Note: The orange-color metal support frame is sold separately.
Reactive targets are fun. This versatily target offers both conventional black on white bullseyes as well as slots for reactive clay targets. Matterhorn Innovations produces the unique ReVersa Target, a heavy paperboard target with large bullseyes on the front, plus pre-cut tabs for clay pigeons on the reverse side. You can start with the black & white side for precision work, and then flip the target over and blast away at a dozen clay birds held in individual tabbed pockets. ReVersa targets cost just $4.99 each at Brownells.com. That price does NOT include the wire target-holders shown in the photos — those sell separately for $19.99.
We expect most ReVersa target buyers will use these 2′ x 3′ cardboard sheets inside 200 yards. However we think the ReVersa targets would also be useful for long-range shooters who want to try reactive targets for a change. We often shoot at clay pigeons at long range, but we either have to set them on the berm, or tape them one by one to a cardboard backer. With the ReVersa target, you can easily position a dozen clays up off the ground where they are more visible. Buyers have been happy with these jumbo-sized, double-sided targets — user feedback on Brownells.com has been all positive. Here are reviews from actual purchasers:
“Five Star. Great quality target. Many areas to shoot on the same target. I can see why this is top rated product. I plan to buy many more in the future.”
“Five Star. These are the best targets I have used. They even stood up good in the wind when my other targets would get blown over. Highly recommend…”
Did you know that, since 2009, Canada has had its own dedicated website for short-range benchrest: www.Benchrest.ca? Founder/webmaster Rick Pollock notes: “As Benchrest up here in the great white north has little or no web presence, a website was long overdue. It is non-commercial and not affiliated with any one sanctioning body. The only aim is to get more people into Benchrest in Canada.”
The site is a valuable resource. You’ll find upcoming BR matches (in Benchrest.ca online forum), a list of clubs, recent news, and, of course, match reports. In addition there is a buy/sell “classifieds ads” section, as well as a photo gallery. Benchrest.ca also has a YouTube Video Archive with clips showing many of the legends of the sport. Here’s a 2010 Benchrest.ca video showing Tony Boyer at the 2010 NBRSA Nationals:
If you live “North of the Border” and shoot benchrest for score and/or group, definitely visit (and bookmark) www.Benchrest.ca.
The 2015 Long-Range F-Class National Championships were tough, with brutal winds on the last couple of days. Two men triumphed over the tough conditions with impressive performances. David Gosnell won the F-Open Division, while Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics won the F-TR Long-Range title. Both men were coming off strong showings in the Mid-Range Nationals held earlier in the week in Phoenix. Bryan won the F-TR Mid-Range Championship, while David (1792-100X) was a close second in the F-Open Mid-Range event, finishing just two points behind Mid-Range Champ John Myers (1794-111X). Obviously both Litz and Gosnell brought their “A Game” to Ben Avery this year.
Ray Gross, Captain of the USA F-TR Team, observed: “The conditions at this year’s National Championships seemed more challenging than in the past few years. The final couple of days seemed to be the toughest, with the many competitors changing position in the last two matches.” Newly-crowned F-Open Champ David Gosnell said the last couple of days saw “some of the toughest conditions” he’s ever experienced in a match in the United States.
Below, Bryan Litz checks out the conditions…
F-TR Long-Range Championship — Litz Wins Again
Bryan Litz won the Long-Range Championship with a 1558-55X. That was the second big win for Bryan at the Nationals, as he also captured the Mid-Range F-TR Championship. (READ Story HERE.) Bryan was shooting a low-profile John Pierce-built rig with a high-tech Scoville carbon-composite stock. Bryan was shooting Berger 215gr Hybrid bullets with Hodgdon Varget powder. CLICK HERE to learn more about Bryan’s Rifle and his winning strategy. There were a half dozen countries represented at the U.S. Nationals and many of them did quite well. Australia’s Mark Fairbairn came in second in the F-TR division at 1556-56X. Ray Weaver was third, and past F-TR Champs Derek Rodgers and James Crofts were fourth and fifth respectively.
