Here’s an interesting product, offered by Creedmoor Sports. The innovative MOA Tactical Shooting Bag (MOA TSB) combines plastic pellets with an inflatable, inner air chamber to provide a very lightweight (and adjustable) rear support for your rifle, when shooting prone. Designed for “tactical” shooters, we think the MOA bag would work equally well for hunters and varminters. Costing $59.95, the MOA inflatable bag is priced competitively with basic rear sandbags, but it weighs much, much less than a leather or cordura bag filled with sand.
These MOA bags are built tough, with a durable inner air bladder, surgical-quality tubing, and rugged outer fabric. To help stabilize the bag, lightweight polymer (plastic) pellets are used inside. The air pump then inflates the air bladder to the degree of hardness/softness you prefer. An air valve allows you to deflate the MOA bag for more compact transport and storage.
Here’s great news for fans of wildcat cartridges and for any hand-loaders who need dies with custom dimensions. Redding Reloading Equipment will now be making custom dies again. The procedure for ordering dies is outlined below. You’ll need to provide a chamber reamer print or three fired cases.
Redding is now able to offer custom dies because it has expanded its manufacturing capabilities in recent years. Redding has more than doubled the number of its CNC machines, expanded factory floor space by 40%, and added many new skilled workers. This growth in production capabilities has allowed the company to again accept orders for new Custom Dies and Die sets.
Here are exclusive “Spy Shots” of a soon-to-be released project, the all-new F-Open chassis system from Competition Machine (Gary Eliseo). Dubbed the “F1″ stock by Gary, this radical new chassis system is designed expressly for F-Open competition. With a super-low Center of Gravity (COG), the F1 boasts many innovative features including an epoxy-lined barrel block that allows the action to float. The F1’s length-of-pull is adjustable for length while the buttpad holder adjusts for height.
The stock, which will work with any type of action, should sell for about the same price as a fully-adjustable fiberglass stock. Competition Machine hopes to start shipping F1 stocks in summer 2015.
The F1 stock will accept any action, long or short, right-hand or left-hand. The F1 is shown below with a Pierce magnum long action.
Magpul caused a stir with its surprise introduction of an advanced stock for Rem 700 actions. Now Magpul has followed that with a product that could be even more successful — a tactical-style reinforced polymer stock for the popular Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle.
Priced at just $139.95, Magpul’s new Hunter X-22 stock features tactical styling and adjustable ergonomics. Like Magpul’s Hunter 700 stock for the Rem 700, the new X-22 stock offers adjustable length-of-pull (LOP) via spacers, plus adjustable comb height via optional Cheek Riser Kits. To ensure compatibility with all Ruger 10/22s, the Magpul X-22 stock features an innovative reversible barrel tray that fits heavy bull barrels as with as thinner, factory-contour barrels. Fitted with M-LOK accessory slots and a rubber buttpad, Magpul’s new Hunter X-22 will be offered in four colors: Black, Gray, Dark Earth (Tan), Olive Drab (Green). See all four colors below:
You have to love it when a prototype product not only performs well, but actually wins a match. For some time, Criterion Barrels has been working on a match-grade barrel for vintage Lee-Enfield rifles. It looks like they got things right…
Over the Easter weekend the New Zealand Service Rifle Association held its annual national service rifle competition. Coming first in the Classic Bolt Action class was Wellington’s Nicole McKee shooting a Lee-Enfield with a new, prototype Criterion barrel. Nicole’s rifle was built by her husband Duncan, a vintage rifle expert who specializes in accurizing the No. 4 and SMLE actions. Nicole’s .303 British handloads featured Hornady 174gr FMJ Boattail bullets (SKU: 3131) pushed by 47.0 grains of ADI 2209 (H4350). ADI 2209 has become the top go-to powder for .303 British shooters in New Zealand.
Reactive targets are fun — a nice change of pace compared to punching paper. We know many guys like busting clay birds with rifles at 300 yards and beyond. This is good training for a varmint safari, as a clay pigeon is roughly the same size as a well-fed prairie dog. However, clays make better rifle targets if you can get them up off the ground. When placed on a berm they don’t shatter as dramatically. Birchwood Casey has a new product that makes “clay-busting” more fun.
The new Rigid™ Clay Holder Stand from Birchwood Casey features an A-frame design that sets up quickly and easily. The stand is constructed of heavy cardboard and should withstand multiple trips to the range. The die-cut holes will hold eight standard size clay targets on one side and four on the other. The Rigid Clay Holder Stand folds flat for easy storage and transport and comes packaged with three sheets of Shoot-N-C® 1″, 2″ and 3″ targets. Birchwood Casey’s clay target holder sells for a suggested retail price of $7.60. (At that prices you can afford to buy a few spares.)
Gunsmith Darrell Holland has invented an interesting upgrade to the RCBS Auto Bench Priming Tool. If your hand starts to hurt after priming dozens of cases with a hand-held, squeeze-type priming tool, you may want to consider Holland’s invention, which he calls the “Perfect Primer Seater” (PPS).
