Ryan Cleckner is a former U.S. Army sniper instructor, and a highly respected outdoor journalist and firearms industry attorney with GunUniversity.com. Cleckner is also the author of the outstanding Long Range Shooting Handbook resource. A skilled shooter, and a very effective communicator, Ryan Cleckner is the host of a great 2023 series of NSSF videos about rifle optics.
There are 14 videos in the Cleckner NSSF Optics series, all worth watching. Among the 14 Ryan Cleckner Optics videos, here are our “pick six” of the most informative and helpful videos, which range in length from one to fifteen minutes. Key topics covered include: First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane, Parallax Correction, Ocular (eyepiece) Focus, and Reticle Options.
First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane Scopes
With a First Focal Plane (FFP) scope, the reticle grows and shrinks as magnification is adjusted up and down. This means that hash marks on the FFP reticle always cover the same angular scale (in MOA or Mils). That’s useful for PRS/NRL shooters and hunters who must shoot at multiple distances and quickly calculate hold-offs and hold-overs. With a Second Focal plane scope, the reticle is always the same size/thickness in the field of view no matter what the magnification. SFP Reticle hash marks define a particular defined angular division (such as 2 MOA), at one specific magnification level (such as 25X). At high magnifications, a SFP scope is less “busy” and so is generally preferred by target and benchrest shooters, who take a string of shots at a specific distance.
Parallax Explained and How to Use Parallax Controls
Parallax occurs when the target and reticle are on different planes within the scope. It is detectable when you move your head or eye around while looking through the scope, and the reticle appears to move or swim around the object at which you are aiming. To correct for parallax, you want to adjust the parallax control, commonly located on the left side of the scope. CLICK HERE for Nightforce tips on how to avoid parallax errors.
Understanding the Features of Modern Riflescopes
Modern riflescopes have multiple controls that alter focus, magnification, and reticle placement relative to the viewed target. Typically on top is an elevation control knob with clicks in 0.1 Mils or one-eighth or one-quarter MOA. On the right side (from shooter’s perspective), is a windage control, again with MIL or MOA-segmented clicks. On most current scopes, there will be a parallax control on the left side. In the rear, on zoom scopes, there will be a magnification control. Finally, many scopes will have a rotating eyepiece section for ocular focus.
Scope Reticle Types for FFP and SFP Optics
There are a wide variety of reticle types for both FFP and SFP scopes and for different applications (short range, long range, hunting, benchrest, F-Class, PRS/NRL, handguns). A 3-9x40mm hunting scope may have a very simple reticle with medium thickness lines and a couple vertical hold-over marks. By contrast, a 45X optic for short-range benchrest may have razor-thin lines and a very small, central target dot.
At the other end of the spectrum a modern FFP PRS/NRL optic may have a very complex reticle that looks like a Christmas tree — check out the Horus H425 reticle at right. This will have multiple hold-over and windage marks for multiple distances. That helps a shooter nail a 500m target just seconds after engaging a plate at 100m.
How to Adjust Eyepiece to Optimize Ocular Focus
Ocular focus refers to the sharpness of the reticle image you see through the eyepiece. Typically you’ll see a plus/minus marking near the rear part of the scope. This allows the eyepiece section to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise. The purpose of this ocular focus is to help tailor the scope optimally for the particular shooter’s vision. March Scopes explains: “By adjusting the eyepiece, you will be setting the right diopter value which differs by person. The goal of adjusting the eyepiece to the proper diopter setting, is to see the reticle clearly and crisply.” For March scopes: “If you are near-sighted, rotate the eyepiece body counter-clockwise. If you are far-sighted, rotate the eyepiece body in the + direction, clockwise.”
Four of the 14 Ryan Cleckner optics videos cover scope mounting. Above is the main video of the four. This major 15-minute video covers the basics of scope mounting, including ring placement, fastener torque control, and reticle alignment. The additional three Cleckner scope mounting videos are:
Part 1: How to Mount a Scope — Components
Part 2: How to Mount a Scope — Tools
Part 4: How to Mount a Scope — Trouble Shooting
You have to admire someone with serious do-it-yourself skills. Not just hammer and nail skills, but formidable design and fabrication skills. Well Forum Member Dave D. (aka “AKShooter”) has a DIY skill set that might put some trained machinists to shame. You see, “DIY Dave” crafted his own pedestal front rest from scratch, using his own design and about $100.00 in materials (not counting the Edgewood front bag). Dave estimates he put 20 hours of labor into the project, but the end result was worth it: “This Do-It-Yourself rest drives like a dream. I’ve played with the Caldwell and a Sinclair, they have nothing on this one.”
