Photo shows Joseph (“Skeet”) Borden, with match rifle built by his son, Jim Borden.
On this Father’s Day 2025, we celebrate three pairs of fathers and sons who enjoyed competitive shooting together. This story can remind us how shooting together can help build life-long bonds between fathers and sons.
Joseph Borden and Jim Borden
A while back, Jim Borden made a post on his Facebook Page that made us think about how shooting can build important connections between father and son. Jim recalled how he would go to Piedmont, North Carolina with his father every year for a shooting match: “17 years ago this weekend was the last time dad was able to make the trek to North Carolina for the annual Groundhog contest and the match at Piedmont. Loved the time we spent together. Dad shot competitive benchrest with me from 1980 until June 2001. He passed in August 2001.”
This prompted others shooters to respond with cherished memories of their own fathers:
“I’d give a year’s pay to have my Dad back for an hour, let alone a day. Spend all the time you can with them while they’re here”. — Kerry S.
“I think how lucky some folks are to look back in life and have fond memories of doing things with their parents that both enjoyed. I have missed my dad for 44 years and think of him every time I hunt, fish, trap or work on a household project. We did it all together.” — Bill McC.
Another poster explained how he now attends matches with his own young son:
“The time you spent with your father meant as much or more to him. Always cherish [those memories], as I know you will. Last year, I spent … over 400 hours with my then 10-year-old son going to rifle matches. This year will be similar. This photo was from today of my 11-year-old son.” — John C.
So here’s a message to all dads — take some time to introduce your sons (and daughters) to the joys of shooting. Spend quality time with your youngsters while you can. Time passes quickly, boys grow up into men. Ensure you enjoy a life outdoors together whenever you can.
About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Jim began shooting high power silhouette and benchrest matches in the mid 1970s while working for a Fortune 500 company as an engineer. In the early 1980s he began building rifles for himself and then for others. Jim has a background as a gunsmith, machinist, registered mechanical engineer, engineering instructor, project manager, hunter, and benchrest competitor. In benchrest competitions he has set ten world records and won 11 National Championships thereby earning induction into the Benchrest Hall of Fame. Jim also served six terms as President of the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS).
Jim operates Borden Rifles/Borden Accuracy with his wife Joan, sons Jim Junior and John, daughter Andrea Mecca and son-in-law John (Mike) Mecca. Jim is also an outstanding photographer.
Another Father/Son Duo — Sam Hall and Hunter Hall
Sam Hall is a multi-time IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year, who holds many IBS mid-range records. It’s tough to beat Sam when he’s on his game. But it looks like Sam has a worthy challenger — his own son Hunter Hall, now 15. At age 12, Hunter won the North Carolina State 1000-yard Light Gun Group Title.
At a very young age, Hunter Hall showed an interest in his father’s shooting hobby. It turns out Hunter has the God-given talent for hitting the target. Yes there would be another champion in the Hall family. Here is Hunter, at age 12, winning the NC 1000-Yard Group title. Not bad for a kid not even in High School yet!
Even at just 6 years of age, Hunter showed a keen interest in shooting. Back in 2012 Sam reported: “This weekend we practiced freehand shooting with his BB gun at cans. After that I was needing to zero my Light Gun and get started with a few loads at 100 yards. To my amazement my 6-year-old wanted to accompany me. I could not believe it when he wanted to shoot my competition rifle. I had just put a new barrel and scope on it and needed to zero it. After two shots to get it zeroed he hit a .25 inch dot at 100 yards. I let him do everything — loading it, ejecting rounds, and even working my Farley joystick rest.”
Ken Klemm and Ian Klemm — Father and Son F-TR Aces
Over the last 30 years, a family saga has been playing out in rural Wisconsin: a father fosters within his son the joy of competitive target shooting. It started in a basement shooting range of a small-town elementary school, shooting single-shot rimfire target rifles while cementing the fundamentals of sight alignment, breathing, trigger control, and safety. With a background of competitive smallbore shooting in school and the U.S. Navy, Ken Klemm coached his son, Ian, in a father/son indoor winter shooting league. Ian was determined to shoot as well or better than his Dad and would pursue that goal for the next 30 years. Even after his engineering career took him to the Washington DC area for defense-related work, Ian continued to compete with his Dad by mailing “postal match” targets back and forth for many years.
