Are you looking to shave POUNDS from your hunting rig or varmint rifle? There are now multiple options for folks looking for a weight-saving, carbon fiber-wrapped barrel. You’ve probably heard about Proof Research. Yes that’s a good company that crafts good products. But now Proof Research has some noteworthy competition — Helix 6 Precision in Washington State.
Helix 6 Precision crafts button-rifled and cut-rifled carbon-wrapped barrels in both conventional and “pre-fit” configurations. The conventional (not pre-fit) carbon-wrapped Helix 6 barrel blanks cost $979.99 for most listed chamberings. Pre-fits are offered for Savage rifles, Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) series, Tikka T3, Aero SOLUS, Defiance Ruckus, Sig CROSS, and Zermatt rifles. These pre-fit barrels are not cheap. A 6mm Creedmoor RPR pre-fit costs $1099.99, while the Savage pre-fits are also $1099.99 for most chamberings.
While Helix 6 barrels do offer significant weight savings, the founders of Helix 6 say low mass wasn’t the number one design goal: “Accuracy was paramount and weight reduction was secondary. We’ve taken the industry’s most advanced carbon fiber engineering and pushed the technology further with our proprietary … carbon fiber process.”
The founders of Helix 6 Precision say they build some of the best carbon/steel hybrid barrels on the market: “Our unique carbon fiber-layup design dampens barrel harmonics for better accuracy. Each barrel is cut from a 416R stainless steel core, and carbon fiber-wrapped using the Helix 6 Precision’s advanced process. This creates match-grade accuracy barrels with high heat dispersion that are 30% lighter than a steel barrel of the same contour. The bores are … hand-lapped for precision accuracy.” Helix 6 claims its barrels are “lighter, stronger, and faster cooling than anything else available on the market.”
Myth vs. Reality — What Carbon Can and Cannot Do
Carbon fiber is formed using thin strands of carbon bonded together with a plastic polymer resin. The resulting material is very strong and light weight. There’s a reason Formula 1 cars are crafted with carbon-fiber composites. But is a carbon-wrapped barrel the right option for you? Here are some factors to consider:
Weight Savings — There’s no doubt that a carbon-wrapped barrel will weigh less than an unfluted stainless steel barrel with identical length and contour (outside diameters). Helix 6 claims a 30% weight reduction compared to a conventional stainless steel barrel. That’s significant.
Accuracy — Carbon-wrapped barrels are NOT commonly being used for F-Class or Benchrest competition. However, Proof Research carbon-wrapped barrels have performed well in PRS competitions in the hands of top shooters. So, we can conclude that carbon accuracy is good enough for the PRS/NRL tactical game, at least at the local club level.
Heat Dispersion — Carbon-wrapped barrel-makers claim their hybrid design disperses heat better than an all-steel barrel. Some independent testers disagree, saying: “hold on now — the carbon actually acts as an insulator, so more heat is retained in the barrel”. The jury is still out. One thing that is true is that the carbon barrels seem to generate less mirage from barrel heat. Ask yourself, “if less heat is coming OFF the barrel, where is that heat retained?” But the reduced mirage could be a function of the black woven surface which may release heat differently than polished steel.
Pre-Fit, AR, and Custom Barrel Options
Helix 6 precision barrels are available as pre-fits for a wide variety of rifle types in many popular long-range cartridges. Helix 6 can also thread and chamber a barrel for most precision rifles. And pre-fit AR barrels are available in a wide variety of chamberings and lengths. Helix 6 Precision also supplies carbon-wrapped barrel blanks which can be chambered and fitted by a professional gunsmith. Helix 6 barrel blanks, buttoned-rifled or cut-rifled, are sold in many calibers. Offered calibers are: .224, .243 (6mm), .264 (6.5mm), .257 (pending) .277 (pending), .284 (7mm), .308, .338, and .375. In addition, .22 LR rimfire carbon barrel blanks are offered.
Every wondered how modern rifle actions are designed and crafted? Want to know the fine details of firing pin function and bolt lock-up? Then you should definitely watch this highly informative YouTube video. Top F-Class shooter Erik Cortina of Cortina Precision interviews Jim Borden, an engineer whose Borden Accuracy company produces some of the best rifle actions ever made. This is one of the better Erik Cortina video interviews. You’ll learn quite a bit from watching the video. The full video runs over two hours, so you may want to watch in segments over a couple of days.
