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 (3rd Ed.), 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.
Powder Valley now offers RCBS Reloading tools and components as part of PV’s large selection of shooting sports and reloading products. So now, when ordering powder, primers, brass, ammo, and bullets, you can also add dies, reloading tools, and even a RBCS reloading press. “Powder Valley already offers an extensive line of reloading components, including Federal, Speer, and Remington bullets, CCI and Federal primers, and Alliant powders. The expansion of our Reloading Tools and Equipment line makes perfect sense” said Bill Clinton, CEO of Powder Valley. “This is one more way we can [benefit] our Customers and serve their reloading needs”.
CLICK HERE to see the wide variety of RCBS products now in stock at Powder Valley. You’ll find powder dispensers, priming tools, reloading presses, case prep tools, plus a wide selection of reloading dies.
A Short History of RCBS (And the Origin of the “RCBS” Name) RCBS was founded in 1943 by Fred T. Huntington in Oroville, California. Huntington was a dedicated shooter but found it difficult to obtain quality varmint bullets. However, after reading about making a die to swage .22 rimfire cartridge cases to form jackets for bullets, he began to craft his own dies in the back room of his father’s Oroville laundry and dry-cleaning business. Because the resulting bullets were used to shoot rock chuck varmints, he named them Rock Chuck Bullet Swage dies, later shortened to RCBS.
RCBS soon outgrew this modest beginning. By 1958, RCBS expanded to a 7,500-sq-ft factory that quickly grew to 50,000 square feet. With time, more expansions have occurred, but RCBS stayed near its roots. Oroville is still the major location for RCBS production. RCBS is now a subsidiary of Vista Outdoor, which also produces Federal and CCI ammunition and primers, Alliant powder, and many other products.
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.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Powder Valley — Shooter’s World Powders, $25/lb and up
⏺ These SW powders can replace hard-to-find Varget, H4350, and more
With the popular ADI-produced Hodgdon powders — H4198, Varget, H4350, H4381sc — being in short supply, many shooters are turning to Shooters World (SW) powders. These are now available from Powder Valley and Midsouth at decent prices. For a Varget substitute, check out Shooters World Precision Rifle powder. Get 8 lbs. for $333.00 or 1 lb. for $44.00. For a slower powder there is SW 4350, with a burn rate similar to H4350 and Reloder 17. This is in stock now at Powder Valley at $344 for 8 lbs. or $45.50 for 1 pound. [NOTE: Bruno’s currently has Hodgdon H4350 1-pounders in stock at $48.50/lb — grab them while you can.] If you need a faster burn rate (similar to H4198), check out SW Tactical Rifle, a spherical powder (with H335 burn rate) that works great in .223 Rem. Available now at Powder Valley SW Tactical Rifle powder is very affordable — $195.99 for 8 lbs. and just $25.00 for one pound. Check with Midsouth for other Shooter’s World powder options in stock.
2. Grafs.com — Frankford Arsenal F-1 Press, $122.99
⏺ Versatile press, good primer exit, plus built-in light
Here’s a handy, single-stage press with some cool features. The new Frankford Arsenal F-1 press has an open front for easy case placement, plus a built-in LED lamp at the top (great for inspecting cases). And after decapping, spent primers go straight down a tube into a handy, clear, twist-off catch cylinder (as on a Forster Co-Ax). We think this would be an excellent secondary press used for decapping or bullet seating. This intro price — just $122.99 at Graf & Sons — is a great deal. NOTE: This press does NOT have priming capability — you must prime cases with a separate tool. Also, the power cord for the LED light is NOT included. For more details see Frankford Arsenal F-1 Press Review.
3. MidwayUSA — Vortex 5-25x50mm and ZEISS 6-24x50mm SALE
⏺ Great deals on two fine optics — choose FFP Vortex or SFP ZEISS
Right now you can save hundreds on two great medium-magnification optics — one from Vortex and one from ZEISS. If you want a Milrad FFP scope, consider the Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25x50mm scope for $699.00, $400 (36%) off the regular $1099.99 price. Or, if you prefer a traditional Second Focal Plane (SFP) optic with 1/4-MOA clicks, get the ZEISS Conquest V4 6-24x50mm scope for $849.99, $300 (26%) off the $1149.99 normal price. This ZEISS scope has great low-light performance, and a nice ZMOA-1 reticle — good for targets or hunting. Both these scopes get FREE shipping.
