Will you be traveling (with firearms) to other states this fall? Are you concerned about the laws that might apply when you are transporting guns across state lines? Or are you puzzled about the requirements for obtaining a carry permit in your own state? If you have any of these questions, you should definitely get expert guidance on State statutes and regulations controlling firearms. To do that, you can purchase Attorney Scott Kappas’s Traveler’s Guide to the Firearms Laws of the 50 States for just $10.00 on Amazon (or $19.95 from publisher). The latest 2023 edition includes 100+ updates since last year. In addition, there are multiple new and expanded sections for 2024.
If you don’t want to spend the money on the book, there is a FREE alternative. There’s a very helpful set of State Law Summaries on the web, presented by PewPewTactical.com. Despite the silly name, the PewPewTactical website has an abundance of information that is particularly beneficial for pistol shooters and CCW holders.
One of the best features of PewPewTactical.com is the Gun Laws by State online reference guide. We looked through four of these State Law Summaries and were impressed by the depth of the coverage. But we caution — if you have specific legal questions, particularly with recently-enacted statutes, you should consult a licensed attorney for your state (or the state to which you will travel). In addition, many of the State Law Summaries have not been updated for 3-5 YEARS! But they are still a good place to start. Below are links to state law articles from PewPewTactical.com. To access any State summary, simply click the State name below:
While there are many very, very talented women shooters, it’s still a bit unusual to see many ladies on a long-range firing line. It’s even more unusual to find a women shooter who regularly beats all the “good ol’ boys”. This week we feature Katy from California, who has competed in Varmint Silhouette matches with a very stylish and accurate Stolle 6BR. Along with husband/spotter Don (who shoots a 6mm Dasher), she has been one of “Top Guns” at the popular Pala Shooting Range in North San Diego County. Here’s a view of the Pala facility, looking down-range at the rows of silhouette targets:
Pala — A Mecca for Southern California Shooters
Near the Indian Casino and Resort in Pala, California is one of the longest rifle ranges in the state. Pala hosts a wide variety of shooting matches — cowboy action, lever action silhouette, black powder silhouette, hi-power silhouette, tactical pistol and rifle matches, to name a few. The black powder buffalo and tactical rifle matches use the longest range with 900-meter targets. Katy and her husband Don have competed in Varmint Rifle Silhouette matches, which were held monthly in years past. Range Info: Range.palatribe.com.
Katy tell us: “These Varmint Silhouette matches are a lot of fun! It’s very satisfying to see the little critters fly off the rail. A good spotter will note how the target flies when hit–‘Did it turn right or left? Did it lift up or fall back?’ Steel targets reveal more about real world ballistics than just a hole in a piece of paper. And nothing beats reactive targets for fun shooting.”
For Katy and Don, shooting is a family affair: “I started shooting the varmint rifle silhouette at the encouragement of husband Don. He bought/built himself a 6mmBR to shoot the varmint rifle match and re-barreled an old Hart-sleeved Remington 700 to fast-twist .223 for me to use. I did pretty well for a beginner, winning a match after just a few months of competition. Winning with that .223 had competitors scratching their heads. Frankly, it was just a fortuitous combination of great spotter, steady hold, and a good rifle. That .223 was certainly a very accurate piece. I always expected the bullet would hit right where the rifle was aimed, if we called the wind right. But like all good things, with time the .223’s accuracy began to fade. As the barrel finally gave up the ghost, a replacement was ready–a bright red Panda bear chambered in 6mm BR.
Beating the Guys at their Own Game
With my old .223, I won five varmint matches between December 2000 and April 2002. I also won my class (Master) in June, 2001. However, with the 6BR Panda, I shoot higher scores and have now had four match wins between May, 2003 and August 2004. And I won my class twice in 2003. Over time, as our competitors’ skills and firearms have improved, the criteria for shooter classification has been upgraded. Originally, one could miss 10% of the animals and qualify as a “Master” shooter. A few years ago, the criteria was tightened to 5% misses to earn “Master” status. This 6mmBR has kept me up in Master class.
I’ve done well enough with my little Red Panda that folks have been asking me about my shooting technique. Both Don and I shoot free recoil. We keep everything off the rifle except the trigger finger and thumb. Keep your shoulder back from the butt, and make sure your cheek doesn’t contact the stock and that your shooting cap doesn’t hit the scope. Fine-tune your elevation by squeezing on the rear bag. I use a front rest forearm stop to keep the rifle in the same place on the front rest. After firing, pushing the rifle back against the front stop usually verifies rifle tracking and allows a quick check of how far off the sighter shot’s impact was from point of aim.”
The Female Perspective — Katy’s Views on Shooting
We all know women can be crack shots. The little lady in the picture proved that more than a century ago. Competitive shooting is one of the few sports where women can and do compete head-to-head with men — and often win. [Amanda Elsenboss recently won the National High Power Championship and the National Long Range Championship. And Nancy Tompkins and her daughter Sherri Gallagher have won National shooting titles.] But the fact remains shooting is still very much a male-dominated sport. Here are some of my thoughts on how that might change.
Beneficial Aspects of Shooting
The first and most important benefit of competitive shooting is learning to handle a rifle/firearm safely. We’re well past the time when women should have conquered their fears of guns. An added benefit would be increasing a woman’s ability to respond to any threats. I remember when I was in college and we took my anti-gun roommate out to the range for a shooting lesson. She had a great time shooting away. She learned that firearms are not just “scary”, but also an enjoyable tool.
How to Get More Women Involved
Since we aren’t going to get the silencer legislation changed to improve women’s enjoyment of the sport, we will have to promote other aspects of shooting. I think shooting sports can increase self-confidence, giving women a sense of accomplishment and inner strength to remain calm under stress. It is very satisfying to see a positive result (at very long distance) of your focused efforts. Developing skill at any sport can improve one’s self-image and coordination. Encourage the women in your life to join you at the range. Believe it or not fellows, your wives and girl friends like to spend time with you. At Pala, some of the wives make the best spotters, even though they don’t shoot.
