Pat Reagin of PMA Tool took some cool new products to the range this past weekend. Look carefully at the photo above. That’s not a standard bag-holder on the SEB NEO rest, and that stylish black rear bag doesn’t look anything like an Edgewood or Protektor. The rifle is also sporting the new-generation Weaver 46x48mm T-Series XR Side-Focus Scope.
Lenzi Rear Sand Bag
Pat tells us: “We are now carrying rear bags made by Italian benchrester Alberto Lenzi. Made in Italy, these Lenzi bags are AWESOME! They are available for short range and one that is slighty taller for long range.” The Lenzi rear bags feature a big, 8″x6″ footprint with a thick, slightly concave base that sits very flat on the bench top. Lenzi bags are very stable with a reassuring “dead” feel on the bench. Guys who have tried this bag really like it. Pat says: “I can’t explain it, but the bag seems to absorb energy/recoil better than other bags — the gun tracks a little better and I get back on target really well.” CLICK HERE for more information: Lenzi Long Range Rear Bag | Lenzi Standard Rear Bag.
– Black leather with Cordura at stock contact points with blue stitching.
– 1/2″ flat between medium ears.
– Heavy 8″x6″ base with built-in “donut”.
– Weight about 15.5 lbs filled with heavy sand in bottom & white sand in ears.
Lenzi Replacement Top for SEB NEO Front Rest
A common complaint about the SEB NEO rest is the rest top, specifically the three-piece bag. This rest top made by Alberto Lenzi (an Italian benchrest shooter) addresses the issue by replacing the entire rest top. The rest top features a more conventional design and includes a traditional style front bag that conforms to IBS and NBRSA rules.
The Lenzi Top with Super-Slick Bag is $269.95, while the bag alone is $79.95. You can also get the Lenzi NEO Replacement Top with an Edgewood bag for $275.95. Finally there is a new Lenzi Cordura style bag that fits this system — you can special request that.
Weaver 46x48mm T-Series XR Benchrest Scope
Weaver’s new 46-power T-Series XR scope features a 30mm main tube with side parallax adjustment. Clicks are 1/8 MOA, with 44 MOA windage and elevation travel. Pat Reagin reports: “It’s clear enough. The clicks are a little mushy, but positive. Eye relief is great.”
Available reticles are Fine Crosshair (FCH) and 1/16 MOA Target Dot. Current “street price” is around $900. Amazon currently has the Target Dot Version for $898.99 with free shipping.
How good is .22 LR rimfire ammo you just bought? Well, until now, you had to just cross your fingers and do your own testing (unless you could make the journey to the Eley or Lapua test centers). Now that’s changed. In a matter of seconds, you can access tons of test data for Eley rimfire ammo, seeing how any given lot has performed, and how consistent it has proven. You can view a wealth of data, including group size, percentage of shots within tenths of inches from center, velocity and more. There’s even a 50-shot consolidated group display that conveniently reveals large sample accuracy in a glance. With ELEY’s new web-based Lot Analyzer, you can easily compare various lot numbers, choosing the one that shows the best test results.
With the ELEY Lot Analyzer, simply enter any ELEY lot number into the online database. You’ll then see a heap of information including 10-Shot Groups, 50-Shot Groups, Average Velocity, Ballistics Coefficient, Shot Distribution graphs, and even the Eley Coin Test — the percentage of this lot capable of hitting a dime at 54.7 yards (50m). We believe the ELEY Lot Analyzer delivers the most comprehensive lot-specific ammo performance information ever provided by any ammunition manufacturer.
ELEY is to be commended for making this information available. Shown below are some of the data views available for ELEY Force ammo Lot 3H16-30356:
Try It Yourself with Lot Number 1016-02107
To see how the ELEY Lot Analyzer works first-hand, CLICK HERE and enter this lot number 1016-02107 (be sure to include the dash).
