The NRA has produced a good video on general principles of gun safety. New shooters should definitely watch this video, which provides many important reminders for long-time gun owners as well. This video and other safety principles are featured in a Shooting Sports USA article.
While at the range, shooters should practice Three Basic Rules:
1) Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2) Always keep your finger OFF the trigger until ready to shoot.
3) Always keep the gun UNLOADED until ready to use.
In addition, whenever you are shooting, indoors or outdoors, know what is behind your target and never shoot if there is not a safe backstop. With a centerfire rifle at an outdoor range, just a few degrees of elevation can cause a shot to impact more than a mile away.
Store Guns Safely When Not in Use
After your range sessions or hunts, is vital to store all guns safely. We recommend storing all firearms (pistols, rifles, shotguns) in a sturdy gun safe with thick steel walls. Use a GoldenRod or other device to control humidity inside the safe. We also like to use Bore-Stores or other treated gun sacks to help protect against corrosion.
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. Precision Reloading — Lee PRO 1000 Press Package, $189.99
⏺ Amazing deal on Progressive Press with Case Feeder for loading pistol ammo
If you want the efficiency of a progressive press, but have a limited budget, consider the Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Reloading Press. This reloading kit includes 3-station press, dies (Carbide FL Sizing, Powder-Through Expanding, and Bullet Seating Dies), 3-Hole Turret, Shell Plate, Powder Measure, Universal Case Feeder, and priming system. Yes that’s right this $189.99 Kit includes the case feeder! Order the kit for your favorite cartridge type including: .32 S&W, .38 Auto/.38 Super, .38 Spl/.357 Mag, .380 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and .223 Remington. NOTE: Lee cautions that “Only CCI or Remington brand primers are safe to use with this press”. While this is a great deal it’s best suited for pistol cartridge loading. BONUS: Also, through 11:59 PM CST on 12/26/2022 you save 10% on orders over $75 with Code 122522.
⏺ Kit offers good press and big savings over price of individual tools
The RCBS Rebel Master Reloading Kit offers everything you need to get started with precision hand-loading. On sale now for just $349.99 at Midsouth, this package includes: Rebel Single-Stage Press, Uniflow-III Powder Measure, 1500 grain digital scale, hand priming tool, powder funnel, hex key set, chamfer/deburring tool, accessory handle with case neck and primer pocket brushes, case loading block, and spray lube. You even get a Speer #15 loading manual. This is a heck of a deal for $349.00 with FREE Shipping. You could pay $200 for just a good single-stage press alone.
3. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Savage Rascal Sale + Rebate
⏺ Good little bolt-action training rifle, now with REBATE
The Savage Rascal is a great starter rifle for new shooters. This compact, single-shot, bolt-action rimfire comes in a variety of stock colors and patterns. Purchase one by 12/31/2022 and get a $25 mail-in Savage rebate. These Savage Rascal Rifles feature laminated stocks, threaded (1/2-28) barrels, and modern aesthetics. Though sized for younger shooters, the design shares full-size rifle features, including Savage’s user-adjustable AccuTrigger system.
4. Amazon — Magpul Bipod, $66.00
⏺ Quality, sturdy yet light-weight bipod
Looking for a lightweight, easy-to-mount yet stable bipod? The modern Magpul MOE Bipod features injection molded components for weight reduction while still retaining the functionality, strength, and value of Magpul’s all-metal bipods. It’s easy to mount the MOE bipod using the rapid-attach mounting system that attaches securely to sling wwivel studs on the rifle forearm — no track required.
5. Amazon — RCBS Hand Priming Tool, $33.99
⏺ Very good price on an quality, durable hand-priming tool
Shopping for a very reliable hand priming tool at a bargain price? We recommend the RCBS 90200 Hand Priming tool. This durable tool seats primers quickly and safely, with plenty of leverage. The unit ships with BOTH large and small primer plugs. A safety mechanism separates the seating operation from the primer supply, significantly reducing the the possibility of tray detonation. Yes there are better, high-end hand priming tools, but you might have to pay $80+ to get noticeably better performance.
6. KYGUNCO — Taurus TX22 Competition, $419.99
⏺ Affordable .22 LR match pistol with compensator has earned positive reviews
Rimfire pistols let you enjoy action pistol competitions without spending a ton of money. Among .22 LR pistols, the Taurus TX22 Competition SCR offers great performance for the price. The TX22 Competition SCR builds features a precision-engineered slide and match-grade bull barrel. The “skeletonized” slide with enlarged ejection port is designed so that a red dot optic can be mounted to the barrel. That helps prevent problems during ejection of empty shells. Taurus claims this mounting configuration enhances accuracy compared to a slide-mounted optic platform.
