHOT Show exhibitor booth #14856. The expert panel session will take place today January 19th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm MST. The 4-man panel includes respected ballistics and shooting experts: Bryan Litz, Mitchell Fitzpatrick, Todd Hodnett, and Colby Hodnett. These four men will take questions from attendees and share their advanced knowledge of ballistics, ELR competition, and all things shooting related.
Bryan Litz earned his Aerospace Engineering degree from Pennsylvania State University in 2002. For the next six years, he worked for the U.S. Air Force on air-to-air missile design and simulation. In 2008, he left the USAF to become Chief Ballistician for Berger Bullets. Bryan then founded Applied Ballistics and has produced numerous articles, books, and videos related to the science of long-range shooting. Bryan also has notable competition credits including winning the 2015 Mid-Range F-TR National Championship. The author of leading books on ballistics and long-range shooting, Bryan is widely considered the leading rifle ballistics expert on the planet.
Mitchell Fitzpatrick is an engineer with Applied Ballistics. Mitch’s shooting accomplishments range from Junior F-TR World Champion in 2013 to winning the 2016 King of 2 Miles ELR shooting competition. He also won the Open Division at the 2019 Nightforce ELR Match. After graduating from Michigan Technological University with a major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Aerospace Engineering, Mitch joined the Applied Ballistics team in 2014. Mitchell is now a full-time engineer with Applied Ballistics.
Mitchell Fitzpatrick shooting .375 EnABELR in an ELR Competition..
Todd Hodnett, President of Accuracy 1st, is considered one of the most respected and sought-after instructors in the entire world. With 20 years of experience, Todd has traveled the world training soldiers in the art of precision shooting. His determination, knowledge, and vision have guided the development of products to improve the accuracy and function of the sniper and precision shooter.
Colby Hodnett works as a long-range instructor with Accuracy 1st. In addition to being an avid hunter, angler, and outdoor enthusiast, Colby is a Commercial helicopter pilot, certified flight instructor, NRA-certified pistol instructor, and aircraft mechanic. Colby, along with his father Todd, continue to serve the Kestrel community by being a resource for all-things long-range shooting.
Visit the Kestrel Booth Today at 1:00 PM
Don’t miss your shot to talk with these pros! Swing by Booth #14856 January 19th from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. The four-man panel also previously held sessions at the Kestrel Booth on January 17th and 18th. But today is the last opportunity for SHOT Show attendees to hear the panel.
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Believe it or not, here is a cartridge that makes a .338 Lapua Magnum look like a toy. The 14.5x114mm cartridge was designed as a MG and rifle-fired anti-materiel round. To translate from the metric system to caliber and inches, the round is a mammoth .57 caliber which measures 4.49 inches to the case mouth, and 6.13 inches overall. That jumbo-sized case holds a whopping 655 grains of powder. Commonly-loaded projectiles weigh 920-1030 grains. The 993gr armor-piercing projectile has a muzzle velocity of approximately 1006 meters per second (3300 fps) and can penetrate 30-32 millimeters of RHA steel at a range of 500 meters.
The top photo comes from Elardus De Lang, a Forum member who works at the Truvelo Manufacturers Armoury in South Africa. Elardus also provided an impressive video showing the massive 14.5x114mm being shot from prone with a Truvelo-built bolt-action rifle. Elardus tells us: “Here is a video, with a slow-motion ending, of our 14.5x114mm anti-materiel rifle being fired in our indoor testing facility. This caliber is a true beast! It propels a 993gr Armor-Piercing Incendiary bullet to 3300 fps, burning 480 grains of powder in the process. [This shows] that rifles of that power level can actually be shootable. The concussion indoors is something to experience……every shot feels like you are being punched in the face, and the heat from the muzzle flash actually hits you like a wave!”
14.5x114mm Cartridge Design and Dimensions
The 14.5×114mm has 42.53 ml (655 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions. Cartridges typically use lacquered steel cases, but some countries also use brass cases for the 14.5x115mm.
All dimensions are in millimeters (mm). Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2, or 22.5 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 455 mm (1:17.91″) with eight lands/grooves. According to official guidelines, the 14.5×114mm can handle up to 360 MPa (52,213 psi) piezo pressure.
14.5x114mm Cartridge History
The 14.5×114mm (.57 Cal) is a heavy machine gun and anti-materiel rifle cartridge used by the Soviet Union, the former Warsaw Pact, modern Russia, and other countries. It was originally developed for the PTRS and PTRD anti-tank rifles, but was later used as the basis for the KPV heavy machine gun that formed the basis of the ZPU series anti-aircraft guns that is also the main armament of the BTR series of armoured personnel carriers from the BTR-60 to the BTR-80 and for heavy anti-material sniper rifles. The cartridge was designed in 1939 and first issued in 1941.
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Today, January 18, 2023, is DAY TWO at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. There are huge crowds visiting the thousands of display booths in the “miles of aisles”. Over 52,000 people have registered for the event. As in 2022, this year’s SHOT Show encompasses two facilities — the Venetian Expo AND the new Caesars Forum. Combined, these facilities provide over 800,000 square feet of exhibit space. The two trade show halls are connected by an elevated walking bridge.