I find these varmint silhouette matches ideal from the standpoint of a woman’s participation. First, you get to lay down and shoot–that’s much more relaxed than classic position-shooting. Second, the really heavy rifle is supported on front and rear rests so that all you need to do is carefully guide the rifle, concentrate on the sight picture and pull the trigger when everything lines up. And, by the way, I clean house and prepare the meals, while my husband Don cleans the rifles and prepares the ammunition.
Dealing with Noise Pollution
The first thing a women notices at the range is how much noise these rifles make. How can anyone carry on a decent conversation, much less think with all the racket? Practice days are the worst–there is just constant gunfire with very few ceasefires. Matches are fine, because there is only gunfire during warm-up and then for 8 minutes during each relay. On the firing line, I wear both fitted earplugs and ear muffs to tolerate the decibels. Being heard and understood is always a problem during the match.
Shooters’ Techno-Babble–I Guess It Really Is a “Guy Thing”
One of my fellow female shooters commented that, at the range, the guys never seem to talk about anything but firearms and their accouterments at the range. Although I am familiar with the term “minutes of angle” I have gotten sloppy in my speech and generally just report how many clicks one needs to adjust for the wind or the sighter shot. Reading Don’s equipment discussion confused me when he kept referring to MOA. I have been with non-shooting friends several times when knowledgeable shooters start talking firearms. It is as if they are speaking a different language, and my friends look to me with a puzzlement on their faces. Well, in fact it has its own language and I think I’m getting finally getting able to speak it.
Katy’s 6BR — Technical Primer by Hubby and “Loadmaster” Don
Way back in 1990 a Precision Shooting magazine “Trading Post” advertisement offered a low-mileage, Panda-actioned .262″ neck, 6mm BR rifle and all the reloading accouterments. This light-varmint class rifle was built in the mid-1980’s around an unusual round Panda action with straight-fluted bolt. As configured, the gun had performed very well indeed–shooting many groups in the zeros. The action is glued into a Lee Six thumbhole BR stock and uses externally accessible pins to hang the 3 oz. trigger. The scope is an older 36X Leupold BR model, held by Kelbly rings on a Davidson base. The original barrel was a 4-groove, 14-twist, apparently made by Pat McMillan. A hand-written information tag taped to the underside of the barrel was discovered upon its removal, and indicates the barrel was fitted by JACO, April 1986. Anyone know who that is?
The 14-twist barrel could not stabilize any bullets greater than about 80 grains. It would keep an 80-grain Starke inside 0.4″ at 200m with a velocity of 3120 fps using 31.8 grains of Varget. However, the 80-grain bullets were blown all over by the winds out to 500 meters.
Past success with Pac-Nor pre-fit barrels inspired me to order a 28″, 4-groove, 8.6″-twist barrel chambered with their .262” neck 6mm BR reamer. Pac-Nor crowned and chambered the barrel; and, in this case, threaded it to fit a Panda action. After we installed the barrel on the action, we found that the bolt nose touched the conical barrel breech face. 0.010” needed to be removed from the cone face so that the bolt closed with a perfect fit. Headspace is now just right at 1.167″.
Load Development
My experience with a couple of other fast-twist 6BRs, one also chambered with Pac-Nor’s .262″ reamer, suggested that the 95gr Berger VLDs would work well the estimated 0.060″ freebore in Katy’s rifle. The goal was to get 2800-2900 fps velocity with inherent accuracy no worse than half the smallest silhouette size. That meant we needed a load that delivered repeatable 0.4 MOA accuracy or better.
A new batch of Lapua 6mm Norma BR brass was neck-turned to 0.0083″ wall thickness to fit the chamber and fire-formed during barrel break-in, following Pac-Nor’s guidelines. We tried a bunch of different moly-coated bullets at 200 meters, most with moderate charges of H322. The results of the bullet-testing ranged from poor (over an inch) to astonishing (68-grain, flat-base Eubers over 29.7 grains of H322 went into about .25″ at 200 meters!) But these flat-based bullets lacked the high ballistic coefficient we wanted for the varmint silhouette match. So we tried the 95-grain VLD Bergers (0.5+ BC) and produced several good loads, all sparked by Federal 205m primers. The best load seemed to be 28.2 grains H322 at 2860 fps, followed by 30.4 grains N135 at 2920fps, and 31.0 grains of Varget at 2890 fps.
All loads shot better than 0.4 MOA, but the H322 seemed a little more accurate, and about twice as much H322 was on hand. So, after about 120 shots the barrel was conditioned, brass formed and a match load selected for the 95 VLD Bergers. Bullets are seated about 0.010″ into the rifling for a typical cartridge LOA of 2.325”, which puts the heel of the 95 VLD boat-tail just below the case neck-shoulder line. Cases are sized with a Wilson neck bushing die that works only the upper 2/3 of the case neck to support the bearing surface of the seated bullet.
Don’s Handy Guide to Varmint Silhouette Shooting
Varmint Silhouette–Origins and Basics
Over a decade ago, a metallic silhouette match was devised for typical varmint rifles at the North County Shootist Association range near the hamlet of Pala, in north San Diego County, California. The course of fire used the conventional rifle silhouette range with banks of 10 special varmint targets sized 0.8 to 1.0 MOA (Minute of Angle) in width. At five different yardages, ten steel “critter” targets are set as follows: 200 Meters – Field Mice (“pikas”); 300 meters – Crows; 385 meters – Ground Squirrels; 500 meters – Jack Rabbits; 600 yards – Prairie Dogs. The folks at Pala run a tight ship, cycling multiple relays efficiently, so everybody gets to shoot 50 targets (10 each at five different yardages), and the show is usually completed by 1:00 pm. There’s a one-hour sight-in period starting at 8:00 am, and the match starts at 9:00 am sharp. Newcomers should definitely arrive no later than 7:45 am, because you may need that full sight-in period to acquire solid zeros at all five yardages.
