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March 11th, 2014
If you like sweet-shooting .17 HMR rimfire rifles, and appreciate fine German engineering, then you’ll love the Anschutz model 1727. Rarely seen on American shores, this is the only varmint rifle in the world using the super-fast, straight-pull Fortner action. Developed for Olympic Biathlon competitions, the Fortner action can be cycled in the blink of an eye. Just pull back the side-lever with your forefinger and then snick the bolt back with your thumb. This slick-cycling action has been used for many years in biathlon rifles, but the model 1727 is the first example of a Fortner varminter.
Our friend Steven Boelter, author of the Rifleman’s Guide to Rimfire Ammunition, has been able to test the Anschutz model 1727 extensively, both from the bench and in the field. Steven has published an outstanding online review of the model 1727, lavishly illustrated with great photos that show all the details of this unique firearm. We strongly recommend you visit Boelter’s Rimfire Research & Development Website (RRDVegas.com) and read his Anschutz 1727 Review.
Click Photo to Read Anschutz 1727 Review by Steven Boelter
After bench-testing the model 1727 for accuracy, and then using it on a ground squirrel safari, Boelter came away hugely impressed with this unique .17 HMR rifle:
The 1727 is truly a masterpiece; there really is no other way to look at it. I can’t think of any other rimfire action which remotely comes close in design or function, and executed at this level of precision.
The 1727 combines the accuracy of a single-shot match rifle, provides the convenience of a four-shot repeater, and cycles with nearly the speed of a semi-auto without fear of a dreaded case failure or “Ka-boom”. There’s really nothing else to say about the rifle. With virtually no short-comings in design or function, superb field performance and overall accuracy, it’s to be considered a 10 out of 10.
The only downside, Boelter explains, is the price: “The rifle alone has a suggested retail price of $3,500. When you add a nice set of Talley rings and bases along with a sharp Leupold scope, you’re approaching $5,000 USD. It’s completely out of reach for the majority of varmint hunters, and that is a shame.”
Anschutz 1727 Video Review from Australia. Amazing 50-yd accuracy at 12:00 time-mark.
Story tip by Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
March 11th, 2014
The March edition of Target Shooter Magazine is now available. Content is free — you don’t have to purchase a subscription. This month there are many interesting featured articles, including a lengthy report from SHOT Show, and an article on tuning the 6 PPC by noted gun writer James Mock.
Here’s one of the many new products featured in Target Shooter’s SHOT Show Report — a new kind of chronograph. You haven’t seen anything like it before, because it is the first Doppler Radar chronograph for general (civilian) use. Produced in Canada, the new MyLabradar chronograph can be positioned off to the side — the bullet does NOT have to be fired directly over a set of sensors. That’s a big deal — no more risk of killing your chrono when testing ammo. You just aim at the target, with the chrono placed a few yards to the left or right.
IWA Report Coming Soon from Target Shooter
The editors of Target Shooter note that new articles are added throughout the month, so visit www.TargetShooter.co.uk frequently to see new content. The big IWA trade show (the European version of SHOT Show) took place March 7-10 in Nuremberg, Germany. Target Shooter will provide a report: “Coming soon will be all the latest news from IWA — where our Editor spent four days searching around the exhibition for new and exciting products.”
March 10th, 2014
 Leica just released an inline power-booster (1.8X Extender) for its APO-Televid spotting scopes. Brilliant! That’s a great accessory we would like to other spotting scope makers offer as well. Hopefully we’ll see the other major brands — Kowa, Nightforce, Nikon, Pentax, Swarovski, Vortex, Zeiss — follow Leica’s lead.
With Leica’s new 1.8X Extender combined with the 25-50X eyepiece, the effective magnification range is 45-90X. That’s right — you can boost the high-end magnification from 50X all the way to 90X. In good viewing conditions (with a solid tripod), we have found you really can use 80+ power or higher on a spotting scope to resolve very small bullet holes at long range. With its 1.8X Extender in place, Leica now offers the greatest magnification of any premium spotting scope. According to the German company: “Leica is the world’s only manufacturer in the premium spotting scope segment to offer such an additional eyepiece for an existing angled spotting scope and such extreme magnification.”
