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September 11th, 2017
Do you find that the crosshairs in your scope get blurry after a while, or that you experience eye strain during a match? This is normal, particularly as you get older. Focusing intensely on your target (through the scope or over iron sights) for an extended period of time can cause eye strain. Thankfully, there are things you can do to reduce eye fatigue. For one — breathe deeper to take in more oxygen. Secondly, give your eyes a break between shots, looking away from the scope or sights.
In our Forum there is an interesting thread about vision and eye fatigue. One Forum member observed: “I have noticed recently that if I linger on the target for too long the crosshairs begin to blur and the whole image gradually darkens as if a cloud passed over the sun. I do wear contacts and wonder if that’s the problem. Anyone else experienced this? — Tommy”
Forum members advised Tommy to relax and breath deep. Increase oxygen intake and also move the eyes off the target for a bit. Closing the eyes briefly between shots can also relieve eye strain. Tommy found this improved the situation.
Keith G. noted: “Make sure you are still breathing… [your condition] sounds similar to the symptoms of holding one’s breath.”
Phil H. explained: “Tom — Our eyes are tremendous oxygen hogs. What you are witnessing is caused by lack of oxygen. When this happens, get off the sights, stare at the grass (most people’s eyes find the color green relaxing), breath, then get back on the rifle. Working on your cardio can help immensely. Worked for me when I shot Palma. Those aperture sights were a bear! The better my cardio got the better and longer I could see. Same thing with scopes. Try it!”
Watercam concurred: “+1 on breathing. Take a long slow deep breath, exhale and break shot. Also make sure you take a moment to look at the horizon without looking through rifle or spotting scope once in a while to fight fatigue. Same thing happens when using iron sights.”
Arizona shooter Scott Harris offered this advice: “To some extent, [blurring vision] happens to anyone staring at something for a long time. I try to keep vision crisp by getting the shot off in a timely fashion or close the eyes briefly to refresh them. Also keep moisturized and protect against wind with wrap-around glasses”.
Breathing Better and Relaxing the Eyes Really Worked…
Tommy, the shooter with the eye problem, said his vision improved after he worked on his breathing and gave his eyes a rest between shots: “Thanks guys. These techniques shrunk my group just a bit and every little bit helps.”
Read more tips on reducing eye fatigue in our Forum Thread: That Vision Thing.
To avoid eye fatigue, take your eyes away from the scope between shots, and look at something nearby (or even close your eyes briefly). Also work on your breathing and don’t hold your breath too long — that robs your system of oxygen.
September 4th, 2017
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, 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 — Browning A-Bolt III Composite Stalker, $349.99 NET
Hunting season is coming soon. Here’s a rifle with a smooth three-lug action and good trigger that can take any game in North America. The Browning A-Bolt III is justifiably respected as a solid hunting rifle. This AB3 Composite Stalker model, with a synthetic stock blued barreled action, normally retails for $600.00+. Now it’s on sale for under $449.99. What’s more, Browning is currently offering a $100.00 Browning Bucks Rebate for any Browning firearm purchased before September 30, 2017. That drops your net cost for this hunting rifle to just $349.99.
Chose your favorite short-action or long-action cartridge. Available chamberings at this price include: .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .300 WSM, .30-06 Sprg, 300 Win Mag. The .270 Win and .30-06 versions are also available with Realtree Xtra Camo (above) for the same $349.99 after-rebate price.
2. Natchez — Leupold VX-6 Scopes Closeout, Save Hundreds
Looking for a good scope for your hunting rifle? Natchez Shooters Supplies is running a big sale on Leupold VX-6 scopes. You can save hundreds of dollars on a wide variety of VX-6 optics, from 1-6x24mm up to 3-18x50mm models. If you are looking for a high-quality hunting optic at a great price check out these deals. For example, Leupold’s 2-12x42mm Illum. FireDot LR Duplex model is marked down from $1039.50 to just $749.99 — a 28% savings! Shown above are four hot deals, but a dozen Leupold VX-6 models on are sale now.
3. Bruno’s — Big Labor Day Sale on (Nearly) Everything In Stock
Celebrate Labor Day with big savings. Bullets, brass, powder, optics, dies, tools, stocks, barrels, actions — all this and more is on sale at Bruno Shooters Supply right now. You’ll find savings on pretty much everything Bruno’s sells (except MAP-price items). But you have to act quickly. This storewide sale ends tomorrow, 9/5/2017 at 11:59 PM. You snooze, you loose. NOTE: You don’t need a special discount code — the sale prices are already shown online. This Sale runs through Tuesday, September 5 at 11:59 PM MST. No Back-orders with sale pricing.
