Danny Biggs is one of the nation’s most successful F-Class shooters. A two-time (back to back) National Champion in F-TR Class, Danny also finished third in Open Class at the 2010 National Championships. Notably, Danny’s X-count of 67Xs, the highest of all competitors, was 10 Xs higher than 2010 F-Open winner Derek Rogers.
Mat with ‘Donut-Hole’ Cut-Out for Rear Bag
Danny is a very savvy competitor, to say the least, and he brought some innovative gear with him to the Nationals. Along with his height-adjustable Sinclair wide-base bipod, Danny used a cleverly modified shooting pad and Edgewood rear sandbag. Danny’s “donut-hole” mat featured a cut-out in the middle, allowing him to place his rear sandbag directly on the ground. This helps stabilize the bag no matter what the ground surface or slope. With the bag sitting directly on the ground, it’s less likely to slide or rotate.
In addition, Danny’s rear bag is raised up via a thick rubber base or “foot”. The fat base, which appeared to be hard rubber, is secured via metal tabs that clamp on to the hard leather bottom of Danny’s Edgewood rear bag. The Edgewood bag has a lip around the bottom that provides a natural attachment point for the metal tabs.
Inexpensive MidwayUSA Shooting Mat
Danny uses an affordable shooting mat — the basic 67″ L x 26.75″ W MidwayUSA shooting pad that retails for $49.99. FYI, MidwayUSA’s larger Pro Series Competition Shooting Mat is on sale right now for the same $49.99 (sale price through May 31, 2012). Sized 73.5″ long x 35.5″ wide, this deluxe, khaki-colored mat rolls up into an 8.5″ Diameter “sausage” for transport or storage. The mat has rubberized elbow and knee pads; the mat is about .535″ thick at the knee and elbow pads. By comparison, the standard MidwayUSA Shooting Mat is only 0.335″ thick on the pads. Both standard and Pro Series mats have corner grommets allowing the mat to be staked down in high winds. These mats both have a carry handle and a shoulder strap.
ZCORR Products has introduced a new Anti-Corrosion Softcase with a built-in, vacuum-sealable VCI corrosion-barrier bag providing airtight and waterproof protection for firearms. The 42″-long main gun compartment houses a VCI storage bag that clips into the softcase. ZCORR’s clip-in system lets you secure a second long-gun bag when two-gun transport is needed. Double-gun capacity is a plus because these cases are expensive — MSRP is $249.00. That’s ten times the cost of some basic soft-skin (fabric and foam) rifle carriers.
ZCORR’s reinforced VCI bags are sturdy, being made from the same tough VCI material used in the popular ZCORR long-term storage bags. The clip-in VIC bags are designed to withstand frequent inserting/removing of firearms. ZCORR claims: “With repeated use, such as one to two shooting sessions per week, the VCI vacuum bag will last at least five years and longer with less use. After five to ten years of use customers can simply replace the VCI bag by unclipping it from the softcase and installing a replacement.”
While we like the idea of a soft guncase with serious built-in corrosion protection, it’s too bad that the case is only 42″ long. That size will hold ARs, and some short tactical bolt-guns, but it’s way too short for typical precision match rifles. At least the ZCORR Softcase offers additional compartments for handguns and accessories. There is an 11”x35” front compartment for handguns and magazines. Other shooting accessories can be stowed in two extra pockets measuring 9″×12” and 9″×9″ respectively.
COMMENT: For $249.00 one can get a quality, full-length hard-case and three or four 54″-long vacuum-sealable Vapor Phase Corrosion Inhibitor (VpCI) bags, big enough to hold a long match rifle with room to spare. A hard case with 54″ bags woud be a better solution for most precision rifle shooters than this first-generation ZCORR Softcase. Hopefully ZCORR will get the message that its current Anti-Corrosion Softcase is undersized (for bolt guns) and over-priced.
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.
Lyman has introduced two new Turbo®Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaning units, a large 6.3-quart model TS-6000 and a smaller 23.6 oz. model TS-700. Along with the original mid-sized TS-2500 model introduced in 2011, Lyman now offers a full line-up of three (3) ultrasonic cleaning units: large, medium, and small. By most reports the TS-2500 worked well, so we expect the new TS-6000 and TS-700 will also handle ultrasonic cleaning duties well.
TS-6000
The large Model TS-6000 processes up to 1300 9mm cases or four handgun frames in less than 15 minutes (when the built-in heater is used). This workhorse is powered by two industrial-grade transducers and has an integral drain and hose for easy solution changes. The unit’s two-color LED display panel controls five different timed cleaning cycles.
