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December 18th, 2008
 Brownells, responding to customer requests, has created a DVD version of their “How To Build An AR-15″ instructional videos (#080-000-587 – $29.95). Whether you’re building a complete gun, or just installing a new safety, flash hider or stock, this DVD will make the job easier. The DVD is designed for those who don’t can’t access the web video series on Brownells.com, or folks who want to see the videos in high resolution, or use a portable DVD player to follow the step-by-step directions right in their workshop. It provides all the info one needs to build an AR-15 from scratch. (However, we recommend that novices start with small jobs first–such as fitting a trigger–before moving on to tasks such as barrel-fitting.)
The DVD was produced professionally in Brownell’s in-house studio. It is organized into more than 50 chapters so you can access the specific content you need without excessive searching. Plus, you can pause the DVD while you perform each step.
PDF instructions are included on the DVD. (Load the disc into your computer’s DVD drive and print out the illustrated instruction sheet.) Plus, there are checklists to help you make sure you’ve ordered every piece you will need.
The DVD can be purchased for $29.95 from brownells.com. You can also order by phone at 800-741-0015, mention code #PEN. FYI, the videos can still be accessed, FREE, through the website howtobuildanar15.com, or you can click on the links in the tables below.
December 17th, 2008
One click is all it takes to enjoy the Daily Bulletin in a wider, easier-to-read format, with less scrolling. Just click ANY of the links shown below to access our WIDER Daily Bulletin page. Pictures will appear better and the navigation tools won’t block text.
We’ve offered the dedicated Bulletin page for months, plus all these link buttons, but for some reason, many of our readers still only view the Daily Bulletin in the small “preview” window on our home page. (We’re working on making the home page wider, but that requires some major changes.) Recently we added a 6″-wide red button above this preview window saying “CLICK HERE for Daily Bulletin.” That link takes you to www.accurateshooter.com/bulletin.html, our dedicated Bulletin page. You may want to bookmark that page.
Anyway guys, if you currently read the Bulletin only on the home page, that’s like watching a 12″ TV in your kitchen when you’ve got a 50″ Plasma a step away in the living room.
December 17th, 2008
The 2009 Edition of the Hodgdon Annual Manual will be available in the second week of January, 2009, at newsstands and gun dealers. The 2009 Manual, priced at $8.99, is the most complete reloading resource yet produced for Hodgdon, IMR® and Winchester® powders. The Manual includes usage recommendations, product descriptions, and burn rate charts for over 50 powders, including Winchester’s new AutoComp™ pistol powder. Along with comprehensive load data for most popular cartridges, the 2009 Manual has 271 recipes for four new cartridges: 300 Ruger Compact Magnum, 30 TC, 338 Ruger Compact Magnum, and 327 Federal Magnum. The 2009 Annual Manual also features nine informative articles from well-known gun writers. For more info, visit www.Hodgdon.com, or call Hodgdon at 913-362-9455.
December 12th, 2008
Recently, in the Daily Bulletin, we ran a story on Czech Rimfire fun matches. Many readers were interested in starting similar matches at their own clubs here in the USA. The Czech shooters have creatively combined many fun shooting scenarios using a wide variety of targets. One of the rimfire fun matches held by Robert Chlapek’s Czech Shooting Club is an event called “Smallbore Sniper Rifle”. Shown below are some of the targets used.
CLICK HERE to download ALL targets as a 1 megabyte .ZIP file. Targets are .pdf files.
Robert explains: “For 2009 we prepaired some new stages and targets. We plan to hold six matches for this year at our club, and this new discipline will be shot at at least two other clubs in Czech Republic, running the same stages according to our rules. Each match will have six (6) stages, each carrying equal weight in the final tally.”
 STAGE ONE — Cold-bore Shot + Hostage Situation (11 minutes, 10 shots)
Each competitor has one minute to shoot his first “cold-bore” shot (without zeroing) on a bullseye target. The referee checks the target, then the shooter engages nine (9) hostage-situation targets in ten minutes, with one shot per target (re-zeroing allowed). Total time is 11 minutes.
STAGE TWO — Designated Bullseyes with Timer (4 Shots on Command)
There are eight, named bullseye targets (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie etc.), set at 50 meters. Each shooter is assigned a particular number. The Referee will call a shooter’s number and a target title, such as “Shooter FIVE, DELTA”, and immediately start a timer. The shooter has just 3 seconds (between timer beeps) to take a shot on the designated target. Each shooter takes a total of four (4) shots, one at a time, on command.
STAGE THREE — Shooting after Exercise (3 shots Rapid, Timed)
Here the shooter has to quickly fire three shots on three targets AFTER doing physical exercise (knee-bends or dips). This drill tests the shooter’s skills when shooting with a high pulse rate. When the referee calls “Start” the shooter must do five exercise reps, then shoot three rounds on the clock. The score is the amount of target points (times 5) divided by the time in seconds. In this formula, time counts as much as the target points, so the “sniper” must shoot accurately, but also quickly.