Dave tells us: “Here is my Do-It-Yourself front rest. I wanted to show other folks who are handy that a solid front rest is doable with a bit of time — and you don’t need to spend $1000.00. (You could say this is a design for shooters with more time than money.) This is for F-Class. I was originally overwhelmed by the equipment needed, so I decided to make my own rest. I didn’t have the money for a SEB or Farley Coaxial. This is what I’ll run this season (my second as an F-Class competitor).”
We asked Dave what equipment was used to make the rest. He explained: “My brother has a CNC cutter. But most water-jet outfits would do the work for $100 or less. All the plates are tapped and screwed. I found small machine screws on eBay.” Dave says there are other ways to build a front rest: “You could do the same with a welder and plate stock for base. It’s easier to do the top out of aluminum though, with all the tapping.”
Dave enjoys fabricating his own gear, but he admits the process can be time-consuming: “I’m a DIY guy. Sometimes I wrap up a project and wonder why the heck I just spent X amount of time on it.” Dave has other projects in the works: “Another option we are making for a friend is taking a cheap front rest and bolting to a 3/4″ thick, wide MDF base and adding additional adjustment screws. The hardware store is your friend!”
On the competition front, Dave is tuning up a 6mm Dasher: “My rifle last year was a .260 Rem Savage repeater. I was about middle of the pack in my group of shooters. Just went with unsorted Bergers and Lapua brass, and had a ton of fun. Now I’m in — hook, line, and sinker. I have an unfired 6 Dasher barreled action from the folks at Kelbly’s to break in. I’m cheap, so I ended up with a Do-It-Yourself stock for the Dasher.” Hopefully Dave will send us a photo of his DIY-stocked Dasher when the gun is dialed-in and “ready to rumble”.
The 44th Edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values is now on sale for just $29.98, over 50% off the original price, and $17.02 less than the current $47.00 Amazon price. To get this $29.98 deal, purchase this popular price guide through Blue Book Publications.
The Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Fjestad is the leading gun valuation resource. There are now over 1.8 million copies in circulation worldwide. This book continues to be the “Bible” for buyers, sellers, collectors, and connoisseurs in the firearms industry.
Blue Book of Gun Values, 44th Edition, May 2023
The 44th Edition contains 2,528 pages covering over 1,800 manufacturers/trademarks, with over 35,000 gun model descriptions, and over 180,000 values, with new-for-2023 data!
Review by Tom Gresham, Gun Talk Radio Host
“At some point, every gun owner asks the question, ‘What’s it worth?’ The leading reference for decades has been the Blue Book of Gun Values. Whether you are a seller, a buyer, a shopper, or just curious, this constantly-updated gold mine of research is your friend.”
Features of the new Blue Book of Gun Values:
· Includes the new 2023 makes and models, with many new handguns and rifles, and important pricing updates.
· 2,528 pages covering over 1,800 manufacturers and trademarks, with over 35,000 gun model descriptions.
· 180,000+ up-to-date values are provided — most complete resource in print.
· Important pricing updates on major trademark current, antique, and discontinued models, including Colt, Winchester, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger.
· Color Photo Percentage Grading System (PPGS) makes firearms grading even easier and more accurate.
· More information, more values, more illustrations, and more history than any other gun price guide on the market.
Sample Page from Blue Book of Gun Values:
Book tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
At the NRA Annual Meetings last year (2022), Colt’s Manufacturing introduced an impressive new rimfire revolver — the King Cobra Target 22 LR. Colt states: “From competition to plinking and small game hunting, this baby Cobra does it all and packs 10-rounds of .22 LR in its cylinder”. The King Cobra Target 22 LR is available with 4.25-inch and 6-inch barrel lengths, both with 1:16″ RH rifling twist. MSRP is $999.00.
The King Cobra Target 22 LR features USA-forged stainless steel construction. Designed and crafted for outstanding accuracy, new King Cobra Target 22 LR features a one-piece barrel/shroud with fiber optic front sight. The cylinder holds ten (10) rounds. The frame is fitted with an adjustable target rear sight and Hogue overmolded rubber grips.
This TFB Showtime episode examines the new .22 LR rimfire Colt King Cobra Target. The King Cobra Target 22 LR features a 10-shot cylinder, and the same adjustable target sights as the .357 Magnum version.