4. Midway USA — Camo Tuesday Sales on Hunting Gear
This year, MidwayUSA’s 6th Annual Camo Tuesday™ will feature deep discounts on select MidwayUSA hunting clothing, footwear, ammunition, optics and more from brands like Irish Setter, Federal, and Vortex just to name a few. “Camo Tuesday [is] Black Friday for the hunter and marks the first official shopping day of the fall hunting season,” said Jeff Larkin, VP Marketing. “This year’s Camo Tuesday event … will be bigger and better than ever with some really great products from top brands at unbelievable prices!” Head over to MidwayUSA.com on September 5th to take advantage of the great deals. You can also enter the 2017 Camo Tuesday Sweepstakes with a Hunting Clothing Package prize.
5. Amazon — Sig Kilo 1250 Rangefinder, $199.99
Hunting season is coming soon. That means going through your gear check-list before you head to deer country. If you don’t have a quality, compact Laser Rangefinder, here’s a great deal. The 6x20mm SIG Kilo 1250 Camo Rangefinder is now on sale for under $200.00. This is a very accurate LRF, that ranges deer-sized targets at long distances quickly. The scan mode is very fast (4X per second) and this offers both line of sight (LOS) or angle modified range (AMR). The unit is compact and light — a bonus for hunters. There are more expensive Laser Rangefinder that can range farther, but this $199.99 Kilo 1250 will definitely do the job on a hunting trip for one-third the price.
6. Midsouth — All Hazmat Fees Reduced to $19.99 (up to 50 lbs.)
UPDATE: Midsouth Has Extended this offer through Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 at 11:59 PM!
Some online vendors bill up to $40.00 per shipment for Hazardous Materials Charges, the notorious “HAZMAT FEE”. As a Labor Day weekend special, Midsouth has reduced its Hazmat Fee to just $19.99 per shipment, for any combination of powders and primers up to 50 pounds in weight. And yes, you can combine powder and primers in the same order, to ship both with one $19.99 hazmat fee. Right now is a good time to buy. Midsouth has a good selection of most popular powders (though Hodgdon H4350 and Alliant Reloder 16 are still back-ordered).
7. Powder Valley — $10 Off $100 Orders (with eMail Sign-Up)
Save ten bucks on your next powder order from Powder Valley Inc., one of the most respected vendors of powder, primers, bullets, and brass in the businesses. Simply subscribe to Powder Valley’s newsletter to earn your $10 Savings. As a subscriber, you’ll get timely tips on sales, and product arrivals — such as the latest shipment of Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass. Powder Valley has long had some of the most competitive pricing on reloading components.
8. Amazon — Motion-Sensitive Interior Light for Gun Safes, $9.95
Let there be light. Here’s a great accessory for your Gun Safe. This “smart” LED lamp turns itself on when you open the door, and off when you close the door. There’s a built-in magnet so you can easily attach the light to the inner walls or “ceiling” of your gun safe. It works, it’s handy, and it’s inexpensive — just $9.99 with free shipping for Prime members (or otherwise free shipping for $25+ orders). We bought two for our own firearms vault. This can provide 14 hours of light with three AA batteries (not included). Very versatile, these motion-sensor lamps can also be used in closets.
9. Amazon — Mystery Deal of the Week, 30% Off Normal Price
We’re adding something new to our Weekly Bargain Round-Up — a Mystery Deal of the Week. This will be a high-quality item that has 4+ star user reviews, and is selling at least 25% off the normal price. The item this week is under $100.00 and is an outstanding value. It works as well as competitive products costing $220 or more. HINT: This Mystery Deal item will be handy for all rifle shooters traveling to and from a range. Above is a recent price chart. You can see this is a super value right now. CLICK HERE to see the Mystery Deal.
August 31st, 2017
Review by James Mock
If you were charged with building a scope for F-Class or long range Benchrest, what features would you want? Vortex asked that question, received feedback from many competitors, and then set out to build a new high-magnification, zoom comp scope that would set a new “performance for price” standard.
The new Vortex Golden Eagle has features that this shooter really appreciates. It has a power range of 15x to 60x with a 52mm objective lens. Vortex has attempted to keep the weight as low as possible and the cost reasonable. My initial impression is that Vortex spared no expense in developing this scope. The “street price” for this premium scope is a reasonable $1499.00. Plus it has Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. Given its features, performance, and price, I believe that this scope will sell very well.
Here are the important features of the new 15-60x52mm Golden Eagle:
| Quality Construction
Premium HD, extra-low dispersion glass
APO (apochromatic) objective lens system with index-matched lenses
XRP multi-coated lenses for max light transmission
ArmorTek extra-hard lens coating to protect lens from dust, dirt, and smudges
Fogproof and Waterproof (Argon gas purged) |
Specifications
Field of View at 100 yards: 6.3 feet at 15X; 1.7 feet at 60X
Main Tube: One-piece 30mm
Length: 16.1 inches; Weight is 29.7 ounces
Objective Lens: 52mm
Eye Relief: 3.9 inches
Reticles: SCR-1 FCH; ECR-1 MOA |
Testing the Golden Eagle
I recently tested a Golden Eagle with the ECR-1 reticle. On this model the Hash Marks subtend 1 MOA at 40X. There is also a fine crosshair reticle (SCR-1) available. Initial tests with the scope were done on June 28th and I was very impressed with what I saw. With a new scope I always shoot the square (box test) to test tracking and amount of movement. I shot the square today after shooting a 5-shot group at 250 yards (my longest available distance). Below is a picture of the box test target that I shot. Yes, shot #5 went through the exact same hole as shot #1.
