Here’s something you don’t see every day — a reloading press that has loaded over 1,000,000 rounds of ammo. At the NRA Convention in Dallas in 2018, Redding showcased an old Redding T-7 Turret Press delivered to Sierra Bullets decades ago. 0ne of the very first T-7s made by Redding, this “old warrior” was used by Sierra Bullets to load over 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition in Sierra’s ballistics lab.
Redding T-7 Still Within Spec
After all that loading, Redding tested the press and, remarkably, found that it still remained “within spec”. Redding notes: “This press was subjected to real world reloading wear and stress yet remains within ‘new’ spec after this historic test”. When showcased in Dallas, this Redding turret press was fitted with indicators to show “just how good American steel and craftsmanship remains after what, in a normal situation, would represent numerous lifetimes of use.”
About Redding Reloading
Redding Reloading Equipment has crafted quality, American-made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. Along with single-stage and turret presses, Redding makes great dies. And Redding’s line of tools/accessories includes concentricity gauges, scales, trimmers, powder measures, powder tricklers, cleaning tools, deburring tools, bushings, and many other quality items.
Sportsman’s Warehouse (SW) is running a great Father’s Day Sale running now through Sunday, June 16th, 2024 at 11:59 pm. There are some truly great deals. You can save up to 25% on optics, hunting gear, rifles, pistols, shotguns, and ammo. In addition, there are big savings on a wide variety of outdoor items such as stoves, tents, packs, and clothing. Here are some of the top deals we spotted. To see the full SW Father’s Day Sale Flyer, CLICK HERE then enter your Zip Code.
Here are 8 Great Deals we found — these are available from 6/6/24 through 6/16/24.
NOTE: To load all individual sale items (in addition to these 8 products) go to Father’s Day Sale Flyer Page, then click on the item you want. That will launch a pop-up.
NOTE: Along with guns, optics, and hunting gear, there are many other products on sale: boots, knives, fishing rods/reels, clothing, kayaks, tents, GPS units, generators, outdoor grills, coolers and more.
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SSG Greg Markowski of the USAMU at Camp Perry, Ohio.*
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) fields pistol teams as well as rifle and shotgun competition squads. Consequently the USAMU’s Reloading Shop loads tens of thousands of pistol rounds every year. In this article, the USAMU’s handgun experts talk about reloading for handguns — with smart tips on how to achieve superior accuracy with 100% reliability. This article, which offers important insights on COAL, primers, crimps and more.
This video shows .45 ACP centerfire pistol competitors at Camp Perry
Precision Pistol Reloading — Recommended Methods
Optimize the Taper Crimp
One often-overlooked aspect of handloading highly-accurate pistol ammunition is the amount of crimp and its effect on accuracy. Different amounts of taper crimp are used with various handloads to obtain best accuracy. The amount is based on bullet weight, powder burn rate and charge, plus other factors. It is not unusual for our Shop to vary a load’s crimp in degrees of 0.001″ and re-test for finest accuracy.
Use Consistent Brass
Brass is also important to pistol accuracy. While accurate ammunition can be loaded using brass of mixed parentage, that is not conducive to finest results, particularly at 50 yards. It is important for the serious competitor/handloader to use brass of the same headstamp and ideally one lot number, to maximize uniformity. Given the volumes of ammunition consumed by active pistol competitors, using inexpensive, mixed surplus brass for practice, particularly at the “short line” (25 yards), is understandable. However [at 50 yards], purchasing and segregating a lot of high-quality brass to be used strictly for slow-fire is a wise idea.
Importance of Uniform COAL
Uniformity of the Case Overall Length (COAL) as it comes from the factory is also important to achieving utmost accuracy. More uniform case lengths (best measured after sizing) contribute to greater consistency of crimp, neck tension, ignition/burn of powder charge, and so on. Cartridge case-length consistency varies from lot to lot, as well as by maker. Some manufacturers are more consistent in this dimension than others. [Editor’s note: It is easy to trim pistol brass to uniform length. Doing this will make your taper crimps much more consistent.]