Viewers have praised this interview, saying it has a wealth of information:
Gunsmith Alex Wheeler observed: “I consider Jim a friend even though we have never met. Definitely one of the guys that really gets actions. There’s not as many of them as you would think. He was the first timed action out there that had good ignition, at least in my opinion. It was a great interview. I do hope he has him on again.”
“Agreed. Jim is full of information and really does a good job on his actions. This [Cortina] interview with Jim Borden was excellent.” — Jud96
“I really like Jim’s explanations on why ductility is so important in an action. Especially in the critical areas that basically form 90 degree surfaces, such as where bolt lugs meet the bolt body. There is a lot of great info in this interview.” — Jackie Schmidt
“I have enjoyed all of Erik’s interview videos, which are very informative. But I agree [that] this interview with Jim Borden is the best. I learned a lot. Thank you Erik and Jim!” — Alexander-M
About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Jim began shooting high power silhouette and benchrest matches in the mid 1970s while working for a Fortune 500 company as an engineer. In the early 1980s he began building rifles for himself and then for others. Jim has a background as a gunsmith, machinist, registered mechanical engineer, engineering instructor, project manager, hunter, and benchrest competitor.
In benchrest competition Jim has set ten world records and won 11 National Championships thereby earning induction into the Benchrest Hall of Fame. Jim also served six terms as President of the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS).
Jim operates Borden Rifles/Borden Accuracy with his wife Joan, sons Jim Junior and John, daughter Andrea Mecca and son-in-law John (Mike) Mecca. Jim is also an outstanding photographer. Below is a stunning eagle image photographed by Jim Borden.
Borden Accuracy — A Success Story
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles has been a source for precision benchrest and hunting rifles for many years. Jim started doing his own gunsmithing while competing in benchrest and High Power silhouette matches. Jim launched his business in 1987, working nights and weekends while still employed at P&G. The business became full-time in 1995 with Jim and his wife Joan doing the work. The business was expanded in 1999 with the construction of the new Springville, PA facility and the addition of sons Jim Jr. and John to the staff. Daughter Andrea Mecca joined the staff in May 2016 as machinist and machine operator and Son-in-law John Mecca came onboard in January 2000.
Jim and company began making Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions in 2001. They added Borden Alpine and Timberline actions in 2006. These actions are made in an advanced manufacturing facility which has three CNC vertical machining centers, 1 CNC lathe and 2 CNC turning centers, three manual lathes, a manual knee mill, a surface grinder, a cylindrical grinder and wire EDM machine. To learn more, visit BordenRifles.com, call 570-965-2505, or send email to info [at] bordenrifles.com.
Yes, as we start 2026, there’s snow on the ground in many parts of the nation. There have been some big snow-storms in the northeast, with very cold weather in many parts of the country.
Rifle Transformed from Ordinary Varmint Rig to a Stunning F-TR Machine
As an antidote to these weather-related worries, for this Sunday GunDay we’re offering a bit of beauty amidst snow — a handsome rifle showcased in a white winter wonderland. This handsome rifle started life as a rather ordinary .204 Ruger Rem VSSF varmint rig. With a new barrel, a new stock, and a stunning flame-pattern hydro-dip coating, this is now an ultra-accurate .223 Rem F-TR competition rifle.
Flames in the Snow…
Forum Member Brandon Schlund (aka “Bois Blanc Boy”), photographed this handsome flame-themed F-TR rifle against the snowy background of Michigan’s Bois Blanc Island. Brandon posted this to our long-running Pride and Joy Rifle Forum thread. He notes: “This is my first F-TR build, which started out as a stock Remington .204 Ruger. I had the action blue-printed, firing pin was bushed by Speedy, and I had a new bolt handle and knob installed by John Pierce.” This rifle is now fitted with a 3-groove Pac-Nor 1:6.5″-twist barrel chambered in .223 Remington to shoot the 90gr Bergers. Other components are: Kelbly KTS stock, Phoenix bipod, and Sightron 8-32x56mm SIII scope. Brandon says: “It took a long time to get this gun where it is now but I’m truly happy with it!” Here’s the “before” photo:
The Transformation — F-TR Comp Rig Made from Rem .204 Ruger Varminter Report by Brandon Schlund
This rifle started out as a “plain Jane”, factory Remington VSSF II. I shot it on varmint hunts in factory configuration. Then I decided to transform the rifle into a .223 Rem F-TR gun. As the .204 has the same bolt face as a .223 made sense to go in that direction since I would be able to use the gun for varmint hunting as well as F-TR.
