Kirsten Joy Weiss has created a useful video about Dry-Fire practice. Dry-Fire is a method of training without a live round in the chamber. Dry-Firing is effective, Kirsten explains, because “it eliminates all the extra noise and messages that you get when you fire a live round. Without recoil, without the sound of a shot going off etc., all you hear is the click of the trigger. This allows you to focus on your sight picture and your trigger press.” This the lastest installment in Kirsten’s ‘How to Shoot Awesomely’ series. Kisten says: “I hope it helps you, and keep on aiming true!”
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
If you are not doing Dry-Fire practice yet, then it’s time to start. Dry-Fire training is essential to the sling disciplines, and very useful for F-Class. Dennis DeMille, a national Service Rifle Champion, told us that, for every minute he spent in actual competition, he would spend hours practicing without ammunition. While in the USMC, Dennis would practice in the barracks, working on his hold and dry-firing:
“The most important thing is to spend time off the range practicing. Most of what I learned as a High Power shooter I learned without ammunition — just spending time dry firing and doing holding exercises. Holding exercises will really identify the weak parts of your position. The primary purpose of dry firing is to get you used to shooting an empty rifle. If you can shoot a loaded rifle the same way you shoot an empty rifle then eventually you will become a High Master.”
Dry-Fire Training Can Benefit Benchrest Shooters
What about benchrest? Well, we’ve found that Dry-Fire sessions can even benefit benchresters — it can help reveal flaws in your trigger technique, or inconsistencies in the way you address the rifle from shot to shot. With the gun set up with your front rest and rear bag, if you see the scope’s cross-hairs wiggle a lot when you pull the trigger, you need to work on your technique. Also, dry-fire practice can help you learn to work the bolt more smoothly so you don’t disturb the gun on the bags.
The October 2024 Edition of Shooting Industry magazine (SI) has a good article explaining the importance of the upcoming election for gun owners. In that article NSSF VP/Gen. Counsel Larry Keane notes that “People need to wake up, get registered and vote”. Keane discusses the potential ramifications of a Harris-Walz administration with SI Editor Jade Moldae, who notes: “If Vice President Kamala Harris is elected president, along with a Democrat sweep of Congress, it’s not a hyperbole to say this would be worst-case scenario for the longevity of our industry.” CLICK HERE for October 2024 Shooting Industry digital edition.
Keane predicts what could happen with a Harris presidency and Democrat-controlled Congress: “If Harris is elected president, what we see from ATF now will only get worse. Zero tolerance for gun dealers will become ‘subzero’ tolerance. [Harris] will appoint anti-gun justices to the Supreme Court — opening up the opportunity to revisit Heller, Bruen, and McDonald decisions. She’ll blow up the filibuster in the Senate … Congress will pass firearm bans, magazine bans and universal background checks. It’ll be ‘Katy bar the door’ — and too late for us to do anything about it.”
Keane pointed out that even if Democrats are unsuccessful in controlling Congress, Harris could act unilaterally — as shutting down firearms imports or exports doesn’t require an act of Congress.
Though Kamala Harris has stated she is a gun owner (claiming to have a Glock pistol), she has frequently supported gun confiscation through mandatory buy-backs. And she says she would like to ban AR15s and other popular, semi-auto rifles. Accordingly, we face a very important 2024 election. Keane states: “This truly is the most important election for the Second Amendment in our lifetime. In the past, Harris called for mandatory confiscation. She now says she isn’t. So, was she lying then? Is she lying now? Or does she just lie now and then? People need to wake up, get registered and vote.”
The article stresses the importance of voting this November: “If we don’t do our part and vote we leave the future of our industry, sport and tradition — and constitutionally protected right — to chance. [T]here’s too much at stake to stand by and do nothing [so] don’t risk your rights, vote!”
State Elections Are Also Key to Protecting Gun Owners’ Rights
In a related Shooting Industry article, Colorado shooting instructor Ava Flanell notes that STATE elections are very important, as most anti-gun statutes come from state legislation. Yes, the 2024 Presidential election is very important, but state elections are also key to protecting gun rights.