Primers and Powders — Comparison Test for Accuracy
Pay attention to primer brands, powder types and charges. Evaluating accuracy with a Ransom or other machine rest at 50 yards can quickly reveal the effect of changes made to handload recipes.
Bullet Selection — FMJ vs. JHP
Bullets are another vital issue. First, there is the question of FMJ vs. JHP. A friend of this writer spent decades making and accuracy-testing rifle and pistol bullets during QC for a major bullet manufacturer. In his experience, making highly-accurate FMJ bullets is much more difficult than making highly-accurate JHPs, in large part due to the way the jackets are formed. Small die changes could affect accuracy of FMJ lots dramatically. The CMP now allows “safe, jacketed ammunition” in Excellence-in-Competition (EIC) Service Pistol matches, although wadcutter ammunition is prohibited. Thus, the option to use very accurate JHP designs simplifies the life of CMP Service Pistol shooters in pursuit of the prestigious Distinguished Pistol Shot badge.
Hopefully, these tips will be helpful to any pistol shooters interested in accurate handloads, not just “Bullseye” shooters. Small tweaks to one’s normal routine can pay big dividends in improved accuracy and make practice and competition more rewarding. Stay safe, and good shooting!
TOP IMAGE: SSG Greg Markowski, a shooter/instructor with the USAMU, fires his pistol during the 2018 Civilian Marksmanship Program’s National Pistol Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. At that event, Markowski claimed the General Mellon Trophy, General Patton Trophy and the General Custer Trophy. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Michelle Lunato/released by Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
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Yet another .300 Blackout disaster. Unfortunately, that .300 Blackout cartridge can fit in a .223 Rem chamber. Shooting a .308-caliber bullet in .223 bore is a recipe for disaster.
The .300 AAC Blackout aka “300 BLK”, is a compact 30-caliber cartridge designed to work in AR-15 rifles. It has a shorter cartridge case to accommodate the bigger 30-caliber bullet while still fitting in a standard AR-15 magazine. Unfortunately, that’s the danger. A careless shooter can toss a .300 Blackout cartridge in with .223 Rem rounds without noting. And because the case-head size is the same as the .223 Rem (5.56×45) the rifle’s bolt assembly will happily chamber and fire the .300 BLK round. Problem is, that forces a .308 diameter bullet down an undersized .223-caliber bore. Not good!
This images were provided by Tactical Rifle Shooters on Facebook. The message was clear: “Don’t try to run 300 Blackout in your .223/5.56mm. It won’t end well. The problem is identical rifles and identical magazines but different calibers.”
Image from Accurate Shooter Forum. Cutaway shows the jammed .30-Cal bullet:
For those who MUST have a .300 Blackout, here are some things you can do:
1. Use different colored magazines for .300 Blackout vs. .223 Rem.
2. Fit all your uppers with caliber-labeled ejection port covers.
3. Mark .223 Rem upper handguards with the caliber in bright paint.
4. Mark all .300 BLK Rounds with heavy black marker.
Comments by Folks Who Viewed these .300 Blackout Disaster Photos:
“The .300 Blackout is simply a badly-designed round. A properly-designed round would have had a feature in the shape that would have prevented cross loading in the first place.” — D. Santiago
“I almost made that mistake… I had a magazine of 300 BLK inserted in my .223/5.56 all night. Fortunately, I never pulled the trigger. Once I realized the mistake, I almost got ill. [After that incident] I no longer own a 300 BLK.” — B. Welch
“Happened to me hog hunting from a helo. Gun exploded in my face.” — B. Hood
“Fire-forming projectiles [is] so wrong in centerfire!” — M. Stres
“Had some dude come into the store the other day wanting .300 Blackout ammo to shoot in his 5.56 AR. It took 15 minutes of explaining for him to understand you got to have a .300 Blackout Upper!” — R. Williams
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Shooting ranges have gone upscale with the development of the “Guntry Club”. This new kind of recreational/social facility combines a shooting range with Country Club style amenities. Imagine a high-tech indoor range with “Pro Shop”, restaurant, and maybe outdoor shooting facilities as well. In the past five years, more and more of these deluxe “Guntry Clubs” have opened nationwide.
