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April 9th, 2011
Powder Valley is running a great Wolf Ammo Special right now. All Wolf rifle ammo in .223 Rem and 7.62×39 is just $5.00 per box of 20 rounds. This Polyperformance ammo features polymer-coated steel cases (non-reloadable). The polymer coating ensures smooth feeding and extraction. In addition, the coating helps prevents the steel cases from leaving marks on your shiny metal parts or painted stocks. Note that Wolf ammo has a 100% performance guarantee. If you are not satisfied, Wolf will refund the pro-rated purchase cost of the unused portion of your ammo. Can’t argue with that.
Disclosure: Powder Valley Inc. advertises with AccurateShooter.com.
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
April 6th, 2011
 If you need to stock up on practice handgun ammo, Natchez Shooters Supply is running a 5-day sale on CCI Blazer Ammo. The sale starts today (4/6/2011) and ends Sunday, April 10th at 11:59 pm Eastern. Sale includes: .32 ACP, .38 Spl, .357 Magnum, .380 ACP, 9mm, 40 SW, 10mm, .44 Magnum, .45 ACP and more. IMPORTANT: CCI Blazer ammo is made with aluminum cases, so the ammo is NOT reloadable.
This Editor has shot thousands of rounds of Blazer ammo in many calibers. The only problem I had was with some .380 ACP in a Sig p230 that had the hammer spring lightened at the factory. This ammo uses CCI primers which are harder than Federal or Winchester pistol primers.
Here are some of the best deals:
CCI Blazer 32 ACP 71 gr TMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $19.36, reduced from $22.77
CCI Blazer 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $8.99, reduced from $11.09.
CCI Blazer 40 S&W 165gr TMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $12.99 reduced from $17.55.
(Editor’s Comment: Excellent 40 SW ammo. Very Accurate, Reduced Recoil.)
CCI Blazer 10mm Auto 200gr TMJ Ammunition 50 rd box. Price $22.75 reduced from $28.82.
Bulk-Pack CCI .22 LR Ammo also on Sale
In addition to the pistol ammo, Natchez has bulk-pack 40gr .22 LR ammo on sale. This can be used in either rifles or pistols. This is good “plinking” ammo at a great price. For the next five days, a 525-round box is just $15.95, reduced from $31.46. Hard to beat that. Natchez claims this is the lowest-priced .22 LR Ammo on the market.
April 4th, 2011
 Bryan Litz, author of Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting, is releasing a Second Edition of his highly respected treatise on Ballistics. The new book is complete, and Bryan Litz is currently taking orders through his AppliedBallisticsLLC.com website. Bryan plans to start shipping Second Editions on April 18, 2011. The Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition) book and CD, as a package, sell for $49.95 plus shipping.
CLICK HERE for Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition) Book Description.
CLICK HERE to Order Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting, 2d. Edition
 New Edition is Bigger and Better
Along with all the impressive content from the original book, the Second Edition of Applied Ballistics contains more chapters, more pages, more test-derived bullet data, plus the updated Version 2.0 of the Point Mass Ballistics Solver software (on CD). The Second Edition is even physically bigger — Bryan has bumped up the size to a larger, easier-to-read 7″ x 10″ format. In the bigger book you’ll find two completely new chapters, plus updates of existing chapters. The Second Edition contains new experimental test data on 61 additional bullets, and bullet data pages now include complete stability data. Bryan has also included ballistic performance analysis for both long range hunting and long range target shooting.
A Gold-Mine of Information
If you’ve seen a copy of the First Edition, you’ll know that Bryan has assembled the “mother lode” of ballistics information, much of which is hard to find anywhere else. Heck, just getting Bryan’s field-test-derived bullet data may be worth the “price of admission” for many shooters. While the book goes into many advanced aspects of ballistics, this is not a graduate-level treatise. Bryan successfully created a book that can benefit any serious shooter, not just math wizards or college professors. Here are some of the many topics covered by Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition):
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The Ballistic Coefficient
G1 vs. G7 BC Models
Bullet Shapes (Tangent vs. Secant)
Gravity Drop
Uphill/Downhill Shooting
Wind Deflection
Temperature/Pressure Effects
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Monolithic Bullets (NEW)
Gyroscopic (Spin) Drift
The Coriolis Effect
Using Ballistics Programs
Getting Control of Sights
Bullet Stability
Extended Long Range Shooting
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CD Provides Significantly Enhanced Software
 With each copy of Applied Ballistics For Long Range Shooting (2d. Ed.), Bryan includes a CD containing Version 2.0 of the Point Mass Ballistics Solver. Combined with experimentally-measured BCs, this program can deliver extremely accurate trajectories and even calculate spin drift. In response to user requests, this 2.0 software update provides valuable new capabilities. First, now you can output trajectories in inches, centimeters, MOA or MILS. Take your pick — whichever you prefer. Second, the new software now provides bullet kinetic energy at all ranges. Last but not least, you can now easily print out your ballistics as a text file.