Last May, Justin Baldini, Colt’s VP of Product Strategy stated: “We are very excited to debut this new Baby Snake to our customers[.] Shooting .22 LR is such an important part of shooting sports. It’s where we come to learn as a beginner; and where we return as seasoned shooters to cost-effectively enjoy more time at the range. We’re confident that new and old Colt fans will love what we’ve done with the new King Cobra 22 LR.”
All-American built, the King Cobra Target 22 LR was designed and made to be shot — a lot! It should deliver exceptional accuracy and good reliability. Expect to see these revolvers at formal and informal rimfire competitions at gun clubs around the nation.
Click image to go to vendor site with Colt King Cobra Target 22 LR in stock:
Commentary: We applaud Colt for introducing this new .22 LR wheelgun. Rimfire revolvers are great. This Editor owns a Smith & Wesson Model 617 ten-shot rimfire revolver that has easily fired more rounds than all his other handguns combined. A .22 LR revolver is great for training and fun for plinking. Like the Model 617, this new Colt .22 LR wheelgun offers minimal recoil, great reliability, a nice sight radius, and affordable shooting. In addition, if you shoot single-action slow-fire, the trigger pull is light and crisp — better than the vast majority of semi-auto pistols. We think this new “Baby Snake” will be a great addition to any shooter’s collection.
We have all been there — you place a piece of tumbled brass in the shell-holder of your press, raise it into the die, and suddenly it is like somebody hit the brakes. The case is stuck in the die. Your first instinct is to reverse it out. You crank on the handle, and BANG! The rim rips off the case head and you are looking at a piece of brass stuck in the die.
A stuck case is one of the boo-boos that all of us reloaders have faced from time to time. If proper lubrication is applied, then it should not be a problem. No matter if you are a seasoned reloader or new to it, this situation can happen. Take your time, use the proper procedures, and you will be back in business in no time! This article explains how to avoid stuck cases (through proper lubrication) and how to use a stuck case removal system.
What Causes Stuck Cases
One of the first common mistakes reloaders face is the stuck case. It can be caused by too much or too little lube. Too much and a vacuum can be formed causing the case to become suctioned into the die. Too little lube and friction is the culprit. So what is the cure? There is no exact cure, but the best lube that we have found so far is just a dab of Imperial Sizing Die Wax on your fingers and applied in a thin coat on the body of the case, not the shoulder or neck. Too much of this wax can cause the vacuum effect, or can eventually load your die up with gobs of residue. If it is applied to the shoulder area, or the leftover wax moves up into the shoulder region of the die, you will see dents or dimples in the shoulder. [AccurateShooter.com Editor’s Note: For normal full-length sizing of small cases such as 220 Russian/PPC, 6mmBR, 6.5 Grendel, or 6.5×47 Lapua we recommend Ballistol (aerosol) lube. It is very slippery, goes on very thin, and does not gum up the die.]
A great way to ensure that your dies are clean is to use a simple chamber mop with a dab of your favorite solvent on it and clean out the die. Be sure all of the solvent is out after cleaning by spraying the die out with Quickscrub III or use a clean chamber mop. If you are storing your dies, you can apply a thin coat of a good oil to protect the steel such as TM oil or Starrett M1 Spray.
This video shows how to use an RCBS Stuck Case Removal Kit:
Using a Stuck Case Removal Kit
If you do stick a case in your die there are a few good stuck case removal kits available. Each one works in a similar fashion. I have found the Hornady kit very effective and easy to use. [Editor: Forster, Lyman, and RCBS also make good kits for removing a case stuck in a die.]
Basically what you do is remove the die from the press. Unscrew the decapping assembly and pull it out as far as you can. You then need to drill/tap threads into the stuck case head (this is why it is suggested to unscrew the decapping assembly as far as you can to get it clear of the drill bits). Once this is done screw the die back into the press. You then install the included shellholder attachment on the shellholder ram, and thread it into the case via a small wrench. With some elbow grease you can reverse the stuck case out of the die with the leverage of the press, and not damage the die.
However if the case is stuck… REALLY stuck, you may pull out the threads on the case and you are still left with a stuck case in the die without any way to pull it out. If the case is really difficult to remove even with the use of a stuck case removal kit, do not try to be Hercules with the press ram. Here is a trick that may work. Take the die with the stuck case and place it in your freezer for a couple of hours. Then repeat the removal with the cold die. The freezing temperatures may cause the brass to contract, and make removal easier. If this does not work it is recommended to send it to the die manufacturer. They will be able to remove the case without damaging the die.