While I had shot some F-Class matches with my dad (Joe Schlund aka Bench on AccurateShooter) it wasnt much. When we did a PD hunt in Wyoming I primarily shot my .204 but I decided I wanted a cartridge that could reach out a little further and also do double duty — competition and varminting.
The first step in transforming this rifle was selecting a barrel. We ordered a Pac-Nor, 1:6.5″-twist, 3 groove, 30.5″ heavy Palma contour. This was then chambered with a PTG .223 ISSF reamer with 0.169″ freebore to run the .224 caliber heavies. I went with Pac-Nor because both my father and my brother Mark (aka Labrador2 on AccurateShooter) owned Kelbly-built F-TR rifles with the same barrels. Mark and my father couldn’t be happier with the results. Pac-Nor has great customer service along with a short wait time.
I sent the barrel and the factory Remington 700 action down to Kelbly’s where they did the chambering and cut the threads. While Kelbly’s had my action I had them blueprint it. A Kelbly KTS stock with the three-way buttplate and adjustable cheek piece came next. After getting behind Dad’s rifle and Mark’s gun there was no reason to look any further. With all its adjustments, the KTS stock fits very comfortably.
Loading for the .223 Rem with H4895 and 90gr Bergers
As a .223 Rem, this rifle has proven very accurate — it’s a bullet-hole cutter at 100 yards (low twos easy). Our best load is with Hodgdon H4895, 90gr Berger VLDs, CCI BR4 primers. This load is running at about 2835 FPS but YMMV (remember this is a LONG 30.5″ barrel). The Bergers are loaded .008″ into the lands with base-to-ogive of 2.035″.
Our loading technique may be tedious — with lots of sorting and measuring. But brother Mark, father Joe, and I all enjoy the steps. Our three .223 Rem match guns all love the same load which makes loading much easier. Believe it or not we use a Hornady Lock-N-Load progressive ammo plant, which is great when loading for three guns. Our consistency is fantastic with run-out a mere .001-.0015.
We also turn necks and weigh our primers. Does neck-turning and primer weighing really make a difference? Who knows but we try to eliminate more variables since we have to the time to do it, and we actually enjoy the procedures.
Pierce Engineering Installed Action and Modified Bolt
Being from Michigan, Pierce Engineering has done a lot of work for my family’s guns. For this project the Pierce team bedded the action and glued in a single-shot follower. The stock bolt handle/knob was too short for comfort in the KTS stock. Pierce added a longer handle and tactical knob to the bolt. I then installed a .223 Rem Lapua case base into the knob.
The complete .223 Rem rifle ready to shoot F-TR, as fitted with 8-32X56mm Sightron and Phoenix Bipod, weighs 17 pounds, 15 ounces.
Flame Graphics by Camo Creek Hydrographics
After the action was bedded by Pierce, the stock was sent to Camo Creek Hydrographics in Fenton, Michigan. I selected a flame-style design which Camo Creek applied through hydro-dipping. The stock went back to Pierce’s shop, which applied three coats of clear over the entire stock. The clear-coating really enhanced the flame graphics.
Firing Pin Bushed by Speedy
I sent the bolt to Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez to have the firing pin hole bushed as otherwise the load could crater the primers pretty bad. Knowing I’d be shooting heavy-weight .22-Cal bullets with a stout load this was a good idea. Speedy also cut his trademark grooves into the bolt shroud which looks amazing. His work is top notch! There is zero cratering now, even with the hottest of loads.
Competition Components — 8-32x56mm Sightron and Phoenix Bipod
For an F-TR rig you need a quality high-magnification optic and a premium, wide-base bipod. I installed a 8-32x56mm SIII Sightron. This was another easy choice because of the attractive price and because my family has four other Sightrons that work great.
I installed a fore-end Picatinny rail to attach a Phoenix Bipod. I extended the Mariners wheel handles by adding short sections from an aluminum arrow shaft. This lets me adjust elevation without stretching forward. I also installed a Calvin Elite Timney Trigger set at 6 ounces.