4. Lock&Loaded — 300 Rds Winchester 5.56×45 Ammo, $111.99
⏺ Good American-made 5.56x45mm ammo with major 20% rebate
Here’s a great deal for AR15 owners. Locked&Loaded is selling 300 rounds of 55gr Winchester FMJ ammo for just $139.99. But right now Winchester is offering a 20% Off Ammo Rebate. That lowers your 300-rd price to $111.99! With the rebate, you’re paying just $0.37 (thirty-seven cents) per round — quite a deal.
5. Amazon — Dragon AR500 Steel Targets, $16.99 and Up
⏺ Good prices on strong versatile AR500 steel gongs, 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″.
Shooting steel is fun — you get instant gratification from hearing the “clang” and seeing the gong swing. Shooting steel is also good practice for PRS/NRL events and ground-hog matches. Right now, you can get some great deals on quality AR500 steel targets. These Dragon Target Gongs start at just $16.99 for a 4″-diameter, 3/8″-thick gong. Larger 6″, 8″, 10″, and 12″ gongs are offered in 3/8″ and 1/2″ thicknesses, and a 3-pack of 8″ gongs is available. A 6″-diameter gong is $25.99 (3/8″ thick) or $32.99 (1/2″ thick). The largest 12″-diameter gong in the heavy 1/2″ thickness is $76.99. NOTE: All these Dragon gongs have a center hole allowing more hanging options.
6. SMKW — Browning .22 LR, 400 Rounds, $24.88
⏺ Good American-made .22 LR ammo at exceptionally low price
Everyone can use some good plinking .22 LR ammo for pistol and rifle range sessions. Check out this Browning BPR .22 LR ammo with 40gr LRN bullets. You get 400 rounds for just $24.99 — the equivalent of just $3.11 per 50-ct box — a great deal! The same 400-rd box ammo sells for $38 at Bass Pro.
7. Locked & Loaded — Savage A22 FV-SR, $287.56
⏺ Good deal on reliable, semi-auto .22 LR rimfire rifle
NRL22 and PRS 22 disciplines are America’s fastest-growing forms of rifle competitions. If you want to try your hand at NRL22 without sinking a fortune, check out the Savage A22 FV-SR now on sale for $287.56, 18% OFF. This semi-auto rifle has shown good accuracy, and it comes complete with a Picatinny rail on top. The .22 LR Savage FV-SR model upgrades the original A22 platform with a button-rifled, 16.5″ medium-contour barrel, and threaded muzzle. The A22 FV-SR features a user-adjustable AccuTrigger and reliable straight blowback semi-auto action for fast follow-up shots.
8. Creedmoor Sports — PRS/NRL Support Bags — Save 10%
⏺ New support bags for PRS/NRL tactical competitions
Creedmoor Sports has introduced a new line-up of support bags for PRS/NRL competitors. Chose the Huggie Forend Support Bag, Freezer Support Bag, or Wingman Positional Bag, starting at $79.95 for the Huggie (or $71.96 with SAVE10 Promo Code). Now through April 3, 2023 (at 11:59 pm Central), use Code SAVE10 to save 10% on Creedmoor Sports products, including these PRS/NRL Tactical Bags, which are made in the USA at Creedmoor Sports’ Alabama headquarters.
9. Graf’s — Blue Book of AR-15s, $10.00 (57% Off)
⏺ Save 57% on the definitive guide to AR Modern Sporting Rifles
If you own an AR-platform “modern sporting rifle”, we recommend you get this detailed print resource. With 384 pages of information, The Blue Book of AR-15s & Variations is the definitive guide to ARs. Packed with diagrams and technical information, this book provides vital maintenance tips along with guides for starting an AR project. Regularly $22.99, this book is now just $10.00 at Grafs.com — a real steal.
10. Amazon — Universal Gun Cleaning Kit, $39.99
⏺ Great value for cleaning kit for pistols, rifles, and shotguns
This Universal Gun Cleaning Kit has just about everything you need to clean any firearm, all packed in a handy transport case. The kit includes jags, brushes, bore mops, slotted tips, and lots more. The fitted jags and slotted tips are made from solid brass and marked by caliber. The cleaning rods and accessory adapters are also made from brass. Included in this easy-to-carry kit are: 6 gun rods, 13 gun jags, 4 slotted tips, 9 gun mops, 14 bore brushes, 3 muzzle guards, 3 utility brushes, 3 accessory adapters, 4 polishing cloths, 100 cleaning patches, 2 oil bottles (empty), and even a gun cleaning mat. NOTE: For competition rifles, we recommend using high-quality ONE-PIECE cleaning rods.
