The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) has produced an excellent series of videos, which collectively cover the Basic Rifleman’s Course. If you are getting started in High Power shooting, or want to improve your position shooting skills, this series is well worth watching. And these videos are not just for service rifle shooters — even bench shooters can benefit from these videos, particularly Part 5, which explains how to estimate wind speed and direction. The lead instructor for these videos is SFC Brandon Green, a three-time National High Power Champion. When SFC Green talks, you should listen.
SFC Brandon Green is a shooting superstar. Green won his third NRA National High Power Rifle Championship in 2018 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He dominated the HP Championship cycle, finishing eight points and ten Xs ahead of his nearest competitor. Brandon also won High Power National Championships in 2015 and 2013. And in 2017 he set new records at the CMP’s National Trophy Matches at Camp Perry. One of the greatest marksmen in the nation’s history, SFC Green has no weaknesses, excelling at all positions, both rapid-fire and slow-fire.
Part 5 — Wind and Weather Estimation (Very Useful for All Shooters)
Note: This video includes a hit location “target analysis” in the first 6 minutes.
Part 4 — Minute of Angle Explained
Part 3 — Ballistics and Zeroing
Part 2 — Positions, Sight Alignment, and Natural Point of Aim (Very Useful)
Part 1 — Aiming and Sight Picture
Three-time National High Power Champion SFC Brandon Green (left above) set four new National Records at Camp Perry in 2017.
About SFC Brandon Green — One of America’s Greatest Marksmen
A three-time National High Power Champion, SFC Green has had a distinguished shooting career while at the USAMU. In 2018 Green set 4 Individual National Records and capturing his first President’s 100 match win while setting a new national record for the match. 2018 also saw SFC Green winning his third National Trophy Individual championship while setting a new national record for this championship. In 2017 Green won his fourth Interservice Individual Championship, setting a new record for this match in the process. He was also a member of several first-place winning teams, including the Nation Team Trophy and the National Infantry Trophy team match at the National Championships.
SFC Green has won the Interservice Long Range championships five times and is the current record holder for this match. In 2007 and 2008 Green captured the coveted Wimbledon Cup trophy during the NRA National Long Range Championships. He earned his third overall NRA National High Power Championship title in 2018. Green is also a lead instructor for the USAMU’s marksmanship courses and teaches the Small Arms Firing School every summer at Camp Perry, Ohio.
The Southwest Nationals 600-yard competition was held Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, AZ. For F-Open, F-TR, and Sling Divisions there were three relays, each with 20 rounds for score. Thus, the maximum possible score was 600-60X. Remarkably, many of the top shooters shot 598 or above, and F-Open Winner Norm Harrold didn’t drop a point, finishing with 600-35X. Congrats to the class winners:
F-Open 600-Yard Winner:
Norm Harrold, 600-35X
Note: Jim Murphy was close behind with 599-47X,
the high X-Count for the match.
F-TR 600-Yard Winner:
Alton Johnson, 598-36X
Sling Division 600-Yard Winner:
Kelly Frank, 599-29X
Top 10 by Division
F-OPEN Division
NORMAN HARROLD 600-35X Winner
JIM MURPHY 599-47X
DAN BRAMLEY 599-38X
KEN DICKERMAN 599-37X
ANDY AMBER 599-31X
TIM VAUGHT 598-38X
JAY CHRISTOPHERSON 598-35X
BRYAN BLAKE 598-35X
DAVID GOSNELL 598-34X
JOSEPH MEYER 598-33X
F-TR Division
ALTON JOHNSON 598-36X Winner
GERRY WIENS 597-30X
KEITH TRAPP 595-37X
RANDY LITTLETON 595-33X
BRIAN HARDER 595-31X
JAMES CROFTS 595-28X
EDWARD SHELLEY 595-28X
STEVE ERNST 595-24X
LUKE RAMSEY 594-31X
RAYMOND WEAVER 594-31X
SLING Division
KELLY FRANK 599-29X Winner
KIMBERLY ROWE 598-28X
MIKE KELLEY 598-28X
TRUDIE FAY 597-35X
BOBBY GILL 597-31X
MICHAEL HALSEY 597-27X
MICHAEL CARLO 597-26X
RICHARD FORD 596-37X
KEN NELSON 596-32X
FAZAL MOHIDEEN 595-36X
Today, Thursday February 10, there will be a 4-person Palma Team Match with targets at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. There will be unlimited Sighters and 15 shots for record at each distance. Teams will consist of four firing members, a captain, a coach and an alternate. Divisions are: Palma, Optic, F-Open, F-TR.