Below is the 250-yard target I shot before doing the box test. To get to the 100-yard target, I clicked down 14 clicks (1/8th MOA) and the scope was spot on. It is really a pleasure to use instruments that do exactly what they are supposed to do. With the Louisiana mirage, I shot this orange/white target at 40X instead of the maximum 60X. I did not have any problem seeing the 6mm bullet holes at 40X. The optics in this scope are to my old eyes are as good as any that I have used (regardless of price).
 Competition Test Success — Golden Eagle Delivers a Win
My next use of this scope was at our monthly 600-yard match on July 15th. It was a typical mid-July day in north Louisiana — very hot and humid with light switching winds. The mirage was terrible, but I managed to squeak out a victory with a 188/5X score out of 200/20X possible. I shot the Golden Eagle at 40X all day and it performed perfectly. No one could see bullet holes today, even with the high powered premium spotting scopes. This is a quality scope and it may be a “lucky” scope in that I did not expect a win with a 6mm Dasher barrel with 2500 or more rounds through it.
Point of Aim Test with Hood Scope Checker
I also tested the Golden Eagle for holding Point of Aim (POA). For this procedure, I used the Hood scope checker (loaned to me by Bart Sauter). To use this, one mounts two scopes side by side. Ideally one scope has proven its ability to hold POA. Here I used a Valdada 36X BR model as my control scope. It has proven over an 8-year period of time to hold its point of aim. I mounted these scopes on my BAT/Leonard 6mm PPC and adjusted each to the same point on the target.
As one can see in the above picture, these are big scopes. After the first shot, I noticed that the reticle dot on the Vortex seemed to be about 1/8th MOA to the right of its original position. I stopped to check for ring slippage (which I had experienced in prior tests). There was no apparent slippage, so I checked the parallax and found that there was some parallax correction needed. This was probably the source of the apparent shift in point of aim, but I cannot be sure of that. I fired three more shots (checking after each) and found no shift.
After testing for POA shift, I fired the remaining rounds using different aiming points. I fired 5 rounds (upper left) using the Vortex and 3 rounds to the right of those using the Valdada scope.
CONCLUSION — A Very Fine Optic at a Reasonable Price
While testing this Vortex Golden Eagle scope, I developed a real fondness for it. I appreciate its great optics, eye relief and crispness of adjustments. If I thought that this scope did not hold POA, I would use my old Valdada in the 600-yard matches in which I participate. Further testing has shown no tendency to shift point of aim.
If I am allowed to keep this scope until the fall, I am sure that I will be able to see 6mm bullet holes in the white at 600 yards. Seeing those 6mm holes is very difficult, but that is my dream for a premium high-powered scope. During the summer months in north Louisiana, the air is much too “dirty” to spot small holes at 600 yards. By October, there should be some conditions in which one can use the premium optics to see bullet holes in the white at 600.
In summary, let me say that this scope has become one of my all-time favorites because of its bright, clear images and its great reliability. If you are looking for a great long-range scope that is reasonable in cost, try the Golden Eagle from Vortex.– James Mock
August 30th, 2017
UPDATE: The Amazon price is Back up to $439.99. We told you $376.69 was a good deal!! This just proves you need to strike while the iron’s hot.
Hunting season is coming soon. That means going through your gear check-list before you head to deer country. If you don’t have a quality, compact Laser Rangefinder, here’s a great deal. The 7x25mm SIG Kilo 2000 Rangefinder is now on sale for under $380.00. This is a very accurate LRF, that ranges deer-sized targets at long distances quickly. The scan mode is fast and very effective. The unit is compact and light — a bonus for hunters.
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This Sig LRF sold for $500.00 just a year ago. Now you can save 25%, with the Kilo 2000 selling for just $376.69 at Amazon, with Free Shipping. Given its performance, that’s a steal. We have tested a variety of LRFs from Bushnell, Leica, Leupold, Sig, Swarovski, and Zeiss. This Sig Kilo 2000 will run with anything in the sub-$600 price range. If you are looking for a small LRF than can fit in a shirt pocket, this Sig 2000 is a good choice. Glass is good, controls are good, ranging capability is excellent. Light-Wave DSP Technology enables the Kilo 2000 to range faster with increased accuracy. Scan mode refresh rate is an ultra-fast 4 times per second.
