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November 20th, 2007
If you are looking for a very solid, beautifully fabricated, loading press that can do double-duty at home as well as the range, consider the Harrell’s Combo Press. Though it is very compact, it has plenty of leverage to full-length size cases. As you can see in the photo, the Harrell’s combo works BOTH as an arbor press and as a standard press that functions with shell-holder and conventional screw-in dies. The arbor section on the left is tall enough to hold a Wilson micrometer-top seater. The threaded die section on the right has enough clearance for .308-sized cases.
One of the best features of the Combo Press from Harrell’s Precision is its sturdy clamp. This mounts solidly to a wood loading bench or table top. It also has enough vertical clearance between the jaws to work with most range benches. Forum member Boyd Allen has written a detailed review of the Harrell’s press, with additional photos by Paal Erik Jensen of Norway.
CLICK HERE to read COMBO PRESS REVIEW
November 14th, 2007
 Our friend Boyd Allen recently tested the new Carb-Out™ product from SharpShoot-R Precision Products on a rifle that had stubborn carbon fouling. Boyd had previously applied conventional solvents which did a good job of removing copper and conventional powder fouling. However, when examining the barrel with a borescope, Boyd saw heavy “burned-in” deposits of carbon. In this situation, Boyd observed, scrubbing with an abrasive such as Iosso or JB would normally be required. But Boyd had recently received a sample of Carb-Out™ from Terry Paul, owner of SharpShoot-R. Boyd decided to give it a try: “After working with a nylon brush and patches, getting all that I could out, I was able to see heavy carbon next to the lands, extending forward. This I removed by wetting the bore with the nylon brush, letting it soak for 20 minutes, and brushing with a bronze brush. I did this twice. Previously I would have expected to have done a lot of strokes with an abrasive to get the same result, since this was a worst case situation. Being able to to remove hard carbon without the use of abrasives is a ‘great leap forward’ to steal a phrase”.
Using this regimen, Boyd was able to remove the stubborn carbon. “Carb-Out™ really works”, Boyd told us. “This was that baked-on black stuff that normal solvents won’t touch. After a good soak, the Carb-Out™ on a wet brush knocked it out.” Boyd observed, “Others may differ, but after using this stuff, I think abrasives may be a thing of the past.” Boyd also observed that a very prominent Hall of Fame Benchrest shooter recently retired his Iosso Paste and bought a carton of Carb-Out (which he uses with a brush): “If this guy, who has been at the top of the BR heap for years, believes in the stuff… that’s significant.”
While Boyd used Carb-Out™ with a bronze brush, Terry Paul says the product is designed to work well without brushing. For the typical type of carbon fouling seen in barrels, Terry says: “You simply put it on a patch or a mop and swab it thru the barrel. Carb-Out also leaves behind a protective coating that prevents future carbon adherance. This coating is less than 100th of a micron in thickness, so it will not affect first shot accuracy.” For more info, visit SharpShootR.com, or call (785) 883-4444.
November 13th, 2007
Here’s a new stocking option for Savage rifle owners. Sharp Shooter Supply’s new laminated “Dog Tracker” stock was specifically designed for long range benchrest and F-class shooting. It resembles a Tooley MBR, but features a special offset, low-profile fore-end. This design has a 3/4″ offset forearm to counteract the torque from fast twist barrels. The fore-end is 3″ wide, and the underside has been “railroaded” for less drag and better tracking on the bag. (This means the center is hollowed out leaving a tracking “rail” on either side). There is a 1/2″ flat on the toe of the buttstock to aid stability and tracking. A 1/2″ Pachmayr recoil pad is standard.
The stock costs $299.00, fully inletted, with pillars installed. It is available in a wide choice of Rutland Laminate colors, finish sanded (400 grit), and ready to apply a finish. For more information on stock features and color options, visit the SharpShooter Supply Stocks Page.
November 13th, 2007
There was a lot of interest in Jeff Rogers’ Heavy Gun, featured in yesterday’s Daily Bulletin. Jeff is a race-car mechanic and engine builder in Australia, and you’ll find many innovative mechanical features on this rifle.
