Savage Arms will roll out its new 2012 line-up of firearms on November 2, 2011. That’s just a few days away. The initial release will be made via Savage’s Facebook Page.
Right now Savage is being very tight-lipped about the new product line. However, Savage posted a teaser showing a gun case marked “Classified” — challenging Facebook readers to guess what might be unveiled next week. So far, reader guesses include:
An AR-type gun in .223 Rem AND 7.62×39.
A big boomer in .408 Cheytac, .416 Barrett or 50 BMG.
A single-shot Model 12 Target rifle in 6.5×47 LAPUA.
A Mini-14 type rifle in 6.5 Grendel.
A “Zombie Zapper” for use with Hornady’s Zombie Max ammo.
A lightweight survival-type .22 LR rifle.
A 300 AAC Blackout bolt-gun.
A 17 Hornet Varminter.
What do you guys think? We suspect the “Classified” rifle will be a bolt gun with rails and a detachable magazine, possibly with a collapsible stock. Consumer interest in “tactical”-style rifles is very high right now. We can expect Savage to deliver something that caters to market demand.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Stiller Precision Firearms is now offering hard-anodized, billet aluminum bottom metal systems that work with Accuracy International (AI) magazines in Rem-style actions. Currently a short-action version is offered (for both .223 Rem and .308 Win cartridge sizes) and a long-action unit is in the works. Bottom metal for the .223 Rem fits a 10-round magazine. For the .308 Win, there are three mag options: 5-round centerfeed, 10-round centerfeed, and a 10-round, .308 double-column mag. The double-column magazines won’t work in the standard Remington action, but are perfectly suited for dedicated actions such as Stiller’s new TAC30 A/W. Current MSRP for Stiller’s DBM Bottom Metal is $295.00 with one (1) 5-round magazine.
Jerry Stiller consulted many tactical shooters before finalized the design of his new bottom metal. It contains many smart features that enhance reliability/function and simplify the installation process:
Strong, billet aluminum construction with Mil-Spec Type 3 hard anodizing.
Flared magwell allows fast, positive insertion of Accuracy International magazines.
Computer-optimized truss pattern reduces weight while retaining strength and stiffness.
Works with all commonly-available triggers for Rem and Rem-clone actions.
“Exact-Fit” pillars and screws included to ensure a perfect fit and easy installation.
NO SPECIAL INLET is required on the tang ends. Stiller Bottom Metal will fit into a standard BDL bottom inlet in most stocks (must meet Remington specified depths). The only cutting needed is around the magazine box. Stiller has beefed up the material in this area so that a high-precision cut is not needed.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
SSG Daniel Horner of the USAMU used the new 300 AAC Blackout (300 BLK) cartridge to win first place overall in the Tactical Optics division of the 2011 USPSA Multigun National Championship, held outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Horner’s choice of cartridge allowed him to satisfy “Major Power Factor” requirements while using his regular AR15 rifle and magazines. The only important change was replacing the 5.56mm barrel with a .30-caliber barrel.
The 300 AAC Blackout was created by Advanced Armament Corp. and Remington primarily for the military as a way to shoot .30-caliber bullets from the M4/AR15 platform while using standard magazines. As explained by Robert Silvers, AAC’s R&D Director: “Now there is a way to shoot 30 caliber from your AR while still using normal magazines with full capacity. Even the bolt stays the same, and all that changes is the barrel.” For more information visit www.300aacblackout.com and download the 300 BLK Cartridge Information Guide (PDF).
The concept of putting a .30-caliber bullet in a shortened 223 case has been done before, but not as an industry-wide standard that anyone can make products for, royalty-free. SAAMI, the industry standards organization, adopted and standardized the AAC 300 Blackout earlier this year. The SAAMI diagram for the 300 BLK is shown below.
Affordable Factory 300 BLK Ammo is Available
Remington now sells a variety of 300 BLK ammo: 1) 125 grain open-tip match with a custom Sierra bullet; 2) 220gr subsonic, and 3) 125gr AccuTip (photo below). While the 300 BLK is easy (and inexpensive) to reload, Remington and AAC recognized that most people are not reloaders. So Remington will be budget-priced UMC-brand 300 BLK ammo through at just $12.99 per box — that’s less than most other rifle cartridges than are more powerful than the .223.