An episode of GunVenture TV featured some of the country’s finest gun clubs. Tom Gresham and RECOIL Magazine’s Iain Harrison checked out of the original “Guntry Clubs” — the Scottsdale Gun Club. Then, Tom visited a high-end facility in Centennial, Colorado. The upscale Centennial Gun Club features a retail store, range, training center, and lounge.
Here’s a CBS News report on upscale “Guntry Clubs”, luxurious facilities that target younger, more affluent patrons. Chip Reid reports on a high-end gun club in Manassas, Virginia: “This is not your Grandfather’s shooting range. Elite Shooting Sports is 65,000 Square feet of bright lights, polished wood, flat-screen TVs, and state of the art equipment”. Unfortunately for private shooters, this range closed to the general public in April 2023. Prince William County has agreed to purchase the Elite Shooting Sports facility as its new law enforcement training center, county officials announced Tuesday night.
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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 — 15% Off All Brownells Products Plus Weekly Deals
⏺ Great savings on large variety of products at Brownells
⏺ Major savings on riflescopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, and LRFs
Leupold crafts excellent optics products, most of which are made-in-USA. Right now Grafs.com is running a major Leupold Optics Promo. You’ll find riflescopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, red dots, and laser rangefinders with instant savings up to $100 off. NOTE: The savings are immediate — there are no rebate forms to submit.
3. Midsouth — Timney and Rifle Basix Trigger Sale
⏺ Significant savings on good triggers for many rifle types
Rifles need a quality trigger to deliver consistent accuracy. Timney and Rifle Basix are two quality trigger choices. Right now Midsouth is offering major discounts (10% or more) on many types of Timney and Rifle Basix triggers for a variety of action types including Rem 700, Win M70, CZ 452/455/457, Tikka T3, Weatherby/Howa, AR15, Ruger Precision, and more.
4. Midsouth — Lyman Products on Sale
⏺ Big savings on Lyman’s full line of presses and reloading gear
Midsouth is running a major sale on Lyman Products. For a limited time you can pick up presses, powder scale/dispensers, trimmers, case prep machines, and multi-product loading kits, with savings up to 18%. If you’re getting started in reloading, consider the Brass Smith Victory Kit with press, powder measure, small electronic scale, case prep tools, bullet puller, and more — all for just $352.99, $39.20 off the regular price.
5. Amazon — Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, $17.99
⏺ Cool sub-$20 tool that works really well — great buy
The Pridefend Professional Digital Trigger Pull Gauge (#ad) offers great performance for a very low price. We’ve used this “smart” pull gauge with success on match rifle triggers. This gauge measures in 1 oz. increments from 0 to 12 pounds. The gauge display is easy to read and you can choose ounce, pound, or Kg units. Though it costs just $17.99, this digital gauge offers better consistency than many conventional spring-type gauges. Plus, when you do a sequence of multiple pull tests on one gun, the unit automatically calculates maximum, minimum, and average pull weights.
6. Palmetto SA — Smith & Wesson Summer Rebates ($50 or $75)
⏺ Save $50 or $75 on wide selection of S&W Semi-Auto Pistols
Smith & Wesson just kicked off a major summer rebate program for select Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Handguns. Save $50 on Shield, Shield EZ, Shield Plus, or Equalizer pistols. And you can save $75 on M&P M2.0, M&P 22 Magnum, and M&P 5.7 pistols. To get the rebate, you must submit a form (by mail or online) after purchase.
7. Amazon — Molicar Handgun Safe, $55.99
⏺ Advanced features include info display, code access, and fingerprint access
The high-tech MOLICAR Biometric Gun Safe (#ad) offers both number code and fingerprint access and has backup physical keys. This unit can hold two standard handguns and extra ammo, with a 11.3″ x 7.2″ x 3″ internal compartment. This unit ships with a 40″ steel cable and mounting screws so it can be secured to wall or furniture. There is a USB-C port for exterior power in case the battery runs low. The advanced display shows safe temp, humidity, and battery status. This would be a good choice for a home safe, as the fingerprint mode allows gun access in one second.