Holland basically has modified the RCBS lever, adding a precise crush control and a means of measuring depth with a gauge. He claims this gives “an EXACT primer seating depth based on primer pocket depth and primer thickness”. With Holland’s PPS, primer seating depth is controlled with a rotating wheel that limits lever travel in precise gradations. You can buy the complete priming system for $215.00, or, if you already own the RCBS Auto Prime tool, you can purchase an adapter kit (with base, arm, adjuster, and gauge etc.) for $120.00. To order, visit Hollandguns.com then click on “Reloading Equipment”.
Here’s a smart, versatile new product — a large-size rifle case that does double-duty as a shooting mat. Uncle Mike’s Long Range Tactical Bag quickly and easily converts to a 78″ shooting mat. Measuring 50″ in length, with a 15″-tall main compartment, this bag is big enough to handle most tactical and F-TR rifles with optics and Harris-type bipods attached. A 30″ flip-out forward section includes a front load strap that allows shooters to pre-load the bipod legs while shooting prone.
The Long Range Shooting bag has four self-adjusting magazine pockets, which will hold magazine sizes from .223/5.56mm to .308/7.62mm. Conveniently, this new 50″-long soft case will fit inside the popular Pelican model 1750 hard case (for those situations where you need greater protection).
Fits Long-Range and Tactical rifles up to 49″ in length
Fold out front section has bi-pod front load strap
Sporter Chronograph Kit includes: Bayonet Sensor, 3.5 foot Data Cable, Remote Display (with Battery), Strap with thumb nut, Two V-block spacers, and compact storage box.
Magnetospeed has just introduced a new bayonet-style chronograph that is less than half the price of previous MagnetoSpeed models. This is big news for shooters who always wanted a MagnetoSpeed but found the $399.00 cost (for V3 model) too pricey. The new Sporter Chronograph will cost just $189.00. It offers most of the features of the more expensive models (see chart below for details) and has a updated sensor. The MagnetoSpeed Sporter chronograph kit was designed to be used on barrels from 1/2 inch up to 1 inch in diameter. In can also accommodate muzzle brakes and flash hiders up to 2.7 inches in length. MagnetoSpeed says its new Sporter is “Ideal for contoured rifle barrels (sporter barrels) and long-barreled revolvers.”
See $189.00 Sporter Chronograph Features Reviewed in Video
MagnetoSpeed Sporter features
Simple, one-button cycling display (shows recent shot velocity and statistics).
Three sensitivity settings for fine-tuning.
Easy access battery compartment, with 9V Battery included.
Integral, quick-attachment system, with metal buckle, nylon strap, screw-in tensioner, and dual V-block spacers (thick and thin).
Bayonet works with Muzzle Brakes and Flash-hiders up to 2.7″ long.
Q: Will the Sporter Chrono work with thicker barrel (i.e. greater than 1″ diameter)?
A: The manufacturer recommends the $399.00 V3 model for thicker barrels. But, wink-wink, if you have a 1.25″ barrel you can get this to work, based on what we’ve seen. If you need to go really fat (up to 2.0″ diameter), get the V3. Magnetospeed also says the V3 is needed for airguns, shotguns, and muzzleloaders.
Here’s a clever new product from Birchwood Casey, makers of Shoot-N-C targets. The innovative, spring-loaded “Belly Dancer” target moves when hit. This does the duty of a gong at a fraction of the weight and cost. The Belly Dancer is handy, easy to transport, and affordable ($34.07 at Amazon.com). What’s the down-side? Well, eventually you’re going to hit those springs and they will need replacement. Also, while the polymer target zone can withstand hundreds of shots, it will not last forever.
Ground Strike “Belly Dancer” Target
The new Belly Dancer Target employs springs to move back and forth when hit. The 9.5″ x 6.5″ yellow target section is made from a self-healing polymer that can withstand hundreds of hits. Designed for use with any caliber from .22 up, this Belly Dancer target doesn’t “clang” like a gong but the waiving motion indicates a hit. Shoot the neon-yellow gong-shaped head by itself or add stick-on 6″ Bullseye targets for precision work. This Belly Dancer target system works well as long as the ground is relatively soft. In rocky areas you may have trouble inserting the support shafts. But we still like this new product. It’s great for rifle practice at 300-600 yards.
Belly Dancer Target Features
– Yellow Hit Zone measures 9.5″ high and 6.5″ wide.
- Metal stand is 14″ high.
- Rated for all calibers and firearms.
- Long-last technology handles hundreds of rounds.
Here’s an interesting product, offered by Creedmoor Sports. The innovative MOA Tactical Shooting Bag (MOA TSB) combines plastic pellets with an inflatable, inner air chamber to provide a very lightweight (and adjustable) rear support for your rifle, when shooting prone. Designed for “tactical” shooters, we think the MOA bag would work equally well for hunters and varminters. Costing $59.95, the MOA inflatable bag is priced competitively with basic rear sandbags, but it weighs much, much less than a leather or cordura bag filled with sand.