Another fix if you can remove the decapping assembly completely is to use a tap hammer and a punch or small wooden dowel to knock the stuck case out. This isn’t the best way since it is very possible that you will damage the die internally or externally on the threads, or both. Send the die to the manufacturer to have this done properly. You will be happier in the long run.
This article appears courtesy Sinclair International. It first appeared in Sinclair’s Reloading Press Blog.
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.
CYBER MONDAY Special — Hornady L-N-L Classic Press Reloading Kit With FREE Case Prep Duo
On sale now at Midsouth for just $299.99 ($100 off), the Lock-N-Load Classic Press Reloading Kit comes with everything you need for case prep and powder measuring. This kit features an electronic scale, powder trickler, funnel, hand-held priming tool, reloading block, and Hornady Reloading Handbook, 11th Edition. This kit also includes a FREE L-N-L Case Prep Duo, which sells for $55 by itself.
1. Natchez — Big Savings on Burris, Leupold, and Trijicon Scopes
⏺ End of year sale with major brand scopes at huge savings
If you’re in the market for any type of optic from a red dot to a thermal scope (for night hunting) check out the current Natchez Optics Sale. A variety of quality scopes from Burris, Leupold, Trijicon (and more) are offered at very attractive end-of-the-year prices. You can save up to $819 or 69%. In addition, for a limited time, you get FREE Shipping for orders $99.99+ with Code FS231123.
2. Palmetto SA — Taurus G2C 9mm Pistol, $229.99
⏺ With rebate get a good 9mm carry pistol for just $199.99
If you need a good, reliable carry pistol, but have a limited budget, consider the Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, on sale at Palmetto State Armory for just $229.99. The G2C features an accessory rail, adjustable rear sight, textured grip, and smooth edges for comfort. The double-stack magazine holds 12 rounds. NOTE: This G2X pistol qualifies for the $30 Taurus Rebate right now. That lowers your net price to just $199.99 — a steal.
3. Midsouth — Hodgdon and Vihtavuori Powders in Stock
⏺ Ultra-popular Hodgdon and VV powders now available at good prices
Many super-popular Hodgdon and Vihtavuori (“VV”) powders are in stock right now at Midsouth. That’s right, you can order Hodgdon Varget, H4350, and H4831SC right now for $50.99/lb (or $43.62/lb for 8-lb H4350, H4831sc). And other Hodgdon powders are available starting at $36.99/lb. Plus many popular Vihtavuori powders are in stock at Midsouth including VV N133, N150, N310, N550, N560 and more.
4. EuroOptic — Meopta Optika Scope Sale
⏺ Save up to 37% on Meopta Optika riflescopes
Meopta makes excellent scopes with extremely high-quality glass. The larger Meopta scopes offer impressive 6 times zoom range (e.g. 3-18X and 5-30X). If you want a high-end scope at a moderate price, check out the Meopta Optika Sale at EuroOptic. Right now you can save up to 37% on Meopta scopes, including the FFP Optika6 5-30x56mm ED DichroTech, now discounted a whopping $450.00!
5. Graf’s — Mark 7 Autodrive Sale
⏺ Great advanced power accessory for big Dillon Progressives
Do you own a Dillon progressive press and want to load bulk ammo faster and easier? Check out the Mark 7 Autodrive sale at Grafs.com. Designed for Dillon 650/750 or 1050/1100 series presses, these Mark 7 Autodrives power the press cycles. That lets you produce more quality ammo in less time. The efficient Autodrives will reduce hand and muscle fatigue.
6. Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Brass Dryer, $49.99
⏺ Great solution for drying brass after wet-tumbling
If you wet-tumble brass, you must ensure that the brass is dry inside and out before loading. You should never ever put primers and/or powder in damp brass. An excellent, efficient drying solution is the Frankford Arsenal Brass Dryer, now just $49.99 on Amazon. Vented trays provide excellent airflow and the heavy-duty, 500-watt heating unit can dry a full load of brass in under an hour.
7. Amazon — Lock-N-Load Comparator Kit, $34.00
⏺ Good tool works with most popular bullet diameters
For best accuracy and optimal ES/SD, you must seat bullets precisely. With the Hornady Lock-N-Load Comparator Kit you can quickly yet precisely measure seating depth. This kit comes with seven (7) different comparator inserts for bullet diameters: .224, .243, .257, .264, .277, .284 and .308. With the comparator attached to your calipers, this system measures from the bullet ogive to the base of the loaded round with great precision. You can use this tool to confirm various seating depths when doing accuracy testing. For example you can test 0.010″ off the lands and then 0.015″ off the lands.