Read the reviews on Amazon. Virtually every purchaser gave this thing Five Stars. Here are three typical buyer reports. |
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SIG Kilo 2000 Verified Buyer Reviews
Five Stars: “AWESOME! Best rangefinder for the money. Easily ranges out to 1100 yards. That is the furthest I have tested it to.” (Review by Kochman, July 2017)
Five Stars: “I will review by comparing it with another 2000-yard rangefinder… a Newcon 2000 which finally broke after about 6 years. This Sig Sauer Kilo 2000 has better optics, faster readings, ranges reflective and non reflective targets farther… it’s much smaller and it’s about $150 cheaper. It has better warranty.” (Review by Hillbilly, April 2017)
Five Stars: “Challenges $3000+ Rangefinders for performance. Let me say right up front that I received zero perks, products, or considerations for the review that follows. It’s strictly the opinion of an old shooter still trying to hit groundhogs in adjacent area codes, nothing more. I’ve used laser rangefinders since they first hit the market in the early 90s and ranged all of 200 yards. I have used and owned $2K rangefinders with built-in ballistic computers.
It’s small — palm-sized. If you’re a backcountry shooter and every ounce counts, you can wear this unit around your neck all day long. In my experience and opinion, the Sig Kilo 2000 is an amazing laser rangefinder at a very reasonable price. When it comes to the raw function of a laser rangefinder, to give accurate, repeatable distance measurements within your target range, the Sig Kilo 2000 blows away anything even remotely close to it in its price range.” (Review by Verified Customer, July 2016)
August 28th, 2017
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, 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. EuroOptic.com — 12% Off Vortex Scopes, Spotters, LRFs
EuroOptic.com is running a special sale this week on a wide selection of Vortex products, including some of the most popular competition scopes, such as the 15-60x52mm Golden Eagle. CLICK HERE to see all the deals. Do your own comparison shopping. You’ll see Eurooptic’s prices are excellent — you can save hundreds on some models. There are over 80 Vortex products on sale, including comp scopes, hunting scopes, tactical scopes, red dots, spotting scopes, and laser rangefinders.
2. Amazon — 34 dB Noise Rating Ear Muffs, $17.45
These 34 dB NRR earmuffs provide excellent sound protection without being too heavy and bulky. At at $17.45, they are a great bargain. The lower section of the muff is trimmed for a narrower profile — that helps with rifle and shotgun stocks. The headband is adjustable and has comfortable padding. These Pro For Sho Muffs have earned a 4 1/2 star consumer rating, with over 1,600 Amazon customer reviews. NOTE: These fit pretty tight. If you have a very large hat size you might want a different brand.
3. Lyman — $25.00 Off Top-Selling Products
Rebate Ends August 31, 2017!
With Lyman’s Summer Rebate, you can now get $25.00 Off five of Lyman’s top-selling products: BoreCam, Case Prep Xpress, Gen6 Powder Dispenser, Cyclone Rotary Tumbler, and AutoAdvance Target. With Lyman’s Summer Mail-In Rebate Program, you can earn a $25 rebate per select item bought from any Lyman dealer, online or direct from the Lyman website. Items must be purchased no later than August 31, 2017 to qualify. CLICK HERE for the Rebate Redemption Form.
4. Natchez — Special 5 Reloading Press Kit, $199.99
Looking for a great holiday gift for a family member getting started in metallic cartridge reloading? This RCBS Kit has everything a new reloader needs: single-stage press, powder measure, scale, powder trickler, priming tool, cartridge tray, “rocket” chamfer tool, case lube and more. This is an excellent entry-level reloading kit, on sale for just $199.99 at Natchez Shooters Supplies. We like the relatively compact Special 5 press for most reloading duties. Eventually you may want to add an additional, large heavy press, but this will get the job done. For the combined package, with all the tools one needs to hand-load quality ammo — this is a stunningly good deal at $199.99.
5. Amazon — Weaver T-Series 36x40mm Scope, $449.95
Benchrest Matches have been won (and many records set) with 36X Weaver T-Series optics. Our friend Boyd Allen observed “You can pay three or four times as much for a scope but not necessarily be more competitive — a 36X front objective Weaver is enough to win with…” The Classic T-Series Weaver has proven to be one of the most reliable high-magnification scopes ever made. The “old-fashioned” adjustable objective works well and the Weaver Micro-Trac turret system delivers precise and repeatable elevation and windage control. You can also save money on rings since the main tube is 1″ diameter. The Weaver T-36 with 1/8 MOA clicks and Target Dot reticle costs $449.95 at Amazon.com with free Prime Shipping.
