In this video series host Sean Utley covers many gear-related topics including rifle configuration, scope selection, chambering choices, ammunition options, bipods/tripods, and chronographs. In addition, the series covers training methods, bullet ballistics, wind reading, and rifle handling.
Most of this is pretty basic stuff, but it can be helpful for newcomers to long range shooting. For example, Season 3 Episode 1 covers rifle set-up and fitting, so you can set LOP, cheek height, and scope position optimally. And Season 1 Episode 4 covers chambering choices such as 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester.
Season 1, Episode 5: Anatomy of Bullet Flight
This is a cool video that shows ballistics testing at the Barnes Bullets underground testing lab. The video also includes interesting 3D animations showing how bullets run through a barrel and then fly down-range.
Season 1, Episode 6: Critical Equipment for Long Range Shooting
If you’re getting started in Long Range Precision Shooting, this video is worth watching. The video covers key equipment for long range shooting, including LabRadar chronograph, tripods, spotting scope, and mobile Ballistics Apps.
Season 1, Episode 1: Anatomy of a Long Range Precision Rifle
Season 3, Episode 1: Gun Fitting
Season 2, Episode 6: Choosing the Right Optic
Season 1, Episode 3: Mechanics of Long Range Shooting
Season 1, Episode 4: Best Calibers for Long Range Shooting
Watch All 17 Long Range Precision Videos
Along with the seven videos linked above, ten other Long Range Precision videos can be watched via the Ballistic Magazine Video Archive. And if you are interested in learning how Doppler Radar is used to develop bullet designs, we recommend Episode 7 from Season 2. This 7-minute video covers the latest technology in ballistics radar. CLICK HERE to watch video.
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.
PLAY BUTTON
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.
With the huge popularity of NRL22 and PRS rimfire matches, along with the growth of rimfire benchrest events, and local rimfire fun matches, we’ve seen heightened demand for all types of .22 LR ammunition. Plus the high cost of centerfire bullets and limited availability of powders and primers has pushed many centerfire shooters into the rimfire fold. Accordingly, quality .22 LR ammunition has been harder to find this year, and prices have been escalating. Thankfully, if you use Ammoseek.com, you can still find most types of .22 LR ammunition, from bulk-pack plinking fodder to high-end Lapua, ELEY, RWS, SK, and Norma.
Find Rimfire Ammunition Fast with AmmoSeek.com
Here’s a great search service that can help you locate hard-to-find ammunition and reloading components — while saving money in the process. AmmoSeek.com monitors scores of online vendors — checking current pricing and available inventory, for pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition. Looking for .22 LR ammo for your rimfire trainer or NRL22 rifle? Just select “.22LR” from AmmoSeek’s “Quick Seek” menu. NOTE: In mobile view type “22LR” in the “Search Ammo by Caliber” field top center.
And here are the 9/27/2022 search results for .22 LR ammunition. These are five of the 1000+ entries, starting with the least expensive, just six cents ($0.06) per round:
How to Search by Manufacturer and Bullet Weight
You can also search for a particular .22 LR ammunition manufacturer, and/or search by bullet weight. Just click on the “Modify Search Link”. Once you see the “Modify Search” column on the left, scroll down and you can sort by price (cost per round) and/or shipping cost. Here are the first results of a search for ELEY .22 LR rimfire ammunition:
Midsouth Shooters currently has a large selection of Rimfire Ammunition in stock:
Today we feature a big-caliber rifle used for the most prestigious Extreme Long Range (ELR) competition, the King of 2 Miles. This rifle was built for Derek Rodgers, a talented shooter with amazing credentials. An F-TR World Champion, Derek is the only shooter to have won the F-Open USA National Championship AND the F-TR USA National Championship. Derek also won the 2017 King of 2 Miles competition. Last Sunday GunDay we featured the 33XC rifle used by Clay Rhoden to capture the inaugural American King of 1 Mile competition. That story was quite popular, so this Sunday we offer an even more powerful rig, Derek’s .416 Barrett with a massive 40″ barrel.
