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August 19th, 2007
If you’re a bargain hunter, check out the Sample List maintained by SWFA.com. Here you’ll find scores of optics items and accessories at below wholesale prices. Many of these products are new (never been sold) items, that were used in trade shows or as demos.
Some of the more exciting current Sample List Offerings are:
Swarovski 8×30 Laser Guide just $749.95 (marked down from $987.00 suggested retail). This is AccurateShooter.com’s top-rated laser rangefinder.
Zeiss 6.5-20×50 Conquest, priced from $699.95 to $729.95. This is our top-rated 1″-tube 6 to 20x zoom scope. The Conquest is bright, sharp, with very repeatable clicks.
Leica 77mm Straight Televid APO (Body only), Silver finish, Aluminum body, fast focus and coarse focus, straight view, Special high definition model, used, close to new condition. MSRP on this item is over $2100. The Sample list has them on sale for $1,299.95. Note Leica announced it was discountining the 77mm Televid line, so if you want one, buy it soon.
August 17th, 2007
Now this is a great deal for all you prone shooters out there. Now through August 30, 2007, MidwayUSA is offering a 69″ x 27″ padded shooting mat for just $24.99, item 169107. That’s less than half what you’d pay for a typical shooting pad, and many are priced closer to $80.00. (MidwayUSA’s regular price on this mat is $49.99.) Made from polyester fabric, the mat is black on the bottom and khaki color on top. It features reinforced, slip-resistant elbow and knee pads. It has a fold-out front flap and corner grommets which can be staked down. Those are two smart features that are NOT offered on most shooting pads, even more expensive ones. MidwayUSA’s mat meets NRA Smallbore and Highpower specifications, and rolls up to a compact 6″ diameter with a carry strap.
User reviews have been quite positive: “I purchased the mat while it was on sale and do not regret it a bit. It seems durable, has a good backing and the no-slip patches are a good feature in prone. Dirt brushes off easily when dry.” — R. Hopkins; “Very good for the money. The padding could have been a little thicker.” — J. Williams; “This shooting mat is … durable, convenient and comfortable.” — G. Jordan.
August 13th, 2007
 Three-lug BAT Machine actions are the hot ticket right now in short-range benchrest. However you can expect to wait up to 6 months (or more) if you custom order one. To get your hands on a BAT Tri-lug right away, call Lester Bruno at Bruno Shooters Supply. Lester has a standing order for BAT Actions (both two-lug and three-lug), and probably can get you a three-lug as quickly as any vendor. He has 40 BAT actions in stock currently. BAT makes the tri-lug in both stainless and chrome-moly. Lester notes: “Both stainless and chrome-moly work equally well.” Bruno’s gets new BAT actions weekly, in all three bolt configurations: PPC, .308 and Magnum. Prices start at $965 for a two-lug SV action, and $1180 for a three-lug. Call Bruno’s for availability, (623) 587-7641, and tell Lester or Amy that AccurateShooter.com sent you.
August 5th, 2007
A Harris bipod is a “must-have” accessory for any serious varminter in the field. With light-recoiling calibers, the short, BR-Model Harris bipod works very well on benches and is more handy than carrying around a big, heavy pedestal front rest. Currently, MidwayUSA has Harris bipods on sale. We recommend two models. For bench-shooting, the “S-BR” model with swivel, adjusting from 6″-9″ overall, is ideal. Height can be fine-tuned at any length within the adjustment range. This is Midway item 652827, sale-priced at $79.99 ($15.00 off regular price).
For field use, we recommend the larger Harris model “S-LM”, Midway item 328534. Also on sale for $79.99 ($15.00 off), the Harris S-LM adjusts from 9″-13″ using leg notches. When shooting in the field it is faster and easier to adjust leg height with the built-in notches. The greater height (compared to the BR model) helps you shoot over the grass or compensate for small mounds between your muzzle and the target.
With any Harris swivel bipod you’ll want a Pod-Loc quick clamping handle from KMW. This lets you easily change the swivel angle and then lock the bipod in place, or set just enough tension that you can adjust rifle cant without having the rifle flop from side to side. Shown below is a Harris S-BR fitted with a Poc-Loc. The Pod-Loc is available from Sinclair’s, Brownells (item #100-000-326), or you can buy direct from KMW – Long Range Solutions, (318) 748-8732.
August 1st, 2007
 MidwayUSA now has Ramshot Hunter on sale for $9.99 per pound, item # 920960. That’s $5.50 off the regular price of $15.49 per pound. Ramshot Hunter is a quality ball powder that meters easily, with a burn rate similar to H4350, Norma 204, or Alliant Reloader 19. It is a good choice for the 22-250, 6-6.5×47, 6XC, and the short magnum cartridges. Ramshot Hunter’s small spherical particles pack tightly, offering good velocities in cases that are short on capacity. If you’ve run out of room with H4350, consider Ramshot Hunter. The sale ends August 31, 2007.
July 28th, 2007
Lock, Stock & Barrel is currently selling Timney triggers at 25% off normal retail. Triggers are available for most popular actions including Browning, CZ, Mauser, Remington, Ruger, Sako, Springfield, and Winchester. We are impressed with Timney’s new Rem 700 “Tactical” trigger (item TM501T). This Rem Tactical trigger adjusts from 4 to 10 ounces pull weight. It features a knurled Anschutz-style vertical trigger shoe that can adjust for angle (cant) and length of pull. The trigger housing is machined from solid steel, and all contact surfaces are CNC-machined steel that has been hardened, surface ground, and polished. Timney’s Rem 700 Tactical trigger is now just $86.06 at LockStock.com. That’s a great deal. The same trigger sells for $134.95 on Timney’s Online Store, TimneyTriggers.com.
