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August 7th, 2014
GRS Riflestocks is a Norwegian company that has built its reputation on intelligently-designed, high-quality laminated wood stocks. GRS wood stocks, for competition and hunting, are distributed in the USA by Kelbly’s. Ergonomics have always been a key feature in GRS designs, making GRS stocks very comfortable for the shooter.
CLICK IMAGE for Full-size Photo
 GRS Aluminum Chassis Systems
Now GRS is moving into a new product area — developing an aluminum chassis system for long range applications. The first GRS metal stocks should be ready this month for European delivery (though it could take longer to export to USA). The new GRS metal chassis system will be offered for many popular actions:
Remington Short Action & Long Action
Sig Sauer SSG 3000/Sauer 200 STR
Howa Short Action & Long Action
Tikka T3
Initially, these stocks will be right-hand only, though a left-hand version may be offered in 2015. GRS has not yet released any pricing details for its aluminum chassis systems.
Excellent Video Shows How GRS Stocks Are Made — Plus Shooting in Norway
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
July 10th, 2014
Which do you think is a better bullet-stopper — twenty-four (24) layers of drywall, or a $299 vest with 40 layers of Kevlar? Watch this video and you may be surprised. The makers of the BulletSafe vest fired a round from a .50-Caliber Desert Eagle pistol into the vest. The bullet did not penetrate the vest — not even close. If fact, the bullet only made it through seven of the 40 layers of Kevlar (see timeline 0:48″)
Would drywall be as effective? Surprisingly, the answer is “no”. A bullet fired from the .50-Cal Desert Eagle passed through all 24 sheets of drywall, exiting out the last sheet. Lesson learned? Don’t expect the drywall in your house to offer much protection. The makers of the video caution: “This video shows you how much damage your weapon can do….”
Bullet-Proof Vest Ratings
The BulletSafe vest tested is a Level IIIA model. Level IIIA is the thickest Kevlar laminated, flexible body armor available to the general public. Priced at $299.00, this Level IIIA vest is rated to stop most handgun rounds, buckshot, and shotgun slugs. You can get even more protection by adding a ballistic plate made from ceramic and/or metal. Fitted to a Level IIIA vest, BulletSafe’s $169.00 ballistic plates can stop some rifle rounds.
Plywood Stopping Power Test
The vest-makers also did a test with plywood. A box was constructed with 24 layers of 3/8″ plywood. The bullet from a .50-caliber Desert Eagle past through twelve layers of plywood before being halted by the thirteenth panel. So, you can say the BulletSafe vest is as effective at stopping this round as 13 layers of plywood. CLICK HERE for Plywood Stopping Test Video.
June 30th, 2014
Story based on After Action Report (AAR) by Jonathan Berry
The 2014 NorCal TBRC is in the books and what another fabulous match put on by Vu Pham and the crew at the NorCal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC). When you attend this match you truly appreciate the effort, planning, and execution carried out by the nation’s largest practical precision rifle club. The Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge runs smoothly from beginning to end, even though the match offers plenty of challenge and variety. Vu Pham, match director, reports: “This year’s TBRC had four major evolutions, that encompassed 22 various stages of fire. Our competitors ended up firing more than 13,000 rounds over the match weekend.”
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AUDIO FILE: Vu Pham Talks about the NorCal Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge. |
CLICK HERE for 2014 NCPPRC Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge Photo Gallery.
CLICK HERE for Full Match Report with Video Clips.
The match is broken up into three different segments: short range (25-200 yards); steel range (150-550 yards); and long range (800-1000 yards). The short range consisted of shots from 25-200 yards. It involved hostage targets, movers, little bitty dots, and my favorite stage, “The MGM Spinner”. This course of fire pitted competitor vs. competitor in a race to see who could spin the target, for 50 points, with a bonus of 20 points if you spun it first. On the 100-yard mover stage, Rockstar Regina Milkovich impressed the crowd by landing all six (6) shots on her moving target. Nice work, Regina!
