With the Berger Southwest Nationals underway this week, we thought we’d steer our readers to a very useful resource, courtesy Berger Bullets. This online Stability Calculator helps shooters determine the optimal twist rate for their choice of projectiles.
Berger Twist-Rate Stability Calculator
On the Berger Bullets website you’ll find a handy Twist-Rate Stability Calculator that predicts your gyroscopic stability factor (SG) based on mulitiple variables: velocity, bullet length, bullet weight, barrel twist rate, ambient temperature, and altitude. This cool tool tells you if your chosen bullet will really stabilize in your barrel.
How to Use Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator
Using the Twist Rate Calculator is simple. Just enter the bullet DIAMETER (e.g. .264), bullet WEIGHT (in grains), and bullet overall LENGTH (in inches). On its website, Berger conveniently provides this info for all its bullet types. For other brands, we suggest you weigh three examples of your chosen bullet, and also measure the length on three samples. Then use the average weight and length of the three. To calculate bullet stability, simply enter your bullet data (along with observed Muzzle Velocity, outside Temperature, and Altitude) and click “Calculate SG”. Try different twist rate numbers (and recalculate) until you get an SG value of 1.4 (or higher).
Gyroscopic Stability (SG) and Twist Rate
Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator provides a predicted stability value called “SG” (for “Gyroscopic Stability”). This indicates the Gyroscopic Stability applied to the bullet by spin. This number is derived from the basic equation: SG = (rigidity of the spinning mass)/(overturning aerodynamic torque).
If you have an SG under 1.0, your bullet is predicted not to stabilize. If you have between 1.0 and 1.1 SG, your bullet may or may not stabilize. If you have an SG greater than 1.1, your bullet should stabilize under optimal conditions, but stabilization might not be adequate when temperature, altitude, or other variables are less-than-optimal. That’s why Berger normally recommends at least 1.5 SG to get out of the “Marginal Stability” zone.
In his book Applied Ballistics For Long-Range Shooting, Bryan Litz (Berger Ballistician) recommends at least a 1.4 SG rating when selecting a barrel twist for a particular bullet. This gives you a safety margin for shooting under various conditions, such as higher or lower altitudes or temperatures.
Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
In recent months, Sierra has unveiled four very serious, ultra-high-BC MatchKing bullets in .224, .264 (6.5 mm), and .308 calibers. And just last week Sierra has released initial load data for these four new projectiles. CLICK HERE to get the latest official load data for these four new bullets.
High-BC MatchKings Tipped at Factory
Sierra recently released a new-for-2018, 95-grain .224 projectile, Sierra product #1396, with a claimed G1 BC of 0.600 — mighty impressive for a .22-caliber bullet. Next up is the new 6.5mm (.264 caliber) 150-grainer with an 0.713 G1 BC. This could be a game-changer for the 6.5-284 and new 6.5 PRC short magnum. There are also two new .308-caliber MatchKings, a 200-grainer with 0.715 G1 BC, and a new 230-grainer with a stunning 0.800 G1 BC. Many of these New Generation MatchKings now come “tipped” from the factory for more uniform BC.
Sierra Bullets has LOAD DATA for these four new bullets. If you handload for .223 Remington, 22-250, 6.5 x284 Norma, .308 Winchester, or .300 Winchester Magnum, check out this new reloading data.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every 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.
1. AmmoFast — Federal .22 LR 40gr Rimfire Ammo, $1.99/box
The good ol’ days of inexpensive rimfire ammo are back! We’ve seen .22 LR prices drop significantly in the last 12 months. And now we can report a new low — the lowest price in years for American-made, name-brand .22 LR ammo. Right now you can buy 50-round boxes of Federal .22 LR ammo for just $1.99! You read that right — under two bucks for fifty rounds of Federal .22 LR 40gr LRN. That works out to four cents per round. This offer is limited to 10 boxes per customer. Check Wikiarms.com for other great .22 LR ammo deals.
2. CDNN — Winchester XPR Hunting Rifle, $264.99 After Rebate
We like the Winchester XPR as an affordable, entry-level hunting rifle. The three-lug bolt has a short throw, the mags seat easily and a wide range of chamberings are available. Right now CDNN is offering the XPR for just $339.99. That’s a great price, but it gets even better. Winchester is offering a $75.00 factory rebate, lowering your net cost to just $264.99. That’s less than you’ll pay for a new custom barrel! The $75 Rebate applies to any NEW Winchester XPR rifle purchased from February 1 through March 31, 2018. For more info, visit rebates.winchesterguns.com.
