Here’s a simple procedure that lets you get a solid zero for a hunting rifle in just four shots. Of course you probably want to fire a few more rounds to confirm your zero before you head off to your hunting grounds, but this will let you get on-target with a minimum amount of time and ammo expended. (This assumes your scope is securely mounted, and the bases are not drastically out of alignment.)
1. First, remove the bolt and boresight the rifle. Adjust the position of the rifle so that, looking through the bore, you can see the center of the target with your eyes. Secure the rifle in the rests to maintain its position as boresighted. Then, without moving the rifle, center the reticle. That should get you on paper. With the rifle solidly secured in front and rear rests or sandbags, aim at the center of a target placed at your zeroing distance (50 or 100 yards). Confirm there are no obstructions in the barrel! Then load and fire one shot. Then, return the gun to the exact position it was when you pulled the trigger, with the cross-hair centered on the target as before.
2. Locate, in the scope, where your first bullet landed on the target. Now, while you grip the rifle firmly so it doesn’t move, have a friend adjust the turrets on your scope. While you look through the scope, have your friend turn the windage and elevation turrets until the cross-hairs, as viewed through the scope, bisect the first bullet hole on the target. In other words, you use the turrets to move the center of the reticle to the actual position of shot number one. Dial the crosshairs to the hole — don’t move the rifle.
3. After you’ve adjusted the turrets, now re-aim the rifle so the cross-hairs are, once again, positioned on the target center. Keep the rifle firmly supported by your rest or sandbag. Take the second shot. You should find that the bullet now strikes in the center of the target.
4. Take a third shot with the cross-hairs aligned in the center of the target to confirm your zero. Make minor modifications to the windage and elevation as necessary.
5. Now shoot the rifle from a field rest (shooting sticks, bipod, or rucksack) as you would use when actually hunting. Confirm that your zero is unchanged. You may need to make slight adjustments. Some rifles, particularly those with flexy fore-arms, exhibit a different POI (point of impact) when fired from a bipod or ruck vs. a sandbag rest.
If you recently cleaned your rifle, you may want to fire two or three fouling shots before you start this procedure. But keep in mind that you want to duplicate the typical cold bore conditions that you’ll experience during the hunt. If you set your zero after three fouling shots, then make sure the bore is in a similar condition when you actually go out hunting.
A Texas shooter put together a great video covering the East Texas Championship Benchrest Shootout, held August 20-21 in Huntsville, TX. This match, the first at the new Huntsville Range, was co-sponsored by the Pine Valley Benchrest Shooters Association and S&S Precision Rifles of Argyle, TX. On the Friday before the main match, there was also a 500-yard Egg Shoot.
In the video you can see Don ‘Stick’ Starks of S&S piloting a 6.5×47 Lapua long-range varminter he built on a candy-red Robertson Composites ‘Speedy’ F-Class stock. Stick and other competitors were shooting at large (120mm), medium (90mm), and small (60mm) clay birds at 400 yards. Over the course of the day, competitors fired 50 record rounds at the targets. Each shooter came to the line five times to shoot 10 rounds per stage in seven minutes or less. The ‘top shot’ who nailed the most birds took home $600.00 in cash. There was also a team challenge with a $430.00 winning payout.
Thirty-six competitors attended this fun match with $1300.00 in total prize pay-outs for the top four bird-busters. Jason Leavelle won the $600 first-place prize with an 810 score, while Dr. Darrel Martin earned $400 for his second-place finish, 50 points behind Leavelle. Tymn Combest was third, earning $200, and Arthur McMeans took home $100 for fourth place. Pudge Morris was the Junior Division winner. We congratulate all the money winners — it wasn’t easy. According to Mike Cockcroft, who helped run the match, “it was 100 degrees, the winds were strong, and the mirage heavy.” The only wind indicators are range flags at the targets and a couple of standard benchrest flags out at about 100 yards.
Match Winner Used a 6.5×284
Forum member Joe Duke reports: “Jason Leavelle shot a nice 810 out of 1000 (possible) points. He is the winningest shooter on our circuit (fondly known as the ‘Redneck Circuit’) and is always tough to beat. He shoots a 6.5-284 crafted by Sam Duke. Jason’s rifle is built on a Stainless Steel Viper action and sports a Krieger 8.5-twist barrel. I can’t think of one of our shoots that was won with anything other than a 6.5-284 in the last three or four years.”
