We think everyone should have a Garand in their gun collection…
In our AccurateShooter Forum, you’ll find a popular thread: “Anybody Get Gun Stuff for Christmas?”. One notable post featured a very special Christmas-week arrival — an M1 Garand barreled action. A Forum member received this CMP-sourced barreled action from a friend and then transformed it with a stunning wood stock and other components. We’d say this is a very successful and handsome holiday project. And get this — the skilled owner, who works as a volunteer armorer, assembled his new M1 Garand in record time: “Well, it took three weeks in-transit for my [Christmas] gift to myself to arrive, but I picked her up at 1400 hours yesterday. Had her built into a complete rifle by 1530….”
If you would like to put together a handsome M1 Garand like the Christmas rifle shown above, you’ll need to start with a barreled action. You can order these, as well as complete M1 Garand rifles, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). Below we explain how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.
If you have questions about assembling a Garand, contact us and we will put you in touch with the builder of the Christmas M1 Garand rifle. He is a CMP-trained armorer who works to maintain ceremonial rifles for VFW, American Legion, and Disabled Veterans Posts throughout Kentucky.
Ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP — Qualifications
How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. M1 Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions.
Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has two stores where M1 Garands can be ordered over the counter and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama, Talladega, Alabama, and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.
Ordering a Barrel — If you already have an M1 Garand, but the barrel has seen better days, you can order a pre-chambered Criterion barrel in .30-06 Springfield. Criterion tell us: “This is a direct replacement barrel for the M1 Garand rifle, manufactured to mil-spec print #6535448. It has the original G.I. contour and Parkerized finish. Receiver threads are timed, all milling cuts are made, and all M1 Garand barrels are hand-lapped.” NOTE: Each barrel is .010 short-chambered and should be properly headspaced by a qualified gunsmith. These Criterion .30-06 replacement barrels, priced at $259.95, are legal for use in Service Rifle and John C. Garand matches.
If you want to re-chamber your M1 Garand to .308 Winchester, the CMP eStore sells brand new Criterion-made barrels in .308 Win for $199.95. These authentic-profile barrels are chambered and headspaced within .010″ of finished size, with final fitting to be done by a competent gunsmith. The barrels are also externally Parkerized to match your vintage M1 Garand.
Once you have an M1 Garand in your collection, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition so it works flawlessly for vintage military matches and fun shoooting. Below we’ve linked two good SSUSA articles on M1 Garand maintenance. Following that you’ll find two excellent videos covering M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication. Finally there are links to recommended print manuals for the M1 Garand.
M1 Service and Maintenance Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) published an excellent article on Service and Maintenance of M1 Garand Rifles. This offers some smart tricks, such as using smoke from burning masking tape to darken the front sight post. There is also an older SSUSA article that covers basic cleaning and servicing and also explains how to upgrade the performance of your Garands. READ Article HERE.
M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication
Recommended M1 Garand Service Manuals
Among the many M1 Garand manuals available, we recommend the CMP’s U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1: ‘Read This First’ Manual. This booklet covers take-down, reassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and operation. The manual comes with CMP rifles or can be purchased for $3.25 from the CMP eStore. The author of Garand Tips & Tricks says: “It’s one of the best firearms manuals I’ve seen and I highly recommend it.” The CMP also offers many other M1 Garand print resources including:
Do you own an M1 Garand, or have you always wanted to acquire one of these legendary semi-auto battle rifles? Well then here is a valuable new resource: The Essential M1 Garand: A Practical and Historical Guide for Shooters and Collectors. This new book by Jim Thompson covers the history of the M1 Garand, and offers practical advice for Garand owners, along with complete parts lists. The book includes annotated military and National Match manuals, a troubleshooting chart, and a section on hand-loading for the Garand. The final Section addresses common questions about the rifle and offers detailed instructions for maintaining this wartime classic. First published in February, 2020, The Essential M1 Garand is available in Print Paperback and Kindle eBook versions. View Table of Contents.
A high-end, full custom Benchrest, F-Class, ELR or PRS rifle can cost upwards of $5500.00 (with optic). Some top-tier competition and tactical scopes (March, Kahles, Schmidt & Bender) cost $2500-$3600 by themselves. If you’re transporting three or four custom rifles with premium scopes to the range, you could easily be hauling $20,000 worth of hardware. Bring along a Co-Axial rest, spotting scope, rangefinder, Kestrel, and LabRadar chronograph, and that could push the total closer to $25,000. Think about that — your guns and gear could be worth way more than your vehicle!
How do you safeguard a big-money collection of guns (without driving around in a Brinks armored truck)? One of the best storage systems available is the Truck-Vault, built in Washington state. Truck-vaults are custom-fitted, locking storage cabinets that fit in a Pick-up truck bed, SUV, or station wagon. Various designs are available, including a waterproof “Extreme Series.” Both single-drawer and multi-draw layouts are offered with lengths up to 60″ overall, and top-load capacity of 2000 pounds. A variety of interior configurations are available.