Father and son shooting together. Her Ian spots for his father Ken Klemm, who is shooting.
Ian has now risen to the pinnacle of his F-TR discipline. Ian Klemm has now won three National F-TR Championships in four years. Ian captured back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, winning at Lodi, WI in 2017, and Raton, NM in 2018. Ian also finished second at the 2019 Nationals. Ian put on another great performance to win the F-TR National title in 2020 under very challenging conditions.
Here is Ian with proud parents Karen and Ken Klemm after Ian won his Second Straight F-TR National Championship in 2018. Father Ken also competed at the 2018 F-Class Nationals, shooting great in both individual and team events.
Howa Rifles — General Background
Howa is a Japanese heavy machinery company. One of its product lines are firearms, which are imported into the United States of America by two different companies, Legacy Sports International and Weatherby. Legacy sells the 1500 under the manufacturers name while Weatherby re-brands the guns as the Weatherby Vanguard. In general, the finishes on the Weatherby rifles are more refined than the LSI-imported 1500s.
Howa Centerfire Rifles In Review
Howa Rifles Come with Excellent HACT Two-Stage Triggers
Howa 1500 HACT 2-Stage Trigger
Howa 1500s feature the very nice Howa HACT trigger. This is an adjustable, two-stage trigger, set for about 3 pounds (combined stages). Crisp and repeatable, this is an excellent trigger for a factory gun. There is no annoying Glock-style safety lever in the middle of the trigger blade. The 2-stage design and pull weight range works well for a hunting rifle or a rig for PRS competition. Rifleshooter.com says the Howa trigger is “one of the best factory triggers, along with Tikka. I’ve found the Howa trigger superior to a Remington 700 — the Howas doesn’t need to be replaced.”
Writing for the Western Outdoor News, WONews.com, Steve Comus has field-tested the HACT Trigger. Steve writes: “I always liked two-stage triggers, because of the way I could take-up the slack and then actually know when the rifle was going to go off. The take-up on the [HACT] trigger was fast and easy. The crisp, positive release when pressure was put on during the second stage [reminded me] of some of the target rifles I shot through the years.”
Howa Barreled Actions Are Available Now at Brownells
A wide variety of Howa barreled actions are available now at Brownells.com starting at $521.00. That’s a decent deal considering these include action, barrel, AND excellent HACT 2-stage trigger. These Howa barreled actions are offered in three sizes (Mini, Short, Long/Magnum) and with standard, heavy, and carbon-wrapped barrel types. Various barrel lengths are also offered for popular chamberings such as 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester. All these M1500 barreled actions come fully assembled with the barrel chambered, installed, and properly headspaced.
RifleShooter.com has articles showing how to build rifles with Howa barreled actions. Despite popular beliefs, Howa barrels are NOT that hard to remove. We asked Bill at RifleShooter.com about the process:
Q: Is it difficult to remove a barrel from a Howa 1500?
A: Not very. I’ve heard from some smiths that worked on Howas (years ago) that the factory barrels are difficult to remove. However of the half dozen or so Howa barrels that I’ve pulled, they’ve been very easy. I use a Brownells action wrench with the top piece for a Rem Model 700 and the flat bottom resting against the flat on the wrench.
You may have heard internet grumblings about removing Howa barrels. Some folks say they are extremely difficult to remove without a relief cut. Well Bill at Rifleshooter.com demonstrates that Howa barrels can be removed without trouble, provided you have the right tools. Watch this video:
Watch Howa Barrel Removal Video — Quick and Easy (Click Speaker Icon for Audio)
Howa Actions — Three Options
Howa offers three action lengths: Mini, Short, and Long. You can see the bolts for the three action lengths in the image below. The Mini-Action has similar external dimensions to the Remington Model Seven, however, the Mini-Action’s bolt does not travel as far to the rear. This is a mixed bag. The upside is you have a quicker action (shorter bolt throw). The downside is you are limited to shorter rounds such as the .223 Remington, 7.62×39mm Russian, and 6.5 Grendel. But if you need a bigger cartridge, just choose the standard or long action Howa variant.