Rules were fairly “wide-open” for the Saturday Shoot-Out, so you saw everything on the line from varmint rifles to 40-pounders. Most guns are custom bench rigs weighing 17 to 30 pounds. All shooters competed in the same class with these basic rules:
NO RAIL GUNS OR RETURN TO BATTERY GUNS
40 POUND MAX WEIGHT LIMIT
NO SIGHT OR SCOPE RESTRICTIONS
NO CALIBER OVER .30
NO ONE-PIECE RESTS OR GUN-VISES
NO Shooter-Supplied WIND FLAGS
NO SPOTTING EXCEPT DURING SITE-IN ROUND
NO TANK OR CLAM TYPE MUZZLE BRAKES
You should definitely watch the video. It is extremely well made and there are some seriously nice rifles on display. Plus it sure looks like the new Huntsville facility is a beautiful range (even if the Texas winds did blow in the afternoons). CLICK HERE to download Match Rankings and Scores (PDF File).
Here’s a great deal on a versatile, multi-purpose pack that should suit the needs of tactical guys as well as game hunters. Right now Cabelas.com has genuine CamelBak® UpRoar packs on sale for just $29.88. The regular price on these packs is $99.99, so you save over seventy bucks.
With a 1,710 cu.-in. cargo capacity, the Uproar pack (Cabela’s item OG-580060) can carry enough for a full day in the field. And of course, since it’s a CamelBak®, the pack totes plenty of H20 via a 24 oz. fitted water bottle (NOT a bladder with sipping hose). Other features include: goggles pocket, organizer pocket, laptop sleeve, and gear-attachment lash points. The discounted UpRoar pack is offered in either olive drab with black accents, or black with blue piping (the Coyote tan color shown at right is NOT on sale). This pack is well-designed, with a comfortable surface next to your back, and ergonomically curved shoulder straps (complete with sternum bridge strap). NOTE: This pack carries H20 in a plastic water bottle in a fitted side pocket. Unlike most other CamelBaks, there’s no internal bladder or hose, so you’ll have to reach around to get your water.
Last year saw a significant 5.4% increase in the number of female hunters in the United States — that means 163,000 new ladies hunting with firearms and/or bows. In fact, in 2009 the rate of increase in hunting participation is higher for women than for men, according to new figures from the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).
Data also show that women outpaced men among newcomers to target shooting. Female participation in rifle target shooting grew by 4.1%. That’s a big change in a single year. The number of women involved in Muzzle-loading activites showed a remarkable 134.6% annual increase.
The growth in new participation among women, perhaps counter-intuitive to traditionalists, is no surprise to Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). Steve explained, “Over the past several years [we have] encouraged existing hunters and shooters to introduce their spouses, daughters and other newcomers to shooting sports and outdoor lifestyles. I believe these efforts are paying off.” Photo courtesy Próis hunting clothing for women.
The 2010 Varmint Hunters Association Jamboree will be held July 26 – 30th, in Pierre, South Dakota. This 5-day event features a 2-Day Shootout, 3-Man Team Competition, and 3-Gun Match with prizes valued at over $4900. Classes for the Shootout are: Field Stock, Stock, Modified, Limited Open, and Unlimited Open. CLICK HERE for complete Shootout Rules.
In conjunction with the Jamboree, the South Dakota state 600-yard IBS Benchrest match will be held on Friday, the 30th. During the course of the week, other fun matches will be held, including a 600-Yard Groundhog Shoot, a 100-Yard Youth Shoot, and a .22 LR rimfire fun shoot.
The Jamboree is a family event with fun shoots Monday through Friday. There will be live and silent auctions, symposiums, special Ladies’ Events, regularly nightly speakers or entertainment, and a big Jamboree Banquet at the Ramkota Lodge on Friday. For more information, visit www.Varminthunter.org/jamboree.html, or call VHA members services, 1-800-528-4868.
Advanced registration is $35.00, while registration during the Jamboree costs $40.00. A Shootout ticket alone is $25.00, while a Banquet ticket costs $25.00. You must be a member of the V.H.A. and registered for the Jamboree in order to compete in the Shootout.
On June 19, the 4R Rifle Club in Alex, Oklahoma hosted its Spring Balloon Shoot. This challenging “fun shoot” drew nearly 50 competitors from five states. In this multi-yardage event, shooters try to break four balloons, one each at 100, 250, 400, and 500 yards. A total of 18 rounds were allowed. The balloons were worth 10, 20, 30, and 45 points respectively. Shooters attacked the balloons in 12 relays. Even with challenging winds, some impressive scores were fired. When the smoke cleared and all the competitors had tried their luck, only two had perfect scores of 420. Jim Fowler turned in a pair of 410s to win the Two-Gun award, youth winner Dalton Ernst shot a 390, and factory gun champ Don Johnson managed a 365 with his Savage 6BR.
