Keith Glasscock is one of America’s greatest F-Class shooters, as well as a 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 Nationals, tied with F-Open winner Pat Scully on points, but with fewer Xs. And he took second also at the 2019 Nationals. His consistency is unrivaled, which means he definitely knows the secrets of long range wind calling and loading ultra-accurate ammo.
Keith has a popular YouTube Channel with new content every week. On Keith’s Winning in the Wind channel, Keith offers 60+ informative videos on a wide range of topics including wind reading, reloading, component selection, load development, and training. For today’s Video Showcase, we offer four of our favorite Keith Glasscock videos. 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, or High Power.
How to Prepare for a Match
In this informative video, Keith explains how to prepare for a major medium- or long-range rifle competition, with a particular focus on F-Class. Keith explains how to prepare for weather conditions and “get the lay of the land” before the match. Even the day of the match, your can look and learn. As one viewer noted: “I’ve noticed some guys playing on their phones during matches. This is an important time to get in sync with wind patterns and fine tune your wind strategy.”
How to Find (and Fine-Tune) Seating Depth
This is Keith’s most popular video. 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 Lower your ES/SD and Reduce Vertical at Long Range
This is Keith’s first video in a series on how to improve long range groups, precision, and accuracy by reducing velocity Extreme Spread (ES) and Standard Deviation (SD). To achieve the lowest ES you need to look at multiple processes, including precision powder weighing, careful seating, brass annealing, and primer selection. Another factor is bullet selection. Not all bullets of the same nominal caliber and weight class have exactly the same bullet diameter or shape. Sometimes you can get better accuracy AND lower ES by trying a different brand of bullet. We have found bullet diameters, of the same stated caliber, can vary by up to .0008″ (eight ten-thousandths). Some barrels like the fatter bullets, while other barrels may favor the skinny bullets.
How to Find Bullet-to-Rifling Touch Point
Before you even start to load for a new rifle you need to know the point at which the bullet in a loaded round will first touch the rifling. (This will be a base to ogive measurement on your round). Beyond that point you are “in the lands”. If you load shorter than that base-to-ogive length you are “jumping” your bullets. Some cartridge/bullet combos typically shoot best in the lands, while with other bullets and cartridges, jumping is the way to go. Additionally, with some disciplines it is wise to jump your bullets since you may have to unload a chambered round while on the firing line. In this video Keith shows a number of methods to determine “length to lands” with repeatable precision.
Field Test and Review of SEB Mini-X Coaxial Front Rest
While gear reviews are not the primary focus of Keith’s YouTube Channel, Keith does talk about products he likes and uses. In this video. Keith reviews the SEB Mini-X, the newest coaxial tripod rest from SEB Rests. The Mini-X offers fast, precise windage and elevation adjustment with the joystick control. The unit is much easier to pack and transport than a large, heavy front rest such as a SEB NEO or Farley. The latest Mini-X also has upgraded foot controls that make it easier to level the rest on uneven ground. For more info, see our SEB Mini-X Report.
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The rifle cartridge money clip is a real product from ReleaseMeCreations.com. You can, of course, make your own cartridge money clip with a Dremel tool for free.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
⏺ Superb Lapua cartridge brass — very uniform, long-lasting
As with bullets and powder, top-quality cartridge brass has been in high demand. But Creedmoor Sports has a large supply of long-lasting, high-quality Lapua cartridge brass. Many of the most popular types are available including .220 Russian (for PPC), .223 Rem, .243 Win, 6mmBR, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, 6.5-284, .284 Win, .308 Winchester, .30-06, 300 PRC, .338 Lapua Magnum and more. As an added incentive, during Memorial Day Weekend, you get FREE ground shipping on orders over $149.00 (some exclusions apply).
2. Precision Reloading — 10% Off Orders $49+ with Code MD22
⏺ Save on full range of products — store-wide 10% Savings
Here’s great opportunity. Right now you can Save 10% on nearly all products at Precision Reloading with CODE MD22. This 10% Off discount applies to all order over $49.00 total. Save on tools, dies, presses, bullets, powder, brass, optics, gun cases, and more. This offer applies to online purchases of in-stock items online. The 10% OFF Savings works through 11:59 pm CT on Monday 5/30/22.