For transporting scoped match rifles, we suggest Truck-Vault’s “Magnum Line”, which has two drawers with 10.5″ of vertical clearance. This offers two primary sliding compartments (on roller casters), plus smaller storage boxes where you can keep valuable gear securely out of sight.
WATCH Truck-Vault Video Showing Break-In Attempt:
Truck-Vaults carry a big price-tag. One-drawer SUV models start at around $1195.00, but you can pay over $2500.00 for a unit with all the bells and whistles. Balance that cost against the value of the all firearms and accessories you are transporting. If you spend much time on the road with a pricey collection of guns, optics, and accessories, a Truck-Vault may be a wise investment. This editor first saw a Truck-Vault on a Chevy Suburban belonging to an Arizona gunsmith who does a lot of work for the military. It was not unusual for him to haul $50,000 worth of Class III weapons. For him, the Truck-Vault was an essential security feature. For more info, visit TruckVault.com or call (800) 967-8107. CLICK HERE to see the full line of TruckVault systems with photos, specifications, and retail prices.
Gun-makers and barrel builders have adopted aerospace technology, using carbon fiber in their stocks and composite barrels. Today you’ll find carbon components on dozens of rifle brands. Some rifles sport full carbon stocks AND carbon-wrapped barrels. Others features a carbon stock with steel barrel, or a carbon-wrapped barrel in a conventional stock. Carbon is definitely here to stay. This advanced material allows rifles to be lighter yet stronger. The advantages for the hunter in the field are real — a carbon-wrapped barrel can save quite a few pounds. Here are some of the most notable carbon applications we saw at SHOT Show.
Sako 85 Carbon Wolf
One of the the best-looking carbon-stocked factory rifles is the Sako 85 Carbon Wolf, featured in our Top Photo. Introduced in 2018, this rifle features a full carbon composite stock, with the signature carbon fiber weave visible throughout. We found this rig very ergonomic and nice to handle. The advanced-design RTW carbon fiber stock offers quick, push-button adjustments for comb height and LOP. Though not carbon-wrapped, the conventional 24″ blued steel barrel is fluted, reducing the overall weight of the rifle. Without optics, this rifle weighs well under 8 pounds. We were impressed by the Carbon Wolf, but choked on the steep $3600.00 MSRP. Street price will be lower — EuroOptic.com is listing a $3148.00 price for the Sako 85 Carbon Wolf.
The Firearm Blog says: “The stock features Soft Touch coating. Is is not at all slippery or loud like some carbon stocks can be. The barrels are factory threaded as well. Both the weight and the balance of the Carbon Wolf rifle felt perfect. I may have to add one to my Finnish rifle collection.” This is offered in 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Mag, and .300 Win Mag.
Nosler M48 Long-Range Carbon Rifle
Nosler offers the M48 Long-Range Carbon rifle with the addition of a PROOF Research, carbon fiber-wrapped, match-grade barrel that significantly reduces the overall weight of the rifle. The carbon-wrapped Proof barrel is mated to a trued M48 receiver and bedded in a Manners MCS-T carbon fiber-strengthened stock. Nosler says: “The Model 48 Long-Range Carbon is an excellent choice for mountain hunting, backcountry excursions and long range competition where weight is a concern.” This rifle has been offered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 30 Nosler, .300 Win Mag, and 33 Nosler.
Christensen Arms TFM — Carbon Galore for 7.3-lb Rifle
As you can see there’s a whole lot of carbon fiber in the Christensen Arms TFM rifle. With a carbon-wrapped barrel and full carbon-fiber stock, this handsome rig weighs just 7.3 pounds (short action) or 7.8 pounds (long action). The carbon-wrapped stainless barrel and fully-adjustable Aerograde carbon-fiber stock are mated to a precision-machined action via integrated carbon fiber pillars. In addition, the TFM includes an integrated, 20-MOA optics rail, detachable magazine, and a titanium side-port brake. Impressively, Christensen Arms guarantees 0.5 MOA (half-MOA) accuracy.
Manners Full-Carbon F-Class Stock
For many years now, Manners Composite Stocks has offered an ultra-stiff, Low-Profile ‘Fish Belly’ F-Class Stock. The shell is 100% carbon fiber with a very long, stiff fore-end. From the back of the action to the tip of the fore-end the stock measures 27″ long which is around 7 1/2″ longer than the Manners T4 stock. The idea is to provide a longer wheelbase to better balance the long, 30-32″ barrels favored by many F-Class competitors. The front half of the fore-end is very thin (from top to bottom) to achieve a low profile on the bags. Much thought has gone into controlling fore-end flex. The stock achieves greater vertical rigidity (less deflection under load) through an innovative “fish belly” design. The rounded undersection, like a canoe hull, strengthens the fore-end considerably.