Ava notes: “When egregious gun laws are passed, many people blame their governor, but these laws wouldn’t even be put on the governor’s desk if we stopped them in the state legislature.” Ava explains that it is vital that “We elect pro-gun individuals at the state house and state senate level. It means we must vote and encourage others to vote. Apathetic voters, especially the millions of gun owners and hunters who aren’t even voting, must be encouraged to step up and vote for our rights.”
Ava observes that “Bloomberg, Soros and other radical left-wing billionaires have spent a fortune in nearly every state to get politicians elected to local and state governments that support their radical agendas. These states have passed the bulk of anti-gun legislation in the last few years.” Ava stresses the importance of voting for pro-Second Amendment state and local leaders: “These local elections are where we, the voter, can have just as big of an impact. We must be willing to do our part and get involved.”
Ava Flanell is firearms instructor who operates elitefirearmsandtraining.com in Colorado. In the video above, Ava explains key issues on the ballot in Colorado this November.
This Gun Digest book has become a “go-to” resource for NRL22 and PRS Rimfire shooters. Key topics included in this 2021 Edition full-color Gun Digest book include: rimfire semi-autos and how they work; bolt-action accuracy; match shooting skills; DIY precision gunsmithing; hunting with rimfires; and the future of the rimfire market.
With the growth of rimfire tactical competition, the .22-Caliber rimfire rifle is more popular than ever. Every major gun manufacturer has brought at least one new .22 LR rimfire rifle to the market in the last two years. Gun Digest’s Rimfire Revolution has extensive coverage of new models from major manufacturers.
The .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR) is the planet’s most popular ammunition type and firearm chambering. The .22 LR is used in the Olympics by 3P marksmen, but it also serves benchrest competitors, NRL22 shooters, backyard plinkers, small-game hunters, and tactical trainers. With the expansion of NRL22 matches (and the PRS equivalent), the humble .22 LR is undergoing a major resurgence in the USA. And with centerfire reloading components being so costly and difficult to find, many folks are shooting less centerfire, but way more rimfire.
This 272-page book also covers .17-caliber rimfire cartridges: 17 HM2 (Mach 2), 17 HMR, and 17 WSM. These are all excellent varmint rounds, with the 17 WSM effective out to 250 yards. The 17 HM2 will run in a normal .22 LR action and feed from standard .22 LR magazines. So, for most rifles, all you need to do a .22 LR to 17 HM2 conversion is a barrel switch. That gives your rimfire rig twice the versatility. Shoot .22s and .17s with the same gun.
NRL22 — Challenging Practical Competition with .22 LR Rifles
The USA has seen a big growth in rimfire tactical matches over the last five years. Right now there are probably ten times as many rimfire tactical matches as sanctioned PRS and NRL centerfire matches. The reason is simple — rimfire ammo is much less costly, and clubs can run challenging rimfire tactical matches at nearly any outdoor gun range that allows shooting out to 200+ yards.
NRL22 Competition — Tactical Rimfire Matches
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).
Tips for NRL22 Competitors by Jonathan Ocab
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.
1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.
2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.
Hunting season is underway around the country. If you need a good hunting rifle, consider a Tikka. The Tikka T3 and newer T3x rifles are very popular with hunters around the globe — for good reason. These rifles offer smooth-running actions, easy sub-MOA accuracy with good ammo, crisp triggers, and ultra-reliable detachable box magazines. The Tupperware stocks aren’t super-rigid, but they are comfortable and easy to handle. If you are looking for a hunting rifle, the Tikka T3 and T3X models are smart choices, offering good performance for the price (starting at $749.00 for the T3X Lite version). The T3 series is offered in a wide selection of chamberings, from .204 Ruger up to the large magnums.
Here are three good Tikka T3/T3x video reviews. The first, from the popular Backfire YouTube channel covers the features of the Tikka T3 series. The second video, from an experienced hunter in New Zealand, explains cover the T3’s controls and how to use the rifle most effectively during a hunt. Last but not least is a Hickok45 video examining the T3x’s controls and ergonomics. This video also demonstrates the T3x’s accuracy on steel targets.
