At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
Here’s a rifle with a smooth three-lug action and good trigger that can take any game in North America. The Browning A-Bolt is justifiably respected as a solid hunting rifle. The 300 Winchester Magnum chambering offers serious hitting power, even at long range. This rifle, with a blued barreled action, normally retails for $600.00+. Now it’s on sale for under $500.00. What’s more Browning will pay the sales tax (up to 8%). That’s right, Browning is currently offering a Sales Tax Rebate for any Browning firearm purchased before April 30, 2016. That will save you forty bucks in states with 8% sales tax.
2. Brownells.com — AR15 Stripped Lower, $59.99
This small pin lower receiver is precision-machined from a 7075 T6 aluminum forging. This versatile, mil-spec lower can be the foundation for rifle builds on 5.56/.223, 6.5mm, 6.8mm, 300 AAC Blackout or other chamberings. Holes, inletting and pin locations have been cut to final dimensions and accept standard AR-15 magazines and components. Right now this Aero Precision lower is on sale at Brownells for just $59.99.
3. Midsouth — Lyman BoreCam Digital Borescope, $222.46
Note: We are repeating this special (first listed last week) because it is the best deal we’ve found on an excellent product in high demand. The Lyman BoreCam is an electro-optical borescope with a digital display. You can record “stills” on a SD card. This is one of the hottest products on the market right now — so hot that it has been back-ordered at most vencdore. But we found some in stock at a great price. Midsouth Shooters Supply now has the BoreCam for $222.46. Grab it while you can at that price. Other online vendors are charging a LOT more (e.g. MidwayUSA price is $259.99).
4. BassPro Shops — Federal .22LR Target Ammo, $4.79/50 Rounds
This Federal Gold Medal Target ammo is MUCH better than common bulk rimfire ammo, yet with this deal, it is only 9.6 cents per round. That’s cheaper than most other .22 LR ammo that’s anywhere near as good. This special is available now from Bass Pro Shops webstore. In addition, Bass Pro is currently offering Free Shipping on orders over $50.00.
Like the RCBS ChargeMaster, this Lyman Gen6 Powder System will automatically dispense and weigh powder charges. This unit features a touch screen, rapid warm-up, anti-static/anti-drift technology, and electronic shielding to resist interference from other electronic devices. It’s a good deal at $205.99.
6. Midsouth — Lyman Bleacher Loading Blocks
Lyman’s new Bleacher Block stepped cartridge holders are great. Use the different levels for sorting brass. Or, migrate the brass from top to bottom as you proceed through case prep stages. Made of durable polymer, Bleacher Blocks are molded in three sizes. The smallest size (with 0.388″-diam holes) fits .223 Rem-size case heads. The middle size (with 0.485″-diam holes) fits .308 Win-size case heads. The biggest Bleacher Block has 0.565″-diameter recesses for magnum-size cases. All three cartridge block sizes hold fifty (50) rounds. Purchase any size for just $5.90 per Block at Midsouth.
7. Monmouth Reloading — 1000 Lake City 5.56 Cases, $68.95
1000 pieces of Lake City brass for under seventy bucks? Yep, that’s a deal and a half. Monmouth Reloading is selling genuine, once-fired Lake City 5.56x45mm brass, thick-walled and sourced direct from the U.S. Military. Monmouth reports: “Our current stock of Lake City 5.56 looks to be all newer year Lake City head stamp but may contain a small percentage of other NATO headstamps. Lake City is a popular, reliable brass, normally capable of many reloads.” Monmouth includes 1% overage to account for any damaged brass. NOTE: Brass has crimped primers, so the pockets will need to be reamed or swaged prior to reloading.
8. Amazon — Leight MAX NRR33 Earplugs, $7.58 for 50 Pairs.
These Howard Leight NRR33 Max plugs are your Editor’s favorite foam earplugs. Between shooting, motorcycling and mowing lawns, I probably have Max plugs in my ears 2-3 days a week. This is a very good price for a bulk pack of 50 pairs. And if you act soon, you can get free shipping to boot.