8. Amazon — VEAGIA Range Bag, $29.99
⏺ Versatile range bag holds pistols and/or rifle accessories
Every pistol shooter needs a good range bag. And a range bag can also carry rifle accessories such as Garmin chronograph, ammo holder, and mobile tablet. The affordable, waterproof VEAGIA Range Bag (#ad) has a sizeable 15″x10″x5″ main compartment with two movable partitions. The large external pocket has 6 slots for magazines. Along with handguns, the main compartment can hold ammo, eye and ear protection, plus cleaning supplies. This bag is offered in six colors: Brown, Black, Gray, Tan, Army Green, and Pink.
9. Amazon — RCBS 1500gr Pocket Scale, $35.99
⏺ Good electronic scale with powder pan and handy flip-top cover
Now discounted 15% to $35.99 on Amazon, the RCBS 1500 Grain Pocket Scale (#ad) is precise, reliable, and affordable. This RCBS scale comes has a rugged flip-top case that protects it during transport. The travel-friendly scale measures up to 1500 grains — plenty of capacity for big loads or very heavy bullets. With its pocket-sized design, this scale provides convenient portability for loading at the range or at home. Included are: Powder Pan, Check Weight, and two AAA Batteries.
10. Amazon — Tru-Oil Stock Oil, $12.99
⏺ Good proven protect that protects wood while enhancing appearance
If you have a wood stock that needs protecting consider using Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil (#ad). This has a unique blend of linseed and natural oils that dries fast and will not cloud, yellow, or crack with age. Tru-Oil brings out the richness of fine woods. Tru-Oil can provide a tough, long-lasting finish that protects the wood for a long period while resisting water damage.
As an Amazon affiliate, this site can earn revenues through sales commissions.
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Want to improve your understanding of Ballistics, Bullet Design, Bullet Pointing, and other shooting-related tech topics? Well here’s a treasure trove of gun expertise. Applied Ballistics offers dozens of FREE tech articles on its website. Curious about Coriolis? — You’ll find answers. Want to understand the difference between G1 and G7 BC? — There’s an article about that.
“Doc” Beech, technical support specialist at Applied Ballistics says these articles can help shooters working with ballistics programs: “One of the biggest issues I have seen is the misunderstanding… about a bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC) and what it really means. Several papers on ballistic coefficient are available for shooters to review on the website.”
Credit Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker for finding this great resource. John writes: “Our friends at Applied Ballistics have a real gold mine of articles on the science of accurate shooting on their website. This is a fantastic source for precision shooting information[.] Topics presented are wide-ranging — from ballistic coefficients to bullet analysis.”
Here are six (6) of our favorite Applied Ballistics articles, available for FREE to read online. There are dozens more, all available on the Applied Ballistics Education Webpage. After Clicking link, select Plus (+) Symbol for “White Papers”, then find the article(s) you want in the list. For each selection, then click “Download” in the right column. This will send a PDF version to your device.
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Here is a video every shooter should watch. It reminds us that our sport demands 100% attention. Lose track of individuals down-range and the results could be tragic. This video will give you chills (starting at about the 0:25 mark). We need to remember to follow all the firearms safety rules, and apply them all the time. At the range, all it takes is one brief moment of inattention to create a life-threatening situation. Never assume the downrange area is safe. Use your own eyes and ears.
This video shows a competitor shooting a stage at an action pistol match. He starts when instructed by the Range Safety Officer (RSO). But unbeknownst to both RS0 and competitor, a volunteer is downrange working on targets. Watch carefully. At 0:27 the shooter sweeps left to right, engaging a paper silhouette target to his right. Then, at 0:30, as he begins a mag change, his head turns downrange. A few yards away is a white-shirted range worker! The shooter yells “Hey what’s going on?!”