7. Midway — Caldwell Front Rest & Rear Bag, $99.99
⏺ Great price on good set-up for sighting-in hunting rifles
Need a good basic front rest and rear bag to sight-in that hunting rifle or do load development? Here’s a solid, functional benchrest set-up at a great price. This Caldwell Rock BR Rest and Bag Combo is great combo deal for just $99.99. This will more than suffice for testing a hunting rifle or basic bench-work. Upgrade the rear bag later. The front rest adjusts for both windage and elevation. This is a GREAT deal — consider that the Caldwell Rock BR Rest by itself sells for $179.99 at Sportsmans.com.
8. Midsouth — Year-End RCBS Sale, Save Big Plus Free Shipping
⏺ Great prices on top-tier items plus FREE Shipping
9. Amazon — Hearing Protection and Shooting Glasses, $35.99
⏺ Excellent kit with 30 NRR muffs plus TWO sets of safety eyewear
Nearly every time we’re at the range we see people without proper eye and/or ear protection. For under $40 you can get excellent protection with this Earmuffs and Safety Lenses Kit. You get a comfortable set of 30 db NRR earmuffs plus TWO sets of protective glasses, all housed in a handy carry kit. The ANSI Z87.1-approved lenses are Anti-Fog and scratch-resistant. We like having a choice of lens colors — the clear lenses provide max light transmission while the yellow lenses offer enhanced contrast and work well on overcast days. If you do a lot of indoor training, this is a very good kit for the price.
10. MidwayUSA — MTM 4-Can Ammo Crate, $27.52
⏺ Great system that hold many pounds of ammo securely
This MTM ammo crate is popular with our readers. The MTM AC4C Ammo Carrier features four lockable polymer ammo cans in a fitted, four-slot 23.5″ x 11.3″ x 7.5″ carry crate. This makes it easy to haul four full ammo cans. Actual purchasers have raved: “Moments after I received this storage box set I ordered another. Very well-built and great design — a steal at the price.” The system includes four lockable, O-Ring 11.3″ x 7.2″ x 5″ ammo cans (AC30T) for multi-caliber ammo storage. The crate even includes tie-down points for transport in a cart or ATV. This is on sale now at MidwayUSA for $27.52 or $34.27 on Amazon.
Proud owner Dirk L. says: “This is my first build — never thought it would be a .308!”
Here’s a handsome F-TR rifle with a beautiful red stock that suits the holiday season. This ruby red beauty was a recent addition to the long-running Pride and Joy Rifle thread in our Shooters’ Forum. The rifle belongs to Forum member Dirk L. (aka “Pinkes”) who hails from South Africa. This is a .308 Win, with 30″ Bartlein barrel, and X-Max action. The stock is a custom composite with carbon fiber for strength and lightness. And yes this rifle shoots as good as it looks. Check out the impressive 5-shot groups below…
X-Max for Xmas — Impressive Metal-work
Along with that beautiful red stock, this F-TR rig has some very cool features, including a South African-crafted X-Max Action. The action designer Piet Welgemoed explains: “The X-Max action body is 17-4PH stainless steel pre-hardened to 44° Rockwell. Bolt and handle are one-piece stainless steel, nitrated to 55° Rockwell 0.2mm deep. Bolt is also fluted. Inside is the firing pin with washers (see below). The washer cuts the lock-time almost by half and also weighs less. The bolt-knob and bolt shroud are CNC aluminum. The action has very tight tolerances.” The complete action with +20 MOA rail and trigger weighs 1.475 kg (3.25 lbs).” Owner Dirk notes that the competition trigger, set at 3.0 ounces, is also Welgemoed’s design.
Wicked Accuracy with Bartlein Barrel, Varget, and 220gr SMKs
This gun has already proven to be a great shooter. Below are two FIVE-shot groups at 100 meters. The group on the left is in the low threes, with three of five shots essentially in one hole. Dirk loads Lapua .308 Palma brass and #2231 200gr Sierra Matchkings, seated 20 thousandths off the lands. The Varget powder and CCI primers drives the 200gr SMKs at 2620 fps.