Derek Rodgers won the King of 2 Miles competition in 2017, so he knows all about Extreme Long Range (ELR) shooting. While Derek won his 2017 KO2M title shooting the .375 CheyTac cartridge, Derek decided that something even bigger was in order. So Derek commissioned this impressive ELR rifle chambered for the jumbo .416 Barrett cartridge. This big round drives heavy Cutting Edge solid bullets from 475 to 550 grains in weight.
Here’s the Big Rig that delivers those .416-caliber projectiles. This monster rifle weighs 40+ pounds and sports a 40″ Bartlein barrel — more length for more velocity. Derek’s ELR rifle features a McMillan Beast 2 stock, BAT EX action, and Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope. Derek explained why he moved up to a bigger caliber: “I built a new rifle with the anticipation of seeing impacts easier. It was not just a larger caliber being more effective on hitting ELR targets, but rather hoping that a missed shot would have a much larger impact. Impacts beyond a mile become harder to see due to terrain and vegetation. So any added dust or splash erupting from the earth is a decisive benefit over an equally-accurate smaller caliber.” Here is Derek’s full report on his .416 Barrett rifle.
Derek Rodgers Campaigns a .416 Barrett
Report by Derek Rodgers Cartridge Choice — I chose a standard .416 Barrett cartridge as it allows for bullets up to and slightly exceeding 550 grains. It really does bridge the gap between the .375 variants and a 50 BMG. There are several great solid ELR bullet options from manufactures like Cutting Edge that range from 475-550 grains. These offer a variety of extremely high BC options for barrels that have different twist rates. Most loads will utilize the slowest burn rate powders commercially available. Good options are Vihtavuori 20N29, RL50, H50BMG and other powders with a similar burn rate.
Shooting the .416 — Tamer than Expected
An initial observation is that the rifle is very controllable and feels much like a larger F-TR gun. The rifle weighs 40+ pounds, balanced and stays on target very well. The recoil is manageable and linear. This seems to give a straight rearward impulse that does not affect positioning. This allows for quick repositioning into battery and faster follow-up shots.
Image courtesy ELR competitor Corbin Shell.
Rifle Details — BAT EX Action, Bartlein 40″ Barrel, McMillan Beast 2 Stock
Derek’s .416 Barrett ELR Rig features a BAT EX action with a Bix’N Andy trigger. Out front is a gigantic 40″ long, 1:9″-twist Bartlein barrel fitted with a Terminator T5 muzzle brake. The handsome McMillan Beast 2 stock combines a lower center of gravity design with a higher butt location. Given that high butt geometry, McMillan cleverly fitted the higher buttpad with a port allowing the cleaning rod to pass through (see photo below). On top is a Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm scope in NF rings on a +60 MOA rail, with Holland 34mm bubble level. The stock is supported by a Phoenix bipod and rests in an Edgewood bag designed for the McMillan Xit F-TR stock.
Note the extended Buttpad height. That helps with recoil in prone position. This McMillan Beast 2 stock includes a pass-through hole for the cleaning rod.
Derek Rodgers Wins 2017 Ko2M with 3368-Yard Hit
Back in 2017, Derek Rodgers won the King of 2 Miles Competition at Raton, New Mexico. Derek, shooting with Team Applied Ballistics, was the first KO2M marksman in history to hit the target at the maximum 3368-yard (1.91 mile) distance. Here’s that historic shot:
At the 2017 K02M, with his McMillan-stocked .375 CheyTac rifle, Derek shot brilliantly from the start. He was perfect — without a miss — at the first three yardages: 1543, 1722, and 1888. He had some misses at 1953 and 2667 yards, but then he out-shot all competitors at 3028 yards, going two for five. No other shooter managed a single hit at 3028 yards. Then it all came down to the big one — the last (and greatest) challenge, the target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles). Derek nailed it… and the celebrations began.
Here’s Derek with his 2017 Ko2M-winning .375 CheyTac rifle. Now he’s stepped up in bore size.
Gunsmithing by Blake Barrel and Rifle in Arizona
Derek’s rifle was built and chambered by Bryan Blake of Blake Barrel and Rifle in Phoenix, Arizona. The chambering was done with a Manson Precision reamer. Derek explains: “Bryan and his family have been in the machine shop business for several generations and have the expertise and equipment to handle larger barrel diameters associated with F-Class to ELR-type rigs. I tried to consider all angles and potential pitfalls that might occur during the building process. However, Bryan added his own touches to make the project his own. He truly created a work of art and supplied a turn-key rifle that is meticulously built from the inside out and looks as great as the tolerances it holds.”