Carbon Rival Rifle from Fierce Firearms
Fierce Firearms also offers a long-range hunting rig with a carbon-wrapped barrel. The Fierce RIVAL is an extremely light rig. Without scope or optional muzzle brake, the short-action version weighs just 6.5 pounds. It is available in a six different Camo finishes including Kuiu Vias and Kuiu Verde patterns. Then choose three different Cerakote finishes for the action. All this lightweight tech doesn’t come cheap. The Carbon rival starts at $2810.00. Add $100-$195 for your choice of steel or carbon muzzle brake. Fierce does offer a 0.5 MOA (half-MOA) accuracy guarantee, quite notable for an ultra-lightweight hunting rifle.
Weatherby Mark V with Carbon-Wrapped Barrel
Weatherby now offers rifles with Proof Research carbon fiber-wrapped barrels. The aerospace-grade carbon fiber in the Mark V Carbon barrel makes the barrel up to 64% lighter than traditional steel barrels of the same contour. Weatherby claims the carbon-fiber technology improves heat dissipation — so the barrel does not heat up as quickly with extended strings of fire. The 26” #4 contour carbon-wrapped barrel has a cut-rifled, hand-lapped 416R grade stainless steel core with a flush thread cap and 5/8-24 muzzle threads. It’s finished in tactical grey Cerakote. The Mark V Carbon carries Weatherby’s SUB-MOA (at 100 yards) accuracy guarantee when used with Weatherby factory or premium ammunition.
How Good Are Proof Research Carbon Barrels? — Commentary by Mike Davis
Over the past 15 years Davis Custom Rifle has installed barrels from most major barrel manufacturers. We are very fortunate to have such quality barrel makers. I think Proof Research falls into that top-of-the-line category. Proof Research carbon-wrapped steel barrels are super light-weight, yet offer rigidity and superb accuracy. I have used them for 22-250, 6mm/6.5mm Creedmoor, .308 Win builds and multiple long range hunting rifles in .280, .280 AI, .300 WSM, .300 Win Mag, 28 Nosler, and 30 Nosler. These builds with Proof Research barrels typically deliver quarter-MOA accuracy or better.
The Proof Research technology allows us to build lighter rifles with outstanding accuracy, easy cleaning, and the ability to shoot long strings without point of impact shift. It’s not hard to understand why hunting rifles with these capabilities are in high demand. Combined with other light-weight components (such as Titanium actions), it’s not difficult to get these rifles down to 6.25 to 7 pounds total weight before optics.
Need something for the walls of your “man cave” or reloading room? The creators of the Cartridge Comparison Guide offer a collection of wall posters showing ammunition types from .17 caliber rimfire cartridges all the way up to giant 35mm military rounds. ChamberIt.com offers 17 different large wall posters that display a huge variety of cartridge types.
The American Standard poster (shown above) contains every standardized cartridge mass produced in the USA in 2020. The cartridges are “life size”, i.e. 100% to scale. Priced at $13.32, this 24″ tall by 36″ wide poster includes cartridges for rifles, handguns, and shotguns. There are 164 unique Rifle Cartridges, 54 Handgun Cartridges, 9 different Shotgun gauges, all printed at true size. The Rifle section covers cartridges from the 17 Mach 2 up through the .577 Nitro Express.
For example, the Rifleman’s Classic Poster (below), a full 38″ wide and 27″ tall, is the most comprehensive. This $17.99 poster displays over 300 rifle cartridge types at true size (within 4/1000 of an inch). Cartridges shown range from .17 caliber all the way up to the big boomers (including some cannon shells). The Rifleman’s Classic Poster includes nearly all American Standardized Rifle Cartridges and many European rifle cartridges.
Rifleman’s Classic Poster Click to view large size poster.
Ammunition Performance Specifications Poster
There is also an interesting Ammo Performance Specs poster. This shows dozens of popular hunting cartridges with the velocity, energy, momentum and recoil for each cartridge displayed in a bar graph.
This shows the actual size of the Ammo Performance Poster as displayed on a wall.
While nearly everybody now favors digital photography over “old-fashioned” 35mm film, don’t toss those old 35mm film canisters, especially the clear Fuji-type with secure snap-in lids. Small plastic film canisters have a multitude of uses for the shooter and reloader.
Here Are Things You Can Do with Plastic Film Canisters:
1. Hold thrown powder charges. If you weigh powder charges after throwing them with a manual powder dispenser, throw the charges first into a film canister and then use that to drop the powder into the measuring pan on your scale. The canister will catch every kernel of powder. If you throw charges directly into a weighing pan, powder can sometimes bounce out. Using the film canister will help keep spilled powder off your loading bench and floor.
2. Store extra sets of foam ear-plugs in the canister. You never want to be without ear protection. This editor has four film canisters filled with plugs. Two go in the range kit, one goes in the car’s glove compartment, and a second stays in a lock box I use to transport pistols. This way I never find myself at the range without ear protection.
3. Place smaller cotton patches in film canisters, marked by caliber. If you use the water-tight Fuji-style canisters, you can even pre-soak the patches with solvent. You can have one canister for wet patches, another for dry patches. That saves time when you’re at the range, and avoids spillage. One caution–some solvents may react with plastic, so test this first before you put a solvent-filled canister in your range kit.