The steel range runs from 150-550 yards with targets at 220, 330, 440, and 550 yards. Unusual shooting stations, time challenges, and other factors made these stages a real test of skill (and the ability to “adapt and overcome”). There was another head-to-head course of fire where you had to put six shots on a dueling tree with 6” flappers at 440 yards.
Yes, eye protection is mandatory at the TBRC. That’s a good safety rule.
 Long-Range Challenge
The TBRC’s long range segment involved targets at 800, 900, and 1,000 yards. Five, 3-shot groups were fired at each yardage with one minute to fire the three shots. You really had to pay attention to the mirage, wind, and your gut instinct. Many times those three indicators lead you to three different conclusions!
Several amazing 3-shot groups were shot from the 1,000-yard line by TBRC competitors. These small groups demonstrate the accuracy of today’s bolt-action tactical rifles. Jeremy Bentham (photo right), who placed second in the match, had a sub-one-inch group from the 1,000-yard line, all in the 9-Ring no less. Nice shootin’ Jeremy!
Amazing $70,000 Prize Table at 2014 NorCal TBRC
The $70K prize table that Vu and team put together for this match was incredible. Each and every sponsor deserves recognition for contributing to the match. It never ceases to amaze me to see so many great prizes on the tables at a match like this. Thank you all for supporting the sport. We, as shooters, appreciate it and try hard to support those who support us.
Look inviting? Then maybe you should plan to join the NorCal clan at one of their regular matches. Vu Pham notes that unaffiliated new shooters are welcome at NCPPRC event: “You do not have to be a member of NCPPRC or FSC to shoot with us. For those of you that would like to shoot with us, please visit our website at www.ncpprc.com. Info about when, where, and how our matches are run are posted in the various forums for matches and practice sessions.”
The NCPPRC Crew Delivered Some Serious Bar-B-Q for Challenge Competitors.
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About NorCal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC)
NCPPRC was founded in 2006 by Vu Pham and Shawn Shaw in response to the growing demands of precision rifle shooters in Northern California. As of 2011, NCPPRC has a membership roster of 100 precision rifle shooters from all walks of life.
Our mission is to provide events where serious practical/tactical precision rifle shooters can test their skills in a safe and controlled environment. We provide competent mentoring for new shooters. NCPPRC offers clinics, monthly practice sessions, and an Internet forum. Our organization offers monthly competitions, monthly practice sessions, and an annual two-day event that attracts civilians, law enforcement, and military shooters from across the nation.
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June 15th, 2014
Victor Company USA, manufacturer of tactical “skins” for AI rifle chassis, has introduced a new tactical stock for Ruger’s popular 10/22. Victor Company’s new Titan 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock features a vertical-style grip and a wide, beavertail forearm with molded nibs for enhanced grip. In the rear, the buttstock features a cut-out for the user’s off hand with a deeper “keel” for riding the bags. This stock should work well for the Tactical Rimfire game. We also bet many varmint shooters will order these stocks — a Ruger 10/22 never looked so good. This product, set for release in July, 2014, is so new we don’t have pricing yet. Visit www.victorcompanyusa.com for more details in a week or two.
Victor Company 1022 Precision Rimfire Stock (CLICK photo for full-size image.)
 
May 14th, 2014
 What happens when a round goes off unsafely in an AR? Watch this video and see. At about the 00:40 time-mark the shooter has a malfunction (click no bang), with a round. He then removes the magazine, and clears the chamber (we think). On the next round, at 00:53 you hear a “Bang” and see a big puff of smoke coming out of the upper receiver (see photo at right). This has been called a “detonation” by the video-maker, but we’re not 100% sure what happened. What do you guys think? Watch the video carefully, and state your conclusions in the comment section if you wish.
What Caused this Malfunction? Watch Video…
In any event, the shooter is fortunate his upper did not completely fracture, launching shrapnel into his face or other body parts. This could have turned out much worse. Here are screen-shots from the video, showing details of the gun after the accident, along with the recovered brass case, which separated near the case-head.