Howa 1500 vs. Remington 700 — Important Differences
Is the Howa 1500 action a Remington 700 clone, or some kind of improved Remington 700? No, not really. While the top radius of the Howa 1500 does match the Model 700, and they can both use the same two-piece scope bases, there are a number of differences.
If you look at the Howa 1500 alongside the Remington 700 you’ll note the M700 is a round action, while the Howa is a flat-bottom action. In many ways the Howa’s bottom half reminds me of a push-feed Winchester. This means the chassis and stocks that support a Howa 1500 are not V-block based like you’ll find on a 700, instead they have a flat bottom. While the bolt of the Howa is similar in external appearance to the Model 700, it does offer some improvements, notably an M16-style extractor and a firing pin assembly that can be easily removed without tools.
Howa 1500 action screws are metric and are in a different location from the 700. The Howa 1500 has an integral recoil lug that accepts the front action screw, this means you have more of the front action screw engaging the action. WARNING: If you install it into a poorly-fitted stock or action you may bind it.
In the case of United States v. Hemani, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled unanimously (9-0) that the use of marijuana or cannabis can not be used as a basis to deny a citizen his Second Amendment right to bear arms, and specifically to own a licensed handgun.
In U.S. v. Hemani, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that the federal ban on firearm possession by “unlawful users” of controlled substances violates the Second Amendment when applied to routine marijuana users who are not shown to be dangerous or intoxicated while possessing a gun. This SCOTUS decision affirmed the rule of the Fifth Circuit removing criminal charges against the defendant Ali Hemani.
Case Background & Facts: Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas man, legally surrendered his licensed handgun and pointed agents to his marijuana stash during an FBI search. He was neither accused of using the weapon nor intoxicated while possessing it.
The Charge: The government prosecuted him under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which makes it a felony to own a firearm while being an “unlawful user of or addicted to” a controlled substance.
The Challenge: Hemani moved to dismiss the indictment, arguing that this categorical ban violated his Second Amendment rights under the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard.
Supreme Court Decision
The Court found that stripping millions of state-legal marijuana consumers of their fundamental constitutional rights without showing individualized dangerousness stretches too far. Writing for the unanimous Court in the majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch rejected the government’s argument that Founding-era laws against “habitual drunkards” historically justified categorically banning marijuana users from owning firearms.
A concurring opinion by Justice Thomas cites the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) amicus brief multiple times to argue that, “[a]s a matter of both original meaning and this Court’s precedents, Congress lacks the power to regulate the possession of firearms solely on the ground that they crossed state lines at some point in the past.”
Support from Both Civil Rights Groups and Gun Rights Organizations:
The case had unconventional alliances, with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the NRA filing briefs in support of Hemani. Here are highlights from the ACLU case report:
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held today in U.S. v. Hemani that the government cannot prosecute someone as a felon simply for using marijuana and owning a gun that is securely stored.
In 2023, the federal government charged Ali Hemani under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which makes it a felony for someone who is an “unlawful user of” or “addicted to” a controlled substance to possess a firearm. Hemani was charged under this statute as an “unlawful user” based on his use of marijuana and the fact that he owned a firearm that was safely secured in his home. The court held that the government’s prosecution of Mr. Hemani under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) based on his marijuana use violates the Second Amendment.
“Today’s unanimous 9-0 decision makes it clear that the government cannot make it crime for people to own a gun, which the Supreme Court has held is a fundamental constitutional right, simply because they use marijuana,” said Cecillia Wang, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union.
CLICK HERE for Reason Magazine U.S. v. Hermani case analysis which includes an audio case report.
Getting started in long-range shooting? Need some pointers on gun set-up and hardware options? Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics has created a helpful series of videos for the NSSF covering long range shooting. Bryan, a past F-TR Long-Range National Champion and Chief Ballistician for Berger Bullets, knows his stuff. His Applied Ballistics squad was the winning team at the 2016 King of 2 Miles event. Here are four (4) videos, each covering a topic of interest for long-range shooters. Running 3-4 minutes each, these videos can help you get started, and invest wisely when acquiring your next long-range rifle, scope, and accessories.