The latest digital edition of Shooting Industry Magazine offers a run-down of hot products at SHOT Show 2016. In this FREE April edition, you’ll find a SHOT Show in Review article, a “Show Stoppers” guide to Buyers’ favorites, a list of products you may have missed, as well as a 2016 New Product Showcase. For anyone interested in new shooting products, you really should read this special April issue cover to cover. This year’s SHOT Show, held January 19-22 in Las Vegas had more than 1600 exhibitors, with a record number of new products on display.
Show Stoppers from Las Vegas
One of the Show Stoppers highlights was a quad-barrel AR Kit. The new Multi-Caliber System (MCS) from Windham Weaponry offers plenty of bang for the buck. The kit comes with four different barrels: .223 Rem, 7.62x39mm, .300 Blackout, and 9mm Luger. The gun’s modular design makes it easy to change calibers by swapping barrels and magazine wells. (That’s right, you change the magwell to fit the caliber — a smart idea. That way you can run proper AK-style 7.62×39 magazines). One dealer stated: “You can get all four conversion kits in a hard-sided case at a decent prices. The fact you can change calibers so quickly is going to make this a big seller.”
New Product Showcase
Along with the Show Stoppers Guide, this April issue of Shooting Industry Magazine featured “Products You May Have Missed At SHOT Show” as well as a New Product Showcase. The Showcase highlights interesting new products from Benelli, Browning, Colt, Kimber, Nikon, McMillan, Nosler, Polycase, and many other leading brands.
What can you do with $12,215.00? Well, you could buy a new Polaris RZR ATV, a really nice bass boat, 234 shares of Verizon, or 643 bottles of Jack Daniels Old #7. Or, if you are the U.S. Army, you can buy one (1) semi-auto sniper rifle, plus some spare parts. The U.S. Army announced recently that it will replace its M110 Knights Armament-made sniper rifle with a new, lighter 7.62×51 semi-auto rifle from Heckler and Koch. H&K will supply a slimmed-down variant of its G28 Rifle called the Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS). The potential max contract value is $44,500,000 for up to 3,643 rifles (and spare parts). That works out to $12,215.21 per rifle*. At that price, it better be good.
The military says the G28 system is lighter and more compact than the 15.3-lb M110 produced by Knights Armament Company (KAC). The G28 is certainly more compact, given its 16.6″ barrel. But somebody seems to have forgotten that velocity is lost with a shorter barrel. A longer barrel will deliver significantly higher MV for better long-range ballistics. Nevertheless the Army thinks portability trumps ballistics: “Compared to the M110, the CSASS will be easier to carry, handle and maneuver in close-quarters combat. It will lighten the load for carrying over rough terrain for the longer-range ridgeline to ridgeline fight. These improvements will not sacrifice existing performance, accuracy or reliability.”
Hmmm… “Not sacrifice existing performance”? We’re not sure how that can be the case. The current KAC M110 Sniper Rifle (shown below) has a 20″ barrel. The basic G28 has 16.6″ (421 mm) barrel). Perhaps the final CSASS production version of the G28 will be fitted with a longer barrel?
Here’s what various sources report: “On 1 April 2016, the Army announced it had awarded Heckler and Koch a contract with a maximum value of $44.5 million as winner of the competition to replace the KAC M110. H&K is to produce 3,643 rifles. A goal of the effort was to give snipers a weapon that didn’t “stick out” as a sniper rifle; with a suppressor, the current M110 is 46.5″, that’s 13″ longer than the M4 carbine. A minimum of 30 CSASS units will be used for production qualification testing and operational testing over 24 months. H&K later confirmed that a modified G28 had indeed been selected as the CSASS rifle. The G28 is nearly 2.5″ shorter and 3 pounds lighter than the M110 (unloaded and without a suppressor) and will cost about $12,000 per rifle.”