3. Natchez — 10% Off Nearly All Products with $99+ Purchase
⏺ Save on nearly all products — site-wide 10% Savings
Now through Monday evening you can save 10% on all items at Natchez Shooters Supply. This includes ammo, bullets, brass, powder, primers, optics, reloading tools, gun cases, hunting supplies and more. For 10% site-wide savings, use Code P220528 during checkout. But don’t hesitate — the 10% OFF deal terminates at 11:59 pm CT on Monday, 5/30/22.
4. Primary Arms — Memorial Day Sale, Many Products
⏺ Major sale with all types of products discounted
Primary Arms is running a big Memorial Day Sale with dozens of products with big discounts. Save on AR parts, AR receivers, Optics, Slings, Shooting Mats, Carry packs, magazines and more. One of the best deals is a 3-Day Expandable Backpack for $19.99 (marked down from $54.99). Or get a complete AR15 bolt carrier group for $64.99 (marked down from $109.99). Other Memorial Day discounts include: 20% Off Expo Arms, Up to 20% Off Aero Precision, 25% Off North American Rescue, and 30% Off Vertx.
5. Pyramyd Air — Kral Arms Puncher Breaker Air Rifle, $429.99
⏺ Quality competitive field Air Rifle at 21% savings
Here’s a quality air rifle for Field Target and other airgun field sports. The Kral Arms Puncher Breaker Silent Sidelever Air Rifle is offered in .177, .22, and .25 calibers. This rig features a nice two-stage adjustable trigger and Weaver/Picatinny scope rail. There is adjustable power with 2900 psi fill pressure (200 BAR). The barrel is half-shrouded for extra-quiet shooting. Choose either the walnut-stocked version, or a synthetic-stocked model with nickel-finish barreled action. Both are priced at $429.99, a full $120.00 off the regular price.
6. Crimson Trace — Memorial Day Bundles, Save 13% to 30%
⏺ Crimson Trace makes excellent optics — bundles are big bargains
Crimson Trace makes very good optics for all types of firearms. Right now, through May 31, 2022, Crimson Trace is offering Six Combo Packages (“bundle deals”) with big discounts. The #5 Bundle includes the excellent 6-24x50mm FFP Hardline Pro scope PLUS a CT-RAD Max Red Dot optic. These two products would normally retail for $1,499.98 (combined price), but now you can get them BOTH for $1,249.90 — that’s a $250 savings. There are five other great bundle deals.
7. L.E. Wilson Tools — 10% Off and Free Shipping
⏺ L.E. Wilson makes outstanding tools and dies — now shipped for FREE
L.E. Wilson currently offers 10% OFF all online orders (prices reflected in cart). In addition, now through 11:59 pm on Monday 5/30/2022, L.E. Wilson offers FREE Shipping on all orders. Take advantage of these special Memorial Day Weekend savings on outstanding Wilson tools and dies. NOTE: The 10% Off discount is already reflected in the Wilson online shopping cart total.
8. Midsouth — Free Shipping over $49 + Accurate Powder Sale
⏺ Get FREE Shipping plus Accurate powders in stock at good prices
As a Memorial Day Promotion, Midsouth is offering FREE Shipping with purchases of $49 or more (HazMat charges are extra). And if you need reloading powder, definitely head over to Midsouth, which has a huge selection of Accurate brand powders IN STOCK at attractive prices, typically $31-$35 per pound.
9. Bruno’s — Memorial Day $9.95 Shipping and $19.95 Hazmat
⏺ Major savings on product shipping and Hazmat charges
Now through Memorial Day (5/30/22), Bruno Shooters Supply is running a special promotion. Shopper will get $9.95 Flat-Rate Shipping for most orders, including barrels, actions, stocks, scopes, bullets, brass, dies, presses and much more! And for HazMat (powder/primers) shipping, the HazMat charge has been slashed to $19.95, a major savings. Visit Brunoshooters.com.
10. CDNN Sports — Colt 1911 .22 LR by Walther, $429.99
⏺ Handsome, accurate .22 LR handgun with perfect 1911 ergonomics
The Colt 1911 A1 “Rail Gun” pistol is a full-size, .22 LR rimfire version of the legendary Colt 1911 handgun. It includes low-profile combat sights, beavertail safety, and frame accessory rail. This handsome, full-size rimfire 1911 pistol is manufactured by Walther under license from Colt. This blow-back operated pistol features a 5″ barrel and 12-rd magazine. For 1911 fans, this makes a great rimfire addition to your pistol collection. Get the Flat Dark Earth version for $429.99 or the Matte Black version for $419.99.