When you make a reloading mistake, you may need to “pull down” assembled ammo. The embedded UltimateReloader.com video demonstrates how to use the Hornady Cam-Lock bullet pulling system.
When Reloading Goes Bad — The Danger of Over-Charging
Our friend Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com was recently reloading some 9mm pistol ammo with his Hornady progressive press. As part of his reloading procedure, he visually checks the cases — and he noticed that the charges seemed high. Sure enough, his most recently-produced rounds were about two grains over spec. He diagnosed the issue: “I was using a powder measure without a baffle. What happened was, over the course of the loading session, things settled in, and the charge level increased.”
Not knowing just when his powder measure started delivering too much powder, Gavin decided, for safety’s sake, to pull down all the ammo he had just reloaded. Yes that’s time-consuming, but it’s better than the alternative — having a dangerous Kaboom while shooting. With fast-burning pistol powders, a two-grain over-charge could cause a blown case, damaged firearm, and/or serious injury.
Watch Cam-Lock Bullet Puller Used to Remove Bullets from Loaded Ammo:
Use of Bullet Puller starts 4:00 minutes into video.
Gavin says it is vitally important to perform safety checks during the reloading process: “You’ve got to do it — check every single round to make sure there IS powder, and that there’s not too MUCH powder. Double, Triple, Quadruple check your components… and your powder charges. You can’t be too careful.”
To pull down a loaded round, first place the cartridge in the shellholder on your press ram. Then raise the round up into the bullet puller device installed where a die would go. The Hornady Cam-lock bullet puller works by clamping the bullet in a collet when you flip down the red-coated lever. Then, with the case held by the rim in the shell-holder, the bullet exits the cartridge as the press ram is lowered. It takes time, but it’s pretty fool-proof once you get the hang of it. This entire process is illustrated in Gavin’s video, starting near the four-minute mark.
The Hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller has four (4) key components: 1. Cam-Lock die body; 2. Cam-Lock lever; 3. Stem; and 4. Collet (Caliber-specific).
NOTE: In order to use this tool, you’ll need the appropriate collet for each diameter range of bullets you intend to pull. For example use collet #3 for 6mm, collect #6 for 7mm, and collet #7 for .308 Caliber.
RCBS Lock-Out Die
A good safety option for users with progressive presses is the RCBS Lock-Out Die. This has a charge detection rod that dips into each case after powder has dropped. You adjust the die to the proper charge height for your desired load. If the actual dispensed charge is too high or too low, the Lock-Out Die senses the problem and stops the press from advancing to the next case (it does this by preventing the ram/shellplate from fully elevating). We’ve used the Lock-out die with success for both pistol and rifle cartridges. It’s sensitive to about one-half grain with pistol powders.
This Lock-Out Die works with Hornady and Dillon progressives as well as with RCBS progressives. It does take up one die station on the press.
In recent years, the California Legislature has passed a series of laws restricting the rights of California gun owners. The latest example of anti-gun legislation will hit gun owners in their pocketbooks….
If you want to practice your marksmanship in California from now on, get ready to open your wallet and pay the taxman. With the passage of AB 211, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California shooters who use paper targets at indoor ranges will have to pay a fee for every hole they put in paper — literally. This new law, codified in the California Penal Code, states that commercial gun ranges must collect a charge of $0.38 per shot, as established by holes made in approved paper targets. This fee, the “Target Tax”, can be raised in the future at the discretion of the California Dept. of Justice.
Here’s how it will work, starting June 1, 2023, when the new Target Tax law goes into effect at California indoor ranges. First, all shooters must purchase California DOJ-approved paper targets (you may no longer bring your own). When you purchase a certified target at an indoor range, your name and the number of targets you have purchased will be recorded in a state database. Then, after your shooting session, the targets must be scanned, with the number of shot holes recorded. A charge of $0.38 per scanned hole will be added as a line item for your range session, along with the DOJ target-processing fee of $5.00 per target.