Firearms are limited to field-portable, varmint-caliber rifles in either custom or factory class, and having a maximum 6.5mm bore, but bullets must weigh no more than 107 grains. You can shoot prone or from a bench using a front rest and bag rear. For more information, visit Range.palatribe.com.
Match Rules and Shooting Procedures
Matches are fired as a team — shooter and spotter. The course of fire typically consists of 10 steel, knock-down varmint animal targets at each of the five distances. After firing a sighter, targets are taken from left to right, one shot per target. Missed targets remain standing. Any target struck out of sequence is also a “miss”. The shooter’s objective is to sequentially knock-off (clean) all 10 targets. The spotter’s duties are to support the shooter in all aspects of shot preparation. First and foremost, the spotter tries to see each shot impact and call appropriate windage and elevation adjustments for the shooter. In shifty conditions, a good spotter is vital.
Let’s start at the beginning. Before the match there is usually an opportunity to fire a few fouling shots and check sight settings for load and distance. An initial read on conditions–mostly wind direction, strength and consistency–is also made. The spotter should checklist the shooter to make sure they are set up for the relay distance and have adjusted their sights to the correct elevation and windage.
It could be argued that for the shooter, the first shot at a given distance, the sighter shot, is the most important shot fired. Since the sighter targets are fixed (don’t fall over) and freshly painted, bullet impact is obvious to both shooter and spotter. If the bullet hits where expected–point of aim–the spotter then tracks and calls observed changes (mostly wind) relative to the shooter’s initial scope settings. If point of impact shifts on subsequent record targets or the shooter misses, appropriate sight adjustments are recommended to the shooter. Admittedly, it is sometimes difficult or impossible to see the point of impact on these small, reactive targets. However, an estimate of bullet strike can be made from target behavior such as rotation and/or impact trajectory.
The Guacamole Connection
Katy and Don are avocado farmers. From time to time they’d bring a few avocados to the range to give to the other shooters. In addition, on some months, Katy would bring some home-made Guacamole made from the avocados on their ranch. Katy says “Fellow shooters appreciate a batch of guacamole so much they bring their own chips to go with the dip. I keep getting suggestions that I go into the business of making and selling guacamole. Guess I could start by selling it at the range.”
Katy’s Guacamole Recipe
4 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 lemon squeezed (I use Meyer lemons, lime juice is also good)
1/2 cup fresh salsa — your favorite variety
1 tsp garlic salt or fresh garlic chopped
All of the above quantities can be adjusted for taste. Mash the ingredients with a potato masher. Serve with chips, fresh vegetables (carrot sticks, celery, broccoli), or as garnish for tacos, burritos, taquitos, etc., and as special treat – spread on warm buttered toast for breakfast.
Good Shooting and Bon Appetit! — Don & Katy
No reproduction of any content is allowed without advanced permission in writing.
Impressive engraving by Jesse Kaufmann. Note how the scope rings have been engraved to perfectly match the engraving pattern on the Remington 547 action.
Who says fine craftsmanship is dead? There’s a modern day engraving wizard up in South Dakota, Jesse Kaufmann, who produces some of the most handsome engraving we’ve seen. Jesse, who operates Black Hills Gunstocks and Engraving LLC, is a true master at metal engraving and he also does superb stock checkering. Here are some examples of Jesse’s engraving work:
This 14-minute video showcases dozens of Jesse Kaufmann’s Engraving examples:
About Jesse Kaufmann, Master Engraver
Jesse Kaufmann was a professional stockmaker for Dakota Arms for over a decade. In 2009, he was inducted in the American Custom Gunmakers Guild as a checkering specialist. In January 2017, Jesse was awarded his Master Engraver certification by the Firearms Engravers Guild of America. With his broad skill set, Jesse is able to offer his clients a unique and complete package of stock work, finish, checkering, and engraving for a custom package that is all completed under one roof by his own hands.
Jesse Kaufmann’s work has been featured in American Rifleman, American Hunter, FEGA’s The Engraver, Sports Afield, Waidmannsheil Journal of German Gun Collectors Assn., Gun Digest 71st Edition, Modern Custom Guns Volume 2, Dangerous Game Rifles 2d. Edition. For more info, visit BlackHillsgunstocksandengraving.com, email blackhillsgunstocks [at] gmail.com, or call Jesse at (605) 499-9090 after 5:00 pm. SEE Gallery of Work.
Introduction — What You Need in a Security Gun Safe
If you own firearms, you need a gun safe. In some states, such as California, if you don’t own a safe, you face potential liability if your firearms are stolen. Purchasing a safe is no easy decision however. There are dozens of safe manufacturers and countless design options. Sorting out the facts from the marketing claims can be difficult.
Today’s seven Saturday Showcase videos explain the most important qualities you should look for in a safe, and help you with the tough decisions, such as “Should I get a digital lock or a dial lock?”, “What kind of fire-proofing is most effective?”, “How big a safe do I really need?”, and “What interior works best with long-barreled scoped rifles?” You’ll find reviews of full-size safes, modular safes, and smaller handgun safes. Plus you’ll find expert advice on how to install your safe in your home and how to keep the contents free from rust.
Budget $1200-1500 for a safe from a major maker, with external hinges, and an interior at least 58″ high. That gives you room for 30″-barreled rifles with a top shelf for handguns and other valuables. A rotary rack and slide-out drawers are great additions.
