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November 14th, 2010
 Friday, November 19, is National Ammo Day, a day when gun-owners are encouraged to purchase at least 100 rounds of ammunition. National Ammo Day is an annual BUYcott event, a grassroots demonstration of the numbers of committed American firearms owners. There are an estimated 75 MILLION gun owners in the United States of America. If each gun owner or Second Amendment supporter buys 100 rounds of ammunition, that’s 7.5 BILLION rounds in the hands of law-abiding citizens!
Ammo Day is based on the principle that there is strength in numbers. Consider this — when politicians see the amount of tax dollars generated through ammunition sales those politicians will be less inclined to pass restrictive legislation. Likewise, when millions of lawful firearms owners “vote with their pocketbooks” on Ammo Day, it demonstrates that supporters of the Second Amendment are serious, organized, and willing to spend money to protect their rights. That’s something anti-gun politicians can’t ignore.
November 12th, 2010
 The U.S. Army Reserve Shooting Team (USAR) performed superbly at this year’s Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting (AFSAM), conducted in October at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. The USAR Team captured the Overall AFSAM championship and the coveted Lexington Green Trophy.
First held in 1991, AFSAM is an multi-nation shooting competition open to all NATO countries. At AFSAM 2010, competitors hailed from seven countries. Eighteen formal teams competed, with several more squads shooting for honors. In addition to U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard teams from the United States, shooters from Canada, Australia, England, Netherlands, Denmark and Norway competed in this year’s events.
Strong Individual and Team Performances
USAR shooters started strong in the nine individual events, taking seven first places, five second places and five third places. In the overall individual rifle aggregate, USAR team members took gold for first place and four of the top ten places. In the individual pistol aggregate, USAR shooters took first through fourth and secured six of the top ten places..Most impressively off all, USAR team shooter MSG Lance Espinosa won first place overall in both rifle and pistol matches.
 In team events, USAR teams took five first places, two second places, and four third places, earning trophies in nine of the ten AFSAM team events. In AFSAM team competition, National Teams vie for the Lexington Green Trophy, a Grand Aggregate comprised of the International Service Rifle match and Close Quarter Battle (CQB) match. The first is shot from 100 to 500 yards and ends with a run down, shooting at every yard line from 500 back to 100. The Close Quarter Battle starts with a mock casualty evacuation and ammo resupply exercise, requiring teams to run with two litters each loaded with 150 pound “casualties” and sprint to the firing point with eight 30 pound ammo cans. Shooters then fire four stages of a close quarters battle course. In this demanding CQB Match the USAR team finished 93 points ahead of the next closest team. That secured Lexington Green Trophy for the USAR team, as well as the overall AFSAM win.
November 12th, 2010
Just when we thought we’d seen everything, Horus Vision has teamed up with 5.11 to create a wristwatch with a built-in ballistics calculator. Priced at $199.95, the 5.11 Ballistics Field Watch incorporates the Horus Vision SureShot™ ballistic calculator, plus a digital compass to indicate direction and degree. The watch has a molded polycarbonate body, offered in three color choices: black, olive drab, and coyote tan. Equipped with a backlight for night use, the 5.11 Field Watch also features dual time zones, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, and alarm.
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 Full-featured Ballistics Calculator
The ballistics functions are fairly complete. Using the four control buttons you can input temp, scope height (above bore), altitude, zero range, target distance, inclination (up/down angle), wind speed, wind direction, bullet BC (Ballistic Coefficient), and Muzzle Velocity. Then the watch will calculate your elevation and windage correction in either Mils or MOA-fraction clicks. It’s amazing that Horus packed all these features into a normal-sized watch.
CLICK HERE for Interactive Watch Demo.
NOTE: This online product demo is very cool. By clicking the buttons on an interactive watch mock-up, you can test all the functions and see how to input values into the Ballistics Calculator.
We haven’t compared the Horus/5.11 Ballistics Calculator watch with more sophisticated ballistics programs, but if you can remember all the buttons to push (and in what order) this watch appears to be a compact alternative to a laptop or PDA with ballistics software installed. Buyers have rated the watch highly: “Brillliant — I ordered the 5.11 Tactical Field Watch for my husband to use on his tour in Afghanistan. He loves it. He loves every feature it comes with and says that it’s accurate and durable.”
CLICK HERE for more detailed product review from DefenseReview.com.