Federal Ammunition has been awarded a $115 million dollar, 5-year contract to produce U.S. Army’s new 5.56mm frangible training ammunition. This training ammo is officially called “AA40 5.56 mm NATO frangible ammunition (Semi-Jacketed Frangible Cartridge, MK311 MOD 3).” This new AA40 frangible ammunition will be used by the U.S. military for training with 5.56-caliber rifles and carbines. The fixed price contract, valued at $114,813,500, carries an estimated completion date of August 17, 2027, according to the Defense.gov contract report.
This new AA40 frangible training ammunition is quite different than conventional 5.56×45 NATO combat ammo used in M16s and other infantry weapons. The key difference is in the construction of the bullets. The AA40’s 50gr projectiles are lead-free and designed to fragment on impact. Shooting Sports USA notes: “[The AA40 ammo] is loaded with a 50-grain frangible bullet comprised of a non-toxic, copper and tungsten powder matrix in a gilding metal jacket. The frangible ammunition is designed to disintegrate into small fragments on impact, while the polymer compound round minimizes splash back and decreases ricochets, making it ideal for training applications.”
Biggest Contract in Federal’s 100-Year History
“This contract is historic,” said Jason Vanderbrink, President of Federal Ammunition. “It is the largest government contract awarded to Federal in its 100 years of operation and speaks volumes to the trust the United States military has in our American workforce assembling the best products for our servicemen and servicewomen.”
“Federal’s frangible training ammunition has been recognized as the best in the business by the United States military and this latest U.S. Army awarded contract continues that recognition,” said Federal’s V.P. of Government Sales David Leis. “The ammunition is designed to disintegrate into small fragments on impact, minimizing over-penetrating and ricochet hazards, making it ideal for training purposes.”
“Successfully executing on the AA40 contract requires large scale production capabilities combined with stringent quality control measures,” said Erik Carlson, Senior Director of Operations at Federal’s headquarters located in Anoka, Minnesota.
Dennis DeMille shows a young competitor at the CMP Western Games how to adjust his leather sling.
The NRA High Power Over-the-Course (OTC) National Championship will be held at Camp Atterbury over the next 7 days. Firing will be done in multiple positions — prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing. Proper support and adjustment of the sling is vital for successful High Power competition. In this short article, Dennis DeMille, a past Service Rifle Champion, explains how to set-up a sling on match rifles.
Setting-Up a Leather Service Rifle Sling for Competition
So you made the mistake of disassembling your leather service rifle sling, or are intimidated about how to use one? In this Creedmoor Sports InfoZone video, Dennis DeMille (past Creedmoor G.M.) explains how to set up and use a sling. The covers the basics — Dennis starts with a totally disassembled leather service rifle sling and shows you how to set it up properly.
Tip: “Many shooters shy away from using a leather sling because they have never been taught how to use one. That’s unfortunate. In my opinion a leather sling offers more support than a web sling, which is important when competiting with the heavier than normal rifles.”
Configuring the Sling for the Standing (Offhand) Position
In this second in a series of Creedmoor InfoZone videos on the setup and use of the leather service rifle sling, Dennis DeMille details how to configure and best utilize the leather service rifle sling while shooting from the standing position.
Tip: “Putting the Frogs in different hole will change the amount of added elevation a sling provides.”
Looking at Sling Types — Comparing the Features
In this video Dennis showcases a large variety of shooting slings. He explains the strong points of each type so you can choose the sling best suited to your discipline and shooting style.
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
Once you know how to set up your sling properly, you’ll want to practice. Dennis DeMille stresses the importance of dry-fire practice with sling and shooting coat. Dry-Fire training is essential to the sling disciplines. Dennis DeMille, a national Service Rifle Champion, told us that, for every minute he spent in actual competition, he would spend hours practicing without ammunition. While in the USMC, Dennis would practice in the barracks, working on his hold and dry-firing:
“The most important thing is to spend time off the range practicing. Most of what I learned as a High Power shooter I learned without ammunition — just spending time dry firing and doing holding exercises. Holding exercises will really identify the weak parts of your position. The primary purpose of dry firing is to get you used to shooting an empty rifle. If you can shoot a loaded rifle the same way you shoot an empty rifle then eventually you will become a High Master.”
