The NRA’s Women’s Wilderness Escape (WWE) program, in partnership with Leupold and Kristy Titus of Pursue the Wild, will offer a special ladies-only firearms training course next June in Central Oregon. This Leupold Academy Rifle & Pistol course will cover both rifles and pistols. The curriculum includes two days of scoped rifle instruction and one day of basic optical-sighted defensive pistol instruction. Leupold instructors will lead the course, teaching participants to master both firearm platforms. Kristy Titus, a skilled huntress and outdoor guide, will be in attendance to help mentor the participants.
This women’s-only event runs three days from June 3-7. It will be held outside Redmond in scenic Central Oregon. All women over 18 are welcome to attend. The $1,200 registration fee includes all firearms, ammunition, targets, classes, activities, ground transportation, lodging and most meals.
Along with this Leupold-directed event in Oregon, there will be three other WWE events in 2019.
NRA Women’s Wilderness Escape Program — All 2019 Offerings
The NRA Wilderness Escape program provides opportunities for women ages 18 and older of all different skills levels to explore and learn about shooting, hunting and the outdoors with skilled NRA-Certified Instructors and outdoor specialists.
For more information about NRA Women’s Wilderness Escape events or to register, visit WWE.NRA.org, call (800) 672-7435 option 5, or email wwe@nrahq.org.
Kristy Titus Offers Hunting Tips
As part of NRA Women TV, hunting guide Kristy Titus hosts a series of videos that explain important strategies and shooting skills for hunters. Titus is a certified instructor who has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In these videos, Kristy discusses demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt. She also explains preparation for a hunt, including fitness training.
“When it comes to bolt-action rifle fit, there is no ‘one size fits all’,” says Titus. “When picking out your rifle [consider options] after the purchase to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.”
Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our 43,000+ Forum Members. This marks our 14th Christmas “in business”, and the site is stronger than ever thanks to our contributing Gold and Silver Forum members and industry sponsors. AccurateShooter.com is now accessed by over 500,000 visitors every month, who enjoy our Feature Articles, Daily Bulletin, Shooters’ Forum, and our Facebook Page. We added 5000 new Forum members this past year! Part of the reason for that success is the hard work of our dedicated staff and volunteer helpers.
Unsung Heroes Deserve Recognition
I want to acknowledge those guys who have really helped out the site. Number one is our Systems Admin, Jay Christopherson. Along with being a darn fine shooter, Jay is a computer guru who keeps the servers running smoothly. We acknowledge Boyd Allen and EdLongRange who supply story leads for the Daily Bulletin, as well as F-Class John, who prepares Deals of the Week. We also thank Jeff Williams, our “Answerman” who fields questions from our readers. We have a great place to test rifles thanks to our valued friend (and designated trigger-puller) Joe Friedrich. Special thanks go to: Ed Mobley and Steve Lawrence of 65Guys.com; Bill, Editor of Rifleshooter.com; Gavin Gear; and Erik Cortina. These folks have worked on important product tests, contributing stories and videos. I also want to recognize our regular contributors, including Craig Arnzen, Vince Bottomley, James Mock, John Whidden, and Glen Zediker. All these men (and many others) have all contributed much time and effort.
We also want to thank our major sponsors, without whose support the site could not provide the full AccurateShooter.com experience, with an active Forum, an archive of in-depth articles, and fresh content 365 days a year in our Daily Bulletin. We’re grateful to all our sponsors and advertisers. In particular, we want to acknowledge the major online retailers who have been strong supporters of this site for many years: Bruno Shooters Supply, Bullet Central, Graf & Sons, Grizzly Industrial, EuroOptic, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Powder Valley Inc., and Precision Reloading. Thanks also to major advertisers Capstone, Nosler, Precision HC Gear, Stocky’s Stocks, Whidden Gunworks, and Zeiss Optics. The continuing support of these companies, and ALL our sponsors, helps us serve our readers and Forum members.
Headed to SHOT Show in Las Vegas next month? Then you should download the FREE SHOT Show Mobile App. Available for all mobile devices, this App really makes it easier to plan your SHOT Show schedule, and navigate the floor of the Sands Convention Center. The 2019 SHOT Show Mobile App is now available for download on Apple, Android, and Windows smartphones and devices. Apple users will find the app in the App Store, Android users will find their version in the Google Play Store. Windows users can access via the WEB Dashboard. Learn more at SHOTmobile.com.
Handy Interactive Map
The App includes an interactive map that can direct you from your current location to your next destination. Arrange your meetings with a handy scheduling calendar. And you can search for any SHOT exhibitor by name or product category. In addition, the App lists major show events as well as important new products.