Bonus Discounts For 2022 Southwest Nationals Competitors
Generous supporter of the Southwest Nationals, PMA Tool, is offering every SWN competitor 25% OFF PMA TOOL products. Check out all of PMA’s products at pmatool.com. NOTE: this discount ONLY applies to current 2022 SWN competitors.
Longtime supporter of the Southwest Nationals, McMillan Stocks, is generously offering every SWN competitor and range officer 25% OFF any McMillan hunting or tactical stock (not BR or F-Class stocks). Check out all of McMillan’s offerings at McMillanUSA.com. NOTE: This discount only applies to current 2022 SWN Competitors and Range Officers.
Does your range or shooting club need money to improve facilities? Would you like to train club members as shooting coaches? Well the MidwayUSA Foundation is offering money to help. Here’s how it works…
MidwayUSA Foundation will offer $1 million available for coach training and range development. The Coach Training Grant Program will accept applications through March 1, and Range Development applicants have until April 1 to apply. For both programs, applicants must apply through MidwayUSA Foundation’s online grant application process.
Range Development Grants help existing shooting ranges to make improvements/expansions to allow for more youth-oriented shooting activities. This grant cycle runs February 1 to April 1 and cash grants will be awarded in June. Range Development grants will not exceed $75,000 or 50% of the proposed project budget. Requesting facilities must be a range utilized by a MidwayUSA Foundation endowment holder. Additional requirements can be found on the MidwayUSA Foundation website.
The MidwayUSA Foundation’s Coach Training Grant Program will be open February 1 through March 1 and grants will be awarded in May. The maximum grant payout is $5,000 and the funds will be paid in May. Teams or individuals interested in the Coach Training grant program should reach out to eligible organizations at their state, regional, or national level. These organizations must hold an Agency or Donor Designated endowment with MidwayUSA Foundation. CLICK HERE for other requirements.
How these Grant Programs Help the Shooting Sports
Without proper ranges, there could be no shooting sports at all. And qualified coaches are essential for youth marksmanship training. Executive Director, G. Scott Reynolds explains: “These programs help put the infrastructure in place to provide qualified coaches and regulation ranges. We want all kids that desire to participate in youth shooting sports to have that opportunity.”
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. For more INFO, visit Midwayusafoundation.org.
The Tack Driver Showdown is a 300 meter, one-of-a-kind match designed to determine the most accurate rifles in the world regardless of discipline or class. The 2021 Tack Driver II event had 80 of the world’s top competitors representing several disciplines (Short-Range for Group, Short-Range for Score, UBR, F-Class, 600-yd and 1000-yd Benchrest) with calibers/cartridge types ranging from .22 PPC to .300 WSM.
IMPORTANT: Folks, if you shoot competitive benchrest, please DO watch the First Video below. It is full of invaluable information and shooting tips. As Bart holds multiple world records, you should listen to what he says. This is, without question, one of most informative benchrest videos I have ever seen in 18 years of running this site. — EDITOR
This year the match was VERY challenging, with tough, very windy conditions and low temperatures. The overall winner of the Grand Aggregate was bullet-maker Bart Sauter, shown above. Bart was shooting his wickedly accurate 6 BRA rifle with 103gr bullets of his own making. Bart demonstrated that a 6 BRA cartridge with long bullets can beat a 6 PPC, at least at 300 meters when the wind is fierce.
WATCH THIS! Folks, if you are a benchrest competitor, you absolutely should watch this video. This offers very important insights you won’t find anywhere else. The first five minutes shows very important advice on setting up your rest and bags. Starting at the 10-minute mark, Bart shows how he shoots the rifle, with rapid manual reloads. At the very end, 15:55+ Bart runs five (5) shots in 9 seconds!