May 3rd, 2014
 AR this, AR that… sometimes it seems the gun world has gone AR crazy. There is even a book specifically dedicated to reloading for AR-platform rifles. This may seem superfluous when there are so many other reloading manuals on the market. However, there are some special factors to consider when reloading for ARs and other semi-automatic rifles. Cases should be full-length sized, with adequate shoulder bump and neck clearance (more than you might run with a bolt gun). Cartridge pressures must be appropriate for the AR platform, and you want to select powders that minimize fouling. Also, when loading for an AR you may want to experiment with cannelured bullets and crimping. And of course, rounds must be loaded to mag-length. Lastly, with the advent of the 300 AAC Blackout (and similar cartridges), many AR shooters now are experimenting with heavy 30-cal bullets in subsonic applications. AR owners will experience a “reloading learning curve” when moving from .223 Rem to the more exotic, subsonic 30-caliber cartridges.
These and other concerns are covered in Lyman’s new AR Reloading Handbook. This comprehensive reloading guide provides the AR shooter with reloading data for nearly all popular AR-platform chamberings. In addition to data for the standard .223 Rem, the following cartridges are also covered: 6.8 Rem, 300 AAC Blackout, 7.62×39, 450 Bushmaster, 50 Beowulf and others.
Lyman touts its new book: “Reloaders will appreciate the wealth of AR-specific reloading data [for] all popular brands of bullets and powders. Specialty cast bullet and sub-sonic data further expand the usefulness of the handbook. Interesting articles by well known and popular firearms journalists are also included. These cover such areas as ‘Reloading for Suppressors’ and ‘Cartridge Interchangeability”. Finally all this AR data is presented in a full size, easy-to-use 8 1/2″ x 11″ format.”
Suppressed AR15 photo courtesy J&G Sales Ltd..
Book tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
March 30th, 2014
 Today was “Work Day” for our buddy Vu Pham and the members of the Norcal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC). That means the boys were hauling out newly-constructed barricades and uncrating a whole lot of new steel, courtesy MGM Targets. Here’s the new steel on display at NorCal’s home range, the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. Poppers, silhouettes, giant spinners — it’s quite an impressive line-up of steel.
Click for Large Photo
How’d you like to have this pallet of armored steel goodies materialize at your house? That’s a serious dose of “Heavy Metal”. Vu Pham (one of NCPPRC’s founders) says: “Thanks Mike Gibson, Travis Gibson, and the folks at MGM for [your] continued support.”
New Playground Equipment for the Tactically Inclined
Vu Pham and his NCPPRC co-horts have been busy fabricating new ramps, barriers, and other three-dimensional challenges used in the popular NCPPRC tactical matches. Check out the angled prone platform (bottom photo). We get a little dizzy just looking at it. Notice how the bipod legs have to be set to different lengths to level out the rifle.
March 28th, 2014
Report Based on Story by Lars Dalseide in NRABlog.com
This story is for the female shooters out there. Ever think about becoming an NRA Certified Instructor? You can make that happen at this year’s NRA Convention in Indianapolis. Starting on Friday, April 25th, the first day of the Annual Meetings & Exhibits, a few dozen ladies will gather at the Indiana Convention Center for a 3-day NRA Pistol Instructor course. All the instructors are women. The entire course runs $250. That covers the course materials, range use, firearm use, ammunition and range equipment.
  After all is said and done, you will be required to demonstrate solid and safe pistol handling skills and successfully complete qualification exercises as well as receive the endorsement of the NRA Training Counselor conducting the course. Accomplish that and you will become an NRA-certified pistol instructor. To learn more the NRA female instructor development program, contact Diane Danielson at femaleinstructors@nrahq.org or 703-267-3999 for an application. CLICK HERE for more details.
In this video, Tatiana Whitlock talks about becoming an NRA Certified Instructor (1:40 time mark). Tatiana is also a martial arts expert, who favors the Israeli Krav Maga self-defense system.
