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July 26th, 2009
 In a remarkable display of long-range marksmanship, legendary 50-Caliber shooter Lee Rasmussen set four (4) new 1000-yard world records at the recent Fifty Caliber Shooters Assn. (FCSA) Championships, held at the NRA Whittington Center over the 4th of July weekend. First, Lee shot an amazing 1.9557″ 5-shot group in Heavy Gun Class, breaking Skip Talbot’s 2.600″ single-group record set in 1999. Lee’s sub-2″ group works out to .1868 MOA. That’s darn good at 100, and Lee did it at 1000!
Rasmussen Also Breaks Agg Records
In addition to the sub-2″ group, Lee set three new six-target Aggregate 50-Caliber records. In Heavy Gun, Lee shot a 298-19X score to shatter Scott Nye’s 7-year old 297-11X SCORE record. Those six targets also produced a new Heavy Gun GROUP record of 6.39X”. Finally, in Unlimited Class, Rasmussen put together a stunning 5.667″ six-target Group Agg. That is the smallest Group Agg ever shot in 50-Cal competition — in any class. Wow… including the 1.9557″ group, that’s four world records in one match. Lee told us: “It was amazing. I was deeper ‘in the groove’ than I’ve ever been before.” Lee was shooting IMI (Israeli) 50BMG brass, with home-made, lathe-turned bullets fired by Vihtavuori 20N29 powder and RWS 50-cal primers.
While Lee was pleased with his individual performance, he feels the match results are more noteworthy because they show the potential of the 50 BMG for superior long-range accuracy. Lee explained: “My goal has always been to show the rest of the shooting world what this cartridge can do. We want to get the 50-caliber game to where the other shooting sports are, and then take it a little further. Of course a variety of smaller cartridges can do great at 1000. But the difference is what the 50 BMG can do in high winds.” Mark added that, with the ultra-high BCs of the lathe-turned, solid 50-caliber bullets, the 50s can repeatably produce impressive 1000-yard groups even in strong winds.
Forum member Lynn Dragoman observed: “A sub-2-inch group with a standard 50 BMG is simply outstanding. Lee could use a modified case but chooses to stick with the original case to keep the sport [faithful] to its guidelines of promoting the 50 BMG.” Lee Rasmussen is widely respected as one of the most skilled and dedicated 50-caliber shooters, and one of the guys who has always “given back to the sport”.
Consider this, there are 17 possible records in 50-caliber competition and Lee now holds ten of them (plus his wife, Sheri, holds three more). Lee actually held eleven records until the last target at the Nationals, when Lee’s LG Six-Target Group Agg Record was broken by fellow 50-Cal Shooter Mark Avakian. So Lee’s FCSA World Record total stands at ten (10), counting his new HG Small Group Record.
Avakian Set New Aggregate Record
Mark Avakian set a new Light Gun multi-target group size record at the FCSA Nationals. Mark shot a masterful Six-Target 5.823″ LG Aggregate to break one of the FCSA records previously held by Lee Rasmussen. We congratulate Mark for his very consistent shooting over two days to set the record. While the winds were pretty consistent on Day 1, the winds were very inconsistent on Day 2 both in terms of direction AND velocity, according to Rasmussen. Mark agreed, but he said he “was lucky to have better than average conditions for his Light Gun relay”. When asked the secret of his success, Mark said: “The Light Gun has been shooting very well, and I’ve been using a new 808gr bullet from Dave at Lehigh Bullets. The 808s are shooting great.” (See photo below for other Lehigh custom bullets).
For more information on 50-Caliber competition, visit the FCSA website or contact the FCSA at P.O. Box 111, Monroe, UT 84754-0111, phone: (435) 527-9245.
July 24th, 2009
 If you’re a fan of classic American firearms (such as the A5 self-loading shotgun, Model 1895 rifle, Model 1897 pump shotgun, model 1911 pistol, and the legendary M2 50-cal BMG), here’s an item of interest.
The 8-bedroom Ogdon, Utah house originally built for John Moses Browning is on the market for $374,900. As John Moses Browning is widely considered to be a genius and the greatest American gun designer ever, this house is “hallowed ground” for Browning devotees. The house includes an attic suite with a room that served as Browning’s workshop. One wonders what remarkable designs were hatched in that attic workshop….
