The unique Blaser rifle design features a straight-pull bolt with “patented Radial Locking System” of outward-expanding lugs that lock directly into the barrel. Their modular design permits Blaser rifles to be dis-assembled (with barrels exchanged) in less than one minute, using a single hex wrench. The straight-pull action allows Blasers to be cycled very rapidly by the shooter.
Until lately, if you wanted a Blaser, you had to settle for a conventional-style, solid-wrist stock. Now Blaser has introduced an ergonomic thumbhole stock with a more vertical-style pistol grip. This new stock will be offered on the Blaser R8 “Professional Success” (R8 PS) hunting rifle. Blaser claims the new stock provides a comfortable, stable hold in all shooting positions — prone, sitting, kneeling, or standing.
The R8 PS is available in green/gray, or black/brown colors. The standard R8 PS features elastomer inlays on the forearm, pistol grip and cheek-piece. MSRP is $4,356.00. Toss in another $1100 or so, and you can upgrade the black/brown version with fitted leather inlays on forearm, pistol grip and cheek-piece. That’s a hefty surcharge for about $15.00 worth of animal hide, but Blasers were never for bargain-hunters.
Watch Blaser R8 in Action
In the video below, filmed on safari in Africa, hunter/writer Ron Spomer reviews the Blaser R8 with standard stock (not the new thumbhole). Starting at the 0:52 mark you can see how the rifle is assembled and how the straight-pull action works. Spomer’s rifle review begins as the 1:10 mark. Spomer explains that a single rifle can be fitted with multiple barrels in an assortment of chamberings/calibers.
About 24 miles east of Oceanside, California (near the Camp Pendleton Marine base) is the Pala Reservation. On that Native American land you’ll find a Casino Resort, plus an excellent shooting range. Each month, shooters come to Pala for the Varmint Silhouette Match hosted by the North County Shootist Association. Normally there is one match, held on the first Sunday of even month. But in May, you can “double your fun” because there will be TWO (2) matches. The first will be held this Sunday, May 6th, 2012. The second match takes place on Sunday, May 20th. On both match days, gates open at 7:30 am with practice from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. On Friday, May 4th, the range will be open for practice 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, while on Friday, May 18th, the range opens at 10:30 am.
Course of Fire: Five Yardages, 50 Critters
At five different yardages, ten steel “critter” targets are set as follows: 200 Meters – Field Mice (“pikas”); 300 meters – Crows; 385 meters – Ground Squirrels; 500 meters – Jack Rabbits; 600 yards – Prairie Dogs. The folks at Pala run a tight ship, cycling multiple relays efficiently, so everybody gets to shoot 50 targets (10 each at five different yardages), and the show is usually completed by 1:00 pm. There’s a one-hour sight-in period starting at 8:00 am, and the match starts at 9:00 am sharp. Newcomers should definitely arrive no later than 7:45 am, because you may need that full sight-in period to acquire solid zeros at all five yardages. CLICK HERE for full match INFO.
What to bring to Pala You’ll need an accurate rifle, plus at least 80 rounds of ammo (bring 100 rounds if you have no idea about your come-ups at these distances). You can shoot either rested prone (F-Class style), from bipod, or from a portable bench with front pedestal and rear bag. Most guys shoot from benches. Any rifle 6.5 caliber or under is allowed, with no weight restrictions. Any good varmint rifle can be competitive. Muzzle brakes are permitted. Spotter assistants are allowed, so bring a friend along — he/she can shoot in a different relay. Bring cleaning gear if your rifle can’t run 80+ rounds without losing accuracy. Pastry snacks are often provided, but bring water, a sandwich and your preferred non-alcoholic beverage. You’ll spend some time in the sun helping to set targets, so bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Fun Weekend for the Whole Family There is a deluxe Indian Casino/Spa a half-mile from the range. So don’t hesitate to bring the wife. If she’s not a shooter, she can enjoy a fancy brunch or spa treatment while you’re having fun mowing down metal critters. Pala is a 30 minutes from the Pacific Ocean and beautiful beaches, so you can make this a weekend holiday for the whole family — kids love sand and surf.