Brass: Lapua .308 Win Palma (small primer) | Primers: CCI 450 | Powder: Varget
Bullet: New 200gr SMK #2231 | Seating: 0.020″ Off | Velocity: 2620fps
Composite Stock — One of Three by Renier Mostert
And what about that beautiful red stock? The rifle’s owner told us: “This was one of three similar stocks built as a test run by Renier Mostert, a professional composite stock builder and former benchrest shooter from Pretoria, South Africa. Renier was approached by three friends, who were all looking for decent, custom-built FTR composite stocks. There were a number of stocks available to them (mostly imported), but [those] were either made of wood or aluminum. The requirements for the composite stock build was very specific. Aluminum V-Blocks for the actions were required. The stocks had to be light enough to carry some beefy barrels and optics without compromising rigidity and still be within the F-TR weight limit. The three friends supplied Renier with an imported wooden stock as their shape of choice. Although the shape was quite straight-forward, Renier made a few dimensional changes to features which were not symmetrically correct on the sample, and then built a mold from it.”
Renier uses several methods to craft composite stocks for various disciplines: F-Class, benchrest, competition rimfire, hunting, and tactical. For this build he chose to build a shell constructed of a well-planned mix of woven fiberglass cloth and bi-directionally woven carbon fiber with aerospace quality epoxy resin to reduce weight in some areas and increase stiffness in other areas. He used a wet lay-up process where the two halves gets laid up and joined together while still wet to form a complete, continuous shell. The closed mold gets cured under pressure in an oven for several hours at very specific temperatures. After curing, the shell is filled with a high-tech mix of lightweight filler and epoxy resin. The composition of the mix varies in different areas of the stock to facilitate more strength or reduced weight where applicable.
After the initial build, the aluminum hardware was installed. An adjustable cheek piece, Anschutz rail, and adjustable recoil pad mechanism were installed. The stocks were inletted by Renier, while the final fitting and bedding procedures were left for each customer’s gunsmith to complete. The stocks were light enough for the rifles to comfortably be within the F-TR weight limit. A barrel tuner was mounted on one of the rifles, and the rifle still made the F-TR Class weight limit, 8.25 kg (including bipod). The bipod shown in photos in the SEB Joy-Pod.
Paint — Candy Apple Red over Metallic Silver Base
After final gunsmithing, the stocks were returned to Renier Mostert for custom painting. The rifle featured in this article was done in Candy-Apple Red paint from DNA Paints (an Australian company). To get the desired effect, a metallic silver base coat was used, enhanced with a modest amount of medium coarse glitter, followed with multiple layers of candy until the correct shade was achieved. A high-quality automotive clear coat was used to finish off the paintwork.
With snow on the ground and sub-freezing temperatures in much of the country, we hope our readers are staying warn indoors with family members this Christmas Eve day. To provide a bit of entertainment we’ve found six videos that combine a holiday theme with the shooting sports.
In this fun video, YouTube host 22plinkster plays a holiday tune on steel plates. Using a Henry Golden Boy .22 LR lever gun, 22plinkster performs a plate-by-plate musical rendition of Jingle Bells. To hit each tuned plate in the right order takes considerable skill and concentration. But we thank 22plinkster for offering this special holiday shooting range concert.
Here we have 22plinkster once again. He wanted to see how many Christmas ornaments could be penetrated by one .22 LR round. To answer that burning question, he lined up 40 plastic Xmas bulbs in a row and then fired a single round of CCI .22 LR Velocitor ammo through the bunch, using his Henry Golden Boy lever action rifle. Did the bullet penetrate a dozen ornaments? Two dozen? What do you think? Watch the video to find out the surprising answer.
From a modest .22 LR rifle we move on to the real big boomers — military canons. This holiday-themed video shows multiple large-bore artillery pieces. The video is accompanied with a background tune based on the classic “12 days of Christmas”. If you’re a fan of military hardware and history, you should enjoy this clever video from the Matsimus YouTube Channel.
Christmas Gifts for Gun Guys and Gals
Need to do some last-minute shopping for your shooting buddies and/or gun-friendly family members? Here are three videos that provide gift recommendations for gun guys and gals. Suggestions include hunting accessories, knives, reloading equipment, and some handsome handguns and rifles. Warning — you may find a few items you end up buying for yourself.
It’s been a good year for Taurus handguns. The GX4 family of pistols — including the standard GX4, the GX4 T.O.R.O., the GX4XL, and GXRL T.O.R.O. — earned Ballistic Magazine’s Best Value Handgun award. The Magazine give this award to the handgun with the best combination of “features and price point”.
