John Nosler lived 97 years, passing in 2010. During his long lifetime, John was an iconic figure in the shooting and hunting world. Considered a true pioneer in bullet and ammunition design, Nosler developed the famous Partition bullet in the 1940s. Born on April 4, 1913 in Brawley, California, John built his business from scratch. He founded his bullet company in 1948. He was considered to be one of the great innovators whose designs helped create the premium bullet category and influenced ammunition manufacturers worldwide.
Moose-Hunt Inspires Partition Bullet Design
While hunting in Canada, John experienced a bullet failure on the hide of a mud-caked bull moose. He then began developing a revolutionary new projectile, which he called the “Partition”, because of the barrier that separated the bullet into two sections. One year later, John and a friend traveled back to British Columbia with his new Partition bullets, which were designed to provide deep penetration and expansion. The men bagged two moose with two shots, and the rest is history.
NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award
In recognition of his contribution to the shooting sports industry, John was the unanimous choice for the inaugural 2007 NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award. The award was the highlight of a long and fruitful career. Even though he officially retired in 1988 when his son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Joan Nosler purchased the company, John still managed to come to the office on a daily basis until his health declined.
Today, John’s son Bob Nosler still presides over the company as president and CEO of Nosler, Inc., based in Bend, Oregon. Along with bullets, the company now produces cartridge brass, loaded ammunition, and hunting rifles.
To learn more about John Nosler and his bullet designs, get your hands on Going Ballistic, a “Professional Memoir” told by John Nosler to outdoor writer Gary Lewis. CLICK HERE to hear a short John Nosler audio clip or to order the book from the author.
John Nosler remained an avid hunter and shooter even late in life. Gary Lewis recalled that, at age 92, John Nosler attended the opening of a new shooting range outside Bend, Oregon. Even in his nineties, Nosler managed to drill two shots inside nine inches at 1000 yards. John Nosler leaves a legacy that will benefit hunters and shooters’ nationwide. The John A. Nosler Endowment of The NRA Foundation, sponsors the NRA’s Basic Rifle Training Program which instructs novices in safe rifle handling.
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Thousands of new products will be on display at SHOT Show 2024, the major gun industry trade show held each January in Las Vegas. The official SHOT Show Product Planner offers a “sneak peak” at 294 new-for-2024 products for hunters and shooters. More will come in the weeks ahead. Here are nine interesting new products for gun owners and reloaders. Since these are all recently-released items, we haven’t been able to test them yet. Product profiles are based on descriptions provided by the manufacturers. We will run a separate feature on new pistols and rifles that will debut in 2024.
The Leapers UTG Big Bore Bipod is a heavy-duty bipod designed for very large caliber ELR rifles. This bipod is available with either a MIL-STD Picatinny or ARCA mount. The Big Bore Bipod is 40° pannable and 22° tiltable with tension adjustment levers. The throw levers are user serviceable. The bipod’s hub sits within minimal offset in relation to its mount. This provides improved stability with a lower center of gravity, and better weight distribution. That, plus the bipod’s 60° wide open angle, makes the bipod very stable. The extendable legs offer a wide range in center-height adjustment and retract at the push of a button. Note: This is not yet on Leaper’s website. Price: $299.97
GunStixx allow efficient use of gunsafes. GunStiXX from Winchester are designed and sized to work universally with rifles and shotguns down to .20 caliber. This new firearm storage system consists of an MDF gun rack with holes, aluminum caps, and plastic rods. Each rod is made of sturdy, damage-free plastic material to prevent scratching your gun’s surface or barrel and can be trimmed to your preferred length. This works as a modular racking system securing guns in an upright position, creating more storage capacity within the same available footprint. Note, like other barrel rods, this system works best with rifles/shotguns with relatively narrow forearms. And for long-term storage we recommend that you remove the scope. That creates more room inside the safe.
Many tactical shooters are now mounting red dot optics to a conventional zoom optic. This allows very rapid target acquisition at short range. This dual optic option can can be done easily with the Delta RDS Ring Cap. The ring caps for the Delta Series Mounts feature direct mount footprints for popular red dot sights to accommodate the use of backup red dot sights on scoped carbines. Available footprints include the RMR, Micro Red Dot, EFLX, MRO, Fast Fire, 509-T, and ACRO Red Dot Sights.