What’s going on indeed… The RSO should have ensured that nobody was downrange before the shooter even stepped up to the firing line. If other competitors standing to the side had been alert, they might have seen the worker changing targets and called for a halt. And the target-worker himself — even if he was wearing earmuffs, he should have noticed that live fire had commenced just yards away…
We also have to wonder about the stage design. This set-up made it very difficult to see downrange. The white panels (see 0:10-0:20) definitely hid the target worker from view. In hindsight, given the way the stage was laid out, this was truly an “accident waiting to happen”. It’s fortunate that no one got injured in this incident. But this chilling video provides a lesson to all shooters — “Safety First”.
How could this “near-fatality” have been averted? Post your comments below.
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Editor: This story by Tommy C. (aka “dc.fireman”) comes from our Shooters’ Forum. It’s fascinating to see how a relatively inexpensive Savage M12 BVSS varmint rig was transformed into a sophisticated 300M match rifle with a modern chassis, Shilen barrel, and top-of-line sights. With some ingenuity, and careful parts selection, Tommy created a rifle that can compete with match rifles costing many thousands of dollars more. American ingenuity at work!
Savage Reborn — Old BVSS Transformed into 300M Match Rifle
by Tommy C. (aka “dc.fireman”)
So, I began the project of building a 300M International competition gun, about a year ago, intending to compete at the 300M Nationals this year in Minnesota at the Minneapolis Rifle Club. Realistically, I didn’t want to pay the price-tag demanded of the Bleikers, Grunig & Elmigers, Hammerlis, or Tanners that (infrequently) pop-up for sale from time to time. So I decided to build my own 300M Match rifle with an American action, barrel, chassis, and trigger.
Here is Tommy’s completed 300M Match rifle with Savage action in PDC Custom chassis.
I had decided on the .260 Remington (aka 6.5-08) as the caliber choice. This beat out 6.5×47 Lapua simply due to the cost/availability of brass. The .260 Rem cartridge is based on the .308 Win parent. I made my first batch of brass by necking down some Federal .308, and it worked great. [Editor: We do recommend Lapua .260 Remington brass for match purposes for those who don’t have a supply of good .308 Win brass.]
I had an older Savage M12 stagger-feed action, originally from an old .22-250 BVSS. I contacted James at Northland Shooter Supply, and he walked me through the game plan and equipment I needed: Shilen Select Match 26″ barrel, NSS Stainless recoil lug and nut, a set of Forster headspace gauges, and the NSS action wrench.
Catalog photo of current Savage M12 BVSS in .22-250 Rem.
A few months later, I replaced the original Accu-trigger with a Rifle Basix SAV-II trigger, and immediately wondered why I waited so long to do that. The Rifle Basix is perfect for my application. Mind you the he safety DOES NOT work now, but, I don’t need it for my application.
Another member on the AccurateShooter Forum sold me a BVSS stock that has been re-worked by Alex Sitman of Masterclass Stocks, and it served as a placeholder, until I could find a maker who could nearly replicate my Feinwerkbau 2700 Alu stock in my smallbore match gun.
After scouring the AccurateShooter Forum, and multiple internet searches, I found PDC Custom in Michigan. I spoke with Craig Kierstadt a few times, before finally deciding to pull the proverbial trigger on his chassis. He had a few of the older chassis stocks with spacing for the Savage stagger-feed action. He machined an Anschutz rail into the fore-end for my hand stop and sling. Then he powder-coated the chassis black, and sent it to me sans grip and butt plate.
Photo of action/chassis. Tommy says: “It locks up really tightly, and you can tell Craig spent some time on the CNC work need to make this all fit.”
There are a few minor issues with the PDC chassis, but overall, I would rate this a 9.5 out of a possible 10. The price, and the features built into it, plus the ease of which everything fit together, far outweigh any minor issues. And two of the issues I quickly corrected with Teflon tape. I will need to make a walnut cheek piece — a curved one isn’t conducive to aperture iron sight shooting.