For today’s Saturday at the Movies feature, we spotlight seven product comparison videos from a variety of skilled sources. Gun buyers should check out the comparisons of Affordable Hunting Rifles, AR Platform Rifles, and .22 LR Handguns. Hunters will appreciate the detailed, comparison review of Hunting Scopes. We also feature informative comparison tests of Suppressors and Muzzle Brakes. And any handloader should check out Gavin Gear’s remarkable review of 14 different single-stage presses.
Hunting season is right around the corner. If you need a quality riflescope but have a limited budget, this video from the popular Backfire Channel can direct you to some of the best current hunting scope values. The reviewer looks at models starting at $200, examining the magnification levels, reticle types, and glass quality. He finds that it IS possible to get a very good scope at an affordable price. The video also explains First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane considerations. NOTE: Backfire also recently released a video featuring scopes all under $500.00.
14 Single-Stage Reloading Presses Compared
Gavin Gear’s 14-Press comparison test for UltimateReloader.com is legendary. This detailed 41-minute video is the most comprehensive guide to single-stage reloading presses ever created. This remarkable 14-press review is the best place to start if you are in the market for a new press. Gavin notes the pros and cons of each press type, and explains which may be best suited for pistol loading vs. large rifle cartridges
Nine .30-Cal Muzzle Brakes Reviewed with Recoil Force Data
Here’s another great comparison test from Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. Gavin measures the effectiveness of nine (9) different muzzle brakes. Using sophisticated electronic equipment, Gavin measures the recoil reduction of each brake. His equipment calculates the “peak force” as well as the recoil pulse (10:10 time-mark), with a chart of the total recoil impulse (10:40). Finally Gavin charts the total percentage reduction in recoil force (11:42). That last chart may be the best “quick reference” to decide which brake does the best job of reducing the load on your shoulder.
Affordable Hunting Rifles — Best Choices under $750.00
Here’s another good Backfire Channel video for hunters looking for a new rig. With hunting season starting soon, this video can save you time and help you get the most bang for your buck. The Backfire team review eight affordable under-$750 rifles: Bergara B-14, Howa 1500 Hogue, Kimber Hunter, Remington 700, Ruger American, Savage 110 Switchback, Tikka T3X Superlite, and Weatherby Vanguard. The Backfire reviewers tested all 8 rifles for function and accuracy (4-shot groups). These 8 rifles were chose for review based on input from Backfire channel viewers.
Best .22 LR Rimfire Handguns
We think every gun owner should have a .22 LR rimfire handgun. In this informative 25-minute video, a team from the Backfire Channel tests eight .22 LR handguns — seven semi-autos and one wheelgun (revolver). The guns tested are: Browning Buck Mark, Glock 44, Heritage Rough Rider 16″ revolver, Keltec CP33, Ruger MKIV Lite, Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory, Taurus TX22, and Walther PPQ. The test does a good job of showing feed reliablity and rapid-fire performance. Editor’s Comment: We have shot rimfire pistols for five decades for fun and in competition. We recommend the Smith & Wesson Model 617 revolver, and the Browning Buck Mark semi-auto.
Top Five AR-15 Platform Rifles
The donkey party politicians in Washington are up to no good again. The Democrats are seeking to ban and/or restrict mag-fed, semi-automatic rifles including popular AR-platform rifles. Because more gun bans may be coming out of Washington soon, you may want to get your own “Modern Sporting Rifle” while you can. This helpful Survival Channel video showcases five quality AR-15 type rifles: Daniel Defense DDM4V7, Daniel Defense DDM4V11, Ruger AR-556 MPR, Sig Sauer SIGM400 Tread, and Smith & Wesson M&P15T. In addition, the video reviews the Springfield Armory Saint Edge AR-15 Pistol.
Suppressors (Silencers) — How to Choose the Best Option
Suppressors are becoming increasingly popular with PRS/NRL shooters, pistol shooters, and hunters. Thankfully companies such as SilencerCo.com and Silencer Central are making it easier to comply with Federal rules on silencer acquisition. These vendors have made it much easier to prepare the paperwork needed to get the requisite ATF Tax Stamp and, if desired, set up a suppressor ownership trust.