With 30 holes, the new California target tax on this left target would be 30 x $0.38 or $11.40. Conversely, the tax on the target on the right would be just 38 cents, because there is only one hole, though five shots went through the same hole. Obviously, exceptional marksmanship skills can help reduce your target tax liabilities.
California Targets Must Be Culturally Tolerant and Non-Discriminatory
AB 211 also includes a series of provisions which specify the types of targets which may be purchased. First, as you might expect, all targets must be printed on recycled paper. Second, no target may contain any “hate speech” or “micro-aggressions”. Third, while targets may still show human silhouette-style outlines, any targets which depict a protected minority type or non-binary gender type are forbidden. Likewise, any target that shows discernable culture, religion, or national origin are forbidden. So, a target showing a bearded male wearing a turban would be forbidden. If you had such a target, the range owner would be required, under AB 211, to confiscate it. Shown below are two types of targets that would be illegal in California under AB 211. NOTE: It is unclear whether a zombie target would be allowed, if the Zombie is unknown gender, ethnicity, or culture.
Looking for a 1911 pistol? The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is raffling off a vintage 1911 pistol for competitors who register for the upcoming 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament. The 2023 Bianchi Cup match runs May 23-26 in Hallsville, Missouri.
Those who sign up for the CMP Bianchi Cup BEFORE May 1, 2023 will be automatically entered into the 1911 raffle.* Additionally, two 500-rd bricks of .22 LR standard velocity surplus ammo will also be raffled off. So there are three chances to win overall.
To have a chance to win, you must officially register for the 2023 Bianchi Cup. ALL paid registrants will be automatically entered for the raffle. To learn more and REGISTER for the 2023 Bianchi Cup, go to the CMP 2023 Bianchi Cup Web Page.
About the CMP Bianchi Cup
The Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament was first held in 1979, making it the second longest running pistol championship in the world. This year, it will be hosted by the CMP for the first time, May 23-26, 2023, at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Missouri. The Bianchi Cup has been called the most prestigious pistol tournament in the world. Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
The Bianchi Cup is Comprised of Four Events:
Practical Event: Competitors fire at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits from the shooting line.
Barricade Event: Competitors fire at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits from within shooting boxes and behind barricades.
Falling Plate Event: Competitors fire at eight-inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
Moving Target Event: Competitors fire from within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards at a target moving from left to right, with the target exposed for six seconds.
Bianchi Cup Open Class Pistol — Features in Review
Position Shooting with Pistols at Bianchi Cup
Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. There are no make-up shots in the Bianchi Cup, adding to the difficulty.
* The raffle is open to U.S. citizens only. If a non-U.S. citizen is drawn, he or she will receive $500 in place of the 1911 pistol. Those who have already purchased a pistol are still permitted to win.
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.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
⏺ Amazing deal — save $190 on semi-auto home defense 12 gauge shotgun
Need a home defense gun? Well, here’s a steal of a deal — get an impressive 12 gauge auto-loading (semi-auto) defensive shotgun for just $209.99. The Emperor Firearms 12ga SR5 features tactical sights, forearm accessory rail, and a 5+1 capacity.
2. Powder Valley — Ginex Small Rifle Primers, $79.00 per 1000
⏺ Very affordable primers — save $20-$30 per 1000
If you need primers but don’t want to break the bank check out these Unis Ginex small rifle primers. Users report dependable ignition and good performance. These Unis Ginex primers have received good reviews from verified purchasers, and they cost less than nearly all other small rifle primers on the market. NOTE: For this deal there is a case quantity minimum of 5000 primers.
3. MidwayUSA — Texas Star Target, $199.99
⏺ Fun, rotating interactive target, now $100 OFF
Here’s a great interactive target for fun at the range — and right now it’s $100 off! The Birchwood Casey Texas Star Target features five plates made from tough AR500 steel. The 48″-tall Texas Star Target is a rotating target system for handguns, rifles, and shotguns. When one of the five, 6″ AR500 plates is hit, the star rotates. The target, which spins on industrial, greaseable bearings, can be disassembled easily for convenient transport. The Texas Star’s metal components feature a durable black powder coating.
4. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Spring Optics Sale
⏺ Great deals on Vortex and Leupold scopes, spotters, rangefinders
Have you been hunting for a new scope, laser rangefinder, or spotting scope? Head over to Sportsman’s Warehouse for the Spring OPTICS SALE. With leading brands such as Leupold, Vortex, and SIG Sauer being heavily discounted, you can grab the new optics you need AND save money.
5. Amazon — BOG Clamping Tripod, $161.45
⏺ Excellent, rugged clamping tripod for hunters and tactical shooters
Taking stable and safe shots while standing can be a struggle without the right gear. Whether for hunting, PRS, or target shooting, consider the BOG DeathGrip Aluminum Tripod. This tripod features a 3-position leg lock for prone, kneeling, sitting, or standing positions. The clamping section at the top holds the rifle securely. This tripod features an adjustment knob allowing up to 25 degrees of tilt adjustment and the tripod can pan 360 degrees. And the clamping head has a tension control that provides a secure grip. For a bit more money ($181-$184), BOG offers this same clamping tripod with high quality Realtree Escape Camo and Realtree Mossy Oak Camo finishes.
6. Natchez — March Madness Sale, Frankford Arsenal
⏺ Big sale with lots of good discounts
Frankford Arsenal offers an extensive line of reloading equipment — tumblers, priming tools, powder dispensers, case prep centers and more. You’ll find a huge selection of Frankford Arsenal gear on SALE this week at Natchez. Save up to 15% on nearly everything Frankford Arsenal makes, including the excellent Priming Tool, Intelli-Dropper, and Case Prep Center.
7. Amazon — Caldwell Stinger Rest, $95.09
⏺ Good choice for sighting-in hunting rifles — big savings right now
The Caldwell Stinger Rest is a good platform for sighting-in hunting rifles. Plus it also works great as a rifle holder for cleaning chores. Now just $95.09 on sale, the Caldwell Stinger Adjustable Ambidextrous Rifle Shooting Rest is a great value. With a “no wobble” rack and pinion front elevation system, cam-over front rest locks, rigid steel tube frame, and rear fine elevation adjustment, this rest provides a solid platform. And with open-center, dual frame design, this Stinger Rest works with ARs and lever action guns.
⏺ 9x19mm carbines are becoming very popular, and this is a quality rig
The Beretta Cx4 Storm 92 Carbine is a compact, ergonomic carbine with many good features. This 9mm Luger (9x19mm) carbine features a 16.6″ barrel and a Picatinny rail for optics. The pistol caliber Beretta Cx4 Storm 92 carbine accepts Beretta 92 handgun magazines — a big plus. That way Beretta pistol owners can use the same ammunition and magazines for both their handgun and rifle. That makes for more fun at the range.
9. Mile-High Shooting — Fix It Sticks AR15 Kit, $96.00
⏺ If you shoot an AR often, you shoot definitely get this tool kit
If you own an AR, you need the right tools. One of the best AR tool kits is the Fix It Sticks AR15 Field Maintenance Kit, now on sale for $96.00. This kit is out-of-stock elsewhere so grab one while you can. The Fix It Sticks AR15 Maintenance Kit includes a wide selection of drivers and accessories expressly made for ARs. And this Kit includes the All-In-One Torque Driver that can tension key parts such as scope mounts to the correct torque levels.
⏺ Superb, well-fitting eye protection at a great price
Every shooter needs high-quality eye protection, which should be used EVERY time one goes to the range. If you need new shooting eyewear, check out these SolidWork shooting glasses for just $12.49. These feature rugged frames and comfortable padding for the nose and temples. Strong and tough, these shooting glasses are USA ANSI Z87+ rated and German DIN EN 166/EN 170 certified. These shooting glasses feature Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fog, and Anti-Glare coatings: “Due to the special coatings, our protective eyewear is highly scratch-resistant, will not fog up, and will protect against harmful UV rays.”
Do you compete in rimfire benchrest, silhouette, or NRL22 matches? Then you’ll want to check out the Shooting Sports USA .22 LR Ammo Roundup released last week. That article covers .22 LR ammunition from Lapua, ELEY, SK, RWS, Norma, Wolf, and Aquila. Notably there’s a detailed discussion of Lapua’s new Long Range and Super Long Range ammo. In addition, SSUSA confirms that SK ammo (made in Germany by Nammo, parent of Lapua) and Wolf Match Target ammo (made by ELEY) both offer quite good performance for a moderate price.