November 7th, 2010
 The Ruger Rimfire Challenge World Championship concludes today at the Hogue Range near Morro Bay, California. This is a unique, family-friendly two-gun shooting event using rimfire handguns and rifles. Competitors engage steel targets in a variety of scenarios. There are separate classes for revolvers and self-loading pistols. A wide variety of rimfire rifles are allowed, including semi-auto, bolt action, pump action and lever-action. As you’d expect, Ruger 10/22s are the most popular choice in rifles.
More Bang for Your Buck
For competitors, the Rimfire Challenge offers the same rapid-fire action as a centerfire Multi-gun match, but at a fraction of the cost. No big-buck custom firearms are needed, and with the low cost of rimfire ammo, a shooter can send hundreds of rounds downrange without breaking the bank. With the current tight economy, we predict increased interest in rimfire action shooting. Jim Shepherd of the Shooting Wire agrees: “With center-fire ammunition prices being what they are, .22 caliber rimfire makes a lot of sense. One indicator of the popularity of .22 caliber shooting is the Ruger Rimfire Challenge, a series of regional matches held across the United States. The finals are this weekend in California, and the [event has grown] far beyond expectations.”
At the Ruger Rimfire Challenge Championship, shooters compete in Junior and Senior Divisions, with separate awards for male and female shooters. It’s a great way for people of any age or skill level to get started in competitive shooting. In the video below, Ruger’s Ken Jorgensen explains how the Ruger Rimfire Challenge works, and why it has become so popular.
Superlative Range on the Pacific Coast
The Ruger Rimfire Challenge World Championship is held at the Hogue Action Pistol Range, a modern facility with 10 shooting bays. The Hogue Range is part of a large complex of shooting sports facilities operating on a former U.S. Army test range located between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, California. The public rifle range, located just North of the Hogue Action Pistol Range, is shown below. The San Luis Obispo region is a great weekend destination for the whole family, with beaches and tourist attractions nearby. Visit the San Luis Obispo Sportsmen’s Assocation (SLOSA) website to learn more about the Hogue Range and adjacent shooting facilities.
November 6th, 2010
Need parts for your Remington rifle or shotgun? You can spend hours searching around the web for a few hard-to-find parts… OR you can simply go straight to the source, Remington’s online Parts Store. Remington now operates a modern, searchable online store selling parts for Rem 700 rifles and actions, plus parts for other Remington rifles and shotguns.
Prices are pretty good too. An ejector spring is just $3.20. Likewise a stainless, hex front guard screw is just $3.20. Bigger components are offered as well. Stainless Long Action BDL bottom metal is $82.00, and you can purchase a complete Rem 700 firing pin assembly for $52.00. All cataloged parts can be orderd quickly and easily with a secure shopping cart system. If you have questions about the parts you need, just call Remington’s toll-free customer service line, (800) 243-9700.
November 3rd, 2010
At clubs across the country, varmint fun shoots (also known as “groundhog matches”) are becoming more popular every year. In these matches, usually shot from the bench, you engage paper targets, clay pigeons, steel “critter” silhouettes, or some combination of paper and reactive targets. Shooters like these matches because you can shoot a wide variety of rifles, you don’t have to spend a fortune to be competitive, and there is fun for the whole family. Rules are inclusive — you won’t be turned away because your rifle is two ounces overweight. A large percentage of the match fees usually go back to shooters in the form of cash prizes. And the level of camaraderie is high.
Harold Seagroves’ 3-time Hickory Ground Hog Match-Winning Rifle
 Inclusive Rules Welcome All Shooters
Forum member Danny Reever recently explained the appeal of groundhog matches: “We don’t have a governing organization, or have to pay $50 a year membership just to compete in matches. Sure the rules vary from club to club, but you adapt. You build your rifle (or even pistol) to fall within the rules of either the clubs you shoot, or to fit all the clubs rules. If not there still is a class for you to compete in. If your factory rifle doesn’t conform to the rules, it can shoot in a custom class. If your custom doesn’t make weight for Light Custom (usually 17 pounds and under), you shoot it in heavy custom class. If you want to try your Tactical rifle or F-Class rig, bring it out there’s a class you can shoot it in. If you don’t like one club’s rules, you just don’t shoot there. It’s no big deal.
There are no National records, or Hall of Fame points — just individual range records. If you want to shoot in BIG matches (with big prizes), there is the Hickory Ground Hog Shoot among others. If competition isn’t your bag, many clubs offer mid-week fun matches that you can shoot just for fun. You shoot the same targets but with a more relaxed atmosphere with no time limits.
The best part is you don’t have to shoot perfect at every yardage. You always have a chance because in this sport it really isn’t over until the last shot is fired. Typically ALL the entry money goes to the host club, with much of the cash returned back to the shooters via prizes. Junior shooters often shoot for free, or at a reduced rate. That lessens the burden on the family’s wallet (not a small thing in these economic times). The low entry cost also encourages young guys to get involved who don’t have $4000 custom rifles or the money to buy them.
