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.
Keith Glasscock is one of America’s greatest F-Class shooters and one of highly respected wind coach. A High Master, Keith finished second overall at the 2021 NRA F-Class Long Range Championship in F-Open division. He also finished second at the 2020 F-Open Nationals, and second at the 2019 F-Open Nationals. His consistency is unrivaled, which means he definitely knows the secrets of competition shooting and loading ultra-accurate ammo. In recent seasons, Keith has started PRS/NRL competition, bringing his impressive shooting skills to those popular tactical disciplines.
Keith has a great YouTube Channel with multiple new video releases every month. On Keith’s Winning in the Wind channel, Keith offers 265+ informative videos on a wide range of topics including wind reading, reloading, component selection, load development, and training.
For today’s Saturday Video Showcase, we offer nine of our favorite Keith Glasscock videos. These cover many key topics — ballistics, barrel care, gunsmithing, bullet sorting, reloading, maintenance and more. Each video has important points that can benefit any competitive rifle shooter, whether you shoot in local 100-yard fun matches or compete at the National Level in F-Class, LR Benchrest, Palma, High Power, or PRS/NRL.
Top 10 Methods to Improve Your Shooting Accuracy
To shoot top scores, you need great skills and great hardware. This video covers 10 things that can improve accuracy, starting with the most important. The #1 item, notes Keith, is rifle shooting skill — you need to be able to hold on target properly and run the rifle consistently shot after shot. The second most important thing is an accurate rifle — you need a rifle with an excellent barrel, quality components, and top-tier inherent accuracy. Third, you need very accurate ammo, and this means you need to perfect your reloading skills. You need precise powder measurement and good, consistent bullet seating. Fourth in the list is related to ammo — you need the ability to do effective load development to pick the best load for your particular barrel. Number 5 is the “right bullet”. You need a high-quality, ultra-consistent bullet that is a good match for your particular barrel and discipline. Watch the video for the other five items.
Wind Direction vs. Wind Speed — Which is More Important
Most shooters find wind reading somewhat intimidating. That is understandable. The wind can change constantly during a match, with variations in both wind velocity and angles. Sometimes you think you have a cycle figured out, but then there can be an unexpected lull. Or you may start a string in what you think is a stable condition, but then a surprise shift changes everything. In addition, wind flows can be influenced by terrain features, such as berms, which have varying effects depending on wind angle (e.g. a tailwind hitting a berm will act differently than a 90-deg crosswind). That is why a good wind reader needs to identify both the wind speed AND the wind angle. In this video, Keith explains when to focus primarily on direction and when to pay most attention to velocity. With headwinds and tailwinds, Keith notes, you should monitor angle changes carefully. With crosswinds, speed is the key variable to watch.
KEY Points to Remember
— Small changes in wind direction changes alter POI drastically at long range
— During head or tailwinds, focus on wind direction
— During crosswinds, focus more on wind speed
— The wind is cyclic — always be aware of the pattern
Reloading for PRS/NRL vs. F-Class
Keith Glasscock is one of the very few PRS/NRL competitors who has shot F-Class at the very highest level, finishing second three times in F-Class National Championships. PRS/NRL and F-Class are very different disciplines with different challenges. F-Class is shot prone with time between shots and target distances from 600 to 1000 yards. In PRS/NRL competition, you are shooting from multiple positions, at many distances from 100 yards on out, with fast follow-up shoots. For F-Open, you want an extremely accurate load that can deliver sub-quarter MOA groups at 200 yards. For PRS/NRL you don’t necessarily need that level of accuracy (though it helps). But you also need a load that is very consistent, has relatively low recoil, but can also provide sufficient impact energy to clearly show a hit on distant steel. In this video, Keith Glasscock explains his reloading objectives for the two disciplines.