The article notes that there is a much wider range of .22 LR ammo types available now than a few years ago. It’s not just a choice between cheap products and high-end match ammo. As SSUSA explains: “It used to be that .22 LR was either quite expensive match grade ammo, or it was cheap plinking or hunting ammo. Today, competitors have choices in grades of .22 LR match ammunition to suit their pocketbook or firearms.” We’ve seen good results with relatively inexpensive Norma Tac-22, and the SSUSA article says that SK performs well above its price level.
Seven Brands of .22 LR MATCH AMMUNITION
Lapua Super Long Range and Long Range .22 LR
Lapua Super Long Range and Long Range ammunition comes from Finland, and is designed for the growing long-range rimfire disciplines with targets at 100-300 yards. Lapua says this ammo delivers very low ES and SD numbers. Our friend F-Class John recently tested this ammo and confirmed it performs very well (SEE video above). “Each production lot of Lapua’s new rimfire products are test-fired in 50-round groups for dispersion”, Capstone’s Marketing Director, Geoff Esterline, said. “The results determine whether it makes Super Long Range or Long Range packaging.”
ELEY .22 LR Ammunition
ELEY has long been a top choice for .22 LR competition — both position shooting and benchrest. ELEY now offers 11 different varieties of .22 LR match ammunition, ranging in price from $7 (Benchrest Outlaw) to $20 (ELEY Tenex). If you’re in the rimfire benchrest game, you should definitely try some ELEY in your rifle.
SK .22 LR Ammunition
Numerous .22 LR ammunition types are offered by SK, suitable for a variety of disciplines — from NRL22 to Biathlon. Generally cheaper than ELEY Match ammo, SK offers good “bang for the buck”. F-Class John says it performs great considering the price. The SSUSA article notes that: “German manufacturer SK has eight match-grade .22 LR offerings, including two for pistols, one for semi-automatic rifles, and one for frigid, wintertime conditions.”
RWS .22 LR Ammunition
Sometimes hard to locate at vendors in the USA, RWS is popular among European competition shooters. The top-tier RWS ammo is a choice of many competitive shooters. RWS currently offers nine Premium Line .22 LR varieties and three Professional Line offerings. The SSUSA tester noted that RWS Rifle Match ammo shot great in his Bergara BMR, shooting one-ragged-hole groups at 50 yards and about one MOA at 100 yards. That’s great performance for $10/box ammo.
Norma .22 LR Ammunition
Norma recently introduced XTREME LR-22, a new type of competition rimfire ammo with a radical new bullet. This unique, patented bullet design has a special base with a cone (see diagram). Norma claims that this “rocket tail” design reduces drag by creating less negative pressure at the back end of the bullet. It will be interesting to see how this new bullet design works in rimfire ELR competition.
Wolf .22 LR Ammunition
SSUSA says that Wolf Match Target is a top performer in the under-$10 per box category. This is because, according to SSUSA: “It is manufactured by ELEY in England (and loaded with Vihtavuori powder) and re-branded, if online information is correct.” Wolf Match Target is available from Target Sports USA for $84.99 per thousand ($0.17 per round).
Aguila .22 LR Ammunition
Made in Mexico, Aguila .22 LR rimfire ammo is the bargain item among the seven ammo-makers featured by SSUSA. We wouldn’t choose Aguila for a benchrest or three-position match, but it could be more than adequate for a local NRL-22 match or a steel-target competition at relatively short range. Aguila .22 LR ammunition starts at under $3.00 per box.
We are re-publishing this article at the request of Forum members who found the information very valuable. If you haven’t read this Safety Tip before, take a moment to learn how you can inspect your fired brass to determine if there may be a potential for case separation. A case separation can be dangerous, potentially causing serious injury.
On the highly-respected Riflemans’ Journal blog, created by our late dear friend German Salazar*, there was an excellent article about Cartridge Case-Head Separation. In this important article, Salazar (aka GS Arizona) examined the causes of this serious problem and explained the ways you can inspect your brass to minimize the risk of a case-head separation. As cases get fired multiple times and then resized during reloading, the cases can stretch. Typically, there is a point in the lower section of the case where the case-walls thin out. This is your “danger zone” and you need to watch for tell-tale signs of weakening.