6. Amazon — RCBS Quick-Change Powder Funnel Kit, $9.99
This versatile funnel system works with nearly all cartridge types, from 17 Remington up to 500 S&W. Even if you have a fancy metal funnel, it’s worth having one of these RCBS Kits on your reloading bench. The RCBS Quick Change Powder Funnel Kit features five (5) adapters that match case mouth diameter for specific cartridge ranges: 17-20 caliber, 22-264 caliber, 27-284 caliber, 30-375 caliber, 40 caliber and higher. The Funnel Kit includes a handy 4-inch drop tube. Price is $9.99 at Amazon with free shipping on orders over $25 total.
7. American Eagle Pistol Ammo, 25% OFF Manufacturer Rebate
Rebate Ends August 31, 2017!
Here’s a great Rebate offer from Federal Premium Ammunition. Now through August 31st, you can get 25% OFF the cost of Federal American Eagle brass-cased pistol ammo. We’ve used this ammo in .380 ACP, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP and we can say it’s good stuff — very reliable and cleaner that some other less-expensive brands. Midsouth Shooters Supply has qualifying American Eagle Ammo in a variety of calibers: .25 ACP, .380 ACP, 9mm Luger, .38 SPL, .357 SIG, .357 Magnum, 40 S&W, .44 Rem Magnum, .45 ACP. Midsouth’s American Eagle Ammo starts at $13.03 for 50 rounds of 9mm Luger. The 25% OFF Rebate reduces the price to just $9.77 per 50-ct box. CLICK HERE for Rebate Form.
8. CDNN — Smith & Wesson Model 617 10-Shot Revolver, $679.99
This Editor’s first really accurate handgun was a Smith & Wesson model 617 that could easily stack ten shots in a dime at 10 yards. It remains my favorite and most-used handgun, and I will never part with it. What can we say about the model 617? Every serious gun guy should own one. The single-action trigger pull is superb, and the accuracy surpasses most any semi-auto rimfire pistol, except for a few, very, very expensive target pistols. We like the 6″ version for the longer site radius, but the 4″-barrel 617 is also very accurate, and it balances better. CDNN’s $679.99 sale price may seem like a lot of money, but MSRP is $829.00 and most dealers are charging $750.00 or more for a new 6″-barrel 617. Get one — you won’t regret it.
9. Home Depot — 72″ Wood Workbench for $77.62
This patented Home Depot workbench assembles in a few minutes. Simply unfold the legs, pop in the shelf, and you are ready to start your project. Made from Premium 2×4 Hemlock fastened with glue and screws, this workbench is a great value. The bench (72″ wide x 35″ high x 22″ deep) can easily be stored when not in use. NOTE: The wood is unfinished (can be painted or stained).
10. Amazon — 630 1″-Diameter Target Spots, $9.65 Delivered
We use 1″-diameter Target Spots for sight-in and practice at 100-300 yards. These bright red/orange self-adhesive dots are easy to see. At 100 yards the high-contrast black diamond centers provide precise aiming points. We found this 10-pack of target spots on Amazon at a rock-bottom price. You get 630 total stick-on dots for just $9.65 with FREE Shipping. You can also get 360 Birchwood Casey 1″ dots from Midsouth for just $3.15, but shipping is extra. If you’re already ordering something from Midsouth, you may want to add the dots to your order.
August 24th, 2017
 More and more folks are using Burris Signature Rings these days. These unique rings feature polymer inserts. That allows you to pre-load some elevation in your scope set-up, or you can center-up the windage. Additionally, the polymer inserts hold your scope securely without leaving marks on the tube. Lastly, some folks believe that Signature rings may offer advantages for benchrest competition. Rodney Wagner shot the best 600-yard group in history using Burris Signature Zee Rings (“Zee” denotes the Weaver-rail model). James O’Hara set multiple IBS 1000-yard records using Burris Signature Zee Rings. James will tell you he thinks “all his guns seem to shoot best with these rings”.
Records Have Been Set with Signature Zee Rings
Are Signature Zees good enough for competition? Absolutely. Some folks scoff at these Burris rings, given their low price. A set of 1″-diameter Sig Zees cost just $38.79 at Grafs.com. But consider this, Rodney Wagner shot the smallest 600-yard group in history, a 0.336″ 5-shot stunner, using Signature Zee Rings on his IBS Light Gun. Here’s a photo of Rodney showing the record-setting rifle, outfitted with affordable Signature Zee 30mm rings.
Vendors Have Burris Signature Rings in Stock Now
A quick search of webstores shows that various models of Burris Signature Rings are available from many vendors. NOTE: You may have to check with more than one seller to get the exact size, height, and model you prefer. But right now these vendors have pretty good selections of Signature Zees, including the hard-to-find 30mm High and Extra High models. If you check all three sellers, you’ll probably find what you need.