Keypad or Dial? We favor rotary dial locks. With minimal maintenance they will function flawlessly for decades. But the digital locks offer quick-access and convenience. If you go digital, get a commercial-grade unit.
Fire-lining is worth getting, but a thin layer of sheet-rock doesn’t make a safe truly “fire-proof”.
Interior at least 58″ High and 30″ wide Overall Weight 750+ Pounds 8 Gauge or Heavier Wall Thickness Double-Wall, Composite Door with Relockers Minimum UL RSC Rated. TL-15 or TL-30 Rating is Desirable External Hinges
Mechanical UL Group II (or better) Lock with Standard Dial Or UL Type 1 Commercial-Grade Electronic Lock
Custom Interior Suitable for Scoped Guns with Long Barrels On-Door Storage System for Non-scoped Long Guns OR Rotary Gun Rack for Scoped Rifles and ARs
Internal (sandwiched) Insulator, Reinforced if Sheet-rock Palusol? Heat-Activated Expanding Door Seals
Slide-out Drawers for Handguns Fire-lined Inner Safe for Paper and Media
Low Gloss, Rust-resistant External Finish Pre-Drilled holes for Lag Bolts and in Rear for Electric Cord Overhead Fluorescent Lamp and/or LED Mini-lights on Strings
Advice for Gun Safe Buyers — Seven Key Things to Consider
This video covers key gun safe features — Seven Things to Consider Before Buying a Gun Safe. Not all gun safes are created equal. There are many variables — fire ratings, burglar ratings, colors, lock choices, internal capacity, door storage, and more. And with the recent controversy involving Liberty Safes, you should check the safe-maker’s policies regarding digital passcodes — you don’t want your passcode revealed without a warrant and/or without your consent.
DOs and DON’Ts of Safe Buying
DO purchase a safe that is bigger than you think you need.
Your gun collection is bound to grow over time. A good safe is more than just a gun locker–it becomes a secure storage device for your family’s other valuables as well. You’ll find you quickly fill up even a large safe. Spend the money for the size, protection, and features you want. Your gun collection may be worth many tens of thousands of dollars. Some people who visit this site wouldn’t hesitate to spend $1300 for a custom action or $1800+ for a competition scope, yet they don’t want to spend more than a few hundred dollars on a safe. That’s not common sense. If you’re on a tight budget, consider a used safe. Unlike many other products, safes don’t really wear out over time. When businesses change locations, you can get a very high quality commercial safe for little more than the cost of removing it.
DO spend more for a safe that offers fire-resistance.
But you have to do your homework–you can spend a lot of money for “fire-proofing” that actually is not very effective. Make sure if sheet-rock is used that it is properly installed. If you have valuable documents and media files, it’s not a bad idea to purchase a smaller, commercial-grade fire safe to put inside the gun safe. This gives you double protection.
DO look at many different brands of safes before you buy.
There ARE significant differences among brands. For example, Browning offers a unique (patent-pending) door-mounted rifle rack. Zanotti offers slide-out drawers and a modular design that is much easier for an owner to move. Ft. Knox uses an advanced method to secure and stabilize its fire-proofing layers within the safe. Brown offers custom exotic wood interior shelving and safes with commercial-grade burglary protection (much thicker steel with heavy composite doors and walls). Amsec offers a proprietary “DryLight” poured concrete-type fire insulation with greater structural strength than typical sheet-rock panels.
DO investigate the safe’s specifications.
Just because a safe is big and heavy doesn’t mean it’s particularly secure. Heavy-gauge steel is much more resistant to cutting and drilling than light 12- or 14-gauge steel. Some safes on the market have walls so thin they can be penetrated with a fire ax. We recommend 10-gauge steel at a minimum, and 8 gauge is much better. The safe should carry a UL RSC (Underwriters Laboratories “Residential Security Container”) or better rating.
DO ask about the safe’s safeguards against tampering.
A quality safe will feature extra armor or devices to defeat drilling. Low-grade safes can be opened in a few minutes with simple, battery-powered hand tools. All safes should have relockers to help ensure the safe remains locked in the case of a burglary. Relockers are hardened pins that are triggered during an attack, and cannot be retracted without hours of drilling. The number of relockers on a safe ranges from 2-10+ depending on the safe’s size and burglary grade.
DON’T store powder in your safe. A tightly-sealed metal box with a large quantity of powder inside is a bomb. Store powder in a separate, lightly-constructed cabinet or plastic box. The main thing for powder is to keep it dry and away from moisture and light.
Don’t Make the Mistake of Buying an Undersized Safe
The most common mistake people make when buying a gun safe is getting a safe that’s too small. This video explains why you should probably invest in a bigger safe. First, the rated gun capacity is exaggerated — rifles with mounted optics, long barrels, wide forearms and/or pistol grips take up considerably more space than a small rimfire rifle or a lever gun with iron sights. Second, your gun collection will likely grow in years to come. Third, you may want to store other valuables in the safe — such as vital documents, jewelry, watches, and pricey electronics. In this video the host notes: “Get a much larger safe than you think you’ll need at first. This will guarantee that you will have enough room for future purchases and all the guns and equipment you currently have.”
What Happens in a Fire and Deluxe Features
This video shows what can happen INSIDE a gun safe during a fire. This Winchester safe did not fare well during a major hourse. That’s why you want to buy a safe with a good fire rating.
This video shows the features of a large Superior Safe Co. gunsafe with internal organizers and door storage for handguns and accessories.
Modular Safes — Smart Option for Easier Moving
This article features a great video showing how to assemble a modular safe in under 30 minutes. This article also explains the benefits of modular gunsafes — primarily easier transport and installation. “Modular safes have been around for a few years now and are becoming more popular. Here’s why: The safe comes delivered to you in panels, so you can bring them into your home one at a time and put it together anywhere you like. This makes it easy to carry up and down stairs, onto elevators or anywhere! Security — Is it as secure as one that comes pre-assembled? The answer is, absolutely.” READ FULL ARTICLE on NRAWomen.com.