Varmint Bullets Starting at $7.85 per Hundred
If you’re looking for decent, very affordable .22-caliber bullets for varmint hunting, multi-gun matches, and fun shooting, check out the Varmint Nightmare X-Treme Bullets from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Sourced from an undisclosed premium bullet manufacturer, these .22-Cal Varmint Nightmare X-Treme bullets are proven performers. These bullets are offered in cannelured softpoint ($40.12), premium softpoint (no cannelure, $44.19) and hollowpoint ($46.59) versions in 500-count bulk packs. You can even buy the cannelured softpoint in jumbo 2000-count boxes for $157.05 (that works out to just $7.85 per hundred). Also on sale are 500-ct boxes of .204-caliber and 17-caliber Varmint Nightmare X-treme Bullets. Look no further if you need a good quality, low-cost bullet for a high-round-count varmint expedition.
Varmint Nightmare Bullets Field-Tested by GunsAmerica.com GunsAmerica.com recently tested Midsouth’s 55gr Varmint Nightmare bullets in a scoped AR-15 rifle, and concluded they work great. Loaded into Hornady brass with Hodgdon CFE-223 powder and CCI 5.56 primers, these inexpensive 55gr Varmint Nightmare bullets grouped consistently under an inch at 100 yards with “an off-the-shelf Rock River AR with no special bells and whistles.”
The GunsAmerica.com Blog reports: “Half price bullets for an AR-15 is a dream come true for many shooters. But is cheaper inferior? That is exactly our question as we take a look at the half-priced bulk purchase .223 ‘Varmint Nightmare’ bullets from Midsouth Shooters Supply. If you look at the prices of ‘name brand’ bullets for the AR-15, they run about $130-$170 per thousand. Varmint Nightmare bullets go for as low as $157 per two thousand, and even in the lowest quantity of 500 bullets, that box costs only $46.59 at Midsouth. We haven’t been able to test these half-price bullets on game, but the accuracy is great and they seem to be extremely consistent. For popping crows or prairie dogs for an afternoon, clanging steel for 3-Gun, or just heading out to the range … these bullets seem to be a great buy.”
Below is the top half of a Walmart ad intended to sell hunting rifles and accessories. We’re pleased that Walmart still stocks guns, ammo, and gear on its shelves. But look carefully at the fellow in the tree-stand. He’s got some nice camo clothing, but a few items are missing that might help this hunter in his quest to take home a buck. Apparently Walmart’s ad-makers aren’t too experienced with shooting.
Registrations are now being accepted for the Vortex Extreme challenge event, to be held at the Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf long range shooting facility in Tremonton, Utah July 20-21, 2012. The first Vortex Extreme was held last July, and it was a big success (though conditions were very hot). If you’re looking for the challenge of long-range precision shooting with real-world hunting scenarios, the Vortex Extreme is your event. The event requires two-person teams to navigate the 7-mile course on foot carrying everything needed to successfully engage targets out to 1,000 yards. Final scores are based on how well each team shoots and how long it takes them to complete the course. Last year, many of the top teams jogged and ran most of the course — this requires fitness and stamina.
Registration will be limited to fifty (50) teams of two. The entry fee is substantial — $500 per team, but this does include overnight lodging in Tremonton, Utah, along with Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast. The winning team takes home $1500 and a trophy. Second place pays $700, and third place wins $500.00. And there are many other prizes from Vortex, Russell Outdoors, and other vendors. If you’re interested, register soon. This event fills up quickly.
Course of Fire
Competitors will fire up to 26 shots each. Nearly all shots will be from natural shooting positions adding to the realism of each scenario. Scores will be based on course time and how well each team shoots. Strong legs and lungs recommended.