Timney also offers two new AR-15 triggers. The AR-15 Competition trigger is a true drop-in replacement for the standard fire-control system that uses your rifle’s original hammer/trigger pins. Timney claims the trigger module can be installed in ten minutes. It comes in 3- or 4-lb versions and features a crisp, one-stage pull. MSRP is $194.95, and a skeletonized version (shown below) retails for $234.95. Lock, Stock & Barrel does not list the new AR-15 trigger in inventory, but you can call for pricing, (800) 228-7925.
July 16th, 2007
If you don’t own a quality digital camera, or need a second camera to keep in your range kit or vehicle, grab this A550 Canon now. It is available from Circuit City for just $128.99. B & H Photo also has the camera for just $134.99 (item CAPSA550).
We heartily endorse the Canon point and shoot digital cameras. Many of the photos on this website (and all the images in the current Gun of the Week article) were shot with an inexpensive Canon A60. The A550 is a significant upgrade over the A60. Though inexpensive, the Canon A-Series cameras are capable of pro-quality images. They produce sharp pictures with vivid colors and excellent contrast. The built-in flash is very sophisticated, allowing effortless daylight fill-flash–an important feature we use constantly. Automatic color temp control (so you don’t get greenish skin tones indoors) is best-in-class. The Canons also shoot very decent video in 320 x 240 (QVGA) or 640 x 480 (VGA) format, and the audio quality is suprisingly good. Most of the videos posted on this site were created with Canon A-series point-and-shoot cameras.
While the Canon A550 offers an impressive 7.1 megapixel capacity, here’s a tip — if you’re shooting photos for the web, set the resolution at 1600×1200 pixels with the A550. Using that middle resolution will let you store many more images on your memory card. Our only gripe about the Canon A-series cameras is that they can be battery hogs. Always bring spare AAs when photographing an important event. Duracell rechargeable 2650 mAh batteries work great.
July 2nd, 2007
The Suhl 150 is a great rimfire match rifle. This East German 22LR can be as accurate as an Anschütz–you’ll just find the Suhl a bit rougher around the edges. Suhl barrels can be very accurate–some Suhl factory tubes are benchrest competitive. Many Suhl 150s have been converted into succcessful BR and Silhouette guns. Joe Friedrich won the ARA 2006 Grand Agg shooting a Suhl 150 with custom McMillan stock and aftermaket barrel. Florida’s Century Arms recently acquired a supply of the hard-to-find Suhl 150s. Two models are offered–a prone rifle with straight comb, and a position model with adjustable cheek-piece and more vertical pistol grip.
Century Arms has a couple dozen of the Suhl 150s left, with the “dealer” prices running about $610-$630 (Century will not sell direct to individuals, so you’ll have to purchase through your local dealer.) These are used guns, so they vary in cosmetic quality. Most of the rifles include front and rear iron match sights but NOT extra inserts or separate tool kits. If you’re looking for a high-quality smallbore rifle for considerably less money than an Anschütz 54, call Century Arms at (800) 527-1252. These guns will sell out quickly as Suhl 150s are no longer being made and the supply of good, used guns is drying up.
June 28th, 2007
In order to get exact dimensions for custom dies, and to monitor changes in the throat of your rifle, you may want to make a chamber cast. With such casts you can determine the exact dimensions of your chamber, throat, and bore (including land/groove diameters). Most chamber casts are made with Cerrosafe, a very unique compound that is ideal for the job. To cast a chamber, Cerrosafe is poured into the chamber and the first part of the throat. As it hardens it actually shrinks, allowing you to remove the cast from your barreled action. But, then what good is an undersized cast? Well, that is the magic of Cerrosafe. As it goes into its final hardening process, it “grows” back to the true bore/chamber dimensions. Brownell’s explains: “Cerrosafe shrinks during the first 30 minutes of cooling and then at the end of an hour, is EXACTLY chamber size. Cerrosafe melts between 158°-190° F.” To learn more about chamber casting with Cerrosafe, Click here for Gun collector Mark Trope’s illustrated guide to chamber casting, found on SurplusRifle.com.
MidwayUSA has 1/2-pound bars of Cerrosafe Casting Alloy on sale for just $9.99, through the end of July. That’s $8.00 off the normal $17.99 price–quite a deal. As long as you keep the alloy free of contaminents the Cerrosafe can be re-used many times, though we advise you keep your chamber cast as a reference as long as you own the rifle.
June 22nd, 2007
These days, many varmint hunters outfit their rigs much like long-range benchrest guns. You’ll find long barrels with muzzle brakes, “long-wheelbase” stocks with wide fore-ends, and big optics (such as the NightForce NXS) with tall “target” turrets. That all adds up to a pretty sizeable package, particularly if you throw a bipod on the front end. Most soft rifle cases won’t fit these modern jumbo varmint rifles very well. The cases are too short and don’t have enough clearance for a big scope.
The Bob Allen 48″-long “Legend” soft case is an exception. Nice and tall, it will fit a heavy varmint rig with a big scope with room to spare. 48 inches in length, it will house rifles with up to 28″ barrels (unless you have an extended buttplate). The Allen Legend features an Endura shell, wrap-around handles and 1″ foam padding. Nebraskan D. McClain reports: “This case is really nice. It fits my Savage 12BVSS with Harris bipod and large scope with sunshade like a glove. I would recommend this case for similar set-up rifle to anyone.” Right now through the end of June, 2007, MidwayUSA is selling the 48″ Allen Legend case (item 717607) in black/Advantage Camo for $24.99–that’s $6.00 off the regular price. This writer has a number of Allen soft cases and they are well made, with strong zippers and good stitching.
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