Very Affordable with Good Ergonomics amd Reliablity
The GX4 pistols offer good ergonomics (better than Glock for most people), good reliability, decent accuracy, and great affordability. MSRP ranges from $429 to $469, and we’ve seen deals as low as $299.99 at PSA. Plus there is a $50 Rebate right now on GX4 models — that can lower your net cost to $249.99 — less than HALF what a Glock costs.
All GX4s made by Taurus in the USA are factory test-fired before shipping, so they are reliable. And the new GX4s have an updated trigger with shorter length of travel, and smooth reset. All GX4 pistols come with interchangeable backstraps, so you can adjust the size of the palmswell to fit to your hand.
Here are reviews of GX4 pistols from Colion Noir and Sootch00, two respected YouTube gun testers:
Do you occasionally get completely unexplained flyers, or have a shot land straight down at 6 O’Clock, right below your point of aim? That could be caused by poor or inconsistent trigger technique. How you pull the trigger can and does affect your accuracy.
Many gun enthusiasts start with pistols. When they later start shooting rifles they may carry over some not-so-good practices acquired from shooting handguns with heavy 4 to 6-pound trigger pulls. You may want to “re-learn” your trigger techniques to get better rifle results.
Shooting Sports USA has a good article on trigger technique that offers many useful tips. That article also has many helpful illustrations, including the one shown above. Another illustration shows different types of trigger shoes (straight vs. curved) and explains how each makes a difference: “With a lightly curved trigger, the shooter’s finger can contact the trigger either high or low according to preference. Higher contact will increase the resistance.” READ ARTICLE HERE.
The article analyzes common errors, such as pulling the trigger with the very tip of the finger rather than the pad of the index finger: “Using the tip of the finger can lead to lateral pressure on the trigger, which throws off the shot.”
The article also explains that you should check your trigger regularly to make sure it is functioning properly and is not out of adjustment: “Just like any other moving part, the trigger can suffer from wear. In such a precise mechanism, tiny amounts of wear can cause major problems.”
The ergonomics of the Eliseo Tubegun allow a nice, straight trigger pull.
Trigger Tips
Six Suggestions for Making your Trigger Control More Consistent.
1. If your triggers are adjustable, set the pull weight appropriate to the discipline. For a hunting rifle, you don’t want an ultra-light trigger pull. For High Power, you may want a two-stage pull, while on a Benchrest rifle you may prefer a very light trigger.
2. If you have a two-stage trigger, experiment with different combinations of First Stage and Second Stage.
3. Have a friend watch you as you pull the trigger, and maybe even take a close-up video as you pull the trigger. This can reveal a variety of flaws.
4. Practice dry-firing to see if flaws in trigger technique are causing gun movement.
5. As an experiment, try pulling the trigger with your middle finger. Ergonomically, the middle finger has a more straight alignment with the tendons in your hand. This exercise can help you identify alignment issues with your index finger.
6. For stocks with adjustable Length of Pull you may want to set the LOP differently for bench shooting vs. prone or F-Class shooting.
When Only the Best Will Do…
German-made Bix’N Andy triggers, available from BulletCentral.com, are among the very best you can buy. Available in both single-stage and two-stage, Bix’N Andy triggers are extremely precise, repeatable and smooth. The unique internal, friction-reducing roller ball system allows for extremely low reset force, yielding an ultra-crisp let-off. Bix’N Andy triggers can be fitted with a variety of trigger shoes according to shooter preference.
Today, December 21, 2022, is Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time of year, mid-winter, guns are tucked away in gun safes. While in storage, all guns, even those with stainless components, should be protected with effective rust-blockers. You don’t want to put that prized rifle or shotgun into your safe, only to find the firearm rusty and corroded a couple months later.
What anti-corrosion products really fight rust effectively? You’ll hear many opinions, but what do actual field tests reveal? One rifle shooter, who posts on YouTube as BlueonGoldZ, wanted to separate myth (and marketing claims) from reality, so he completed his own long-term rust test using metal samples. First he used ordinary tap water spray, and then he did a second, longer-duration test with a salt-spray solution. Nine different products were tested: Break Free CLP, Corrosion-X, Frog Lube, M-Pro 7, Outers, Pro-Shot Zero Friction, Rem Oil, Slip 2000, and Tetra Gun Triple Action CLP.