This clever Presma AR15 buttstock includes a secure carrier/holder for a spare magazine. This will attach to any regular mil-spec buffer tube and will fit all standard 5.56×45 (.223 Rem) AR15/M16/M4 magazines. This would be a handy accessory for Action Shooting competitions requiring rapid mag changes. The buttstock is adjustable and includes a recoil pad. The magazine-holder has a handy quick release, similar to a standard AR mag release. The buttstock has strap hole features for multiple sling/strap positions. Dimensions are: 7.24″ x 5.47″ x 2.23″. Price: $35.00.
Some states now limit the use of lead bullets and lead shotshell media. That can be problematic for trap/skeet shooters and bird hunters. Thankfully, there are some good options that can replace lead shot. Agescan International has introduced new, non-toxic High-tensile Superb Bismuth Shot. The maker states: “We invented a revolutionary formula and production technique. The new Superb Bismuth Shot (“SBS”) exhibits extremely high quality in terms of uniformity, perfect roundness, mirror-finished surface, and zero fragmentation rate. By saying zero fragmentation rate, the ballistic test showed SBS performs like lead shot and entirely solved the shattering issue with traditional Bismuth shot.” This can be loaded into shotshells for use in areas that ban ammo containing lead projectiles.
We like this versatile multi-gun case from SKB. It can hold THREE rifles and THREE pistols, making this one of the biggest-capacity cases on the market. This waterproof, virtually indestructible MIL-SPEC case features custom-cut foam to accommodate three ARs and three handguns, with plenty of room for magazines, ear protection, and other accessories. This big wheeled transports case is made in the USA and comes with an unconditional lifetime warranty. MSRP is $499.99 — a substantial investment.
The Bore-Max Cleaning Kit & Mobile Workstation has a great selection of tools — jags, brushes, bore mops and more. The workstation has two innovative features that make cleaning easier. The first is the Gun Gripper technology built into the yokes, which firmly grip barrels, handguards and stocks. The second is four Smart-Assist ports located on the corners of the case. These allow plugging in the included hands-free flexible flashlight or other accessories. Tools include: Smart-Fit Bore Guide, Bore-Max 3-Pc Smart Rod, Gun Gripper Form-Fitting Grips, Gun Detailing Tools (Steel Picks, Cleaning Brushes), Micro Cleaning Mat, Travel Case.
With collectors and enthusiast in mind, Custom & Collectable Firearms has proudly introduced the Colt Python Black Stag 3″. This special revolver includes hand and laser engraving on the frame, wheel, and barrel with almost 1/4″ in depth on the engraving. The firearm also showcases exceptional handsome black Stag antler grips that give it that beautiful, yet rugged look. The Colt Black Stag ships with a 1 of 200 challenge coin and hand signed certificate.
Breakthrough Clean Technologies, an Allen Company enterprise, has released an innovative Suppressor Cleaning Kit to address the challenging task of keeping suppressors, muzzle brakes, and compensators clean and in proper working condition. Based on the effectiveness of BCT’s cleaning solution, a suppressor cleaning kit has been developed to make the entire process easier and more effective. This new Suppressor Clean Kit and other new-for-2024 items will be shown at Allen SHOT Show booth #13021. Cleaning Kit includes: 16 oz. Suppressor Cleaner Fluid, Soaking Tube, Two Specialized Brushes, Retrieval Tool, and Organized Tool Tray.
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The folks at Sierra Bullets asked a few staff bulletsmiths a classic question about guns: “If you could own only one firearm which one would you choose?” There were many interesting answers including a “cheater” response — the drilling — which is really two guns in one. The most-often mentioned chambering was the venerable .30-06. Respondents cited its versatility, hunting prowess, and ready availability of ammo. The popular .308 Winchester, as expected, got mentions as did its cousins the .243 Win and 7mm-08. There were quite a few votes for classic lever guns, as well as 12-gauge shotguns. Two bulletsmiths cited the .22 LR, and we can certainly see the logic in that answer. The little rimfire cartridge is versatile, quiet, and inexpensive. SEE All Answers.
We ask our readers the same question — if you could only have one long gun, what type of firearm would it be? List the gun type and chambering in the comments section.