8. Midsouth — Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper, $159.99
⏺ Great price on modern, fast dispenser with BlueTooth and App
A good electronic powder scale/dispenser lets you load more precisely with greater charge-weight consistency. The Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper delivers 0.10 (one-tenth) of a grain accuracy. This modern, easy-to-use machine also connects via Bluetooth to a very handy App on your phone that stores your loads for various cartridge and bullet types. Priced at just $159.99 at Midsouth, this is a great deal. This same Intellidropper sells for $203.99 elsewhere. The Intellidropper boasts a proprietary powder calibration button and dispenses powder twice as fast as some other powder dispensers.
9. Amazon — Neolube Neck Lube, $22.99
⏺ Very effective liquid lube for inside case-necks
Neolube is a little-known secret of top shooters, who use it to lube the inside of case-necks. That helps smooth bullet seating which, in turn, can help provide a more consistent ES/SD. Easy to apply, Neolube provides a very thin film, so this 2 oz. bottle will last for multiple seasons. Using Neolube during brass prep can help ensure consistent seating.
Heavy recoil can hurt your shoulder and potentially make you miss your shot. Installing a mechanical recoil-reduction system can be expensive but we found these handy KEEPER MG Recoil Pads. Priced at $28.99 for a twin pack, these pads employ a HQ visco-elastic absorption gel that dissipates recoil vibrations and reduces felt recoil. The pads are made from 4-way stretch neoprene to fit snugly.
Black Friday, the major discount day, was two days ago. For many vendors, Black Friday discounts continue all weekend through Cyber Monday, 11/27/23. So there are some spectacular pistol, shotgun, and rifle bargains offered today and tomorrow. In addition, many very high-quality rifle chassis systems are on sale. If you’re looking for a new handgun, rifle, or shotgun, or need a chassis for a new rifle project, now’s a great time to shop.
Here are some of the best long gun deals we’ve found. Don’t hesitate, as these deals are short-lived. Most of the specials are good through 11:59 pm on Monday, November 27, 2023. However, some of the sales expire tonight, Sunday 11/26/2023 at 11:59 pm Central Time.
Browning X-Bolt Stalker Long Range in .300 Winchester Magnum
The Browning X-Bolt Stalker in .300 WinMag features a 26″ barrel with muzzle brake, removable magazine, extended bolt handle, and black composite stock with adjustable comb. Complete with a Browning 4-12x40mm AO scope, this rifle was originally $1149.00. Now CDNN has discounted the price to $949.00. And it gets even better. For purchases November 22-27, Browning is offering a $100 factory mail-in rebate. That lowers your net cost to just $849.00 — a great deal for a serious large-game hunting rifle.
Savage 110 Hunter XP with 4-12x40mm Vortex Diamondback Scope — Multiple Calibers
If you want a solid, accurate hunting rig with a top-tier camo stock, look no further. Right now at Cabela’s/Bass Pro, the Savage 110 Hunter XP with TrueTimber VXP camo stock is on sale for $749.98, a $70.00 savings. This handsome rifle is available in a wide variety of calibers/chamberings: .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, .30-06 Springfield, and 350 Legend. NOTE: Today 11/26/2023 is the last day for this Cabela’s/Bass Pro discount pricing, so don’t delay.
Christensen Arms Ranger .22 LR with Carbon-Wrapped Barrel
The Ranger 22 brings a rimfire back to the Christensen Arms lineup. The bolt-action Ranger 22 features an aluminum receiver with Picatinnny rail, Christensen Arms carbon fiber tension barrel with Bentz match chamber, and carbon fiber composite stock. The Ranger 22 rifle boasts a nice “match grade” Rem 700 style trigger. These rifles shoot well — Christensen Arms backs the Ranger 22 with a Sub-MOA at 50 Yards Guarantee. Right now the Ranger 22 is on sale at Palmetto SA for $729.99, a $270.00 savings off the regular $999.99 price.
Winchester SXP 12ga Shotgun, $179.99 After Winchester Rebate
This may be the shotgun steal of the year. Right now you can get a Winchester SXP 12ga pump shotgun with 26″ or 28″ barrel for just $254.99, marked down from $324.99. But it gets even better. Winchester has a $75 factory rebate good for Super X Pump (SXP) firearms purchased November 20-27, 2023. So if grab one of these today or tomorrow your net cost is just $179.99! That’s a steal — you could pay twice that just for a barrel these days. If you want something fancier, Kygunco also has a wood stocked SXP for $244.99 (after rebate) and a nice SXP waterfowl with Mossy Oak Camo for $294.99 (after rebate).