$2500.00 Invested in Rifle Transformation and Upgrade
How much did this all cost? Brandon tells us “I have roughly $2500 into the rebuild of the gun from a .204 Ruger to the .223 Rem.”
Bois Blanc Island in Michigan
Here on Bois Blanc Island we don’t have many amenities, but we do have the ability to shoot 550 yards at our local gravel pit on state land. It’s snow-bound right now as you can see. But later in the year this will be our close-to-home training center.
Winter at Bois Blanc Island, Michigan — Here’s the gravel pit where we can load test during warmer weather. When I took this photo, it was a “balmy” 10-degree day.
Impressive engraving by Jesse Kaufmann. Note how the scope rings have been engraved to perfectly match the engraving pattern on the Remington 547 action.
Who says fine craftsmanship is dead? There’s a modern day engraving wizard up in South Dakota, Jesse Kaufmann, who produces some of the most handsome engraving we’ve seen. Jesse, who operates Black Hills Gunstocks and Engraving LLC, is a true master at metal engraving and he also does superb stock checkering. Here are some examples of Jesse’s engraving work:
This 14-minute video showcases dozens of Jesse Kaufmann’s Engraving examples:
About Jesse Kaufmann, Master Engraver
Jesse Kaufmann was a professional stockmaker for Dakota Arms for over a decade. In 2009, he was inducted in the American Custom Gunmakers Guild as a checkering specialist. In January 2017, Jesse was awarded his Master Engraver certification by the Firearms Engravers Guild of America. With his broad skill set, Jesse is able to offer his clients a unique and complete package of stock work, finish, checkering, and engraving for a custom package that is all completed under one roof by his own hands.
Jesse Kaufmann’s work has been featured in American Rifleman, American Hunter, FEGA’s The Engraver, Sports Afield, Waidmannsheil Journal of German Gun Collectors Assn., Gun Digest 71st Edition, Modern Custom Guns Volume 2, Dangerous Game Rifles 2d. Edition. For more info, visit BlackHillsgunstocksandengraving.com, email blackhillsgunstocks [at] gmail.com, or call Jesse at (605) 499-9090 after 5:00 pm. SEE Gallery of Work.
You’ve probably heard of cut-rifling, but did you know this process was invented in Germany nearly 500 years ago? Read on to learn more about how a cut-rifled barrel is made…
The cut-rifling process, used by leading barrel-makers such as Bartlein, Blake, Brux, and Krieger can yield a very high-quality barrel with a long useful life. Cut-rifled barrels have been at the top in short- and long-range benchrest competition in recent years, and cut-rifled barrels have long been popular with F-Class and High Power shooters.
You may be surprised to learn that cut-rifling is probably the oldest method of rifling a barrel. Invented in Nuremberg around 1520, the cut-rifling technique creates spiral grooves in the barrel by removing steel using some form of cutter. In its traditional form, cut rifling may be described as a single-point cutting system using a “hook” cutter. The cutter rests in the cutter box, a hardened steel cylinder made so it will just fit the reamed barrel blank and which also contains the cutter raising mechanism.
Above is a computer animation of an older style, sine-bar cut-rifling machine. Some machine features have been simplified for the purposes of illustration, but the basic operation is correctly shown. No, the cut-rifling machines at Krieger don’t use a hand-crank, but the mechanical process shown in this video is very similar to the way cut-rifling is done with more modern machines.
Read About Cut-Rifling Process at FirearmsID.com
To learn more about the barrel-making process, and cut-rifling in particular, visit FirearmsID.com. There you’ll find a “must-read” article by Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe: The Making of a Rifled Barrel. This article describes in detail how barrels are crafted, using both cut-rifling and button-rifling methods. Kolbe (past owner of Border Barrels) covers all the important processes: steel selection, hole drilling, hole reaming, and rifling (by various means). You’ll find a very extensive discussion of how rifling machines work. Here’s a short sample:
“At the start of World War Two, Pratt & Whitney developed a new, ‘B’ series of hydraulically-powered rifling machines, which were in fact two machines on the same bed. They weighed in at three tons and required the concrete floors now generally seen in workshops by this time. About two thousand were built to satisfy the new demand for rifle barrels, but many were broken up after the war or sold to emerging third world countries building up their own arms industry.
Very few of these hydraulic machines subsequently became available on the surplus market and now it is these machines which are sought after and used by barrel makers like John Krieger and ‘Boots’ Obermeyer. In fact, there are probably less of the ‘B’ series hydraulic riflers around today than of the older ‘Sine Bar’ universal riflers.