Here’s an excellent promo from our friends at Grafs.com. Hornady’s versatile Lock-N-Load Auto Charge™ Powder Scale and Dispenser is on sale for $149.99. The Auto Charge is accurate to 0.1 grains of powder and can hold up to 1000 grains of powder in its hopper. This is a very good value compared to other popular powder scale/dispensers on the market such as the RCBS ChargeMaster Lite, currently $213.49 at Amazon.com
4. Grafs.com — Caldwell Rock Front Rest, $119.99
The Caldwell Rock BR Front Rest is sturdy and stable. It ships with two front bags, a wide tri-lobe plus a conventional bag (shown above). The latter works quite well for rifles with narrow forearms — such as hunting rigs or ARs. This is a good option for a young shooter or someone getting started on a tight budget. We’ve used this rest on a varmint hunt and it worked well. Use the Mariner wheel for gross elevation changes and “fine tune” elevation by squeezing your rear sand bag. This same rest costs $138.93 at Amazon. Save $20.00 by purchasing through Grafs.com which also offers a single, flat $7.95 handling fee per order — no extra shipping charge.
Bushnell’s highly-regarded Elite 4500 Series scopes offer good performance and reliability for the price. Here’s a great deal on a Demo Bushnell 8-32x40mm Elite 4500 with Multi-X Reticle and 1″-diameter main tube. This would be a good choice for an F-Class or long-range varmint rifle. We’ve used this scope in a 600-yard Benchrest match and it worked well, though we would prefer a reticle with MOA-based hold-off marks. We do like the 1/8-MOA clicks for precision target work. NOTE: Natchez also has 6-24x40mm Bushnell 4500 Elite zoom scopes on sale now for just $329.99 (with Multi-X Reticle). That’s a crazy low price for an optic this good.
6. Amazon — Neiko Digital Calipers, $16.85
Even if you have a good set of calipers, you may want to get one of these Neiko 01407A Digital Calipers. The #1 best-selling digital caliper on Amazon.com, this Neiko tool features a large LCD Screen and measures up to 6.0 inches. With over 3000 customer reviews, this product has earned an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. It’s hard to go wrong for $16.85, even if you just use these as a spare set for measuring group sizes and case trim lengths.
7. Amazon — Plano 52″ Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $107.74
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is under $110.00, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). If you separate the barreled action from the stock you can transport even ultra-long ELR rifles. The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move through airports and parking lots. This is a very tough, roomy case for the money (plus there’s Free Shipping for Amazon Prime members).
Exterior Dimensions: 54.625″ x 15.5″ x 6″
Interior Dimensions: 51.5″ x 12.63″ x 5.25″
Pluckable Interior Dimensions: 46″ x 10″
Features: Wheels, Secure Draw-Down Latches, O-Ring Seal, Pressure Relief Valve, Customizable Foam
We use 1″-diameter Target Spots for sight-in and practice at 100-300 yards. These bright red/orange self-adhesive dots are easy to see. At 100 yards the high-contrast black diamond centers provide precise aiming points. We found this 10-pack of target spots on Amazon at a rock-bottom price. You get 630 total stick-on dots for just $9.65 with FREE Shipping. You can also get 360 Birchwood Casey 1″ dots from Midsouth for just $3.15, but shipping is extra. If you’re already ordering something from Midsouth, you may want to add the dots to your order.
9. MidwayUSA — Packable Shooting Mat, $12.01
Here’s a heck of a deal on a good light-weight shooting mat. MidwayUSA has slashed the price on its Packable Shooting Mat. This 67″ Long x 31″ Wide Olive Drab padded mat is currently clearance priced at just $12.01. This Packable Mat has some nice features, such as 12″ front flap, elbow pads, 0.15″ thick padding, and six staking grommets. It’s easy to transport, rolling up to a 9″ x 4.5″ package, secured with a heavy strap. If you need a low-cost, basic shooting mat, check out this deal. Weighing just 1.5 pounds, this a good, light-weight mat to keep in a vehicle or to use on a “walk-around” varminting hunt.