11. KYGUNC0 — Memorial Day Ammunition SALE
⏺ Great savings on pistol and rifle ammunition
Right now KYGUNCO is running a great AMMO SALE. You’ll find very attractive prices on name brand pistol and rifle ammunition. For example, Nosler .45 ACP ammo is just $26.99 per 50-round box, and 200 rounds of Winchester 9mm ammo is just $69.99 on sale. In addition, KYGUNCO has a super deal on the Citadel Warthog 12ga tactical shotgun — just $209.99.
If you want to use an AR-platform rifle in the varmint fields, consider getting a 20-caliber barrel chambered for the efficient, low-recoil 20 Practical cartridge. The 20 Practical is simply a .223 Remington necked down to 20 caliber. The parent .223 Rem cartridge of course works great in an AR, but the 20 Practical offers some notable advantages for high-volume varmint shooters. The 20 Practical delivers very high velocity with very low recoil while still providing outstanding accuracy. The 20 Practical is great option for folks who favor “fast and light” — smaller, lower-mass bullets traveling at very high velocities. This little cartridge can launch 40-grainers at over 3900 fps, and 32-grainers even faster. This makes the 20 Practical a great choice for an AR-based varmint rifle.
20 Practical Ultimate Varminter
A decade ago, as a “proof-of-concept”, AccurateShooter.com created a 20 Practical AR15 Ultimate Varminter with a custom 20-caliber upper from Robert Whitley of AR-X Enterprises, LLC. That project rifle was ultra-accurate — every 5-shot group out of the gun was less than the size of a dime. That gun was auctioned off, but Robert Whitley continues to produce custom 20 Practical AR15 uppers. (The 20 Practical cartridge is simply the .223 Rem necked down to 20 caliber — you can use standard .223 brass and load with standard.223 Rem dies. Just swap in a smaller expander and use smaller neck bushings.)
Robert learned that the accuracy of the first 20 Practical AR15 was no fluke. After building six (6) more 20 Practical uppers, he tested them for accuracy and they all shot great. These uppers feature DPMS low-pro receivers with side-charging handles. They are fitted with PacNor 1:11″ twist, 3-groove stainless barrels.
Robert reports: “We have been making more 20 Practical AR15 uppers and I have to say I am astounded by the accuracy of these things. For shooting little tiny groups out of an AR15 with bullets going 3500+ fps, it’s hard to beat the 20 Practical. Today I test-fired six more uppers, all with 11-twist barrels. Three of the uppers had 24″ barrels, two had 20″ barrels, and one had an 18″ barrel (we call it ‘Stubby’).
In four of these uppers I shot re-sized Winchester brass using 25.3 grains of WC844 powder with Berger 40gr BTHP bullets loaded at 2.225″ OAL (about .015″ off the lands). WC844 is inexpensive military surplus powder that is nearly identical to H335. I tried three different primers and the choice did not seem to matter (CCI BR4, Rem 7 1/2s and Win Small Rifle — the old silver ones). All these four uppers shot great.”
Below is an animated GIF with targets from uppers #6, 10, and 11. All groups are mag-fed, 5-shot groups shot at 100 yards using a front rest and rear bag.
Targets Shot with Three Different 20 Practical AR Uppers
For more INFO visit www.6mmAR.com, or email: rcw3 [at] erols.com.