CLICK HERE for the searchable database of all SHOT Show 2023 exhibitors.
Interesting Products at SHOT Show 2023
Savage Arms 1911 Pistol
Surprise from Savage — it is now offering a Government-style 1911 pistol with a stainless steel frame and slide. New for 2023, the Savage 1911 features a 5″ stainless barrel with 11° target crown, dual recoil spring, flared and lowered ejection port, titanium firing pin, and ambidextrous slide lock safety.
New Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical Rifle
Mossberg showcased a new rifle that should be popular — the Patriot LR (Long Range) Tactical. This $1085.00 rifle has many excellent features: MDT chassis with V-Block, 20 MOA Picatinny rail, 22″ or 24″ barrel pre-threaded for suppressor, and adjustable cheekpiece and LOP. And like all Patriot rifles, the Patriot LR Tactical has Mossberg’s patented LBA™ (Lightning Bolt Action) user-adjustable trigger with 2 to 7-pound adjustment range. Priced at $1085.00 MSRP, the rifle is currently offered in 6.5mm Creedmoor and .308 Win with 22″ barrel, and 6.5 PRC with 24″ barrel. FULL Specs HERE.
Defenceport AR-Type Mag-Fed 12 gauge Shotguns
If you mainly shoot AR-type rifles, it may make sense to have a shotgun that has very similar ergonomics, balance, and sights. Defenceport offers a variety of Semi-auto, mag-fed shotguns that have the look, feel, and balance of an AR-15. These CORE Series shotguns feature Aluminum upper and lower receivers, with AR-type grip and stock. Most of the controls are ambidextrous. In the photo above, the red shotgun is a Defenceport CORE 12L. The Blue version is the Defenseport CORE 12 PRO. Defenceport is a company based in Konya, Turkey. It specializes in shotguns, and has a variety of semi-auto shotguns with AR-type ergonomics. It also has a line-up of compact, semi-auto bullpup shotguns, the TANK 12 series.
MDT TIMBR Frontier — Wood Stock with Internal Metal Chassis
The MDT Timbr Frontier has the look and feel of traditional stock with the benefits of a modern chassis with V-block. The buttstock and fore-end are made of clear-coated Birch hardwood laminate attached to an aluminum micro-chassis and bottom metal. The Timbr Frontier stock offers adjustable Length of pull, adjustable cheek riser, and interchangeable rubber over-molded grips. You can easily add accessories to the M-LOK fore-end and buttstock. With a weight of just 4 pounds, the Timbr Frontier stock works for hunting as well as target shooting. The stock can take standard AICS pattern magazines.
ZENK RZMK-357 Modern Revolver
The new ZENK RZMK-357 is a radical new revolver with a patented design. The frame is similar to a semi-auto, but with a rotary cylinder. Zenk states that the patented design allows for a more balanced recoil, and states that the unique design gives the shooter “more accuracy and comfort”. The RZMK fires .357 Magnum ammunition, loaded into a 6-round cylinder like a conventional wheelgun. The top section of the pistol tilts upwards to allow loading into the rear of the cylinder.
Longshot — Bulletseeker Mach 4 Onboard Radar
The Bulletseeker Radar unit is a new radar chronograph that mounts directly to your rifle. The advanced Bulletseeker features 120 Ghz radar with a beam-forming lens. Developed in Europe, with made-in-Germany core components, this unit is sold in the USA by Longshot, trusted maker of long-range target cameras. We think this is a game-changer. You get advanced radar ON YOUR GUN, with no need to haul around a bulky LabRadar.
Bilson Arms Pivotal Buttstock
The Patent Pending Bilson Arms Pivotal Buttstock is a unique design that allows the rear buttpad section to revolve around its axis. This allows a more comfortable hold in a variety of shooting positions. It also permits a rapid change from primary to secondary sights. For example you can rotate the rifle to move from a top-mount telescopic sight to a side mount red dot. Bilson Arms says: “During tactical shooting, it allows the butt end to stay stationary and not be affected by your protective vest. In competition shooting, it allows the shooter to move through the targets, twisting the gun as you move, but allowing the butt end to stay firm against your shoulder.” The Bilson Arms Pivotal Buttstock is manufactured from 6061-T6 billet aluminum. Price: $239.00
NANUK 988 4-Up Rifle Case
Need to move a quartet of rifles or shotguns? Consider the new NANUK 988 4-Up Rifle Case. This high capacity multi-rifle cases is fitted with high-grade custom-cut closed-cell foam engineered to fit four (4) rifles up to 39.75″ in length with different optics installed including scopes, red dots, and everything in between. The center cavities allow storage of up to twelve (12) magazines and two (2) NANUK reusable desiccant containers. The NANUK 988 and other indestructible cases are IP67 rated and built to protect mission-critical gear from repeated blows, drops, and shocks. Price: $699.95
OTTO NoizeBarrier Micro Rechargeable Electronic Plugs
OTTO’s NoizeBarrier Micro Earplugs offer up to 40 dB of impulse noise protection and up to 15 dB adaptive noise attenuation, while allowing shooters to hear range commands clearly. The dual-mode NoizeBarrier earplugs offer active hearing protection as well as 40Hz-16kHz hearing enhancement for extremely effective communication. These rechargeable electronic earplugs offer excellent situational awareness with Accu-Technology® high-definition sound quality. Being rechargeable, NoizeBarrier Micro plugs provide up to 16 hours of continuous use. NRR is 28 dB with Foam Tips and 23 dB with 3-Flange Tips. Price: $452.35
BoreCORR™ Bore Saver and Safety Flag
The BoreCORR™ Bore Saver keeps rust/corrosion from forming in firearms barrels, while also serving as an Empty Chamber Indicator showing that the firearm is unloaded and the bore blocked. The Bore Saver is a flexible vapor corrosion inhibitor attached to an orange safety flag. The BoreCORR can provides protection for 24 months, keeping rust and corrosion from forming in bores. There are short sizes for pistols and long sizes for rifles and shotguns. Price: $6.99 (pistol)
New Product Center
The New Product Center is a “must-see” offering at the Venetian EXPO. There are dozens of interesting and innovative new products all in one convenient location.