The optical system of the 1.8X Extender consists of a two-lens achromat that mounts securely with an integrated bayonet mount locking mechanism. With the simple push of a button and a quick turn of the wrist, the Extender 1.8x can be quickly and securely mounted between the APO-Televid angled spotting scope and the eyepiece. (NOTE: the 1.8X Extender only works on Leica’s angled spotting scopes — there is no straight version). Leica designed the new 1.8X Extender to be optically, mechanically, and ergonomically matched with the APO-Televid spotting scopes to work flawlessly as a modular kit. MSRP for the 1.8X Extender is $449.00.
March 9th, 2014
Shooting heavy-duty steel targets is fun, and it’s a great way to practice your long-range skills, IF the target is the right size AND if it’s situated at appropriate distances. Unfortunately, many ranges don’t have steel rifle targets, or if they do, the targets are big gongs fixed in place. You can bring your own steel gongs to the range, however most setups are big, heavy, and hard to transport. Gongs are typically held by chains attached to very heavy, sawhorse-style supports that take two people to move.
Now there is a portable steel target plate that is relatively easy to move, and which is available in appropriate sizes for precision rifle shooters. The AR550 heavy-duty version of the Evil Roy Practice Target from GSS Competition works great for precision rifle practice at distances beyond 100 yards. And you can use the same plates for pistol practice at shorter distances. To reduce the chance of ricochets, there are no exposed bolts or clamps, and the target plate head is angled. When using the targets with rifles you want to avoid any bullets with penetrator tips, and GSS recommends keeping velocities under 3,000 fps. That still allows you to shot .308s, 6BRs, 6.5x47s, and .284s at competitive match speeds.
Choose from 6″, 8″, 10″ or 12″ Plate Diameters
The GSS circular targets, made from AR550 armor plate, come in four diameters: 6″, 8″, 10″, and 12″. We like the 6″ size for shooting at 600 yards, and the 10″ plate for 1000 yards. These sizes are very close to 1 MOA at those distances. This provides a good challenge for an F-Class or high power shooter. The circular plates can be mounted at two different heights, up to roughly 36 inches above the ground. The head of the Evil Roy Target will “bounce” a little when you hit it, so you get instant feedback.
HD Target Costs $175.00 — FREE Shipping for Limited Time
The GSS “Evil Roy” target plates are supported on a folding three-legged steel stand. This tripod base folds up to a 3-foot-long package for ease of carry and transport. NOTE: No tools are required for assembly, use, or storage. The portable stand folds to less than 3 feet long in just seconds, so it easily fits in the trunk of a small car. The GSS Evil Roy portable steel targets start at $155.00 plus $20.00 for the heavy-duty option. For a limited time, GSS is offering FREE Shipping on its steel targets (offer subject to change.) For more info, visit www.GSSCompetition.com.
March 6th, 2014
Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang is a really smart guy, a gifted machinist/fabricator, and a very innovative designer. If Seb worked in the auto industry, we’d probably all be driving flying cars by now.
Seb has just invented another really good product — a heavy, sand-filled mat for bipod use. We’ve christened this the ‘Pod-Pad™, and we think a lot of folks will want one. While the ‘Pod-Pad was designed for use with the SEB Joystick Bipod (“Joy-Pod”), it will work with other modern bipods (such as the Remple, the Sinclair, and the EVO). Inside the green fabric cover is sand plus a thin layer of neoprene. This allows the bipod feet to slide easily during recoil, and it also provides damping (and energy absorption) to reduce hop and torque.
Seb reports: “This is still a prototype mat, but I believe it works great. The carrying handle is the black belt in the middle of the mat, so it is easy to haul. There is a layer of 1/4″ thick neoprene under the slick microfiber on the top. This way the feet will slide smoothly and won’t sink, helping the rifle to maintain elevation. This heavy mat should be legal under the rules. It is not a rigid board, it can be folded.”