1. Drop Port for Magnum Case
Jeff reports: “The action is home-made. My shooting buddy Tony Z was the magician here–without his extensive machining experience, the action would still be on the drawing board. As you can see it is a Right Bolt, Left (loading) Port design. What makes it unique is the big gravity port, perhaps the only Drop Port ever made for a case of this size. The port will work will cases up to 2.850″ in length, with a .550″ max rim diameter.” The action is constructed from Swedish 709m chrome-moly steel measuring 2.00″ diameter x 10″ in length. It has roller-assist extraction to help with the high pressure loads Jeff runs. The action is both conventionally bedded and glued into the stock.
2. Removeable Aluminum Side Pods
The two alloy “side pods” were milled from 6061 T6 billet. Given airline weight limit of 32 kg per piece, Jeff made the pods modular (they are through-bolted), so the gun can be air-transported in two sections. Concerning the dual side-pod design, Jeff observed: “[This] is unconventional… but I wanted was something that was true [when bolted together]. Milling the thing up on every surface insured this and the pods are installed with dail indicators on assembly.”
3. Tension Barrel System
The Broughton barrel sits inside a threaded barrel sleeve that holds the barrel in tension. Tensioned barrels have been used on Heavy Guns before, but few have been as successful in competition as Jeff’s rig. Jeff tells us: “The 30-cal barrel is a 1.500″-diameter, 1:13 twist, 32″ Broughton. It is straight for 6″ then tapers to 1.250″ at 32″. The tension tube is 6061 T6 alloy 2.0″ outside diameter with a .187″ wall thickness. At the chamber end, a 431 stainless adaptor is fitted to the barrel, about 1.5″ long, stepped to a slip fit inside the tube for another 1.5 inches. This allows the main heat area of the chamber to sink into the tube. The tension tube is all jointed with a CAT high-temp anti-seize. On the muzzle end is a left hand 1.250x16tpi thread to take the tension nut. We have tried various tensions and found torque settings do not matter to the groups as long as the nut does not come loose. Because I can really rattle down those 10-shot groups with the Drop Port action, remember that the barrel grows in length before it gets a chance to transfer heat to the outer tube. If you shot the gun at pedestrian pace, then only 50 ft/lbs of tension is needed.”
November 10th, 2007
Among injection-molded rifle cases, Plano’s AirGlide™ case is unique in holding a rifle vertically, in foam cradles. This allows ample room for the 3″-wide fore-ends on BR and Varmint rifles. The foam blocks front and rear can even be trimmed for a custom fit, and velcro webbing straps hold the rifle securely. The AirGlide’s hinged top-opening lid provides ample clearance for large target scopes, with no side load on the turrets. (We’ve found that some eggcrate foam-lined gun cases can put enough pressure on scope knobs to alter your zero.) Measuring 51 1/2″L x 7 3/4″W x 12 1/4″H, the AirGlide can easily handle rifles up to 50″ in length. That should hold BR rifles with barrels up to 29″.
Priced attractively, ($29.97 at Sportsman’ Guide), the AirGlide has proven very popular with Varmint shooters and BR competitors. We’re told that, at last year’s West Pennsylvania Groundhog Shooting Championships, 1/3 of the competitors stowed their rifles in Plano AirGlides. Lockable and airline-approved, the Plano AirGlide offers excellent performance for the price.
CLICK HERE for a window with Zoomable Air-Glide Photo.
November 9th, 2007
Timney Triggers now offers a true drop-in trigger for the AR10 rifle platform, similar to Timney’s successful drop-in trigger for the AR15. The new AR-10 trigger is a self-contained, 100% drop-in unit that can be easily owner-installed (no professional gunsmithing required). The new trigger is a single-stage design with pull weight factory-set at 4 pounds. The trigger module installs using your rifle’s original hammer and trigger cross-pins. The MSRP is $234.95, but we expect the trigger to be available for $210 or so from other vendors.
The new trigger is solidly built and precision-machined. The housing is lightweight, 6061 T6 aluminum alloy, anodized for durability. The hammer is EDM-machined from S7 tool steel for superior hardness and impact resistence, and the hammer is Teflon + Nickel coated to provide greater lubricity and a smooth pull. Other components are EDM-cut from A2 tool steel, then heat treated to Rc 56-60 for longer service life. For more information on Timney Triggers, call (866) 484-6639, or visit TimneyTriggers.com.
November 8th, 2007
The editors of the NRA’s American Hunter magazine recently tested 10 brands of shooting glasses, determining how well the eyewear could shield users from shotgun birdshot. Eyewear samples were tested at 25, 15, 10, 8, and 5 yards, using #8 shot. One ANSI Z87.1-certified set of polycarbonate eyewear was then repeat-tested with #6 shot, #4 shot, #2 steel and buckshot.