4. Store your neck bushings, sorted by caliber in film canisters. With a permanent marking pen, you can mark the side or top of the canister with the bushing sizes, or caliber.
5. Store your favorite Bolt Grease (for rifles) or anti-seize compound (good for pistol slide rails), in the canister. You don’t need to fill it all the way up — a little dab will do ya. We only recommend this with the snap-top Fuji canisters.
6. Protect your muzzles with canisters, during transport. When shipping a rifle or barrel, slip the film canister over the muzzle, then secure it with electrical tape. This will protect the precious crown of a match barrel from dings or damage.
7. Protect front sights with linked film canisters. Forum member SPClark explains: “I’ve seen several shooters use film canisters to make up front match sight protection. Use some elastic cord between two canisters… that’s easy to remove once you get to the line.”
TELL US Your Tips!
There are countless other uses for 35mm film canisters. We invite readers to respond with their own tips on using these handy containers. If you don’t have some stashed in your workshop already, you can get empties for free at most film processing centers. The clear plastic Fuji canisters are the best — you can see what’s inside and the lids are watertight.
With loaded centerfire ammo in short supply, and primers almost impossible to find at reasonable prices, more shooters are turning to .22 LR rimfire shooting to maintain their skills and have fun. Check AmmoSeek.com regularly for currently available .22 LR rimfire ammo.
A fast-cycling, semi-auto .22 LR rifle like the Savage A22 is great for shooting reactive targets.
While shooting paper targets is enjoyable, we like to include REACTIVE TARGETS during a trip to the range with our .22s. Rimfire plinking with reactive targets is FUN and affordable. Decent .22 LR rimfire ammo is not expensive, and a wide variety of very affordable steel targets are available. Rimfire steel is much less costly than the AR500 steel plates used for centerfire rounds. In fact, Birchwood Casey makes a wide variety of reactive steel rimfire targets that retail for under $50.00. These offer great “Bang for the Buck”.
GunsAmerica Digest has reviewed a variety of reactive rimfire target systems from Birchwood Casey. We recommend you read this detailed article Little Targets, Big Fun, by Jordan Michaels. He acquired four different steel target systems and tested them at his Texas range. Michales was impressed: “At $30-$55 a pop, Birchwood-Casey’s targets are small enough to be challenging and cheap enough to buy four or five for the price of one centerfire-rated target. They’re also light, portable, reactive, and easy to set up.”
B/C Gallery
B/C Back Drop
B/C Qualifier Spinner
B/C King of Diamonds
Check out how these Birchwood Casey steel targets perform. These animated GIFs show actual shooting sessions with .22 LR rifles and pistols. The targets hold up well, though the black paint comes off. The reviewer notes: “You shouldn’t worry about durability as long as you stick to .22 LR. I shot the heck out of these targets with rifles and handguns using both standard and high-velocity cartridges, and I didn’t notice any denting or cracking. If the targets are going to be kept outside, however, keep an eye out for rust – the black paint comes off immediately.”
Safety Considerations with Steel Reactive Targets
The tester said the targets worked best with a .22 LR ammo with at least 1000 fps MV at the targets. He tested with .22 LR pistols as close as 7 yards, and .22 LR rifles out to 100 yards. Be advised — when shooting steel targets at relatively close ranges ALWAYS wear full-coverage eye protection because ricochets and splash-backs are definite risks. Also comply with all range rules.
There is a new Gundies Award program for gun-centric social media content creators. Modeled after the Oscars or Emmys, the Gundies Awards focus on the world of guns, shooting, and hunting. Nominees include those who write about guns on Facebook, who post photos on Instagram, and who make videos for YouTube. The annual community-voted Gundies awards spotlight notable firearms-centric content creators. You can register on Gundies.com and then vote for your favorite “influencers” and video-makers. The last day to vote is 12/31/2020.
Mixed Bag of Nominees — Some Good, Some Laughable
To be honest, some of the female “influencers” are just narcissistic social media queens who trade on their looks. They get dolled up in revealing outfits and lots of make-up for posed shots with guns. And on the male side there are plenty of tattooed tactical poseurs with almost no technical knowledge. But there ARE some solid nominees, especially in the Best Shooter and Best Gun Reviewer categories. We showcase videos from five Gundies candidates below. NOTE: These are NOT the category winners — the actual winners will be decided by popular voting which closes December 31, 2020 (better vote soon).
