When we first ran this story a few seasons back, it proved immensely popular with our readers. In case you missed it the first time around, check out what can be done with a factory Savage 110 BA at extreme long range — 1760 yards (one mile). Shooter Mark Dalzell did a great job with the video, which features multiple camera views so you can see the shooter and the target at the same time. Enjoy!
This video by Mark Dalzell demonstrates the long-range capabilities of the Savage 110 BA chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum. Mark took his “BadAss” rig out to the southwest Nevada desert just north of Jean Dry Lakes. He placed a 2’x3′ target way, way out there — a full mile (1760 yards) away. At that range, flight time to target was 3.75 seconds! Sighting with a Nightforce 5-22x50mm NXS scope, Mark needed a few shots to get on target, but eventually made multiple hits, using 67 MOA of elevation and 2.25 MOA left windage. You can view the hits starting at 1:56 time-mark on the video. (Mark had a second camera set up closer to the target — this displays frame in frame in the video, and if you watch carefully you can see the strikes.) The ammo was HSM 250gr HPBT match with a 3.600″ COAL. The shooting was done at 8:13 in the morning, with clear conditions, very light winds. Temp was 57°, humidity 24.5, Density Altitude 3666. Video soundtrack is La Grange by ZZ Top.
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LISTEN TO MARK TALK about One Mile Shooting:
CLICK Play Button to hear Mark Dalzell TALK about his .338 LM Savage 110 BA and how he scored hits at 1760 yards.
Good Shooting Mark. That’s darn good for a factory rifle. You also had the elevation dialed in real close before the firing started! That shows a good knowledge of your ammo’s long-range ballistics. We also noticed how effective that muzzle brake was. Recoil looked about the same as an un-braked .308 Win.
.338 Lapua Magnum Cartridge Diagram
If you thought Mark’s 1760-yard shooting was impressive, Mark has produced another video that shows a session at even greater distances — out to 2300 yards. Watch Mark Dalzell Shoot at 2300 Yards.
September 26, 2026 was National Hunting and Fishing Day. Working on your wind reading skills can improve your odds of a successful hunt. Image from NHFDay.org.
Thomas Haugland, a Shooters’ Forum member from Norway, is a long-range target shooter and hunter. He has created an interesting video showing how to gauge wind velocities by watching trees, grass, and other natural vegetation. The video commentary is in English, but the units of wind speed (and distance) are metric. Haugland explains: “This is not a full tutorial, but rather a short heads-up to make you draw the lines between the dots yourself”. Here are some conversions that will help when watching the video:
.5 m/s = 1.1 mph | 1 m/s = 2.2 mph | 2 m/s = 4.5 mph
3 m/s = 6.7 mph | 4 m/s = 8.9 mph | 5 m/s =11.2 mph
How to Gauge Wind Speed and Hold Off Using Reticles
This field video shows how to observe natural indicators — trees and vegetation — to estimate wind velocity. Then it shows how to calculate hold-offs using the reticle hash-marks. Thomas shoots a fast-cycling Blaser R93 rifle with Norma 6XC ammunition.
Hunting season is coming up very soon, so it’s time to get your rifle squared away. You’ll want to zero that rifle before the hunt, and you need to know how your shots will impact with a cold barrel.
Commonly, hunters won’t have the ability to fire one or two fouling shots before heading out on a hunt. Therefore it’s important that a hunter understands how his rifle shoots with a “cold bore shot”. Both the point of impact (and possibly velocity), may be different with a cold bore than with a barrel that has been warmed and fouled with a series of shots. In this video from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), you’ll learn how to determine your cold bore point of impact (POI) for a rifle that just been cleaned, as well as the cold bore POI with a barrel that has already been “fouled in”.
SGT Joe Hein of the USAMU shows how to plot cold bore POI with both a clean bore and a fouled bore. Note that the “cold bore” shot from a fouled barrel was closer to the follow-up shots than the cold bore shot from a clean barrel. This is typical of many factory barrels. SGT Hein provides a simple way to understand your rifle’s cold bore performance. Hein’s advice can keep you from missing that long range shot at that big buck on opening day. A little time spent on the range before that critical first shot will help ensure you have meat in the freezer this season.
On the Defensive Edge Website, you’ll find a good article by Shawn Carlock about wind reading. Shawn is a veteran law enforcement marksman and a past USPSA national precision rifle champion. Shawn offers good advice on how to estimate wind speeds and directions using a multitude of available indicators — not just your wind gauge: “Use anything at your disposal to accurately estimate the wind’s velocity. I keep and use a Kestrel for reading conditions….The Kestrel is very accurate but will only tell you what the conditions are where you are standing. I practice by looking at grass, brush, trees, dust, wind flags, mirage, rain, fog and anything else that will give me info on velocity and then estimate the speed.”