DEALER ORDERS: If you are interested in becoming a dealer, please email
bryan.litz [at] appliedballisticsllc.com for information on bulk-order discounts.
Disclosure: Applied Ballistics LLC Advertises with AccurateShooter.com.
March 31st, 2011
 EABCO.com has a selection of Lapua factory-loaded ammo on sale at super-low prices — about 40% off current retail. These are older supplies of ammo that have been sitting in inventory for a while, so Eabco has cut the price dramatically to move it. Keep in mind that the price of Lapua brass has risen dramatically in the last couple of years, so this loaded ammo has become more attractive. Eabco has the Lapua 6mmBR 77gr HP loaded ammo on sale at $24 for 20 rounds, or $1.20 per finished round. Consider that you may now pay $0.80 per piece of Lapua 6mmBR brass. So, another way to look at it is that this ammo is worth about $16.00 per box… just for the brass.
Special Lapua Ammo Inventory Clearance Sale — Limited Quantities
Eabco tells us: “These are odd lots of loaded ammo in 20-round boxes. Some may not be the most popular bullet weight or style, so the price is much lower than our regular line of Lapua ammo. But this is all first-rate ammunition, made from total Lapua and VihtaVuori components. Quantities are limited. When these lots sell out, we won’t have more.”
- 810-4316034 – Lapua 6.5×55 Swedish Ammo 100 gr. FMJ (20 rounds) $24
- 810-4316048 – Lapua 6mm BR Norma Ammo 77 gr. HP (20 rounds) $24
- 810-4316051 – Lapua .243 Win Ammo 90 gr. FMJ (20 rounds) $24
- 810-4317183 – Lapua .308 Win Ammo 170 gr. FMJBT (20 rounds) $29
Many Other Bargains at EABCO ‘Garage Sale’
If you are looking for other discount gun parts and reloading accessories, check out EABCO’s ongoing “Garage Sale”. Here you’ll find stuff like scope bases, lens covers, press parts, snaps caps, plus odds and ends. There are even a couple custom rifles for sale along with a Vintage Cessna Airplane. Check out the Garage Sale — you may find something you need for pennies on the dollar.
March 30th, 2011
Hornady is rolling out a series of new Boat-Tail Hollowpoint (BTHP) match bullets. These are all-new non-tipped bullets, not merely modified A-Max designs. There will be a 105gr 6mm, a 140gr 6.5mm, a 162gr 7mm, three new .30 Cal bullets (178, 208, 225 grains), a 285gr .338-cal bullet, and a monster 450gr .416-caliber projectile. These BTHP bullets feature Hornady’s new AMP (Advanced Manufacturing Process) jackets, which Hornady claims are “the most consistently concentric bullet jackets available”.
All Bullets Except the 6mm and 6.5mm Can Be Purchased Now
Unfortunately, the 6mm and 6.5mm bullets have not reached dealers’ shelves yet, as far as we can tell. However, the .30-caliber match bullets, the 162gr 7mm, and the new .338 and .416 bullets, are in stock now either at Grafs.com or Sinclair International. Our price check revealed that, for those new Hornady Match bullets currently carried by both vendors, Grafs.com has the lower price by a couple dollars per box. Grafs.com also offers free shipping (after a flat-rate handling charge). The prices in the chart below are for Grafs.com, except where only Sinclair Int’l has inventory in stock.
High BC and Improved Concentricity — But Will They Shoot?
Hornady boasts some pretty high G1 BCs for most of these new match bullets. In addition, Hornady claims the new bullets have superior concentricity because their AMP jackets exhibit “near zero wall-thickness variation”. We’re anxious to try some of the new AMP-jacketed bullets to see if these bullets really are exceptionally accurate, or whether Hornady’s marketing claims are mere hype. Watch the video below to learn more about these new bullets.
Disclosure: Hornady does not advertise with AccurateShooter.com and does not contribute to this site as a sponsor. Story sourced by Edlongrange.
