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January 21st, 2011
Yes, bigger is better. Leupold has upgraded its popular “folded-light-path” compact spotting scope, by adding an HD-glass, 80mm front objective and boosting the magnification up to 60-power. That will give this NEW scope better low-light performance and higher magnification while retaining a usable exit pupil (if you increase magnification without increasing the front lens diameter, the exit pupil shrinks). The unit costs $1800, not bad considering the price of other 80mm spotters, and the Leupold is much easier to carry, given its compact design.
Bigger Objective, Better HD Glass, More Useful Magnification Range
We’ve always liked the Leupold compact spotter because it is light weight and it’s Newtonian (folded light path) design makes it much more compact than most spotters of comparable magnification. The U.S. Military currently uses the Mark 4 “tactical” version of the Leupold 12-40x60mm spotter. However, we felt that the glass in the 12-40 spotter was not on a par with the latest generation HD spotters from Kowa, Zeiss, and Leica, or even Nikon and Pentax for that matter. Leupold has taken a huge step forward by gracing its new spotter with a big, HD (low dispersion) front objective. This should give the scope better perceived sharpness with much less color fringing (chromatic aberration) when viewing targets at long range. Upsizing the objective to 80mm makes the scope brighter, improving low-light performance. That’s important, particularly for tactical guys and hunters. The bigger objective also allows Leupold to increase magnification all the way from 40X to 60X. Do you always want a 60-power view? No, but it is great have 50% more magnification on tap when you need it.
60X is a Good Thing for Target Shooters
Most 40-power spotting scopes struggle to resolve 6mm and 6.5mm bullet holes at 600 yards. With HD glass and 60X magnification, you’ll have a much better chance to see small bullet holes at long range (though you’ll also need good viewing conditions). That’s a huge advantage for the long-range target shooter. Overall, we were very pleased that Leupold engineered this much-enhanced 80mm spotter. We predict it will be a big hit with anyone who needs serious magnification in an easy-to-carry optic.
January 20th, 2011
A riflescope that zooms in and out with the push of a remote button may seem like technological overkill. But think about it — most common point and shoot cameras these days offer power zoom and auto-focus. Modern binoculars have image stabilization and other high-tech features. There’s no reason a riflescope shouldn’t benefit from useful technologies we’ve already adapted to other optical products.
Pentax Marketing Demo — Ultimate Zoom
The new Pentax “Ultimate Zoom” scope got little press when it was launched in mid-2010. But we think it may be a true trend-setter. The big advantage for a varmint hunter is that you can keep your eye on the target. You don’t have to raise your head up or move your hand away from your firing position (see video above). With this scope you can zoom from 3X to 15X without changing your grip on the rifle or moving your head away from the scope. In the field, the batteries can last many months. The Pentax Ultimate Zoom typically retails for about $349.00 street price. However, Amazon.com currently offers the Ultimate Zoom for just $199.99 — a very good deal. In the video below you’ll see a product demo from SHOT Show.
January 19th, 2011
The big news at Berger Bullets for 2011 is the Hybrid. No, Walt isn’t switching to a Prius… but Berger IS committing to the dual-shape hybrid design for a full range of calibers. The hybrid design combines a secant ogive (VLD-style) profile in the front of the bullet, with a tangent profile further back. This gives bullets the high BC of the VLD-style bullets, but the tangent section makes the bullets less sensitive to small variations in seating depth. The tangent ogive is a more gentle curve. Tangent ogive bullets, generally speaking, are more “forgiving” or easier to tune. They also will stay in tune better as a barrel throat erodes.
What Berger has done with the hybrid bullet is put an easy-tuning geometry on the part of the bullet that actually engages the rifling, while using a more streamlined front end for improved ballistics. This hybrid design was introduced in 2010 with hybrid 7mm and .338 bullets. Both new hybrid designs proved very successful. The hybrid designs were developed with significant design input from Bryan Litz, Berger’s ballistician. Before Bryan signed on with Berger, he literally worked as a rocket scientist, so he knows something about low-drag shapes. In the video below, Bryan explains why Berger will introduced more hybrid bullets in more calibers, in the months ahead. Bryan also talks about other products Berger has in the works, including its much-awaited reloading manual.
January 18th, 2011
Media Day at the Boulder City, Nevada range was a blast — literally. We had a chance to sample some big .338 Lapua Magnum rifles from Barrett and Sako. The recoil on the Sako TRG42 was epic, as it lacked a muzzle brake, and the front sandbag did nothing to tame rearward movement. We’ll provide more info on the TRG42 (and its new folding stock) later this week.
New Tikka T3 Sporter — Master Sporter Reborn
Tikka unveiled an interesting new T3 Sporter, fitted out in a handsome laminated position stock. This seems to be the successor to Tikka’s popular (but long since discontinued) Master Sporter series. We only hope Beretta, Tikka’s parent company, will eventually offer a wider selection of calibers — right now Beretta only plans to sell .223 Rem and 22-250 versions in the USA.