In this video, gunsmith Alex Wheeler explains how to ensure that your full-length sizing dies fit your brass properly. With many cartridge types, it’s not unusual for factory dies to be slightly large in the bottom section. When the diameter of a FL-sizing die is too large near the base, this can leave the bottom section of fired cases “unsized”, with the result that you can have extraction issues and stiff bolt lift, or what Alex calls “clickers”. At the same time, it’s not unusual for dies to over-size fired cases at the shoulder (i.e. reduce the shoulder diameter by .004″ or more).
We strongly recommend that all hand-loaders watch this video, particularly if you load cases 6+ times with relatively high-pressure loads.
Alex explains that a key dimension is the diameter of a fired case 0.200″ above the case head. If your die does not size your fired cases at this point, you should get a FL die that does. This could be a custom die ground to fit your chamber, or it could be a “small-base” die specifically designed to “hit” the bottom section of the case. Alex also notes that some FL dies have an inside chamfer at the mouth of the die, right at the very bottom. (See video at 3:55). This can leave the section of the case right above the extractor groove unsized, which can also lead to “clickers” and stiff bolt lift.
Paint Your Brass to Find Problem Areas
If you are having stiff bolt lift or extraction issues, Alex explains that you can “paint” your brass with magic marker (or dye-chem), and then place the case in your chamber. On the “hot spots” where the case contacts the chamber wall, the marking will rub off, allowing the brass metal to shine through in the problem area(s). This will illustrate where you need better sizing from your die.
“You can ink up the case with some magic marker or dye-chem. If you are getting clickers, go ahead and mark up the case and chamber it and see where it’s wearing. This will help you diagnose [whether the problem] is coming from the base, is it coming maybe from a score in the chamber… it can even happen at the shoulder although that’s pretty rare. Usually the dies size enough at that point.”
Did you find this video helpful? View more informative Tech Tip Videos on WheelerAccuracy.com.
Video Tip from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
Did you know that there’s a free online resource that lists weight, length, SD, and Ballistic Coefficient for thousands of bullet designs. That’s right, the ShootForum Website offers profiles of nearly 3900 bullet types from all the major manufacturers. You can access all this info for free. This is a great place to start when you’re considering bullet options for a new rifle, or a new chambering for an existing rifle. You should definitely bookmarke this resource for for easy access in the future.
The massive ShootForum.com Bullet Database includes over 3900 bullet designs in all. We counted nearly 200 different 6mm bullets! The bullet info comes from the makers of QuickLOAD Software. Access to the online database is FREE. Most database entries include Caliber, Manufacturer, Stated Bullet Weight, True Bullet Weight, Length, Sectional Density (SD), and Ballistic Coefficient. In many cases multiple BCs are provided for different velocity ranges. Having bullet length lets you know right away if your cartridge/bullet combo can fit your magazine.
The database is great if you’re looking for an unusual caliber, or you want a non-standard bullet diameter to fit a barrel that is tighter or looser than spec. You’ll find the popular jacketed bullets from major makers, plus solids, plated bullets, and even cast bullets. For those who don’t already own QuickLOAD software, this is a great resource, providing access to a wealth of bullet information.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every 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.
1. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a good deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99 (unpainted), order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $199.99.
2. CDNN — Noreen 34″ Barrel .50 BMG Long Range Rifle
No personal rifle collection is complete without a .50 BMG — the big boy. The single-shot, bolt-action Noreen is one of the most affordable Fifties. This 32-pound beast boasts a 34″ barrel with a massive muzzle brake. The Noreen’s bolt is stout, sporting a large diameter bolt body. This jumbo-sized rifle comes with Timney trigger and AR-type pistol grip (which can be exchanged by purchaser). The wide bipod is included with the rifle. CDNN now offers the Noreen .50 BMG in either Matte Black or Desert Camo for the same $2049.99 price. You can also purchase this rig directly from Noreen Firearms, with a choice of four calibers: .338 Lapua Magnum, .408 CheyTac, .416 Barrett, and .50 BMG.
3. Midsouth — New Western Powders Reloading Manual, $27.99
This is a very impressive new resource book, which we perused at length at SHOT Show. We were very impressed. Western’s new Reloading Manual is richly illustrated, with large clear diagrams, and hundreds of color photos. There are many well-written, informative articles on reloading tasks by knowledgeable experts. The reloading data tables are easier to read than most other reloading manuals. The “how-to” section of this new reloading manual is probably the best we’ve seen in terms of layout and organization. Western has a real winner here in our opinion. With up-to-date info on modern cartridges, it is a great combination of Numbers (load data) and Knowledge (how-to articles) for users of Western powders.