March 28th, 2011
 Hornady Manufacturing recently received the coveted “Golden Keiler 2010 Jager (Hunter) Award” for Hornady’s innovative Superformance® ammunition. The award was presented at the 2011 IWA & Outdoor Classics show in Nuremberg, Germany. “It is an honor to have been selected to receive this award,” said Jason Hornady, a Vice President of Hornady.
Superformance ammo, now offered in 20+ calibers, features custom-blended powders tailored for particular cartridge and bullet combinations. Some of these blends consist of regularly available powders, but Hornady actually commissioned some new custom propellents that are not available to the general public. First introduced in 2009, Superformance ammunition was created to deliver extra speed. In some cartridge types, Superformance ammo runs as much as 200 fps faster than conventional factory ammunition loaded with the same bullets. You can usually count on getting at least 100 fps additional speed compared to factory ammo from from Federal, Remington, and Winchester.
How does Hornady deliver such high speeds with its Superformance ammo? That is explained in detail in AccurateShooter.com’s 2009 Interview with Dave Emary, Hornady’s Senior Ballistician. Emery identified five main factors that yield the enhanced performance:
- Superformance ammo uses advanced new Ball Powders (not yet for sale).
- The powders are BLENDED, with different “recipes” for different cartridges.
- The new powders maintain high-energy longer in barrel (like Reloder 17).
- The new powders burn almost completely, reducing ejecta, for less exit pressure, and less felt recoil.
- Superformance ball propellants pack very densely, so more grains of powder can fit inside a case, compared to typical extruded stick powders.
March 25th, 2011
 In the Berger Bulletin this week is a further discussion of the new Berger “Hybrid” bullet design. This combines a secant ogive shape in the front of the bullet with a tangent ogive shape near the full-diameter (shank) section. Currently the Berger Hybrid is available in .338 caliber and 7mm. Berger will soon release a new hybrid .30 caliber bullet, with 6mm and 6.5mm hybrid projectiles to follow.
How the Hybrid was Developed
In the late 80s, the VLD was born. This design allowed shooters to use lighter bullets and smaller calibers to achieve the same or better trajectory than heavier bullets in bigger calibers. Lighter bullets shot in small calibers were easier on shooters resulting in higher scores and an improved shooting experience. But, this improvement came with a price. Each shooter had to adjust their load in each rifle until they could get the VLD bullet to shoot precisely. Once the load was dialed in, the VLD was one of the most efficient bullet designs in history. But this didn’t stop shooters from yearning for a bullet that is easier to tune.
The VLD design was created by Bill Davis who was one of the top ballistic minds during this time. His [designs] have made a tremendous impact on how long range shooting over the last two decades. One might think that nothing this good can be improved upon. But it could… Ballistician Bryan Litz recognized both the advantages and disadvantages of the VLD design. He went to work to see if he could keep the good results the VLD produced while reducing its sensitivity to seating depth. His efforts have produced the Berger Hybrid.
The Berger Hybrid design incorporates two different shapes within the nose. As the bearing surface ends, a tangent ogive begins. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. Testing results show that the Berger Hybrid shoot equally well at either a jam or a jump. As you move forward along the tangent portion, the shape changes into a secant ogive. The secant ogive is the shape used on the VLD bullets. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular.
By bringing these two shapes together, Bryan has successfully created a bullet that is both not sensitive to seating depth and shoots very flat like a VLD. The key to all this is not just the combining of these two shapes, but also the partnership between the ballistician and the bullet maker.
March 18th, 2011
We recently announced that Nosler was offering a great deal on 55gr 6mm bullets — overstock bullets originally made for Australian kangaroo hunters. That deal — 1000 Bullets for $103.80 — proved very popular with our readers. Now Nosler has announced some other great bargains.
You’ll find all these deals on the Nosler Overrun/Sales page. Varminters shooting the .204 Ruger, .20 Practical/Tactical, or 20 Vartarg should definitely check out the Australian Overrun 34gr 20-Cal bullets. These are now just $29.95 for 250 bullets — a great deal. We also recommend the .223 Rem ‘Value Varminter’ Predator Pack. This includes 500 pieces of .223 Rem Nosler Brass, 500 .224-Cal, 55gr Spitzer Tip Flat Base Bullets, a Nosler hat and a Catalog — all for $169.95. That’s ninety bucks off the regular $259.95 price.