There are 15 Gundies Categories:
YouTuber of the Year
Best Gun Reviewer
Best Shooter
Best Cross-over Creator
Breakout Creator of the Year
Influencer of the Year
Influencer Turned Entrepreneur
Best Outdoorsman
Most Innovative Content of the Year
Most Influential Female of the Year
Most Influential Male of the Year
Most Creative Content of the Year
Most Entertaining Content Creator
Most Likely to Survive an Apocalypse
Best Gun Store/Shooting Range
1. Gundies Nominee — Mrgunsngear
YouTuber of the Year Category
The Mrrgunsngear Channel has nearly 550,000 subscribers and we know why. This YouTube channel offers a combination of gun-centric content and complimentary reviews of outdoor gear (such as generators, lamps, backpacks, body armor). The host is articulate and a pretty good shooter. He also comments on recent gun law developments, such as the ATF Pistol Brace controversy. Here are four videos that showcase the variety of content from this capable Gundies nominee:
2. Gundies Nominee — Dustin Ellermann
Best Shooter Category
Our friend Dustin Ellermann is a past Top Shot TV Show Champion. He is a very capable shooter who also runs a Christian-focused Camp for kids. Dustin produces multiple videos every month for his Top Shot Dustin YouTube Channel. Here we feature Dustin’s review of the the Volquartsen Summit rimfire rifle. This is a straight-pull bolt rifle available in .22 LR, .17 Mach2 and .17 WSM. Dustin reports: “[The Summit] is extremely accurate as well as a perfect suppressor host.”
3. Gundies Nominee — Caleb Savant (Brownells)
Breakout Creator of the Year Category
While many Gundies nominees have very little technical knowledge of firearms, Brownells Firearm Support Technician Caleb Savant is the exception. Caleb’s Brownells videos cover a variety of technical topics — including sight installation, cartridge terminology, dry-firing, gun maintenance, tool selection, and much more. Honestly, you can really learn a lot from Caleb’s videos for Brownells. In this video Caleb Savant shows how to install a pre-fit barrel on a Savage bolt action. Pre-fits come with the chambers pre-cut, and they have a simple barrel nut that makes installation extremely easy.
Pew Pew Tactical (PPT) has a good website with useful content, such as a very thorough Review of Nine Long-Range Scopes. Along with its Blog articles, PPT offers dozens of videos on the PPT YouTube Channel. You’ll find many reviews of ARs, military-style rifles, and pistols. But in addition, PPT offers many good product reviews that are honest about product pros AND cons — that’s pretty rare these days. Here is one of PPT’s most informative videos, a 7-minute guide to cleaning and lubricating AR-platform rifles. This shows important details for the bolt and bolt carrier group.
5. Gundies Nominee — MrBigKid
Best Cross-Over Category
MrBigKid is not a typical gun-centric YouTube creator. That’s because his videos focus on two main topics — GUNS and BBQ. Since both those topics — shooting and eating — appeal to a broad audience, MrBigKid’s YouTube channel is growing quickly. When you get tired of the “bang and clang” of guns shooting steel, you can switch to pro-level barbecue methodology shared by a talented cook. Here are TWO of MrBigKid’s recent videos, one featuring a .50 BMG rifle and the other serving up delicious smoked Beef Ribs. Be honest… which video did you click first?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could put up one BIG target that would handle a myriad of important tasks at the range: Zeroing, Load Development, Click Value Verification, and Click Tracking Repeatability Tests. Well the team at Box to Bench Precision (B2B) has developed what may be the most versatile (and biggest) precision targets ever developed. With ultra-accurate grid geometry, and razor-sharp printing, B2B’s targets set a new standard for target precision.
Click Tracking Grid Target The best procedure for checked the true value of your scope click values is to use a tall target that can dial in at least 25 MOA of “up”, and check where your cross-hairs air compared to exact pre-measured reference lins. B2B developed an advanced target just for that task. The 30″ tall by 23.5″ wide Rex Grid Target (shown below) provides a highly precise grid for testing elevation and windage clicks. The unique grid design has small tics denoting 1/4 MOA, 1/2 MOA, and 3/4 MOA. 1 MOA is marked with a “+” and the 5, 10, 15, 20, & 25 MOA elevation lines are bolded for better visibility. There are aiming points at 5 MOA intervals over the full grid.
This same target can also be used for “Box Tests” that verify click values and repeatability. with a box test you start in one corner with the initial shot (we recommend doing this with a warm barrel after a couple foulers). They you add “up” clicks to go straight up and take a second shot. Next add horizontal clicks to go across for the third shot. Then click down (the same number of cliks you went up) for the fourth shot. As a last step you reverse your horizontal clicks and take a fifth shot. If you have a good rifle and the scope clicks are repeatable, your fifth and final shot will be touching the first shot.
B2D’s Rex Grid Target can be used for Box Tests, as can B2B’s popularhttps://bit.ly/2BBe1jYLoad Development and Scope Tracking Target (left below) and B2B’s Sniper’s Hide 100-yard Target (right below).
B2B’s 100 Yard Long Range Load Development and Scope Tracking Target will perform many functions. This big, 30″ x 23.5″ target has specific aiming points for various tasks. In the upper left, there are 11 small orange circles for precision load testing. Over on the upper right are 7 more small, orange circles for doing a Seating Depth Comparison test.
The bottom half of the target has larger black-on-white circles that serve multiple functions. Use the corner circles to do a “Box Test” to confirm scope tracking. There’s another great feature on this target — running up the center of the target is a tall line that shows elevation in both MILs and MOA. That helps you confirm the TRUE click values of your optic. You’d be surprised how many scopes are slightly off — not exactly 1/4 MOA, 1/8 MOA, or 1/10 Mil as advertised. That’s why Long Range shooters absolutely need to verify their click values.