If You Could Have Just One Long-Gun — ANSWERS:
Media Relations Manager Carroll Pilant answered: “I would NEVER own only one gun. If I HAD to pick one, it would be a drilling in 12 gauge over .30-06.”
Ballistic Technician Rich Machholz answered: “The early tang safety Ruger M77s pretty much have all you could want in a bolt gun, but I do like the Winchester lever guns and the combination guns, particularly the drillings. Since I have the first two, I’m going for a Doug Turnbull 1886 or a side by side 20 gauge over .223 drilling.”
Ballistic Technician Philip Mahin answered: “More than likely it would have to be a bolt action .30-06. The reliability is legendary on a wide range of game animals and factory ammunition has still been available at my local stores even in these tough times.”
Ballistic Technician Duane Siercks answered: “If I had to boil it all down to one gun, it would probably be a .30-06. I have a Remington 700C (custom shop gun) that has worked very well for anything and everything I have ever wanted to do with it.”
Ballistic Technician Paul Box answered: “A .22 Rimfire.”
Chief Ballistician Tommy Todd answered: “Remington 700 in .308 Winchester.”
VP – Sales & Marketing Matt Reams answered: “A light weight Kimber in 25-06.”
Production Toolsetter Brad Vansell answered: “Savage weather warrior 7mm-08 is my rifle of choice.”
Production Toolsetter Dan Mahnken answered: “The .308 Winchester rifle — [based on the] wide range of bullets made and the wide range of things that one can hunt with it.”
Process Engineer David Palm answered: “Savage action 243 Winchester.”
Ballistic Technician Gary Prisendorf answered: “Probably a .22 LR. It may not be the best choice, but you could use it for about anything if you really had to.”
Production Manager Chris Hatfield answered: “Beretta A300 Outlander 12 gauge.”
Need a simple, easy-to-use drop chart for your rifle? Something you can tape right to the buttstock? Then check out Hornady’s handy Online Ballistics Calculator. This user-friendly calculator will compute your drops accurately, and output a handy “Cheat Sheet” you can print and attach to your rifle.
Here’s how it works. From the Ballistics Calculator Page, first select 4DOF or Standard. Next input G1 or G7 BC values, muzzle velocity, bullet weight, zero range, and a few other variables.
Click “Calculate” to view the full chart (shown below). Then click “View Cheatsheet” and the simpler, 4-line Drop Chart (shown above) appears. Click “Print” and you’re done!
Choose Basic Table or Advanced Version with More Variables
The online ballistics caculator is easy to use. You can select the basic version, or an advanced version with more data fields for environmental variables (altitude, temperature, air pressure, and humidity). You can also get wind drift numbers by inputing wind speed and wind angle.
Conveniently, on the trajectory output, come-ups are listed in both MOA and Mils — so this will work with either MOA clicks or Mil-based clicks. There are more sophisticated ballistics solvers available on the web, such as the outstanding Applied Ballistics Online Calculator, but the Hornady Calculator is very simple and easy to use. If you just want a basic drop chart, you may want to check this out.
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The latest GunBroker.com Top-Selling Handguns list reveals the most popular pistols among gun buyers this past year. Turns out that two SIGs top the list. For 2023, the SIG Sauer P365 came in as the Top-Selling Handgun. The SIG Sauer P320 was second and the GLOCK G19 took third in the handgun category.
The P365 also came in as the best-selling firearm overall — meaning it sold more than any rifle or shotgun, as well as any pistol. Notable, the SIG Sauer P320 was also the second-best selling firearm overall. Both handguns have grown steadily in popularity in recent years. The P320 is the civilian version of the military’s M17. CCW holders really like the P365 because of its moderate size and good ergonomics. It also boasts a higher capacity than most handguns in its size category.
The Glock G19 has been popular with shooters pretty much since its introduction back in the 1980s, especially after numerous law enforcement agencies adopted either it or the G17, from which the G19 was derived. Shooters like the G19 because it’s more concealable than the G17, but still has the same reliability. New G19 variants are available, such as the G19 Gen 5 MOS which comes fitted with a Holosun optic.