TS-700
The small-footprint Model TS-700 fits in tight spaces. This unheated model handles up to 100 9mm cartridge cases. The compact TS-700 can also clean parts such as dies, muzzle brakes, and mould blocks. Note: Lyman recommends using its Steel & Stainless Steel Solution for dies and other steel components. The TS-700 features oscillation circuitry and five (5) timed cleaning cycles.
TS-2500
The mid-sized TS-2500 model, with heated tank, shown below, process up to 900 9mm cases per cleaning cycle. Introduced in 2011, this product has been widely adopted by hand-loaders. The TS-2500 will clean cases inside and out, including primer pockets, in less than 15 minutes.
Lyman TS-6000 and TS-2500 Units Can Heat Solution for Faster Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaning machines employ ultrasonic cavitation to gently lift and dissolve carbon, dirt, lubricants, and other residues left on fired cases and small metal parts. Lyman’s TS-6000 and TS-2500 TurboSonic cleaning units feature tank heaters to warm the cleaning solution. Because ultrasonic cavitation works faster and better with a warm solution, Lyman claims its machines’ built-in heaters will speed up your cleaning job, by cutting processing time.
Lyman Cleaning Solutions (Three Types) — Lyman now offers its Brass Cleaning Solution and Steel & Stainless Steel Cleaning Solutions in 4 oz., 16 oz. and 32 oz. sized bottles. For even more versatility a new 16 oz. Jewelry Solution is available. For more information visit www.lymanproducts.com.
Berger Bullets has released a new, 250-grain .338 caliber Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet. This is a slippery projectile, with an impressive .349 G7-model Ballistic Coefficient (.682 G1 BC). This new bullet gives Berger TWO heavyweight .338-cal bullets in its line-up — Berger already offered a 300gr OTM Tactical Hybrid with a .419 G7 BC, and a whopping .818 G1 BC. Berger tells us: “The .338-Cal 250gr and 300gr Hybrid OTM Tactical bullets were optimized for use in the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge, but will work great in other cartridges as well.”
The new .338 cal, 250gr Hybrid was designed by Bryan Litz. The new 250-grainer’s Hybrid design blends a tangent ogive with a secant ogive. These blended shapes yield outstanding ballistic performance, yet the blended Hybrid design is normally less “finicky” about seating depth position than are secant-ogive, VLD-style bullets. Hence less load tuning should be required with the Hybrids compared to VLD designs. According to Bryan, these thick-jacket OTM Tactical bullets have been optimized for specific cartridges. They should be successful at either magazine-feedable lengths or loaded long for single-shot firing situations, which can allow for more powder capacity and higher velocities.
.338 Cal Hybrids for Long-Range Hunting?
While Berger officially says that the new 250gr Hybrid and its larger 300gr cousin are “not recommended for hunting”, large .338-caliber bullets with similar construction, such as the Sierra 300gr Match King, have been used successfully by long-range hunters for many years. One experienced hunting guide told us: “This combination of bullet diameter and bullet weight has proven to be a very effective on elk and other large game.” Berger’s 250gr and 300gr OTM Hybrids offer a higher BC option than other bullets in this caliber and weight ranges. Berger does plan, in the future, to offer .338 caliber 250-grain and 300-grain Hybrid Hunting bullets.
Loaded Ammo with new .338 Hybrids Available from Bryan Litz
Bryan Litz’s ammunition business, Applied Ballistics Munitions, now offers loaded .338-caliber ammo for two cartridges: .338 Edge and .338 Lapua Magnum. This ammo (for both cartridge types) is offered with your choice of either the 300gr OTM Hybrid or the new 250gr and 300gr OTM hybrid. If you’re not familiar with the .338 Edge, this is a 300 Remington Ultra Magnum necked-up for the .338 bullet. The .338 Edge has become popular with long-range hunters.
Story tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions
The Dolphin Gun Company, based in the United Kingdom, has developed a very stable, yet lightweight wide-base bipod, ideal for F-TR shooters. We expect Dolphin’s new Trakker bipod will also be popular with varmint hunters and some tactical shooters.
Trakker bipods are available in two confirgurations, “Standard” and “Long”. Perhaps they would be better named “Wide” and “Extra-Wide” — the “Long” version has extended legs which can provide a wider base and/or extra elevation. Both versions provide a very stable platform for prone shooting, and both versions are available with either Sling-swivel or rail attachments (see photos below).