The techniques of cut rifling have not stood still since the end of the war though. Largely due to the efforts of Boots Obermeyer the design, manufacture and maintenance of the hook cutter and the cutter box have been refined and developed so that barrels of superb accuracy have come from his shop. Cut rifled barrel makers like John Krieger (Krieger Barrels), Mark Chanlyn (Rocky Mountain Rifle Works) and Cliff Labounty (Labounty Precision Reboring)… learned much of their art from Boots Obermeyer, as did I.” — Geoffrey Kolbe
Video find by Boyd Allen. Archive photos from Border Barrels in the UK.
With rain and snowstorms hitting the USA this Christmas week, we know many readers will be sheltering inside to stay warm and dry. Here are some good FREE reading materials to help spend the time indoors.
Google, a company we all know for its internet search service, has undertaken a massive project known as Google Books under which they are scanning and making available millions of out-of-print books with uncertain copyright ownership.
Below you will find a list of books, each with a clickable title link and brief description. The title link will take you to the Google Books page for each book. You can read the entire book online, or you can download it to your computer as a PDF file and save it (or print it). You can also create your own Google Library and save the books there for access from any computer. Most of these books are hundreds of pages long, so consider your paper and toner supply before printing!
The Bullet’s Flight From Powder to Target, Franklin W. Mann, 1909, 384 pages.
This is the original and still widely read and highly regarded book on internal and external ballistics. Dr. Mann was a tireless experimenter and had the resources to pursue his interest with the best equipment available. A close friend of Harry Pope as well as other notable experimenters in the early days of smokeless powder, Mann’s work is thorough and well documented. If you’re interested in ballistics, this is the foundation that you must know in order to understand the ensuing century of work in that field.
Irish Riflemen in America, Sir Arthur Blennerhassett Leech, 1875, 216 pages.
This book chronicles the Irish rifle team’s trip to America in 1874 to compete against the best of America’s riflemen as organized by the Amateur Rifle Club of New York when the fledgling NRA ignored the Irish challenge. The book also includes a great deal of history of Irish target shooting and an account of a hunting trip in the American West by members of the party. Well worth reading.
The American Rifle, Townsend Whelen, 1918, 637 Pages.
Townsend Whelen was — and remains for many of us — the dean of American firearms writers. Here is a man who truly did it all and wrote about it with the authority of experience and the modesty of a true gentleman. Despite his roots in Philadelphia society, Whelen sought outdoor adventure and hard living and he found it; we are all richer for his ability to document it so well. This book, written immediately after (and during) the Great War gives a great insight into the period from a rifleman’s perspective: equipment, reloading, shooting — it’s all here. A long book and worth every page.
Suggestions to Military Riflemen, Townsend Whelen, 1909, 243 pages.
Townsend Whelen’s pre-war book on marksmanship which brought him to national prominence in the military establishment. Whelen, who coached the national championship winning Army rifle team at Sea Girt in 1906, covers all aspects of shooting the Model 1903 rifle, including long-range shooting. There is also an appendix covering the Krag-Jorgensen as it was still used by various state guard units at the time. Positions, sights, zeroing, windage, score books, slow-fire, rapid-fire, long-range, ammunition, vision; it’s all here. Every topic you see covered in a modern book on marksmanship was covered by Whelen in this book. You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been — this is a “must read” for the serious marksman and student of history.
Modern Rifle Shooting From the American Standpoint, W. G. Hudson, 1903, 155 pp.
Dr. Hudson was one of the leading lights of the early smokeless era (as well as the Schuetzen era), a contemporary and friend of Mann and Pope, Hudson was a tireless investigator of all things related to accuracy. This hard to find book is an introduction to target shooting with a detailed overview of equipment and practices and is well illustrated with many images of top level equipment of the day.
Manual for Rifle Practice: Including Suggestions for Practice at Long Range, George Wood Wingate, 1879, 303 pages.
Wingate was the central figure in the founding of the National Rifle Association of America. Like Whelen’s manual 30 years later, Wingate’s book was adopted as the training manual by many military organizations. An authoritative view of marksmanship instruction in the day of the Trapdoor Springfield, Sharps, Remington Rolling Block, and Peabody military rifles. Includes diagrams and instructions for their care.