March 17th, 2011
Need some quality factory-loaded ammo for your .308 Win? Wideners.com is offering a great deal right now on Prvi Partizan .308 Winchester Match ammunition, loaded with 168gr BTHP bullets. This is brand-new, 2009 production ammo with reloadable brass and boxer primers. There is no military crimp. Shooters using this ammo says it shoots to a similar point of impact as Federal Gold Medal match ammo. Accuracy-wise, we expect this could shoot 1.5 MOA or better in a good rifle. The price is just $12.95 for 20 rounds or $318.75 for 500 rounds. Compare that to $34.00 or more for a 20-round box of Federal Gold Medal Match loaded with 168gr SMKs (Midsouth price). If you have an M1A, the Prvi Partizan is a good choice for training ammo — just don’t expect accuracy on a par with the more expensive, American-made .308 Win ammo.
Story sourced by Edlongrange.
March 16th, 2011
In discussions of ballistics, you’ll see references to “tangent” and “secant” bullet shapes. We know that, for many readers, these terms can be confusing. To add to the confusion, bullet makers don’t always identify their projectiles as secant or tangent designs. This article provides a basic explanation of tangent and secant designs, to help you understand the characteristics of both bullet shapes.
Tangent Ogive vs. Secant Ogive vs. Hybrid
Most match bullets produced today use a tangent ogive profile, but the modern VLD-style bullets employ a secant profile. To further complicate matters, the latest generation of “Hybrid” projectiles from Berger Bullets feature a blended secant + tangent profile to combine the best qualities of both nose shapes. The secant section provides reduced drag, while the tangent section makes the bullet easier to tune, i.e. less sensitive to seating depth position.
Berger Bullets ballistician Bryan Litz explains tangent and secant bullet ogive designs in a glossary section of his Applied Ballistics website, which we reprint below. Bryan then explains how tangent and secant profiles can be combined in a “hybrid” design.
How Bullet Ogive Curves are Defined
While the term “ogive” is often used to describe the particular point on the bullet where the curve reaches full bullet diameter, in fact the “ogive” properly refers to the entire curve of the bullet from the tip to the full-diameter straight section — the shank. Understanding then, that the ogive is a curve, how is that curve described?
LITZ: The ogive of a bullet is usually characterized by the length of its radius. This radius is often given in calibers instead of inches. For example, an 8 ogive 6mm bullet has an ogive that is a segment of a circular arc with a radius of 8*.243 = 1.952”. A .30-caliber bullet with an 8 ogive will be proportionally the same as the 8 ogive 6mm bullet, but the actual radius will be 2.464” for the .30 caliber bullet.
For a given nose length, if an ogive is perfectly tangent, it will have a very specific radius. Any radius longer than that will cause the ogive to be secant. Secant ogives can range from very mild (short radius) to very aggressive (long radius). The drag of a secant ogive is minimized when its radius is twice as long as a tangent ogive radius. In other words, if a tangent ogive has an 8 caliber radius, then the longest practical secant ogive radius is 16 calibers long for a given nose length.”
Secant Ogive vs. Tangent Ogive
 
Ogive metrics, and Rt/R
LITZ: There is a number that’s used to quantify how secant an ogive is. The metric is known as the Rt/R ratio and it’s the ratio of the tangent ogive radius to the actual ogive radius for a given bullet. In the above example, the 16 caliber ogive would have an Rt/R ratio of 0.5. The number 0.5 is therefore the lowest practical value for the Rt/R ratio, and represents the minimum drag ogive for a given length. An ogive that’s perfectly tangent will have an Rt/R ratio of 1.0. Most ogives are in between an Rt/R of 1.0 and 0.5. The dimensioned drawings at the end of my Applied Ballistics book provide the bullets ogive radius in calibers, as well as the Rt/R ratio. In short, the Rt/R ratio is simply a measure of how secant an ogive is. 1.0 is not secant at all, 0.5 is as secant as it gets.
Hybrid Bullet Design — Best of Both Worlds?
Bryan Litz has been developing a number of modern “Hybrid” design bullets for Berger. The objective of Bryan’s design work has been to achieve a very low drag design that is also “not finicky”. Normal (non-hybrid) secant designs, such as the Berger 105gr VLD, deliver very impressive BC values, but the bullets can be sensitive to seating depth. Montana’s Tom Mousel has set world records with the Berger 105gr VLD in his 6mm Dasher, but he tells us “seating depth is critical to the best accuracy”. Tom says a change of .005″ in seating depth “can cause the group size to increase substantially”. In an effort to produce more forgiving high-BC bullets, Bryan Litz has developed a hybrid tangent/secant bullet shape. This is explained in the illustration below.
Story sourced by Edlongrange.
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