The Browning mansion, located at 505 27th St. in Ogden, is on Utah’s list of registered historic places. Described by the “Slugs & Plugs” Blog as “ultimate abode for the unapologetic gun nut and devotee of all things Browning,” the house is listed with agent Sue Wilkerson, Terra Venture Real Estate, (801) 393-1188; www.suewilkerson.com. Unfortunately there are no classic guns or gunsmithing memorabilia sold with the Ogden house.
July 23rd, 2009
 F-Class competition at the Bisley Range in the UK is well under way. Currently, shooters from many countries are competing in the F-Class segments of the annual U.K. Imperial Meeting tournament. This will be followed by the actual F-Class World Championships, an event held every four years. The F-Class Worlds officially start with the individual championships next Monday and Tuesday (July 27-28) with the “main event”, the Team Championship, on Wednesday and Thursday (July 29-30). USA F-Class Open Team Vice-Captain Shiraz Bololia is providing regular written updates in his Bisley Blog. Here’s part of his latest report: “Today there was only one 300-yard match …. For me it was an early morning shoot at 8:00 am. The wind was dead. The weather was cool and overcast. Reminded me of the Plantation 300 yard range in Bellingham, WA where I shoot a lot of matches. First time since I got here the wind was less than 2 MPH. Less than ½ MOA change on my gun. It was a 15-shot match and I shot a perfect 75 with 15 Vs. As Coach Mead later said, even a blind Hog could have done that! Anyway that guarantees me a spot in the finals. Lot of US shooters in the St George’s finals.”
AK’s Great Bisley Photo Collections
In addition, British shooter “762AK” has posted fantastic collections of images from the World F-Class Championship, as well as the Imperial Meeting, which is being held concurrently. 762AK, a very talented photographer, is updating his Bisley photo collection daily. You should definitely check out these collections on Flickr. Click the links below to see hundreds of quality photos.
2009 F-Class Worlds | F-Class Worlds Slideshow
Imperial Meeting 2009 | Imperial Meeting Slideshow
July 18th, 2009
Our “master fabricator” and silhouette guru Mark LaFevers recently attended the SoCal Precision Rifle Competition, Mark’s first-ever tactical match. Competition was fierce at this year’s SCPRC. The match winner, and “top gun” among the 50+ competitors was Sgt. Dan Gilland, (USMC), a scout-sniper from a nearby Marine base. This was only Dan’s second civilian match and yes, the young Marine was shooting a .308 Win (7.62×51 to be precise). Jason Boak took second place while Gordon Campfield finished third. Jason was the top shooter among the NorCal guys, who did well, capturing 6 of the top 10 places, earning California intra-club bragging rights.
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Mark told us that the match was a humbling yet very fun experience. In these kind of matches very few, if any, sighters are allowed, and you’re often shooting at unknown distances. Accordingly, it is imperative that you have rock-solid come-ups at all distances, before you arrive at the match. In addition, the SCPRC offered the challenges of angled shooting (requiring ballistic compensation), and lowlight shooting. Log on to the CalGuns.net Forum for a complete match report by NorCal shooter Vu Pham, with lots of photos, plus stage descriptions (match directors take note).
A wide variety of calibers were shot at the match, and Mark observed that no one chambering seemed to have the edge (though a .308 finished on top). However, most of the top shooters were running detachable magazines, and had barrels fitted with muzzle brakes. You can see the dust kicked up from the muzzle brakes in the video below. The first part of the video shows a stage where competitors had to start with standing (off-hand) shots, then transition to a stepped barricade, moving lower and lower as the timer ticked off the seconds. For the standing stages, Mark noted, you wanted a rifle that balanced well and was not too heavy. Some of these beefy tactical rifles, optimized for prone work, are tough to hold offhand.
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July 15th, 2009
 With the current high demand for AR15-style rifles, the sales of both bare (stripped) and semi-assembled lower AR receivers has increased dramatically. This has led to questions, from both buyers and Federal Firearms License holders, as to how these lower receivers should be handled during sales. The ATF has issued a letter which deals with these issues. Important points to note are:
1) An FFL may not sell a frame or receiver to anyone under 21 years of age [Title 18, U.S.C., section 922 (b)(1)]. Comment: This is because the receiver could, potentially, be made into a pistol.