Comment: We’re not so sure about this deal. $12.2K is a lot of money for a souped up AR10. The KAC M110, by all accounts, has performed well in combat and has a good reputation with sniper teams. When introduced, the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) won a U.S. Army award as one of the “Best 10 Inventions” of 2007. The M110 is highly acclaimed for its battlefield performance. If the military wanted a shorter rifle, it simply could have fitted a shorter barrel and a collapsible buttstock on existing M110s. That would have saved millions of dollars. But saving money is, apparently, not one of the Pentagon’s priorities these days.
* This HK firearm is sold as a CSASS system. Typically, the price per system unit will include optics, attachments, fitted hard case, and spares.
Over the years, noted gunsmith and a Benchrest Hall-of-Fame inductee Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez has learned a few things about “tuning” rear sandbags for best performance. On his Facebook page, Speedy recently discussed how sand bag fill levels (hard vs. soft) can affect accuracy. Speedy says you don’t want to have both your front and rear sandbags filled up ultra-hard. One or the other bag needs to have some “give” to provide a shock-absorbing function (and prevent stock jump).
SAND BAGS & HOW TO FILL THEMby Speedy Gonzalez
I was asked several times by competitors at the S.O.A. Matches and F-Class Nationals as to how I fill my sand bags for benchrest competition. Here is a copy of a reply I gave several years ago:
Back in the old days, about the time Fred Flintstone was still alive, I worked for Pat McMillan for free, from time to time to learn all his secrets. One day little Speedy was filling some new sand bags out behind Pat’s shop, stuffing them with more sand than Taco Bell put beans in their Burritos. When Pat stepped out the back door and inquired as to what in the hell was I doing packing them there bags the way I was.
I looked up at him with eyes like a kid with his hands in a cookie jar. My reply must have sounded like Homer Simpson “Doooh”. Finally I said “I don’t know, Boss. I just thought you were supposed to fill these babies up and go shoot. I got that ‘You dumb bastard look’ from Pat and I knew it was lecture time. This was what he told me:
You can not have two bags filled so hard that you gun bounces on them in the process of firing round at your target, especially if you have a rig with a very flexible stock. The bags must be set up in a manner for them to absorb the initial shock of the firing pin moving forward and igniting the primer. Then [they must] maintain their shape and absorb the second shock wave as well the rearward thrust and torque of the rifle. What happens to the rifle when this is not done? Well let me tell you. The rifles have a very bad tendency to jump and roll in the bags. This causes many of those wild, lost shots that one can’t explain.
Charles Huckaba, Ken Terrell, Larry Baggett, Ralph Stewart and some of us Texas shooters talk about this phenomena quite often. We have all agreed that:
1: You can not have two hard bags [i.e. both front AND rear] in your set-up.
2: Heavy sand magnifies these phenomena.
3: If you are a bag squeezer, pack ears hard and leave bag pliable enough to squeeze for the movement required. You may pack front bag as hard as rules permit.
4: Free recoil shooters pack both bags firm, but not so hard as to allow stock jump. Especially if you have a stock with a very flexible forearm.
5: We use play-ground sand, also know as silica sand. I sift mine to get any large impurities out then mix it with 25% to 50% with Harts parakeet gravel to the desired hardness that I am looking for. The bird gravel keeps the sand from packing itself into that solid as a brick state.
Speaking of bricks — another thing that happens when shooters employ that heavy zircon sand is the ears form a low spot under them from recoil and then tend to rock back and forth with the rifle causing many low shots to crop up. Edgewood makes an Edgewood/Speedy rear bag specially reinforced under the ears to eliminate this scenario.