The photo below shows a case sectioned so that you can see where the case wall becomes thinner near the web. You can see a little arrow into the soot inside the case pointing to the thinned area. This case hadn’t split yet, but it most likely would do so after one or two more firings.
Paper Clip Hack for Detecting Problems
The article provided a great, easy tip for detecting potential problems. You can use a bent paper clip to detect potential case wall problems. Slide the paper clip inside your case to check for thin spots. GS Arizona explains: “This simple little tool (bent paper clip) will let you check the inside of cases before you reload them. The thin spot will be immediately apparent as you run the clip up the inside of the case. If you’re seeing a shiny line on the outside and the clip is really hitting a thin spot inside, it’s time to retire the case. If you do this every time you reload, on at least 15% of your cases, you’ll develop a good feel for what the thin spot feels like and how it gets worse as the case is reloaded more times. And if you’re loading the night before a match and feel pressured for time — don’t skip this step!”
* Sadly, German Salazar passed away unexpectedly on June 21, 2022 at age 62. German was a great inspiration to this site and help guide the creation of the AccurateShooter Forum. A brilliant man, expert attorney, and top-tier marksman, German will be sorely missed in the shooting sports world.
Here is one of Bill Reid’s 6mmBR (6BR) rigs. Like his Sako 6 PPC, this is exceptionally accurate.
AccurateShooter Forum member Bill White (aka “CT10Ring”) is a New Yorker who relocated to Idaho in his senior years. From his Idaho home, Bill enjoys long-range target shooting. But his favorite gun pastime is varmint hunting in nearby states — the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. Every year he loads up his truck and hits the road, often doing a grand circle route, visiting prairie dog havens in multiple states.
Bill has a large rifle collection, most of which see duty in the varmint fields of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Here are his key “take-aways” for his eight favorite varmint chamberings: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, .22-250, .22 BR, .22-243, 6 PPC, 6mmBR, and 6-6.5×47 Lapua (aka 6×47).
Eight Great Varmint Cartridge Types — .204, .224, .243 Calibers
.204 Ruger — This delivers great velocity with the little .20-caliber bullets, with mild recoil. The .204 Ruger easily reaches out to 400 yards, but heavier winds do move the tiny bullet around. Tremendous splat factor under 250 yards. I use Sierra 39gr bullets with IMR 8208 XBR in a Sako 75. Even now, .204 Ruger ammo is relatively easy to find.
.223 Remington — Probably the most popular centerfire rifle round in the USA, the .223 Rem offers inexpensive brass, and is a great choice for AR-15 owners. If you run short on ammo, you can find it nearly everywhere. I often bring one AR-15 and one .223 Rem bolt gun on varmint safaris. My Rem 700 5R 1:9″-twist barrel likes 53gr V-Max bullets.
.22 BR — My .22 BR is my first choice for most prairie dog missions. Accuracy is superb with necked-down 6mmBR Lapua brass — quarter-MOA and blazing fast. With the right twist rate, this chambering can shoot anything from 40gr FB bullets to 80gr VLDs. Load development is easy. Below is my .22 BR ammo for another varmint trip. I use 55gr Sierra BlitzKings with Varget in my 1:12″-twist Shilen-barreled rifle. 60gr Bergers are very accurate with a fairly flat trajectory for useful distances.
.22-250 Rem — A classic varmint cartridge, the .22-250 with 50gr V-Maxs delivers spectacular hits. If three P-Dogs happen to be lined up, I’ve witnessed one .22-250 shot take ‘em all out with a triple hit. I currently have five .22-250-chambered rifles: 3 Sako 75s, one Rem 700, and a single shot Nesika that shoots tiny groups. I favor the very deadly Berger 52gr Varmint HP. Making a custom .22-250? With a 1:8″-twist barrel you can use the full weight range of .22-cal bullets, while spinning the lighter bullets fast for “red mist” effect. Remember this cartridge can be a barrel burner. Don’t shoot too many rounds too quickly.
.22-243 Win — This wildcat is even more potent than the .22-250, delivering devastating results on P-Dogs. Run a .243 Win case slowly through a full-length .22-243 die, with plenty of lube to form the brass. I start with Lapua .243 Win brass. There can be some issues necking-down the brass. Watch for donuts forming at the neck-shoulder junction. I bought my .22-243 rifle not sure how it would perform. But now I love shooting it. My .22-243 delivers half-MOA groups with 41.0 grains RL-22 and Hornady 75gr Amax bullets. With those 75-grainers, it’s great in the wind and good to 600 yards easily.