GREAT APP FEATURES
— Locate Exhibitor Booths with searchable Vendor Database/Floor Map
— Build a personalized Schedule and bookmark Exhibitors
— Visit bookmarked Exhibitors with Quick Route Feature
— Multi-Device Sync for smartphones, tablets, laptops
— Up-to-date Exhibitor, Speaker, and Event information
The Free SHOT Show App lets you do some very cool things with your smartphone. You can contact exhibitors directly through the App to request appointments or callbacks. You can take notes while visiting a vendor’s booth or attending a seminar. Of course you can schedule your agenda, and see an entire day’s events in a glance. But perhaps the best function of all is the “Quick Route”. This allows you to create the most efficient point-to-point route from one booth location to another.
The 2019 SHOT Show takes place January 22-25 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about SHOT Show, including how to register, educational resources, event listings and hotel/travel information, visit SHOTShow.org.
We know that many of our readers will be traveling by air this holiday season. If you’ll be venturing to another destination by air this month, you need to be careful when transporting firearms through airports both in the USA and in other countries. It is important that you comply with all Homeland Security, TSA, and Airline policies when transporting guns and ammunition. Following the rules will help ensure you (and your gear) make it to your destination without hassles, delays or (God forbid), confiscations.
Important TSA Tips on Firearms and Flying
Good Advice from an Airport Police Officer
To help our readers comply with rules and regulations for air travel, we offer these guidelines, courtesy “Ron D.”, a member of our Shooters’ Forum. Before he retired, Ron D. served as a Police Officer assigned to Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Here Ron offers some very important advice for shooters traveling with firearms and expensive optics.
First, Ron explains that airport thieves can spot bags containing firearms no matter how they are packaged: “Don’t think you’re safe if your guns are placed in cases designed for golf clubs or trade show items. Baggage is X-Rayed now and cases are tagged with a special bar code if they contain firearms. It doesn’t take long for bad guys to figure out the bar coding for firearms.”
Carry-On Your Scopes and Expensive Items
Ron advises travelers to avoid placing very expensive items in checked baggage: “When traveling by air, carry on your rangefinder, spotting scope, rifle scope, medications, camera, etc. You would be surprised at the amount of people that carry-on jeans and shirts, but put expensive items in checked baggage. Better to loose three pairs of jeans than some expensive glass.”
Mark Bags to Avoid Confusion
Ron notes that carry-on bags are often lost because so many carry-on cases look the same. Ron reports: “People do accidentally remove the wrong bag repeatedly. I frequently heard the comment, ‘But it looks just like my bag.’ When de-planing, keep an eye on what comes out of the overhead that your bag is in. It’s easy to get distracted by someone that has been sitting next to you the whole flight. I tie two streamers of red surveyors’ tape on my carry-on bag.” You can also use paint or decals to make your carry-on bag more distinctive.
Choosing a Rifle Transport Case
Ron advises: “Buy the best [rifle case] that you can afford. Don’t cry when your $3,000+ Benchrest rifle has a cracked stock or broken scope. Think about what it would be like to travel across the country (e.g. to Montana or the Cactus Classic) and arrive with a damaged rifle. Remember the Samsonite commercial. (For you younger shooters, it shows a monkey throwing the suitcase around in his cage at the zoo.) Baggage handling is NOT a fine art. There is no guarantee that your rifle case will be on top of all the other baggage. Then there is shifting of baggage in the belly of the plane. Ponder that for a while. Rifle and pistol cases must be locked. It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to figure out that a simple pry tool will open most case locks. There is not much that you can do to disguise a rifle case. It is what it is, and opportunists know this. Among thieves, it doesn’t take long for the word to get around about a NEW type of case.”
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is now just $114.92, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00.
General Advice for Air Travelers
Ron cautions: “Keep your hands on your items before boarding. One of the most often heard comments from theft victims was, ‘I just put my computer down for a minute while I was on the phone.’ Also, get to the baggage claim area quickly. If your family/friends can meet you there, so can the opportunists. Things do get lost in the claim area. Don’t be a Victim. Forewarned is forearmed.”
Here’s a cool Christmas Gift item — a high-quality 70-page coloring book featuring firearms. If you have kids or grandkids that enjoy shooting or hunting, this could be a fun, interactive gift. (Heck we know some adults who would enjoy it too.) Offered by Top Shot Champ Dustin Ellermann, Full Metal Coloring features quotes from famous people and shooting tips from ace shooters such as Jerry Miculek and Bryan Zins. The WideOpenSpaces Blog says: “Forget abstract designs or run-of-the-mill shapes. Instead, get your hands on this cool coloring book full of guns.” The price is now just $9.99 on sale.