Long Range Precision — The Keys to Success
TIP for Plotting Long Range Trajectories: You want to know the true, actual ballistic coefficients of your loads. The BCs listed by manufacturers for their projectiles may be somewhat unreliable — the real BC could be higher or lower (and BC can change with velocity). That can result in problems at longer distances. Using sophisticated equipment, Applied Ballistics has measured true BCs for hundreds of projectiles. Plugging these verified numbers into your Ballistics App can improve your hit percentage at long range.
Tools of Choice — Purpose-Built Long Range Rifles
TIP for Choosing a Rifle: When you’re selecting a rifle for long range shooting, it’s important to understand your application and objectives. The applications for long-range shooting can be very refined. You have to select all the details of your application to select the correct rifle. Here are two examples — a semi-auto AR-platform rifle with scope and a bolt-action Fullbore (Palma) rifle with aperture sights. There are many other long range disciplines — F-TR for example. The F-TR rig uses a bipod and rear bag and a scope. To be competitive, a modern F-TR rig should shoot well under half-MOA.
Equipment Advice — Upgrading Your Hardware
TIP for Upgrading Your Rifle: At some point factory rifle owners will recognize weak links in the equipment chain. You can run that factory rifle for quite some time, but the barrel is eventually what’s going to hold you back. The twist-rate may not be high enough to stabilize the high-BC bullets. So the first thing you’re going to want to upgrade is the barrel. You want to get a fast twist-rate barrel with a chamber that is optimized for the bullet you’ll be shooting. A good-quality, custom barrel will be easier to clean, and it will improve the overall accuracy and precision of your shooting.
Big Boomers — Large-Caliber Rifles for Long Range
TIP for Shooting Hard-Recoiling Rifles: Bryan Litz defines “Large Caliber” as .338 caliber and bigger. These rifles can shoot heavy bullets with high BCs. However there are some trade-offs. It can be hard to maintain good fundamentals of marksmanship (trigger control, sight alignment) when you’re fighting heavy recoil and burning 100+ grains of powder. You’re dealing with the challenges that high energy brings. You want a muzzle brake with any cartridge .338 or above. Also, when considering lathe-turned solid bullets, remember that these typically have less sectional density compared to lead-cored bullets with similar profiles. This affects ballistics as well as recoil energy.
For gun owners who have to move frequently, or who may live in an upstairs apartment or condo, we recommend a modular safe. We have featured modular safes in the past, and now we’re pleased to say there is a new line of made-in-USA modular safes that may work well for our readers. Steelhead Outdoors, based in Minnesota, now offers three different safes: Nomad 26, 32, and Nomad 38. These are good products for sure, but they are also quite expensive. The Nomad 26 starts at $2700 while the Nomad 32 stars at $3500, while the big Nomad 38 lists for $4000. However, when you consider the value of your gun collection, the cost becomes more tolerable if you need a safe you can take down and move.
USA-Made Nomad Series safes come in three sizes — Nomad 26, Nomad 32, and Nomad 38:
Nomad 26 — 25.5″ W x 54″ T, holds 6-15 long guns. Weight 375 lbs. (< 100 lbs. per panel)
Nomad 32 -- 31.5" W x 60" T, holds 8-19 long guns. Weight 500 lbs. (< 135 lbs. per panel)
Nomad 38 -- 37.5" W x 60" T, holds 10-34 long guns. Weight 600 lbs. (< 165 lbs. per panel)
This video explains the features of Steelhead Nomad Series modular, take-apart gun safes:
Steelhead Outdoors states: “Our modular gun safes are easily moved and assembled by two people. Traditional safes require hiring a specialized safe moving company, which is costly, or enlisting buddies on a dangerous DIY adventure each time the homeowner moves.”
Steelhead Outdoors Nomad series safes features some high-end security features. The patent-pending construction features a fully dry insulation system, eliminating the need for a dehumidifier. This system utilizes a radiant heat reflecting coating to reject incoming heat from entering the safe. The metal interior provides additional protection and is made from nearly 100 percent nonflammable materials. The panels are filled with ceramic fire insulation that is rated to 2300 degrees and is non-moisture trapping so it does not require the use of a dehumidifier and will not release steam into the safe in the event of a fire.
This cool time-lapse video shows the entire process of assembling the safe, start to finish.
The video below shows how to assemble a Steelhead Outdoors Nomad series safe. If you have basic skills, these safes can be assembled easily in under 60 minutes. Steelhead recommends having two people to do the job. The entire safe ships in four (4) boxes. Wrenches are included with the safe.