Recommended Gear
If you can hack it to pack it, you can bring it. Participants must carry everything needed to effectively shoot and complete the course. Each person must carry their own rifle. Other kit can be shared. Essential gear includes: Rifle, ammunition, optics, rangefinder, shooting sticks, backpack, extra water, snacks, sun screen, good footwear, hat, eye protection, hearing protection.
Long-range hunters may want to add Shooter’s Bible Guide to Rifle Ballistics to their reference library. Written by Dr. Wayne van Zwoll, this 224-page resource focuses on the basic principles of ballistics. While the book concentrates on the many factors that affect bullet trajectories, the book also includes chapters on everything from rifle design to bullet construction and handloading. Gunsmith and long-range shooting school instructor Darrell Holland recommends the book highly. Darrell tells us: “Friend and noted author Wayne van Zwoll has authored another fine book on long range shooting. Wayne is a great shot (probably one of the best sling shooters I’ve been around) and superb hunter in his own right. We applaud his efforts to provide sound and accurate knowledge on long range hunting.” For an autographed copy of this color-illustrated book, contact Wayne van Zwoll at: wvanzwoll [at] amerion.com .
Van Zwoll is the “real deal” — an experienced outdoorsman, with serious shooting and writing “creds”. Over his career, Van Zwoll worked for the BLM, then Washington’s Department of Game. He worked as a photographer for the U.S. Forest Service, then became one of the Elk Foundation’s first field directors. He has guided hunters in Utah and Wyoming, and has hunted on five continents. Wayne has shot competitively since his days on the Michigan State University rifle team. He qualified for the final Olympic smallbore tryouts in 1972 and later won two state prone titles. For 14 years he has conducted shooting seminars for Safari Club International (SCI). Wayne van Zwoll has authored 14 books, and written more than 2,000 articles for numerous magazines, including Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life. In 2006 he received the Jack Slack Outdoor Writer of the Year award from Leupold. Wayne now serves as Special Projects Editor for Intermedia Outdoors.
Here’s a interesting new ammo option for air rifle shooters. Gamo Outdoor USA has introduced new Bone Collector® lead pellets featuring dome tips and grooved skirts. Gamo claims that the rounded nose and grooved skirt makes these pellets more aerodynamic (with a higher ballistic coefficient), so they retain more energy at longer distances. That’s good news for Airgun varmint hunters. The .177 pellet weighs 7.56 grains while the larger .22-caliber version weighs 15.43 grains. Gamo claims that the high weight-to-caliber ratio and higher BC gives Bone Collector® pellets “more terminal penetration than standard lead pellets” and a stable flight trajectory. MSRP is $8.95 per tin (150 pellets/tin in .177 and 100 pellets/tin in .22). Whether the Bone Collector pellets really live up to the marketing hype remains to be seen, but it’s still good to see some new offerings among pellet-makers.
Nothing New Under the Sun?
While Gamo is claiming that its domed and skirted pellet design is an innovative new aerodynamic design, sharp-eyed Bulletin reader Julio from the UK points out the the Gamo Bone Collector is a dead-ringer for the RWS Superdome pellet, which has been available for quite some time. Check out the photos and you’ll see the similarity.
The RWS Superdome is available in three sizes: .177, .22, and .25. The Gamo Bone Collector pellets are a bit heavier in .22 caliber: Gamo’s .22-cal Bone Collector is 15.43 grains compared to 14.5 for the .22-cal Superdome. But the RWS .177-cal Superdome is 8.3 grains compared to 7.56 grains for the bone Collector. And Gamo has nothing to match the jumbo 31.0 grain .25-caliber Superdome.
Here’s a sweet offer from Browning. Purchase a Browning firearm at retail price from April 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012 and Browning will reimburse you up to 8% in U.S. funds for the sales tax. For example, if you spend $1,000 and pay 8% sales tax, you can get $80 back from Browning — that’s like getting an 8% discount. (If you purchase your new Browning in a “no sales tax” state, send in your coupon for special consideration.)