Shawn also explains how terrain features can cause vertical wind effects. A hunter on a hilltop must account for bullet rise if there is a headwind blowing up the slope. Many shooters consider wind in only one plane — the horizontal. In fact wind has vertical components, both up and down.
» CLICK HERE to Download Full Article as Printable PDF
If you have piloted a small aircraft you know how important vertical wind vectors can be. Match shooters will also experience vertical rise when there is a strong tailwind blowing over an up-sloping berm ahead of the target emplacements. Overall, Shawn concludes: “The more time you spend studying the wind and its effect over varying terrain the more successful you will be as a long-range shooter and hunter.”
This Editor, as a life-long sailor, also has some suggestions about wind. Many folks may not realize that wind can cycle, both in direction and in speed (velocity). If you are patient, you should be able to sense the timing of the cycles, which will help you predict shifts in wind direction and velocity. While it is tempting to shoot in the lulls, sometimes the true wind vector (angle + speed) may be most constant when the wind is blowing stronger.
Another tip for hunters is to orient your shot, when possible, in alignment with the wind direction. Try to face into the wind, or have the wind at your back. This is especially effective when shooting in a varmint field. Use a string of tape on a pole to show wind angle. Then shoot directly into the wind or with the wind directly at your back. This will minimize horizontal deflection caused by the wind.
The Action Target Sport Plate Rack is specifically designed for .22 LR Rimfire shooting. This rack features six 4″-diameter plates that reset with a provided cable.
Shooting plates is fun. You get immediate feedback — “instant gratification” when you make a hit. When shooting steel inside 100 yards, we like to use .22 LR rimfire guns. The ammo is inexpensive, noise levels are lower (though you still need ear protection), and at close ranges there are fewer issue with ricochets and bullet splash-back. Additionally, for busy folks who don’t have time to reload, you can pick up a .22 LR rifle or pistol, grab a couple $5 boxes of ammo, and get to the range in a few minutes. The convenience means it is easier to shoot every week if you like.
In the video below, SFC Joel Turner from the USAMU’s Action Shooting Team offers a few pointers on how to shoot plates quickly and accurately. He’s using a centerfire pistol, but the same principles apply for rimfire handguns. Click speaker icon to activate audio.
High-Capacity KelTec .22 LR CP33 Pistol is Great for Plates
If you like shooting plates with rimfire guns, one of the better new pistols for the job is Kel-Tec’s CP33. We tested this interesting handgun at the 2019 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, and were impressed. The pistol is big, but balances well. The sights are easy to see, and the full-length rail lets you easily mount a variety of optics. The trigger is surprisingly good — better than 90% of rimfire handguns out there. For the plates game, this “quad-stack” gun can handle long stages without mag changes. The standard clear-sided CP33 magazine holds 33 rounds of .22 LR ammo.
If you are interested in an affordable, but very accurate, high-capacity semi-auto rimfire pistol you should consider Kel-Tec’s new CP33. Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) notes: “The rapid growth of rimfire competition in Steel Challenge has prompted some gun makers to enter the fray. Kel-Tec is one, and their new CP33 .22 LR pistol has a lot of potential.”
Overall SSUSA’s tester, Chris Christian, was impressed with the gun, saying it balanced well and the sights aligned naturally: “…the neutral-balance-point grip produced an almost instinctive sight alignment.”
Precision rifle shooters don’t have to hit a big-league fastball, or launch a top-fuel dragster in the blink of an eye. Nonetheless, reaction times are important in our sport — both for competitive shooters and hunters. Want to catch that prairie dog before he slips down his hole? You’ll need to be quick. Want to win at short-range benchrest? Then you’ll need to watch your windflags and respond quickly to a change. Miss a major wind-shift and you could ruin your whole weekend.
Here’s a fun test of reaction times from HumanBenchmark.com. The way it works is that, after clicking “Start”, you wait until the background color changes from red to green. The instant you see green, immediately click your mouse. The average (median) reaction time is 273 milliseconds, according to the data collected so far. Hint: If you keep your finger “preloaded” in contact with your mouse button you can shave some milliseconds — but don’t “jump the gun”.
Tips for Faster Times
Here are three tips to speed up your reaction times:
1) Respond to the color change (by itself), rather than wait to read the word “CLICK!” after the box shifts to green.