STAGE FOUR — Position Shooting (Two 5-minute Strings)
This involves two 5-shot strings, each completed in five minutes. The first string is shot standing, but the shooter may use a vertical steel post for stabilization — simulating a tree in the forest. In the second 5-minute stage, the shooter must fire five shots (at a smaller target) from kneeling or seated position, but he can use a chair as a rest. This stage is designed to simulate conditions when you can’t shoot prone effectively (such as when there is tall grass).
 
STAGE FIVE — Roll of the Dice
At random, the Referee will choose one of three target scenarios:
A. “36 Smileys” — Each shooter must find, identify and hit ten targets between 36 other very similar “smiley faces”. Time for this stage is 10 minutes.
B. “Hostages in Windows” — Shooters must shoot very quickly, trying to hit eight (8) targets in just 75 seconds. Points are deducted if you hit the hostages.
C. “Hanging Beer Mat” — This scenario tests concentration and patience. A hanging beer mat suspended from a thin line has three small targets on each side. To “engage” all six targets, you must allow the mat to “twist in the wind”. You are allowed only 6 shots total — one per target.
STAGE SIX — Circles (5 minutes, 5 shots)
The shooter must choose and hit five central target dots, one shot per circle. The smallest dots have the highest score values. A miss counts zero. This is similar to the “know your limits” dot targets used in USA rimfire tactical matches.
CLICK HERE for results of a recent Czech Smallbore Sniper match, with photos.
December 12th, 2008
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has a special program that lets you send a 12″x12″x6″ flat rate box to soldiers serving overseas with military APO/FPO addresses. The shipping cost is just $10.95, flat rate, no matter what the international destination. The boxes, labeled MILI-FRB, are available for FREE at your post office. The MILI-FRB box is quite a bit larger than the $10 domestic Flat-Rate box. With the MILI-FRB you don’t pay by weight, but the max weight for overseas shipment is 20 lbs. per box.
Desired Goods — Gum, Jerkey, Power Bars, Wet Wipes, Chew, and Magazines
What should you pack in the box? Soldiers polled say that they prefer “fun stuff” and consummables, rather than t-shirts, socks, and underwear. Don’t send chocolates as these will melt in the heat. Chewing gum, lifesavers, and other hard candies are popular. So are beef jerkey, granola bars, and power bars. Powdered drink mixes, such as kool-aid and Crystal Light Lemonade, are in high demand.
Among the most-requested items are “Wet Wipes” and/or “baby wipes”. These can be used for a quick clean-up in the field and are easy to tote in a field pack. The soldiers have also asked for chewing tobacco. Though not particularly healthy, tins of Skoal and Copenhagen are highly prized for trading purposes, even if your recipient doesn’t chew. The soldiers also like reading material. Outdoor magazines, car magazines, and gun/hunting magazines are prized. If you’ve got a stack of old shooting magazines… don’t toss ‘em, ship ‘em.
You can get the names of serving troops from National Guard offices, from the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), or from local military recruitment offices. Your Congressperson can also help you obtain the addresses of soldiers from your area who are billeted overseas.
December 11th, 2008
 Long-time Forum member Luis (aka LRCampos) from Brazil has spent many months putting together his “ultimate” F-Class rifle. It hasn’t been easy, as there were many legal hurdles to overcome in sourcing key components from the USA and Canada. But Luis could celebrate this week, as his “Green Dream” finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Luis has waited more than a year for the components to be built and the slow process of import approvals to be completed. But the rifle has finally arrived, giving Luis an early Christmas in Brazil. He was kind enough to supply a couple photos of his new toy, a switch-barrel 6mmBR and .308 for F-Class. With these two calibers he can shoot either F-TR or F-Open class.
The gun is built around a Stiller Predator action with custom bolt knob. The 6BR barrel is a 28″ Krieger, 1:8″ twist, HV contour chambered with a .272 no-turn neck. The second barrel is a 1:12″ twist chambered in .308 Winchester. The barrels have been ceramic bead-blasted for a low-gloss finish.
The beautiful green/black stock is a Robertson GBF model with adjustable buttplate and removable cheekpiece. This is a design developed for F-Class with input from the Great Britain F-Class team. It boasts a “front rails” design with a very low profile. Luis tells us: “The fore-end is similar to Richard Franklin’s Low Rider stock, and I asked Ian Robertson to install an Anschutz front rail, so I can shoot with a bipod in F-TR competition.”
All work was done by Karl Feldkamp of Kampfeld Custom in Clinton, Michigan. With over 20 years of machining experience, Karl does outstanding work on both target and hunting rifles. Some of his other creations have been featured as Guns of the Week on this website.