20 Practical Shooters Explain Why They Love this Little Cartridge
A current thread in our Shooters’ Forum focuses on favorite variants of the .223 Rem cartridge. The thread asks: “What is your favorite and most versatile round that you have made from a .223 Rem parent case?” Many cartridges were named, but the wildcat cartridge cited most often was the 20 Practical. Here are some comments by Forum members, who explain the appeal of this great little 20-caliber cartridge:
“The 20 Practical is just a hoot to shoot. Outstanding precision, minimal recoil, easy case forming and inexpensive to shoot. What’s not to like? It’s a great way to introduce kids to centerfire, too.” — JLT
“The 20 Practical for me. Never had as much fun shooting a rifle as I did with the 20 Practical. Also, [it is] the easiest wildcat to form. Just get cases, a couple of bushings to get the right neck tension, and you are shooting.” — NMKid
“Favorite .223 Rem Wildcat? The 20 Practical hands down for me. I have two of them built on Savage actions right now. One has a 20″ BHW barrel and the other has a 26″ Criterion. It is my go-to caliber for shooting up a Prairie Dog town and the ones I have are insanely accurate. Here are some typical 100- and 200-yard groups with my 20 Practicals.” — IA_Shooter
“My favorite was and is the 20 Practical. No fire-forming, no neck-turning, and with the increased BC of the 20 Cal bullets, it’s hard to wipe the smile off your face in a prairie dog town[.]” — Region Rat
“20 Practical and the [original] .223 Rem are my favorites. Accurate, cheap to shoot. The 20 Prac allows you to see your hits and it’s fast.” — Alguapo
“20 Tactical or 20 Practical. Both very easy to reload and/or form from .223 brass. And they are accurate, reach out on varmints at surprising ranges.” — Bill K
Smart Tips on Forming 20 Practical Cases
Varmint ace Warren B, aka “Fireball” in our Forum, explains how to form 20 Practical Cases. “Forming 20 Practical cases is very easy and no fire-forming is required. Start with any good quality .223 Rem brass. One can simply run the case into your bushing die with the appropriate bushing and call it done. I however like to make it a little more involved by doing the neck reduction in steps. I find that taking steps doesn’t overwork the brass as much as one step does. Also, if you resize the neck in too large of a step, sometimes, depending on the neck thickness, the neck will not be dimensionally what you would expect when finished. This is especially important towards the last step when one is getting close to the final required neck diameter.
For my cases the first thing I did was to run them into an old RCBS .223 Rem full length die with the decapping assembly removed. This will take care of any dented necks on the raw cases and bring the necks down to around 0.243″. Since all standard full-length dies oversize the necks way too much, starting with a .223 FL die actually reduces the neck diameter quite a bit–and obviates the need to buy an extra bushing for the first step. I then use my Redding Type-S die with two bushing sizes to get down to where I need to be. In other words, I start with the FL sizer, then move to a Type-S with a 0.233″ bushing and finish with a 0.228″ bushing. Notice how, as I get to the final step, I use progressively smaller increments in size between the reductions.” (Note: Depending on your brass your final bushing size may be different.)
20 Practical vs. 20 Tactical
Varminter Kevin Weaver, who shoots both the 20 Practical and 20 Tactical, states that: “Both the 20 Tactical and the 20 Practical are fine .20 caliber cartridges. However, my favorite would be the 20 Practical. The 20 Practical gives the SAME performance as the 20 Tactical without fire-forming, or having to buy expensive forming dies.
So with the 20 Practical you do less work, you shell out a lot less money, yet you give up nothing in performance. What’s not to like? To create 20 Practical cases, just buy a .223 Rem Redding Type “S” Bushing Die set with a .230 or .228 bushing and have fun with this great little cartridge.
The 20 Practical and the 20 Tactical are almost identical cartridges. There are only slight differences in case outside diameter, shoulder angle, and case body length. Neck length on the 20 Tactical is a bit longer, but there is still plenty of neck on the 20 Practical to grip the popular bullets, such as the 32gr V-Max.”
Right now through 5/30/2022 at 11:59 pm Central Time, you can get significant savings on the vast majority of products Brownells sells, along with FREE Shipping. This is through the Brownells Memorial Day Sale Event. In addition, if you’re feeling lucky, Brownells is running a contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive all the components for a dream rifle along with a full-paid trip to Brownells Headquarters. Total prize value is $4500.00.
Here are the current DISCOUNT CODES for significant savings when ordering in the next few days. Take note — these codes expire at 11:59 pm on Monday 5/30/2022. These promos apply to domestic sales only in the continental USA and is not valid on international purchases.
Brownells Memorial Day Event Discount Codes
MEMSHIP: FREE Shipping on Orders $150+
MEMORIAL30: FREE Shipping and $30 Off Orders $300+
MEMORIAL50: FREE Shipping and $50 Off Orders $500+
Along with the discount codes, a number of popular products are on SALE this week, including ammo, optics, magazines, AR components, barrels, triggers, and complete rifles and handguns. CLICK HERE to see ALL current items on sale at Brownells.