One last note –If you use the Cordura bags keep them sprayed with a good silicon spray or “Rain-Ex”. This keeps them from getting sticky. Hey guys, try that and see if it helps. — Speedy
P.S.: I do not like the solid double-stitched leather bottoms. While this seems like a good idea, I see more shooters have problems because of them. They tend to slide around the bench and or slide with the rifle on recoil. The standard Protektor with Cordura rabbit ears and an Otto ring bag with a Cordura front would be what I would suggest to the new shooter or one of the Edgewood / Speedy rear bags, these mimic the “Donut” and feature a ring of leather around the bottom circumference that keep the bottom from rocking on the bench or ground if that is where you reside these days…
Here at AccurateShooter.com we tend to focus on highly-accurate (1/2-MOA or better), custom-built bolt-action rifles. But for home defense, deer hunting, or just having fun with the grand-kids, factory-built firearms serve their purpose. With that in mind, we wondered, “Just what are the most popular mass-production firearms these days?” Gunbroker.com, the biggest firearms auction site, has tallied the top-selling new and “previously-owned” firearms in various categories for all of last year. Here are Gunbroker’s “Best Selling Firearms” for 2015.
GunBroker.com’s Best-Selling New and Used Firearms of 2015
Some things we expected — the Rem 700 is the top-ranking bolt-action rifle, and the Ruger 10/22 was the leading semi-auto rifle. But notably, the Ruger Precision Rifle (Below) is now the second-best selling bolt rifle in the country. That shows how popular “tactical” style bolt guns have become. It also proves Ruger has created a winner — a fine-shooting rifle that has quickly established a following.
The second most popular bolt-action long-gun is the new Ruger Precision Rifle
In the handgun rankings, there were some surprises. Despite being out of production, the Colt Python is the best-selling used revolver. Why is an out-of-production gun a top-seller? First, high-grade Pythons are actually increasing in value, making this “snake” a good investment. Pythons are also highly accurate, beautifully-finished revolvers with superb triggers. These qualities make the guns highly desirable to serious shooters as well as collectors.
Brass jags perform well for their intended purpose — with one hitch. Strong copper solvents can actually leech metal from the jag itself, leaving the tell-tale blue tint on your patches. This “false positive” can be frustrating, and may lead shooters to over-clean their barrels.
Gunslick Nylon Spire-Point Jags
There are now some good alternatives to brass jags. The best may be the Gunslick® Nylon Snap-Lock™ jags shown at right. These never leave a “false positive”. A while back, Larry Bartholome, past USA F-Class Team Captain told us: “The best spear-type jags I have used are the GunSlick black nylon tips. I have used the model 92400 for the last couple years in my 6BR and 6.5-284s. Unlike the white plastic jags, these are strong and there’s no brass to worry about.” You can purchase these nylon jags directly from GunSlick just $1.49 each. At that price, they’re worth a try.
#92400 for 22 through 270 calibers: $1.49
#92421 for 30 through 375/8mm calibers: $1.49
#92423 for 38 through 38/9mm calibers: $1.49
Tipton Nickel-Coated JagsIf you prefer a metal jag, consider the Tipton Nickel-coated Ultra Jags, sold both individually and as a boxed set. We recommend the new-style, 12-Jag Kit from MidwayUSA (Midway item #812503, $16.99). This features an easy-to-use, clear-topped fitted caddy that can lie flat on your bench, or be attached vertically (to save space).All Tipton nickel-plated jags have 8-32 thread, except for the .17 caliber jag which has a 5-40 thread. The vast majority of user reviews have been very positive. A few guys have complained that the nickel-plated Tipton jags run oversize, but we use a .22-caliber jag in our 6mms anyway, so this hasn’t been a problem for us. The 6mm (.243 caliber) nickel-plated jag (MidwayUSA item 259834) costs $4.79.
Another Tipton 12-jag set (photo above right), covering .17 to .45 calibers, including a flip-top carry case, is offered by Midsouth Shooters Supply for $17.62 (Midsouth item 094-500012).
Clear-Coating Your Brass Jags
If you’re reluctant to give up your collection of brass jags (after all they’ve worked pretty well so far), try covering the jag itself with a thin, transparent coating. Forum Member BillPA says: “I give the brass jags a coat of clear lacquer or acrylic; that works for me”. You may need to experiment to find a coating that stands up to your favorite solvent. BillPA says: “The only solvent I’ve found that eats the lacquer off is TM Solution. Butch’s, Shooter’s Choice, or Wipe-Out don’t seem to bother it. Most of the time I use rattle-can clear lacquer”. If you’re feeling creative, you could even color-code your jags by adding tints to the clear-coat.