Product Description: Filled with humor, history and iconic images, Full Metal Coloring appeals to military, veterans, shooting sports athletes and hunters. Amusing quotes by Aristotle, Walter Cronkite, Wyatt Earp and more. Shooting tips by Jerry Miculek, Brian Zins, Jim Henderson and more!
Editor’s Comment: For the shooting sports to thrive, we need to add new participants — get new people involved in marksmanship and competitive shooting. Unless we add new shooters, we can expect more range closures, and more political attacks on our gun rights. The NSSF is starting a “Plus One” (+ONE) campaign to help build the ranks of shooters. The idea is basic — make a commitment to act as a MENTOR and encourage at least ONE new person to get involved. We think this is a worthwhile objective. As the NSSF says: If just one in three of America’s recreational shooters adds one new person to the shooting sports, we’ll secure a strong future for generations to come.”
The +ONE Movement — The Mission
In response to studies showing millions of people want to know more about hunting and target shooting, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has announced a new mentorship initiative called the +ONE Movement. “We all know that getting involved in hunting and the shooting sports can be a challenge for people who have never gone before,” said NSSF President Joe Bartozzi. “Having a mentor at your side makes it much easier for someone to get started. With the +ONE Movement, we’re challenging every hunter and target shooter in America to introduce at least one new person to the sports we love.”
A major barrier for people wanting to learn about hunting and target shooting is that basic knowledge of these pastimes is not passed down from adults to youth as commonly as it once was. That’s where mentoring programs can make a huge difference. Watch this video to learn how you can become a shooting sports mentor:
This Video Explains How to Get New Shooters Involved:
Learn more abou the NSSF’s +ONE Movement at LetsGoShooting.org and LetsGoHunting.org. Those sites offer how-to articles and videos, along with tips on getting folks involved in the shooting sports (and hunting). But honestly, the websites are only an invitation. For this program to succeed, each of us needs to make a commitment to mentoring a new shooter in 2019.
MENTORS — SHARE THESE TIPS WITH YOUR +ONE INVITEES
1. Always Keep the Muzzle Pointed in a Safe Direction:
Simply put: Never point a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot—even when dry firing.
2. Keep Firearms Unloaded When Not in Use:
Never load a gun until you are ready to shoot. When not in use, store firearms and ammo separately.
3. Don’t Rely on a Gun’s Safety:
Treat every gun as though it can fire at any time. Safeties are mechanical devices that can become inoperable without your knowing.
4. Be Sure of Your Target and What’s Beyond It:
No target is so important that you can’t take the time before pulling the trigger to be certain of where your shot will stop.
5. Use the Correct Ammunition:
Using improper or incorrect ammunition can destroy a gun and cause serious personal injury. Always double-check your ammo.
6. If the Gun Fails to Fire, Handle with Care:
If nothing happens when you pull the trigger, keep the muzzle pointed downrange, unload the gun, and dispose of the faulty cartridge.
7. Always Wear Eye and Ear Protection:
Exposure to a firearm’s report can damage hearing; adequate vision protection is essential at all times while shooting.
8. Be Sure the Barrel is Clear of Obstructions:
Before loading a firearm, open the action, check that there’s no ammo in the chamber or magazine, and make sure the barrel is clear.
9. Don’t Alter or Modify a Gun, and Service Regularly:
Any alteration or change made to a firearm after manufacture can make the gun dangerous. Also, follow the manufacturer’s service recommendations.
10. Learn the Mechanical and Handling Characteristics of the Gun:
Every firearm is different. Never handle a gun without first familiarizing yourself with it and the way it works.
Many people who may not be interested in target shooting or competitive shooting may find hunting appealing. Bring new people into the ranks of hunters will also help protect our gun rights.
AccurateShooter.com offers dozens of FREE, printable targets for target practice, load development, and fun shooting. We also offer a few of the most popular NRA Bullseye targets. One or more of these printable targets should work for most training purposes. However, some readers have asked: “Where can we get the real targets… exactly like the ones used in NRA, IBS, and NBRSA shooting matches?”
All these vendors carry nearly all the NRA High Power and Smallbore targets, including the new, smaller F-Class targets. Germany’s Kruger Targets sells all the important NRA targets, and international (ISSF) air rifle and smallbore targets too.
Orrville Printing currently sells IBS targets for rimfire (50 yard) benchrest, short-range centerfire Benchrest (100, 200, 300 yards), Hunter BR Rifle (100, 200, 300 yards), plus the official 600-yard and 1000-yard IBS targets. National Target Company also has most of the IBS targets. NBRSA short-range, 600-yard, and 1000-yard benchrest targets are available directly from the NBRSA Business Office. Call (307) 655-7415 to order for the season.