NOTE — These discount codes are not valid on these brands: B&T USA, FN USA, Franklin Armory, Galco Int’l, Glock, Holosun, Kahles, LabRadar, Law Tactical LLC, Leica, Leupold, Nightforce, Raven Concealment Systems, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Swarovski, Vortex Optics, Trijicon, Zenith Firearms, and Zermatt Arms. Additionally, some product types are excluded.*
* Discount Codes not valid on these products: barrel blanks, benches, barrel hones & accessories, barreled receivers, barrels, bluing salts, bullets, case tumblers & accessories, cleaning rods, color case hardening, parkerizing, progressive presses, reloading kits, rifle barrel blanks, rifle barrels, rifle stocks, shot, shotshell presses, specialty bluing chemicals, ultrasonic case cleaners, water storage, bake-on finishing curing oven, Neycraft manual control fiber furnace, bluing system kit, roll-around compact bluing system, first step bluing kit, HT-1 heat treat oven, color case hardening kit, Aztek Unlock Key Software, and Match Precision Optics (MPO).
The 151st NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston, Texas, runs for three days this upcoming weekend. Visitor will enjoy 14 acres of exhibitors, along with informative seminars, appearances from political leaders, and performances from major musical talents. The Exhibit Hall will be open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday and Saturday and 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday.
Vihtavuori Powders will be celebrate its 100th Anniversary during the 2022 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Attendees can visit Vihtavuori in Booth #3816 to receive a FREE Vihtavuori reloading guide, technical advice, and more.
Vihtavuori is recognized around the globe as a top-tier powder maker respected serious competitive shooters and hunters. Vihtavuori powders deliver clean-burning results, superior consistency, excellent temperature stability, and great accuracy shot-after-shot.
Vihtavuori is a part of the Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Vihtavuori.com.
“Capstone Precision Group is proud to bring Vihtavuori powders to the USA. The N100, N300, and N500 series powders offer something for all metallic reloaders,” said Adam Braverman, VP of Sales & Marketing. “Vihtavuori’s strict quality control and lot-to-lot consistency ensure that every customer’s experience exceeds expectations. With 100 Years of experience, the Power of Accuracy is in every shot.”
The Vihtavuori Rifle Reloading Data page covers over 70 cartridge types. Vihtavuori notes: “We provide our reloading data in [both] metric and imperial dimension systems, i.e. charge weight in grams and grains as well as muzzle velocity in meters and feet per second. All the rifle loads… are pressure tested according to the C.I.P. method. The listed maximum loads should never be exceeded. Please note that due to safety regulations, we can’t suggest or recommend loads or bullets that are not available on this site.”
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
⏺ Versatile, affordable — great for ARs and sighting-in hunting rifles
Here’s a versatile, affordable tripod-style shooting rest. The Caldwell Precision Adjustable Turret Rest offers quick horizontal and vertical adjustment making it great for target shooting as well as varminting from a bench. Amazon user ‘Jet Mech 1′ reports “…it’s REALLY solid! Solid steel legs and everything is heavy duty. It’s really compact. Easily fits in the smallest car trunk. It holds your firearm very securely. The tilt and pan is super smooth and precise. This is the perfect platform for an AR-style rifle but works equally well for just about anything.” This is a great deal — the same unit is $114.99 on Amazon
2. Bruno Shooters Supply — McMillan Stocks now $100 OFF
⏺ Great savings on quality McMillan Fiberglass stocks
McMillan stocks are world-renowned for hunting, tactical, and competition applications. We found a rare deal on McMillan stocks over at Bruno’s. Find one that works for your needs and save $100 instantly. Bruno’s has 60+ McMillan stocks available now for $100 off. There are many stock varieties — benchrest, hunting, tactical, F-Class.
3. Precision Reloading — Starline .223 Rem Brass, $31.20/100
⏺ Excellent deal on quality .223 Rem brass
If you need some new .223 Remington brass consider grabbing some American-made Starline .223 Rem brass. This quality brass is good for hunting, varminting, and competition in bolt guns and ARs. If loaded to 5.56 pressures keep in mind you need to use firearms labeled for use with 5.56mm.
4. KYGUNCO — Savage Mark II FV-SR .22 LR Rifle, $259.99
⏺ Inexpensive rimfire rig for NRL22 or plinking
With NRL22 and other fun disciplines, .22 LR rimfire shooting is more popular than ever. A good, low-cost .22 LR rifle option is the Savage Mark II FV-SR. The Mark II FV-SR offers a 16.5″ fluted heavy barrel, factory scope rail, 5-round mag, and user-adjustable AccuTrigger. This Savage Mark II FV-SR is also available complete with a Vortex 3-9x40mm scope and rings for $369.99 at KYGUNCO.