Exciting Shoot-off Decides Match Winner
The top six shooters of the day returned to the bench with clean scorecards for the Shoot-off. They would repeat the same course as earlier in the day — one balloon each at 100, 250, 400, and 500 yards, with 18 rounds. Two competitors, Don Johnson and Rick Jensen, emerged from the Shoot-off tied, having both shot clean scores of 420. The balloons were set up again, only this time, Don and Rick were allowed just 8 rounds. Hard choices had to be made. Both men elected to start at 400 yards, breaking all four balloons before moving to 500, where both Don and Rick broke three. As a final tie-breaker, each man fired a single shot at a distance of 300 yards. When the targets were retrieved, Don Johnson prevailed as the Overall Champion, with Rick Jensen in second. Don was shooting a .243 Win, while Rick had a .284 Win; both guns featured Surgeon actions. Finishing 3rd, 4th, and 5th respectively were: Shane Herman, Jim Fowler (2-Gun Champ), and Arthur McMeans.
Top Ten Shooters’ Equipment List (in alphabetical order)
Match organizers offer special thanks to the many match sponsors who filled a rich prize table, and thanks to the Reeves family for hosting yet another great match at the 4R Rifle Club.
One of the best hike-and-shoot, field-style long-range rifle challenges is the Steel Safari match — a 3-day event conducted in New Mexico’s high desert. The Steel Safari is a contest that examines “practical hunting skills, including target recognition, range estimation, wind doping, trail skills, and marksmanship”, according to the match entry form. Competitors locate small and medium-sized steel targets, range them, and engage with one shot only, under a challenging time limit. Some movement on the clock is required, and shoot positions are always improvised. Shooters may have to go prone on a rock slab, shoot a steep angle down a gully, or lean out the side of a truck. Both the North course and the South course are approximately 3.3 miles in length starting and ending at the “front range”, and looping around the rim of different parts of elevated terrain features.
The 2010 Steel Safari, held June 4-6, can be characterized by one word: HOT. Temperatures started ramping up on Friday for the Long-Range Side Match, reaching about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and peaked on Saturday with a high of 109. The shooting was hot too, with winning scores higher than ever before. Among the 36 competitors, Steve Mann finished first with an impressive 95 score. Close behind, with a 93, was B.J. Bailey. Jimmy Holdsworth and Tom Freeman, both scored 88s, but Holdsworth prevailed on the tie-breaker for third place. In the Long-Range Side Match, Jon Beanland took first with a 111 score, followed by Jim Jensen (109) and Brian Whalen (99).
Equipment List — Two-Thirds of Competitors Use 6.5s or 6mms
The most popular rifle/action make was Surgeon (28%), followed by Remington (22%), then Accuracy International and Stiller (11% each), then Savage (8%), Big Horn Arms (6%), and one each of Barrett, Borden, DTA, GAP Templar, and Howa. The 6.5mm caliber totally dominated with 39% of all rifles; 6mm was next with 28%, then .30 (22%), and then 7mm (11%). Chamberings of choice were: .260 Remington (25%), .308 Winchester (17%), 6.5×47 Lapua (11%), 6% for each of 6XC, 7mm WSM, 7mm RSAUM, .260AI, and then 3% each for .300 WM, 6mm-250, .30-06, 6.5-284, 6 Dasher, .243 Winchester, and 6CM/243.
Scopes: Nightforce (28%), U.S. Optics (25%), Schmidt & Bender (17%), followed by Leupold (14%), Vortex (6%), and 3% each for Hensoldt, Burris, Pentax, and Premier. Laser range-finders were dominated by Leica (50%), followed by Swarovski (19%), Zeiss (17%), Vector (8%), and 3% each Leupold and Newcon. Bipods were mostly Harris (78%), followed by Atlas, AI, Caldwell, and Sinclair.
Propellants: Hodgdon powders totally dominated (80%) with Alliant second (20%). Of the Hodgdon powders, H4350, H4831SC, and Varget were the most popular, while RL17 was the most popular Alliant powder by far. The most notable trend in powder choice is that RL17 has replaced H4350 and H4831SC for many shooters.
Bullets, Brass, Ammo: Sierra (31%), Berger (25%), Lapua (25%), and DTAC 6mm (11%). Winchester and Lapua cases dominated with 33% each, followed by Remington (16%), and then Black Hills, Norma, and Lake City (3%). Only 2 shooters used factory ammo: one was Federal GMM (.308) and the other was M118LR (7.62×51 NATO).
In December 2009, President Obama signed a transportation funding bill that included a provision allowing Amtrak passengers to bring firearms aboard trains — provided the arms are stowed in locked, checked baggage.
Amtrak’s gun ban was instituted after the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack. The 2009 legislation will restore rail riders’ rights that existed prior to “9/11″. Amtrak has until December to put the new law into effect, and Amtrak is obliged to deliver an implementation plan to Congress next week.