The 300 AAC Blackout has been touted as an important new hunting round, but we see it more as a specialized “rule-beater” 30-cal option that lets 3-Gun competitors “make major” with a low-recoil cartridge that also offers long barrel life. For those who need to run a .30-caliber cartridge from a standard AR15 platform (as opposed to the AR10), the 300 AAC Blackout makes some sense. But for hunters using a bolt gun, there are any number of tried and true options, such as the 7.62×39, .30-30, and, of course, the .308 Winchester (7.62×51 NATO).
Here’s an example of a major manufacturer stepping up to help our service men and women. A portion of the sales price of Federal® Ammunition’s new Top Gun® 12-gauge target load shotshells will go directly to support the Wounded Warrior Project. According to Federal: “An on-box royalty program sends proceeds from every sale of the patriotic [red, white, and blue] Top Gun product directly to support Wounded Warriors.”
The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is “to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.” To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project, visit WoundedWarriorProject.org.
Top Gun® Target Shotshells Specifications
Top Gun Target loads, product TGL12U, are designed for high-volume shooters. These red, white and blue shotshells are made to provide consistent performance at reasonable prices. They loaded with 1 1/8 ounces of #8 shot, spec’d at 2.72 Dram equivalent to run at 1175 fps.
On our main Accurateshooter.com website, you’ll find a comprehensive review of the STM system for cleaning cartridge brass with stainless media. To clean brass with stainless media, start with five pounds of small stainless pins sold by StainlessTumblingMedia.com. Place these along with a gallon of water, a little liquid cleaner, and two pounds of cartridge brass in a rotary tumbler, and run the machine for one to four hours.
Forum Member Tests STM System
Our reviewer, Forum member Jason Koplin, purchased the STM media and a new Thumler’s Tumbler. He then tested the STM cleaning procedure on his own brass, including some extremely dirty and tarnished “range pick-up” brass. Jason was thoroughly impressed with how well the STM process worked — as you can see from the “before and after” photos below. Brass which looked like it was ready for the scrap heap was restored to “like-new” appearance. The process works equally well on both rifle brass and pistol brass. Jason observed that one surprise benefit of the STM cleaning procedure is a big reduction in noise. Jason said the water-filled rotary tumbler was much quieter than his vibratory tumblers.
You’ll want to read Jason’s full review which shows more before and after images. In addition, the full article features a “how-to” video created by Forum member Cory Dickerson, the young man who pioneered the stainless tumbling process and founded STM. The video shows how to load brass, media, and cleaner solutions into the tumbler, and how to separate media from brass once the tumbling is done. The illustration below shows how to access the article from our new home page. Note that you can click on other featured articles as well.
Remington now offers a Custom Molded Hearing Protection Kit. This kit, developed by Radians for Remington, allows shooters to form their own re-usable earplugs, using non-toxic, hypo-allergenic silicone. Following instructions, in just a few minutes, you can custom-mold NRR 26 earplugs that fit the exact contours of your ears. If you get the molding right, the plugs stay in place and can be worn for all-day sessions without discomfort. Remington claims that this kit can provide: “the most comfortable, cost-effective, customizable hearing protection on the market”.
Included in the kit, which retails for $19.99, is a lanyard cord with colored, screw ends which will fit securely in the earplugs. Also included is a mirror to aid in the molding process and a small, microfiber storage bag.
Comment: We’ve used a similar kit from Radians, and the two-part silicone molded easily. Following instructions, the silicone cured in about an hour, and the plugs were comfortable. Some buyers have complained that the plugs never “set-up” or cured properly. We suspect those buyers did not mix the two-part putty properly (in equal portions) so that the material never stabilized. It’s really not that difficult to get it right. We suggest mixing all the materials together, very thoroughly, in one batch. Then divide the mixed compound into two equal blocks, forming one plug for each ear.
Is this kit worth buying? We prefer and recommend tapered foam plugs. When purchased in bulk, foamies cost pennies a pair, and they offer superior noise reduction ratings of NRR 30-33. However, for a variety of reasons, some folks can’t tolerate foam earplugs or find them difficult to insert. If you’re among those who don’t like to use foam plugs, this do-it-yourself kit is worth a try. Follow the instructions, mix the compounds thoroughly, and you can craft customized ear protection for a fraction of the cost of doctor-fitted custom-molded plugs.