GunBroker’s Top-Selling Handguns of 2023 (Top 10):
1. SIG Sauer P365
2. SIG Sauer P320
3. GLOCK G19
4. GLOCK G43
5. CZ-USA CZ 75
6. Colt Python
7. Ruger Mark IV
8. Smith & Wesson M&P9
9. Ruger Blackhawk
10. Beretta 90 Series
There are, of course, numerous other handguns popular with shooters, as shown by the monthly data released by GunBroker.com on the top selling firearms by category on the site. Later this month GunBroker will publish a full report of all top-selling firearms, including handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Stay tuned.
Handguns Under $400 Featured on GunBroker.com
If you are in the market for a new handgun, but have a limited budget, GunBroker has a helpful review. In the article Top 10 Handguns for under $400, Gunbroker’s editors showcase ten interesting pistols. We think the three top featured choices were the Taurus G3 9mm, Smith & Wesson SD9 VE, and Canik TP9SA Mod 2 9mm (shown below):
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This thought-provoking article is one of the 15 most popular Daily Bulletin features over the last 12 months. We are republishing this story today for readers who may have missed it the first time around…
Here’s a little known fact that may startle most readers, even experienced gunsmiths: your barrel wears out in a matter of seconds. The useful life of a typical match barrel, in terms of actual bullet-in-barrel time, is only a few seconds. How can that be, you ask? Well you need to look at the actual time that bullets spend traveling through the bore during the barrel’s useful life. (Hint: it’s not very long).
Bullet-Time-in-Barrel Calculations
If a bullet flies at 3000 fps, it will pass through a 24″ (two-foot) barrel in 1/1500th of a second. If you have a useful barrel life of 3000 rounds, that would translate to just two seconds of actual bullet-in-barrel operating time.
Ah, but it’s not that simple. Your bullet starts at zero velocity and then accelerates as it passes through the bore, so the projectile’s average velocity is not the same as the 3000 fps muzzle velocity. So how long does a centerfire bullet (with 3000 fps MV) typically stay in the bore? The answer is about .002 seconds. This number was calculated by Varmint Al, who is a really smart engineer dude who worked at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, a government think tank that develops neutron bombs, fusion reactors and other simple stuff.
On his Barrel Tuner page, Varmint Al figured out that the amount of time a bullet spends in a barrel during firing is under .002 seconds. Al writes: “The approximate time that it takes a 3300 fps muzzle velocity bullet to exit the barrel, assuming a constant acceleration, is 0.0011 seconds. Actual exit times would be longer since the bullet is not under constant acceleration.”
We’ll use the .002 number for our calculations here, knowing that the exact number depends on barrel length and muzzle velocity. But .002 is a good average that errs, if anything, on the side of more barrel operating life rather than less.
So, if a bullet spends .002 seconds in the barrel during each shot, and you get 3000 rounds of accurate barrel life, how much actual firing time does the barrel deliver before it loses accuracy? That’s simple math: 3000 x .002 seconds = 6 seconds.
Gone in Six Seconds. Want to Cry Now?
Six seconds. That’s how long your barrel actually functions (in terms of bullet-in-barrel shot time) before it “goes south”. Yes, we know some barrels last longer than 3000 rounds. On the other hand, plenty of .243 Win and 6.5-284 barrels lose accuracy in 1500 rounds or less. If your barrel loses accuracy at the 1500-round mark, then it only worked for three seconds! Of course, if you are shooting a “long-lived” .308 Win that goes 5000 rounds before losing accuracy, then you get a whopping TEN seconds of barrel life. Anyway you look at it, a rifle barrel has very little longevity, when you consider actual firing time.
People already lament the high cost of replacing barrels. Now that you know how short-lived barrels really are, you can complain even louder. Of course our analysis does give you even more of an excuse to buy a nice new Bartlein, Krieger, Shilen etc. barrel for that fine rifle of yours.
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Need a portable, light-weight target stand? Here’s a clever, minimalist alternative to big, bulky wood-framed or PVC pipe target stands. Those big frames will work, but they take up lots of space in your vehicle and, unless you build a very solid base, they tend to rock back and forth, or even blow over in high winds. With a commercial sign frame (the kind used for real estate signs) you can easily mount cardboard shooting targets.