VIDEO One — Why the Tikka T3x Is Great for Hunting
With 800,000+ subscribers, the Backfire Channel is one of the most popular gun channels on YouTube. You can trust what the Backfire reviewers say because they pay their own money for the products they review. This video reviews Tikka’s current generation T3s rifle. Backfire had high praise for Tikka T3x rifles: “The Tikka T3x SL is an incredibly lightweight mountain rifle that should be in every hunter’s safe. We like it for its lightweight build, stainless steel barrel, superb trigger, and surprisingly accurate shooting. Overall, this is the hunting rifle we recommend more frequently than any other.”
VIDEO Two — Tikka T3 Controls and Function
In this video, New Zealander Mitch of BushBrothersNZ reviews a T3 with polymer stock and stainless barrel chambered for the .270 Win. Mitch focuses on the T3’s controls and functions, with particular attention to the operation of trigger, safety, and bolt.
VIDEO Three — Hickok45 Tests Tikka T3X in 6.5 Creedmoor
Popular YouTube gun reviewer Hickok45 reviews the Tikka T3x Tactical Compact Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor. There are good explanations of the operation of the action and magazine. In addition Hickok45 shoots the rifle offhand (05:10 and 13:44 time-marks), evaluating the ergonomics of the stock and the trigger feel. Hickok45 now has 7.38 million subscribers to his YouTube Channel.
SEB Rests has come out with a new, more compact front joystick rest for rimfire and air rifle competition. Designed for benchrest rimfire and air rifle shooting, the new AR250 Rest takes its name from the perfect score of 250 in WRABF competition. Balancing mobility, performance, and cost, this rest features a rigid, extendable central post and two elevation adjustment systems for rapid and smooth height changes. Current price is $620 US dollars, a bargain compared to some other joystick rests.
The new AR250 provides a very stable shooting platform yet is still easily transportable. The versatile design makes it suitable for multiple rimfire and air rifle disciplines. The AR250 joystick travel is designed to be able to cover most target sizes from WRABF to NRA/ARA at 25-100 yards and 25-100 meters. Fitted with an adjustable counterweight system for smooth joystick action, the newly designed top plate secures the custom front bag firmly in place with minimal play. The AR250 rest is offered with three bag options: one 2 1⁄4″-wide bag, one 3″-wide bag, or both sizes.
SEB AR250 rest has very extensive height adjustment range to fit varying rifle styles and target heights.
Initial user reviews have been very positive. Here are comments from customers and testers:
— “I am delighted with the accuracy and smoothness of operation. Brilliant product.”
— “The rest is very compact and lightweight. I recommend for anyone who… has struggled shooting rimfire with oversize pedestals designed for centerfire benchrest.”
— “The joystick feels smooth and precise, and the counterweight makes aiming feel wonderful.”
— “The rest is very solid for as small that it is, and the construction is wonderful.”
— “It transports far easier than any of the rests I have tried so far.”
Included in the box are: AR250 rest and front bag(s), Joystick arm and adjustable counterweight, leveling screws, 3 rest feet with hard neoprene rubber bottoms, spare bolts/accessories, and user manual.
For full product description and more product photos, visit AR250.sebrests.com.
Today we feature a top-flight tactical .22 LR rig belonging to Jonathan Ocab. A talented Highpower marksman with the Distinguished Rifleman Badge, Jonathan also enjoys rimfire tactical disciplines which he features on his Youtube Channel. Jonathan has run a monthly NRL22 match in California. His interest in the NRL22 game started with a CZ 455, but soon he stepped up to the impressive rig you see here. This boasts all top-tier components: Vudoo V-22 mag-fed action, Bartlein barrel, MPA Chassis, and Kahles K525i scope. Jonathan carefully selected all this hardware and assembled the rifle himself.
My Vudoo/MPA Rifle for NRL22 and Long Range Rimfire Report by Jonathan Ocab,Ocabj.net.
I became interested in rimfire shooting due to not having as much access to longer distance ranges, and the emergence of NRL22 matches. Back in 2017 I had acquired a CZ 455 and ran it in NRL22 club matches. It worked well, but as I started spending most of my time on my club’s rimfire range, I focused on getting a Vudoo Gun Works V-22. The Vudoo V-22 appeared to offer a true repeater that had the feel of a full-sized centerfire rifle along with high accuracy/precision potential.