2) An FFL may not transfer a frame or receiver to an unlicensed person from another State. [Title 18, U.S.C. section 922(b)(3)]. Comment: Again, this tracks the rules regarding transfers of pistols, because some frames/receivers can be built into pistols.
3) Multiple handgun sales forms (ATF forms 3320.4) are NOT required for sales of multiple frames or receivers of any firearm, as they are not pistols or revolvers. Comment: This may seem inconsistent with points 1 and 2 above, but this follows from the provisions of CFT 478.11 which states that bare frames or receivers are not handguns until so assembled.
Further information on these points is contained in the July 7, 2009 letter from the ATF, which is linked below. All FFLs are encouraged to download this letter and read it carefully.
CLICK HERE for 7/9/2009 Letter from ATF Re Firearm Frames and Receivers
July 14th, 2009
This past weekend, Sam Hall of Booneville, NC, set a new IBS Heavy Gun Score Aggregate record, 197 out of 200 (four, 5-shot groups, maximum 10 points per shot). That’s remarkable shooting by Sam, who holds multiple IBS records and was the IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year in 2008. Sam’s 197 represents the highest Score Aggregate ever shot in either Light Gun or Heavy Gun IBS 600-yard competition. Sam was shooting a 6mm Dasher in a Shehane Maxi-Tracker stock with a Brux cut-rifled barrel.
Sam told us: “Here are pictures of my IBS 600-yard 6mm Dasher. With this 197 HG Score Agg, now Brux holds both the Score and Group Heavy Gun IBS Aggs. Mike Davis set the Heavy Gun IBS 600-yard Group Agg two months ago, also using a Brux barrel.”
July 12th, 2009
 The 2009 NRA National Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio kick off tomorrow, July 13th.13th with the First Shot Ceremony. This week, pistol competitors vie for top honors, and then smallbore matches begin on July 22. Our Daily Bulletin will report on highlights of the rifle matches. In addition, the NRA Blog has sent reporters to Ohio to provide regular, day-by-day Blog coverage of the National Matches, from start to finish. Here is a schedule of major events:
- July 13: First Shot Ceremony
- July 14-18: NRA Pistol Matches
- July 22-25: NRA Smallbore 3-Position Matches
- July 26-30: NRA Prone Smallbore Matches
- August 9: Whistler Boy High Power Rifle Match & NRA/Springfield M1A Match
- August 10-14: NRA National High Power Rifle Matches
- August 15-19: NRA Long Range Matches
The National Matches, considered America’s “World Series of the Shooting Sports”, have been a tradition at Camp Perry, Ohio since 1907. Each summer, the nation’s finest civilian and military marksmen and women square off for five weeks of rifle and handgun competition in a variety of formats and events. For complete match results, visit the NRA National Championships webpage. You’ll also find lots of helpful information on the CMP National Match Index Page. This includes a detailed calendar, Match Rules, and Online Event Registration.
July 8th, 2009
Speaking of all things tactical, if you’re looking for a great pair of cargo pants at a good price, check out the $29.99 Propper F5220 Tactical Pants . This Editor has a couple pairs of F5220s and I’ve given them hard use 2-3 days a week since the beginning of the year. I highly recommend these pants. Offered in Black, Navy, Olive and Khaki for $29.99, this is a great product for the money. In my opinion, they’re every bit as good as the 5.11-brand tactical pants which cost $49.99. (Note: 5.11 pants are 100% cotton. After many washings, they may feel softer than the poly-blend Proppers. But they also wrinkle badly and will shrink a bit — unlike the F5220s.)
 “Tactical” Pants vs. Denim Jeans
I much prefer cargo pants (aka “tactical trousers”) to regular jeans for field use. Propper’s tactical pants have a double-seat and double knee. The large side pockets are big enough to hold a shooters’ logbook on one side and a digital camera (or windmeter) on the other. The front slash pockets are deep and secure so keys and miscellaneous gear won’t fall out. The small pocket on the left is perfect for a cell phone. The waistband is elasticized around the back, improving comfort when you’re kneeling or bending.