You will find many purchaser reviews of this product on Amazon.com. Buyers seem divided. Most had very good results. Some folks were disappointed. As noted above, our experience was positive. For more information, contact Radians at 7580 Bartlett Corporate Drive, Bartlett, TN, 38133. Call toll free 1-877-723-4267 or visit www.radians.com.
Setpoint Ammunition, a subsidiary of Setpoint Systems Inc., has finalized an OEM distribution agreement with Berger Bullets. The agreement allows Setpoint Ammunition to offer a selection of Berger’s precision bullets for use in custom cartridges sold on their SetpointAmmo.com website. Setpoint Ammunition will initially offer three Berger projectiles for use in their 7.62×51 / .308 WIN cartridges: 155gr Match Hybrid; 185gr Long Range BT;and 168gr Match Hunting VLD.
“The agreement with Berger Bullets allows us to offer some of the best projectiles available for use in our precision ammunition,” said Brad Angus, President of Setpoint Ammunition. Angus went on to say that this agreement has been anticipated for some time. “Teaming with Berger has always been one of our goals. When you combine the well-known reputation of Berger Bullets with the unprecedented precision that we’ve built into our ammunition loading process, you get the best custom rifle ammunition available on the commercial market today.”
Setpoint’s Unique Manufacturing Process
The revolutionary Setpoint Ammunition ordering and manufacturing process allows customers to dictate the case, projectile, powder load and overall length of the cartridge via the online ordering system. This unique process gives consumers the ability to fine-tune their ammo to fit their specific firearm and application.
The order is relayed from the website to the manufacturing facility, where fully-automated machines (designed and built for Setpoint Ammunition by Setpoint Systems,) load and assemble the cartridges to high levels of precision. By mechanizing the entire loading process, precision and consistency are maximized. The final outcome is affordable, reliable, high-performance ammunition. (Sales packages are available for military, law enforcement and tactical security groups.)
Tikka has started to import its new T3 Sporter, which features an ergonomic, laminated stock, detachable magazine, adjustable cheekpiece and a nice, stiff action with integral dovetail and side bolt-release. The trigger adjusts from 2 to 4 pounds. The T3 Sporter will be produced with 20″ or 24″ barrels in a variety of popular chamberings: .222 Rem*, .223 Rem, 6.5×55 SE, .260 Rem, .308 WIN. We expect this rifle to be popular with tactical shooters and club-level match shooters who want a versatile rifle that can be used for hunting as well as target shooting. The stock is similar to the ISU “standard rifle” design used for 300m position shooting. As you’d expect, it works in all positions: prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing.
T3 Is Accurate With Smooth-Working Action
We first saw the new Tikka T3 Sporter in January, at the SHOT Show Media Day. The gun we sampled had a nice trigger, smooth bolt, and shot quite accurately with factory ammo. Watch the video below for an overview of the T3 Sporter. The Tikka T3 Sporter was developed in co-operation With Finnish hunting and sport shooting organizations. The design goal was to create a rifle that performs in competition, but can also be used for hunting. The ergonomic stock features an adjustable cheekpiece and adjustable buttplate (length of pull can be changed with spacers). An integral rail allows placement of hand-stops, bipod mounts, and attachments so the rifle can be carried with a double-sling, biathlon style. T3 Sporter weight (without scope) is 9 lbs. with 20″ barrel, or 9.7 lbs. with 24″ barrel.
EuroOptic.com Has T3 Sporters in Stock EuroOptic.com has T3 Sporter inventory in stock now, priced at $1695.00. Not all variants have arrived yet*, but we’ve been told that the following models are available: .308 Win 24″ barrel, .308 Win 20″ barrel, 6.5×55 24″ barrel, 6.5×55 20″ barrel, .260 Rem 20″ barrel. 20″ barrels are threaded with a cap (18×1 metric) while the 24″ barrels are unthreaded. View details on EuroOptic’s T3 Sporter Page (NOTE: EuroOptic’s web site may not show the latest inventory, so call (507) 220-3159 for availability.)
*Beretta, Tikka’s parent company, controls T3 Sporter imports. EuroOptic.com informed us that it “ordered all the versions we could from Beretta, but no .222 Rem was available in the USA at this time.” So, for the near term at least, it appears that the .222 Rem will be limited to the European market.