After a lot of research, I decided to put in an order for a barreled action and acquired a Vudoo Gun Works V-22 action with a 20″ Bartlein barrel, 1-16″ twist, and MTU contour, all in Flat Dark Earth Cerakote (along with a +30 MOA base). I then acquired the TriggerTech Diamond Trigger Pro Curved, Masterpiece Arms BA Comp chassis (in Flat Dark Earth), American Rifle Company M10 34mm rings (28mm height), and Kahles K525i 5-25x56mm SKMR3 LSW scope.
CZ as a Starter NRL22 Option — The CZ 450-series is a solid family of .22 LR rifles, but I wanted to see what existed beyond the CZ level of rimfire rifles. One of my complaints with the CZ 455 is that the trigger leaves much to be desired even with the trigger kits available. Since the Vudoo V-22 action has a Remington 700 footprint and can accept most Rem 700-compatible triggers, I can actually run a top-tier trigger that would exceed anything available for the CZ.
Component Selection for the Ultimate NRL22 Competition Rifle
My choices in components were biased due to my prior experience — I went with quality hardware I knew and trusted…
Barrel Choice — I chose the Bartlein barrel over Vudoo’s in-house Ace barrels because I run a Bartlein barrel on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle and I have become a big Bartlein fan. Secondly, I chose the Masterpiece Arms BA Competition chassis because I also run the MPA BA Comp on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle. You can see the two rifles side-by-side below:
You are not seeing double. There are two rifles, both with an MPA Comp BA chassis, and both weighing about 15 pounds. In front is the featured Vudoo-action .22 LR rimfire rig with 20″ barrel, while behind is Ocab’s ARC Mausingfield 6mm Creedmoor PRS/NRL centerfire rig with 24″ barrel.
After running this rifle build for over a year now, I can say that I am more than happy with this platform as I have it configured. Having a .22 LR rifle in the same chassis as my 6mm Creedmoor rifle makes me feel right at home behind either rimfire or centerfire platform. My Vudoo V-22 weighs 15.2 lbs with Atlas CAL bipod while my 6mm Creedmoor rifle build weighs right at 15.0 lbs with the same Atlas CAL bipod. The “feel” and handling of my Vudoo V-22 MPA is as close to a centerfire gun as you can get.
Scope and Rings — I chose the 5-25x56mm Kahles K525i SKMR3 LSW because I was interested in running the Kahles after handling a few K624i and K525i scopes and hearing about how great they tracked. I run ARC M10 rings on several rifles because I think they are superbly designed.
Trigger Choice — I chose the TriggerTech Diamond because I already have a TriggerTech on one of my centerfire platforms and I wanted to try their Diamond trigger on a gun.
Outstanding Accuracy with Multiple .22 LR Ammo Types — Lapua and SK
My .22 LR ammo of choice is Lapua Center-X. This is the most commonly-chosen ammunition among Vudoo V-22 shooters. I also had good results with SK Rifle Match and Lapua Midas+ in casual 50-yard and 100-yard testing but have stayed with Lapua Center-X because my rifle shot all the lots of Center-X I put into it equally well out to 200 yards.
SUMMARY — The Vudoo V-22 and MPA Package Is Outstanding
I can hands down recommend the Vudoo Gun Works V-22 for anyone who is interested in getting one. The “full-sized” rimfire rifle segment is not a one-horse race anymore and there are other options out there, but I feel very few will regret going with a Vudoo V-22 over another alternative. If you do not have a centerfire rifle designed for NRL/PRS style of shooting, you could probably just opt to go with a CZ 457 or Tikka T1x and have a lot of room to modify and tailor those rifles to your own tastes and still have an accurate rifle for NRL22. But if you also run a precision centerfire rifle, you should seriously consider a Vudoo V-22 or other 700-pattern rimfire action if purchasing a new .22 LR rimfire rig.