4. EuroOptic — Free $100 Gift Card with $559 Leica 2000-B
Leica has long been a leader in the Laser RangeFinder market and the model CRF 2000-B is highly regarded among hunters. Now you can get this popular model for just $559.00 at EuroOptic.com, a very good value ($69 cheaper than Amazon). And, when you buy from EuroOptic you’ll get a $100.00 gift card. This lowers your effective price to just $459.00 — a heck of a deal for the “gold standard” in super compact laser rangefinders. The Leica 2000-B is small enough to carry in your pocket.
Sometimes less is more. In this case, if you are looking for a good basic zoom optic for a varmint rifle, the 6-24x42mm Weaver fits the bill. You have plenty of power to see small varmints at long range. The 1″ tube allows you to fit less expensive rings. The front objective parallax is more fool-proof than many side-focus systems. And the Ballistic-X reticle gives you multiple hold points — helpful when you are moving near to far and back again in a P-Dog field. At $259.99 this is an exceptional bargain. We wouldn’t hesitate to run this scope on a varmint rig.
6. Brownells — Lyman Case Prep Express, $94.99
We’ve always liked Lyman’s Case Prep Express. It has five powered stations, allowing you to do all important case prep operations: Primer Pocket Cleaning, Primer Pocket Uniforming, Inside Chamfering, Outside Chamfering, Inside Neck Cleaning. The unit is easy to clean, with a removable tray to hold brass shavings. Brownells has the Case Prep Express on sale now for $94.99. Very good price — that’s $24 cheaper than Amazon. Plus Brownells is now offering free shipping with Checkout CODE M7R.
7. MidwayUSA — Norma Match-22 500 Rounds, $39.99
This Norma Match-22 ammunition is good stuff. In many rifles it shoots as well as $8/box products from other makers. But now you can get Match-22 for the equivalent of $4 per 50-ct box when you buy 500 rounds. MidwayUSA is selling a 500-round case (10 boxes) of Norma Match-22 for just $39.99. That works out to just 8 cents per round. Or you can get 1500 rounds (three 500-round cases) plus an ammo can for just $124.99. We think you’ll be happy with this ammo. It is a good choice for tactical cross-training, rimfire silhouette, and fun shooting.
8. Sportsman’s Guide — Stevens 320 12 GA Shotgun, $179.99
Every ranch, farm, or household can use a defensive 12 Gauge shotgun. We like ghost ring sights on our self-defense scatterguns, and this Stevens 320 Security model has that feature. This shotgun is a steal — get one now for the amazingly low price of $179.99 ($170.99 Buyer’s Club price). You won’t find a quality, American-made, ghost-ring 12 gauge pump for less money. At this price you can afford to buy two or three. This Stevens 320 Security shotgun is made by Savage Arms.
We like reactive targets. It’s fun to “ring steel” and see a target move instantly when hit. For just twenty bucks (including shipping), it’s hard to go wrong with this 8″ AR500 Steel Gong. The 8″-diameter size is big enough for zeroing at 200 yards, yet offers a nice challenge at 500 yards and beyond. There is also a 6″-diameter model for just $14.00.
One of the most commonly-asked questions on our Shooters Forum is “what diameter bushing should I use with my neck-sizing die?” While we recommend that users obtain at least two bushings, you still have to know where to start. For hunting ammo and gas guns, we still recommend choosing a bushing that is 2 or 3 thousandths smaller than the neck diameter of a loaded round. However, in a bolt-action benchrest gun, you may well get superior accuracy with less neck tension. A while back Larry Isenhour set a spectacular 50-5X, 600-yard IBS record using very light tension — Larry employed a .268″ bushing for a .2695″ loaded round.
How to Select the Right Neck Bushing for your Cartridge Brass:
A while back, we discussed neck bushings during a visit to the Redding Reloading booth at the NRA Annual Meeting. In the video above, Patrick Ryan of Redding explains how to measure your cartridge brass and select the proper bushing diameter. Please note that Redding has changed its recommendations for benchrest neck sizing in recent years. Redding now recommends that benchresters start with a bushing that yields slightly less grip on the bullet.
The most eye-catching display at SHOT Show 2018 was a 3D Hologram animation of the new SAR 9 pistol. Showing the pistol assembling itself in mid-air, the hologram was mesmerizing.