Savage Action .260 Rem 300M Match Rifle Components:
Action, Barrel, Stock, Grip
Savage M12 stagger-feed action, 4.27″ spacing
Shilen Select Match Barrel, 26″
Rifle Basix SAV-II Trigger
PDC Custom Chassis — tool-less adjustments
Bobsled SLED for single loading (required)
MEC Contact III Butt plate (German)
MEC handstop/sling swivel (German)
Walnut Target grip for AR-15 (eBay sourced)
Sight Components and Hardware
MEC Spy Long rear sight (German)
Centra front sight tunnel (German)
Centra adjustable aperture (German)
Medesha sight extension tube + collar
Champion’s Choice front sight base
Champion’s Choice mirage band
For his practice load, Tommy shot 123gr Hornady ELD-M bullets with H4831 powder and CCI BR2 primers. This load performed well — Tommy posted: “My 25-shot initial prone test today shows promise. There are five sighter shots, and 20 record shots. One of the 9s at 9 o’clock is my first sighter, the other one I own. The 8 out at 4 O’clock was a round that was difficult to chamber. My initial scoring puts me somewhere in the vicinity of 193-7X.”
The target used is the NRA C2, “300M International Rifle Target, reduced for 200 yards”. The 10 Ring is 2.40″ in diameter, while the Inner 10 (X-Ring) is 1.24″.
Match Load — Varget and Nosler Bullets
For his match load, Tommy switched to Varget and Nosler bullets: “My match load uses 37.9 grains Hodgdon Varget with a Nosler 123gr bullet. This was a recommendation by a gentleman with a lot of experience in 300M shooting.”
Tommy adds: “The amount of knowledge gained via the AccurateShooter Forum has made this all a reality, instead of just a passing thought.”
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Can you guess what your next barrel will weigh? In many competition disciplines, “making weight” is a serious concern when putting together a new match rifle. A Light Varmint short-range Benchrest rifle cannot exceed 10.5 pounds including scope. An F-TR rifle is limited to 18 pounds, 2 oz. (8.25 kg) with bipod.
One of the heaviest items on most rifles is the barrel. If your barrel comes in much heavier than expected, it can boost the overall weight of the gun significantly. Then you may have to resort to cutting the barrel, or worse yet, re-barreling, to make weight for your class. In some cases, you can remove material from the stock to save weight, but if that’s not practical, the barrel will need to go on a diet. (As a last resort, you can try fitting a lighter scope.)
Is there a reliable way to predict, in advance, how much a finished barrel will weigh? The answer is “yes”. PAC-NOR Barreling of Brookings, Oregon has created a handy, web-based Barrel Weight Calculator. Just log on to Pac-Nor’s website and the calculator is free to use. Pac-Nor’s Barrel Weight Calculator is pretty sophisticated, with separate data fields for Shank Diameter, Barrel Length, Bore Diameter — even length and number of flutes. Punch in your numbers, and the Barrel Weight Calculator then automatically generates the weight for 16 different “standard” contours.
Calculator Handles Custom Contours
What about custom contours? Well the Pac-Nor Barrel Weight Calculator can handle those as well. The program allows input of eight different dimensional measurements taken along the barrel’s finished length, from breech to muzzle. You can use this “custom contour” feature when calculating the weight of another manufacturer’s barrel that doesn’t match any of Pac-Nor’s “standard” contours.
Caution: Same-Name Contours from Different Makers May Not be Exactly the Same
One key thing to remember when using the Barrel Weight Calculator is that not all “standard” contours are exactly the same, as sold by different barrel-makers. A Medium Palma contour from Pac-Nor may be slightly different dimensionally from a Krieger Medium Palma barrel. When using the Pac-Nor Barrel Weight Calculator to find the weight of a barrel from a different manufacturer, we recommend you get the exact dimensions from your barrel-maker. If these are different that Pac-Nor’s default dimensions, use the “custom contour” calculator fields to enter the true dimensions for your brand of barrel.
Smart Advice — Give Yourself Some Leeway
While Pac-Nor’s Barrel Weight Calculator is very precise (because barrel steel is quite uniform by volume), you will see some small variances in finished weight based on the final chambering process. The length of the threaded section (tenon) will vary from one action type to another. In addition, the size and shape of the chamber can make a difference in barrel weight, even with two barrels of the same nominal caliber. Even the type of crown can make a slight difference in overall weight. This means that the barrel your smith puts on your gun may end up slightly heavier or lighter than the Pac-Nor calculation. That’s not a fault of the program — it’s simply because the program isn’t set up to account for chamber volume or tenon length.