For under $20.00 you can get a metal sign frame that can be staked directly in the ground. These sign frames, commonly used for real estate signs, are secure in high winds, and they are just about ideal if you need a simple target for zeroing during a varmint hunt. With most of these frames you can secure a cardboard target backer with zip ties or threaded fasteners. With some frames you just slide the cardboard backer into slots, so no fasteners are required. The most common “Empire-style” sign frame has a rectangular section at the top with two pointed ends about 10″ apart at the bottom. Put your foot on the crossbar to drive the frame into the ground. An angle-iron, Empire-style frame (no fasteners required) is offered by the fastrealestatesigns.com for $19.99.
Reinforced-Plastic Sign Frames
Shown at right is a plastic sign frame that requires no fasteners. Simply cut your cardboard target backer to 24″ (w) x 18″ (h) and slide it in from the top. Then stick the frame into the ground using the foot-slot near the bottom. These fiberglass-reinforced plastic sign frames are light yet surprisingly strong. They are also affordable. A similar sign-holder but with a full-width base (wider legs) costs $31.79 from SignsDirect.com. And you can probably get something similar locally. Amazon carries plastic signs like this also, crafted by Plasticade. Shown below are dimensions of some commercial plastic signs.
TIP: Sign Frames Are Not Ideal For All Terrain
If you shoot where the ground is very hard or rocky, these stake-in-the-ground frames may not work so well. They need to be seated firmly in the soil. But if you shoot in an area with soft soil or grassy turf, these frames can be a handy solution. Simple, light-weight and easy to set-up, they make a nice “field expedient” target holder.
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Will you be traveling out of state this spring? Or do you have questions about your own state’s firearms laws? Then you’ll want to have quick access to summaries of gun laws in America’s 50 states. Here’s a very valuable online resource you may want to bookmark.
The NRA-ILA (Institute for Legislative Action) has a great feature on the NRA-ILA’s homepage. From the NRA home page, NRA-ILA.org, you can instantly access a host of information for all 50 states. There is a menu box that includes all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, New York City, and Guam. Look for the box that appears below the “NRA-ILA Top Stories Banner”:
Alternatively, look at the UPPER LEFT for three horizontal lines. Click that to open a drop-down menu. Then select the third line Gun Laws > State Gun Laws. That will open a page with all the 50 states listed in order A to Z. Or bookmark the NRA-ILA State Gun Laws Page.
NOTE: Some of this information is not completely current, so you may want to check with more detailed, up-to-date reference, such as the Legal Heat $20 50 State Guide to Firearms Laws and Regulations (2023 Edition). Most of the information in the book is also available in the FREE Legal Heat Firearms Law APP for Android and iOS (Apple) mobile devices. Here are screenshots from the Legal Heat iPhone App.
Shown below is part of the NRA-ILA’s coverage for Texas. There is a summary of the most important Texas gun laws. Below that is a map showing the states that recognize Texas carry permits.
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Headed to SHOT Show next week? Good news, SHOT Show organizer NSSF now has multiple locations for getting badges. That will make picking up your badge easier once you arrive in Las Vegas. Find the location below that works best for you. Then go to the official Badge Pickup Location Page. On that page if you click on a specific location, it will provide more detailed information, including hours of operation.
SHOT Show 2024 Registration and Badge Pickup Locations:
Venetian Expo — Main Registration
Caesars Forum — Main Registration
Venetian Expo — Express Registration
Venetian Expo — Int’l Trade Center Registration
Venetian Expo — Media Registration
Venetian Expo — Education Registration
Venetian Expo — Supplier Showcase Registration
Industry Day at the Range (Boulder City)
Airport — Terminal 1
Airport — Terminal 3
Circus Circus
Horseshoe
MGM Grand
Mirage
POV Vehicle Lot
Treasure Island
If you are attending SHOT Show, we recommend you visit the Badge Pickup Location Page. There are specific details for each location where you can get your badges and credentials. Here is an example for Terminal 1 at the Las Vegas Airport:
Please note that some locations, such as the airport terminals, have limited hours. However, starting Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 8:00 AM, there is 24-Hour Registration for approved persons at the Express Registration area located next to the Summit Show Room at the Venetian Expo Center. To help cut down on amount of people in lines, NSSF encourages a company’s designated onsite contact to pick up all the badges for his/her team.
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If you are evaluating a firearm for self-defense use, you should consider three main factors: Reliability, Functionality (sights, trigger, ergonomics), and Effectiveness (ability to halt/neutralize threats). Regarding effectiveness, you need to consider what happens when the projectiles from your firearm reach the target. That involves penetration and terminal ballistics.