Match Results — What Cartridge Types Dominated
Bart reports: “It’s interesting to see the calibers/cartridges in the Top 10 of each category. The Group Match was in fact won by the 6 PPC. However, look at the top 5. Three of the Top 5 are NOT 6 PPCs — that’s notable. The Score Match was won with a .30 WW (I have no clue what that is). There were two .30 calibers in the Top 5 and three in the Top 10. The Grand Aggregate was won with a 6 BRA. I think it’s noteworthy the Top 5 had two 6 PPCs, two 6 BRAs and a .30 WW! That’s a pretty good mix. The Top 10 had a variety of 6MMs and one .30 caliber. That’s another surprise.”
Group Match Results
1st 6 PPC
2nd 22 PPC
3rd 300 WSM
4th 6 Dasher
5th 6 PPC
6th 6 BRA
7th 6 PPC
8th 6 BRA
9th 6 PPC
10th 6 PPC
Leveling the Playing Field — What Works Best at 300 Meters Commentary by Bart Sauter
There has been a long standing debate in the shooting world as to whether mid-range/long-range cartridges such as the Dasher, 6 BRA, and 6mmBR are accurate enough to compete against the 6 PPC or 30 BR at shorter distances. The problem has been finding a format that allows the both short-range and longer-range cartridges to compete on a level playing field. The Tack Driver match addresses the problem by moving the distance to 300 meters (approximately 329 yards). This is a bit farther than short range group and score matches which are typically shot at 100 and 200 yards. While the mid-range/long range cartridges shoot primarily at 600 and 1000 yards.
Cartridges Left to Right: 6 PPC, 30 BR, 6mmBR, 6 BRA, 6 DASHER. Those five cartridges represent 85% of cartridge types used at the Tack Driver II match.
Another piece of the puzzle is the type of match — group vs. score. Short Range matches consist of either a group or score match. In group shooting you’re trying to shoot as small of a group as possible (5- or 10-Shot group). Unlike score it doesn’t matter where the group forms on the target. However, in score competition the goal is to hit five individual bullseyes per target, preferably dead center. Score matches are won by the highest point total while group matches are won by the smallest aggregate (smallest average of total groups shot).
Things are different for longer range competitions. 600-yard and 1000-yard Benchrest competitors shoot for score AND group simultaneously on the same target. In other words competitors are trying to shoot the smallest group in the middle of the bullseye for the highest point total. The Tack Driver addresses this problem by having an equal number of score targets and group size targets. Tack Driver II had 5 score targets and 5 group targets at 300 meters, so neither discipline is favored.
6 BRA Wins Tack Driver II Match
The winning combination this year was a 6 BRA (6mmBR Ackley Improved) shot by Bart Sauter. Below are the particulars on Bart’s winning rifle and load information. Watch the following video to learn more about Bart’s very accurate rifle.
Barrel – Lederer 1:8″-Twist, 28″
Barrel Bore Diameter – 0.237″
Neck – .272″ NO TURN
Bullets – 103gr Bart’s Hammers
Case – Lapua 6mmBR parent
Primers – CCI BR4 sm rifle
Powder – Hodgdon H4895
Seating Pressure – 22 to 25 lbs. on gauge
Bullet Seating Depth – .009″ into the rifling from first touch.
Tack Driver II-Winning 6 BRA Rifle — Components Explained
Questions and Answers with Bart Sauter
Match Prep, Cartridge Choice, Comparative Wind Drift, Reloading Gear, Wind Conditions and more…
Q: How did you prepare for the match?
Bart: My good friend and shooting buddy, Jim Chaney, built a target frame which was placed at 300 meters for practice before the match. Our two biggest concerns about the match were: 1) staying competitive during the score portion; and 2) being able to see bullet holes during heavy mirage. The range is mostly South Carolina sand and faces southeast (you can get sun in your eyes). It has a notorious reputation for heavy mirage. So much so that seeing bullet holes can be an issue. Many shooters were swayed to shoot .30 calibers because the holes are easier to see. In fact, when the sun came out for the last couple of targets, several shooters complained they couldn’t see their shots on paper.
Q: I know you’ve shot a 6 PPC for years? What made you decide to go with a 6 BRA?
Bart: Well several things. During practice I bounced back and forth, playing with the 6 PPC and the 6 BRA. My shooting buddy Jim shot his 6 PPC. One of the things I noticed was my 6 BRA consistently edged my 6 PPC and and Jim’s 6 PPC in group size.