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has unveiled some interesting new Spring offerings. First, McMillan now offers some really cool “Transition” camouflage finishes for hunting and tactical stocks. These Transition Camo Paint Finishes are handsome, distinctive, and very effective in the field. In addition, McMillan is adding three new hunting and sporting stocks to its collection of fiberglass rifle stocks.
Transition Camo Series Paint Finish
The Transition Camo Series, McMillan’s newest paint finish, mimics the spray patterns favored by tactical marksmen and hunters. The highly-durable paint McMillan uses provides an industrial-grade, non-slip pebble finish similar to that found on power tools and industrial equipment. This tough, durable polyurethane paint is suitable for harsh conditions. The Transition Camo Series is currently available in three (3) color combos: Woodland Transition, Desert Transition, and GAP Transition.
McMillan New-for-2016 Hunting and Sporting Stocks
Game Warden / Adjustable Game Warden
The Game Warden stock shares the same streamlined design and A-3 vertical pistol grip as McMillan’s popular Game Scout rifle stock, but the new stock features a larger fore-end which accepts larger contour barrels up to a #8. This is an ambidextrous stock which can be inletted for Remington type and Sako right-hand and left-hand actions. The stock is available with a fixed comb or with either of the optional integral cheekpieces. The Adjustable Game Warden accepts only Remington type actions.
Game Hunter
The Game Hunter stock combines the most popular features of McMillan’s hunting and sporting stocks and fits Remington-type actions. The stock has a high, Monte Carlo-style cheekpiece similar to the McMillan Hunter stock and an A-3 vertical pistol grip from McMillan’s popular Game Scout stock. The Game Hunter’s fore-end accommodates large contour barrels up to #8. The higher cheek comb allows for the use of scopes with larger diameter objectives. Available in right-hand only.
Game Scout X-Bolt
The Game Scout has been McMillan’s #1 selling hunting stock for two years running. McMillan’s new Game Scout X-Bolt is the only aftermarket stock made for the Browning X-Bolt action and its unique floorplate. This X-Bolt Game Scout is available for both short and long actions and can accommodate barrels up to a #5 contour.
About McMillan Fiberglass Stocks
McMillan stocks carry a lifetime warranty and are manufactured in the United States. McMillan Fiberglass Stocks is a leading manufacturer of premium custom fiberglass stocks for hunting, competition, tactical, and OEM markets. McMillan is located in Phoenix, Arizona. For more info, visit www.mcmillanusa.com or call 877-365-6148.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Midsouth — Major Brand Blem Bullets (.204 to .50 Cal)
Right now Midsouth Shooters Supply is running a big sale on Major Brand Blem Bullets. You can save 50% or more on a wide variety of bullet types and calibers. Whatever your preference — Poly Tips, BT Hollowpoints, Soft-Points — you’ll find something on sale. In all 42 types of bullets, from .22 to .50 caliber, are deeply discounted. Here are just a few of the great deals we found:
.204 (20 Cal) 45gr SP, $17.06 per 100
.224 (5.56 mm) 55gr SP, $9.53 per 100
.243 (6 mm) 87gr BTHP, $15.08 per 100
.264 (6.5 mm) 120gr Poly Tip, $18.54 per 100
.308 (7.62 mm) 195gr BTHP, $22.96 per 100
.338 (8.58mm) 225gr Poly Tip, $27.22 per 100
2. Grafs.com — Magnetospeed Sporter $179.99
If you have been waiting to get a Magnetospeed… wait no longer. Priced at just $179.99 at Grafs.com, the Magnetospeed Sporter model costs less than half as much as Magnetospeed’s V3 models. This chronograph attaches directly to your barrel so you don’t have to go downrange to position tripods and set up skyscreens. For most people the Sporter Model contains all the features they need. Using Magnetspeed’s XFR adapter (sold separately), data can be transferred easily from the display module to your mobile device. READ Magnetospeed Sporter Review.