Lot Analyzer Data Available from 2015 Forward
We think the ELEY Lot Analzyer is great for the consumer. It is now possible to select a box of ammo from a store shelf, enter the ELEY lot number, and instantly see the performance of the ammunition. Get together with fellow shooters and compare your ELEY ammo. This service will be available for all ELEY lot numbers in the USA from 2015 forward. You can find the year of your ammunition by the third and fourth numbers in the lot. For example, if your lot number is 3016-30xxx, it is from the year 2016.
EDITOR’s NOTE — Test Center Performance vs. the Real World:
Our staff has tested rimfire ammo in both the ELEY and Lapua Test Centers, and then shot that same ammo later in competition at outdoor ranges. We learned something in the process. First, ammo can do well in a test tunnel, with a clamped test fixture, yet perform very differently outdoors on a real range. Likewise, ammo may shoot superbly in one rifle, yet perform so-so in another rifle, even when the barrels are from the same manufacturer.
We commend ELEY for providing the Lot Analyzer — this really does offer invaluable information to the consumer. This represents a big step forward. That said, you need to understand that factory test results cannot necessarily be duplicated in the real world. And we can confirm that some ammo which was less than stellar in the test tunnel actually shot superbly in real rimfire benchrest competition. LESSON: Even with the ELEY Lot Analyzer, you still need to do your own testing, with your own rifle, to verify .22 LR ammo performance.
BAT .50 BMG Model EX– Now That’s an Action!, by GAS
A while back, I stopped into Bruno Shooters Supply for a jug of powder and looked into the display case where the new actions are kept. Amid the usual array of BAT Machine, Kelbly and other actions, there was something unlike any action I’d seen before — all I can call it is the BIG BAT (It’s officially the BAT Model EX 2.5). I wasn’t too surprised at the weight (a beefy 13.7 lbs.), but until you lift it it’s hard to appreciate how solid, chunky, hefty, massive (pick your favorite adjective) this thing really is. The action is a 2.5″-diameter, 12″-long BAT for the .50 BMG cartridge. It is simply the biggest, slickest custom action on the planet. In order to give you some sense of scale, I photographed the action alongside a conventional BAT action for short-range Benchrest shooting and I put a .220 Russian case and a .30-06 case into the picture. I’ve handled and fired other .50 BMG actions/rifles before, but this BAT puts them all to shame, as far as fit and finish go.
The action is actually quite conventional in design and execution. The bolt is fluted and has two front lugs with a conventional, although super-sized, firing pin assembly. Any Remington-style trigger will mount by way of a normal trigger hanger, allowing for simplified maintenance or replacement in the field. The loading port is 5.5″ long and the barrel threads are 1.5″ x 16 tpi — nothing about this beast is small! There is a conventional rocker-type bolt release on the left side of the receiver body and a recoil lug is built into the bottom of the receiver. In reality, the action is very similar to any other BAT except for the size and it adheres to all of BAT’s high standards for quality of design, manufacture, fit, finish and just plain good looks. Slide that bolt back and it feels as tight as a small Benchrest action!
Given the BIG BAT’s $3,125.00 sticker price (before options), not many of us will ever have the opportunity to own or shoot one of these beauties (I certainly won’t). However, it is nice to know they exist and can be bought and enjoyed in many places. CLICK HERE for BAT EX configuration options.
Even seen an integrally suppressed rifle? Ruger offers this technology with its new Silent-SR ISB, a multi-baffle integrally suppressed barrel (ISB) for Ruger 10/22 takedown models. This system reduces sound levels to an average of 113.2 dB with standard velocity ammunition. That’s very impressive — consider that an unsuppressed .22 LR firearm can produce noise levels as high as 140 dB with standard velocity ammunition. That’s well above the threshold where irreversible hearing damage begins. (Source: NC Silencers).
Even if you are not interested in a suppressed rimfire rifle (or live in a state where suppressors are forbidden) we think you’ll be interested in Ruger’s technology. The Silent-SR employs a long, multi-element “baffle stack” that can be easily removed for cleaning.