The Drift Test — The real eye-opener came when Jim and I conducted a drift test at 200 yards comparing the 6 PPC with 68gr Boattail Avengers to my 6 BRA with 103gr Bart’s Hammers. For the test both rifles were tuned as well as possible. The idea was for both shooters to hold the same point of aim for each shot (total of 5 per sequence). The shots were fired simultaneously by conducting a count down for example “One, Two, Three, FIRE!” Winds were 7 to 10 mph.
Bart (foreground) and Jim Chaney conducting comparative wind-drift tests with 6 PPC and 6 BRA prior to Tack Driver II Match.
Each shot was intentionally fired in a different wind condition over flags. The first 3 shots from the 6 BRA formed a nice 0.300″ group while the 6PPC spread out to a 0.650″. The final two shots were fired in a hard crosswind pushing to the right then a hard crosswind to the left. The 6 PPC was pushed to over a 1.6 inch group while the 6 BRA kept them to around an 0.850″. The test was so conclusive that during the drive to the match Jim abandoned his 6 PPC, and we doubled up on my 6 BRA.
Comparative Wind Drift Explained — 6 PPC vs. 6 BRA
Q: That explains why you chose the 6 BRA, but how did you meet the challenge of seeing 6mm bullet holes despite bad mirage?
Bart: Jim and I played with several different scopes trying to see what would work best. The mirage at my place can be substantial. Around September I purchased the new Valdada 10-60x56mm Precision scope with 40mm tube. This scope is amazing, not only optically, but rock solid accuracy-wise. So if anything was going to work to see bullet holes, it’s this scope. As it turned out, I had no problem seeing my shots on the Tack Driver II targets while others struggled on the last couple of targets.
Q: Did you preload for the match?
Bart: No. I’ve never been to this range so I wasn’t sure where I needed to be load-wise. Also the forecast was calling for cool temperatures and rain, so I had no clue. The plan was to get there early and start tuning soon as the range opened for practice on Friday. It took about 15 shots to verify that the same velocities and load that I ran at a previous Memphis match would work for the Tack Driver II.
Q: If you weren’t preloaded, did you load at the range?
Bart: Not exactly, I didn’t preload for the match at home but I did preload at the hotel. I brought 300 sized and primed cases and everything needed to reload. So after practice, it was back to the hotel to load. Below is my set-up at the hotel.
Reloading setup at hotel: K&M Arbor Press with seating pressure gauge, Wilson Bullet Seater, AutoTrickler V3 Powder trickler/scale housed in a portable, wind-proof loading box.
I loaded cases with Hodgdon H4895 in one-tenth grain increments (0.3 grains total spread) to shoot over the course of the day. I expected that a three-tenth spread would be enough to keep the rifle in tune over the forecast 20-25 degree temperature range. As a backup plan in case the load went completely sideways we hauled all the loading gear to the range each morning. I kept 100 sized and primed cases ready if needed. Fortunately we did not have to use them. We were able to use the three different, prepared loads throughout the day, changing as the ambient temperature rose (highest charge in morning).
Q: What were conditions like?
Bart: The conditions at Tack Driver II for both days were tough! We had switchy head winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph with occasional gusts to 30 mph. Temperature started with morning lows in the high 30s and warmed to a high around 50. The forecast called for rain both days but fortunately it didn’t materialize during the competition.
Bart Sauter checks out conditions during the match. Winds were switchy with gusts to 30 MPH.
Q: Do you have any observations or take-aways from the match?
Bart: Yes, I do! Jim Cline and crew puts on one hell of a match — very well organized and professionally run. And, most of all, the Tack Driver II was fun. Jim keeps things rolling and he has a gift for winding shooters up and getting the competitive juices going. For example he told three of the Top 6 PPC shooters, “If Bart beats you with that 6 BRA, all of you are getting autographed T-shirts at the award ceremony”.
True to his word, Jim Cline presents (L to R) Roy Hunter, Jeff Pineheart, and Wayne Cambell, with their Bart Sauter-autographed Tack Driver T-shirts. (Cline stands behind the trio.)