Here’s the great news — these Trakker bipods are very light, yet sturdy. The standard version weighs just 21.2 ounces (600 grams), while the long version tips the scales at 24.7 ounces (700 grams). This will help shooters “make weight” in F-TR class even if they have a very long barrel, or jumbo-sized scope. Trakker bipods are offered with multiple color choices: natural (silver) alloy, matte black powder coat, or other powder coat color of the customers’ choice (extra charge may apply for custom colors).
Dolphin’s Trakker bipods have been extensively tested by top F-TR shooters in Europe and we have heard that these bipods work extremely well. They are stable yet easy to adjust, and they are quite a bit lighter than most wide-base bipods on the market. Retail price in the UK is £165.00, which translates to $267.00 US Dollars, but this does not include overseas shipping or possible customs charges. Americans can order direct from Dolphin at this time and Dolphin will ship to the states. (Dolphin is currently in discussions with a US-based company that would produce the Trakker bipod for the North American market, under license). For more information, visit DolphinGunCompany.co.uk or email mik [at] mikdolphin.demon.co.uk. NOTE: The Dolphin Gun Company website is pretty slow. You may have to try multiple times to load the pages.
About Dolphin Gun Company
Dolphin Gun Company was formed several years ago by Mik Maksimovic and Pete Hobson, two active, competitive F-Class shooters. Both Mik and Peter come from engineering backgrounds. They first set up Dolphin Gun Company to build their own competitive shooting gear. From hobby gunsmithing and preparing their own rifles and equipment, Mik and Pete quickly progressed to building rifles for other shooters and creating top-of-the-line shooting accessories such as the Trakker bipod.
Product Tip from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
Nancy Tompkins will be bringing out a new Second Edition of her popular book: Prone and Long-Range Rifle Shooting. Nancy hopes to have Second Edition books available by mid-June, 2012. The enhanced Second Edition will feature updates to the current chapters, more photos, plus an entirely new chapter on F-Class Shooting. The Second Edition will be issued as a hardback only, for increased durability. Price isn’t set yet, but Nancy hopes to keep the price “under $40.00″. The book will be available from Sinclair Int’l and direct from Nancy who plans to have a new website for the book running by the end of May.
While visiting the new Lapua Rimfire Test Center in Mesa, Arizona, we had a chance to chat with Nancy, and learn about the Second Edition of Prone and Long-Range Rifle Shooting. Watch the video to hear Nancy talk about her plans for the updated version of her book.
Tompkins Book a Must-Read for Long-Range Shooters
Nancy’s updated treatise is a must-read for serious Palma, F-Class, and High Power shooters. The sections covering Mental & Physical training and Reading Wind & Mirage will benefit all precision shooters, regardless of discipline. Other topics include Shooting Fundamentals, International Competition, and Loading for Long Range. Nancy Tompkins has won the National Long Range Championships four times, and is the first woman ever to win the National High Power Championship. (The second was Nancy’s daughter SGT Sherri Gallagher.) Nancy has also won the prestigious Wimbledon Cup, and is a 5-time Leech Cup winner. Nancy has been on six Palma Teams (as both a shooter and a coach). (Note: photo shows First Edition of book.)
They have been on the market for nearly a year, but you may not know that Redding sells a line of Micrometer Seater assemblies, which can be used to upgrade Redding’s standard ½-20 thread seater dies. These replacements allow you to enjoy the ease-of-use and precision of a micrometer seater, without buying a whole new die. Redding states that “the new Bullet Seating Micrometers are a direct [retro-fit] replacement for the original seating plugs and can easily be changed from one die to another.” Unfortunately, these add-on micrometer stems haven’t started shipping yet, and Redding has not provided a firm delivery date (or price). We are hoping the products will start arriving by mid-summer.
NOTE: the seater assemblies are a component of the bullet seating die. These are not the dies themselves. It is the top portion of the die that contains the plunger, which pushes the bullet into the case. And here is something important: these new Bullet Seating Micrometers are available for both traditional tangent ogive bullet shapes as well as for VLD (secant ogive) bullets.
That’s right, Redding now offers micrometer seater assemblies made specifically for Berger VLD bullets. These Seating Micrometers allow you to convert a standard seater to a Micrometer seater optimized for VLDs. That’s great news for VLD fans. Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets tells us: “We have confirmed with Redding that each of the new micrometer plugs in the VLD group were designed based on Berger VLD bullets. We provided all of our VLD bullets to Redding, from which they took deliberate measurements and made these new plugs.”