6 PPC — You may consider the 6 PPC a benchrest competition cartridge only, requiring fire-forming. However I have an original Sako 75 single-shot 6 PPC rifle that I load with Sako-headstamp 6 PPC brass (see below) so no fire-forming is required. This Sako 75 came with a test target that measured 0.113″! With my 6 PPC Sako, I found that 58gr V-Maxs, pushed by Vihtavuori N133, are potent out to 300 yards. [Editor’s NOTE: As the Sako brass is no longer available, new 6 PPC shooters will need to fire-form their brass, or try to find Norma 6 PPC brass.]
6mmBR — The 6mmBR Norma (6BR) offers a nearly unbeatable combination of accuracy, efficiency, and tunability. With the 6BR and a fast twist barrel, you can shoot everything from 40gr flat-base bullets to the latest 105-110gr match bullets. I load Lapua brass, Vihtavuori N135, and Hornady 58, 65, and 75gr bullets for my Krieger 1:14″-twist HV barrel. While this cartridge is capable of long-range accuracy, I usually limit my 6BR shots to 350-400 yards.
6-6.5×47 Lapua — I have a nice 6-6.5×47 Lapua varmint rifle, with Surgeon action and Manners stock. I Cerakoted the barreled action and then bedded the action. Shown below is 6-6.5×47 ammo I loaded for testing. Note how I separated different bullets and powder loads into multiple, labeled bags. Hodgdon H4350 is a great choice for this cartridge — 39 grains H4350 with 105gr Amax was the winner here, but 88gr Bergers also shot well. This cartridge has tremendous “critter dismantling” abilities out to 600-700 yards.
Six Tips for Novice Long Range Varmint Hunters
1. Take twice as much ammo you think you may need. The fields could be particularly rich, or, because of wind or other variables, you may have far more misses than expected.
2. When possible, set up with the wind at your back (or, alternatively, directly ahead). This will minimize the effect of cross-winds. Set up a stake with a ribbon to show wind direction.
3. Bring at least two rifles. Ideally one would be a low-recoil rifle with cheaper components for the closer shots. Then bring a rifle with higher-BC bullets for longer shots where wind is a bigger factor.
4. Check the weather before you head out. Prairie dogs like sunshine and calm conditions. If a cloudy, very blustery day is predicted, considering staying in town and cleaning the rifles.
5. Bring plenty of water on a trip. An adult male should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water (or other liquid) every day — more if it’s very hot or you are sweating a lot.
6. Preferably always hunt with a companion. If you do go out solo, have a Garmin inReach SatComm/GPS for emergencies if there is no cell coverage in your location.
Bonus for Black Rifle Shooters — The Economical 20 Practical
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.)
Targets Shot with Three Different 20 Practical AR Uppers
For more INFO visit www.6mmAR.com, or email: rcw3 [at] erols.com.
The .20 Practical is also a good choice for a bolt-action rifle. Here is what our Forum members have to say…
20 Practical Shooters Explain Why They Love this Little Cartridge
A thread in our Shooters’ Forum 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
“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
“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
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.
RCBS was founded in 1943 by Fred T. Huntington in Oroville, California. Huntington was a dedicated shooter but found it difficult to obtain quality varmint bullets. However, after reading about making a die to swage .22 rimfire cartridge cases to form jackets for bullets, he began to craft his own dies in the back room of his father’s Oroville laundry and dry-cleaning business. Because the resulting bullets were used to shoot rock chuck varmints, he named them Rock Chuck Bullet Swage dies, later shortened to RCBS.
RCBS Lock-Out Die
On the highly-respected Riflemans’ Journal blog, created by our late dear friend German Salazar*, there was an excellent article about Cartridge Case-Head Separation. In this important article, Salazar (aka GS Arizona) examined the causes of this serious problem and explained the ways you can inspect your brass to minimize the risk of a case-head separation. As cases get fired multiple times and then resized during reloading, the cases can stretch. Typically, there is a point in the lower section of the case where the case-walls thin out. This is your “danger zone” and you need to watch for tell-tale signs of weakening.
20 Practical Ultimate Varminter