So many products — so little time. We saw some very interesting new products including new Berger Ammunition on our second day at SHOT Show. There were many interesting tools on displays as well as cool new rifles for hunters, varminters, long-range shooters, and tactical marksmen. We also met some old friends on Day Two, including the legend himself — Jerry Miculek.
To give you a feel for SHOT Show, here’s a nice teaser video filmed last year. This shows both Media Day and the events inside the Sands Convention Center. Though this is a year old, we definitely recommend it. Plus is has a LOT of pretty ladies. You won’t be disappointed — honest.
This Video is from 2017, But You Should Definitely Watch It — Lots of Pretty Ladies!
NEW — Berger Branded Ammunition in Lapua Brass
Berger Bullets + Lapua Brass in factory-loaded ammo. You asked for it. Now it’s here. The new line of Berger Ammunition was unveiled at SHOT Show this week at the Capstone Precision Group booth. Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, and SK Ammo are now all owned by Nammo Lapua, so we can have these great American-made bullets packaged with superior, European-made Lapua brass*. This is an exciting development. There will be three (3) lines of Berger Ammunition: Match Grade Target, Match Grade Hunting, and Match Grade Tactical. We’ll have a full report with field tests this spring.
NEW and IMPROVED — Lyman Higher Rez Borecam
Better. Sharper. Higher Resolution. The new, upgraded Lyman Borecam® Digital Borescope is a serious candidate for best gunroom tool of the year. We really liked the original Borecam and recommended it highly. But now the new version is a LOT better. Now offering 300k resolution, you can really see finer details inside your bore. Trust us — the difference is VERY Noticeable. We could see very fine detail as never before. We like the fact that the lens wand is marked like a ruler so you can see your insertion depth and the handle has an indexing mark so you can keep track of your rotation. Great product. NOTE: The 300K means the camera delivers 300,000 pixels, i.e. 0.3 megapixel. For a square this is about 550×550. For a standard aspect ratio, this is similar to 640×480 resolution.
NEW — Walther KK500 .22 LR 3P Competition Rifle
Walther unveiled a handsome new smallbore (.22 LR) competition rifle, the KK500. This is more compact, with a shorter length of pull, so it’s a great choice for smaller-framed competitors — women and junior. The new Walther KK500 position rifle features bold red/gray laminated grip and fore-end block, plus an eye-catching red bolt handle. Very nice rimfire rifle for serious 3P smallbore shooters.
NEW — RCBS 6-Station Brass Boss
We tried out the new Brass Boss from RCBS. This new machine features SIX (6) powered tool heads, plus brushes. Four of the tool heads run at variable speeds up to 350 rpm. Two other high-speed tool heads run up to 550 RPM. There is a convenient speed control knob on the side of the unit. This is a great feature — you can run at high RPM for hard jobs like removing military primer crimps, and then slow way down to do more precise tasks such as inside chamfering. We like the Brass Boss. It is a definite upgrade over the previous RCBS Trim-Mate. The new Brass Boss includes tools for all six stations: inside VLD chamfering tool, outside deburring tool, primer pocket cleaners (small/large), military crimp removers (small/large), primer pocket uniformers (small/large), case neck brushes (four diameters), and a tub of dry case neck lubricant. MSRP for the Brass Boss is $189.95. We expect “street price” to be around $155.00.
COOL — World’s Biggest Cutaway Cartridge?
At the Vista Outdoor booth, we saw a 4-foot tall replica rifle cartridge. This was a real eye-catcher. Many folks looking at the giant-sized mock cartridge had never seen a 3-D cutaway like this showing the construction of the primer along with the core and jacket of the bullet. Note to Vista Outdoor — Please send one of these jumbo cutaways for our AccurateShooter.com “Man-Cave”.
WILD — $18,000 Janz Plasma Finish Revolver
Holy Mother of Mercy. This stunning Janz pistol costs $18,000. You can buy an entry-level Honda Civic for that! But does that Honda have a rainbow-colored Plasma finish like the Janz? And can the Civic swap barrel and cylinder assemblies to shoot multiple calibers? These top-of-the line Janz wheelguns are crafted in Germany in very small numbers. Just remember, beauty doesn’t come cheap.