At Western CMP Games, veteran rifle competitors Leon Rutherford, left, and Don Rutherford, demonstrate how to score targets at the GSM new shooter clinic. Note the use of a separate Target Center, which is available from many of the vendors listed above.
Hodgdon has released its 2019 Reloading Manual, the 16th Annual Edition of this valuable reloading resource. This new manual contains data for Hodgdon, IMR and Winchester Smokeless Propellants in more than 5,000 loads, with updates for 17 rifle and pistol cartridges. Using this resource, handloaders can now find data for the new 224 Valkyrie and 6.5 PRC cartridges. Along with comprehensive load data, the 2019 Hodgdon Annual Manual offers authoritative articles by leading gun and outdoor industry writers, working with the editors of Shooting Times magazine.
“The Annual Manual is our printed yearly update for the ardent handloader,” said Ron Reiber, lead ballistician for Hodgdon. “We believe one of our competitive advantages is providing cutting-edge data on all our propellants. Our customers know they can look to Hodgdon to be first to supply this information on hot, new cartridges and newly-introduced powders.”
CLICK HERE to order the 2019 Hodgdon Annual Manual from the Hodgdon website for $12.99 (shipping included). You can also purchase the Annual Manual wherever popular magazines are sold.
H4350 and Varget In Stock Now at Many Vendors
In 2017 Hodgdon celebrated its 70th Anniversary. At SHOT Show 2017 talked with Chris Hodgdon. Chris was proud to note that his family-owned company is now marked its 70th year in business. The company has been very successful, but sometimes that means supply can’t catch up with demand with some of the most popular powders, such as Hodgdon H4350, which is extremely accurate and also temp-stable. Chris said: “Getting more H4350 to our customers is one of our top priorities. With the booming popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor and other similar cartridges, there is a lot of demand for that powder.” Supply has definitely increased this year. Yes, H4350, in both 1-lb and 8-lb containers, is in stock right now at Bruno’s, Graf’s, Midsouth, and Powder Valley.
We also discussed the continued popularity of Varget, which also became more readily available this year. It is still one of the very best choices for a wide variety of cartridges, including the .308 Win (just look at the groups on our X-Max for Xmas story). Chris said that Varget users may also want to try IMR 8208 XBR. Chris observed: “I think IMR 8208 XBR is one of the very best powders we make. It is accurate, temp-stable, and it meters very well because the kernels are very small. The guys who try 8208 have been very happy.”
We concur with Chris — we’ve used 8208 XBR in a .308 Win and it shot exceptionally well. It is definitely “match-ready” powder for cartridges that like a medium burn-rate powder, such as the .308 Winchester, 7mm-08, and 6mmBR Norma.
Proud owner Dirk L. says: “This is my first build — never thought it would be a .308!”
Here’s a handsome F-TR rifle with a beautiful red stock that suits the holiday season. This ruby red beauty was a recent addition to the long-running Pride and Joy Rifle thread in our Shooters’ Forum. The rifle belongs to Forum member Dirk L. (aka “Pinkes”) who hails from South Africa. This is a .308 Win, with 30″ Bartlein barrel, and X-Max action. The stock is a custom composite with carbon fiber for strength and lightness. And yes this rifle shoots as good as it looks. Check out the impressive 5-shot groups below…
X-Max for Xmas — Impressive Metal-work
Along with that beautiful red stock, this F-TR rig has some very cool features, including a South African-crafted X-Max Action. The action designer Piet Welgemoed explains: “The X-Max action body is 17-4PH stainless steel pre-hardened to 44° Rockwell. Bolt and handle are one-piece stainless steel, nitrated to 55° Rockwell 0.2mm deep. Bolt is also fluted. Inside is the firing pin with washers (see below). The washer cuts the lock-time almost by half and also weighs less. The bolt-knob and bolt shroud are CNC aluminum. The action has very tight tolerances.” The complete action with +20 MOA rail and trigger weighs 1.475 kg (3.25 lbs).” Owner Dirk notes that the competition trigger, set at 3.0 ounces, is also Welgemoed’s design.
Wicked Accuracy with Bartlein Barrel, Varget, and 220gr SMKs
This gun has already proven to be a great shooter. Below are two FIVE-shot groups at 100 meters. The group on the left is in the low threes, with three of five shots essentially in one hole. Dirk loads Lapua .308 Palma brass and #2231 200gr Sierra Matchkings, seated 20 thousandths off the lands. The Varget powder and CCI primers drives the 200gr SMKs at 2620 fps.