WOOX Metal/Wood Hybrid Chassis Systems — $100-$300 Off
WOOX offers unique, handsome hybrid chassis systems that combine modern high-tech metal frameworks with fine-finished highly-figured wood forearms, grips, and butt-stock segments. Right now, a variety of these Woox metal and wood chassis systems are deeply discounted, so you can save from $100 to $300. NOTE: These sale prices on hybrid chassis systems are good through 11:59 pm on Monday 11/27/2023.
Video shows how WOOX hybrid chassis is crafted with metal and high-grade wood components.
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) EPT AR-15 Platform Rifle
This rifle, a top seller among PSA’s extensive AR line-up, has earned overwhelming 5-star reviews from verified buyers. Now through Monday get this great PSA AR15-platform rifle for just $579.99 complete with MBUS sights and adjustable buttstock. This PSA EPT rifle has a 16″ chrome-moly vanadium steel barrel chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1:7″ twist rate, and mid-length gas system. This rifle features a lightweight M-LOK handguard for easy accessory attachment. The upper includes a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. This PSA EPT rifle even comes with FREE Shipping.
Firearms enthusiasts definitely need to employ hearing protection at all times when shooting or visiting an active range. Just a few moments of unprotected sound exposure can have permanent negative effects. For best protection, consider “doubling up” — wearing good foam plugs under quality muffs. This allows max sound reduction — as much as 5-6 dB quieter than good muffs alone. If the muffs are electronic (with filtered microphones that block extreme sounds), you can still hear range commands.
So How Loud Are Gun Shots?
A pistol gunshot can reach 160 decibels (dB), and rifle gunshots can be even louder, exceeding 170 dB. This means you can do permanent damage to your hearing with just a few shots fired. 160 dB is 20 decibels over OSHA’s threshhold for safe noise levels. This is why it’s essential to always use hearing protection when you are anywhere near firearms being discharged.
“Science tells us that exposure to continuous noise of 85 dB for eight hours is enough to cause permanent hearing loss, and worse, spikes of 130 dB and more can result in permanent hearing damage instantly.” Source: NRA Blog.
This American Suppressor Association (ASA) Video explains that gunshots can measure 160-170 decibels, high enough to cause permanent effects. (See: 00:20 time-mark)
The Risk of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be progressive and irreversible. If you are a shooter, this is serious business. As the NRA Blog cautions: “You may not even realize you’re harming your hearing. Hearing loss occurs gradually, and can go effectively unnoticed until symptoms become severe. By then, the damage is done. Effective hearing protection is a must whenever you are shooting firearms or when you are in the vicinity of gun-shots. For ultimate protection, we recommend a good set of tapered foam earplugs, topped by ear-muffs. However, there are situations when you may prefer lighter-weight hearing protection that can be quickly removed. For example, if you are standing well behind the firing line as an observer, or if you are working as a rangemaster or waddie some distance away from the shooters.” Good muffs or plugs will reduce sound by 23 to 33 dB.
Sound Levels for Common Noises:
9mm Luger pistol: 160 dB
Jet aircraft engine (near): 140 dB
.22 LR pistol: 134 dB
Normal human pain threshold: 120 dB
Noisy Nightclub: 110 db
Riding Motorcycle at 65 mph: 103 db
Power Lawnmower: 95 dB
Hearing damage possible: 85 dB (sustained for 8+ hours)
Ringing Telephone: 80 dB
Normal conversation: 60 dB
Hearing Protection Product Reviews
Shooters should have comfortable, effective muffs, preferably that allow normal conversations to be heard through internal electronics. For best protection, run good earplugs under electronic muffs. There are also electronic earbuds that provide protection, but these do not provide all the benefits of good muffs as some noise energy can be transferred through bone conduction.
The following videos evaluate a wide variety of earmuffs currently on the market. Some of the big muffs boast a 30 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), while thin, muffs may only have a 22-23 dB NRR. Remember that decibel scale is logarithmic, so, according to the experts, a 3 dB gain represents twice the sound energy. So “this means that a small change in the number of decibels can result in a significant change in the intensity of noise and hence its potential to damage a person’s hearing. [F]or every 3 dB the sound level increases the impact on hearing health which is doubled. For example, 63 dB is twice as noisy as 60 dB. For every 3dB the noise level increases, the exposure time must be halved to keep the worker safe from harm.” Source: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
Yes Hunters Need to Employ Sound Protection
According to Dr. William W. Clark, the current Director of the Washington Univ. School of Medicine’s Audiology/Communication Sciences Program, a “serious threat to hearing comes from recreational hunting or target shooting”. This is in large part due to the fact that many people choose not to use traditional hearing protection devices like earplugs and earmuffs because they want to be able to hear their surroundings. Multiple studies have found that between 70 to 80% of hunters never wear earplugs or earmuffs, and nearly half of all target shooters don’t consistently wear traditional hearing protection. Thus, it should come as no surprise that for every five years of hunting, hunters become seven percent more likely to experience high frequency hearing loss.