⏺ Well-made, durable case that will fit long match rifles
This is an outstanding, rugged, well-padded fabric rifle case at a very good price. We can definitely recommend this Bulldog 54″ Black Long Range Rifle Cases. It features heavy-duty zippers, side storage bags, and plenty of space for your scope. With a 54″ OAL, this case will hold a Palma or F-Class match rifle with a long barrel. It’s pretty rare that we go to a match and don’t see some of these big Bulldog cases — they are popular.
You can never have enough plinking ammo for your .223 Rem rifles. With this deal, get 1000 rds of American Eagle .223 Rem ammo for $649.99 — just 65 cents per round. American Eagle rifle ammunition offers consistent, accurate performance at a price that’s perfect for high-volume shooting. This ammo has quality bullets, reloadable brass cases, and dependable Federal primers.
7. Natchez — CCI Blazer .40 S&W Ammo, $19.95
⏺ Very competitive price on quality .40 S&W ammo
Do you need .40 S&W ammo but don’t want to pay a high price? We found a great deal on CCI Blazer .40 S&W aluminum case ammunition for under $20 a box (50 rounds). This .40 S&W Blazer ammo features high-quality Speer bullets. NOTE: The aluminum cases are NON-reloadable. If you prefer reloadable, brass-cased ammo, Brownells has CCI Blazer Brass 165gr .40 S&W ammo on sale at $26.99 for 50 rounds.
⏺ Parts and bushing kit helps turret presses run smoothly
If you have a Lyman, RCBS, or Redding turret press, we recommend you get one of these Creedmoor Turret Press Upgrade Kits. These kits, which reduce wear and improve “feel”, install on the press with simple hand tools. The kit includes Self-Adhesive Teflon pads that reduce friction between the Turret Head and the Press Body, Brass Shim that allows the bushing to ride on a smooth surface, and spring and ball that improve the press lock-up, giving a firmer lock and reducing play in the press head. There is a specific kit for three turret press types: Lyman, RCBS, and Redding T-7.
9. Amazon — S2Delta Tactical Squeeze Bag, $26.99
⏺ Versatile Support Bag is popular with shooters
For hunters and tactical shooters, a versatile Squeezebag provides rear support when shooting from bipod, or can be used in the front as a fore-arm rest on a support. The S2Delta Tactical Rear Squeeze Bag is a nice design that can do multiple tasks, and has a useful carry strap. This Squeezebag has a removable internal case that’s easy to fill with various types of media (sand, plastic pellets, etc.). Grab one in coyote tan, camo, or OD green for just $26.99 on Amazon.
10. Amazon — MTM Universal Loading Tray, $5.99
⏺ Good, versatile loading tray at significantly reduced price
Handloaders need versatile, high-quality loading trays. These two-sided MTM trays can handle just about any cartridge you reload. Priced at just $5.99, the MTM Universal Ammo Loading Tray holds 50 cartridge cases. These two-sided trays will fit all common handgun cartridges and almost all rifle cartridges .17 through .458 Winchester, including the “fat” WSM, WSSM, and Ultra Mags. These trays are also sold by Midsouth for $7.51.
7mm (.284) remains the caliber to beat in F-Class Open Division (though some shooters have had success with .30-Cal short magnums.) With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr and 184gr bullets to competitive velocities.
The straight .284 Win is an excellent cartridge, quite capable of winning F-class matches. However, in most barrels, it can’t push the 180s at 2900-2950 fps velocity levels*. A lot of barrels will top out at about 2850 fps. That’s where the .284 Shehane comes into play.
The .284 Shehane is a slightly modified wildcat that retains the same 35° shoulder as the parent case. However, by blowing the sidewalls out 0.010″, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with 30-32″ barrels using H4831sc, Vihtavuori N560, or Alliant Reloder 16. (That’s with a reasonably fast barrel. Some barrels are faster than others.)
Norm Harrold Won 2018 F-Class Open Division Nationals with .284 Shehane Rifle
Norm Harrold (above) won the 2018 USA F-Class Nationals shooting a .284 Shehane. Norm’s F-Open rig features a McMillan Kestros ZR stock and Bartlein barrel chambered for the .284 Shehane, which has a bit more case capacity than a standard .284 Winchester. Norm loaded Berger 184gr 7mm bullets in Lapua brass. Norm revealed his load in an Erik Cortina YouTube Video.