Features of Steelhead Outdoors Nomad Series Safes
Steelhead Outdoors Nomad Series of premium modular gun safes are designed and constructed to allow for flexibility and mobility without sacrificing safety or durability. Shooters, hunters and gun collectors will appreciate these smart design decisions.
— Double wall construction with 12-gauge welded, powder-coated exterior panels and 20-gauge interior panels, 7-gauge plate door (3/16″), large 1/2″ locking plates.
— Patent-pending construction with dual-stage fire protection with 2300° insulation and radiation-reflecting panels, for enhanced corrosion resistance.
— Drill resistant hard plate features 78 captured, hardened ball bearings to destroy attacking drill bits
— Full-length hinge side locking bar locks door solidly in place, even with door hinges removed
— Cam-Over-Center direct drive lock mechanism with metal bearings at every moving point
— Ships flat and easily assembled in place with one hex key wrench (provided)
One of the CMP’s most popular competitions is the M1 Carbine Match. The little carbines are easy to hold and easy to shoot, with relatively low recoil compared to an M1 Garand or M1903 shooting the full-power .30-06 cartridge. Unfortunately, genuine GI-issue M1 Carbines are now hard to find at affordable prices. The CMP has announced: “CMP’S Carbine Inventory has been exhausted and we do not expect to receive any additional shipments.” Authentic, “all-original” M1 Carbines are going for $1800 to $2200.00 these days on Gunbroker.com.
CMP M1 Carbine Matches — Growing in Popularity
The CMP M1 Carbine Match is part of the CMP Games program that already includes Garand, Springfield and Vintage Military Rifle Matches. “As-issued” U. S. Military M1 Carbines are fired over a 45-shot course of fire at 100 yards on either the old military “A” target or the “SR” target. The course includes 5 sighters and 10 shots for record prone slow fire in 15 minutes, a 10-shot rapid fire prone series in 60 seconds, a 10-shot rapid fire sitting series in 60 seconds and 10 shots slow fire standing in 10 minutes.
CMP M1 Carbine Match at Western CMP Games
New Production M1 Carbines
Thankfully, you don’t need to source a real WWII-era M1 to enjoy CMP M1 Matches. You can now get a brand new, American-made M1 Carbine clone for much less than an original CMP M1 rifle. And these new M1 clones are approved to shoot in CMP M1 matches. Auto-Ordnance sells new production .30-Caliber M1 Carbines that look, feel, and shoot just like the originals, for a lot less money. These are made in Kahr’s modern manufacturing plant in Greeley, PA. There are two versions:
Another producer of M1 Carbine replica rifles is Inland Manufacturing, a modern company which shares the name of a leading WWII M1 Carbine maker. These made-in-the-USA, newly manufactured M1 Carbines are very authentic copies of the original carbines from the World War II era. With a $1495.00 starting MSRP, they feature authentic 1944-type adjustable sights, push button safety, round bolt, “low wood” walnut stock, and a 10–round or 15-round magazine. There are three (3) versions: M1 1944 style, M1 1945 style, and M1A1 Paratrooper model.
GunsAmerica.com has compared Inland M1 Carbines with original vintage M1 Carbines: “We had to get in close to tell the difference. Overall, the two examples we were able to handle looked great and held up when next to the originals. The stampings are even close to correct with a few minor differences that were chosen to stop the new Inlands from being mistaken for originals.” READ M1 Carbine Review.
Want to see a bullet hit a target in ultra-ultra-slow motion? Watch this video to witness some amazing things — such as a bullet jacket peeling back like a banana-skin (at time-mark 7:30). Some years ago, Werner Mehl of Kurzzeit.com produced a 10-minute video for the SHOT Show. This video has has been watched over 15 million times on YouTube, making it one of the most popular shooting-related videos in history. Employing cameras recording at up to 1,000,000 (one million) frames per second, Mehl’s bullet flight video has been called “astounding” and “mesmerizing”. If you haven’t seen it yet, sit back and enjoy!