How to Find (and Fine-Tune) Seating Depth
This is Keith’s most popular video, with 295,000 views on YouTube. Keith definitely knows how to maximize accuracy by finding the optimal seating depth for each particular barrel. He is achieving groups in the high Ones for three shots. That would be good for a short-range benchrest cartridge, but Keith is achieving that with a .284 Winchester which has much more recoil. If you shoot F-TR or F-Open or even PRS, you should watch this video.
How to Remove Carbon Build-Up in Barrels
Hard carbon is the bane of rifle shooters. Hard carbon build-up in the barrel can adversely affect accuracy, and in extreme cases, can lead to increased pressure. If possible, you should clean your barrel(s) soon after a match (or shooting session) before the carbon fully hardens. We’ve used Wipe-Out Foam right after a match (with an hour soak time) and that dramatically reduced the amount of brushing required. In this video Keith Glasscock explains the negatives of hard carbon in your barrel, and he discusses how to diagnose the problem and how to remove the carbon build-up efficiently.
Key Methods for Precision Load Development
Keith starts this video with this adage: “The best do the basics better.” He then explains how that applies to load development and achieving great accuracy. Your need to start with high-quality components then do every step of the reloading process — case prep, powder mesauring, bullet seating with precision. Keith then goes through his recommended process for developing an accurate load that will sustain accuracy throughout a match.
Recommended Barrel Break-In Methods
Barrel break-in is a controversial subject. With premium finish-lapped barrels from top manufacturers, some ace F-Class shooters get away with hardly no break-in — just shoot for score right from the get-go. On high-quality custom barrels, we’ve had success with minimalistic break-in with a few wet patches ever 3 rounds for the first 20 rounds. However, with relatively rough factory barrels, you may get better long-term results with a systematic break-in process, even using specialized products on your patches. In this video Keith Glasscock explains break-in procedures he’s found to work for various barrel types and applications.
What Counts More — ES or SD?
In general, we have gotten the best match results with loads showing an Extreme Spread (ES) under 13 FPS and an extremely low Standard Deviation (SD). We know that F-Class and ELR shooters competing at 1000 yards and beyond definitely want an extremely low ES to minimize vertical dispersion at long range. That said, some short-range Benchrest competitors look at group size more than ES/SD. In this video, Keith Glasscock talks about the reloading process and methods for lowering ES and SD. Proper brass prep is important, as is precise powder measuring. And long range shooters may want to test 3 or 4 different powder types to find the one that offers the best combination of accuracy and low ES/SD.
Sorting Bullets — Various Methods Compared
Should you sort your bullets? If so, should you sort by weight, OAL, base-to-ogive, or max diameter? Which factor? Well the answer is “it depends”. You need to carefully examine a couple dozen bullets from each batch to see how consistent they are. We had some Lapua bullets that were ultra-consistent with 97 out of 100 within .0015″ base to ogive length. We used those bullets unsorted to set a local range record at 600 yards. On the other hand if you find significant differences in weights, diameters, or bearing surface lengths, you probably should sort. One tip — many shooters do not consider the width difference in bullets. We have seen 6mm bullet diameters vary from 0.2428″ to 0.2436″. We have one 3-groove 6BR barrel that likes the skinny bullets and another 6-groove barrel that definitely prefers the fatter bullets.
Talented sharpshooter Kirsten Joy Weiss is featured in an episode of NRA All Access. The show covers Kirsten’s development as a competitive shooter, and her success as a trick-shot artist with her own popular YouTube channel. Here’s the All Access segment featuring many of Kirsten’s most famous trick shots.
During the video Kirsten also talks about her background in shooting and how she wants to be a good ambassador for the shooting sports, “spreading the positive reality of shooting”. Kirsten explains: “The fun challenge and joy of shooting is important to me because I really wanted to be a positive example. So when the media says the ‘guns are a bad thing and nobody does anything good with guns’, they can say ‘Well, what about her [Kirsten]’?”
Kirsten: “I think that it’s important for young girls to have somebody that they can look up to… I feel responsibility to show young shooters coming up, especially females, that you can respect yourself and shoot a gun as well.”