A 12ga shotgun is very effective inside 20 yards, with less risk of over-penetration* vs. a centerfire rifle.
You’ve probably heard the term “Terminal Ballistics”. But do you really know what this refers to? Fundamentally, “Terminal Ballistics” describes the behavior of a projectile as it strikes, enters, and penetrates a target. Terminal Ballistics, then, can be said to describe projectile behavior in a target including the transfer of kinetic energy. Contrast this with “External Ballistics” which, generally speaking, describes and predicts how projectiles travel in flight. One way to look at this is that External Ballistics covers bullet behavior before impact, while terminal ballistics covers bullet behavior after impact.
The study of Terminal Ballistics is important for hunters, because it can predict how pellets, bullets, and slugs can perform on game. This NRA Firearm Science video illustrates Terminal Ballistics basics, defining key terms such as Impact Crater, Temporary Cavity, and Primary Cavity.
External Ballistics, also called “exterior ballistics”, is the part of ballistics that deals with the behavior of a non-powered projectile in flight.
Terminal Ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of the behavior and effects of a projectile when it hits its target.
*This Shooting Illustrated article discusses over-penetration risks with a variety of cartridge types. “A bullet passing through a threat and continuing with the potential to cause unintentional damage to a bystander or object is a situation commonly described as over-penetration.”
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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.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Brownells — Howa 1500 Barreled Actions with HACT Triggers
⏺ Great barreled actions with nice trigger starting at $399.99
Howa M1500 barreled actions are great for hunting and varmint rifle projects. And now you can get a complete barreled action (with trigger!) starting around $400.00. Chamberings in stock now include: 22-250, 6mm ARC, .243 Win, 6.5 Grendel (Mini), 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, and .300 WinMag. A wide variety of barrel lengths are offered, and some chamberings have carbon-wrapped barrels. These Japanese-made Howa actions are smooth running and the two-stage HACT trigger is way better than most factory triggers. CLICK HERE to learn more about Howa M1500 barreled actions.
2. Midsouth — January Clearance Sale, Amazing Deals
⏺ Huge clearance sale savings on optics, tools, ammo and more
We found some truly great bargains on Midsouth’s January Clearance sale, with savings up to 75% on 100 products. There are super deals on optics and hunting ammo. And save $90 on a rapid-access gun safe. NOTE: To see all the clearance items, we suggest you can set Midsouth’s page to display up to 90 items at once. And to better browse optics, choose the “Sort By” high-to-low price option.
3. EuroOptic — Burris XTR II Extreme Tactical Scopes Close-Outs
⏺ Save up to $850 on quality PRS/NRL tactical scopes
EuroOptic is a top-flight vendor, with fast shipping and great customer service. Right now EuroOptic is running major sale on Burris XTR II Tactical scopes, which work great for PRS/NRL competition. With the current Burris XTR II Scope Sale, you can save up to $850.00 on a rugged, reliable FFP scope with various zoom magnification options (e.g. 3-15x50mm, 3.3-18x50mm, 5-25x50mm), with both 0.1 Milrad and 1/4 MOA click options.
4. Midsouth — Aguila .22 LR Ammo Sale, Save $65 on 2K Rds
⏺ Good .22 LR ammo for 5 cents/round with 2000-round case buy
Shooting rimfire guns is fun and very affordable. Here’s an amazing deal on reliable Aguila .22 LR Super Extra high velocity ammunition — get 2000 rounds for just $99.99. That works out to just five cents per round! If you don’t need 2000 rounds, you can also save with 500-rd cases of 40gr Super Extra HV or 38gr Super Extra HV ammo for $28.99, just six cents per round.
5. CDNN Sports — Walther PPQ .22 LR Pistol, $289.99
⏺ Save $260 on very good rimfire pistol
We like Walther pistols — they have good ergonomics (better than Glock), nice standard triggers, and handy controls. It makes sense to have a rimfire pistol — .22 LR rimfire ammo is a small fraction of the cost of centerfire ammo. And rimfire matches are fun and popular. Right now you can get the excellent target model Walther PPQ M2 .22 LR Pistol for $289.99. That’s $259 OFF the regular price!