3. Bruno’s — Once-Used Nightforce Scopes, Save Hundreds
Bruno Shooters Supply currently offers six (6) Nightforce targets scopes that were used one-time-only at the Cactus Benchrest match. These were “previewed” for evaluation on a rifle but are virtually brand new. And yes they come with full factory warranty. Choose either the 15-55x52mm Comp model or the NEW fixed-power 42x44mm scope, with either Fine Cross Hair (FCH) or Target Dot Reticle. You can save some hundreds on these scopes. For example, the 15-55X scope is offered at $2125.00, compared to the $2352.00 normal price at other vendors. That’s a $227.00 savings.
4. CDNN Sports — Ruger American Ranch Rifle (Tan), $389.99
Here’s a nice little varmint rifle from Ruger with some nice features at a very attractive price, $389.99. This .223 Rem rifle features a 16.5″ hammer-forged barrel barrel threaded 1/2″-28 at the muzzle for brake or suppressor. The action, which features a 70° three-lug bolt, and Picatinny-style scope rail, sits in an aluminum bedding block. The crisp trigger adjusts down to 3 pounds. With a weight (before optics) of 6.1 pounds, this is a handy carry-around varminter.
5. Natchez — 300 Rounds .45 ACP in Can, $69.99 After Rebate
The classic .45 ACP is probably our favorite handgun cartridge for target work. Inherently accurate, the .45 ACP delivers big, easy-to-see holes on the target. Right now you can get 300 rounds of quality American Eagle 230gr .45 ACP FMJ ammunition for just $69.99 after the Federal Premium MFG Rebate. This Natchez .45 ACP Ammo Deal includes a rugged, lockable Federal Premium plastic Ammo Can.
6. Cabelas.com — Lyman Power Case-Prep Tool, $20.89
This Lyman cordless power tool is now just $20.89, marked down from $39.99. That’s a steal for a tool that handles most case-prep chores. The high-torque rechargeable driver runs at the correct speed for deburring and chamfering. The accessories have hex shafts that snap in and out of the driver (much like with a cordless screwdriver). The kit includes the power unit and seven (7) accessories: two case neck brushes, two double-ended primer pocket tools (large and small), an outside 45° neck-chamfer tool, an inside 30° neck-chamfer tool, and a combo standard/phillips screw-driver bit. Grab one for $20.89 at Cabelas.com.
7. MidwayUSA — Padded Scoped Rifle Case, $24.99
This 48″-long, thickly-padded gun case will hold most tactical-style rifles and hunting rifles. At a fraction of the cost of a big, cumbersome drag bag, this case may be all you need. The heavy duty padding is over 1″ thick on both sides to protect your rifle and optics investment from rough handling. A large pocket will hold a couple boxes of ammo and other accessories. We like this bag much better than the typical gun-store soft cases. It offers much better padding and more room for large scopes. It is on sale this week at MidwayUSA for just $24.99 in four colors: black, tan, OD green, and gray. In addition to the 48″ case shown, 40″ and 44″ versions are available.
8. Amazon — Two Rolls of 3″ Neon Target Stickers, $14.95
We like these bright Neon 3″ target stickers. They are big enough to see easily at 600 yards, giving you a 1/2 MOA target center at that distance. For $14.95 at Amazon.com, you get 250 3″-diameter self-adhesive centers (125 targets per roll) that stick to almost any surface The high-contrast fluorescent red/orange color provides an excellent HI-VIZ aiming point, along with good contrast for bullet holes that fall within the 3″ circle. To help line up your reticle cross-hairs, the target centers feature black markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 0’clock.
Burris Optics now offers online ballistic tools to help shooters maximize the potential of Burris riflescopes. The new Burris Ballistics Services site offers easy-to-use software and a comprehensive cartridge/bullet library. With these web-based tools you can analyze your reticle, build a dope card, program an Eliminator LaserScope, and order custom elevation and windage knobs. Burris Ballistic Services are provided online at www.BurrisOptics.com/ballistics.