Watch Integrally Suppressed Barrel in Action. CLICK HERE to View Video on Ruger Site. Scroll to bottom of Ruger page after jump!
Here’s what Ruger says about its new ISB (Integrally Suppressed Barrel) for the 10/22 Take-down:
The Silent-SR ISB quickly and easily assembles to any Ruger 10/22 Takedown or 22 Charger Takedown, and features an induction-hardened breech with cold hammer-forged barrel that provide easy takedown and accurate return-to-zero.
Reducing sound pressure levels of .22 LR to an average of 113.2 dB with standard velocity ammunition, a 10/22 Takedown rifle equipped with the Silent-SR ISB is as quiet as a bolt-action rifle with a thread-on silencer. The relatively long barrel of the Silent-SR ISB (compared to other integral suppressors) means the bullet generates energy near that of a 16″ gun for consistent, accurate and effective performance on target. The pushed-cone baffle geometry has been stretched to utilize the volume under the barrel maximizing suppression of the gunshot without disturbing the travel of the bullet.
Disassembly for cleaning is as simple as separating the barrel from your firearm and loosening the Silent-SR ISB’s single assembly screw using the included 5/32″ hex key tool. Once loose, pull the screw to remove all six 17-4 stainless steel baffles, spacer and front cap free of the sleeve for cleaning. The sealed baffles keep the fouling away from the serialized sleeve, yet easily come apart even after thousands of rounds. Finished with Cerakote, the Silent-SR ISB is engineered and built for a lifetime of hard use without clogged ports, seized components or loss of suppression that often plague other integrally suppressed rimfire barrels.
Steyr Arms has introduced a new straight-pull rimfire rifle that should work well for rimfire practical/tactical games, cross-training, and varmint hunting. Available in three chamberings, .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR, the new Steyr Scout RFR emulates the look of a Scout Rifle, but in a rimfire platform. This rifle, which first appeared in 2016 in Europe, made its American debut at the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta this week.
Frankly, we don’t need or want the extended forward-mounted rail, because we would use a conventional higher-magnification optic, rather than a long-eye-relief scout scope. But we are excited about the straight-pull action, 10-round magazine, and nicely-designed stock that should be good for tactical comps. For mounting conventional scopes, an integrated 3/8-inch dovetail base runs the full length of the receiver’s topside, and the RPR comes with Weaver bases mounted on the top of the receiver. MSRP is $599.00.
Detail showing ISSC Biathlon-style SPA straight-pull action with trigger-guard safety.
Based on the proven, biathlon-inspired SPA action built by Austrian gun-maker ISSC, the Steyr Scout RFR was designed as an economical, minimal-recoil trainer. Available in .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR, the Scout RFR has a smooth, straight-pull action allowing for fast cycling with the provided 10-round magazine. Check out the video below to see how the action works. Trigger pull weight is 3 lbs, 4 oz., about right for tactical games. We might want a slightly lighter trigger for varmint work with the .17 HMR version. In fact, we think this might make a great “squirrel gun” in .17 HMR.
The Scout RFR’s Eloxal-coated aluminum receiver secures a 20″ heavy-contour barrel. Both the .17 HMR and .22 LR barrels are 1/2-20 UNF threaded for attachments, while the .22 WMR barrel is unthreaded. The Scout RFR measures 35.6 inches long, and it weighs 7.3 pounds without optics. An optional knife stows in the stock, and standard Steyr SBS/Scout buttplate spacers can used to adjust length-of-pull. Included accessories: Owner’s manual, two Weaver adapters, and one 10-round magazine.