About Bart Sauter and Bart’s Custom Bullets
Our philosophy at Bart’s Custom Bullets is to take care of our customers, don’t cut corners, test everything, and never sell a bullet I wouldn’t be proud to take to a match. We started making bullets in 2000, while I was still in the Army. From the beginning Kim (my wife) and I decided to spend whatever It would take to get the best equipment available. We built a range for testing at every location the Army sent us. It’s been a successful combination.
Our bullets have set well over 50 world records and have won every major competition in short range. Now we are making strides to accomplish the same thing in Long Range.
Bullet Design — What Does the Future Hold? We have come a long way in the design and manufacturing of bullets. Everything has improved to include high-quality presses, jackets with close to zero run-out, and bullet dies that are straighter and more concentric than ever before. I believe we are close to the apex of designing bullets that shoot from 100 out to 1000 yards. Any improvement at this point will be incremental. In my opinion, the bullets we make right now are capable of shooting a 0.500″ group at 1000 yards (without wind effects). That probably sounds crazy to a lot of shooters. But I think the capability currently exists. It’s just going to take a special gun, barrel, shooter and condition combination to see it. Now bullets for Extreme Long Range (ELR) could be a new frontier for bullet design.
Can you hit an egg at 600+ yards? We mean hit it reliably — not just by luck. To do that you’ll need good shooting skills and a very accurate rifle. How accurate? Well, a chicken egg is, on average, 2 1/4 inches (57 mm) long and 1 3/4 inches (44.5 mm) in diameter. That means to hit an egg (on demand) at 600 yards, you’ll need a rifle capable of 1/3-MOA accuracy (or better). Forum member DukeDuke has such a gun, and he demonstrated its egg-busting prowess in this short video. DukeDuke’s rifle is chambered in 6BRX (a 30° 6BR Improved) and it’s loaded with DTAC 115gr bullets pushed by Alliant Reloder 17. In the video, the eggs are placed on top of poles set 616 yards from the firing line.
See Egg Hit at 38 second mark…
As you can see in the video, that’s a heck of a nice shooting range where DukeDuke scrambled those eggs at 616 yards. The range is situated just outside of Lake Jackson, Texas. As for the gun… the action is a Rem 700 SA BDL, blueprinted and bedded in a Rem/HS Precision PSS stock. The 31″ barrel is 1:8″-twist Broughton. The “P3″ on the barrel stands for Porter’s Precision Products, Lake Jackson, TX. The rifle was built by Kenneth Porter. The load was 33.5 grains of RL-17 at 2950 fps, with 115gr DTAC bullets touching the lands. Cartridge OAL is 2.400″.
The 6mm BRX was developed by Bob Crone. Retaining the 30° shoulder of the parent 6mmBR case, the BRX has a little less capacity than a 6mm Dasher. Bob told us that his original design for the 6mm BRX always had a .100″ longer head space than a 6mmBR Norma and that he never deviated from that. But after Bob developed the first 6mm BRX, Bill Shehane made a 6mm BRX version that had a .120″ longer head space, and thus some confusion started. In truth, the original 6mm BRX always was (and still is) a chambering with a head space .100″ longer than a 6mm BR Norma.
Reamer Print provided by AR-X Enterprises LLC, www.6mmAR.com.
Today, Wednesday, January 26, Shooting USA TV will feature the Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit (ADSS) held last fall at the SIG Sauer Academy in New Hampshire. Camp Freedom and SIG Sauer teamed up with Trevor Baucom for the third year of this accessible shooting event for people with disabilities. The ADSS helps adaptive shooters train and learn at a world class facility. For persons with disabilities, including injured military and law enforcement members, the ADSS Summit provides the opportunity to learn new skills and adapt to challenges.
This hour-long episode will be broadcast on the Outdoor Channel Wednesdays at 9:00 pm Eastern/Pacific, and 8:00 pm Central. The entire episode can also be streamed later online for a small fee.
Adaptive Shooting Programs
Marksmanship is one of the few sports where physically-challenged persons can compete at the highest level — with some provisions for wheelchair access and mobility. For example, in the world of F-Class competition, Matt Schwartzkopf is one of the best in the nation. Matt, a rangemaster at Ben Avery in Arizona, is a double amputee (below the knee). He hasn’t let that challenge stop him. He has been a Top-10 finisher at major F-Class matches, and was chosen to shoot with F-TR Team USA.