New VLD-specific Seater Stems Improve Bullet Seating Depth Consistency
Stecker explains how the new VLD-specific seater assemblies produce better, more accurate ammo: “Many shooters have problems getting the VLD bullets to shoot because of the bullet seater die they are using. VLD bullet noses are so long and sharp that, in many dies, the bullet tip bottoms out in the bullet seater stem instead of touching on the side of the ogive like it should. Seating depth inconsistencies up to .025″ can occur if the seater stem bottoms out on the bullet tip. The worst part is that many shooters have no idea that this is the root cause of their poor performance. This new product can help turn a frustrating shooting experience into an enjoyable one.”
Story tip from Edlongrange. We welcome submissions from our readers.
The new 33rd Edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values has just been released, and is available now for $30.75. The Blue Book of Gun Values, by S. P. Fjestad, is the top-selling book in our AccurateShooter Bookstore which operates through Amazon.com. The 33rd Edition of the Blue Book has been expanded to 2,432 pages, all gun values have been thoroughly updated for both modern and antique firearms, including the recent paramilitary style guns, and it also includes new domestic and imported 2012 makes and models. Other features include an exclusive interview with the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre, an 80-page color Photo Percentage Grading System to help accurately determine the condition of firearms, 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 1.4 million copies in print.
New Nine-Part Video Guide for Blue Blue Users
To assist Blue Book readers, Blue Book Publications has created a nine-part instructional video series on YouTube. Part 1, the Introduction, provides an overview (video below). Each of the other eight (8) short videos explains a key feature of the Blue Book of Gun Values and how to best utilize it. Watch one or more videos, according to your interests.
At the NRA Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Colt Firearms introduced a new bolt-action “Competition Rifle”, the M2012-CLR. Assembled by Cooper Firearms for Colt, the M2012 features a Colt metal chassis with tubular forearm, and a Cooper Arms repeater action. The M2012 rifles on display were chambered in .308 Winchester with fluted 1:10″ twist stainless barrels fitted with Surefire muzzle brakes. The bolt is a three-lug design with a Sako-style extractor. Trigger is a Timney set at 3 pounds — pretty high for a “competition” rifle. Though the barrel is only 22″, the M2012 is fairly heavy. Weight without optics is 13.2 pounds. Given the weight and short barrel, we think Colt is marketing this more for tactical shooters, rather than actual High Power or F-TR competitors.
According to the GDI Engineering website, Colt’s M2012 “appear[s] to have been built on Cooper’s Model 54 action, which features a two-position safety to the right of the bolt. [Features] include an integral 25-MOA Picatinny base and the Colt-specific chassis and stock. The single-stack detachable magazines are from Accuracy International.”
Hefty Price for Colt’s M2012-CLR
MSRP for the new M2012-CLR is $3799.00. Colt’s asking price is approximately $1300.00 more than the price of an Eliseo RTS Tubegun Chassis ($1020.00) with a Rem-clone custom action ($900.00) and a Krieger barrel ($550.00 chambered). The RTS features a 5-way adjustable buttstock, easily removed without tools. The Colt M2012 offers adjustable Length of Pull (LOP) and adjustable cheekpiece height. The M2012’s skeleton buttstock is bolted to the main chassis, requiring an Allen wrench to remove.
Mat with ‘Donut-Hole’ Cut-Out for Rear Bag
ZCORR’s reinforced VCI bags are sturdy, being made from the same tough VCI material used in the popular ZCORR long-term storage bags. The clip-in VIC bags are designed to withstand frequent inserting/removing of firearms. ZCORR claims: “With repeated use, such as one to two shooting sessions per week, the VCI vacuum bag will last at least five years and longer with less use. After five to ten years of use customers can simply replace the VCI bag by unclipping it from the softcase and installing a replacement.”
.338 Cal Hybrids for Long-Range Hunting?
The 
Nancy Tompkins will be bringing out a new Second Edition of her popular book: Prone and Long-Range Rifle Shooting. Nancy hopes to have Second Edition books available by mid-June, 2012. The enhanced Second Edition will feature updates to the current chapters, more photos, plus an entirely new chapter on F-Class Shooting. The Second Edition will be issued as a hardback only, for increased durability. Price isn’t set yet, but Nancy hopes to keep the price “under $40.00″. The book will be available from 
Tompkins Book a Must-Read for Long-Range Shooters
They have been on the market for nearly a year, but you may not know that Redding sells a line of 
That’s right, Redding now offers micrometer seater assemblies made specifically for Berger VLD bullets. These Seating Micrometers allow you to convert a standard seater to a Micrometer seater optimized for VLDs. That’s great news for VLD fans. Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets tells us: “We have confirmed with Redding that each of the new micrometer plugs in the VLD group were designed based on Berger VLD bullets. We provided all of our VLD bullets to Redding, from which they took deliberate measurements and made these new plugs.”