A gifted “natural” shooter, Kirsten started shooting fairly late — at age 16. Despite her relatively late start, she learned very quickly, and managed to earn a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. That literally opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”
Kirsten tells us: “A lot of people don’t think of shooting as a sport, but it absolutely is, and I would even go so far as to say that it is an art form.” We don’t know if this is art, sport, or magic, but very few shooters have the skill or flexibility to make this upside-down shot…
Splatterburst 1″ circles, 62 per sheet, 10-pk $9.99. These can be pasted on other paper backers.
We’ve all seen conventional splatter targets with a single large black bullseye. When a shot hits the target, a halo (usually neon yellow) appears around the bullet hole. This makes it easier to see your shot placements indoors, or at long range outdoors. Today we feature a variety of other targets that also offer the cool halo/splatter effect. We’ve found grids, multiple bull targets, sheets with 62 one-inch circle pasters, handgun training targets, and even white background splatter targets (that produce black halos). Try out some of these targets for fun (kids love plinking with splatter targets).
This would be an amazing group at 100 yards. But this 5-shot bughole was shot at TWO HUNDRED yards in competition by Bart Sauter of Bart’s Custom Bullets. And he did it with a borrowed barrel!
Be amazed. This five-shot group was shot at 200 yards in competition by bullet-maker Bart Sauter. Bart shot this astounding group with his 10.5-lb Light Varmint benchrest rifle at a East-West Match in St. Louis, Missouri. Had Bart been shooting an IBS match, this would have been a new IBS World Record, beating the .091″ by David Farrar in 2006. This .088″ group missed the NBRSA 200-yard 5-shot group record by a whisker — .013″ (thirteen thousandths). The listed NBRSA LV 200-yard Group record is 0.075″ shot by Johnnie Stewart in 2009.
New record or not, this is one remarkably impressive group, shot by one very talented shooter and bullet-maker. Bart tells us he initially “held center” for the first three shots in the group. Then, watching his wind flags he noticed slight increase in the left-to-right condition, so he held 0.200″ to the left on shot 4 and it worked. Before shot 5, Bart detected another slight change, so he held 0.300″ left for the fifth and final shot. He explained: “If I had not held off for those last two shots, this group would have been about a flat four (0.400″).” Well done Bart!
“First three … bang bang bang … all went in one hole. Then I held left on shot 4 and it worked. On the last shot I held a little more, got lucky and it went in.” — Bart Sauter
In our Shooter’s Forum, Bart posted “This is my personal best-ever 5-shot group at 200 yards. I knew it was small, but was shocked to see it was a Zero! This will be a range record and record for the East/West match. Last group of the day! A nice way to end the match!”
Here is the 6PPC LV rifle that shot the .088″ group. Yes that’s a concrete shooting bench inside a pretty nice cabin with hunting trophies on the walls. Bart explained: “We reload and shoot out of the Monkey Hut, especially during the winter. Most of the time we shoot outside at 100/200 from a a three-bench range.
Amazing Group Shot with Borrowed Krieger Barrel!
There’s a very interesting side-note to this story. You see Bart doesn’t even own the Krieger barrel that delivered this amazing .088″ 200-yard group. That’s right this superb barrel was a “loaner” — borrowed from Bart’s buddy Gary Sullivan. [Editor: Oh that we could all be so lucky with borrowed components.] With Sullivan’s blessing, Bart has since loaned the barrel yet again to ace Billy Stevens, who will be using it at the World Benchrest Championship in Canada, July 14-21, 2019.
This photo shots Bart on the right and his good friend Billy Stevens on the left. Bart notes: “Billy is a 2-time Super Shoot Winner and 3-time USA World Benchrest Team member!”
Bart Sauter’s LV 6PPC Rifle Specifications
Chambering/Caliber: 6PPC
Gunsmith: Stevens Accuracy
Action: BAT DS RBLP Right Eject
Trigger: Jewell
Stock: Scarborough Carbon Fiber over Wood Skeleton
Barrel: Krieger — and it was borrowed!