Amtrak officials have resisted the new policy on gun transport from the beginning, pointing to a shortage of funding. However, just last week, on 6/10/2010, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) removed any “wiggle room” for Amtrak. The GAO held that the legislation obligating Amtrak to carry firearms was “permanent law”, erasing doubts that Amtrak would have to comply. The amendment (to the 2009 funding bill) which obliges Amtrak to resume firearms carriage was authored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS). Senator Wicker explained the purpose of his amendment: “Sportsmen who would like to use an Amtrak train for hunting trips cannot do so because they are not allowed to bring a firearm in checked luggage, something that is done every day at airports across our country.”
How does all this shake-out for shooters traveling by rail? Amtrak’s current policy still prohibits carriage of firearms on trains, and that won’t change until December, 2010. Below is the language of Amtrak’s stated rules regarding transport of firearms:
AMTRAK Baggage Policy — Firearms in Checked Baggage
Amtrak’s current policy prohibits all firearms, ammunition and other weapons aboard its trains. This includes any being carried on the person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage. Please be advised that this policy remains in effect until Amtrak begins firearm carriage service by December 2010.
The Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010, enacted into law on December 16, 2009, requires Amtrak to implement the procedures necessary to provide storage and carriage of firearms in checked baggage cars and at Amtrak stations that accept checked baggage, within one year of the bill’s enactment. This requirement applies solely to checked baggage, not carry-on baggage.
DeLorme has come out with a new, handheld GPS that can send messages via satellite, using SPOT satellite technology. What’s the benefit? This allows a user to stay in touch with others (or reach emergency responders) even when out of cell phone range. With its texting ability, DeLorme’s new Earthmate PN-60w offers many of the benefits of a satellite phone, at a fraction of the cost.
The Earthmate PN-60w is the world’s first handheld GPS that enables Type & Send text messaging via satellite. With the PN-60w you can send a text message (with your location), from pretty much any spot on the globe. Having that capability can be a life-saver for a hunter or hiker stranded in the wilderness. Messages are created on the PN-60w’s internal keyboard, sent wirelessly to the separate SPOT communicator, then relayed via satellite to individual email addresses, cell phones, buddy lists, and/or geo-caching websites. In case of emergency, SOS messages can be sent directly to rescue services with the user’s GPS coordinates embedded.
As a stand-alone GPS, the Earthmate PN-60w has premium navigation features including a 32-channel GPS chipset, dual-core processor, 3-axis electronic compass, barometric altimeter, elevation profiles, and GPX file transfers. The Earthmate PN-60w comes with DeLorme Topo North America GPS maps and desktop software included, with topographic and street coverage of the U.S. and Canada. The unit can also display high-resolution aerial imagery, official USGS and Canada topo maps, NOAA nautical charts, and Navionics charts, (all extra cost). The text messaging, track progress, and emergency SOS/911 features are activated via separate fee-based SPOT subscriptions (not included in hardware price). MSRP for the PN-60w and SPOT Communicator bundle is $549.00, with product availability in July.
Recognizing the growing interest in bow-hunting, MidwayUSA is now offering a full line of archery equipment. MidwayUSA’s online store now carries everything an archer could need: compound bows, crossbows, quivers, arrows, shafts, bolts, broadheads, bow sights, releases, slings, bow cases, archery targets and more. In addition, for bow-hunters, MidwayUSA offers tree-stands, blinds, scent-blockers, plus hunting boots and hunting clothing. CLICK HERE to browse MidwayUSA’s selection of archery and bow-hunting products.
Last year saw a significant 5.4% increase in the number of female hunters in the United States — that means 163,000 new ladies hunting with firearms and/or bows. In fact, in 2009 the rate of increase in hunting participation is higher for women than for men, according to new figures from the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).
On June 19, the 4R Rifle Club in Alex, Oklahoma hosted its Spring Balloon Shoot. This challenging “fun shoot” drew nearly 50 competitors from five states. In this multi-yardage event, shooters try to break four balloons, one each at 100, 250, 400, and 500 yards. A total of 18 rounds were allowed. The balloons were worth 10, 20, 30, and 45 points respectively. Shooters attacked the balloons in 12 relays. Even with challenging winds, some impressive scores were fired. When the smoke cleared and all the competitors had tried their luck, only two had perfect scores of 420. Jim Fowler turned in a pair of 410s to win the Two-Gun award, youth winner Dalton Ernst shot a 390, and factory gun champ Don Johnson managed a 365 with his Savage 6BR.
One of the best hike-and-shoot, field-style long-range rifle challenges is the 
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In December 2009, President Obama signed a transportation funding bill that included a provision allowing Amtrak passengers to bring firearms aboard trains — provided the arms are stowed in locked, checked baggage.
DeLorme has come out with a new, handheld GPS that can send messages via satellite, using SPOT satellite technology. What’s the benefit? This allows a user to stay in touch with others (or reach emergency responders) even when out of cell phone range. With its texting ability, DeLorme’s new Earthmate PN-60w offers many of the benefits of a satellite phone, at a fraction of the cost.