August 22nd, 2017
Burris Signature Rings with polymer inserts are an excellent product. The inserts allow you to clamp your scope securely without ring marks. Moreover, using the matched offset inserts you can “pre-load” your scope to add additional elevation. This helps keep the scope centered in its elevation range while shooting at long range. Additionally, with a -20 insert set in the front and a +20 insert set in the rear, you may be able to zero at very long ranges without using an angled scope base — and that can save money. (To move your point of impact upwards, you lower the front of the scope relative to the bore axis, while raising the rear of the scope.)
Insert Elevation Values and Ring Spacing
People are sometimes confused when they employ the Burris inserts. The inset numbers (-10, +10, -20, +20 etc.) refer to hundredths of inch shim values, rather than to MOA. And you need the correct, matched top/bottom pair of inserts to give you the marked thousandth value. Importantly, the actual amount of elevation you get with Burris inserts will depend BOTH on the insert value AND the spacing between ring centers.
Forum member Gunamonth has explained this in our Shooters’ Forum:
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Working with Burris Signature Rings
Burris inserts are [marked] in thousandths of an inch, not MOA. To know how many MOA you gain you also need to know the ring spacing. For example, with a -20 thou insert set in the front and a +20 thou insert set in the rear, if the ring spacing is 6″, the elevation change will be approximately +24 MOA upwards.
Here’s how we calculate that. If you have a 2 X 0.020″ “lift” over a distance of 6 inches (i.e. 0.040″ total offset at 0.5 feet) that’s equivalent to 0.080″ “lift” over 12 inches (one foot). There are 300 feet in 100 yards so we multiply 0.080″ X 300 and get 24″ for the total elevation increase at 100 yard. (Note: One inch at 100 yards isn’t exactly a MOA but it’s fairly close.)
Here’s a formula, with all units in inches:
Total Ring Offset
——————– X 3600 = Change @ 100 yards
Ring Spacing
(.020 + .020)
—————– X 3600 = 24 inches at 100 yards
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NOTE: Using the above formula, the only time the marked insert offset will equal the actual MOA shift is when the center to center ring spacing is 3.60″. Of course, you are not required to use 3.60″ spacing, but if you have a different spacing your elevation “lift” will be more or less than the values on the inserts. |
August 21st, 2017
Today marks a milestone — this is our 100th “Deals of the Week” feature. We’ve got some awesome deals this week, just as every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, 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. Bud’s Gun Shop — Howa (LSI) 6.5 Creedmoor GRS, $799.00
This is a heck of a deal. Fine action, great stock, shockingly good price. For comparison, Savage sells its similar 6.5 Creedmoor Model 10 GRS for $1449.00 MSRP (street price $1250.00). Frankly, we prefer the Howa 1500 action and trigger, though we like the versatility of the Savage barrel nut system. Hard to go wrong here with Bud’s Gun Shop’s $799.00 price. That’s for payment via money orders, checks, or echecks; credit card price is $822.97.
Rifleshooter.com published a FULL REVIEW of this rifle: “Precise — The Howa GRS was capable of sub-MOA 5-shot accuracy out of the box. Value — The street price on these guns is well below the cost of a custom rifle. This would be a great entry-level gun. Stock — The length-of-pull and cheek-piece adjustments on the GRS were fantastic. Stock was extremely comfortable in alternate positions.” READ Rifleshooter.com REVIEW HERE.
Howa 1500 GRS 6.5 Creedmoor Specifications
Howa 1500 Heavy Barreled Action with HACT 2-Stage Trigger
GRS Berserk Stock (Pillar bedded 15% fiberglass-reinforced Durethane)
Accepts Detachable Box Mags (with extra-cost accessory kit)
Push button adjustment for comb height and length-of-pull
2. Total Eclipse Sales at Grafs.com and Midsouth Shooters Supply
Now through 11:59 pm on August 21, 2017, you can get big savings at Grafs & Sons and Midsouth Shooters Supply. Both vendors are running big “Total Eclipse” Sales, with big discounts on ammo, bullets, brass, and reloading equipment. Grafs.com is offering 15% off rimfire ammunition, plus 10% off most everything else in stock (no back-orders). In addition, this Path of Total Savings SALE includes Free Shipping on orders of $75.00 or more.
At Midsouth, prices are reduced on products from Hornady Manufacturing, Nosler Inc., Sierra Bullets, and Starline Brass. Because those four companies are in the path of the total eclipse (as is Midsouth), they’ve been selected for the big promotion. You can get savings with up to 17% OFF PRODUCTS from each company.
3. Lyman — $25.00 Off Top-Selling Products
ACT Soon — This rebate expires 8/31/17. You can now get $25.00 Off five of Lyman’s top-selling products: BoreCam, Case Prep Xpress, Gen6 Powder Dispenser, Cyclone Rotary Tumbler, and AutoAdvance Target. With Lyman’s Summer Mail-In Rebate Program, you can earn a $25 rebate per select item bought from any Lyman dealer, online or direct from the Lyman website. Items must be purchased no later than August 31, 2017 to qualify. CLICK HERE for the Rebate Redemption Form.