David Gosnell Wins F-Open Long Range Championship
A popular, yet modest, Champion, David Gosnell has been on a tear this year. He recently set a pending F-Open 1000-Yard record at the Deep Creek Range, a masterful 200-17X. At this year’s Mid-Range Nationals, David rode his fast-shooting technique to a solid second place, then it all came together for Gosnell (aka “Zilla” in our Forum) at the Long Range Nationals.
Click above photo to see large version.
David had accuracy to spare at the LR Nationals — he finished with way more Xs (91) than anyone else. David says the stock is part of the secret to his rifle’s exceptional performance: “David Bailey made the stock for me, and it is really, really straight. It tracks beautifully.” David also wanted to credit his gunsmith, Jack Leather of Leather-Built Custom Rifles in Texas.
David was not shooting a super-hot cartridge. His rifle was chambered for the standard .284 Winchester. He pushes pointed 180gr Berger Hybrids to moderate velocities with Hodgdon H4350 powder, loaded to the kernel on a Sartorius force-restoration scale. At the Nationals he used both the new Norma .284 Win brass as well as necked-up Lapua 6.5-284 brass. The action is a BAT MB (RBLPRE), while David’s barrel is a Brux, 32″, 1.25″-diameter straight contour. David says his Brux has proven to be exceptionally accurate, and it cleans up nicely.
Speaking of cleaning up — David employs a conservative barrel cleaning regime. He cleans at the end of the day, so he may have as many as 80 rounds through the barrel (with three strings plus sighters). He does one pass with a bronze brush and Boretech Carbon cleaner followed by wet patches with a copper cleaner.
When asked for the secret to his success at the Nationals, David told us: “You have to have a really flat-shooting gun. When I do my load testing, all I care about is vertical.” David also advised shooters that “consistency is key — you need to address the gun the same way every time, pull the trigger the same way, and make sure the gun is tracking the same from shot to shot.”
David also advises competitors to stay calm and don’t change things near the end of the match. He told us: “In 2011 in Lodi, I was in contention going into the last string. And of course I shot terrible and blew it. But the reason was, I tried to get careful and was trying to ‘guide’ the shots in instead of just shooting my normal style. This past Saturday, going into the last string, I was thinking about that a lot. So I just shot it the way I had been doing all week and it turned out good. So, the moral here I guess is, shoot your normal game.”
That’s good advice David — thanks for sharing. And congratulations on your outstanding performance in Phoenix this past week. AccurateShooter.com is proud to see you holding that big trophy. Well done!
CLICK Image to Download PDF Chart with All Sierra Bullet Types
How would you like to have the entire collection of Sierra rifle and pistol bullets at your fingertips, complete with bullet Ballistic Coefficients (BCs) and parts numbers? Well we’ve got you covered. Sierra publishes a handy PDF chart that displays all of Sierra’s popular projectiles, from .20 caliber all the way up to .50 caliber. CLICK HERE to download 2015 Sierra Bullets Chart.
Detail Sample from Chart
Order Free Sierra Catalog
You can also get a free printed poster with all Sierra’s bullet types. The current Sierra Bullets catalog has a printed insert that folds out into a large poster for your loading room or workshop. To order the current Sierra Catalog (with fold-out poster), visit Sierra’s Catalog Request Page.
We have two new National Champion F-Class Teams. At the 2015 Long-Range Team Championships in Phoenix yesterday, Team Grizzly won the F-Open Division while the X-Men team secured the F-TR Title. The teams had to deal with tough conditions, requiring wind coaches to bring their “A Game”. James Crofts of the X-Men said: “The highest level of winds in recent nationals memory greeted all on the line today.” And Shiraz Balolia, who finished with the highest score (395-17X) among all shooters, observed: “High winds in the second match really made a huge difference in scores.”
Team Grizzly Wins 2015 F-Open Long-Range National Championship
Team Grizzly finished first in the F-Open Division with a 1560-49X score. In second, nine points back with 1551-49X, was the Tex-Mex Squad, while local favorites the Wide Nines team finished third with 1548-45X. Team Grizzly’s 9-point winning margin was impressive — Leo Ahern joked that: “9 points is more like a spanking than a win!”
Team Grizzly Captain Shiraz Balolia had the top score (395-17X) of all shooters participating in the team event. (This is a file photo from previous match).