Brass: Lapua .308 Win Palma (small primer) | Primers: CCI 450 | Powder: Varget
Bullet: New 200gr SMK #2231 | Seating: 0.020″ Off | Velocity: 2620fps
Composite Stock — One of Three by Renier Mostert
And what about that beautiful red stock? The rifle’s owner told us: “This was one of three similar stocks built as a test run by Renier Mostert, a professional composite stock builder and former benchrest shooter from Pretoria, South Africa. Renier was approached by three friends, who were all looking for decent, custom-built FTR composite stocks. There were a number of stocks available to them (mostly imported), but [those] were either made of wood or aluminum. The requirements for the composite stock build was very specific. Aluminum V-Blocks for the actions were required. The stocks had to be light enough to carry some beefy barrels and optics without compromising rigidity and still be within the F-TR weight limit. The three friends supplied Renier with an imported wooden stock as their shape of choice. Although the shape was quite straight-forward, Renier made a few dimensional changes to features which were not symmetrically correct on the sample, and then built a mold from it.”
Renier uses several methods to craft composite stocks for various disciplines: F-Class, benchrest, competition rimfire, hunting, and tactical. For this build he chose to build a shell constructed of a well-planned mix of woven fiberglass cloth and bi-directionally woven carbon fiber with aerospace quality epoxy resin to reduce weight in some areas and increase stiffness in other areas. He used a wet lay-up process where the two halves gets laid up and joined together while still wet to form a complete, continuous shell. The closed mold gets cured under pressure in an oven for several hours at very specific temperatures. After curing, the shell is filled with a high-tech mix of lightweight filler and epoxy resin. The composition of the mix varies in different areas of the stock to facilitate more strength or reduced weight where applicable.
After the initial build, the aluminum hardware was installed. An adjustable cheek piece, Anschutz rail, and adjustable recoil pad mechanism were installed. The stocks were inletted by Renier, while the final fitting and bedding procedures were left for each customer’s gunsmith to complete. The stocks were light enough for the rifles to comfortably be within the F-TR weight limit. A barrel tuner was mounted on one of the rifles, and the rifle still made the F-TR Class weight limit, 8.25 kg (including bipod). The bipod shown in photos in the SEB Joy-Pod.
Paint — Candy Apple Red over Metallic Silver Base
After final gunsmithing, the stocks were returned to Renier Mostert for custom painting. The rifle featured in this article was done in Candy-Apple Red paint from DNA Paints (an Australian company). To get the desired effect, a metallic silver base coat was used, enhanced with a modest amount of medium coarse glitter, followed with multiple layers of candy until the correct shade was achieved. A high-quality automotive clear coat was used to finish off the paintwork.
Want to know how bonded hunting bullets are made, or why plastic tips make varmint bullets more “explosive”? Do you need help selecting a projectile for your next Elk hunt? Then you may want to pick up a copy of Understanding Ballistics: Complete Guide to Bullet Selection by Philip Massaro. Released in 2015, this 272-page Gun Digest reference book covers bullets for hunting, competition, target shooting, and self-defense. Both print (paperback) and digital (Kindle) versions are available.
This handy guide includes detailed reviews of a vast variety of bullets in both factory-loaded and component form. The book covers all types of projectiles — solids, hard-cast, tipped, bonded, FMJ, round-nose, soft-tip, composite, jacketed, hollowpoint and more. Massaro help you pick the best bullets for everything from self-defense pistols to dangerous game rifles (and everything in between). There is extensive coverage of rimfire ammo and bullets. Notably, Massaro gives detailed descriptions of most of the popular bullets on the market today. He explains how they are designed and constructed, and how they will perform when they impact the intended target. Fully illustrated with hundreds of black/white images, this book is truly an “Encyclopedia of projectiles”. Massaro covers a host of bullet options, including more caliber/bullet combinations than any other comparable book on the subject.
FREE Preview on Amazon.com
You can PREVIEW this book on Amazon.com. Go to the Book Listing Page then click on “Look Inside” right above the cover photo. That will let you see about 30 pages from the book, including dozens of illustrations. Here is the Table of Contents:
Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
First, Ron explains that airport thieves can spot bags containing firearms no matter how they are packaged: “Don’t think you’re safe if your guns are placed in cases designed for golf clubs or trade show items. Baggage is X-Rayed now and cases are tagged with a special bar code if they contain firearms. It doesn’t take long for bad guys to figure out the bar coding for firearms.”
We also discussed the continued popularity of Varget, which also became more readily available this year. It is still one of the very best choices for a wide variety of cartridges, including the .308 Win (just look at the groups on our 