New Tikka T3 Sporter
MRAD is Impressive — and Brutally Expensive
Barrett’s new MRAD “adaptible” rifle was an impressive beast — as it should be at $6000.00 per unit. It did display some very clever engineering that allows a user to switch barrels and even change calibers with no gunsmithing. Check out the video for a review of the many unique features of the MRAD.
Crosman’s Computer-Controlled Airgun
Perhaps the most innovative (or at least technologically advanced) rifle on display wasn’t officially a “firearm” at all. Crosman’s new Benjamin Rogue, pneumatic varmint rifle actually has a microprocessor-controlled “fire control” system. Yes this state-of-the-art airgun actually has an internal computer that monitors the available air pressure, and sets the output level according to the bullet weight and desired velocity. This is no Daisy B-B gun — the Rogue is big and bulky. But it also delivers the hitting power of a 38 Special, all without a single kernel of gunpowder. Crosman’s Rogue will launch a 145gr polymer-tipped Nosler bullet at 850 fps. Just run the numbers and you’ll find the Rogue delivers as much terminal energy as many centerfire pistol cartridges.
Polymer Cartridge Casings from PCP
A Florida-based company, PCP Ammunition, unveiled a truly revolutionary product — polymer-cased ammo. The “cartridges” have a metal rim/base section (like shotgun shells) but nearly all the cartridge body is a tan-colored high-strength polymer. No, this product won’t do reloders much good, but it could be a huge “hit” with the military, as a polymer case is at least 25% lighter than brass. PCP Reps claimed that PCP’s plastic-bodied ammo can withstand loads that would be considered “full presure” in conventional brass. Stay tuned for further updates.
January 17th, 2011
For quite some time Whidden Gunworks has offered an excellent V-Block designed for Remington 700, Rem Model 7, or XP100/ XR100 actions. Whidden’s machined aluminum V-Block allows you to use multiple barreled actions in the same stock (provided action length and screw positions are the same).
 Now Savage owners can benefit from a V-Block set-up. Whidden Gunworks has started selling a new V-Block especially designed for Savage actions. Models are offered for the Savage Target action, Palma action, and Savage Short and Long Actions. You can’t really tell from the photo (at left), but the V-Block does have a milled recess for the Savage recoil lug.
Whidden’s V-Blocks have slightly raised ridges the run parallel to the barrel. These help provide a solid grip on the action, so you normally do NOT need to skim-bed the V-Block. Because V-Blocks have a flat bottom and straight sides, it is easy to inlet a stock to take a V-Block — nothing’s tricky. Whidden’s Savage V-Blocks are made of 6061-T6 aluminum, surface milled for epoxy adhesion, and individually inspected. John Whidden believes that a properly installed V-Block “is easier to install, simpler to inlet, more accurate, and more versatile than any action-mounting system available.” We don’t know about the accuracy part, but a V-Block can certainly help you leverage your stock investment by running multiple barreled actions in the same stock.
Right now, Whidden’s Savage V-Blocks are in short supply so you should order directly through Whidden Gunworks, by calling (229) 686-1911. You can order Whidden’s Rem-type V-Blocks for $113.95 through Creedmoor Sports or $109.95 through Brownells.com.
January 17th, 2011
The makers of Cerakote have a cool interactive web application that lets you preview various colors and camo finishes on your firearm. Cerakote’s color preview page is similar to what car-makers are doing these days. For example, you can go to the Ford website and click through nine available colors for a 2011 Mustang GT. Hey, if it works for cars, it should work for guns, right?
Mix and Match 33 Colors with Virtual Gun Coater
NIC Industries, the company that produces Cerakote ceramic firearms finish, offers an interactive “colorizer” web app. This Cerakote Virtual Gun Coater lets you select from 33 solid and camo colors to “paint” the slide and frame of a Glock pistol. Mix and match slide and frame colors to your heart’s content. Available colors include digital camo, titanium, red orange (law enforcement only), coyote tan, and mil spec green. These are all real colors you can actually order. You can even e-mail your buddy a photo of your favorite color scheme. Give it a try!
Story by Edlongrange, Research Assistant.
January 15th, 2011
Zeiss has just introduced its latest spotting scope, the Dialyt 18-45x65mm Compact Field Spotter. We like the design and we think there’s a place in the spotting scope market for a simple straight-tube spotter with razor-sharp, ultra-premium glass. High-end spotting scopes have become increasingly large and heavy over the years as the optics-makers have chased ever-greater levels of brightness and magnification. But a hunter or tactical shooter doesn’t want to hump 8 pounds of glass up and down mountains. The Dialyt (“Die-Ah-Lite”) weighs a mere 2.6 lbs. (1.2 kg) and is just 15.5 inches long.
Easy to Use, Easy to Carry
The Dialyt is easy to use — twist the eyepiece to zoom and rotate the front objective to focus. Originally designed for European Alpine hunters, the new rubber-armored ZEISS Dialyt 18-45×65 Field Spotter is built tough for field use. This should appeal to hunters and tactical shooters. And unlike older-style draw-tube scopes, the straight-tube Dialyt is dustproof and fully waterproof (rated to 400 mbar).