Buyers Praise the B2B Targets
We’ve handled the B2B Targets, which are printed on high-quality, tear-resistant card stock. We can attest the printing is very precise — with accurate elevation and windage values. These aren’t your ordinary targets — they are LARGE — nearly three feet tall. Verified buyers praise these targets:
“Thank you for talking to me about the MIL and MOA markers on your targets. They are very accurate. While using the Long Range 100-Yard Load Development/Scope Tracking target and my new scope, it helped me realize that my scope wasn’t tracking correctly (both turrets). So, I sent the scope to the manufacturer. When it came back, and using your target as my known constant… the scope is now ‘spot-on’ accurate. These targets are a great tool to gain a better understanding of your rifle, scope, turrets etc., all on one sheet.” — Stan, 2018
“Almost too nice to put holes in. I was in the printing industry for 35 years and these are really well done. Quality paper and precise printing … able to see bullet holes easily with these!” — Dan, 2018
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.
⏺ Versatile, affordable — great for ARs and sighting-in hunting rifles
Are you tired of big heavy sleds for range shooting but they don’t provide any kind of easy adjustment or target acquisition? Check out the Caldwell Precision Adjustable Turret Rest. It offers quick horizontal and vertical adjustment making it great for target shooting as well as varminting from a bench. Amazon user ‘Jet Mech 1′ reports “…it’s REALLY solid! Solid steel legs and everything is heavy duty. It’s really compact. Easily fits in the smallest car trunk. So, if you’re limited on space going to the range, this is ideal. It holds your firearm very securely. The tilt and pan is super smooth and precise. This is the perfect platform for an AR-style rifle but works equally well for just about anything.”
2. EuroOptic.com — Vortex Riflescope Close-outs, Save Hundreds
⏺ Great Value on Vortex Viper Series Close-outs
Vortex riflescopes offer great performance for the price with models suited for all shooting disciplines. Right now you can save hundreds on Vortex Viper scopes at EuroOptic.com, such as the 5-25x50mm PST model. If you are looking for a good scope for varminting or fun matches this is an excellent option. And the Vortex Lifetime Warranty is one of the best in the business.
⏺ Get 9mm pistol and complete kit for under $450 total
With the current high demand for self-defense pistols, many retailers are sold out of name brand 9mm compact handguns. With this deal from CDNN Sports, you get the quality Walther Creed 9mm pistol, PLUS a full set of accessories, all for a low $449.99 price. The kit includes: 3 Magazines, Mag loader, Twin Mag Pouch, Cleaning Kit, 4 Barrel Badger boresnakes, Champion Shooting Eyewear, and a durable Range Size Hard Carry Case. Great package for $449.99.
4. Brownells & Other Vendors — Hornady Get Loaded Rebate
⏺ Grab 500 Free Bullets while you can before End of Year
Act soon — there are just three (3) more daysto get up to 500 free bullets with the purchase of Hornady Reloading Gear. For example the Lock-N-Load Classic Reloading Kit qualifies for 500 FREE bullets through the Hornady Get Loaded Rebate. That Rebate can net you bullets worth 50% of your Kit purchase price, making this a very attractive deal. This rebate comes from Hornady, so it works for sales from any authorized seller. CLICK HERE to see all qualifying products.
5. Midsouth Shooters — Lee Deluxe APP Press, $75.49
Many case processing chores are best done with a dedicated press, but that can get expensive. Lee saw the need for a inexpensive yet efficient processing press and brought out the Lee Automatic Processing Press (APP). This can efficiently handle decapping, case sizing, and primer pocket swaging. The Deluxe version of the APP press, which includes a case-feeder, is on sale at Midsouth for $75.49. This Deluxe APP Press features an case/bullet feeder with Jaws that automatically open and grasp the bullet or case and move them into operating position. Here are two videos that show how the APP press works:
6. Walker’s Electronic Muffs — Alpha or Razor Slim from $39.99
Walker’s makes some of the best budget-priced electronic muffs you can buy. Choose the 23 NRR Razor Slim model starting at $44.49, an Amazon best seller, or the more quiet 26 NRR Alpha Power model, now $39.99 on sale at MidwayUSA. (See also 23 NRR rubber-headband SendIt model for $39.99). These muffs have earned strong user reviews. One purchaser who also owns the Howard Leight Impact Muffs said the Walkers are far more comfortable: “Walkers: Deep cups with thick pads, does not press down on safety glasses. Comfortable even after 20+ minutes. Howard Leights: Thin pads, difficult to get them to sit right over your ear and eye protection with no air leakage. Uncomfortable on the ear … your ear contacts the felt inside the earmuff[.]”
⏺ Excellent hard case, $50 Gift Certificate, great for air travel
This is one of the best large hardshell rifle cases on the market. The Pelican Vault V800 compares well to other large, wheeled hard cases costing up to $350.00 but right now it is $199.95 at MidwayUSA. But NOTE — when you purchase you get a $50 MidwayUSA Gift Certificate so your NET cost is $149.95. Choose Desert Tan or Black. This case will hold two large match rifles securely. It features five layers of customizable foam, along with six (6) push-button latches. This same V800 53″ case sells elsewhere for $200-$220.00, with no Gift Certificate, so this saves you $50.00!