IPRF Open Division champion Austin Buschman of Team USA.
The first-ever International Precision Rifle Federation (IPRF) World Championship was held in France in mid-August. The inaugural IPRF event drew 250 shooters from 26 nations to France’s Militaire Camp de Bitche. Hosted by the French Precision Rifle Association (FRPRA), this 7-day event featured 5 days of competition. Team USA dominated the match, taking first place in Open, Limited, and Ladies divisions. Team Great Britain & Northern Ireland took first place in Factory division. Team South Africa won the Senior division, while Team Norway claimed the Military & Law Enforcement division. At the end of the event the World Champion Trophy was awarded to highest scoring shooter, Austin Buschman of Team USA.
The inaugural Precision Rifle World Championship was held August 6-12, 2022 in Bitche, France, at the Bitche Military Camp. Team USA and 25 other national squads competed in Open, Limited, and Factory classes, which included Ladies, Junior, Senior, and Mil/LE divisions.
We hail Austin Buschman as the first IPRF World Champion. And we congratulate the USA Precision Rifle Team for winning the first-ever Precision Rifle Team World Championship. American competitors shooting Berger Bullets won the Open, Limited, and Senior Open classes.
Team USA Members Win Big with Berger Bullets
Team USA’s Austin Buschman won gold in the Open Class with 158 impacts. Austin used Berger 6mm 109gr Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) bullets. Fellow American and Team Berger member Morgun King took second in Open Class with 157 impacts. And Team USA member Coulter Mariott took first place in the Limited Class.
1st Place Open – Austin Buschman, Berger 6mm 109gr LRHT
2nd Place Open – Morgun King, Berger 6.5mm 156gr Elite Hunter
1st Place Limited – Coulter Mariott, Berger 6mm 105gr Hybrid Target
1st Place Senior Open – Rusty Ulmer, Berger 6mm 105gr Hybrid Target
2nd Place Senior Open – Paul Higley, Berger 6mm 109gr LRHT
3rd Place Ladies Open – Allison Zane, Berger 6mm 109gr LRHT
Open class Champion Austin Bushman noted: “Berger 105 grain Hybrid Target and 109 grain LRHT bullets are what I’ve used exclusively in PRS style competitions for three years. I find these 6mm Berger bullets to be very consistent over many different charge weights and seating depths. This has allowed me to focus on developing my shooting skills rather than spend hours on load development”.
Berger Long Range Hybrid Target Bullets — Bryan Litz Explains Features
Team Great Britain & Northern Ireland Wins Factory Division
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland IPRF Team (aka Team GB), won the Factory Division title at the IPRF Championships. Team GB members place 1st, 3rd, 5th and 25th place in the factory division. The combined score earn Team GB 1st place overall in the factory division.
On Facebook, Team GB shooter Tom Rice posted: “Huge congratulations to [class winner] Lawrence Barnes for showing us all how it should be done right from the first stage. Benjamin Mcilwaine rounded out the podium in 3rd place with an exceptional performance. A huge thank you goes out to Accuracy International Ltd. for supporting all four of us as we were all using their AT-X rifles.”
Team GB’s Tom Rice added: “Another massive thank-you must go out to ZEISS Hunting, Andy Simpson, and Precision Rifle Series UK for supplying me with the absolutely awesome new ZEISS LRP rifle scope. Never before have I seen such impressive glass. It performed flawlessly in some pretty hostile conditions that we’ve had to endure out here.”