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Most of us own a .223 Rem rifle. Now, thanks to our friends at Rifleshooter.com we can assess exactly how velocity changes with barrel length for this popular cartridge.
Rifleshooter.com performed an interesting test, cutting the barrel of a .223 Rem rifle from 26″ all the way down to 16.5″. The cuts were made in one-inch intervals with a rotary saw. At each cut length, velocity was measured with a Magnetospeed chronograph. To make the test even more interesting, four different types of .223 Rem/5.56 ammo were chron’d at each barrel length. The Rifleshooter.com team that conducts these tests has a full-service gun shop, 782 Custom Gunworks — visit 782guns.com.
Test Barrel Lost 25.34 FPS Per Inch (.223 Rem Chambering)
How much velocity do you think was lost, on average, for each 1″ reduction in barrel length? The answer may surprise you. The average speed loss of the four types of .223/5.56 ammo, with a 9.5″ shortening of barrel length, was 240.75 fps total (from start to finish). That works out to an average loss of 25.34 fps per inch.
5.56/.223 Barrel Cut-Down Speed Test 26″ to 16.5″
Start FPS at 26″
End FPS at 16.5″
Total Loss
Average Loss Per Inch
UMC .223 55gr
3182*
2968
214
22.5 FPS
Federal M193 55gr
3431
3187
244
25.7 FPS
Win m855 62gr
3280
2992
288
30.3 FPS
Blk Hills .223 68gr
2849
2632
217
22.8 FPS
*There may have been an error. The 25″ velocity was higher at 3221 fps.
Rifleshooter.com observed: “Cutting the barrel from 26″ to 16.5″ resulted in a velocity reduction of 214 ft/sec with the UMC 223 55-grain cartridge, 244 ft/sec with the Federal M-193 cartridge, 288 ft/sec with the Winchester M855 cartridge and 217 ft/sec with the Back Hills 223 68-grain match cartridge.”
How the Test Was Done
The testers described their procedure as follows: “Ballistic data was gathered using a Magnetospeed barrel-mounted ballistic chronograph. At each barrel length, the rifle was fired from a front rest with rear bags, with five rounds of each type of ammunition. Average velocity and standard deviation were logged for each round. Once data was gathered for each cartridge at a given barrel length, the rifle was cleared and the bolt was removed. The barrel was cut off using a cold saw. The test protocol was repeated for the next length. Temperature was 45.7° F.”
See More Barrel Cut-Down Tests on Rifleshooter.com
Rifleshooter.com has performed barrel cut-down tests for many other calibers/chamberings including 6mm Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, and .338 Lapua Magnum. See these test results at Rifleshooter.com.
Much Different Results with 6mmBR and a Longer Barrel
The results from Rifleshooter.com’s .223/5.56 test are quite different than the results we recorded some years ago with a barrel chambered for the 6mmBR cartridge. When we cut our 6mmBR barrel down from 33″ to 28″ we only lost about 8 FPS per inch. Obviously this is a different cartridge type, but also our 6mmBR barrel end length was longer than Rifleshooter.com’s .223 Rem start length. Velocity loss may be more extreme with shorter barrel lengths. And, of course, different cartridge types and powder/bullet combinations will yield different results.
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As a “blast from the past”, this 2022 SHOT Show TV video has a great sequence from Cutting Edge Bullets with big-bore rifles shooting at extreme long range in Raton, NM. This is a nice intro to ELR shooting. Look carefully and you can see advanced optics, Doppler Radar, and other high-tech gear.
Colby Hodnett works as a long-range instructor with Accuracy 1st. In addition to being an avid hunter, angler, and outdoor enthusiast, Colby is a Commercial helicopter pilot, certified flight instructor, NRA-certified pistol instructor, and aircraft mechanic. Colby, along with his father Todd, continue to serve the Kestrel community by being a resource for all-things long-range shooting.