We like Browning’s reasoning for this promotion: “Uncle Sam has picked your pocket all year long. Now is the time for some [tax relief]“. To get your sales tax refund, fill out the Browning Tax Relief Coupon and mail it in, along with a copy of your sales receipt. Participating Browning dealers should also have flyers and coupons available at their stores. NOTE: This offer is available only in the USA, and Buckmark and 1911-22 pistols are excluded.
X-Bolt Composite Stalker: Browning’s X-Bolt series is an affordable line of hunting rifles with adjustable triggers, 60°-lift bolts, and detachable rotary magazines. These guns have glass-bedded receivers and free-floating, hand-chambered barrels. Sixteen (16) different chamberings are offered, from .223 Rem all the way up to .338 Win Mag. Street price on the Composite Stalker is about $750.00.
T-Bolt Target Varmint: Browning makes a sweet, nice-handling rimfire varmint rifle with Browning’s unique, straight-pull T-Bolt action. This is offered in .22 LR, .22 Magnum, and 17 HMR. T-Bolts come in both right-hand or left-hand versions, with wood or synthetic stocks. Street prices on T-Bolt rifles range from about $500.00 to $650.00, depending on configuration.
Restrictions: Offer valid only on the consumer retail purchase of a new Browning firearm (offer excludes Buck Mark and 1911-22 pistols) purchased between April 1, 2012 and April 30, 2012. Documents must be postmarked no later than midnight, May 15, 2012. Browning employees and dealers etc., and members of their immediate families, are not eligible for this promotion. Limited to one offer per person. All purchasers must be U.S. citizens or legal residents.
Story tip by Edlongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
The new Shooterest Shooting System is a hitch-transportable, twin-station shooting bench that deploys directly from your vehicle. You can shoot EITHER with the bench attached to the hitch (and vehicle), or the Shooterest Bench can be detached for stand-alone shooting. The reversible table-tops handle both right- and left-handed shooters.
The Shooterest’s designer, Brian Auer, is a mechanical engineer. He builds Shooterest benches with his brother and father. Brian comments: “The three of us fabricate everything ourselves in our barn workshop in Rathdrum, Idaho. Basically, you can hook up the bench (fully assembled and ready to use) to your vehicle in a vertical position so it won’t hit the ground or extend past the 3-ft legal limit beyond the rear bumper. When you arrive at your shooting location, you pull one pin and move the bench to the horizontal position. You then drop the front stabilizers, maybe adjust your table height if needed, and you’re ready to shoot. The tailgate on a pickup also serves as a handy table to stage ammo, clips, guns, etc. If you don’t want the bench mounted to a vehicle (or if you don’t have a 2″ receiver), you can set the bench directly on the ground using the same parts that attach it to the vehicle.”
Preload the Bench for Added Stability When Hitch-Mounted
Given the fact that vehicles have springs, we were concerned that there might be a little vertical play in the Shooterest when deployed mounted to a hitch. Dan Auer, Brian’s father, explained that you can eliminate any potential “bounce” by putting in a little preload: “With the bench on the hitch mount, just lift up the table a bit and extend the front stabilizers (legs) an inch or two. That preloads the system and pretty much takes up the slack in your truck springs. You end up with a very stable platform that way.”
The Shooterest bench system comes in Deluxe and Standard models, both with twin independently adjustable platforms allowing two shooters to shoot simultaneously. The $489.00 Deluxe version features 3/4 inch plywood tops and seats, plus a convenient center-mounted deluxe shell deflector screen. The $389.00 Standard shooting bench has painted 7/16 OSB plywood tables and seats, with standard deflector screen. Both models share these other features:
Bench can be used mounted to vehicle OR stand-alone (detached)
Fully-assembled bench can be transported on vehicle receiver
Bench is constructed from strong, durable steel tubing
Bench can be disassembled to transport inside vehicle
Tables adjust for sitting or standing shooting positions
Seats are 3-way adjustable for height, fore/aft, width from centerline
Adjustable stabilizer legs can be adjusted for uneven terrain
Tables are reversible for right- or left-handed shooters
Bench is wheelchair accessible
For more information, visit Shooterest.com, call (208) 661-5973, or email sales [at] shooterest.com. Currently, Shooterest Benches can only be shipped within the continental U.S. ($40 flat rate) & Canada ($90 flat rate). Installation Tips: Shooterest benches come with one hitch pin, but a second pin will be required for attaching to the receiver on the vehicle. We recommend a drop receiver for any receivers mounted higher than 25 inches on the vehicle.