⏺ Versatile, affordable — great for ARs and sighting-in hunting rifles
Here’s a great product for sighting-in your hunting rifles. This Caldwell Precision Adjustable Turret Rest, now just $69.99 on Amazon (#ad) offers quick horizontal and vertical adjustment making it great for target shooting as well as varminting from a bench. Amazon user ‘Jet Mech 1′ reports “…it’s REALLY solid! Solid steel legs and everything is heavy duty. It’s really compact. Easily fits in the smallest car trunk. It holds your firearm very securely. The tilt and pan is super smooth and precise. This is the perfect platform for an AR-style rifle but works equally well for just about anything.”
7. KYGUNCO — January Sports Afield Gunsafe Sale, Save 47%
⏺ HUGE Savings on large capacity safes
All serious shooters should have a full-sized sturdy gun safe that can hold a collection of long guns and handguns. If you need a new gun safe, KYGUNCO is running a great Father’s day sale on Sports Afield Gun Safes. You can save $617 on the big 40″-wide 64-gun safe, or save $566 on the 35″-wide 56-gun safe. These are great prices on good fire-rated safes.
8. Natchez — Frankford Quick-N-Easy Case Tumbler Kit, $79.99
⏺ We’ve used this Combo Kit for many seasons — very good value
Keeping your brass clean is important (and essential if you anneal). If you’re looking for a new, affordable setup to clean cartridge brass, consider the Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler Master Kit. You get everything needed to dry-tumble your brass and remove the media. This is all available now for a very low $79.99. You could pay that much for a good vibratory tumbler alone, yet this combo kit includes tumbler, media separator, bucket, brass polish, and media.
⏺ Sophisticated wind speed meter at a super-affordable price
Knowing wind speed is critical to making accurate ballistic adjustments both on the line or in the field. If you need a reliable yet affordable wind speed meter, consider the BTMETER BT-100 Handheld Anemometer (#ad). The BT-100’s multi-function capabilities include Wind Speed, Wind Temperature, and Wind Chill factor. The BT-100 portable wind speed gauge can accurately measure wind velocity in 5 units: m/s, km/h, ft/min, knots, mph. The unit also records air temperatures in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit.
10. Amazon — XAegis Tactical Eyewear, $18.99
⏺ Under $20 for versatile, multi-lens Eye Protection
All shooters need quality eye protection when operating firearms. XAegis Tactical Eyewear is a versatile and affordable option. These ANSI Z87+ rated shooting glasses come with three different interchangeable lenses (Clear, Yellow, Gray). You also get a transport case, lanyard, and cleaning cloth. Choose from three frame colors, each for $18.99: Black frame, Green Frame, or Khaki frame. For under $20 these are hard to beat. It’s nice to have the color lens options for different weather conditions, and indoors/outdoors.
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Think you need a relatively long case-neck for good accuracy? Think again. Stan Ware broke all the rules with his radical Wolfpup cartridge, proving that a near-no-neck design can deliver match-winning accuracy. Read on to learn how the Wolfpup works…
Retired gunsmith Stan Ware is a talented shooter who’s not afraid to think “outside the box”. Stan competes in both Hunter Benchrest (HBR) and Varmint for Score (VFS) disciplines. In his quest to build the ultimate Hunter Benchrest cartridge, Stan created the radical “Wolfpup” wildcat, based on a 6mmBR parent case. Noting the dominance of 30 BRs in VFS matches, Stan wondered if a stretched 30 BR could work in HBR competition. The challenge was case capacity. Under HBR rules the cartridge must hold at least 45.0 grains of water, equal to the capacity of the classic 30/30 case.
To get the requisite HBR case capacity, Stan figured he needed to boost the volume of a 30 BR case significantly, so he would have to move the shoulder forward — a lot. He did this by running a 30 BR reamer deeper and deeper, test-firing brass along the way. After three reamer passes, he ended up with the capacity he needed (the Wolfpup holds 45.3 grains of water). But then he looked at the finished product — a case with almost no neck, and he wondered “how could this possibly work?”.