8. Amazon — 10000mAh Dual USB Battery Charger Packs, $19.99
⏺ Recharge your smartphones and tablets — good for Labradar too
Do you have a cellphone, tablet, LabRadar, barrel cooler or other device that needs mobile power? If so, we found a killer deal on a pair of Miady 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Chargers. Yes you get TWO (2) charging packs for just $19.99 total! Featuring USB and USB-C ports and fast 2 amp charging capability, this pair of portable power banks is one of the best deals we’ve seen.
⏺ Great accessories for Safes — Light alone is worth the price
This Lockdown Safe Accessory Package includes one Large Organizer, a Vault Light, and a Large Document Holder. The bright LED Vault light runs on AAA batteries so no wiring is needed. The Document holder easily mounts to your safe’s door or sidewall. And the Large 18″x12″ Organizer will secure valuables, knives, and even small handguns. It comes with hooks for carpeted interiors and magnets for metal interiors. This KIT normally sells for $49.99 so it’s a STEAL at $12.99 — that’s 74% OFF.
10. MidwayUSA — Neon Green 1″ Target Dots, 1008 for $7.49
⏺ Incredible deal on stick-on targets, great for precision practice
Less than a penny a paster — now that’s a great deal. Right now you can get a pack of 1008 1″-diameter fluorescent lime green stick-on target dots for just $7.49 at MidwayUSA. NOTE: With such a low-priced item you may want to add it to a bigger order to save on shipping.
Paula Crenshaw earned Distinguished Badge #2521 in 2020 at age 67.
Feature based on story in CMP’s The First Shot
Paula Crenshaw, a 67-year-old grandmother, never stops reaching toward new ambitions. This November, Paula earned the prestigious Distinguished Rifleman Badge at the 29 Palms Marine Base. “I’ve always been late to the party,” Paula said. “I didn’t start medical school until I was 37.”
A physician from Reno, Nevada, Paula took up rifle shooting in her early fifties to support her husband’s interests and undertake a new challenge. Turns out she loved competitive shooting. And now, in 2020, many years later she earned her own Distinguished Badge, #2521 at the age of 67. Earning the coveted Badge was “The fulfillment of my dream” Paula notes.
Paula earned her “hard leg” 10 EIC points during the National Matches at Camp Perry in 2019.
Distinguished Badges are awarded to marksmanship competitors who collect at least 30 Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) “leg” points — earned by placing in the top 10% of an EIC match. This Distinguished Rifleman program was started way bay in 1884. Now, two decades into the 21st century, the badge continues to be a prized achievement for competitive shooters.
Paula is a member of the Coalinga Rifle Club in California and the Palomino Valley Gun Club in Nevada. She had been on the hunt for a Distinguished Badge since she earned her first points in 2018, then went on to claim her own “hard leg” (10 EIC points) at the annual National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, in 2019.
After that, “legging out” (that is, earning enough points to receive a Distinguished Badge) became a near obsession. “I dry-fired almost every day,” she recalled. “I worked out. I thought about winning first thing in the morning and as I fell asleep at night. I read many shooting books, sometimes multiple times. I drove my non-shooting friends away talking about shooting!”
By the end of 2019, she had been so dedicated to competing that she had wrangled up 22 EIC points, just eight points away from a badge.
Overcoming a Pandemic and Anxiousness about Earning the Badge
The start of 2020 met Paula with not only the difficulty of finding matches due to the enduring pandemic but also with some EIC nervousness that kept her scores below a point-earning level. With the close of the 2020 shooting season rapidly approaching, Paula decided to go to the 29 Palms Marine Base in California in November for one of her last EIC match chances — carrying within her a newfound resolve to capture those final points she had sought after for so long.
Achieving the Goal — After So Many Years
Though her emotions were up, Paula competitive game was down as she fired a sub-par offhand score to start out the first stage of her match. “I was done for, and therefore totally relaxed and enjoyed shooting the rest of the match,” she said. Her new leisurely approach to her final three firing stages, without the pressure, shockingly boosted her scores — enough to earn herself the final points she needed for her Distinguished Rifleman Badge.
“No one was more surprised than me to learn I had won the eight-point leg,” she said, proudly. “I had finally done it”.
Husband and Wife that Shoot Together
Paula and husband Greg have shot together for many years. This demonstrates that competitive shooting can be a great activity for a couple to share. Paula told us that she often meets shooters’ wives at shooting matches who are interested in trying the sport, but some feel intimidated at first. Paula encourages them to get started. Interestingly, many shooting instructors find that women learn faster than men initially, primarily because they are better listeners, and they don’t let their egos get in the way.