Our friends at Midsouth Shooters Supply have announced that Midsouth is now taking orders on Hornady’s much-awaited Zombie Max™ (Z-Max) loaded ammo. Hornady is marketing this stuff as “Zombie-killing” ammunition. Hopefully buyers will read the warnings and understand that the new Z-Max ammunition is 100% lethal and deadly. This is NOT some kind of paintball ammo or less-than-lethal substitute. The Z-Max line includes jacketed rifle ammo with bright green polymer tips, hollow-point pistol ammo with bright green polymer end-plugs, and conventional 00 Buck shotgun ammo in a special black (with green lettering) shotshell. Currently, Hornady plans to sell the following types of Zombie Max ammo: 9mm, 40SW, .45ACP, .223 Rem, 7.62×39, .308 Win, and 12 gauge (2 3/4″ shotshell).
Commentary: Maybe Not Such a Great Idea?
For some folks the notion of blasting zombies is an amusing fantasy. But it is only that — a fantasy. It is merely “make-believe”. We’re not so sure that associating fantasy zombie-killing with the use of actual, lethal ammunition is a very good idea. Frankly, we have serious misgivings about this entire Zombie Max marketing effort by Hornady. The product graphics and supporting advertising make Zombie Max ammo seem like something used for Halloween fun and games. Hornady’s product flyer declares: “Supply yourself for the Zombie Apocalypse with Zombie Max™ ammunition…. Remember. . .only head shots count!“. Is that really wise?
Hornady is even distributing a video featuring an anxious shooter apparently firing live Zombie Max rifle and pistol ammo at persons dressed like zombies. How that got past the lawyers we’ll never know. Hopefully people will realize that Zombie Max ammo should be treated like any other 100% lethal ammunition. Read Hornady’s warning: “This is Live Ammunition. This is not a toy.” Then follow all basic firearms safety rules when using Hornady’s Zombie Max products. And hopefully, this Halloween, no moron will try out his Zombie Max rounds on some grade-school trick-or-treater in a zombie costume.
The U.S. Marine Corps. has ordered $23.6 million worth of gas-piston M27 full-auto rifles from Heckler & Koch to replace aging M249 SAW machine guns. Designated the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR), the Marines’ new 11.62-lb weapon is a heavy-barrel variant of the highly successful Heckler & Koch HK416 used by military, law enforcement, and special operations units in the U.S. and throughout the world. The HK416 is basically an AR15 that HK “fixed” with a gas piston assembly and other tweaks to improve reliability, particularly during full-auto fire.
The M27 IAR replaces the heavier, M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) which has been used by the Marines in infantry squads since the mid-1980s in the automatic rifle role. Both weapons fire the 5.56×45 mm NATO cartridge. The Marines plan to have one M27 IAR per four-man fire team, with three M27 IARs per squad, 28 per company and more than 4,000 across the entire Corps. The M27 IAR is already being used in combat in Afghanistan. CLICK HERE for M27 combat photos
The five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract calls for possible delivery orders up to $23,600,000 for the production, delivery, and associated support of the Marines’ Infantry Automatic Rifle program. The Marine Corps approved the full production and fielding of the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle during the summer of 2011.
The M27 contract has drawn fire because critics say the M27 IAR is simply a “more reliable M16/M4″ that lacks key features required by any practical squad automatic weapon — belt-feeding, and interchangeable barrels. With belt-fed ammo and interchangeable barrels, an automatic weapon can produce large volumes of fire, over a sustained period, to pin down the enemy. An M27 operator must change box magazines every 30 rounds. On the other hand, the M27 IAR is about half the weight of the M249, and that seems to have been a key factor in the Marine Corps’ decision to replace the M249 SAW. Marine spokesman Major Joseph Plenzler declared: “The fielding of the IAR will significantly enhance the ability of our infantrymen to … reduce their fighting load and provide them a more ergonomic and accurate weapons system that can keep up during the assault.”
Here’s an example of a major manufacturer stepping up to help our service men and women. A portion of the sales price of Federal® Ammunition’s new 
On our main 
Remington now offers a 
“The agreement with Berger Bullets allows us to offer some of the best projectiles available for use in our precision ammunition,” said Brad Angus, President of Setpoint Ammunition. Angus went on to say that this agreement has been anticipated for some time. “Teaming with Berger has always been one of our goals. When you combine the well-known reputation of Berger Bullets with the unprecedented precision that we’ve built into our ammunition loading process, you get the best custom rifle ammunition available on the commercial market today.”
Tikka has started to import its new 
T3 Is Accurate With Smooth-Working Action