My Vudoo Gun Works V-22 build is an all-purpose gun for me. It is setup for NRL22-style matches but can be utilized for (extreme) long range .22 LR shooting (300 yards and beyond). For that rimfire ELR Game, I am seriously considering getting a Vudoo V-22S (single-shot) action to put in an F-Class stock to have a dedicated ELR .22 LR gun. While I built my Vudoo Gun Works V-22 with NRL22 in mind, I realized this gun could do more so I took it out to shoot 300 yards. After that, I stretched it out to 400 yards and then 500 yards in subsequent range visits. Now I am intrigued by extreme long range .22 LR shooting and often shoot 400 yards and beyond with the Vudoo V-22 when I can.
Long Range .22 LR Rimfire — Out to 500 Yards
Jonathan shoots his competition rifle in Long Range Rimfire matches with targets out to 500 yards. That’s definitely Extreme Long Range for the little .22 LR cartridge, requiring 27.8 MILs of up elevation! Jonathan notes: “I originally had a +30 MOA base on my rifle and it worked fine to 400 yards, but I ran out of adjustment on the K525i to get to 500 and had to hold over. I ended up getting a +40 MOA base.”
NRL22 Competition — Tactical Rimfire Matches
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).
Tips for NRL22 Competitors
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.
1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.
2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.
The author at NRL22 Match at West End Gun Club in San Bernardino, CA.
3. Support Side Shooting — NRL22 matches often include support-side shooting stages. This requires you to shoot with your opposite (non-dominant) hand and eye. I often hear people complain about shooting support-side. My only real tip for this is to actually spend time at the range shooting this way. Practice makes perfect. It’s all a question of learning how to shoot again and using fundamentals. Learn to get a consistent cheek weld and consistent eye relief. If necessary, figure out if you need to set your scope’s diopter for your opposite eye and mark it on the scope.
4. Tripod Practice — Even though tripods are not used in the NRL22 courses of fire, I practice shooting off of a tripod often. I will often setup targets at various distances and spaced far apart to run drills firing shots on each target with the goal of speeding up transitions and target acquisitions. Target acquisition after transition from target to target is where time is lost, so it is good to become efficient in this area.
BONUS Video — Modern NRL22 Hardware, Optics, and Ammo
Released on October 5, 2024, this recent Pursuit of Accuracy channel video reviews some of the latest and greatest equipment options for NRL22 and Precision rimfire disciplines. The host covers action and stock options at 1:10 time mark. Then at the 4:00 minute mark, he explains popular scope options. At 7:02 in the video he explains how he selects and tests .22 LR ammunition (he favors ELEY). Finally, at 11:52 he explores barrel options while including suggestions on efficient barrel maintenance. This video includes excellent Shooter’s POV footage shot with a video camera mounted on the rifle.
Erik Cortina is one of America’s top F-Class competitors. He has won major matches and is a member of Team Lapua-Brux-Borden. Erik, who produces his own line of EC Barrel Tuners and Tuner Brakes, also has a popular Believe the Target YouTube Channel which features interviews with top shooters, parts makers, and gunsmiths. For this Saturday Movie showcase, we feature videos created by Erik for his channel.
Interview with Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics
Bryan Litz, head honcho of Applied Ballistics LLC, is arguably the leading ballistics expert on planet earth. A talented shooter who has won major F-Class, ELR, and Palma matches, Bryan is a high-IQ scientist who has developed the ballistics software many of us now use in Kestrels and other devices to calculate scope clicks with extreme precision. In this interview, Bryan explains basic ballistics principles and also corrects some popular misconceptions. This is a great interview that has received much praise from viewers, one of whom has noted: “Bryan is a walking science lab. He puts out amazing data-based info[.]” With 87,000 views, this is Erik’s second-most popular video ever.
Interview with 6-Time Nat’l Long Range Champion John Whidden
CLICK HERE for full 81-minute interview with John Whidden.
John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks is one of the greatest American marksman in history. Shooting sling rifles, John has won the U.S. Long Range National Championship a remarkable six times. He has also won a Palma World Championship, and this summer John won the 2022 Smallbore Prone U.S. National Championship. While a humble individual, John has superb shooting skills and unrivaled mental toughness. In this interview, John talks about the challenges of competition and what motivates him to excel. John also talks about the products he has developed for Whidden Gunworks.