Burris Reticle Analysis Calculator
The Burris Reticle Analysis Calculator allows users to select their ammunition and define exact environmental conditions, such as altitude, humidity, and wind speed. This allows you to plot the exact holdovers/holdoffs shown by any Burris reticle at any distance. Results are customizable and printable.
Dope Card Builder
The Burris Dope Card Builder is a fully-customizable solution for determining bullet performance at any distance. By using the extensive Burris bullet library users can expect very precise and reliable elevation and windage values for their custom-generated drop chart (aka Dope Card).
Data for Nearly 7000 Cartridges and Bullets
Burris has compiled an impressive database for its online software — nearly 7,000 cartridges and bullets are included from every major ammunition and bullet manufacturer. Rimfire, centerfire, muzzleloader and shotgun shells are included, as well as G1 and G7 profiles (where available) for precise accuracy.
Eliminator LaseScope Programming Tool
With the touch of a button, the Burris Eliminator LaserScope will range your target, calculate your needed vertical hold-over (based on your load’s ballistics) and then instantly display a red dot you put right on the target. We’ve used an Eliminator and can affirm that the system works well. For most accurate elevation calculations, you program the Eliminator by entering the Drop value at 750 yards and the Ballistic Coefficient of the cartridge you are shooting. The Eliminator Programming Tool helps you determine the correct Drop Number and Ballistic Coefficient, and lets you fine-tune your results by inputting local environmental conditions.
Custom Knobs
Burris customers can now order custom elevation knobs for many Burris riflescopes. With the online software you can configure a knob for your favorite load and exact shooting conditions (elevation, temp, humidity). You can then submit this knob “blueprint” to Burris and have a custom knob produced.
Brownells recently reviewed some interesting new products including Howa Barreled Actions and a low-profile titanium gas block for AR-platform rifles. We really like the Howa Barreled Actions as the basis of a varmint or hunting rifle build. The actions are smooth and the Howa-supplied, adjustable HACT 2-stage trigger is excellent. Brownells will stock these barreled actions in a wide range of calibers and barrel profiles (including some with threaded muzzles for brakes or suppressors).
Watch Brownells NEW PRODUCT Review 3/11/2016:
Starting at $407.00, Howa Barreled Actions include hammer-forged barrel, bottom metal, magazine (internal or DBM), and the HACT 2-stage trigger. The three-position safety allows you to manipulate the bolt with the trigger blocked. These Howa barreled actions, which are drilled and tapped for scope mounts, come in Blue or Cerakote Gray finish in Short, Long, and Mini-Action sizes. The Howa Mini-Action is a great basis for a light, compact small-caliber varminter.
Low-Profile Titanium Gas Block for AR-Platform Rifles
The Battle Arms AR-15 Titanium Gas Block (#100-800-003) provides a very trick, low-profile set-up for an AR “space gun” or 3-Gun rig. Light and strong, the Battle Arms Ti gas block fits underneath almost any handguard. This slim, ultra-lightweight Titanium block helps keep an AR-15 rifle/carbine fast and maneuverable by reducing front-end mass. Brownells price is $99.95.
Back in the old days, about the time Fred Flintstone was still alive, I worked for Pat McMillan for free, from time to time to learn all his secrets. One day little Speedy was filling some new sand bags out behind Pat’s shop, stuffing them with more sand than Taco Bell put beans in their Burritos. When Pat stepped out the back door and inquired as to what in the hell was I doing packing them there bags the way I was. 
Brass jags perform well for their intended purpose — with one hitch. Strong copper solvents can actually leech metal from the jag itself, leaving the tell-tale blue tint on your patches. This “false positive” can be frustrating, and may lead shooters to over-clean their barrels.
Gunslick Nylon Spire-Point Jags
Tipton Nickel-Coated JagsIf you prefer a metal jag, consider the 