Five Good Gun Safes Under $500
We know some readers have a tight budget. This video looks at some recommended lower-cost safes under $500.00 list price. Note, however, that this video was produced in 2022. Now in 2023, with Bidenflation, the actual gun safe prices may be higher. For a full-size safe, we do recommend you spend quite a bit more — the investment in a higher quality safe, with better fire rating, is worth it.
Locking Device–Mechanical Dial vs. Digital Locks Recommendation: UL Group II mechanical dial lock or commercial-grade electronic.
For gun safes, we prefer rotary-combination dial locks, although commercial-grade electronic locks are now very good. While less convenient, and slower to open than electronic locks, combination locks are still more durable and trouble-free than the digital locks found on many low- to medium-cost gun safes. Among the combination locks, the Sargent & Greenleaf model 6730 (UL Group II) remains an industry standard. The director of Sturdy Safes noted: “An S&G 6730 will be working fine when your grandchildren have grandchildren.” For home use, we also recommend the standard, high-visibility “front-read” white on black dial.
Avoid the cheap, imported electronic locks. These are known for failing relatively quickly–the keypad internals just wear out. With some of these designs, if the lock fails while the door is closed, you’ll have to employ a professional gunsmith to drill your safe and replace the locking assembly and keypad. With any electronic lock, re-program your combination now and then so that keypad wear patterns don’t reveal the numbers you push to open the safe. But when you change the combination, be sure to record the new setting.
With a dial lock, choose a design that meets UL Group II (or better) certification. If you choose a digital lock, we strongly recommend that you select a UL Type I, Commercial Grade lock from LaGard, Sargent & Greenleaf, or Kaba Mas. Commercial-grade locks, such as the S&G Comptronic” 6120 or LaGard “SafeGard” are much more robust and are designed to be used 20 times a day or more in retail and banking environments. A good commercial digital keypad lock should give 10 years or more of continuous use before replacement is required. With any digital lock, however, you should replace the battery at least once a year. Normally this can be done without professional assistance.
A rapid-access bedside safe is a great way to keep your pistol secure, but also readily available, close at hand. Not all rapid-access pistol safes are created equal, however. In this video, John of Pew Pew Tactical explains what to look for in a small pistol safe, and points out the pros and cons of the four safes tested:
Fort Knox FTK-PB Simplex Pistol Box
Strong case, reliable no-battery locking system. Very good safe, but expensive ($299.00 on Amazon).
Vaultek Electronic Pistol Safes
Multiple styles, thin profile, 5-button electronic ($159.99 on Amazon), or Biometric VT10i + 5-button ($269.99 on Amazon), both with rechargeable batteries.
GunVault SpeedVault Handgun Safe
Designed for vertical mount under desk on vehicle, One gun only, requires batteries, $142.00 on Amazon.
We first ran this article in 2012, and it was very well received. Since then, many Forum members have requested an explanation of MILS and mildots, so we decided to run this feature again…
1 Milliradian (Milrad or ‘Mil’) = 1/1000th of a radian | 1 Milliradian = 0.0573 degrees.
In this NSSF Video, Ryan Cleckner, a former Sniper Instructor for the 1st Ranger Battalion, defines the term “MilliRadian” (Milrad) and explains how you can use a mildot-type scope to range the distance to your target. It’s pretty simple, once you understand the angular subtension for the reticle stadia dots/lines. Cleckner also explains how you can use the milrad-based reticle markings in your scope for elevation hold-overs and windage hold-offs.
Even if you normally shoot at known distances, the hold-off capability of milrad-reticle scopes can help you shoot more accurately in rapidly-changing wind conditions. And, when you must engage multiple targets quickly, you can use the reticle’s mil markings to move quickly from one target distance to another without having to spin your elevation turrets up and down.
WEB RESOURCES: If you want to learn more about using Milliradians and Mildot scopes, we suggest the excellent Mil-dot Explained article from targettamers.com Guide. This covers the basics you need to know, with clear illustrations.
Also informative is The Truth about Mil Dots by Michael Haugen. Mr. Haugen begins with basic definitions: 360 degrees = 2 x Pi (symbol π) Radians. That means 1 Radian is about 57.3 degrees. 1 Milliradian (Milrad or ‘Mil’) = 1/1000th of a radian. Thus 1 Milliradian = .0573 degrees.
This article originally appeared in the Sierra Bullets Blog.
Sierra Bullets asked a few hand-loaders to reveal their favorite reloading tool or accessory: “What is your favorite ‘don’t know how you ever lived without it’ piece of reloading equipment?” Some of the answers are listed below. We were interested to see some high-tech, micro-processor items mentioned, such as the AMP Annealer, and the AutoTrickler powder dispenser. Old standbys, such as the rugged RCBS Rockchucker and Dillon 650, also made the favorites list.
What Is Your Favorite Piece of Reloading Equipment?
Bill, Editor of Rifleshooter.com, answered: “I have so many favorite reloading tools, it’s hard to pick one. But if I had to, it would be my Forster Co-Ax press. I like the ease [with which] you can change dies and that it doesn’t require traditional shell holders. It’s a great tool to have!”
Sierra Bullets Ballistic Technician Philip Mahin answered: “A comparator gauge to measure from the base of a case to the ogive of the bullet. This bypasses the tip of the bullet, so I can repeat the same seating depth the next time I visit a specific combination.”
Ballistic Technician Carroll Pilant answered: “Dillon 550 and 650 presses.”
Ballistic Technician Rich Machholz answered: “My universal decapping die is as handy as a pocket on a shirt.”