2) Try focusing at the corner of the box, rather than the center. This may help you react “without thinking”.
3) Have your index finger “poised and ready” over the left button–you can shave milliseconds by very slightly depressing the button before you actually click.
We are sad to annouce that Benchrest Hall-of-Fame shooter Jack Neary passed away on September 25, 2026. Jack was a great shooter who set records and won many matches during his shooting career. Jack was a world-class benchrest competitor and Team USA member who shared his knowledge with other shooters through live seminars and excellent online videos. May of our Forum members credited Jack for sharing his vast knowledge of reloading and shooting sports. CLICK HERE to access a 12-segment “Reloading Class” series of video Jack hosted for the Vihtavuori YouTube Channel.
Capstone Precision Group, Jack’s employer, released this statement:
Benchrest Shooting Hall of Fame member, firearms industry executive, Team Lapua member and respected friend to many throughout the shooting sports community, John “Jack” Neary passed away on the morning of September 25, just hours before he was scheduled to compete in his next match.
Jack Neary is interviewed by Erik Cortina in this 2025 Video.
Neary’s competitive shooting career spanned more than three decades and was a dominant force in benchrest competition, he captured numerous Regional, National, and World Championship titles throughout his career. He served as President of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (NBRSA) and was inducted into the prestigious Benchrest Shooting Hall of Fame.
Among his many achievements, Neary earned a World Championship gold medal as a member of the four-man team in 2019, set the Light Varmint 200-yard single-group world record of .160″ in 2011, beat that remarkable feat again in 2019 with a .110″ group (see below), and recently recorded a pending world record 10-shot target measuring just 0.085″. [Editor: By any standards, Jack was one of the greatest Benchrest shooters who ever lived].
Beyond his own competitive success, Neary dedicated countless hours to growing competitive shooting sports. He hosted clinics and seminars across the country, teaching newcomers how to get started in competitive shooting, precision handloading with Lapua and Vihtavuori components, custom bullet making, reading wind conditions, and numerous other aspects of precision shooting. Committed to sharing his knowledge and experience, he launched the YouTube channel All Things Benchrest with Friends, creating a lasting educational resource for shooters of all skill levels[.]
Neary joined Capstone Precision Group in May 2009 as Sales and Marketing Manager, where he combined his passion for shooting with his extensive business and industry expertise. Throughout his tenure, he became a trusted voice within the firearms industry and a valued ambassador for the brands he represented.
As news of this tremendous loss spread throughout the shooting community, tributes poured in from competitors, customers, and friends alike. Many shared stories of how Neary helped them get started not only in benchrest shooting, but across a variety of shooting disciplines. “A true gentleman,” “generous with his knowledge,” and “an inspiration to everyone around him” were among the many sentiments expressed by those fortunate enough to know him.
While his competitive achievements are remarkable, Neary will be remembered most for his unwavering faith in God, his devotion to family, his generosity toward others, and the passion and competitive spirit he brought to the range every time he stepped behind a rifle.
The shooting sports community has lost one of its greatest ambassadors, but Jack Neary’s legacy will continue through the countless shooters he mentored, the records he set, and the friendships he forged throughout a lifetime dedicated to the sport and industry.
World Record 200-Yard 5-Shot Group by Jack Neary
No, that’s not two shots — it is FIVE shots, with basically four in one hole and a fifth very slightly over. If that’s not impressive enough, consider this stunning 0.110″ group was shot at TWO HUNDRED yards — the length of two football fields. This amazing group was shot by Jack Neary at the 2019 World Benchrest Championship (WBC) held in Calgary, Alberta.
Hunting season opens soon around the country. What better way to prepare the mind and spirit for your hunting adventure than to read a classic hunting book? We’ve found ten of the best hunting books every written and provided links below. The list of authors is impressive, including Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Roosevelt.
Recommended Books about Hunting
There’s no shortage of good hunting-related reading material. Here are some of the best books written about hunting. You can find all these titles on Amazon.com. Many are offered in eBook format as well as printed versions. Click on the link(s) below to preview a sample from each book.
The 2026 CMP New England Games were held September 19-27, 2026 at the Camp Ethan Allen National Guard Training Site in Jericho, Vermont. This is one of the nation’s most scenic ranges, with beautiful green countryside and generally good shooting conditions.
At this year’s CMP New England Games some impressive new records were set by SGT Zevin Linse, a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Rifle Team. The CMP reports that USAMU SGT Linse set a new CMP National Standing Position High Power 200-yard Record.