BlueonGoldZ initially examined each product for its “beading” properties with a normal tap water spray. But the main test involved many multiple weeks of exposure after a “dense” salt-water spray. (No rust formed after two weeks tap water exposure, so the test was accelerated with salt-water exposure).
The clear winners in the test, as shown by the screen shot above, were Corrosion-X (Best), and Frog-Lube (Second Best). The photo shows the test samples two weeks after being sprayed with salt water. The results are pretty dramatic — you can see with your own eyes what happened. We think this is a very useful bit of real-world research.
Results from Similar Long-Term Salt Exposure Test
Unfortunately, BlueonGoldZ’s test did NOT include Eezox, which we have found to be extremely effective (on a par with Corrosion-X). In another long-term test of corrosion preventatives, the two best rust fighters were Eezox and Corrosion-X in that order. Since that test was completed, Corrosion-X, already an excellent product, has been enhanced. CLICK HERE for Long-Term Salt Exposure Test Report.
With exceptionally cold temperatures predicted for the next few days, we know many of our readers are struggling to keep warm outdoors when shoveling snow or just shopping and doing regular chores. Here’s an option to consider for those days when temperatures dip into the negative numbers.
Battery-Heated Socks, Gloves, Muffs
Avid huntress Nikki Boxler (see above) enjoys hunting in late fall and winter seasons. But she knows it’s vital to stay warm when outdoors. Nikki advocates using battery-heated socks to keep ones feet and lower legs warm. Writing for the Winchester Blog, Nikki explained: “I have used heated insoles and hand/foot warmers in the past but they have always left my feet sweating. Then, heat would fade leaving them wet and frozen or they wouldn’t get warm enough to heat my toes at all. However, all of that changed when I got introduced to battery-heated socks from The Warming Store while I was hunting in Canada. They have a variety of options and price points. On the pair that I use, I can feel the heat as soon as the power is turned on… the wonderful thing about these is there are different heat settings and they can last for up to seven hours!”
Purchase Options — Heated Gloves and Hand Pouch
A popular brand of heated winter wear is Smilodon. This clothing maker offers battery-heated SAVIOR gloves, heated socks, and an electric heated hand warmer pouch.
Neberon also offers highly reviewed heated gloves on Amazon, starting at about $76 per pair. These carry heat all the way to the fingertips.
SHOT Show 2023 takes place January 17-20, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can get a sneak peek of new-for-2023 products on the official SHOT Show New Products webpage.
As of this morning December 19, 2022, there are 293 products featured on the New Products site. Here are seven notable new items. CLICK HERE to view 286 more.
ZENK RZMK-357 Modern Revolver
The new ZENK RZMK-357 is a radical new revolver with a patented design. The frame is similar to a semi-auto, but with a rotary cylinder. Zenk states that the patented design allows for a more balanced recoil, and states that the unique design gives the shooter “more accuracy and comfort”. The RZMK fires .357 Magnum ammunition, loaded into a 6-round cylinder like a conventional wheelgun. The top section of the pistol tilts upwards to allow loading into the rear of the cylinder.
KOR 5er VRS Gun Case Insert (Foam Replacement)
KOR’s patented Vacuum Rigidizing Structure (VRS®) 5er insert is a foam replacement system for existing gun cases. The technology eliminates the need to cut, pluck, or customize interior foam. This, KOR claims, allows gun owners to have “one case for everything in their safe”. The VRS system “customizes interior by conforming to contents”. The interior is filled with “rigidizing beads” which provide a custom fit. You can change the rifle or accessories and the VRS adapts to the new contents using a vacuum pump. KOR states that its VRS system has “no shifting contents, corrosion, crushing, abrasion, or rust inside.” The 5er VRS insert is compatible with many case types from Pelican and SKB.
MDT TIMBR Frontier — Wood Stock with Internal Metal Chassis
The MDT Timbr Frontier has the look and feel of traditional stock with the benefits of a modern chassis with V-block. The buttstock and fore-end are made of clear-coated Birch hardwood laminate attached to an aluminum micro-chassis and bottom metal. The Timbr Frontier stock offers adjustable Length of pull, adjustable cheek riser, and interchangeable rubber over-molded grips. You can easily add accessories to the M-LOK fore-end and buttstock. With a weight of just 4 pounds, the Timbr Frontier stock works for hunting as well as target shooting. The stock can take standard AICS pattern magazines.