Ballistic Technician Philip Mahin answered: “A comparator gauge to measure from the base of a case to the ogive of the bullet. This bypasses the tip of the bullet, so I can repeat the same seating depth the next time I visit a specific combination.”
Jon Addis answered: “Putting an A&D FX-120i scale with AutoTrickler and Auto-Throw on the bench has changed the way I reload. It’s kernel accurate in about 15 seconds. Saves time and reduces a variable. And of course, the system is made better by the Area 419 Billet Adjustable base for the trickler and Billet Powder Cup.”
This video shows the AutoTrickler V3 System
Ballistic Technician Paul Box answered: “The Lee hand priming tool.”
Former Ballistic Technician Robert Treece answered “My homemade dental pick. I use it to check incipient case-head separations. We all see the ‘bright ring’ down close to the case head, that’s natural, but after several firings could be starting to split apart. If the pick hooks into a crevice — DON’T TRY TO SIZE THE CASE. It will pull apart in your die.”
Dan Blake answered: “My Annealing Made Perfect (AMP) annealer. With consistent neck tension being one of the largest contributions to small Extreme Spread on muzzle velocities, I believe this induction annealer is truly the best on the market.”
This manufacturer-produced video shows how the AMP annealing machine operates:
Process Engineer David Palm answered: “Homemade case lube.”
Plant Engineer Darren Leskiw answered: “Beyond the normal equipment, I’d say my electronic scale. Using the beam balance for the past 9 years was ok, but nowhere as easy as using an electronic scale.”
There were many votes for the classic RCBS Rock Chucker single-stage press:
Ballistician Gary Prisendorf answered “RCBS Rockchucker Press, it’s built like a tank, and it will last me a lifetime.”
Production Manager Chris Hatfield answered: “RCBS single stage reloading press.”
Maintenance & Machine Shop Lead Craig Westermier answered: “RCBS Rock Chucker.”
Production Resource Manager Dan Mahnken answered “RCBS Rock Chucker! Buy one and it lasts a lifetime.”
Sierra Bullets Ballistic Technician Duane Siercks answered: “I don’t know that you would actually call this equipment, but the item that comes to mind would be my reloading room/shoot house. I had always had to squeeze everything into a corner or even an unheated shed. After we bought our current house, I built a garage and placed it so that I had a window looking down a 250-yard range. I built a dedicated room with heat and A/C. It contains my reloading bench and a shooting bench. The shooting bench lets me slide open the window and shoot down the range. It is very handy to not have to load everything up to go to the range. It also makes load development a lot simpler and efficient. I don’t know how I ever got along without it.
I also wonder what I did before I acquired the Lyman 1200 DPS Powder Dispenser. This has made the process so much simpler and much easier. I also have a Lee Precison Universal Decapping Die that I would gladly spend the money on again. This may be a small thing, but it certainly is handy. The Lee would accommodate some very large cases that some of the others were too small for.”
Ever wanted to see how Nosler bullets and cartridges are made? Here’s your opportunity. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) has produced a video (“Quality First”) that offers a behind-the-scenes look inside Nosler’s Oregon factory that produces bullets, brass, and ammunition.
Video Showcases Nosler Production Facility and Ballistics Lab
RMEF representatives were provided with unprecedented access into Nosler’s famously-guarded manufacturing plant to show the technology used by Nosler to produce bullets and ammunition. The “Quality First” video showcases Nosler’s complex production processes that include technologically advanced machinery, and stringent quality control measures.
After the intro, this video illustrates Nosler’s bullet construction techniques with a cool animation sequence. The video then showcases the Nosler ballistics lab, inspection room, and packaging line.
The “Quality First” video starts with the history of the company, tracking Nosler’s development from the 1940s. Then the video shows the bullet construction techniques followed by a ‘walk-though’ in the factory, showing the sophisticated machinery used to make bullets, brass, and ammunition. “‘Quality First’ isn’t just a saying that’s printed on our factory walls, it’s the guiding principle that affects every decision we make” says Mason Payer, Senior Marketing Manager at Nosler.
Information Resources — Load Data and Nosler Blog
The enhanced Nosler website also features comprehensive LOAD DATA, plus informative content in the Nosler Blog. The Load Data page works well on smartphones. Go to the Load Data Index Page, then simply scroll down to a caliber. Then select your cartridge type and bullet weight(s). The rifle listings are quite comprehensive, covering .17 caliber up to .458 caliber. Here are examples of Nosler load data for the 6mm Creedmoor with popular 105-107gr bullets, along with the .284 Winchester with 175gr bullets.
About Nosler and Support for Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation
Founded in 1948, Nosler, Inc. is a family-owned company located in Bend, Oregon. Nosler is most known for hunting bullets such as the Partition®, Ballistic Tip®, AccuBond®, E-Tip® and most recently the AccuBond® LR and RDF. Nosler manufactures premium component bullets, reloading brass, ammunition and semi-custom rifles for domestic and international customers.
A long-time proponent of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Nosler donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of five Partition bullets to benefit RMEF’s mission and recently added proceeds from Trophy Grade® and Expansion Tip™ ammunition to increase support.
Video find by ELR Researcher. We welcome reader submissions.
This stunning Westley Richards & Co. shotgun was made for the 1981 nuptials of Lady Diana Spencer and HRH Prince Charles. It is rare, has a unique history of ownership, and is also elaborately decorated.
Jim Supica, Director of the NRA Firearms Museum, has written a trio of articles about gun collecting. If you are thinking of starting your own collection of firearms, you should read Supica’s informative articles. The first talks about the basics of gun collecting, the second explains the five key factors that govern gun values, and the third article explains where to find rare and valuable arms. Today we want to highlight the five factors that contribute most to a gun’s value, according to Supica:
Make and Model, Condition, Rarity, History, Art — These are the five factors that … appeal to collectors and help determine the value of collectible guns.