December 10th, 2008
The NRA has just launched its enhanced, re-designed NRA BLOG. This features daily entries on a wide range of topics, from the National Championships at Camp Perry to youth safety education programs. The new NRA BLOG (www.nrablog.com) features direct navigation to multiple content categories: Community Outreach, Competitions, Hunting, Law Enforcement, NRA Musem, Training, Womens Programs, and Youth Programs. The new blog also includes syndication links so content can be referenced on other popular websites such as DiggIt.com and Facebook.
While the NRA BLOG’s editors are still manually linking up content for some of the categories, this is still an impressive start. This BLOG should make timely information about matches and training programs available to shooters across the country. The NRA BLOG also allows shooters to voice their views on NRA Activities by commenting on blog items.
December 9th, 2008
 According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Americans continue to flock to gun stores nationwide, driven by concerns that Congress, with the backing of President-Elect Obama, will quickly pass new, restrictive gun laws. Background checks on the sale of firearms reached record levels during the month of November, pointing to a spike in sales for the month. Data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) show a 42 percent increase in November firearm purchaser background checks. A total of 1,529,635 checks — the highest monthly total ever — were reported for the month, up from 1,079,923 in November 2007. Federal law requires FBI background checks on individuals purchasing firearms from federally licensed retailers. The NICS increase coincides with an increase in federal excise taxes reported by firearms and ammunition manufacturers, another key economic indicator for the firearms industry. Trends such as excise taxes and NICS data are strong indicators of sales patterns; however, they are not actual sales. There is no data source that captures firearms sales by month.
This report provided by NSSF.
December 8th, 2008
The Sportsman Channel (TSC) announced a distribution agreement with DIRECTV that will make the network available to DIRECTV customers by the end of January 2009. TSC will be available in the CHOICE XTRA™ package. The Sportsman Channel, 100% dedicated to hunting, shooting and fishing, is owned and operated by InterMedia Outdoors, Inc. (IMO). Through the Sportsman Channel, IMO offers 25 popular television productions. In addition to the Sportsman Channel, InterMedia Outdoors operate a network of websites dedicated to hunting, shooting and fishing, plus a portfolio of 17 outdoor magazines including Guns & Ammo, Petersen’s Hunting, and Fly Fisherman.
The DIRECTV news comes on the heels of several business deals by InterMedia, including the acquisition of Barrett Productions. IMO now has the largest library and largest current show output of any production company in the outdoor category. Additionally, IMO has shifted all of its programming resources to The Sportsman Channel, including its most popular branded shows like Fly Fishing the World, In-Fisherman TV, and Guns & Ammo. IMO is also developing new programming, including the recently launched Tactical Impact TV show.
DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV), the nation’s leading satellite television service provider, provides television programming to more than 17.3 million customers in the United States. DIRECTV subscribers have access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, with more than 130 HD channels, plus advanced DVR services. As noted, DIRECTV subscribers will be able to order The Sportsman Channel next year via the CHOICE XTRA™ package.
December 7th, 2008
Hall of Fame benchrest Shooter Speedy Gonzalez has written a helpful article that explains how to eliminate mechanical and gun-handling problems that cause vertical spread in your groups. Speedy’s article addresses both the human and the hardware factors that cause vertical. CLICK HERE to read article. Here are a few of Speedy’s tips:
 • Front Bag Tension — Vertical can happen if the front sand bag grips the fore-arm too tightly. If…the fore-arm feels like it is stuck in the bag, then the front bag’s grip is too tight. Your rifle should move in evenly and smoothly in the sand bags, not jerk or chatter when you pull the gun back by hand.
• Sandbag Fill — A front sandbag that is too hard can induce vertical. Personally, I’ve have never had a rifle that will shoot consistently with a rock-hard front sandbag. It always causes vertical or other unexplained shots. Free Recoil–Free recoil shooters should be sure their rifle hits their shoulder squarely on recoil, not on the edge of their shoulder or the side of their arm.
• Front Rest Wobble — You will get vertical if the top section of the front rest is loose. Unfortunately, a lot of rests have movement even when you tighten them as much as you can. This can cause unexplained shots.
• Stock Flex — Some stocks are very flexible. This can cause vertical. There are ways to stiffen stocks, but sometimes replacement is the best answer.
• Rifle Angle — If the gun is not level, but rather angles down at muzzle end, the rifle will recoil up at butt-end, causing vertical. You may need to try different rear bags to get the set-up right.
• Last Shot Laziness — If the 5th shot is a regular problem, you may be guilty of what I call “wishing the last shot in”. This is a very common mistake. We just aim, pull the trigger, and do not worry about the wind flags. Note that in the photo below, the 5th shot was the highest in the group–probably because of fatigue or lack of concentration.
CLICK HERE for Speedy’s full article with more tips and advice.
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