CLICK HERE for Full TEST Report.
The tests provided some very important conclusions:
1. The glasses marked Z87.1+ (“plus” is a high-impact rating) performed the best. Overall, Z87.1-rated polycarbonate lenses provided excellent protection from birdshot at 10-15 yards and beyond. Some Z87.1+ eyewear even blocked birdshot at 8 yards.
2. You can’t necessarily rely on price as an indicator of quality. The $12 Bollé VX and the $5.95 Pyramex Rendezvous both worked better than some much more expensive brands. The $5.95 Pyramex, in fact, was one of only three products that stood up to the #8 birdshot at 8 yards. The Pyramex does carry a Z87.1+ rating.
3. Avoid no-name, un-rated plastic eyewear. American Hunter Editor Jeff Johnston writes: “It’s a mistake to assume that any plastic-lens sunglasses off the rack at the local 7-11 are made of polycarbonate and therefore are effective as shooting glasses—cheap plastics are not polycarbonates; in fact, wearing them could be worse than wearing nothing, as they can introduce sharp shards of plastic to your eyes in addition to the projectile(s) that caused them to break.”
November 4th, 2007
Some months ago we featured Gary Eliseo’s superb R5 Repeater Rifle Kit chambered in 6BR. Many of the folks who shoot prone centerfire matches also practice and compete with rimfire rifles. Gary has created a high-quality tubegun kit for smallbore shooters. This kit provides a great platform for NRA prone shooters who want to cross-train with a rimfire gun. The kit utilizes the outstanding Anschütz 54 match action and Anschütz trigger group. Gary’s AN1 kit uses a unique barrel sleeve mounting system that free floats both the action and barrel resulting in zero stress mounting for enhanced accuracy. Optional extras include a front sight base (see below) and a very effective barrel tuner. Visit CompetitionShootingStuff.com for more info, or call Gary Eliseo at (714) 630-5734, M-F 9am to 4pm, Pacific Time.
Gary also fabricates his own custom, adjustable sight bases for space guns, tube guns, and Tubb 2000s. This allows you to use the front sight of your choice.
October 31st, 2007
Don Nielson is now producing a new set of anodized aluminum front rest feet. Coated with non-slip rubber on the bottom, these large (3″-diameter) feet are the biggest on the market. They do an excellent job, pretty much eliminating any sliding or shifting movement of your rest, even with large calibers. Don notes: “I call these benchsavers ‘Pucks’. They provide added stability, and avoid the problem of creating divots in your bench tops. I custom-make each unit, and engrave the customer’s name on the Puck at no extra charge.” Don also has a special Puck version for the speed-screw foot. This features a ball bearing positioned directly under the speed-screw shaft tip. The bearing reduces friction, allowing easier, more positive adjustment. Basic Nielson Pucks are $20 each, while the ball bearing model is $30.00. (Prices plus shipping). To order, contact Don Nielson at (818) 883-5866.
CLICK HERE FOR LARGE PHOTO.
October 30th, 2007
 With the price of some premium scopes edging to $2500.00 (and beyond), it’s more important than ever to provide extra protection for your expensive optics. ScopeCoat produces covers that shield scopes with a layer of neoprene rubber (wetsuit material) sandwiched between nylon. In addition to its basic covers, sold in a variety of sizes and colors, ScopeCoat has released two new heavy-duty products that provide added security.
The XP-6 Flak Jacket™ is specifically designed for extra protection and special applications. The 6mm-thick layer of neoprene is three times thicker than the standard ScopeCoat. XP-6 Flak Jackets are designed for tall turrets, with sizes that accommodate either two or three adjustment knobs (for both side-focus and front-focus parallax models). To shield an expensive NightForce, March, or Schmidt & Bender scope, this a good choice. XP-6 covers come in black color only, and are available for both rifle-scopes and spotting scopes. Shown below is an XP-6 Flak Jacket™ on a Leupold Spotting Scope.
The newest ScopeCoat product is a 6mm XP-6 cover with ZIPPER. This is designed for removable optics that need protection when in storage. The full-length, zippered closure goes on quick-and-easy and provides more complete protection against dust, shock, and moisture. Suggested Retail Price is $30.
Photo Courtesy Shooting USA.
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