We recommend that hunters carry quick-insert plugs on a cord around your neck. These can be quickly deployed when you are getting ready to shoot. Or, get a lightweight neck band with earbuds, such as Howard Leight Quiet Band QB2HYG, Sellstrom Band, or 3M Safety Band, all with good Noise Reduction Ratings of 25 dB or higher. You can keep these lightweight bands around your neck for quick deployment.
Creedmoor Sports has many popular products on sale for Black Friday (through 11/28/23). As part of its extended Black Friday Sale, Creedmoor Sports is discounting quality hearing protection equipment from Radians. Choose one of the excellent electronic muffs or the innovative Vertex Nano Electronic Earplugs (aka “Earbuds”). With the sale promotions you can save up to $25.00.
And now through Tuesday November 28th at noon, you can get FREE Shipping on all orders over $99.00. This applies to all in-stock products, not just the hearing protection products shown here.
Double-Up Muffs and Plugs for Maximum Sound Protection
For maximum safety and protection, we recommend running good foam plugs under quality electronic muffs. “Doubling up” with plugs AND muffs can reduce total sound energy levels by 5 dB or more. That may not sound like much, but the decibel scale is logarithmic, so just a 3 decibel increase in noise represents double the sound force on your ears. Reducing sound by 5 decibels (by running plugs under muffs) offers very significant extra protection.
20 Pairs
50 Pairs
Your Editor has tried many different varieties of ear plugs, both the foam variety and the soft plastic flange-type plugs. I now favor the Howard Leight MAX-1 plugs. Rated at NRR 33, these are, quite simply, the best ear-plugs I’ve ever tried. The first thing I noticed about these plugs is how much more effective they were than muffs alone. With just muffs in place, a rifle report is still quite audible. With the red MAX-1 plugs, the noise from a shot is much, much quieter. Proof of the “real world” effectiveness of these plugs came when talking. The plugs work so well that I had trouble hearing words spoken by a colleague from just four feet away. With conventional (non-electronic) muffs I can hear a normal speaking voice from many yards away.
Happy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 10% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.
While some sales are set for Friday, November 24th only, most of the featured Black Friday Sales have already started. And some of these promotions run through Cyber Monday (11/27/2023). Find other sales at Gun.Deals.
Most of the showcased vendors offer discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 20% or more. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified those particular deals. In addition to the ten sellers showcased below, Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings on nearly all products. Get 15% OFF your Brownells orders with Code BF15.
Come back tomorrow for Part Two of our Black Friday Sales Showcase!
21st Century Innovation 20% Off One-Day Sale
21st Century Innovation makes some of the very best tools and hardware for precision handloaders. 21st Century’s Arbor Presses, Neck-turning lathes, Concentricity Gauges, and other tools rank at the very top. And now you can get these superb products at a huge 20% discount. Virtually all 21st Century hardware (except the Hybrid-X Shooting Rest) will be 20% OFF for ONE DAY ONLY, Friday November 23, 2023. Use Coupon Code 20BFRI2023 at checkout to save 20%.
Annealing Made Perfect (AMP) — $200 Off MK II Black Friday Sale
AMP Annealers are the most advanced annealing system on the planet. With such high demand for these products, you’ll rarely see a discount on AMP Annealing machines. But this year, for Black Friday, AMP will offer a U.S. $200.00 discount on the advanced MK II (MK2) Annealer “while stocks last”. AMP will will run a countdown clock which will hit zero at 12:00 noon USA Pacific time / 3.00 pm USA Eastern on Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving day 2023). At that point, AMP MK II Annealers will be added to stock at $1,395.00, a $200 discount off regular $1,595.00 price. NOTE: This sale is limited “while stocks last”.
F-Class Products Black Friday Sale
The biggest F-Class Products (FCP) sale ever conducted is happening this week. Sale items include the new Paragon actions, 7 FCP Bundle Kit, two in-stock F-TR complete rifles ready to go, and much more! Save 10% off sitewide with discount code BLACKFRIDAY.