F-Class shooter Erik Cortina notes that the .284 Shehane has a velocity edge over the straight .284 Win because it holds more powder: “The Shehane has more capacity than the .284 Winchester. Ryan is using 54.0 grains simply as a fire-forming load. Typical load for a Shehane is around 57.0 grains of Hodgdon H4831 SC.” By blowing the sidewalls out 0.010″, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with H4831sc, with long barrels.
Forum member Jim Hardy has shot the .284 with great success. He tells us: “In my humble opinion, the .284 Shehane is the best balanced long-range round there is — bar none. Here is why:
You have to shoot a 30 Cal Magnum with a 240gr bullet to equal the performance of most 7mm chamberings with the 180 Berger VLD. With the .284 Shehane, you have a .308 bolt face, medium action, and Lapua brass. You use less powder than the 7 mags, and have great accuracy and ballistics even while fire-forming. The .284 Shehane shoots inside the 6.5 AND the straight .284, the .300 WSM, and the .300 Win Mag with less recoil. What is not to love about the 284 Shehane? It is a no-brainer for long range — F-Class or Prone or 1000-yard Benchrest.”
Amazing Accuracy When Fire-Forming .284 Shehane
If you look at that 5-round group you might think it was shot with a 6 PPC or maybe a 6mmBR. But no, this was done with heavy 180gr Berger Hybrid bullets and the .284 Shehane. In fact, this impressive sub-quarter MOA group was shot while fire-forming with a very well-worn barrel! Gun builder Ryan Pierce of Piercision Rifles explains: “Here’s a 5-shot 0.191″ group at 100 yards with my .284 Shehane fireforming loads. This barrel has 2200 rounds through it. It had 2000 as a straight .284 Win and then I set it back to .284 Shehane to form brass with. [The load was] 180 Hybrids with 54.0 grains of H4831 SC.”
Scotland’s Grant Taylor. who used the .284 Shehane to finish third at the 2009 F-Class Worlds in England says the .284 Shehane is “very accurate with superb vertical spreads at 1000 yards. [This] caliber… has awesome accuracy. I’m getting 2930-2950 fps with spreads in the 3-5 fps range. I use Hodgdon H4831sc powder, CCI BR2 primers, and pointed 180gr Bergers.”
.284 Shehane Showcase — Two Special F-Open Rifles
Jason Cohen’s “We the People” patriotic .284 Shehane F-Class rifle. This rig scored second place in its very first match, a 3×20 at 1000 yards in Wyoming.
Here’s another handsome .284 Shehane F-Open rifle. Owner Jason Cohen explained why he chose the .284 Shehane chambering: “The .284 Shehane has a proven record of accomplishments and that is why I have chosen it. I use Lapua brass (6.5-284 necked-up), CCI BR-2 primers, Hodgdon H4350 powder, and Berger 184gr bullets. All these components have been a successful combination that has worked flawlessly[.]”
The barrel is a Blake Machine 1:8″-twist finished at 32 inches. It was fitted to my action by Dale Woolum of Woolum Accuracy. Dale also threaded the barrel for a Woolum Accuracy tuner. This has proven to be a valuable tool in my load development.
The rifle began its life as a Will McClosky Cerus stock. This was sent that to Bryan Blake at Blake Machine. Jason noticed that Bryan had been adding aluminum rails to the front of Cerus stocks to lower the center of gravity and improve tracking. Jason asked Bryan to fit the stock with forearm rails, shown in the photo below. Bryan did all the stock work and fitted the action, rails, and RAD recoil pad.
The .284 Shehane — Accurate and Forgiving Wildcat
Jason explains why he selected the .284 Shehane chambering: “The .284 Shehane is amazing, very forgiving and not temperamental. Straight .284 or Shehane — you cannot go wrong. I run a 184gr Berger at about 2850 FPS and get great brass life in my other rifles. I usually start to consider tossing the brass around 15 firings. Primer pockets start to get a little looser and the brass seems to need more sizing than the newer brass with less firings.”
.284 Shehane Load Development
Load development for me starts with each new barrel. I screw on the new barrel, fire 25 rounds of whatever I have left over and then clean it. I push out to 600 yards and do a ladder test in round-robin format. I start 0.6 grains lower than my last charge that worked. I work up from that reduced charge weight in increments of 0.3 grains. The paper tells the rest of the story. Once I get something that works well at 600 yards I go back in work around that by 0.1 grains. After that I play a little with seating depth and look for a change. I will occasionally mess with the tuner and tighten things up if possible.