Watch This Video! It’s Really Something Special…
Kurzzeit.com Video System
German engineer Werner Mehl developed super-sophisticated camera systems that can record at up to 1,000,000 frames per second. Werner also developed an advanced chronograph system that was the most sophisticated in the world prior to the development of the new-generation compact radar chronographs. Werner has now retired from business, but he was a brilliant engineer and his high-speed cameras were truly amazing.
A while back, Sinclair International’s Reloading Press Blog featured a “round-table” discussion of reloading techniques. Sinclair’s team of tech staffers were asked: “What do you feel is the one-most crucial step in precision reloading?”
Here are their responses (along with comments from our Editors):
Phil Hoham: “I feel that when working up a load do not go too high or too low in your powder charge. Stay away from ‘suggested loads’ you hear at the range, or on the internet. Always be sure to use a published reloading manual that presents not only minimums and maximums, but also pressure, velocity, and a proper range of powders used. Do not get distracted in the reloading process, and remain focused at all times during each step involved.”
AccurateShooter.com: Some loads presented on the Internet are OK as a starting point, but it is absolutely critical to understand that pressure maximums will vary considerably from one rifle to another (of the same chambering). For example, one 6mmBR rifle shooting 105gr bullets can max out with 30.0 grains of Varget powder, while another rifle, with the same chamber dimensions, but a different barrel, could tolerate (and perform better) with half a grain more powder. You need to adjust recommended loads to your particular rifle and barrel.
Pete Petros: “This could be a very broad topic, but if I were to pick one, it would be making sure to pay close attention, and weigh each and every powder charge to ensure that each load is exact and consistent. This is important not only for accuracy, but also for safety reasons.”
AccurateShooter.com: If you’re shooting beyond 200 yards, it is critical to weigh your loads with an accurate scale or automated system such as the AutoTrickler V3/V4. Loads that are uniform (within a few kernels) will exhibit lower Extreme Spread and Standard Deviation. And remember, even if you stick with the same powder, when you get a new powder lot, you may have to adjust your load quite a bit. For example, .308 Palma shooters have learned they may need to adjust Varget loads by up to a full grain from one lot of Varget to the next.
Ron Dague: “I feel that the most important step(s) in reloading for accuracy are in the initial case prep. Uniforming the primer pocket to the same depth to ensure consistency in primer seating is a crucial step. Additionally de-burring the flash holes, each in the same way to clean up and chamfer the inside is important. It ensures that the ignition from the primer is uniform and flows out in the same consistent pattern. Doing so will create uniform powder ignition and tighten up your velocity Extreme Spread.”
AccurateShooter.com: With some brands of brass, primer pocket uniforming and flash-hole deburring is useful. However, with the best Lapua, Norma, and RWS brass it may be unnecessary, or worse, counter-productive. So long as your Lapua brass flash-holes are not obstructed or smaller than spec, it may be best to leave them alone. This is particularly true with the small flash holes in 220 Russian, 6BR, and 6.5×47 cases. MOST of the flash-hole reaming tools on the market have cutting bits that vary in size because of manufacturing tolerances. We’ve found tools with an advertised diameter of .0625″ (1/16″) that actually cut an 0.068″ hole. In addition, we are wary of flash-hole deburring tools that cut an aggressive inside chamfer on the flash-holes. The reason is that it is very difficult to control the amount of chamfer precisely, even with tools that have a depth stop.
Rod Green: “I feel that bullet seating is the most important step. If you had focused on making sure all prior steps (case prep, powder charge, etc.) of the process have been carefully taken to ensure uniformity, bullet seating is the last step, and can mean all the difference in the world in terms of consistency. Making sure that the bullet is seated to the same depth each time, and time is taken to ensure that true aligned seating can make the load.”
Bob Blaine: “I agree with Rod. I strongly feel that consistent bullet seating depth is the most important step in creating the most accurate hand loads. I have seen the results in both my bench and long range rifles. Taking the time to ensure exactness in the seating process is by far, the number one most important step in my book.”
AccurateShooter.com: Agreed. When loading match ammo, after bullet seating, we check every loaded round for base of case to ogive length. If it varies by more than 3 thousandths, that round is segregated or we attempt to re-seat the bullet. We measure base of case to bullet ogive with a comparator mounted on one jaw of our calipers. You may have to pre-sort your bullets to hold the case-base to ogive measurement (of loaded rounds) within .003″.