How I Became a Crack Shot — With Hints to Beginners, W. Milton Farrow, 1882, 204 pp.
Milton Farrow was one of the top shots of his time. Well-bred and highly educated, modesty was not among Farrow’s virtues. This makes for entertaining reading as he describes his travels and shooting accomplishments. The Hints for Beginners section has advice that remains sound these many years later.
The Gun and its Development, William Wellington Greener, 1907 (8th Ed.) 786 pages.
Originally published in 1881, Greener’s book covers all aspects of the firearms world at that time and this 8th edition has many updates. While much of the text focuses on shotguns, there is a great deal of other material in this massive tome, including coverage of gunpowder and explosived, pistols, rifles, target shooting, rifle clubs and much more of interest to the modern rifleman. Many great period advertisements at the end will make you wish for a time machine!
Cartridge Manufacture, Douglas Thomas Hamilton, 1916, 167 pages.
This book is a well-written, technical presentation of small arms cartridge manufacturing during the Great War. An inside look at all processes at the Frankford Arsenal including case manufacture, bullet manufacture, loading and packaging. A useful historical treatise on the topic.
These book titles were found by our close friend (and ace marksman) German Salazar. Sadly, German passed away unexpectedly in June, 2022 at age 62. German was a great inspiration to this site who helped guide the creation of the AccurateShooter Forum. A brilliant man, expert attorney, and top-tier marksman, German has been sorely missed in the shooting sports world.
New .300 WSM F-Class rifle, with stock finished by Forum member Cigar Cop.
One of the most popular features of our Shooters’ Forum is the ongoing Pride and Joy Rifle thread. Since 2009, Forum members have posted photos and descriptions of their most prized firearms. Here are some of our favorite “Pride and Joy” rifles recently showcased in our Forum. Do you have a gun you’d like to see featured there? Register for the Forum and you can add your favorite gun to the list.
We hope these “Pride and Joy” rifles may provide inspiration for our readers, whetting their appetite for their next competition, varminting, or hunting rifle project.
Ultra-Low Profile 6 PPC for Short-Range Benchrest
This handsome rifle, which belongs to Forum member J.J.Coe, represents the state-of-the-art for 100/200-yard benchrest rifles. It is chambered (no surprise) for the 6 PPC cartridge, which dominates the short-range game. In features a super-low profile carbon composite stock. Note how the vertical centerline of the stock is very close to the barrel. This keeps the center of gravity low and helps the rifle recoil smoothly with less hop in the bags. Note also the tuner on the barrel.
22 BR Savage Varminter — Accuracy on a Budget
This 22 BR Savage, with upgrades from Sharpshooter Supply, is the “pride and joy” of Forum member Maynard. Note the heavy-contour custom barrel with brake. That 22 BR cartridge is a very effective choice for varmint work, as the ground hog in the photo proves. The 22 BR and 22 Dasher are capable of outstanding accuracy with a large variety of bullets and powders. A 22 Dasher can rival the ballistics of a 6mmBR out to 500+ yards, but with reduced recoil.
Eliseo Tubegun in 7mm SAUM with Pierce Action, Bartlein Barrel
Here is a striking camo-finished Elesio (Competition Machine) Tubegun chambered for 7mm SAUM. Note the block fitted to the tubular fore-end so the rifle rides smooth and steady on the Rodzilla T-Rex joystick front rest. The proud owner, Forum member Aeon, tells us: “This is a Gary Eliseo RTM chassis with pickle forks. It has a custom Ceracoat paint job to match my sling gun.” Key components are: Pierce Engineering long action tube receiver, Bartlein 1:8.5″-twist barrel, Jewell trigger set at 2 oz., and Vortex Golden Eagle scope in Vortex rings. Aeon adds: “The chamber was cut by Mark Chesesbro of Chesebro Rifles. Mark throated it very long so the the 180gr and 184gr Bergers would sit where they belong.”
Tuning the 7mm SAUM and Recoil Reduction
Owner Aeon tells us: “The 7 SAUM was as easy a gun as I have ever shot to find a good load for — H1000 gave great consistency and tuning was not hard. However, the challenge in shooting this rifle was recoil management. The 7 SAUM has a punch to it and I found myself having trouble finishing three relays without form problems in the last relay. I considered getting a RAD Pad but that would have required expensive machine work. I stumbled on a recoil pad that is uniquely effective, the Falcon Strike. Sent the pad to Gary Eliseo and he sent it back with the butt plate machined to fit. Complete game changer! The rifle is a dream to shoot now with a big reduction in felt recoil.”