Fit-wise, the F5220s were exactly the size advertised. Made from a 65 poly/35 cotton blend, they do NOT shrink in the wash. The Propper pants are truely wrinkle-resistant, so they look good enough that you can use them for general use, and they don’t scream “commando wannabee” like camo BDUs.
Lighter-Weight Version Offered
Do I have any criticisms of the Propper Tactical Pants? Well, with the elasticized waistband, fairly heavy fabric, and serious load capacity, you’ll probably need to wear a belt — always. By contrast, with my old 501 Levis, I don’t really need a belt. Also, on hot summer days, I wouldn’t mind a lighter-weight fabric. But for those very warm conditions, Propper offers the model F5243 Lightweight Tactical Trouser. It shares all the features (and pockets) of the F5220s, but comes in a lighter 65 poly/35 cotton Ripstop fabric.
Propper is a well-established American company that provides uniforms to the U.S. Military and to many Law Enforcement Agencies. I think you’ll be more than satisfied with the overall quality of Propper’s tactical pants, in terms of both materials and workmanship. You can purchase Propper clothing from Amazon.com or BDU.com.
July 7th, 2009
 In order to provide more content for our site visitors, we are soliciting reader submissions for Gun of the Week (GOTW) articles and technical articles. Even if you’ve never had a story published before, if you have a good idea, we can work with you to put your article online. We can provide an outline and photo/video advice.
Thanks to Nammo Lapua, if you supply a story that we publish, you’ll receive two (2) 100-ct boxes of Lapua brass. In addition, you’ll get an AccurateShooter.com staff T-shirt, two (2) 100-ct boxes of match bullets (your choice of brand), plus other “goodies”.
For a GOTW story, we like to focus on a rifle that: 1) has performed well in competition; OR, 2) displays interesting technical features or components; OR, 3) exhibits outstanding design or craftsmanship. The subject gun can be a match rifle, or it can be a hunting, tactical, or sporting rifle that has some exceptional qualities (such as exhibition-grade wood), or newsworthy technical features (such as a carbon-wrapped barrel). We are also interested in stories about innovative loads or cartridges. For a technical article we are looking for gear reviews, or a story that describes an important reloading process, or important aspect of gunsmithing. For example, we have done technical articles on brass prep, on pillar bedding, and on stock painting.
Lapua Brass and Special Benefits for Writers
If you submit an article that we publish online, you will receive two (2) boxes of Lapua cartridge brass (retail value up to $170.00 — choice subject to availability), an exclusive AccurateShooter.com staff T-shirt, two (2) boxes of match bullets (your choice, .204 to .30 calibers), plus additional benefits to be named later.
For a Gun of the Week story we need a minimum of 1500 words, and we will generally run 8-12 photos, plus one or two short videos (1-2 minutes per video). Good digital photos are essential — we won’t run any story unless sharp, quality digital photos are available.
To submit an idea for a Gun of the Week article, please supply a 100-word summary, and two sharp digital photos, 800×600 pixels or larger. Send your story ideas and digital photos to: mailbox@6mmBR.com. Please put the words “STORY SUBMISSION” in the subject line of your email. Note: if you submit an article, but we determine not to publish it, you won’t get the brass, bullets, or T-shirt. Also, we reserve the right to limit this program to regular reader/contributors (as opposed to manufacturers and professional gun-builders).
July 5th, 2009
The Varmint Hunters Association Jamboree is set for later this month, July 27 – 31, in Pierre, South Dakota. This 5-day event features a 2-Day Shootout, 3-Man Team Competition, and 3-Gun Match with prizes valued at over $4900. Classes for the Shootout are: Stock, Modified, Limited Open, and Unlimited Open. CLICK HERE for complete Shootout Rules.
This is a family event with fun shoots Monday through Friday. There will be live and silent auctions, symposiums, special Ladies’ Events, regularly nightly speakers or entertainment, and a big Jamboree Banquet at the Ramkota Lounge on Friday. For more information, visit www.Varminthunter.org/jamboree.html, or call VHA members services, 1-800-528-4868.
Pre-registration costs $30.00, while registration during Jamboree cost $40.00. A Shootout ticket alone is $25.00, while a Banquet ticket costs $25.00. You must be a member of the V.H.A. and registered for the Jamboree in order to compete in the Shootout.
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