Precision Rifle Series (PRS) 22 Finale on Shooting USA
This week Shooting USA showcases the first-ever PRS Rimfire Finale. This new rimfire discipline is akin to Precision Rifle Series (PRS) centerfire tactical competition, but shot with .22 LR rimfire rifles. The inaugural PRS Rimfire Finale drew nearly 150 competitors to Texas, where shooters could compete without the cost of expensive centerfire ammo and without the need for a 1000-yard range. SEE: PRS Rimfire Series Info.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
PRS Rimfire Finale — Nearly 150 Shooters in Texas
PRS and NRL tactical matches are among the fastest-growing competitive shooting disciplines. And rimfire tactical disciplines are actually growing even faster (than centerfire PRS/NRL) because .22 LR ammo is much cheaper than centerfire ammo, and there are many more ranges where rimfire matches can be held. PRS Rimfire offers the same kind of fun without the high cost of centerfire ammo and/or countless hours spent hand-loading. Rimfire PRS also offers generally less expensive rifles, and a whole lot less recoil. That’s why PRS Rimfire (as well as NRL22) has become so popular. And in the first year of the PRS Rimfire series, the Finale drew close to 150 competitors. The Finale Match was held at the Triple C Shooting Facility in College Station, Texas.
The Triple C Shooting Facility hosted the First Annual PRS Rimfire Finale. At this excellent Texas venue, match directors set out 20 unique courses of fire. There were the standard props you’d expect to see at any Precision Rifle match — tractor tires, wire spools, concrete culverts, and even cross tie bunkers. And the target placements were certainly challenging. Many of the stages had cross-course target lay-outs. This makes wind-reading much more challenging, especially with the relatively slow, low-BC .22 LR cartridges used in PRS rimfire competition.
Tune in to Shooting USA TV on Wednesday 8/24/22. You’ll enjoy the coverage of this popular PRS rimfire sport, which we expect to grow significantly in 2022 and beyond. Notably, the National Rifle League (NRL) now conducts many more NRL22 matches than NRL centerfire matches. And competitors of course are drawn by the fun/challenge of a tactical match with much lower ammo costs — $0.15-$0.25/rd vs. $1.00/rd or more (counting brass, primer, bullets, powder, and barrel wear). And there are many more viable venues, because you only need a 300-yard (max) range to conduct a rimfire tactical match.
The 6mm Creedmoor has become one of the most popular cartridges for PRS/NRL competition, and it also works great in the varmint fields. There are many 6mm Creedmoor factory rifle options now, such as the Savage Model 10 in GRS stock and the Ruger Precision Rifle (6mm Creedmoor).
Do-It-Yourself 6mm Creedmoor Rifle Project — UltimateReloader.com
Another cost-effective option for 6mm Creedmoor fans is to build your own rifle, starting with a Howa barreled action. The Howa 1500 is a mag-fed, flat-bottomed bolt action that ships with the excellent HACT 2-stage trigger. Howa barreled actions have been available with a variety of barrel lengths and contours, starting at about $440.00 at Brownells. (However, many are currently out-of-stock).
There are quite a few good stocks/chassis systems now offered for Howa 1500 actions, including the excellent KRG Bravo Chassis, which features an ergonomic composite outer shell over a precision-machined inner chassis.
Gavin Gear fitted a KRG enclosed fore-end and Mystic Precision MPOD to his 6mm Creedmoor rifle.
Our friend Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com has built a nice 6mm Creedmoor rifle using a Howa 1500 heavy-barreled action and KRG Bravo Chassis. This project has proven very successful. The rifle has shown impressive accuracy and outstanding reliability. Gavin hopes to use this rifle in practical/tactical competitions later this year.
In this video, Gavin fits KRG’s enclosed fore-end to the KRG Bravo chassis. This accessory fore-end features a top Picatinny rail and various attachment options on the sides and lower section. Here you can see the enclosed fore-end (upper right) next to the factory forend included with the KRG Bravo (lower left):
Gavin then fits a Mystic Precision MPod from EGW. This stable, wide-base bipod uses a T-Slot rail for rifle attachment, and has legs that adjust independently for height. The video shows the rifle coming together step-by-step. This is something the average guy can do with simple tools — no gunsmithing is required, because the Howa barreled action is pre-chambered for the 6mm Creedmoor cartridge.
In the video above Gavin unboxes his Howa 1500 barreled action from Brownells. He then mounts the barreled action to the KRG Bravo stock, checking the torque levels. Next Gavin borescopes the hammer-forged barrel (5:55) noting: “What I saw I liked — there are practically no tooling marks. The finish on the lands and grooves looks really good”. Lastly, Gavin tested the trigger with his TriggerScan TS-11 (6:24), confirming a two-stage pull weight of about 2.25 pounds out of the box.
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