NRA Resources for Adaptive Shooting Events
The NRA Adaptive Shooting Program also provides information for organizations planning an event to include person with disabilities. Events may be organized by veterans’ groups, rehabilitation facilities, and gun clubs. For more information visit AdaptiveShooting.NRA.org.
Making Ranges Suitable for Disabled Shooters
The NRA Club Connections magazine has a feature on Adaptive Shooting. This article explains how range owners can make their lines of fire more accessible with the addition of a simple mat.
NRA’s Hunter Services and Adaptive Shooting Programs have maintained a list of organizations offering people with disabilities outdoor opportunities. Now available in a searchable database, any adaptive shooter can easily choose from adventures such as guided whitetail hunts, chartered fishing trips, and accessible hiking trails anywhere across the country. To find a program, visit the NRA Adaptive Shooting Program’s Hunting/Fishing Trip Database.
Adaptive Shooting Programs in the United Kingdom
Across the pond, the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom (NRAUK) also has adaptive shooting programs. The NRA.ORG.UK website has a wealth of information for disabled shooters.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has released its Competition Games schedule for 2022. These events feature rifle and pistol matches designed for experienced competitors as well as novice shooters. All Competition Games will include both rifle and pistol matches. CLICK HERE for full details on all the 2022 CMP Games, including event lists, policies, and registration details.
2022 CMP Games Schedule:
• March 11-20 – Western CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches, Phoenix, Arizona
• April 22-May 1– Eastern CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches, Camp Butner, North Carolina
• June 8-12 – Talladega D-Day Matches, Talladega, Alabama
• Sept. 18-25 – New England CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches, Jericho, Vermont
• Oct. 16-23 – Oklahoma CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
On the rifle side, the lineup of modern and vintage rifle events include M1 Garand, Springfield, Rimfire Sporter, Carbine and Vintage Sniper Matches. A Rifle Marksmanship 101 course allows participants to explore the fundamentals of secure rifle handling. Another educational opportunity is the GSM (Garand-Springfield-Vintage Military Rifle) New Shooter Clinic, which provides individuals an inside look at competing in CMP Games events. CMP Armorers will be on hand and will hold an M1 Garand Maintenance Clinic. All rifle competitions will be fired on CMP Targets, a user-friendly electronic target system that instantly displays shot placement and eliminates the need for pit duty — allowing for quicker matches.
Other rifle events will include: 4-Man Team Match, EIC Rifle Match and three days of 80-Shot events. The CMP Highpower Team will also put on a shooting clinic with demonstrations by top civilian Highpower service rifle competitors.
CMP pistol matches at the Games will include: CMP Match Pistol 2700, EIC Service Pistol, .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC, Military & Police Service Pistol and 1911 As-Issued Pistol matches. A Pistol Marksmanship 101 course, led by certified CMP instructors and leaders in the field today, offers an educational option for competitors on and off of the firing line.
For more details about the 2022 CMP Games, including Registration Information and a detailed description of each Games event, visit the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-travel-games.
Forest of Windflags at World Benchrest Championships in France in 2011
There’s a simple, inexpensive “miracle device” that can cut your groups in half. If you’re not using this device, you’re giving away accuracy. The “miracle device” to which we refer is a simple wind indicator aka “windflag”. Using windflags may actually improve your accuracy on target much more than weighing charges to the kernel, or spending your life savings on the “latest and greatest” hardware.
Remarkably, many shooters who spend $3000.00 or more on a precision rifle never bother to set up windflags, or even simple wood stakes with some ribbon to show the wind. Whether you’re a competitive shooter, a varminter, or someone who just likes to punch small groups, you should always take a set of windflags (or some kind of wind indicators) when you head to the range or the prairie dog fields. And yes, if you pay attention to your windflags, you can easily cut your group sizes in half. Here’s proof…
Miss a 5 mph Shift and You Could DOUBLE Your Group Size
The table below records the effect of a 5 mph crosswind at 100, 200, and 300 yards. You may be thinking, “well, I’d never miss a 5 mph let-off.” Consider this — if a gentle 2.5 mph breeze switches from 3 o’clock (R to L) to 9 o’clock (L to R), you’ve just missed a 5 mph net change. What will that do to your group? Look at the table to find out.