From Trashbin to Winner’s Circle
Ware’s prototype Wolfpup ended up so short-necked, so unlike any “normal” cartridge, that Stan figured it was “dead on arrival”. Stan told us: “I said ‘this ain’t going to work’ and I threw the brass in the trash can. Honest. But later I thought I better shoot it and see what it does.” There was one problem — Stan didn’t have a seating die. He noticed the short neck provided a bit of tension after fire-forming, so he literally seated some bullets, BIB 118s and 125s, with his fingers. For powder he used H4198 and started with 35 grains, one grain more than a 30 BR load. Stan then did a pressure work-up: “I actually went up to 41.0 grains and didn’t have a sticky bolt. I ended up at 37.9 grains of Hodgdon 4198 — that gave 3150 fps, where the sweet spot is.” (Later testing revealed a second accuracy node at about 3020 fps, using 36.4 grains of H4198).
Stan’s radical short-necked Wolfpup shot great from the get-go. Once he found the right velocity node, the gun shot in the ones and zeros with both 7-ogive and 10-ogive bullets, both 118s and 125s. The Wolfpup proved easy to tune — it’s not finicky at all. And it’s a winner. Stan began shooting the Wolfpup in 2006 in both VFS and HBR matches and the ‘Pup’ started winning matches right away. In 2007, Stan won the Wisconsin State VFS Championship shooting the Wolfpup. In June 2010 at a Webster City, Iowa VFS match, Stan won the Grand Agg and posted high X-Count for the match, while placing first at 100 yards and second at 200 yards. How’s that for a cartridge that almost ended up in the trash bin?
Does Stan deserve an award for “most innovative benchrest cartridge design”? Stan chuckles at that notion: “I’m not a hero, not a genius. I really didn’t do anything. The fun part is thinking outside the box — for me anyway. Shooting is an age-old process of experimentation. You never learn it all.”
Why Does It Work?
How can such a radical case design perform so well? “That’s a good question,” Stan admitted. He then explained: “The 30 BR is inherently accurate, so I figured something based on the 30 BR should be accurate too. My personal belief is that the short neck doesn’t hurt you. Plus if the throat in the barrel is straight, the bullet can self-align. If the chamber is good, the bullet will self-center in the throat. In a regular case there’s not much room to do that, so a bullet can start off-center, and you don’t get the same results every time. A bullet in a conventional case is stopped from self-centering by the stiffer neck, particularly in a tight-clearance BR gun.”
Reloading the .30 Wolfpup
Stan’s Wolfpup chamber has a neck dimension of 0.330″. He turns his necks for a 0.327″ loaded round. Bullets are jammed .020″ forward of first contact with the lands. When he closes the bolt it pushes the bullet back in the case — almost a soft seat. Stan notes: “To start with I normally bump the shoulder .0005-.001″ so they go in easy. Just by doing that I get a little neck tension. I also use a bushing. Right now I’m running a .322, but it’s not particularly sensitive. I’ve tried one-thousandths increments up to a .325 bushing and couldn’t tell a lot of difference.” For bullet seating, Stan uses a Wilson 30 BR seater die into which he ran the chamber reamer. This gives perfect case fit during seating operations.
About the Illustrated Gunstock
You’ll notice Stan’s stock contains scenes from Vietnam and a quotation. Here’s the story. A Vietnam combat veteran, Stan served “in-country” with the Army’s 509th Non-Divisional Combat Unit (out of Fort Riley) from 1965-1966. Shortly before he left Vietnam, Stan went to a shop to have a souvenir lighter engraved. He asked the vendor for an appropriate inscription. The shop’s metal-worker engraved: “War is a tragedy. It takes mans’ best to do mans’ worst.” That message, along with the combat scenes, were hand-painted on Stan’s rifle by his wife Susan, a talented artist. She spent more than 20 hours painting the rifle stock.
Photos courtesy Ryan Ware and Stan Ware.
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Retired gunsmith Stan Ware is a talented shooter who’s not afraid to think “outside the box”. Stan competes in both Hunter Benchrest (HBR) and Varmint for Score (VFS) disciplines. In his quest to build the ultimate Hunter Benchrest cartridge, Stan created the radical “Wolfpup” wildcat, based on a 6mmBR parent case. Noting the dominance of 30 BRs in VFS matches, Stan wondered if a stretched 30 BR could work in HBR competition. The challenge was case capacity. Under HBR rules the cartridge must hold at least 45.0 grains of water, equal to the capacity of the classic 30/30 case.
From Trashbin to Winner’s Circle
Why Does It Work?