Interview with NBRSA 3-Gun and Tackdriver Champ Bart Sauter
Bullet-maker Bart Sauter is one of the world’s best benchrest shooters. He won the 2022 NBRSA 3-Gun National Championship this year, and he also has won the multi-class Tack Driver event two years in a row. Plus he has set small-group world record at 600 yards. In this very informative interview, Bart talks about bullets, equipment selection, match preparation, and shooting techniques. We think every benchrest shooter should watch this video.
Master at Work — Sauter in Action
If you want to see how a world-class bench shooter runs his rifle, check out this short video showing Bart Sauter in action. He runs five shots in about 9 seconds.
Interview with Tod Hendricks, 2021 F-Open National Champion
A member of Team Lapua/Brux/Borden, Tod Hendricks has been one of the most talented and consistent F-Open competitors for many years. He used his mental toughness and wind-reading skills to capture a National Championship in 2021. In this wide-ranging interview with his team-mate Erik Cortina, Tod reveals what it takes to win in F-Open these days, covering equipment, ammo quality, and match preparation.
Brux Barrels is a machine tool company located in Lodi, Wisconsin, specializing in premium, custom, cut-rifled barrels. Brux barrels have set some impressive benchrest records, and have won championships in multiple disciplines. In this video Erik Cortina interviews Ken Clemens of Brux. They discuss the production process at Brux, from the selection of top-quality steel blanks to the final hand-lapping procedures.
Interview with Lanny Bassham, Olympic Gold Medalist and Author
Erik Cortina recently interviewed noted author and Olympic Gold Medal-winning shooter Lanny Bassham. Erik asked Lanny about his book With Winning in Mind. Lanny discussed the “mental game” in the shooting sports and Lanny’s program for visualization of a winning performance. Lanny explains that after you have mastered your rifle skills, and learned to read the wind, it is important to adopt a winning mentality and to visualize success. Lanny should know. He won a shooting Gold Medal in the Olympics along with 22 world individual and team titles.
Interview with Lindsey Paul, Queen of 2 Miles
Lindsey Paul is the only women to win the King of Two Miles ELR competition, becoming the first-ever QUEEN of Two Miles, shooting a .375 CheyTac. In 2021, the talented lady Texan beat a field of top competitors, including past KO2M Champions, all guys. Lindsey had a truly outstanding performance, including 3 hits in 5 shots at the max distance, 2.0 miles (3520 yards). In this interview, Lindsey, who works in the law enforcement field, talks about the Extreme Long Range (ELR) game, and she also explains what it’s like to shoot the heavy-recoiling .375 CheyTac.
Interview with Frank Galli — Founder of Sniper’s Hide
The founder of the popular Sniper’s Hide Forum, Frank Galli is an online pioneer and living legend in the tactical shooting sports world. A former U.S. Marine Scout-Sniper, Frank (aka “Lowlight”) runs a very active Forum with over 180,000 members. Along with moderating his Forum, Frank runs training clinics and hosts regular podcasts. Frank is also the author of the book Precision Rifle Marksmanship: The Fundamentals, an excellent resource for PRS/NRL competitors as well as tactical marksmen.
BONUS Videos — Two Great Tech and Reloading Videos
How to Find Jam Point on your Barrel
Loading for F-Class
Erik Cortina produces his own line of EC Barrel Tuners and Tuner Brakes. These have been used successfully by many top shooters. View the full line of Cortina Precision products at: ShootSmallGroups.com.
Last Saturday, 9/28/24, was National Hunting and Fishing Day. Working on your wind reading skills can improve your odds of a successful hunt. Image from NHFDay.org.
Thomas Haugland, a Shooters’ Forum member from Norway, is a long-range target shooter and hunter. He has created an interesting video showing how to gauge wind velocities by watching trees, grass, and other natural vegetation. The video commentary is in English, but the units of wind speed (and distance) are metric. Haugland explains: “This is not a full tutorial, but rather a short heads-up to make you draw the lines between the dots yourself”. Here are some conversions that will help when watching the video:
.5 m/s = 1.1 mph | 1 m/s = 2.2 mph | 2 m/s = 4.5 mph
3 m/s = 6.7 mph | 4 m/s = 8.9 mph | 5 m/s =11.2 mph
How to Gauge Wind Speed and Hold Off Using Reticles
This field video shows how to observe natural indicators — trees and vegetation — to estimate wind velocity. Then it shows how to calculate hold-offs using the reticle hash-marks. Thomas shoots a fast-cycling Blaser R93 rifle with Norma 6XC ammunition.