4. Bullets.com — Huge Reloading Powder Sale — Great Prices
Got powder? If you need smokeless propellants for your rifles and pistols, head over to Bullets.com which has slashed prices on its powder inventory. There are great savings to be had here, honest. We compared Bullets.com’s inventory reduction sale pricing with some other online powder vendors. With Bullets.com’s current price cuts, you can SAVE $4-$7 per pound for even high-demand powders such as Varget. Bullets.com’s powder sale is scheduled to run through 8/23/2017; however, prices are subject to change. Here are examples of current Sale Prices.
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Hodgdon CFE Pistol, $17.99/lb
Hodgdon Varget, $21.99/lb
Alliant Reloder 17, $22.95/lb
IMR 4064, $22.95/lb |
Hodgdon CF3 223, $149.99/8 lbs.
IMR 8208 XBR, $159.99/8 lbs.
Hodgdon H4198, $169.95/8 lbs.
Hodgdon H4831sc, $175.00/8 lbs. |
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6. CDNN Sports — Walther PPS M2 9mm, $299.99 with Rebate
 Grab a Walther PPS M2 for under $300.00. This is a great little concealed carry pistol. You can run it with a flush mag for deep concealment or with an extended mag that provides a more comfortable grip (photo at right). This week, CDNN Sports is offering special sale pricing on the Walther PPS M2. Get $60 off regular the retail price. Combine that with Walther’s $100 manufacturer rebate, and you can get the PPS M2 for just $299.99.
We do like this little pistol — it’s comfortable, accurate, and has a decent trigger. The PPS M2 is the carry choice of our System Administrator. READ PPS M2 Review.
NOTE: The PPS M2 LE Edition 9mm is also on sale right now at Brownells for $419.99 (plus $10 handling charge). Use Code M4Y to get an extra 10% discount. That lowers what you pay Brownells to $388.00. After the $100 Walther Rebate, your net cost is $288.00.
7. Midsouth — Hornady Reloading Manual (9th Ed.) $9.99
Late last year, Hornady released the 10th Edition of its reloading manual. That costs $28.04 at Amazon.com. But you can get the 900+ page 9th Edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading (hardback) for just $9.99 at Midsouth. We think that’s a great deal. All the key information is still there. The 9th edition covers 233 different calibers/cartridges (including 6.5 Creedmoor), plus 146 powders and 304 bullets! Each cartridge data section features Hornady bullets along with velocity and powder recipe tables. FYI — the 10th Edition adds the new ELD and ELD-X bullets, a handful of new cartridges plus IMR Enduron powders. But other than that, you’ll probably be very happy with the 9th Edition at one-third the price!
8. Amazon — Cotton Cleaning Patches, 800 for $8.99 – $17.99
Got patches? Here’s a great deal on 100% cotton flannel patches. There are many sizes available, starting at $8.99 for 800 3/4-inch “17 Cal” patches. For 6mm rifles, we like either the 1-inch “22/.223″ patches or the 1 1/4-inch “.25/6mm” patches priced at $11.99 for 800. These are Amazon’s #1 seller for gun cleaning patches. Some shooters prefer to wrap their patches around a jag or brush and square patches work better for wrapping. The large, 2-inch .30 Cal patches cost $17.99 for 800. These prices include FREE Shipping for Prime Members.
9. MidwayUSA — Pro Series Folding Shooting Mat, $29.09
We like this folding shooting mat for three main reasons. First, it has nice half-inch-thick EVA high-density foam inside. That 0.5″ padding makes this mat MUCH more comfortable than thin mats when shooting from concrete or hard ground. Second, at 76″ long x 35.5″ wide, the mat is big enough for tall guys and there’s plenty of width for log-books, ammo boxes, and other gear. Third, the multi-cam pattern is distinctive. When you’re at a big match with many competitors, this mat is easy to spot, so you can quickly find your place on the firing line. The Pro Series Folding Shooting Mat is currently CLEARANCE SALE priced for $29.09, marked down from $109.99. Choose either Multi-Cam or OD Green for $29.09. NOTE: This is more like a work-out mat than a typical thin shooting mat. It does NOT roll into a small bundle, but this is much more comfortable for long shooting sessions on hard ground.
10. Amazon — Caldwell Front and Rear Bag Set (Unfilled), $11.29
This is a functional, “field expedient” system that’s easy to haul around and only costs $11.29! Varminters can keep these bags in a vehicle for deployment any time. Act quick — this is a special sale price at Amazon.com. This unfilled bag combo sells for up to $25.00 elsewhere. Yes this is a very inexpensive system, but it works surprisingly well, particularly with “standard” rifles with narrow fore-ends. Rather than sand, you can fill with rice or media to make the bags lighter. This system features a heavy-duty clip and D-Ring for linking the two bags for easy transport. The Caldwell DeadShot bags are crafted from durable, water-resistant 600 denier polyester.