NEW — Leica HD-B 3000 Geovid Rangefinder Binoculars
When we looked through the new HD-B 3000 Leica Geovids we were stunned. Superb clarity and sharpness. And the laser ranging was instantaneous — amazingly fast. The new Geovid HD-B 3000 delivers linear distance determination up to 3,000 yards (2,750 meters). This combo binocular/LRF has an ABC® ballistic brain inside which can output holdover, click adjustment, and equivalent horizontal range (EHR). Barometric pressure, temperature and angle are also included in the measurements. Impressive.
FUN — Selfie Time with Jerry Miculek — The Man, the Legend
Where else but SHOT Show in Las Vegas can you get a selfie with the world’s greatest revolver shooter, the legendary Jerry Miculek. Jerry was signing autographs at the Hornady booth. Of course Jerry’s not just a wheelgun ace. He has been a top 3-Gun competitor and, at last year’s 2017 Industry Day at the Range, Jerry set a world rifle speed record shooting a S&W M&P15.
NEW — Lyman Brass Smith C-Frame Press
Lyman has three new cast-iron presses on display: an O-Frame Single Stage, and 8-station Turret, and this compact Brass Smith C-Frame Ideal open front press. We liked them all but we think this new C-Frame press is an exceptional value. With beefy cast-iron construction, it is much stiffer than other presses in this category. The compound linkage is smooth. The base is big enough to provide good stability. For someone looking for a second press, or a smaller press to take to the range, the new Lyman may be the right solution. Thumbs up.
WEIRD — Virtual Reality Self-Defense Simulator
At the NRA Booth, CarryGuard, the NRA’s insurance program, had a half-dozen high-tech Virtual Reality simulators. Visitors could put on a pair of VR goggles, and then experience a variety of threat scenarios. This helps gun owners recognize true threats and respond in a proper manner. We like the cool Virtual Reality technology, but it still seemed weird to see grown men wearing goofy VR headgear and waving their arms around like circus clowns.
BAD ASS — Victrix Heavy Metal Tactical Rifles
Victrix is an Italian rifle-maker that shows that has proven that the USA doesn’t have a monopoly on seriously “Bad Ass” weaponry. We saw a trio of Victrix Minerva Tactical rifles that look tough enough to survive the Zombie Apocalypse with ease. The Minerva’s beefy carry handle under the fore-end is an interesting feature — something similar might come in handy for big ELR rigs.
SMART — Burris Spotting Scope with Accessory Red Dot
Can you see an extra feature fitted to this Burris Signature HD Spotting Scope. Yep, that’s a Burris Red Dot Sight on the left side near the eyepiece. Smart idea — this helps you align the spotter quickly, particularly in low-light situations. After seeing this rig, we’re wondering how we might attach a red dot to our older spotting scopes. Hats off to Burris for this clever optics upgrade.
NEW and TEMPTING — Tikka T1x Rifle in .17 HMR
When we first revealed the impressive new Tikka T1x rimfire rifle in .22 LR, some readers said: “Well the .22 LR version is nice but will it be available in .17 HMR? That’s what I really want”. Well ladies and gentlemen, Tikka WILL sell a 17 HMR version of the T1x (see above). We saw this on display at SHOT Show and smiled. This gun has a very nice trigger, smooth running bolt, and the magazine is easy to seat (unlike some other recent rimfire rigs). Fitted with a nice 3-18X scope and bipod, this could be a great carry-around varmint rifle. We hope to test one this spring.
* NOTE: With some cartridge types for which Lapua brass is not currently made, other brands of brass may be used. However, most Berger Ammunition will feature Lapua brass.
For folks in the gun industry, the third Monday in January is the best day of the year. Held in conjunction with SHOT Show, Industry Day at the Range lets us try out dozens of new rifles and pistols, as well as meet top gun designers and friends in the shooting sports. We saw some very great new products this year. Here are some of the most interesting “take-aways” from Industry Day at the Range, held in Bolder City, Nevada on January 22, 2018.
New Guns + Old Friends
Meeting old friends, and shooting new guns. That’s what Monday was all about at the annual Industry Day at the Range, a “hands-on” preview the day before SHOT Show opens in Las Vegas. Your Editor met with old buddy Jason Baney at the crack of dawn and headed out to the Boulder City (NV) range.
We were not disappointed — there was plenty to see this year. On display were a bunch of new precision rifles, a slew of new handguns, and some very exotic optics.