Photo by Forum member GAT. Chambered in 6-6.5×47 Lapua, this rifle features a Stiller TAC30 action, Krieger barrel, Harrells brake, Konohawk Stock, and Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm scope.
Ryan Cleckner has created many good shooting videos for the NSSF, such as his excellent Understanding MOA Video. Ryan is noted for his ability to explain complex topics in an easy-to-comprehend manner. This video, covering the fundamentals of shooting, has been viewed over 3.7 million times! It’s worth watching, particularly for guys getting started in PRS/practical competitions.
In this video, Ryan Cleckner reviews proper technique for rifle shooters. A stable platform, sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control are key fundamentals to shooting properly. This is basic stuff, but Cleckner presents it in a clear, logical fashion. This is a good video for novice shooters.
Tip on Viewing Your Reticle:
Cleckner: “Sometimes it can be difficult to focus between the target and the reticle, even with the parallax adjusted properly. I recommend you focus only on the reticle. Just like the front sight on a rifle or a handgun, that reticle is what you can control, and it’s what matters. Focus on a crisp, clear reticle, in a stable platform, and all that’s left is trigger control.”
Tip on Trigger Control:
Cleckner: “Trigger control is pretty straightforward, as long as you think about it as a continuous process, and not just one thing that happens. I like to think about it as drawing a line in the dirt. I like to think about this constant pressure that I’m adding as I draw this line straight back, and then… continuing to draw that line even as the rifle goes off. That’s the good follow-through you’ll need.”
Long Range Shooting Handbook — A Good Resource
Cleckner has authored a book, the Long Range Shooting Handbook, which expands on the topics covered in the above video. You can view Sample Chapters from Ryan’s Book on Amazon.com.
Ryan Cleckner’s LR Shooting Handbook is designed as an intro to important fundamental concepts such as MOA vs. Mils, External Ballistics, and Environmental Effects. Included are personal tips and advice based on Cleckner’s years of experience as a sniper instructor and special operations sniper.
The Long Range Shooting Handbook is divided into three main categories: What It Is/How It Works, Fundamentals, and How to Use It. “What It Is/How It Works” covers equipment, terminology, and basic principles. “Fundamentals” covers the theory of long range shooting. “How to Use It” gives practical advice on implementing what you’ve learned, so you can progress as a skilled, long range shooter.
As a long-range shooting expert, Ryan Cleckner has impressive credentials. Cleckner was a special operations sniper (1/75 RGR) with multiple combat deployments, and he has served a U.S. Army sniper instructor. Currently he works as a firearms industry executive and attorney.
Starline Brass offers a series of videos with helpful reloading tips. Focused primarily on pistol cartridges, these short videos can help anyone get started with metallic cartridge reloading. If you load pistol rounds on a progressive, this video series is particularly helpful. The on-camera host is Hunter Pilant, son of Carroll Pilant of Sierra Bullets.
Preventing Double Charges
Tip: Use a bulky powder that fills your case more than half way with a correct charge. This will overfill the case if it is double-charged, making it very difficult to seat a bullet.
Tumble New Brass Before Loading the First Time
Tip: Tumble new pistol cartridge brass in used media for 30 minutes before loading for the first time. This will add enough graphite (carbon residue) to smooth case entry into dies. You can also lube the case mouths with graphite, or use spray lube.
Powder Through Expander — How to Eliminate Hang-ups
Tip: When loading pistol brass with a progressive press, sometime the powder-through expander is hard to remove, especially with short cases. There are two fixes — first, try deburring the inside of the case mouth on your cases. Second, the radius of the powder through expander plug can be modified to smooth entry and exit (see photo). Starline will do this modification for free.
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
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