Berger has recently introduced a very impressive new projectile, a 120-grain 6mm (.243) Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) bullet, that offers an ultra-high Ballistic Coefficient (BC) along with very impressive accuracy. This new bullet has already proven itself in competition. Read on to learn more about tests of the new 120-grainer by Ultimate Reloader (Gavin Gear) and Applied Ballistics (Bryan Litz). Both those tests, featured in videos below, demonstrated the new 6mm 120gr LRHT bullet is very consistent and has an ultra-high BC. Berger reports these new heaviest-in-class 6mm bullets have “Doppler radar-verified performance with less than 1% BC Standard Deviation.”
Ultimate Reloader Tests New Berger 120gr LRHT 6mm Bullets
Here’s a good video with tests of Berger’s new 120gr 6mm bullet. The test was done with Lapua 6.5×47 brass necked down to 6mm. Ultimate Reloader’s Gavin Gear reports that the bullet proved to be extremely consistent in both weight and max ogive diameter and had a very consistent BC. This means it is relatively easy to find a very accurate load that also exhibits ultra-low ES and SD. The new 120-grainer should prove popular for mid- and long-range benchrest, PRS/NRL, silhouette matches, and 300m competition. Recommended minimum barrel twist rate is 1:7.5″.
Berger 6mm 120 Grain Long Range Hybrid Target bullets are available now in 100-count, 500-count, and new 1500-count Berger Competition Packs.
Bryan Litz Tests New Berger 120gr LRHT 6mm Bullet
Berger’s new 120gr 6mm LRHT bullet was also recently tested by Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics. Bryan confirmed the new 120-grainer has an extremely high BC and has very consistent weight, dimensions, and BC values. In this video, the Berger .243 cal (6mm) 120 gr Long Range Hybrid Target bullet is tested at 300 yards with Doppler radar to measure ballistic performance, as well as precision. The results are discussed, as well as stability requirements.
Load with 6mm Creedmoor Cartridge:
Peterson small rifle primer brass
CCI-450 small rifle magnum primers
Vihtavuori N565 powder
Berger 6mm 120gr LRHT seated 0.015″ off lands
New 6mm Berger Bullet Wins Major Silhouette Championship
How does this new, high-BC 6mm Berger LRHT bullet actually perform in competition? Well the answer is this new 120-grainer in definitely a winner. This new bullet was recently used to win a major national silhouette championship, showing stellar performance.
Berger’s new 6mm 120gr Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) bullet was used by Erich Mietenkorte to win the recent 2026 Iron Man Metallic Silhouette Championship. Using the 120gr LRHT, Mietenkorte not only claimed the High Power and Overall Aggregate titles but also tied the all-time Aggregate record and completed the prestigious Bull River Ultra Slam (knocking down 20 consecutive rams).
“Berger’s new 6mm 120gr Long Range Hybrid Target bullets performed exactly how you’d want in a championship,” said Erich Mietenkorte. “Vihtavuori N140 with 120gr LRHTs produced outstanding precision from the start. Five-shot groups at 200 meters averaged 1/4 MOA, and that accuracy held all the way to 500 meters.”
Designed for long-range precision, the Berger 6mm 120 Grain LRHT is heaviest-in-class and offers exceptional performance and features:
Industry-leading 0.328 G7 ballistic coefficient (BC)
Hybrid ogive design for easy tuning and jump tolerance
Meplat Reduction Technology (MRT) for enhanced consistency
Doppler radar-verified performance with less than 1% BC Standard Deviation
About the Iron Man Silhouette Championship
The Iron Man Silhouette Championship lives up to its name. Over the course of the two-day event, competitors fire a grueling 320 shots for record, all from the standing offhand position—two 40-shot Smallbore Rifle matches each morning and two 40-shot High-Power Rifle matches each afternoon. Targets range from 40 to 100 meters for Smallbore (.22 LR) and 200 to 500 meters for High-Power (centerfire).
For affordable, low-recoil shooting fun it’s hard to beat a semi-auto .22 LR. While Ruger’s 10/22 is the most popular semi-auto .22 LR rifle, many manufacturers are now offering AR-style self-loading rimfire rifles. We like AR-style .22 LR rigs for Rimfire Tactical Matches and 3-Gun cross-training. With an AR-style rimfire rifle you can train with low-cost ammunition while enjoying the same ergonomics, controls, and sighting systems found on your centerfire ARs.