Tuner: Bukys TSI Tuner
Optic: 40x45mm IOR-Valdada 30mm tube
Rings: Benchsource Double Rings
Front Rest: Farley Joystick
Rear Bag: Edgewood Bunny Ear, very soft, gray leather — special order from Bruno’s.
Front Bag: Edgewood — same soft gray leather.
Here is Bart’s target with a bullet removed. Bart was shooting his own 6mm 68gr Avenger bullets, a double-radius ogive design. The Avengers were seated about .004″ away from the lands: “I tried going into the lands and that didn’t seem to work, then I backed it off four thousandths [from contact] and the rifle liked that.” Bart drove those 68gr Avengers with a stout load of Accurate LT30 powder running 3407 FPS.
Bart’s Comments on His Components and Accessories
OPTICS — Bart likes his new 40x45mm IOR-Valdada Benchrest Scope. He says that, so far, it has proved very reliable and holds zero exceptionally well. This new design features a worm drive side-focus, oversized ocular with true +/- diopter adjustment, long eye relief, and fast-focusing reticle. The 40X Valdada also boasts superb HD “double-compressed” Schott glass from Germany.
TUNER — Bart says the Bukys TSI Tuner definitely helps. He notes that once he finds the “sweet spot” for his barrel he can normally leave it alone: “With that type of tuner, I have to be in a very dire straight to move it. Normally I will set it for the lifetime of the barrel.”
REAR BAG — Bart’s rear bag is an unusual Edgewood with softer gray leather. He says this was a special order by Bruno Shooters Supply. Bart likes how the rear bag works with his carbon-stocked 10.5-lb rifle: “With PPCs we ‘ride on the ears’ — this older bag just seems to work really well for that style.”
SUPER FEET — Bart told us he uses Benchsource Super Feet for his front rest: “The bench tops at St Louis are very slick. Before I set up I’ll use a spray bottle with water and wet the bench where the Super feet and rear bag will go. This really helps to keep things from sliding around!”
An Important Anniversary Eighty-one years ago today, Allied forces crossed the English Channel and began the assault of Europe that meant the end of Nazi occupation and the end of WWII in the European Theatre. There are few of those assaulters left today, but we all owe them a debt of gratitude. They’re part of that “Greatest Generation” that preserved freedom in its time of greatest peril. And we thank them all. — The Shooting Wire
Back in 2014, Forum member Robert Chombart posted this message from his home in Normandy, France: “On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I … salute the memory of the thousands of American soldiers who sacrificed their youth to liberate France, with … particular [respect] for those who rest in Normandy ground.” Today, 80 years after that historic invasion day, it is important we never forget the sacrifice of those who gave their lives on the beaches of Normandy.
Today we should remember those who crossed the Channel to begin the liberation of Europe. Thousands of soldiers, sailors, and aviators gave their lives on June 6, 1944. Their sacrifice on “The Longest Day”, allowed people throughout Europe to enjoy freedom. We should remember those brave warriors, and never forget that freedom is not free — it requires continuing vigilance and sacrifice.
Ever wondered how factory ammunition is produced, from start to finish? How are brass cases made, how are bullets created, and how are finished cartridges produced on automated assembly lines? Today’s video showcase features six major factories that, collectively, produce bullets, powder, and finished ammo. We start with the Berger Bullet plant, follow by Vihtavuori powder production in Europe. Then we show the Remington (now Vista Outdoor) ammo plant in Utah, along with a Federal plant that produces rimfire ammunition. Last but not least, there’s an excellent, very informative video from the Norma ammo factory, plus a Hornady ammo plant video.
Bullets being seating at Hornady ammo factory.