About the size of a thermos bottle, the 2.6-pound Dialyt 18-45×65 fits easily into a backpack and, if necessary, can be rested on a pack for stabilization at higher magnification. This spotter also has threads for a tripod or monopod.
The Dialyt 18-45×65’s variable eyepiece provides a wide field of view at low magnification and plenty of magnification up top. This compact spotter also features multilayer coatings and high light transmission for good performance at dawn and dusk — something important for hunters.
January 15th, 2011
Here’s good news for .338 LM, .416 CheyTac, and .50 BMG Shooters — No longer will you need to make double throws with a manual powder measure, just to get enough powder to fill your case. Redding Reloading has introduced a NEW high-capacity powder measure that can pump out up to 140 grains of powder with a single throw. The new Redding LR-1000 measure features an all new-metering chamber capable of producing accurate powder drops of up to 140 grains.
Consider that a .338 Lapua Magnum typically uses about 100 grains of powder. With Redding’s new LR-1000 measure,you can fill the case with one throw and still stay within the optimal (middle third) “sweet spot” of the measure’s capacity. This will yield better results, as Redding explains: “[Large Cartridge Shooters] have been forced to resort to double powder drops or working at the very outer limits of a measure’s capacity to throw the needed quantity of powder for these big cases. Neither practice represents the best solution.”
LR-1000 Large Capacity Measure Specs
The LR-1000 features cast iron construction with a hard chromed rotor and cutting edge. Note that the hemispherical cup at the base of the metering chamber reduces bridging with extruded powders, even with small throw volumes. The LR-1000 ships complete with jumbo-sized powder reservoir, powder baffle and a zero-backlash micrometer. For more info, visit Redding-Reloading.com, specifically the Media Center Page (click on “2011 Press Kit”).
January 14th, 2011
For 2011 Nosler will introduce no less than 17 new NoslerCustom® brass offerings. Most of the 17 new brass varieties are for large hunting cartridge types, not widely used. However, target shooters may be interested in Nosler’s new 7mm SAUM (Rem Short Action Ultra Mag) and 7mm RUM (Rem Ultra Mag) brass. The 7mm SAUM is becoming popular in F-Class circles. With slightly less capacity (and a longer neck) than the 7mm WSM, the 7mm SAUM is a good choice for shooting the popular 180gr High-BC bullets from Berger and Sierra. Tactical shooters will appreciate Nosler’s new .338 RUM and .338 Lapua Magnum brass. It’s nice to have additional brass choices for these big cartridge types.
NoslerCustom Brass is Weight-Sorted, DeBurred and Chamfered
Notably, Nosler does extra finishing steps on its cartridge brass, based on the notion that: “Life’s too short to prep your own brass”. As with other NoslerCustom cartridge brass, the 17 new varieties will come “semi-prepped”. Flash holes are trued and case mouths are deburred and chamfered. According to Nosler: “Every piece is hand-inspected, and weight-sorted within +/- .5 grains” (and then packaged by weight groupings).
All the new types of Nosler brass will bear the “Nosler” headstamp although it is rumored that some of Nosler’s cartridge brass is made for it by other highly respected companies, both domestic and foreign. As to the 17 new varieties, we can’t identify which cartridge types are produced in-house and which will be out-sourced. Overall, our experience with NoslerCustom brass has been good, though in 22-250 and .308 Win it is not quite as strong or long-lasting as Lapua brass.
January 14th, 2011
The new Micro-Sight was developed by scientists at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This revolutionary optical insert for iron sights allows you to see BOTH the target and your front sight in sharp focus. The Micro-Sight employs Phased Zone Plate technology to improve focus of both close and distant objects.
 Creedmoor Sports Now Selling Production Micro-Sight
This summer we reported that the Micro-Sight was in development. Now Creedmoor Sports has the first-ever production Micro-Sight, a special hood for AR and service rifle rear sights. The Micro-Sight hood sold by Creedmoor replaces a standard AR-15 hood (1/4-32 threads) as found in most NM AR-15 rear sights. The Micro-Sight element is positioned in the center of the hood, where it is shielded from moisture and impacts. Licensed by INL, the new Micro-Sight for ARs will be followed in the spring by inserts for popular rear match sights. The new SR Micro-Sight insert for ARs, item MS-1, costs $139.95. Order soon — Creedmoor has sold nearly 100 sights in just two days! Click HERE or call 800-273-3366 to order.
The Micro-Sight really works, and it makes a huge difference, particular for “older eyes” that have trouble focusing on both the target and the front sight. For the first time you’ll have a sight picture where the front sight and the target are both in focus. Creedmoor’s Dennis DeMille, a former National Service Rifle Champion, tells us: “This is one of the most game-changing products to come out in years!”
WATCH the VIDEO below to see the Micro-Sight in Use and to learn how it works…
Disclosure: Creedmoor Sports Advertises with AccurateShooter.com
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