Team Grizzly’s Captain Shiraz Balolia said: “My hat is off to our coach, Trudie Fay, who has coached and won us the last three consecutive Team matches at the National Championships. I have been fortunate to have been a shooter and Captain of all three gold medal wins, three years in a row, one with Team USA and two with Team Grizzly. Trudie did a great job and my Team gun just hammered!” Along with Faye and Balolia, Team members included Kenny Adams, Emil Kovan, and John Myers.
X-Men Team Tops F-TR Field
Hail the Orange and Green invaders. The X-Men are the 2015 US Long Range National F-TR Champions. The Team included shooters Tracy Hogg, Phil Kelley, Ian Klemm, and Dan Lentz, along with Wind Coach James Crofts and Captain Ken Klemm. Crofts said: “Big thanks to our remaining X-men teammates Joseph Conley, Mike Hardy, and Radoslaw Czupryna. Special thanks to Ray Bowman as we were all shooting PR&T hammers. We have great respect for Team Sinclair (that has motivated us for a long time) and Team Michigan, our friends from up North. Today was a good day!”
All four X-Men rifles featured Precision Rifle & Tool (PR&T) Low Boy stocks. PR&T’s Ray Bowman observed: “Ian Klem built his rifle on our stock, PR&T stocked Dan Lentz’s rifle and we built Phil Kelley’s and Tracy Hogg’s “HAMMER” rifles.” Gunsmith Ryan Pierce chambered two of the X-Men barrels.
It was sunny but quite windy on Friday for the Team Match (Sherri Judd Photo).
Finishing second in the F-TR division was the Michigan Rifle Team, winners of the Mid-Range F-TR National Championship. The Team was coached by newly-crowned, Mid-Range F-TR Nat’l Champ Bryan Litz. Shooters include Doug Boyer, Jim Grissom, Bill Litz (Bryan’s father), and gunsmith John Pierce. Grissom shot a great match, finishing with 385-12X, but it was not enough to carry the Michiganders to victory. The squad finished with 1524-29X, six points behind the winning X-Men (1530-33X). Team Sinclair placed third with 1512-35X.
Ben Avery 10/30/2015 panorama photo by Tracy Hogg. CLICK HERE to zoom image.
Today is the Team Match Day at the F-Class Long-Range National Championships. F-Open and F-TR team shooters will have to deal with damp conditions on the range, as a storm front recently dropped rain at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility outside Phoenix. James Crofts says: “The 2×1000 Team match today is going to be a good day. Wind will be up to 10 mph and quartering.”
In the F-TR division, competition will be fierce. The Michigan F-TR Team, winner of the Mid-Range Championship earlier this week, looks to add a matching 1000-Yard National Team victory today. The shooters of Team X-Men, lead by 2014 individual F-TR Champion James Crofts, hope to reverse their fortunes, and win at the longer distance. And Team Sinclair, the “winningest” squad in F-Class history, looks to grab another title. Team Sinclair boasts multiple champions on its squad, including Derek Rodgers, the only man to have won both the F-TR and F-Open National Championship.
Sometimes it gets a bit frosty in the morning at Bisley, but that doesn’t discourage British F-Class competitors. This photo is from the inaugural F-Class League event in November, 2005.
While American F-Class shooters are enjoying Arizona warmth and sunshine, British F-Classers are preparing for cooler conditions at the Bisley Range in England. The Great Britain F-Class Association (GBFCA) will be holding its 10th Anniversary shoot this weekend. The League’s Anniversary Match will be held at Bisley this Saturday and Sunday with targets at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. Results straight from the firing-point will be posted on the Target Shooter magazine’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TargetShooter.
Great Britain F-Class Association – 10th Anniversary Shoot Report by Vince Bottomley
We Brits were quick to catch on to a new long-range Canadian shooting discipline called F-Class and two Brit Teams contested the very first F-Class Worlds in Canada in 2001. Four years later a GB Team again shot in the second F-Class Worlds, this time in South Africa. In the rest of the world, F-Class was moving forward and, if the Brits were to be serious contenders, something needed to be done.