What does this mean? In practical terms — you should give yourself some “wiggle room” in your planned rifle build. Unless you’re able to shave weight from your stock, do NOT spec your gun at one or two ounces under max based on the Pac-Nor calculator output. That said, the Pac-Nor Barrel Weight Calculator is still a very helpful, important tool. When laying out the specs for a rifle in any weight-restricted class, you should always “run the numbers” through a weight calculator such as the one provided by Pac-Nor. This can avoid costly and frustrating problems down the road.
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For today’s Saturday Movie showcase we present six videos with .22 LR rimfire ammunition testing. Most of the videos include a wide variety of ammunition types, from bargain ammo, to high-end .22 LR match ammo. If you want to learn more about the properties of .22 LR rimfire ammo, you’ll find a good .22 LR ammo analysis on the Widener’s Blog. That article discusses .22 LR Bullet Design/Stability, Primer Ignition, Velocity Consistency, and Quality Control. In addition, 100-yard test results are provided for five (5) ammo types: Norma Xtreme LR-22, SK Rifle Match, ELEY Match, Lapua Long Range, and CCI Standard.
Big .22 LR Rimfire Ammo Comparison Test
This Backfire Channel Video features an accuracy comparison test of 13 .22 LR ammo types from multiple manufacturers. This includes low-priced ammo, such as Aquila, as well as more costly match ammo from ELEY, Lapua, and SK. Various types of ammo were tested in an outdoor range with three different NRL22-suitable rifles with slightly different chamber specs. Take note — this was NOT a benchrest rifle test conducted indoors. The most accurate ammunition overall was Lapua Center-X. NOTE: Different ammo may shoot better or worse in different rimfire guns. For example a round that works in an Anschutz rifle may not be the best choice for a .22 LR revolver. But this review can help you get started in ammo selection.
Testing Rimfire Ammo at New Whidden Gunworks Test Center
Last month Whidden Gunworks launched an impressive new Rimfire Test Center in Nashville, Georgia. In this video, long-range champion John Whidden shows the Whidden Gunworks test range developed with ELEY Ammunition. The new facility features two testing lanes — one for testing ELEY ammo and a second for testing other brands. Initially, the ELEY lane will offer 50m testing, with plans to expand to 100m in the future. On the second test lane, customers can test Lapua, SK, Norma, and RWS. Testing on this lane occurs at 50 meters and 100 meters simultaneously, registering results for BOTH distances. For more info, visit Whiddengunworks.com/ammunition-testing.
CLICK HERE to schedule a test at the Whidden facility.
.22 LR Ammo Buyers Guide
The Pursuit of Accuracy YouTube Channel has 270 videos, nearly all involving .22 LR rimfire rifles. The host tests different ammo in a variety of rimfire rifles. In this particular video, the host explains the key considerations in selecting .22 LR ammunition — how to choose the most cost-effective ammo for your rimfire rifle and discipline. You don’t need $14/box ammo to hit large steel plates at 20 yards. But you do need very consistent high-quality ammo for .22 LR Rimfire ELR Matches.
Testing Lapua Long Range Ammo at 400 Yards
With the emergence of long-range .22 LR rimfire matches, with targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards, the long-range capabilities of .22 LR have been pushed to the limits in recent years. In 2023 Lapua announced two new .22 LR rimfire ammo types — Long Range and Super Long Range. These are both specifically designed to optimize .22 LR performance past 100 yards. In this video, Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com tests the new Lapua ammo types on his range, with steel targets placed at 400 yards.
Subsonic vs. Supersonic .22 LR Ammunition
Here is another Pursuit of Accuracy Channel .22 LR ammo test. This specifically compares the performance of supersonic ammunition vs. subsonic ammo. What offers better accuracy? What is the best option for long range? The video addresses these questions.