Model: Steyr Scout RFR
Chamberings: .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR
Action: Straight-pull, biathlon-style SPA action by ISSC
Magazine type/capacity: 10-round detachable steel box
Receiver material: Hard Eloxal-coated aircraft aluminum
Barrel: 20.1-inch heavy barrel
Sight Mounts: 30-slot Picatinny rail + 3/8″ dovetail on receiver with two Weaver adapters
Trigger Pull weight: 3 pounds, 4 ounces
Stock Length of pull: 13.4 inches, adjustable with spacers
Recoil pad: Elastomer 0.3″ thick
Weight, empty: 7.3 pounds
Overall length: 35.6 inches
MSRP: $599
Forum member Rick from Louisiana (aka RMulhern) has rigged up a fantastic target for long-range shooting. Rick, a long-time competitive Palma shooter, had a large 72″x72″ steel target fabricated with two separate center rings that are equivalent to the official paper Palma/Creedmoor target. He says he’s “shot a lot of Palma on that target, as well as lots of Black Powder Cartridge (BPCR) rounds”. The big steel target works great when Rick shoots his Sharps 45/110 BPCR at 800 to 1000 yards. The large steel background (painted white) helps Rick see and hear his hits. If you understand the high-arching trajectory of 500+ grain projectiles shot from a 45/110, you know it can take a few rounds to get Point of Impact dialed in.
Rick reports: “These are two of my favorite rifles to shoot: a M1874 Shiloh Sharps in caliber 45/110 (2 7/8) made in Big Timber, Montana by Kirk Bryan and family. The other is a 6.5×47 Lapua on a blue-printed M700 action with 1:8.5″-twist Krieger barrel and F5 McMillan Tactical stock. Many of the shooters that take up BPCR have a tendency to get away from their smokeless powder rifles in favor of the blackpowder game. Frankly I have the best of both worlds as I enjoy shooting both (smokeless and BPCR), although I must admit that I probably spend the majority of my time on the range with the Sharps rifles these days.” (Rick’s pretty good with his Sharps by the way — he recently shot a 95, 96, and 100 (clean) for 3×10 shots at 800 yards.)
Gongzilla: $1000 Worth of Steel with Three Plate Layers
Rick tells us: “Here’s the deal — everything is steel! The large plate is 72″x72″ and the black bull is 44″ diameter. The 20″-diameter central white bull is made from 1/2″-thick AR400 bull-dozer plating. That’s the same size as the regulation Palma/Creedmoor paper target. The white square and black bull are 3/8″-thick mild steel. Plates are off-set 2″ from each other. I welded a 2″ length of square tubing to the back of both plates and the bolt slides through and is attached to the large plate. I used 2 3/8″ upset tubing (oil field pipe) for the holder framing.” Rick says he invested about $1000.00 in metal for the target, but that was 15 years ago. Today the steel would be much more expensive.
Rick says the AR400 armor plate in the center bull is very strong: “You can shoot a .338 Lapua Magnum at 200 yards and it won’t damage the center bull”. The mild steel works well for the cast bullets Rick uses with his Sharps 45/110. Also, Rick says the mild steel is rugged enough for 6.5mm and .308 hollowpoint match bullets, if you’re at least 500 yards away. However, Rick told us, “If I would make [the target] again, I would make the black bull AR400 as well. [That way] you would never have to worry about big dents or beating the plate up at any distance. The AR400 is very tough steel. You can shoot a Sierra or Lapua HP bullet and they will just splatter.”
Rick told us: “I built this target with off-set clanger plates. The white clanger is AR400. Bullets just splatter!” Does he worry about hitting the bolt head? Not at all. Rick says: “When I hit the bolt head, I break my arm patting myself on the back!”.
If you couldn’t attend SHOT Show this past January, here’s the next best thing. Shooting Industry Magazine has released, in its April issue, a comprehensive guide to SHOT Show 2017. You’ll find a summary of the hottest new products, including dealers’s selections for potential top sellers of 2017.