Values from Point Blank Ballistics software for 500′ elevation and 70° temperature.
Imagine you have a 6mm rifle that shoots half-MOA consistently in no-wind conditions. What happens if you miss a 5 mph shift (the equivalent of a full reversal of a 2.5 mph crosswind)? Well, if you’re shooting a 68gr flatbase bullet, your shot is going to move about 0.49″ at 100 yards, nearly doubling your group size. With a 105gr VLD, the bullet moves 0.28″ … not as much to be sure, but still enough to ruin a nice small group. What about an AR15, shooting 55-grainers at 3300 fps? Well, if you miss that same 5 mph shift, your low-BC bullet moves 0.68″. That pushes a half-inch group well past an inch. If you had a half-MOA capable AR, now it’s shooting worse than 1 MOA. And, as you might expect, the wind effects at 200 and 300 yards are even more dramatic. If you miss a 5 mph, full-value wind change, your 300-yard group could easily expand by 2.5″ or more.
If you’ve already invested in an accurate rifle with a good barrel, you are “throwing away” accuracy if you shoot without wind flags. You can spend a ton of money on fancy shooting accessories (such as expensive front rests and spotting scopes) but, dollar for dollar, nothing will potentially improve your shooting as much as a good set of windflags, used religiously.
New Wind Reading App — High Power Wind Lab
There is an innovative new Wind-Reading App, the High Power Wind Lab, that can help you figure your hold-offs in all wind conditions. This is available now for iOS devices, and an Android version is coming soon. In this video, our friend F-Class John reviews this sophisticated new Wind App:
The online video format is a superior method of presenting information on reloading techniques, rifle maintenance, marksmanship skills, scope operation and much more. But with millions of videos on YouTube, it can be hard to cherry-pick the best videos for serious shooters and competitors. That’s why we offer this Saturday at the Movies Series. Each week we will select a variety of very informative videos by knowledgeable shooters and handloaders. Here are our first five Saturday Select videos for 2022.
Reading the Wind — How to Determine Wind Speed
Keith Glasscock is a top-tier F-Class shooter who has finished second at the F-Class Nationals multiple times. Keith is also a highly-respected wind coach with a background in commercial aviation — so he really understands wind and weather. In this video Keith explains the best techniques for reading the speed of the wind. He notes that you can’t simply rely on the Kestrel in your hand because the wind speed can vary significantly between the firing line and the targets. Keith shows how to look at multiple signs (including flags, grass movement, and mirage) to better understand wind velocity. See more of Keith’s videos on his Winning in the Wind YouTube channel.
Rodzilla T-Rex Front Rest Review — State-of-the-Art Beast
In this video our friend F-Class John reviews the impressive T-Rex front rest from Rodzilla.This recently-introduced joystick front rest from Rodzilla really represents significant innovation. The new T-Rex offers impressive capabilities based on the innovative design by creator Rod Brackage (the “Rod” in Rodzilla”> that can truly take your shooting experience to the next level. F-Class John used this rest in F-Open competition and really likes it. CLICK HERE for John’s full review with three videos and many more photos.
How BAT Actions Are Made and BAT Factory Tour
Note: This has loud music as the start — lower volume if at work.
Ultimate Reloader’s Gavin Gear is a skilled and respected video producer. This Ultimate Reloader video shows how top-end BAT rifle actions are crafted with modern CNC machinery. This is one of Gavin’s most popular videos, with 763,000+ views. If you are interested in accurate rifles for benchrest, F-Class, Long Range, or PRS/NRL you should definitely watch this video. Visit Gavin’s YouTube Channel to see dozens of other informative, well-made videos.
Protect Your Dog’s Hearing with Mutt Muffs
Do you take your dog(s) hunting, or to the shooting range? Well dogs need hearing protection too! Loud gunshots from pistols, rifles, or shotguns can cause permanent hearing damage to your canine. Prevent canine hearing loss with Mutt Muffs — protective earmuffs designed especially for dogs. In the Precision Riflecraft video, the host shows how to fit Mutt Muffs to your dogs and help your canines tolerate the muffs in place. Available in five sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL), these cost under $60 on Amazon.