 More Fun, Fewer Complications
There isn’t a sea of wind flags to shoot over or to put up and take down. If the range has a couple of flags so much the better, but after all it is a varmint match. No pits to spot shots and slow things down either. If you can’t see your hits through your rifle scope or spotting scope well you are in the same boat as everybody else. That’s what makes it interesting/ sometimes frustrating!
As for calibers, I’ve seen everything from .223 Rem to .338 Lapua and everything in between. Our range record at my club is held by Bill Slattery, who shot a 147 out of a possible 150 with a 22BR 13 months ago. That’s on a target with a 1.250 ten ring at 200/300/500 meters. That record will stand for awhile, and shows you that some very good shooting is done at groundhog matches.
The best part is it’s laid back, everyone gets along, there is no place for big egos here. We who shoot the Ground Hog Matches don’t begrudge the other organizations and shooting disciplines, or those that shoot in them, heck some of us cross over and compete in registered benchrest matches too. Life’s too short, live and let live is our motto so just come out and have fun!”
Fellow Forum members chimed in:
FdShuster: “I’ve competed in our local ground hog matches for several years now, have introduced a number of others to them, and we all enjoy them and more importantly, continue to learn from them. Distances are as close as 100 yards, (with a 5/8″ 10 ring) to as far as 500 meters. with a 2″ 10 ring. Wind, mirage, bullet trajectories, all make them a challenge, and unlike shooting for group, where the group can be anywhere on the paper, in this game they must be very small, but also in the 10 ring. With the different classes, Custom, Factory, Hunter, almost any rifle will fit in somewhere. And Danny is correct about the friendly attitudes. I’ve seen competitors go out of their way, and jeopardize their chances of winning, to help someone else who may have a problem on the line.”
 Mike C: “Here in Texas, our version of groundhog matches involves shooting at clay pigeons at 400 yards. We use 60mm, 90mm, and 108mm clay pigeons attached to target boards. You have 10 shots to break 8 clays, with a seven-minute time limit. We have developed a good following at these matches. In 2011, a Shooter of the Year Award will be given based on the Aggregate score for three of our matches, which are held in Utopia, San Angelo, and Huntsville.”
40X Guy: “I would have to say upon finishing my first year ever of ground hog matches, that the average Joe can grab his Swift, or his 25-06, or his 22-250 and go rip some holes in paper. Everybody is having a good time and its a gathering of like-minded people who have all shot chucks at some point or another. Even if one does not win the match, you can look at your target and say “darn that chuck target has five holes in him at 400 yards and he’s dead” just as well as the next guy shooting a custom bench rifle. Everybody fits in and everybody, 8 to 80, is having fun! It is addictive and will drive you to spend your hard-earned currency for sure!”
November 2nd, 2010
Brenda Hill of Bakersfield, California won the F-Class Regionals (Open Class) held in Coalinga, CA over the past weekend. In the course of winning the Regionals, Brenda set a new, pending, F-Class, Open Division, Womens’ score record at 1,000 yards. Brenda set the pending Women’s 1K Record with a score of 200-9X, breaking her own 199-9X NRA Record set on 10/25/2008.
Brenda was shooting a 6mm BRX built by Leroy Johnson of Johnson’s Precision Gunsmithing. Leroy has built many very accurate rifles for California shooters, and he is very knowledgeable about the 6BRX cartridge. Brenda certainly proved this little cartridge can be competitive at 1000 yards.
October 30th, 2010
Richard Schatz won the 2010 IBS 600-Yard Nationals held recently in St. Louis, Missouri. Congratulations to Richard for this big win against very capable competition! Posting in our Shooters’ Forum, Richard Schatz noted: “It was a great time seeing old friends and making new ones. The St. Louis range turned out to be very challenging with winds switching fast enough to keep everyone on their toes just trying to stay in the game.” Forum member David L. (aka David2) attended the match and tells us: “St. Louis has a very nice facility. The Match Director and target crew [ran] a good match, even with some gusty winds blowing off or loosening a couple of targets.”
Match Report by Jerry Kloeppel
St. Louis hosted 74 shooters at its first 600-Yard Nationals. Pleasant temperatures and strong, gusty, switchy winds both days kept shooters off-balance. As usual though, the weather conditions didn’t seem to bother some while driving others crazy. Friday was all Light Guns and at the top of the heap was Dan Hobbs with a First Place group Agg of 3.013. Richard Schatz came in second with 3.019 and Samuel Hall in third with a 3.028. Now that’s a tight race!