Most Interesting New Rifles
Tikka T1x — Tikka’s New Rimfire Rifle is a Winner
The new Tikka T1x doesn’t disappoint. The bolt operates smoothly. The action feels solid and refined — like a good centerfire action. The trigger is excellent — it breaks cleanly with no creep or grittiness, and we’re told it can be easily adjusted below 2 pounds pull weight. The stock has a good feel in the hand and doesn’t flex — unlike some cheap Tupperware stocks you’ll find on some domestic rimfires. In addition, the action has the same footprint as the Tikka T3, so you can swap this .22 LR action into any stock that fits a T3. Overall this was the single rifle this Editor shot on Industry Day that I would really want to own.
Ruger Precision Rimfire — Baby Brother to the Ruger Precision Rifle
We test-fired the new Ruger Precision Rimfire. Unfortunately, with the wobbly setup and no paper targets, we could not really evaluate accuracy. Function is good, but we couldn’t call the bolt movement smooth. The trigger is not bad. Most of the chassis from the handguard rearward is reinforced polymer so the gun is pretty light. The + 30 MOA Picatinny rail is nice.
Above you can see the Ruger Precision Rimfire with its big centerfire brother, the Ruger Precision Rifle. Initial reports say that Ruger’s new rimfire rifle shoots well with affordable .22 LR ammo. Here’s a report from Forum Member RICHK: “Took mine to the range today, and ran eight (8) brands of ammo through it. Three worked really well. The best, Federal Match 22, shot .145 inch groups at 50 yards. Fine rifle.”
SAKO TRG 42 A-1 in .338 Lapua Magnum
Here is a handsome, beautifully-machined big-bore tactical rifle with all the bells and whistles. Firing from a high-tech tripod with Crux Ordnance rifle mount, our buddy Jason drilled steel at 500+ yards with the big .338 Lapua Magnum Sako. It’s awfully nice when you don’t have to pay for the ammo and they don’t mind if you take home the superb Lapua brass. This is a high end rig for serious engagements.
Savage Model 110 Line with AccuFit Comb and Buttpad Inserts
Savage showed off its new-for-2018 Model 110 Line-Up with the new Accufit system of cheekpiece/buttpad extensions that allow shooters to customize comb height and LOP. But, we were more interested in what you can’t see — the new internal aluminum chassis.
As part of Savage’s new Accustock system, a long aluminum sub-chassis serves as a bedding block for the action and provides general stiffening for the stock. That’s smart engineering. This video shows how the Savage internal chassis works. We highly recommend you watch this video:
Ritter & Stark SX-1 Modular Tactical Rifle
We liked the new Ritter and Stark Rifle SX-1 Modular Tactical Rifle from Germany. Fit and finish is very good. This is an honest competitor to the Accuracy International rifles. This rig is designed to allow rapid barrel changes for three chamberings: .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum, and .338 Lapua Magnum. Ergonomics were good — the grip was comfortable and we like the fact that the butt adjusts for vertical position. Notably, the scope rail is mounted on the barrel itself, and the bolt locks directly into the barrel. This patented system allows scope, rail, and barrel to be swapped out as one integrated assembly, which should definitely help maintain zero when barrels are exchanged.
Kriss Vector SBR — Full-Auto Fun and Firepower
We got a chance to shoot the 9x19mm version of the Kriss Vector Gen II SBR (Short Barrel Rifle) in FDE (Flat Dark Earth). This is a full-auto, pistol cartridge short-barrel rifle that uses Glock mags. It has a handy fire control selector so you can shoot it in single-shot, two-shot, or full-auto modes. This was a hoot to shoot. We’ve shot full-auto 9mm Uzi subguns in the past and this Kriss was easier to hold on target (and more accurate). Recoil was negligible. This is offered in four calibers: .357 Sig, 9x19mm, 10mm, and .45 ACP. MSRP is $1569.00, but civilians can’t buy this.
Best New Handguns
We viewed hundreds of pistols, shot a dozen or so, and came away with three we really liked. Here is a stunningly expensive 1911-type STI race gun, a handsome new 9mm Kimber, and a very innovative new polymer pistol from Europe, the Archon Type B.