Make and model tends to be the starting point for evaluating collectible guns for most collectors and will be a basic threshold requirement for those with specialized collections.
Factors here include the quality of a particular manufacturer’s products, the historical usage of the guns in question, and the brand’s aura of romance. As an example of that last (and most intangible) factor, consider that Colt Single Action Army revolvers were for several decades the most prevalent focus for collectors interested in full-size revolvers from the post-Civil War to turn of the 20th Century-era, and there is no question that Colts were widely used during that time. In recent years, there has been a refreshing trend in gun collecting to look at a broader range of guns than the traditional blue chip Colts, Winchesters, and Lugers.
Colt Single Action Army Revolvers remain among the most prized (and collectible) firearm.
2. Condition (and Originality)
Obviously, condition plays a major role in the value of a collectible firearm. The classic advice to new collectors in this regard has always been to hold out for guns in the best condition and pay the extra premium they demand. This condition-emphasis seems to have developed in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early post-WWII years of gun collecting there was more interest in rare variations and history, and fewer collectors to whom a few percentage point difference in remaining original finish was of much concern.
Although the highest-condition guns continue to bring record prices, it seems that the pendulum is beginning to swing back the other way, a trend met with my hearty approval. The appeal of “mint” guns has been largely lost on me, and seems to be more appropriate to coin or stamp collecting than a field in which the possible historic usage of the artifact holds so much interest and significance. There is a definite segment of the collector market that is not overly concerned with perfect condition, so long as the gun is original and has not been messed with in a more recent (and, in my opinion, usually misguided) attempt to enhance its desirability.
3. Rarity
In terms of rarity, the well-worn saying that “just because a gun is rare doesn’t mean it’s valuable” remains true to a certain extent. There may only be five known examples of a particular gun, but if only three people care about it, the market is saturated. However, there does seem to be more interest in cornering the rare variations within established collecting fields. There is a bit of a resurgence of the collecting philosophy of completing a punchlist of models and variations within a specialization, and this lead to vigorous competition for the rarest examples in these fields. In emerging collecting fields, when new research is published revealing the rarity of certain variations there can develop a brisk interest in those guns.
4. History
Individual guns with a known history of ownership by a specific individual or usage in a specific historical event have always captured the fascination of collectors, as well as historians and the general public. This seems to reflect a basic human interest and shows no sign of abatement. A positive trend here seems to be an increase in general understanding of the type of documentation which must accompany a historically attributed firearm to give it the credibility to justify a premium price, and the importance of creating and preserving such documentation.
This Beretta has extra value because it was owned by pilot Chuck Yeager. Photo NRA Museum.
5. Art (Decorative Embellishment)
Fine engraved guns are collected more for their artistic value than for their worth as firearms. Here the market for classic works by the great engravers of the 19th and early 20th Centuries remains strong, as well as for factory-engraved pieces from more recent years. Interest in recent non-factory engraving seems to have diminished, as has… the trend of adding modern engraving to older firearms.
Here is a matching set of three three beautifully engraved pistols by the late Indiana engraving wizard Ben Shostle — a Luger, a Mauser, and a Colt. Photo courtesy Amoskeag Auction Company.
Factory-custom engraving should not be confused with mass-produced, factory-made commemorative firearms, which flooded the market in the 1960s and 1970s. A couple of major manufacturers worked this genre to death, and prices on commemoratives have been stagnant for many years now, although the market for these shows some signs of renewal.
CAUTIONARY WORDS about RESTORATION
With prices for high-condition original finish guns running away from the budgets of many collectors, period-of-use refinished guns and older factory-refinished guns are finding more enthusiastic buyers than they did a few years ago.
The availability of excellent-quality restoration services is another factor that I anticipate may impact collector preferences in the future. The top restoration artists are reworking guns to “as new” condition with such skill that it has become increasingly difficult for even knowledgeable collectors to distinguish mint original finish guns from the best restorations.
When such restoration is disclosed to a prospective buyer (as it ethically should be), the prices the gun will bring are significantly below a similar gun with original finish, and may be less than the original cost of the pre-restoration gun plus the cost of the rework. This creates a mighty incentive for deception by a motivated seller, either by active misrepresentation (a.k.a. “fraud”) or passively by simple failure to mention the modification.
Click Map to launch interactive webpage with info for all 50 states.
Going hunting soon? Need to find out about hunting licenses, deer tags, local regulations, and the best hunting areas? Then visit WheretoHunt.org. This website has an interactive map of the country. Simply click on a state to find the info you need.
For all 50 states, the NSSF provides information about hunting licenses and permits, where to hunt, hunter education classes, laws and regulations and more. For each state you’ll also find a link for required applications and license forms. Have a safe and productive hunt this year.
The Bergara B14-R is a high-quality, accurate .22 LR rimfire bolt-action rifle. The rifle’s accuracy and functionality make it a good choice for NRL22 competition. And with stock geometry and ergonomics that duplicate a full-size centerfire rifle, the Bergara B14-R is also an excellent choice for cross-training. By training with a rimfire rifle, you can get essential “trigger time” while saving money. Good centerfire ammo can cost $1.50 per round or more. Decent rimfire ammo can be found for $6.00 per 50rd box. That’s just 12 cents per round.
Click above photo to load full-screen high-rez image.
To find out how well the Bergara B14-R can perform, Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com recently tested a B14-R (carbon-covered barrel version) at his private range. Using a variety of Lapua and SK Ammo, this rig delivered impressive results. Watch this video to see the B14-R in action.