For score, Hobie Bond [took first] with a 361 followed by Jay Cutright’s 355 and Mike Jakubczak’s 352. Mike also won the overall Light Gun Championship. The Small Group of the day went to Sam Hall with an amazing 1.128″ in those conditions. Richard Schatz found a way to keep them in the middle… with two perfect 50s for the day. Also on Friday Mike Hanes won a Kelbly stock for a shot closest to the center.
Saturday’s winds were even worse than Friday’s and again some shooters made it look easy. In Heavy Gun, Sam Hall took first in group with an impressive 2.136 Agg. Al Forbes finished second with a 2.590 and Schatz was with with 2.612. The score Champ was Richard Schatz with a 355 total, followed closely by Richard Griffins (352) and Dan Hobbs (351).
Here is how the Two-Gun overall standings worked out. In Two-Gun Group, Sam Hall was first, with a 2.582 Agg. Schatz was second with 2.815 and Al Forbes was third with a 3.004. A group size tie-breaker gave the Two-Gun Score title to Richard Schatz over Richard Griffin (both men racked up identical 696 scores). Also on Saturday, David Dorris of Benchsource presented Don Elder with a shiny new Benchsource annealing machine as a prize for the shot closest to center. And that brings us to the 2010, IBS 600-yard overall Champion: Richard Schatz. Congratulations Richard.
October 29th, 2010
 Yes, you Bob Lee Swagger fans, Stephen Hunter has finished a new novel, Dead Zero, set for release on December 28, 2010. In the new book, Swagger, the marksman/hero of seven of Hunter’s novels, is involved in Afghan intrigue. Swagger is recruited by the FBI to stop a a Marine scout-sniper who has “gone rogue” with plans to kill Ibrahim Zarzi, an Afghani warlord. Zarzi happens to be an American “asset” and the alphabet intelligence agencies need to keep him breathing. The problem is that, the more Swagger uncovers, the more he questions the U.S. government’s connection with Zarzi. The novel explores the shifting loyalties of international foreign policy, where enemies become friends, and friends become enemies.
Dead Zero features an older, more contemplative Swagger, but the book still delivers plenty of action. And, as we’ve come to expect from Stephen Hunter, the new book features accurate and precise writing about firearms technology and sniper techniques. Hunter is perhaps the only current best-selling author with a solid understanding of ballistics, modern firearms, and long-range marksmanship.
Pre-Order through Amazon.com
You can pre-order “Dead Zero” through Amazon.com for December delivery. Just click the link at right. The Kindle edition is $12.99, while the hardback version is $15.60.
About the Author
Stephen Hunter has written 16 novels, including seven Bob Lee Swagger books, starting with Point of Impact. The retired chief film critic for The Washington Post, Hunter won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Criticism. Hunter talks about his new book, Dead Zero, in the Youtube video below.
Visit Amazon’s Stephen Hunter Page |
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Stephen Hunter Talks about Dead Zero, his new novel.
This video is quite funny in spots and Stephen does plenty of shooting….
October 29th, 2010
 Seb’s Swallowtail Stock
A while back, Sebastian Lambang, creator of the Seb Coaxial Rest, created a radical “swallowtail” short-range benchrest stock. This innovative prototype has two wings on the underside of the rear buttstock. We think Seb has come up with a design that is not only an engineering tour de force, but also a stunning example of modern industrial design. In short, it’s a beautiful piece of work.
No, You Can’t Buy One
This stock is a one-of-a-kind unit created by Seb for his own use. At this time he has no plans to build similar versions for sale. Seb told us: “I made the stock for my own purpose, not to intend to sell it.”
 The new stock features a 3″-wide rear toe section of the buttstock. The two legs or wings provide exceptional stability for the stock. This “swallowtail” design has a hollow section in the middle. We initially thought this was designed to work with a pyramid-type rear sandbag with a single rear ear. That’s not the case. The stock is intended to work with a two-ear rear bag, with the ears set 3″ apart (see top photo). The area between the rear “wings” was left hollow to save weight. Addtionally, the hollow region allows Seb to place extra weight in this area to balance the gun, or to bring it up to 13.5 lbs. for Heavy Varmint class.
The front of the stock, just forward of the action, features a truss-like architecture that provides extra rigidity in the vertical plane. This allows the front section to be of minimal height, yet still be plenty stiff. Oval cut-outs in the sides of the fore-end lighten the stock structure and also provide improved air circulation for barrel cooling.
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