Cheap .22 LR Ammo Tested with a $4000 Custom Rifle
Can relatively inexpensive ammo shoot well in $4000 rimfire rifle? This Midwest Long Range video seeks to answer that question. The results are interesting, with some surprisingly good results with CCI (8:03 time-mark) and Fiocchi (11:25 time-mark) Standard Velocity ammo. If you’re shooting NRL22 or PRS Rimfire matches on a tight budget, this video may steer you to some accurate yet affordable ammo options.
BONUS — Rimfire Ammunition Test with 31 Types
If watching today’s showcased videos has wet your appetite for .22 LR ammo comparison testing — here’s a “must-read” related article. The October 2018 issue of Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) includes a great article with data on thirty-one (31) different types of popular .22 LR rimfire ammunition. The line-up includes low-speed, standard, and Hi-Velocity types, plus choices for plinking, varminting, and target applications. Brands tested include: Aguila, American Eagle, CCI, Federal, Fiocchi, Lapua, Remington, and Winchester. The ammo types ranged in speed from 727 FPS to 1735 FPS.
For each ammo type, SSUSA lists the bullet weight, velocity (FPS), and average of two, 5-shot groups at fifty yards. The most accurate ammo was Lapua Center-X LRN, with a 0.37″ average 50-yard group size. Second best was Lapua X-ACT LRN at 0.42″. Ammo was tested from a bench with a Cooper Model 57-M rifle fitted with 3-9x33mm Leupold VX-2 scope. The ammo offerings were grouped into three categories: (1) Varmints/Small Game; (2) Target; and (3) Plinking.
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We are often asked “Can I get more velocity by switching primer types?” The answer is “maybe”. The important thing to know is that changing primer types can alter your load’s performance in many ways — velocity average, velocity variance (ES/SD), accuracy, and pressure. Because there are so many variables involved you can’t really predict whether one primer type is going to be better or worse than another. This will depend on your cartridge, your powder, your barrel, and even the mechanics of your firing pin system.
BE SAFE: Be cautious when changing primer types. Glen Zediker recommended decreasing your load ONE FULL GRAIN when changing to a different primer type, one that you haven’t used before.
Interestingly, however, a shooter on another forum did a test with his .308 Win semi-auto. Using Hodgdon Varget powder and Sierra 155gr MatchKing bullets, he found that Wolf Large Rifle primers gave slightly higher velocities than did CCI-BR2s. Interestingly, the amount of extra speed (provided by the Wolfs) increased as charge weight went up, though the middle value had the largest speed variance. The shooter observed: “The Wolf primers seemed to be obviously hotter and they had about the same or possibly better ES average.” See table:
Varget .308 load
45.5 grains
46.0 grains
46.5 grains
CCI BR2 Primers
2751 fps
2761 fps
2783 fps
Wolf LR Primers
2757 fps
2780 fps
2798 fps
Speed Delta
6 fps
19 fps
15 fps
You can’t extrapolate too much from the table above. This describes just one gun, one powder, and one bullet. Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) as they say. However, this illustration does show that by substituting one component you may see significant changes. Provided it can be repeated in multiple chrono runs, an increase of 19 fps (with the 46.0 grain powder load) is meaningful. An extra 20 fps or so may yield a more optimal accuracy node or “sweet spot” that produces better groups. (Though faster is certainly NOT always better for accuracy — you have to test to find out.)
WARNING: When switching primers, you should exercise caution. More speed may be attractive, but you have to consider that the “speedier” primer choice may also produce more pressure. Therefore, you must carefully monitor pressure signs whenever changing ANY component in a load. In his books, the late Glen Zediker recommended decreasing your load ONE FULL GRAIN when changing to a different primer type, one that you haven’t used before.
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Redding T-7 Still Within SpecAbout Redding Reloading
Use Consistent Brass
The 
Match Load — Varget and Nosler Bullets
Can you guess what your next barrel will weigh? In many competition disciplines, “making weight” is a serious concern when putting together a new match rifle. A Light Varmint short-range Benchrest rifle cannot exceed 10.5 pounds including scope. An F-TR rifle is limited to 18 pounds, 2 oz. (8.25 kg) with bipod.