“The B14-R is a great shooter, and for me it felt very familiar. Just like shooting one of my centerfire match guns, but without all of the recoil!” — Gavin Gear
Gavin reports: “At the 2020 SHOT Show, Bergara announced the B14-R trainer. The concept? Take the B14 HMR series centerfire rifle formula, and adapt it for rimfire. The result is a .22 LR rifle you can shoot all day long without wearing out your arm or your wallet! It looks/feels like a centerfire long-range precision rifle. And that’s what makes this rifle a GREAT training platform for serious long-range shooters.”
The B14-R comes with a 18″-long 1:16″-twist threaded barrel. The single-stack .22 LR magazine is the same size as a short action AICS mag. The Bergara B14-R shares Rem 700 specs, so it is compatible with Rem 700 stocks and aftermarket triggers. Weight with standard barrel is 9.2 pounds without optics, or 8.1 pounds for the carbon version seen here. MSRP for basic version is $1150.00 and street price is $950.00.
Gavin told us: “I couldn’t wait to get the B14-R out to my new 50-yard ridgeline range to see how it would perform with premium .22 LR ammunition. Once I shot this rifle suppressed, I didn’t want to take off the can. The 18″ barrel really works well with the SilcencerCo suppressor to help keep the overall length reasonable, and balance is spot-on.” NOTE: This rifle has the optional carbon-covered barrel.
As tested, the rifle was equipped with these components:
Athlon Midas TAC 6-14x50mm FFP Scope with MK Machine lever, Lone Star bubble level SilencerCo Omega 300 Suppressor with 1/2×28 direct thread mount Harris S-BRM 6″-9″ Bipod with aftermarket swivel tension lever
Outstanding Accuracy with Lapua and SK .22 LR Ammo
Remarkable accuracy for a factory rifle earned this Bergara its Sunday GunDay selection. Shooting with bipod and rear sandbag, Gavin was able to achieve multiple, sub-half-inch groups at 50 yards. The best group shot with SK Match ammo was a remarkable 0.22″ as measured by Ballistic-X software (see below). That’s an impressive 0.42 MOA at 50 yards. If you watch the video above, starting at 14:40 time-mark, you can watch Gavin shoot that 0.22″ group.
Here are two more groups, both under 0.5″ at 50 yards. Lapua Center-X on left, SK Match on right. Gavin says that “with good conditions, 0.35″ 5-shot groups at 50 yards are easily attainable.”
B14-R Trigger Tested with TriggerScan TS-11
Gavin tested the Bergara’s trigger with the TriggerScan TS-11 from DVORAK Instruments, a very sophisticated, high-tech device. Gavin states: “This trigger works well, and mine was adjustable down to just over 2-lb peak force for pull weight. I ran a 3-scan pass on the B14-R trigger with the pull weight set to minimum [barely over 2 pounds].”
Gavin notes: “You can see how consistent this trigger is by how well the scan graph plots overlap! This trigger is great for an out-of-the-box rifle like this, and it’s great to know that I can always swap out triggers and use the same exact Remington 700-compatible trigger that I’m running in my match guns.”
Gavin Gear’s Closing Thoughts — More to Come
The Bergara B14-R rimfire trainer has been a great rifle to shoot and has exceeded my expectations. The B14-R feels like a full-size PRS rifle, has the same basic features, but is chambered in .22 LR. I have been amazed by the accuracy I’ve achieved with this rifle with Lapua and SK match ammunition — it’s very confidence inspiring.
This rifle feels right and shoots great. I can’t wait to get more steel targets setup, and to go deeper into calculating dope for the ammunition I will shoot with this rifle. Perhaps I’ll think about competing in an NRL22 match at some point. If you are looking for a rimfire trainer, look at the Bergara B14-R for sure. It checks all of my boxes for this type of rifle!
Beating the Guys at their Own Game
Beneficial Aspects of Shooting
Load Development
Firearms are limited to field-portable, varmint-caliber rifles in either custom or factory class, and having a maximum 6.5mm bore, but bullets must weigh no more than 107 grains. You can shoot prone or from a bench using a front rest and bag rear. For more information, visit 
Let’s start at the beginning. Before the match there is usually an opportunity to fire a few fouling shots and check sight settings for load and distance. An initial read on conditions–mostly wind direction, strength and consistency–is also made. The spotter should checklist the shooter to make sure they are set up for the relay distance and have adjusted their sights to the correct elevation and windage.
Katy and Don are avocado farmers. From time to time they’d bring a few avocados to the range to give to the other shooters. In addition, on some months, Katy would bring some home-made Guacamole made from the avocados on their ranch. Katy says “Fellow shooters appreciate a batch of guacamole so much they bring their own chips to go with the dip. I keep getting suggestions that I go into the business of making and selling guacamole. Guess I could start by selling it at the range.”
About Jesse Kaufmann, Master Engraver
For gun safes, we prefer rotary-combination dial locks, although commercial-grade electronic locks are now very good. While less convenient, and slower to open than electronic locks, combination locks are still more durable and trouble-free than the digital locks found on many low- to medium-cost gun safes. Among the combination locks, the Sargent & Greenleaf model 6730 (UL Group II) remains an industry standard. The director of Sturdy Safes noted: “An S&G 6730 will be working fine when your grandchildren have grandchildren.” For home use, we also recommend the standard, high-visibility “front-read” white on black dial.
In this NSSF Video, Ryan Cleckner, a former Sniper Instructor for the 1st Ranger Battalion, defines the term “MilliRadian” (Milrad) and explains how you can use a mildot-type scope to range the distance to your target. It’s pretty simple, once you understand the angular subtension for the reticle stadia dots/lines. Cleckner also explains how you can use the milrad-based reticle markings in your scope for elevation hold-overs and windage hold-offs.
Plant Engineer Darren Leskiw answered: “Beyond the normal equipment, I’d say my electronic scale. Using the beam balance for the past 9 years was ok, but nowhere as easy as using an electronic scale.”