BAG Dimensions (filled): FRONT bag 11″ x 8.5″ X 6″; REAR bag is 5″ x 5″ x 4.5″.
August 21st, 2017
UPDATE: Some readers did not understand how to most effectively use this price-tracking service. They wondered: “What good does it do for me to know past prices?” Well you can set a price target, and CamelCamelCamel.com will email you (in the future) when the price has dropped to that level. That’s a powerful tool that WILL save you money!
Take the time to read this article and we bet you’ll save $100.00 or more this year. Honest. This article explains how to find the right time to buy a product from Amazon.com at a super-low price. Amazon price trend graphs, updated by the hour, show exactly when prices have been slashed on your favorite Amazon items. With this “insider info” you can save big — often 50% or more. This applies to everything Amazon sells — optics, reloading gear, tools, electronics, you name it.
Here’s how it works — find a product you want on Amazon.com. Then go to CamelCamelCamel.com and enter the product in the search field. Usually the product name is enough, but you can also enter the Amazon URL. When the product appears in the search results, click on the product name. Then a chart will appear that shows the price trends for a given time period (All Time, 1 Year, 6 Months etc.). You can see right away if it’s time to buy, or you need to wait for a price reduction.
Here’s one example. Steiner makes a black version of its 8×30 Military-Marine Binoculars called the AZ830. We found these on sale for about $120.00 and posted that on our Deals of the Week. Later the same binoculars cost over $280! Yet some months before, this Steiners cost just $75.87! You could save $204.71 by buying at just the right time — that’s a 73% savings! Check out the 1-year price history from CamelCamelCamel.com:
Here’s another example, the popular RCBS Rock Chucker press. In the last year, the price has fluctuated between $166.68 and $112.49, a $54.19 difference! By using the CamelCamelCamel price checker website, you could snag a Rock Chucker for $112.49, saving over 32%.
Track Third-Party Prices As Well for Ultimate Savings
CamelCamelCamel will also give you the lowest third-party price on Amazon. This option shows products sold on Amazon but fulfilled by third parties. Check out this chart for the Kowa TSN-880, one of the best spotting scopes on the market. The third-party price is in blue. In the last year it bounced between $849.95 and $2450.00! That’s a difference of $1600.05, or 65%. Even measured vs. the Amazon direct sale high price ($2254.00), the savings is over 60%.
Set Up Your Own Price Watch Page with Notifications
We have no affiliation with CamelCamelCamel.com but we know it can help you save big money on Amazon purchases. We have subscribed to this service, and you may want to do so as well. When you subscribe, you can create a Product Price Watch List. Let’s say you’re looking to snag a Leica Rangefinder, Lyman BoreCam, and Vortex Scope. Put those items on your watch list and you can see price trends instantly whenever you visit CamelCamelCamel.com.
In addition, you can have email alerts sent to you when the price of a “watched” product hits a “trigger” price you set. For example, we told the site to let us know when the AZ830 binoculars hit $120.00 again. And we snagged a nice Seiko titanium watch recently, saving $90 on the price.
August 20th, 2017
New Technology — Electronic Reticle Level. Activate level by pushing illumination button for 15 seconds. The level warning deactivates automatically when you rotate the scope over 30 degrees.
The latest Leupold VX-6HD scopes have a feature we’d like to see incorporated in other optics: a tilt-correction warning system. When the rifle is canted more than 1 degree off level, the VX-6HD’s new electronic reticle level flashes, telling the shooter to square up his rifle. This kind of innovation helps both hunters and target shooters. Even a small bit of cant variance from shot to shot will change the point of impact at long range. Proprietary MST (Motion Sensor Technology) automatically deactivates illumination after 5 minutes of inactivity, yet reactivates instantly as soon as any movement is detected.
 The electronic reticle level and other advanced VX-6HD features were praised by Petersen’s Hunting magazine, which awarded the VX-6HD an Editor’s Choice award. Leupold put a lot of advanced optics technology in this scope. Leupold says: “We gave it new high-definition lenses for sharpened clarity, Twilight Max Light Management System, an in-scope cant indicator, a throw lever for fast magnification changes, and a more robust erector system.”
Leupold offers six VX-6HD series riflescopes: 4-24x52mm, 3-18x50mm, 3-18x44mm, 2-12x42mm, 1-6x24mm, and 1-6x24mm multigun. All Leupold VX-6HD riflescopes are CDS-capable and include one free Custom Ballistic Dial with purchase.
The VX-6HD series of scopes also feature a very clever, button-controlled return-to-zero system for both windage and elevation. A visible button snaps out at the zero point, locking the turret. Press the ZeroLock button to release and dial your needed elevation or windage. Simply spin the turret back and the lock snaps into place automatically at the designated zero point. Simple, easy, effective.
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