This gray and blue beauty belongs to Forum member Farmer Dave. He posted: “Got this 6.5×47 Lapua back from my smith about six months ago. It’s the most accurate rifle I have ever owned.” This rifle features: AG Composites CF stock, Stiller TAC 30 action, Bartlein 5R barrel, TriggerTech Diamond trigger. On top is a Trijicon Accupower riflescope.
Henry .45-70 with Modern Buttstock and M-LOK Handguard
Here is member Quest45’s handsome lever-action Henry .45-70 Gov and Glock 40 10mm. About his two guns he posted: “All I need is a can of bear spray”. The rifle is fitted with a red dot sight, ammo caddies, Ranger Point M-LOK handguard, and a modernized modular buttstock. These upgrades make it a thoroughly-modern Henry lever gun for the 21st Century.
A .243 Winchester Hunting Rig that Nailed Scottish Roe Buck
Forum member John V. from Scotland showcased a successful hunt with his .243 Winchester rifle. This sports a suppressed, 26″ MTU 1:7.5″-twist barrel. He loaded Sierra 100gr Pro-Hunter bullets, and took this nice Roe Buck at 240 yards through a gap in the foliage.
Mauser M96 with Quilted Maple Stock — for the Wife
We like this handsome quilted Maple-stocked Mauser belonging to Forum member Steel Mover. He posted: “Some like synthetic and some like wood — I have both. Here is the wife’s quilted Maple 96 Mauser 6.5×55. I was working in the shop, wife walked through and said ‘You are building that for me aren’t you?’ Well ‘Yes, dear’ I said of course … so I Lost my rifle.”
Patriotic .284 Shehane F-Open Rig
Forum member 1shot is proud of this new F-Classer: “Just got my first F-Open rifle finished chambered in .284 Shehane. It features a Kelbly stock w/RAD system, Shilen 1:8″-twist ratchet-rifled barrel with EC Tuner, and X-treme 2-stage trigger — all mated up to a Kelbly Panda action. I think this dog will hunt!”
Bill Goad’s 6PPC Hunter “Ranch Rifle”
Forum member Grimstod tells us: “This is the personal rifle of Bill Goad. He has been experimenting with it on several levels. It is shooting great and has several matches on it now. Please enjoy these photos. More can be found on the website www.PremierAccuracy.com. We like the subtle barbed wire effect on the stock.
Do-it-Yourself Paint Job, Done in the Bathroom at Home
Many eye-catching rifles start with a great paint job. Forum member JHN did this job himself. He posted: “Went to local paint shops, some cost a two-month work income, some said guns were a ‘no-no’. So I did it myself — my first Candy Apple red. Base collar is gold metallic, followed by the red. I didn’t have a good paintwork place so I had to improvise. Our bathroom has nice concealing in the summer — a perfect paint booth. So I only have to apologize about some red flakes in our bathroom.”
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.
Readers know Jim Borden as a Hall of Fame shooter and the owner of Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles. Jim won 10 IBS National Championships, set 10 IBS world records, and was inducted into the Benchrest Hall of Fame in 1996. But Jim is not just a great shooter. This highly-trained engineer is very much a Renaissance man. He is as skilled with cameras as he is with benchrest rifles.
Jim is a talented outdoor photographer who has compiled an impressive portfolio of wildlife and landscape photographs. For this Thanksgiving-eve edition of the Daily Bulletin we are featuring some of Jim’s favorite nature images. We hope readers enjoy them as much as shooters prize Borden’s Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, in a hunting household and hunting community, Jim learned about shooting at a very early age. He started hunting at the age of nine with his father and grandfather. His grandfather had an avid interest in photography while they were on hunts and Jim became interested as well. Jim began using SLR cameras in the 1970s, often carrying cameras on his hunts. As the years passed, Jim became more interested in “shooting” the animals with a camera versus a gun. Jim converted from film to digital in 2006 and in 2007 Jim’s wife Joan started accompanying Jim on the photo safaris. Jim has a particular passion for elk, moose, and eagles and Jim also enjoys scenic photography. Jim and Joan both shoot Nikon professional equipment. Their photographs can be viewed on his JandJB Wildlife Photography Blog.