Advantage Arms .22 LR Pistol Conversion Kit
Advantage Arms has been the top-selling .22 LR Conversion Kit for the Glock, XD, and 1911 since 1998. This year, Advantage Arms introduces the new Micro Series Conversion Kits, which work with SIG P365, Springfield Armory HellCat, and Glock 43X pistols.
Taurus 10.5″ Barrel Raging Hunter Revolver
Taurus has updated the Raging Hunter revolver line with a new 10.5-inch barrel option in .460 Magnum. This impressive, long-barreled wheelgun features a proprietary muzzle brake to help tame recoil. Also added are models in .500 Magnum that use the traditional Raging Hunter barrel profile.
XMAG Dry Firing System with BlueOps Technologies App
BlueOps’s Xmag is crafted to match the shape and dimensions of a firearm magazine. The Xmag is inserted into a pistol or rifle during Dry Fire practice. Measure and track your performance while dry-firing. Use your own gun — no mods needed — to collect a wide spectrum of data through built-in sensors. The data is sent to an advanced mobile App that displays data and training results.
Luth-AR MCA-22 Modular Chassis for Ruger 10/22
Here’s a cool new upgrade for Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifles. Luth-AR’s new Modular Chassis Assembly (MCA) offers adjustability and features that can transform a 10/22 into a much more effective rifle for rimfire gun games. Priced at just $189.95, the new MCA-22 modular chassis is great for NRL22 competition, Tactical 22 matches, Steel Challenge, Practical Rimfire Challenge matches, as well as casual plinking.
Shown above is David Tubb, the legendary 11-time National High Power Champion, posing with a very serious rifle used in the Extreme Long Range (ELR) game. David has jumped into the Extreme Long Range discipline in a very big way, producing a .375-caliber, long-barreled ELR version of his famous Tubb rifle, called the Adaptive Target Rifle (ATR). A version of this rifle, piloted by David’s son-in-law Nate Stallter, set an ELR World Record in January 2018. See video below for a full report.
This video shows Team TUBB setting a new ELR World Record of 2011 Yards using the Tubb Adaptive Target Rifle in .375 CheyTac. Nate Stallter nailed three shots at over one mile — 1768 yards. Then Nate broke his own record, going 3 for 3 at 2011 yards. ELR Central hosted this match, held at the Front Sight gun range, Pahrump, Nevada on January 21, 2018.
David Tubb Shoots ELR Adaptive Target Rifle at KO2M
For the Extreme Long Range (ELR) discipline, David Tubb developed a .375-caliber, long-barreled ELR version of his famous Tubb rifle, called the Adaptive Target Rifle (ATR). A version of this rifle, piloted by David’s son-in-law Nate Stallter, set an ELR World Record in January 2018.
David Tubb Talks about KO2M and Extreme Long Range Shooting
David Tubb’s long-range rifles have performed well in Extreme Long Range shooting. AT the 2019 NRA Extreme Long Range Championship, David Tubb won the Heavy Gun Division. In this video, created during the King of 2 Miles (K02M) competition at the Whittington Center in New Mexico, David talks about the challenges of ELR shooting, and cartridge selection. Big, heavy, large-caliber bullets with ultra-high BCs are favored for the ELR game, but recoil and cost must also be considered.
About the .375 CheyTac Cartridge
Some of the most successful ELR cartridges are based on the CheyTac family, including the .375 CheyTac (9.5×77) and .408 CheyTac (10.36 x 77). This .375 Cheytac cartridge has proven to be tough and accurate. And it is capable of winning — our friend Derek Rodgers won the 2017 King of 2 Miles (K02M) event shooting a .375 CheyTac (9.5×77).
Derek Rodgers was the 2017 King of 2 Miles. Derek is also the first-ever human to ever hit the maximum distance target target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles). His cartridge choice? The .375 CheyTac. Derek ran Cutting Edge Bullets in Peterson brass with Hodgdon H50BMG powder.
Q: Why did you choose the .375 CheyTac cartridge?
Derek: When I was asked to join the Applied Ballistics Team, I needed to get an ELR rifle built in a short period of time. I was under a very tight time schedule to get the project complete. In an effort to eliminate variables, I decided to keep things standard and as simple as possible. I chose the .375 CheyTac for the ease of getting components. The larger rifles are more difficult to get components quickly and I felt like the .375 CheyTac had enough attributes to be competitive at ELR distances.