Paula notes: “For us, as a couple, to share in the joys and despairs of shooting competition has been really special. The wives and girlfriends of the men I shoot with have a really wonderful opportunity to grow in their relationships. So many men I shoot with have expressed remorse they don’t share this with the women they love. Greg doesn’t babysit me and we are independent at the range. But he really helped me get started, and continues to be supportive to this day. But I’m at a point I can help him too.”
Paula said husband Greg has been a great shooting partner — helpful and supportive from the very start. And Greg was very proud of Paula’s accomplishment in earning her Distinguished Badge. To celebrate and mark the moment she earned her final Distinguished Points, Greg pinned his own Distinguished Badge on her hat. “Greg most certainly helped make this possible for me….”
Details of Service Rifle — Components and Match Loads
Paula’s rifle features a 1:7″-twist Krieger barrel with Wylde Chamber, barrel sourced from White Oak. The Sun Devil lower is fitted with a Geissele Nat’l Match trigger. The stock is a Magpul UBR. The upper is fitted with a Hera Handguard. On top is a March 1-4.5x24mm Service Rifle scope with MTR-5 reticle. Paula uses a Hollis sling, Monard shooting coat, and both Monard and Creedmoor gloves.
Match Ammunition — For 200/300 yard stages, Paula runs 73gr Berger bullets, with Varget powder and Wolf primers. For 600 yards, she uses 75gr or 80gr Hornady bullets, also with Varget powder but with CCI BR4 primers. Bullets are loaded 0.060″ off the lands.
Here is Paula’s rifle from 4 years ago. She has upgraded her rig with many new components.
Shooting Sports — Multi-Generational Fun for All Ages
One thing Paula really likes about the shooting sports is that you can keep getting better even in your 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. Walt Berger has won Benchrest matches in his 80s! Few other sports offer true multi-generational competition like this.
“The really wonderful thing about shooting is that you can do it at any age, and even with disabilities. There is a discipline for everyone. We all seem to put lots of energy into the junior shooters. I’d like to see more energy put into helping older shooters get started. For an aging person who can no longer do some of the sports of their youth, shooting is a wonderful new venture. For me, my age, just was never a factor. I do work out to stay as strong since old age is somewhat of a slide into decrepitude. Whether you are young, middle-aged, or a senior shooter, you can all compete together.” — Paula Crenshaw
Paula is justifiably proud of her accomplishment, and she notes that there is, perhaps, an important message to be found in her earning the Distinguished Badge at age 67. Paula demonstrated that men and women can achieve important things even late in life, even after retirement. “Keep striving for your dreams” Paula told us, and “stay active with the outdoor activities you love”. A physician, Paula observes some people who remain vital and active even in their 80s, while some people in their 40s let things slide.
Even during this tough Pandemic year, Paula stays fit through weight-lifting, and she also enjoys motorcycle riding (on her own machine). She wants to encourage readers to continue all their outdoor hobbies as long as they can. As they say, you only go around once in life. The important thing, Paula tells us, is to continue to do what you enjoy, focus on your goals, and remain positive. Even at 67 Paula still enjoys mountaineering and motorcycling as well as shooting. Here is Paula in her younger days, rock-climbing.
NEXT Challenge for Paula Will Be Palma Shooting
What’s the next challenge for Dr. Paula Crenshaw? Well right now our friend Gary Eliseo of Competition Machine is building Paula a new Palma rifle, using his vaunted TubeGun chassis. Paula looks forward to competing in long-range Palma matches with the new rifle, which will be chambered in the .223 Remington. Yes, you read that right. With the latest generation of bullets and high-energy powder, a .223 Rem can be competitive with a .308 Win in many conditions.
Paula encourages women of all ages to try shooting. In her experience women often excel far beyond their expectations: “Women seem to have an advantage in shooting, in that they take to it quicker. They get better quicker. Everyone has theories. I watch beginning juniors. The guys fidget more and seem to feel embarrassed if they don’t do well. The girls don’t seem to worry if they do badly. They listen better. But I see many fantastic female juniors excel only to give it up later. So it seems men stick with it longer.”
How do you safeguard a big-money collection of guns (without driving around in a Brinks armored truck)? One of the best storage systems available is the Truck-Vault, built in Washington state. Truck-vaults are custom-fitted, locking storage cabinets that fit in a Pick-up truck bed, SUV, or station wagon. Various designs are available, including a waterproof “Extreme Series.” Both single-drawer and multi-draw layouts are offered with lengths up to 60″ overall, and top-load capacity of 2000 pounds. A variety of interior configurations are available.
The best procedure for checked the true value of your scope click values is to use a tall target that can dial in at least 25 MOA of “up”, and check where your cross-hairs air compared to exact pre-measured reference lins. B2B developed an advanced target just for that task. The 30″ tall by 23.5″ wide Rex Grid Target (shown below) provides a highly precise grid for testing elevation and windage clicks. The unique grid design has small tics denoting 1/4 MOA, 1/2 MOA, and 3/4 MOA. 1 MOA is marked with a “+” and the 5, 10, 15, 20, & 25 MOA elevation lines are bolded for better visibility. There are aiming points at 5 MOA intervals over the full grid.