After setting a new mark early in the games with a 200-13X standing score SGT Linse returned on September 26th to break his own record — raising it to 200-14X — the best-ever at a CMP Competition.*
Along with this remarkable single match performance, SGT Linse shot superbly throughout the entire event, racking up a new CMP National Aggregate Record. His impressive performances on the line over three days of 80-shot matches led to Linse’s 2400 Aggregate score of 2390-136X, a new CMP Match record.
Linse shattered the previous record of 2383-111X, set at last year’s New England Games by MSG Kristoffer Friend of the U.S. Army Reserve team. It should also be noted that Linse’s teammate, SPC Amber Kingshill, also broke the previous record with an impressive 2400 Aggregate score of 2386-114X.
Hunting season has started in many parts of the country. And today, Saturday, September 26, 2026, is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Every year, this event is held on the 4th Saturday of September. First recognized by President Nixon in 1972, this is now the 54th year the event has been celebrated across the USA. To help mark this day, we are offering six informative videos for hunters. These cover planning your hunt, selecting good optics, and optimizing your rifle.
This video and related article offer good basic advice for sighting-in a hunting rifle. There are a series of six points covered. Here’s Tip #1: “Find a safe place to shoot your rifle with a backstop. If possible, use a bench and a rock-solid shooting rest. Sighting-in is all about consistency, so the less human error you have, the better. For safety, be sure to also bring ear and eye protection.” READ FULL ARTICLE on NRAWomen.com.
Prepare For Your Hunt — Get Fit and Practice Positions
As part of the NRA’s Tips & Tactics video series, Kristy Titus explains how to prepare for a hunt. Titus, co-host of the Team Elk TV show has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In this video, Kristy discusses fitness training and demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt.
Kristy explains: “Hunting can lead you into some steep, rough country. It’s really important that you train both your body and your mind to handle the elements and the rigors of hunting So, if you plan on going on a mountain hunt, get out and train your body. Train with your firearm. Get off the bench and have some fun with this. Do some positional shooting or, if you want to add a stress dynamic… have someone put you under a time parameter.”
Elk Hunting — Great North American Adventures
A North American elk hunt represents the adventure of a lifetime for many. Before heading out on an elk hunt, you want to maximize your chances of success by having the right equipment, and by doing your homework before the hunt. This National Shooting Sport Foundation (NSSF) video offers good advice on planning your first elk hunt.
Success! Elk hunt photo from West Canyon Ranch, a private hunting ranch in Utah.
Photo courtesy Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF).
Deer Hunting in Norway’s Fjord Mountains
Here’s a video with some truly stunning scenery. Watching this video is like taking a virtual vacation to Norway, where you can explore the scenic mountains in the Fjord region. Forum member Kenneth Skorpen (aka “Sal”) has created a cool video of a deer-hunting trip he took in Norway. He didn’t bag a buck on this trip, but the walk in the Fjordland mountains took Kenneth through some spectacular scenery. (At the 11:25 time mark you’ll see an amazing sunset over the Fjord.)
Kenneth did encounter a doe that had fallen down the mountain, and apparently broken its neck (14:35 time mark). The terrain is very steep, and Kenneth observed that: “I feel fortunate to be able to do this, but I also feel very tired in my legs. Did you know that the hares around here have shorter left legs due to the steep hills?”
Load Development for .308 Win Hunting Rifle
In this video, F-Class ace Keith Glasscock shows load development with a .308 Winchester hunting rifle. Here Keith uses a large X-type sandbag for a front support. He is shooting a Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, with Barnes TSX solid copper bullets, PPU Brass, Federal 210m primers, and AR Comp powder. Keith said the Barnes bullets were excellent — he commented that these bullets were “match quality in terms of precision”. Keith achieved some very small three-shot groups with AR Comp and the TSX projectiles. Keith did note that point-of-impact shifted up significantly with increases in charge weight (see 6:20-7:10). With thinner-contour hunting barrels, this is not unexpected. But POI change should be observed carefully during load development, as you may need to adjust your zero after completing testing.
Here’s a video with some truly stunning scenery. Watching this video is like taking a virtual vacation to Norway, where you can explore the scenic mountains in the Fjord region. Forum member Kenneth Skorpen (aka “Sal”) has created a cool video of a deer-hunting trip he took in Norway. He didn’t bag a buck on this trip, but the walk in the Fjordland mountains took Kenneth through some spectacular scenery. (At the 11:25 time mark you’ll see an amazing sunset over the Fjord.)