Over 60 products are detailed in this issue’s expanded New Product Showcase (April issue pp. 40-53). This features many new rifles suitable for Tactical or PRS Competition as well as some interesting hunting/varmint rig. You’ll also find some
A second product feature, “SHOT Show Standouts”, highlights dealers’ top picks from a variety of categories. Black Hills’ new line of “Honey Badger” ammunition, eye-catching knives from Steel Will and a smartphone-synced thermal camera by are just a few of the newest products poised to potentially draw big sales. Lastly, a variety gun storage solutions are covered in this April edition in an Arms & Woman feature.
You can access all these product features on the Shooting Industry Digital Edition. CLICK HERE to launch the April Cover page, then navigate by flipping pages, just as with a print magazine. You’ll find the main SHOT Show Product Showcase starting on page 40.
We know that many of our readers have never seen a “Hammerhead” benchrest stock before. This is a design with an extra wide section in the very front, tapering to a narrow width starting about 6″ back. When paired with a super-wide front sandbag, the hammerhead design provides added stability — just like having a wider track on a racing car. Some folks think mid-range and long-range benchrest stocks can only be 3″ wide. Not so — IBS and NBRSA rules now allow much wider fore-ends. While F-Class Open rules limit fore-end width to 3″ max, there is not such restriction on IBS or NBRSA Light Guns or Heavy Guns for 600- and 1000-yard competition. Here’s a 5″-wide Hammerhead design from Precision Rifle & Tool (PR&T).
Ray Bowman of PR&T sent us some photos of another hammerhead benchrest rig. Ray reports: “Here’s another benchrest rifle that Precision Rifle & Tool crafted. The customer shot this rifle at the 2014 IBS 1000-yard Nationals in West Virginia.” This IBS Light Gun sports PR&T’s “Low Boy Hammer Head” stock in red/black laminate. Other components are a 6mm BRUX 30″, 1:8″-twist barrel, Borden BR Action, and a PR&T 20 MOA scope rail.
Forty-five bucks for a 25-round reloading tray? No this is not a late April Fool’s Day story. The CNC wizards at MK Machining in Missouri have created what may be the world’s most high-tech tray. Milled from billet aluminum, these trays will last a lifetime, and they offer one big advantage — any powder over-spill simply fills the open gap between the top and bottom plates. That way you don’t have stray powder kernels collecting in the bottom of the cartridge holes.
The MK Reloading Trays come in four colors: Red Anodized ($44.99), Blue Anodized ($44.99), Black Anodized ($39.99), and Silver (Clear) Anodized ($34.99). The holes are sized for .308 Win-diameter cases, so they’ll work for 6mmBR, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, .243 Win, 7mm-08, and the entire .308 Win family. As shown below you can buy a Red and Blue pair and simply re-assemble them in a Red/Blue Sandwich style. We think that looks pretty cool.
For more information, or to order MK Reloading Trays, visit MKMachining.com.
To be honest, the $6.99 Sinclair Polymer Loading Blocks are good enough for most reloading applications — and the larger, 50-round Blocks ($10.99 at right) can hold twice as many rounds as the MK trays.
However, the MK Machining Loading Tray definitely has more “bling appeal” and there are some advantages to the sandwich design. The aluminum is certainly more heat resistant than polymer. For guys who want a “Cadillac” tray on their bench, the MK Machining Trays may be worth the investment. We also think these might make nice prizes for a shooting match.
Vortex Optics and Hornady have joined forces to create what may be the most remarkable new bullet technology in the past 20 years. Vortex has adapted a miniature video system to fit inside the tips of rifle bullets. The micro-sized camera/transmitter was originally developed for miniature spy drones. Vortex cleverly figured out to make these tiny little video cameras work when carried on a spinning projectile launched from a rifle.
The revolutionary bullet-cam is the equivalent of the camera in the nose of a “smart” bomb or missile, but micro-miniaturized. This new technology allows you to literally watch your bullet fly into the target. For long-range shots with extended flight times, the view is mesmerizing. Hunters should be very excited. With the Bullet-Cam, you can record the “shot of a lifetime” on a trophy hunt. One has to commend Vortex for achieving this electro-optical breakthrough. Kudos also to Hornady for incorporating the micro-optics into shootable ammunition.