Berger Bullets Factory Tour — Made in USA
In this video, Recoil TV takes a behind-the-scenes look at Berger Bullets, and how the outstanding, match-winning Berger bullets are created. The video covers the entire process — from raw materials, to the placement of bullet cores inside jackets, to the final ultra-consistent and uniform projectiles. To see the complete line of Berger Bullets, with full Ballistic data, visit BergerBullets.com
Vihtavuori Powder Production in Europe
Vihtavuori produces some of the most consistent, high-quality powder on the planet. Vihtavuori powders have been used to set world records and win countless championships in multiple disciplines. This excellent video goes inside Vihtavuori’s European production centers. It is really fascinating — you see how extruded powder starts with long spaghetti-like strings, before being finalized into the tiny sticks that we load.
Along with the powder production process, this video includes the entire VV production line, so you see how powder bottles are filled with powder and the tops of the bottles are secured by automated machines.
Remington Ammo Factory (Now Operated by Vista Outdoor)
This SHWATteam video visits the Remington ammunition plant in Arkansas. Vista Outdoor, the company that produces Federal, Speer and CCI ammo, purchased Remington’s ammunition business in Lonoke, Arkansas. Including the new high-tech plant in the back, this facility has the equivalent of 13+ football fields (1200 acres) under roof at its ammo plant, with over 1100 employees. Production capacity is impressive. When running at maximum output, this Remington ammo plant can crank out a staggering 7,000,000+ rounds every day. To produce that volume of ammunition, the facility needs a huge amount of resources: one million pounds of copper per month and 124,000 pounds of lead per day. Remington started manufacturing ammunition at this Lonoke facility in 1970, but some of the machines have been churning out ammo since long before.
Norma Factory Tour
Guys — honestly, if you do anything today on this site, watch this video. You won’t be disappointed. Guaranteed. This is a very informative (and surprisingly entertaining) video. Every serious hand-loader should watch this video to see how cartridge cases are made. The camera work and editing are excellent — there are many close-ups revealing key processes such as annealing and head-stamping.
VERY Informative Video Show Cartridge Brass and Ammunition Production:
Norma has released a fascinating video showing how bullets, brass, and ammunition are produced at the Norma Precision AB factory which opened in 1902. You can see how cartridges are made starting with brass disks, then formed into shape through a series of processes, including “hitting [the cup] with a 30-ton hammer”. After annealing (shown at 0:08″), samples from every batch of brass are analyzed to check metal grain structure and hardness. Before packing, each case is visually inspected by a human being (3:27″ time-mark).
Federal Rimfire Ammunition Production
Field & Stream Tours Federal Ammo Plant in Minnesota
A reporter for Field & Stream recently got a chance to tour the Federal ammunition production facility in Anoka, Minnesota. This large plant produces both rimfire and centerfire ammunition. While touring the plant, the reporter was allowed to capture video showing the creation of .22 LR rounds from start to finish. This is a fascinating video, well worth watching. Watch and learn how rimfire ammo is made.
Note to Viewers — After Starting Video, Click Speaker Icon to HEAR audio!
This revealing video shows all phases of .22 LR ammo production including cupping, drawing, annealing, washing, drying, head-stamping, priming, powder charging, bullet seating, crimping, waxing, inspection, and final packaging. We recommend you watch the video from start to finish. You’ll definitely learn some new things about rimfire ammo.
Hornady Ammunition Factory
If you wonder how ammo is made, starting with raw metal, check out this video from Hornady. It shows how bullet jackets are formed from copper, followed by insertion of a lead core. The jacket is then closed up over the core with the bullet taking its final shape in a die (a cannelure is applied on some bullet types). Next the video shows how cartridge brass is formed, starting with small cups of brass. The last part of the video shows how cases are primed and filled with powder, and how bullets are seated into the cases, using an automated process on a giant assembly-line.
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?”
Keith has a great 
A gifted “natural” shooter, Kirsten started shooting fairly late — at age 16. Despite her relatively late start, she learned very quickly, and managed to earn a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. That literally opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”
Norma has released a fascinating video showing how bullets, brass, and ammunition are produced at the 
If you wonder how ammo is made, starting with raw metal, check out this video from 