Graf’s Black Friday Promotions and Savings
If you need ammo, bullets, powder, or primers, head over to Grafs.com this week. Graf’s is running a series of promotions. For example you can get 7 lbs. of tumbling media for FREE with a $200 purchase of the excellent Peterson brass. In addition, you can get FREE Hazmat if you buy $150 or more of powder and/or primers. Note: The Free Hazmat offer ends Saturday 11/25/2023 at 11:59 pm CT.
Palmetto State Armory Black Friday Sale
Need an AR Upper/Lower or a carry pistol? Then definitely check out the Black Friday Sale at Palmetto State Armory. Save 20% or more on AR components, handguns, optics, accessories and more. There are also excellent deals on ammunition, such as CCI Blazer 9mm for just $13.99/box.
Area 419 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
Area419 is running a great extended Black Friday Promo for the next few days. You’ll find significant discounts on most Area 419 products, including tools, scope mounts, muzzle brakes, and Arcalock products. In addition, the superb Area419 Zero Press goes on sale 11/27/2023, and a variety of reloading products will be discounted for Cyber Monday.
Precision Reloading Early Black Friday Sale
Precision Reloading has been running an early Black Friday Sale, with items discounted starting Monday, 11/20/23. New items are added daily through 11/27/2023. Some of the hot deals are: Berger Bullets and Ammo, Hornady Products (including tools, dies, ammo), and Starline Brass. With the full Black Friday Sale, for orders over $79.00, you can get 10% Off Sitewide with code BLACK23. That code should work through 11/26/23 at 11:59 pm.
EuroOptic — 10% Off Black Friday Nightforce Sale
This week you can save big bucks on Nightforce scopes which are rarely discounted this much. With the EuroOptic Black Friday Sale you save 10% on Nightforce NX8 and ATACR scopes. This 10% discount can be worth $175 to $395 in savings! In addition, EuroOptic is offering some sales tax rebates.
Weatherby 15% Off Rifles, 20% Off Ammo, 15-25% Off Gear
Right now, through an extended Black Friday Sale, Weatherby is running its “biggest rifle discount of the year”, with 15% Off Weatherby Mark V and Vanguard rifles. Plus ammunition and and brass is discounted 20%. In addition, Weatherby is offering up to 25% off accessories, hunting gear, clothing, gun cases, and other products sold through the Weatherby online store.
Springfield Armory 20% Off Black Friday Week Sale
You can save 20% sitewide now at the Springfield Armory online store. NOTE: Springfield Armory rifles and handguns are NOT sold direct through the website, so this sale applies to AR Uppers, airguns, pistol slide assemblies, optics, magazines, holsters, apparel, and other accessories.
Ryan Cleckner is a former U.S. Army sniper instructor, and a highly respected outdoor journalist and firearms industry attorney with GunUniversity.com. Cleckner is also the author of the outstanding Long Range Shooting Handbook resource. A skilled shooter, and a very effective communicator, Ryan Cleckner is the host of a great 2023 series of NSSF videos about rifle optics.
There are a wide variety of reticle types for both FFP and SFP scopes and for different applications (short range, long range, hunting, benchrest, F-Class, PRS/NRL, handguns). A 3-9x40mm hunting scope may have a very simple reticle with medium thickness lines and a couple vertical hold-over marks. By contrast, a 45X optic for short-range benchrest may have razor-thin lines and a very small, central target dot.
You have to admire someone with serious do-it-yourself skills. Not just hammer and nail skills, but formidable design and fabrication skills. Well Forum Member Dave D. (aka “AKShooter”) has a DIY skill set that might put some trained machinists to shame. You see, “DIY Dave” crafted his own pedestal front rest from scratch, using his own design and about $100.00 in materials (not counting the Edgewood front bag). Dave estimates he put 20 hours of labor into the project, but the end result was worth it: “This Do-It-Yourself rest drives like a dream. I’ve played with the Caldwell and a Sinclair, they have nothing on this one.”
A stuck case is one of the boo-boos that all of us reloaders have faced from time to time. If proper lubrication is applied, then it should not be a problem. No matter if you are a seasoned reloader or new to it, this situation can happen. Take your time, use the proper procedures, and you will be back in business in no time! This article explains how to avoid stuck cases (through proper lubrication) and how to use a stuck case removal system.
Your Editor has tried many different varieties of ear plugs, both the foam variety and the soft plastic flange-type plugs. I now favor the Howard Leight 
Happy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 10% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.