STI 2011 DVC Open Race Gun — Four Grand Worth of Zing and Bling
At $3999.00, this is probably the most expensive comp pistol we’ve ever seen. This STI 2011 DVC Open features a host of “go-fast” features including relieved slide, gold-tone TiN barrel with extended compensator, over-size Dawson Precision Magwell, mounted C-More 8-MOA optic, and a special lever for fast slide racking. If you want to win, this might be a good investment, but this Editor kept thinking “this pistol costs more than my car is worth…”
Kimber Aegis Pro 9mm with 4″ Barrel
This is a 1911-style pistol with some interesting features. It combines a full-size bobtail frame with a shorter 4″ barrel. This makes the gun balance very nicely and it’s a bit more compact for carry. The trigger pull was outstanding, and recoil was mild with the 9mm Luger chambering, so this gun was a pleasure to shoot. This Editor would like to have one of these. The slide is machined to fit a Red Dot sight. For gun games and action pistol comps, the Red Dot really speeds up the aiming process.
Archon Firearms Type B with Ultra-Low Bore Axis
Developed in Italy, Made in Germany, and backed by the big RUAG company, the new Archon Type B 9mm pistol is one of the most innovative semi-auto handguns we’ve seen in years. The Type B boasts a patented barrel system. It is not the classic Browning tilting barrel. The Type B’s barrel is not fixed; however, it moves only a few millimeters up and back as the slide retracts. That barrel geometry allows the slide to be exceptionally low. And the frame design puts the web of your hand up high. Those design features really do help tame perceived muzzle lift. This gun was easy to shoot, and the sights came back on target very quickly.
Trends in Ammunition
On Industry Day at the Range, all ammo is free. So you can shoot to your heart’s content without worrying about cost (or picking up your brass). This year we noted that many gun-makers supplied Federal Syntec ammo with distinctive red, polymer-encapsulated bullets. The polymer coating cuts barrel fouling, and also reduces ricochets and “splashback” on steel targets:
Winchester also unveiled an interesting line of Hybrid-X ammunition. This has a dual-element bullet. The rear section of the bullet is jacketed with a heavy element core. The front half of the bullet has a shaped, polymer matrix cone. This hybrid design offers improved penetration PLUS greater energy delivery inside the target as the bullet separates into multiple elements. You can see how this works in the Ballistic Gelatin photo below.
Suppressed Weapon Systems (SWS) had a rack of rifles with very fat barrels — barrels that served double duty. These barrels are, effectively, extremely long suppressors. The conventional barrel unit is combined with a full-length sound moderator, offering exceptional noise reduction. In the photo above, every rifle in the front side of the rack has an SWS integral suppressor/barrel system. This is interesting technology.
With two dozen shooting bays, plus an elevated shooting station with targets out to 400 yards, there is plenty of action. Here’s the layout:
Next best thing to being there — this 5-minute video, filmed in 2015-16, shows all the activities on Media Day at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club. It’s a great overview of the event where over 1700 media members and buyers gather to test and evaluate the latest (and greatest) guns and shooting accessories introductions from over 200 manufacturers.
Hey guys, you’ll probably want to download this new Powder Burn Rate Chart issued by Hodgdon/IMR. This recently-released table includes the latest IMR powders including the Enduron series (IMR 4166, 4451, 4955, 7977), shown in green below. Please note, the chart is not limited to Hodgdon and IMR propellants. It also includes popular powders from Accurate, Alliant, Norma, Ramshot (Western), Vihtavuori, and Winchester.
This chart provides useful information for all hand-loaders. When doing load development, and testing one powder versus another, it’s generally wise to choose propellants that share the same relative burn rate, as least for starters.
NOTE: Hodgdon powders are shown in blue, IMR standard powders are shown in yellow, IMR Enduron powders are shown in green, and Winchester powder are shown in red. DOWNLOAD Chart HERE.
Berger Twist-Rate Stability Calculator
Did you know that there’s a free 
This is a very impressive new resource book, which we perused at length at SHOT Show. We were very impressed. Western’s new Reloading Manual is richly illustrated, with large clear diagrams, and hundreds of color photos. There are many well-written, informative articles on reloading tasks by knowledgeable experts. The reloading data tables are easier to read than most other reloading manuals. The “how-to” section of this new reloading manual is probably the best we’ve seen in terms of layout and organization. Western has a real winner here in our opinion. With up-to-date info on modern cartridges, it is a great combination of Numbers (load data) and Knowledge (how-to articles) for users of Western powders.
Savage showed off its new-for-2018 Model 110 Line-Up with the new Accufit system of cheekpiece/buttpad extensions that allow shooters to customize comb height and LOP. But, we were more interested in what you can’t see — the new internal aluminum chassis.