If you shoot service rifle, and want to train at a fraction of the cost of shooting centerfire, a rimfire AR clone makes sense. This allows you to practice with a rifle with the same feel, balance, and ergonomics of your .223 Rem/5.56×45 service rifle.
These rimfire versions of the AR-15 are excellent training tools for 3-Gun and tactical match shooters. You can practice with less expensive rimfire ammo, and save wear and tear on your centerfire ARs. Rimfire AR clones also work great for Rimfire Tactical Matches.
Below we feature a variety of popular .22 LR rimfire AR-style rifles, including the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22, the Tippman Arms series of rimfire ARs, and the HK 416 marketed by Walther.
Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22
Smith & Wesson has upgraded its M&P 15-22, a fun rifle that we’ve praised in the past. The latest M&P 15-22 Sport MOE SL model (Magpul Original Equipment Slim Line) features a more comfortable handguard, an improved grip, and an adjustable Magpul buttstock. The dedicated .22 LR M&P rifle retains the look and features of the company’s popular M&P rifle line, with the enhanced ergonomics of Magpul furniture. It’s offered with Flat Dark Earth (tan) furniture or dressed in matte black.
Field Testing the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22
Smith & Wesson’s 15-22 is a nice little rifle. The M&P 15-22 is designed and built as a true .22 LR semi-auto from the ground up, with ergonomics (and most controls) identical to a centerfire M&P 15 rifle. NRA reviewer Colon Noir tested the M&P 15-22 and was impressed: “This gun is unbelievably fun to shoot. There is virtually no recoil. The non-existent recoil makes shooting fast a breeze. Yeah, the magazine is a little quirky… but in the grand scheme of things, this gun feels like a full-out AR-15. The M&P 15-22 makes for a great training companion. I would place this gun in the ‘Fun Box’ — it’s reliable enough that you can have a fun time shooting. I’m picking one up, because it’s guns like these that make you truly realize how fun shooting is.”
Here’s a Video Review of the M&P 15-22 by the NRA’s Colin Noir
Tippmann Arms .22 LR AR-Type Rifles
Tippmann Arms makes a large variety of AR-15 style rimfire rifles. Tippmann also offers “house-brand” .22 LR magazines that work great with virtually all .22 LR ammunition — even the low-cost bulk ammo. To learn more, watch the videos below, which demonstrate the excellent functionality and reliability of the Tippmann AR clones. We also recommend the Shooting Sports USA Review of the Tippman Arms M4.
Owners have been very impressed with these Tippmann .22 LR semi-auto rifles. They are very reliable and have ergonomics/layout identical to a centerfire AR15. That makes them ideal for cross-training. Here are comments from some Tippman .22 LR rifle owners:
“Wanted a dedicated .22 LR to shoot with my 22 suppressor. I have a CMMG .22 LR conversion for use in my ARs. I just didn’t like ‘dirtying’ up my regular ARs shooting rimfire. So I bought the Tippmann. Very impressed with the gun. Runs well, and great quality. And I hear they have great customer service. And unlike some other “22LR” ARs, the Tippman is identical to a regular AR as far as controls, feel, and operation. Great for training, or plinking!”
“The wife and I have been running a Tippmann Redline in matches for a year now. Great rifle and company. Picked-up one of the speedloaders last fall and it makes a huge difference in both speed and comfort. No more sore thumb syndrome from loading those 25-round mags.”
Walther HK 416 D145RS .22 LR Rifle
Walther Arms offered an excellent, high-quality .22 LR AR-15 clone sold with the Heckler Koch (HK) label. The HK 416 D is a good cross trainer with high-quality construction and good reliability. The HK 416 D145RS Semi-Automatic Rifle in .22 L.R. is manufactured exclusively by Walther under license from HK. It is the only genuine HK tactical rimfire replica available.
Joseph Borden and Jim Borden
Howa 1500 HACT 2-Stage Trigger
A while back, Sinclair International’s Reloading Press Blog featured a “round-table” discussion of reloading techniques. Sinclair’s team of tech staffers were asked: “What do you feel is the one-most crucial step in precision reloading?”