All in the Family
Jim’s grandfather was a gunsmith who taught Jim the trade when Jim was very young. Jim’s father and grandfather ran a country business that included an auto repair shop, welding, a small lathe, and a forge. Jim earned a degree in Mechanical engineering at Penn State University. For 23 years he worked for Procter and Gamble (P&G) as an engineer and as an engineering manager/project manager.
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles Success Story
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles has been a source for precision benchrest and hunting rifles for many years. Jim started doing his own gunsmithing while competing in benchrest and high power silhouette matches. Jim launched his business in 1987, working nights and weekends while still employed at P&G. The business became full-time in 1995 with Jim and his wife Joan doing the work. The business was expanded in 1999 with the construction of the new Springville, PA facility and the addition of sons Jim Jr. and John to the staff. Son-in-law John Mecca came onboard in January 2000. Now the Borden shop continues to make some of the finest rifles and actions in the world. Joan tells us that the company has seen a significant growth in ultra-high-quality precision hunting rifles in recent years.
Jim and company began making Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions in 2001. They added Borden Alpine and Timberline actions in 2006. These actions are made in an advanced manufacturing facility which has three CNC vertical Machining centers, three CNC lathes, three manual lathes, a manual knee mill, a surface grinder, a cylindrical grinder and wire EDM machine. To learn more, visit BordenRifles.com, call (570) 965-2505, or send email to info [at] bordenrifles.com.
Artistry in metal — Engraving has long been used to decorate fine firearms. The examples shown here prove that engraving is not a lost art. There still remain fine craftsman who can engrave beautiful designs into the metal components of pistols, rifles, and handguns. Above is a spectacular Dragon-engraved Korth revolver from Nighthawk Custom — an amazing example. Below are seven beautiful examples of engraved semi-auto pistols, from a tiny Colt .25 ACP to Chuck Yeager’s gold-plated Beretta.
Centennial 1911 from Colt — Marking 100 Years
In 2011, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the 1911 hangun, Colt created a spectacular, fully-engraved “Anniversary Edition” pistol. J.M. Browning’s 1911 pistol was officially adopted by the U.S. Army on March 29th, 1911. (The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy adopted the 1911 pistol roughly two years later). This Centennial 1911 is pimped to the max, complete with gold inlay and genuine ivory grips.
One-of-a-Kind Fully Engraved Walter Q5
On display at the 2019 IWA Outdoor Classics Show in Germany was this stunning fully-engraved Walther Q5 pistol. Note how even the magazine end plate is engraved. On the slide is an American Eagle and the quote “We the People”. Those rare wood grips are also very eye-catching and handsome. This may be the fanciest Walther pistol on the planet.
The Right Stuff — Chuck Yeager’s Gold-Plated Beretta
Here’s another pistol with a famous owner “The Right Stuff” Pilot, Chuck Yeager, the first human to break the sound barrier. This Beretta has extra value because it was owned by pilot Chuck Yeager. Photo NRA Museum.
Stunning Engraved Trio — Colt, Mauser, and Luger
Here is a matching set of three three beautifully engraved pistols by the late Indiana engraving wizard Ben Shostle — a Luger, a Mauser, and a diminutive Colt. By themselves, these three matching pistols would make a prized handgun collection. Photo courtesy Amoskeag Auction Company.
Smith & Wesson Model 41 — 50th Anniversary Edition
The .22 LR Smith & Wesson Model 41 is one of our favorite rimfire target pistol. First released in 2008, the engraved model 41 combines superior accuracy with stunning appearance.For $1700.00 to $2000.00 you can find the fully engraved, 50th Anniversary Model 41 in presentation case on Gunbroker.com.
About Jim Borden and Borden Accuracy
Borden Accuracy — A Success Story
Flame Graphics by Camo Creek Hydrographics
About Jesse Kaufmann, Master Engraver
With rain and snowstorms hitting the USA this Christmas week, we know many readers will be sheltering inside to stay warm and dry. Here are some good FREE reading materials to help spend the time indoors.
Jim is a talented outdoor photographer who has compiled an impressive portfolio of wildlife and landscape photographs. For this Thanksgiving-eve edition of the Daily Bulletin we are featuring some of Jim’s favorite nature images. We hope readers enjoy them as much as shooters prize Borden’s Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions.
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles Success Story