Watch Joystick Bipod (Joy-Pod) Used with NEW Sand-filled ‘Pod-Pad:
Seb tells us: “In this video, I am shooting my friend’s tactical rifle with the new Joy-pod, just to check how the bipod and mat work under recoil. The bipod and mat combo should work much better with a true F-TR gun. The new-generation Joy-pod has better internals and it’s more rigid. We should have the next shipment of Joy-pods ready around mid-April 2014″. Seb notes that the new Joy-pod has longer feet — more like actual skis. These can also be adjusted slightly for tilt/angle. The longer feet do seem to slide smoothly on recoil with much less hop.
The new generation Joy-pod will have a quick-detach (QD) option for mounting on a Picatinny rail. The quick-detach lever can be located on the right hand side (as shown above) or left hand side, tightening either forward or rearward as the shooter prefers.
For USA price list and more information, please contact:
Ernie Bishop
Gillette, WY
ernieemily @ yahoo.com
Phone: 307-257-7431
March 5th, 2014
 The new 35th Anniversary Edition Blue Book of Gun Values is now available for pre-order. To ensure you get your copy as soon as it is released on April 11, 2014, pre-order now.
2500 Pages, 175,000 Prices
1500 Manufacturers, 20,000 Gun Models
The Blue Book of Gun Values, by S. P. Fjestad, covers 1,500 manufacturers and trademarks, with almost 20,000 gun model descriptions, and over 175,000 price listings. This new Anniversary Edition contains significantly updated values and information. New 2014 makes and models have been included, along with updated values on discontinued and antique firearms. Features of the latest 35th edition of the Blue Book include pricing updates on major trademark current, antique, and discontinued models, including Colt, Winchester, and Sturm Ruger. You’ll also find extensive information on nearly 200 AR-15 and AK-47 manufacturers and importers. This unique resource contains more values, more listings, and more history than any other firearms guide on the market, by far.
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The Anniversary 35th Edition of the Blue Book boasts over 2,500 pages, easily giving it the highest page count of any firearms book currently in print. For 2014, new domestic and imported makes and models have been included. All gun values have been thoroughly updated for both modern and antique firearms, including the paramilitary style guns. Other features include the 80-page color Photo Percentage Grading System (PPGS) and serialization and proofmark sections to help in identifying firearms. The Blue Book of Gun Values is the firearm industry’s most trusted reference book with over 1.6 million copies in print.
CLICK HERE to Order Blue Book 35th Anniversary Edition |
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March 3rd, 2014
 We like Midsouth Shooters Supply. For 44 years, this outfit has offered very competitive prices, quick shipping, and a real commitment to customer satisfaction. Midsouth has also been a strong supporter of this website since the very beginning (when we were just getting started). The guys at Midsouth are real shooters, who use the products they make and sell.
We’re pleased to report that Midsouth Shooters Supply is introducing its own line of value-priced reloading gear. You’ll find a wide selection of Midsouth-brand products: ammo boxes, load trays, powder funnels, bullet pullers, media sifters, vibratory tumblers and more. And Midsouth is even offering its own branded tumbling media (corn or walnut) and liquid brass polish. We think you’ll find the pricing on all these products to be extremely competitive. Here are a few examples:
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Tumbler Kit
(Tumbler, Separator, Media, & Brass Polish)
Price: $72.93
Item: 038-502024 |
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Hinged-Top
50-Round Ammo Box
222/223 Rem
Price: $1.72
Item:038-502004 (Red)
Item:038-502005 (Clr)
(100-round boxes are also available for $2.52) |
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Powder Funnel Set
(Two Funnels plus inserts)
Price: $4.64
Item: 038-502029 |
March 2nd, 2014
Jere’s something new for you AR fans — an AR15 with laminated wood furniture. At SHOT Show 2014, Windham Weaponry introduced the VEX (Varmint Exterminator) Wood Stock line of rifles. Windham calls its first VEX model the “Pepper”, for the gray/black tones of the laminated stock. This should work better on the bags than conventional ARs. Up front, the handguard is wider on the underside (with a flared profile similar to the beavertail fore-ends on Cooper rifles). The buttstock has a dropped section at the rear for riding a sandbag. The $1480.00 VEX rifle features a 20″, 1:8″-twist fluted stainless barrel. Designed for scoped use, the A4-type flattop upper comes with optics riser blocks. There’s a Pic rail up front if you want to add a front iron sight.