On their return from South Africa, Mik Maksimovic and Scotsman Des Parr put the word out that anyone interested was invited to attend the inaugural shoot of the newly- formed Great Britain F-Class Association in 2005. Forty-four of us turned up on that cold November day in 2005 (see photo below) and Mik explained that he wanted to build a team to take on the rest of the world when the F-Class World Championships would be held at Bisley, England in 2009. For the record, the Brits went on to win Gold in the 2009 Worlds – Job done Mik!
In the last ten years, the GBFCA League has grown, with an annual programme of well attended long-range shoots held at three British ranges. From the League, the European F-Class Championships have emerged. Thanks to Mik’s drive and energy, this fabulous event now attracts around 200 shooters from all parts of Europe and is perhaps the largest international F-Class competition in the world.
The GBFCA will celebrate its tenth year of operation this weekend, with an 800/900/1000 yard match at the Bisley Range.
Yes, “Old Guys Rule” — at least at Mid-Range. At the NRA Mid-Range F-Class Nationals, a squad of seasoned veterans outshot their younger competitors, taking the F-Open Team Title with a 1598-102X score. The SEB/Berger Team Aggregate of 1598-102X is believed to be a new National Mid-Range Team Record. Think about that — the entire squad dropped only two points (out of 1600 possible) over the entire event. That’s superb shooting by a talent-loaded team.
The winning SEB/Berger team features shooters Larry Bartholome, Danny J. Biggs, Robert Bock, and Don Nagel, along with Coach Jim Murphy and Captain/sponsor Sebastian Lambang. Remarkably, all the “Three Bs” (Bartolome, Biggs, and Bock) shot 400s (not dropping a single point), and Danny Biggs totaled a superb 400-31X to finish as high man for the event.
Finishing second in F-Open team competition, with 1590-96X, was the local favorite, Team Wide Nines. Coached by Scott Harris, this squad features shooters Dan Bramley, Milton Gillette, Christine Harris, and Allan Rosenthal (also Captain). Dan Bramley finished the match with 400-24X, not dropping a point.
Individual F-Open Results
The individual Mid-Range F-Open Championship was a tightly-fought affair. Just six points separated the Top 10 shooters. John Myers took the title with a very impressive 1794-111X. Runner-up David Gosnell (1792-105X) edged third-place Danny J. Biggs (1792-100X) on X-Count. Jeff Cochran (1790-110X) was fourth, while Jim Murphy (1790-100X) finished fifth. While gains have certainly been made in the F-TR division, the Open-Classers proved that they still have the edge, shooting larger cartridges from a front rest. The best F-TR score, 1782-96X by Bryan Litz, was still 12 points and 15 Xs shy of Myer’s F-Open-winning performance.
Michigan Squad Wins F-TR Team Championship
In F-TR Team competition, the Michigan F-TR crew took top honors. Lead by newly-crowned Mid-Range F-TR Champion Bryan Litz, the Michiganders finished with an impressive 1597-89X, nine points ahead of runner-up Team Sinclair (1588-83X). Along with Bryan, Michigan shooters included Doug Boyer, Jim Grissom, and gunsmith/action-maker John Pierce. As a historical footnote, we believe this is the first time Team Sinclair has been beaten in a major match. However Team Sinclair’s Paul Phillips posted the top individual performance in the team event. Paul shot a superb 400-25X, not dropping a single point.
At the request of our readers, we have launched a new “Deals of the Week” feature. If this proves popular, we’ll try to run this every Monday. Here are some of the best deals on 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. CDNN Sports — HK 416 .22LR Rimfire Rifle
If you are looking for an AR-type .22 LR rifle for cross-training and rimfire tactical matches, the HK 416 is a fine choice. Made by Walther under license, these HK 416 D145RS rimfire rifles are accurate and reliable. This is a fantastic deal at $369.88! The HK 416 normally sells for $550.00 to $600.00. One purchaser writes: “Great .22. I have had this gun a couple of months and have put about 500 rounds of 5 different brands of ammo through it. Not one FTE. I have shot other brands that can’t get through one 30-round mag without a failure.” CLICK HERE for Product Details.
2. Amazon.com — Howard Leight Electronic Earmuffs $39.86
Every shooter should own a pair of Electronic muffs, even if you prefer shooting with earplugs and/or standard muffs. Electronic muffs are great when you are doing spotting duties or are working near the firing line. They allow you to hear ordinary conversations while still providing vital hearing protection. Right now Amazon.com has the Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Muffs on sale for just $39.86. This is good deal — these NRR 22 muffs are currently Amazon’s #1 seller in the category. NOTE: For regular, sustained shooting we recommend muffs and/or earplugs with a higher NRR rating.