Vortex Video Shows New Bullet-Cam in Action:
A live feed from the Bullet-Cam streams right to your device for instant viewing. Once the Bullet-Cam hits the target, recording stops and the video is automatically uploaded to the VTX Cloud where it can be shared to social media.
Software Indexing Magic Creates Stable, Viewable Image
How is the image viewable though the bullet is spinning at thousands of RPM? The answer is surprisingly simple — and achieved through software. The bullet RPM is referenced by a microprocessor, so the camera’s software simply snaps a picture of the target every few micro-seconds, when the target is in exactly the same orientation. The lens is spinning, but it only captures visual data once every rotation (i.e. image capture is rotationally-indexed). This “stream of stills” is then blended into the video feed. What the viewer sees is a stable movie as though the camera was mounted on a non-rotating, fin-stabilized projectile. This rotationally-sequenced image-capture process made the whole project possible. We’re told that the Pentagon was so impressed with the technology that it is looking to fit Bullet-Cams into a variety of spin-stabilized ordnance, including artillery shells and large-caliber (.50 BMG) sniper rounds.
Vortex Engineer Ian Klemm, a top F-TR shooter, helped develop the innovative Bullet-Cam. Ian says: “Our goal with … Vortex products is to allow our customers to see things clearly from all vantage points. When it comes to bullet impact though, shooters have had to relay on traditional optics to determine accuracy from long distances. We were determined to provide an additional point of view (POV) to improve precision and overall performance. [We want] shooters to have the most advanced tools in the industry, to achieve the most accurate shots. With the Bullet-Cam you will always know if you are way off or dead on.”
Ten Bucks Per Shot — Great for Hunters
Considering the technology involved, the Bullet-Cam product is suprisingly affordable. A box of ten (10) cam-equipped cartridges is only $99.99. So, for about ten bucks per shot, you can actually see your shots fly downrange and into the target. That’s something that’s never been possible with sporting ammunition. This new technology unlocks a whole new world for precision shooters. And for hunters — the Bullet-Cam literally allows you to record the shot of a lifetime on a trophy animal. You can then share that memorable experience via Facebook, Twitter or other social media.
Forum member Rick from Louisiana (aka RMulhern) has rigged up a fantastic target for long-range shooting. Rick, a long-time competitive Palma shooter, had a large 72″x72″ steel target fabricated with two separate center rings that are equivalent to the official paper Palma/Creedmoor target. He says he’s “shot a lot of Palma on that target, as well as lots of Black Powder Cartridge (BPCR) rounds”. The big steel target works great when Rick shoots his Sharps 45/110 BPCR at 800 to 1000 yards. The large steel background (painted white) helps Rick see and hear his hits. If you understand the high-arching trajectory of 500+ grain projectiles shot from a 45/110, you know it can take a few rounds to get Point of Impact dialed in.
A second product feature, “SHOT Show Standouts”, highlights dealers’ top picks from a variety of categories. Black Hills’ new line of “Honey Badger” ammunition, eye-catching knives from Steel Will and a smartphone-synced thermal camera by are just a few of the newest products poised to potentially draw big sales. Lastly, a variety gun storage solutions are covered in this April edition in an Arms & Woman feature.
We know that many of our readers have never seen a “Hammerhead” benchrest stock before. This is a design with an extra wide section in the very front, tapering to a narrow width starting about 6″ back. When paired with a super-wide front sandbag, the hammerhead design provides added stability — just like having a wider track on a racing car. Some folks think mid-range and long-range benchrest stocks can only be 3″ wide. Not so — IBS and NBRSA rules now allow much wider fore-ends. While F-Class Open rules limit fore-end width to 3″ max, there is not such restriction on IBS or NBRSA Light Guns or Heavy Guns for 600- and 1000-yard competition. Here’s a 5″-wide Hammerhead design from 