.284 Shehane Raffle Prize Rifle for Team USA
This stunning .284 Shehane rifle was constructed as a raffle prize to benefit Team USA members preparing for the F-Class World Championship. This eye-catching F-Open rifle was crafted by Blake Barrel and Rifle in Arizona. This prize rifle features all top-of-the-line components: Borden BRMXD Action, Cerus multi-laminate stock with forearm extension, R.A.D. recoil reduction system (hydraulic-damped buttpad), Bix ‘N Andy trigger, and Nightforce Competition scope. The stainless Blake barrel is chambered for the .284 Shehane wildcat, and sports an F-Class Products tuner on the end.
.284 Shehane Also Shines in 1K Benchrest Competition
The .284 Shehane has won in Benchrest as well as F-Class competition. In 2013, Henry Pasquet won the IBS 1000-Yard Nationals shooting a .284 Shehane. Henry’s Championship-winning rig is shown below. Note the 5″-wide fore-end which is not legal for F-Class. Henry also runs a combo tuner/muzzle-brake.
*Some exceptional barrels chambered in straight .284 Win can reach 2900 fps with the 180s. Ryan Pierce has a 32″ Brux barrel that is delivering 2900 fps with the straight .284. However, Ryan acknowledges that his velocities are not typical: “A lot of .284 Win barrels top out at around 2850 fps with the 180s”.
by Sierra Bullets Ballistic Technician Paul Box
One thing that plays a major role in building an accuracy load is neck tension [one of the factors that controls the “grip” on a bullet]. I think a lot of reloaders pretty much take this for granted and don’t give that enough thought.
So, how much neck tension is enough?
Through the years and shooting both a wide variety of calibers and burn rates of powder, I’ve had the best accuracy overall with .002″ of neck tension. Naturally you will run into a rifle now and then that will do its best with something different like .001″ or even .003″, but .002″ has worked very well for me. So how do we control the neck tension? Let’s take a look at that.
First of all, if you’re running a standard sizing die with an expander ball, just pull your decapping rod assembly out of your die and measure the expander ball. What I prefer [for starters] is to have an expander ball that is .003″ smaller than bullet diameter. So for example in a .224 caliber, run an expander ball of .221″. If you want to take the expander ball down in diameter, just chuck up your decapping rod assembly in a drill and turn it down with some emery cloth. When you have the diameter you need, polish it with three ought or four ought steel wool. This will give it a mirror finish and less drag coming through your case neck after sizing.
Tips for Dies With Interchangeable Neck Bushings
If you’re using a bushing die, I measure across the neck of eight or ten loaded rounds, then take an average on these and go .003″ under that measurement. There are other methods to determine bushing size, but this system has worked well for me.
Proper Annealing Can Deliver More Uniform Neck Tension
Another thing I want to mention is annealing. When brass is the correct softness, it will take a “set” coming out of the sizing die far better than brass that has become too hard. When brass has been work hardened to a point, it will be more springy when it comes out of a sizing die and neck tension will vary. Have you ever noticed how some bullets seated harder than others? That is why.
Paying closer attention to neck tension will give you both better accuracy and more consistent groups.
Like crosswords? Like guns? Well, thanks to Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA), you can try a crossword puzzle that tests your knowledge of gun stuff and competitive shooting. In the February 2013 digital edition of Shooting Sports USA magazine, you’ll find a crossword puzzle created just for shooters. There are some easy items, such as the location of the annual NRA National Pistol Championships (see story above). Other entries are more difficult, and may require some research. To print the crossword puzzle before you start working, click this Page 12 link, and then select the print icon. Spoiler alert — all the answers appear on PAGE 14 of the same February issue of SSUSA.
NOTE: These pages may be slow to load, but don’t fret, they WILL appear if you’re patient.
20 Practical Ultimate Varminter
Varminter Kevin Weaver, who shoots both the 20 Practical and 20 Tactical, states that: “Both the 20 Tactical and the 20 Practical are fine .20 caliber cartridges. However, my favorite would be the 20 Practical. The 20 Practical gives the SAME performance as the 20 Tactical without fire-forming, or having to buy expensive forming dies.
7mm (.284) remains the caliber to beat in F-Class Open Division (though some shooters have had success with .30-Cal short magnums.) With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr and 184gr bullets to competitive velocities.
Like crosswords? Like guns? Well, thanks to 