Click to zoom photo
CLICK HERE to Download PDF Version of this Spec Sheet.
February 28th, 2014
 Federal Premium has a new online Ballistics Calculator. This free program can determine the trajectory for any rifle or handgun load, and even save your ballistics solutions for future reference. This is handy if you shoot Federal ammunition, because all Federal ammo types are included in the built-in database, with BCs and velocities. That makes it very easy to get a ballistics solution for Federal factory ammo — simply enter the caliber and bullet type/weight and the solver fills in the BC and velocity for you.
Federal’s Ballistics Calculator can also be used for handloaded ammo with non-Federal components. However, you can only use a G1 BC and Federal’s solver is not as sophisticated as some others. We still recommend JBM Ballistics or the new Applied Ballistics Online Solver. These both offer both G1 and G7 and extensive databases of field-derived BCs for hundreds of bullets. The Federal Ballistics Calculator only has BC numbers for factory-made Federal ammunition.
February 18th, 2014
Wouldn’t it be nice to dispense with patches and jags when cleaning your guns? The folks at Super Brush, LLC, had the same idea, so they invented Bore-tips® swabs. These reusable foam “mops” provide 360° of contact with the bore, reaching both the grooves and the lands. Bore-tips thread onto standard cleaning rods. They are offered in a variety of sizes, from .22 Caliber up to 12 Gauge. Rifle Bore-tips come in .22 (5.56mm), .243 (6mm), and .308 (7.62mm) diameters.
We saw samples of this new product for the first time at the Berger SWN. We’re intrigued. The product may be useful for some applications, particularly pistols and shotguns which require minimal brushing. For rifles they do a good job of applying solvents because they hold more liquid than a patch. However, you probably won’t want to abandon your jags and patches. Sometimes a tight-fitting patch is still the best tool for the job. Patches are cheap and it’s easier to discard a used patch, rather than fuss with cleaning foam swabs. But for shotguns (and lightly used pistols), these things make sense.
Bore-tips® Claimed Benefits:
• Each tip is reusable and can be cleaned with solvents or soap and water.
• Tough and fiber-free, Bore-tips will not shed or leave lint behind as cotton will.
• FAST PATCHLESS CLEANING — solves the shortcomings of the jag and patch.
• Foam fills the lands and grooves of the rifling, not sliding over the top like a patch.
• Quick threading on a standard 8-32 cleaning rod. Shotgun sizes use a 5/16 x 27 rod.
• Can be used with most commercially available solvents and oils.
How to Use Bore-tips®
Use a Bore-tip to apply solvent to the barrel. After allowing the solvent time to work, brush the bore to break up any fouling. Next use a clean Bore-tip to push the fouling out the bore. When the now dirty Bore-tip clears the bore, wet it with a little solvent and then squeeze it with an absorbent rag or paper towel, this will blot the dirt off. After blotting the Bore-tip should be clean enough to continue using to remove the fouling until you are finished cleaning. When you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your barrel, use a clean Bore-tip to dry the bore.
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How to Clean Bore-tips®
For faster cleaning, apply mineral spirits to the Bore-tip and squeeze/blot into an absorbent rag or paper towel. When the Bore-tip is clean, let dry and reuse. Using soap and water, squeeze to blot out any excess solvent or dirt. Next, wash the Bore-tip with a grease-cutting soap and warm water. Once clean, rinse then let dry completely. See cleaning video below:
Bore-Tips Foam Swab Cleaning Demonstration
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