The season finale of the Friends of the NRA TV show airs Sunday Night (March 25th) on the Outdoor Channel at 10:30 pm EST. In this episode, hosts Matt and Jessie head to Alton, Illinois, home of Winchester Ammunition. Matt and Jessie tour the Winchester plant, and learn how shotgun shells are made. Matt and Jessie then test shotshells on Winchester’s outdoor skeet and pistol range.
The show’s real highlight is a visit to the farm house of John M. Olin. Franklin Olin, John’s father, founded Western Cartridge Company. After Western Cartridge acquired the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, the merged Winchester-Western enterprise became Olin Industries, which now produces Winchester-brand ammo (and many other products). If you’re interested in the history of America’s firearms industry, you should watch this episode just to learn more about John M. Olin, a talented inventor who secured numerous patents in the fields of arms and ammunition. John M. Olin, who held a college degree in chemistry, was also responsible for many advancements in propellants and ballistics. In the episode’s final scenes, Matt and Jessie visit Winchester’s historic hunting preserve, Nilo Farms. There, the two go hunting for chukar and pheasant.
You’ll need an accurate rifle, plus at least 80 rounds of ammo (bring 100 rounds if you have no idea about your come-ups at these distances). You can shoot either rested prone (F-Class style), from bipod, or from a portable bench with front pedestal and rear bag. Most guys shoot from benches. Any rifle 6.5 caliber or under is allowed, with no weight restrictions. Any good varmint rifle can be competitive. Muzzle brakes are permitted. Spotter assistants are allowed, so bring a friend along — he/she can shoot in a different relay. Bring cleaning gear if your rifle can’t run 80+ rounds without losing accuracy. Pastry snacks are often provided, but bring water, a sandwich and your preferred non-alcoholic beverage. You’ll spend some time in the sun helping to set targets, so bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
There is a deluxe Indian Casino/Spa a half-mile from the range. So don’t hesitate to bring the wife. If she’s not a shooter, she can enjoy a fancy brunch or spa treatment while you’re having fun mowing down metal critters. Pala is a 30 minutes from the Pacific Ocean and beautiful beaches, so you can make this a weekend holiday for the whole family — kids love sand and surf.
Varmint Bullets Starting at $7.85 per Hundred
Long-range hunters may want to add 
Van Zwoll is the “real deal” — an experienced outdoorsman, with serious shooting and writing “creds”. Over his career, Van Zwoll worked for the BLM, then Washington’s Department of Game. He worked as a photographer for the U.S. Forest Service, then became one of the Elk Foundation’s first field directors. He has guided hunters in Utah and Wyoming, and has hunted on five continents. Wayne has shot competitively since his days on the Michigan State University rifle team. He qualified for the final Olympic smallbore tryouts in 1972 and later won two state prone titles. For 14 years he has conducted shooting seminars for Safari Club International (SCI). Wayne van Zwoll has authored 14 books, and written more than 2,000 articles for numerous magazines, including Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life. In 2006 he received the Jack Slack Outdoor Writer of the Year award from Leupold. Wayne now serves as Special Projects Editor for Intermedia Outdoors.
Nothing New Under the Sun?
Here’s a sweet offer from Browning. Purchase a Browning firearm at retail price from April 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012 and Browning will reimburse you up to 8% in U.S. funds for the sales tax. For example, if you spend $1,000 and pay 8% sales tax, you can get $80 back from Browning — that’s like getting an 8% discount. (If you purchase your new Browning in a “no sales tax” state, send in your coupon for special consideration.)
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