With the following Discount Codes (K4K, K4M, K4N) you can save up to $60.00 on your orders at Brownells.com. Don’t Delay — these codes expire at midnight on November 1, 2015. The coupon codes are as follows:
K4K: $20 Off Orders $200+ | K4M: $40 Off Orders $350+ | K4N: $60 Off Orders $500+
4. CDNN Sports — Remington .22 LR Ammo, 1400-round Bucket
If you need bulk .22 LR rimfire fodder for plinking and general fun shooting, here’s a good deal. The 1400-round Bucket of Bullets costs just $139.88 now at CDNN Sports. That works to less than ten cents a round, under $5.00 for fifty rounds. The “Bucket of Bullets” makes a nice gift for a youth program. NOTE: The product contains 1400 live loaded rounds of .22 LR ammunition, not just bullets.
5. Bass Pro Shops — Barnes Varmint Grenade Lead-Free Bullet
Do you hunt in an area where lead-core bullets are not allowed? Then consider Barnes Varmint Grenade bullets, on sale now at Bass Pro Shops. Varmint Grenade bullets feature frangible, copper-tin composite cores. These bullets can take the ultra-high velocities deliveed by popular varmint cartridges such as the .204 Ruger and 22-250. Here are SALE prices for 100-count boxes by caliber:
.20 Cal 26gr $19.99/100 | .22 Cal 36gr $22.99/100 | .22 Cal 50gr $25.99/100 | 6mm 62gr $25.99/100
6. Bruno Shooters Supply — Norma Powder SALE, $22.95/lb
Right now, Bruno’s has the most popular Norma powders on sale for just $22.95 per pound. Norma makes very good powders with excellent lot-to-lot consistency. If you shoot the 6mmBR or .308 Win, consider Reloder 203B. It is virtually identical to Alliant Reloder 15 (since it is made by the same manufacturer in the same plant). Norma MRP and URP and good choices for larger calibers.
7. Grafs.com — 33% Off Nosler Ammunition (.308 Win and .30-06)
Grafs.com is running a big sale on Nosler ammo. With close-out pricing, you’ll save up to 33% on .308 Win and .30-06 loaded ammunition. In addition, Grafs has other cartridge types on sale, including: .223 Rem, .270 Win, and 300 RSAUM. The Nosler Custom ammo is loaded with very good, strong brass.
Seattle recently passed a law imposing special taxes on the sale of guns and ammunition. Labeled a “gun violence” tax, the Seattle ordinance is designed to discourage firearms use and, presumably, drive gun and ammo vendors out of the city. City Council President Tim Burgess, author of the controversial Seattle ordinance, likened the gun/ammo levy to “sin taxes” on alcohol and tobacco: “We’ve been working on this for several years. We tax cigarettes and alcohol and even wood-burning stoves for public health purposes. Why not guns and ammunition?”
Opponents of the new law have taken the city to court. The NRA, Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), NSSF and other organizations have challenged the so-called “gun violence tax” recently passed by the Seattle City Council. A motion for summary judgment has been filed citing Washington State’s long-standing preemption statute which “fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state.”
Gun group lawyers argued that the city “is well aware of this restriction on its legislative power” because Seattle’s most recent attempt to regulate firearms was emphatically struck down by the Court of Appeals in the case of Chan vs. Seattle. (That lawsuit derailed an attempt by the city under former Mayors Greg Nickels and Mike McGinn to ban guns in city park facilities.)
“Seattle is trying to be too clever by half,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “This so-called ‘gun violence tax’ clearly seeks to limit access to firearms and ammunition by imposing what amounts to a regulatory fee on the sale of all firearms and ammunition within City limits. The city can’t do that, and we’re confident the court will tell them so. In the final analysis, this is an attempt to skate around, and thus erode, our state’s model preemption law. That cannot be allowed to stand. The City of Seattle is not an entity unto itself, but still part of Washington State, and therefore the city has to abide by the same laws we all follow.”