How to Use Ballistics Solvers — Bryan Litz Lesson
A past national F-TR champion, Bryan Litz is a brilliant engineer and trained rocket scientist. He is also the founder of Applied Ballistics LLC (AB), the world’s leading source of ballistics software. AB software now comes integrated into some Kestrel handheld wind-reading units, with accompanying Applied Ballistics Apps that run on your mobile devices. In this short video Bryan explains how to use ballistics solvers to determine your bullet’s drop and drift at long range. If you don’t have the AB App on your smartphone you can also use the excellent JBM Ballistics Solver, available FREE on the internet.
A while back, our friend Vince Bottomley in the UK wrote an excellent article for Target Shooter Magazine. Vince offers “solid-gold” advice for new F-TR and F-Open shooters. Vince reviews the cartridge options, and offers suggestions for a shooter’s first (and hopefully affordable) F-Class rifle. Vince also reviews various bipod choices for F-TR and discusses optics options (from $300 to $3000).
Getting Started in F-Class by Vince Bottomley
As membership secretary of a large club, one of the questions I’m frequently asked – “What’s the best way to get started in F-Class?” My club has an F-Class shoot every couple of weeks at ranges from 300 to 1000 yards and, not surprisingly, it’s very popular.
F-TR or Open Class?
From a shaky start way back in 2004, the F-TR Class is now proving as popular as Open Class and, at GBFCA League shoots and club shoots, many shooters choose to start with a 308, shooting off a bi-pod – in other words F-TR. In Open Class, the 7mm WSM soon established itself as the “must have” cartridge – if you wanted to win but, the WSM’s appetite for barrels eventually brought another 7mm cartridge into play – the 284 Winchester. This 50-year-old stalwart was revived a decade or so ago as the 6.5-284 and indeed this cartridge found some favor with F-Class pioneers – before the potency of the WSM was discovered. If you don’t mind shelling out for a couple of barrels per year (barrel life is about 750 rounds with the WSM) go for the 7mm WSM but, if you require a decent round-count, then opt for the .284 Win and learn to read the wind a bit better!
F-TR Rifle at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
Scopes for F-Class
If you will be shooting 1000 yards then I would recommend at least 32 power and preferably a variable – like the 8-32. The cheapest “usable” scope in this range is the Sightron 8-32x56mm SIII. It’s a great scope for the money and at under $1000 (in the USA) it’s half the price of some of its competitors. It’s also light – at 1.5 lbs – and there are some great reticles for the F-Class shooter – like the LRMOA.
F-Open 600-Yard Winner:
Our philosophy at 
Can you hit an egg at 600+ yards? We mean hit it reliably — not just by luck. To do that you’ll need good shooting skills and a very accurate rifle. How accurate? Well, a chicken egg is, on average, 2 1/4 inches (57 mm) long and 1 3/4 inches (44.5 mm) in diameter. That means to hit an egg (on demand) at 600 yards, you’ll need a rifle capable of 1/3-MOA accuracy (or better). Forum member DukeDuke has such a gun, and he demonstrated its egg-busting prowess in this short video. DukeDuke’s rifle is chambered in 6BRX (a 30° 6BR Improved) and it’s loaded with DTAC 115gr bullets pushed by Alliant Reloder 17. In the video, the eggs are placed on top of poles set 616 yards from the firing line.
As you can see in the video, that’s a heck of a nice shooting range where DukeDuke scrambled those eggs at 616 yards. The range is situated just outside of Lake Jackson, Texas. As for the gun… the action is a Rem 700 SA BDL, blueprinted and bedded in a Rem/HS Precision PSS stock. The 31″ barrel is 1:8″-twist Broughton. The “P3″ on the barrel stands for Porter’s Precision Products, Lake Jackson, TX. The rifle was built by Kenneth Porter. The load was 33.5 grains of RL-17 at 2950 fps, with 115gr DTAC bullets touching the lands. Cartridge OAL is 2.400″.
There’s a simple, inexpensive “miracle device” that can cut your groups in half. If you’re not using this device, you’re giving away accuracy. The “miracle device” to which we refer is a simple wind indicator aka “windflag”. Using windflags may actually improve your accuracy on target much more than weighing charges to the kernel, or spending your life savings on the “latest and greatest” hardware.