NRA Instructor Tatiana Whitlock Show Her Skills with Firearms and Martial Arts
March 25th, 2014
The “Old Warhorse” .30-06 Springfield cartridge is not dead. That’s the conclusion of Forum member Rick M., who recently compared the 1000-yard performance of his .30-06 rifle with that of a rig chambered for the more modern, mid-sized 6.4×47 Lapua cartridge. In 12-16 mph full-value winds, the “inefficient and antiquated” .30-06 ruled. Rick reports:
“I was shooting my .30-06 this past Sunday afternoon from 1000 yards. The wind was hitting 12-16 mph with a steady 9 O’clock (full value) wind direction. My shooting buddy Jeff was shooting his 6.5×47 Lapua with 123gr Scenar bullets pushed by Varget. Jeff needed 13 MOA left windage to keep his 6.5x47L rounds inside the Palma 10 Ring. By contrast I only needed 11.5 MOA left windage with my .30-06. I was shooting my ’06 using the 185gr Berger VLD target bullet with H4350. I managed the same POI yet the .30-caliber bullet only needed 11.5 MOA windage. That’s significant. From this experience I’ve concluded that the Old Warhorse ain’t quite dead yet!”
Rick likes his “outdated” .30-06 rifle. He says it can deliver surprisingly good performance at long range:
“To many of the younger generation, the Old Warhorse .30-06 is ‘outdated’ but I can guarantee that the .30-06 Springfield is a VERY ACCURATE cartridge for 1000-yard shooting (and even out further if need be). With some of the advanced powders that we have today, the .30-06 will surprise many shooters with what it’s capable of doing in a good rifle with the right rate of twist. My rifle has a 1:10″ twist rate and I had it short-throated so that, as the throat erodes with time, I could just seat the bullets out further and keep right on shooting. My recent load is Berger 185gr Target VLDs pushed by IMR 4350. This is a very accurate load that moves this bullet along at 2825 fps.”
March 21st, 2014
 Mid-sized 6.5mm cartridges proved themselves at the recent Shoot for the Green match in northwest Oklahoma. Four out of the top five shooters ran a rifle chambered for the 6.5×47 Lapua, with the fifth shooting the slightly larger 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. 53 shooters from as far away as California showed up to test their skills in the stiff March winds in NW Oklahoma. The course of fire was challenging, with improvised field shooting positions and targets set as far as 1300 yards out. And there were “Troop” stages that competitors have come to expect in Oklahoma. Match winner Rick Reeves stated, “I enjoyed the troop stages more than anything else, even though I didn’t shoot them the best.”
Steve Elmenhorst shooting a Troop Stage.
Rich Emmons, who steered his 6.5x47L to fourth place, has written a match report for PrecisionRifleSeries.com. Day One saw temps around 70 degrees with only light, switchy winds. But Day Two was brutal, Emmons reports: “On Sunday… 40-50 mph winds hit NW Oklahoma hard and most competitors were woken up. To say that shooting in the 15-30 mph winds with temps in the high 30s [was really tough] is an understatement. All competitors struggled a bit and scores were understandably lower on Day Two. Conditions were brutal and both the ROs and the competitors deserve a gold star for toughing it out and finishing the match.” CLICK HERE for Complete Match Results
| Top 5 Shooters Equipment List
Rick Reeves
6.5×47 Lapua, 140 Berger Hybrid, Surgeon Action, McMillan A-5 Stock, Bartlein Barrel, Rem trigger, Vortex Razor scope, Built by DMFJ, Tab Sling & bag, Harris Bipod, AAC Suppressor.
Adam Roberts
6.5 Creedmoor, Desert Tech Armory (DTA), Benchmark Barrel, 123 Lapua Scenar, H4350 powder, Silencer Tech Suppressor, S&B PMII scope w/ H2CMR reticle.
Justin Shireman
6.5×47 Lapua, Surgeon/ Parry Custom Gun, Silencer Tech Suppresor, Benchmark Barrel, McMillan Stock, Harris Bipod, Swarovski binoculars.
Rich Emmons
6.5×47 Lapua, Surgeon Rifle, Bartlein Barrel, Mcmillan Stock, Berger 140 Hybrids, Harris Bipod, S&B PM II MSR, Vortex Binoculars, MGM Switchview, 5.11 gear, JEC brake.
John Sommers
6.5×47 Lapua, Surgeon Rifle, Bartlein Barrel, Mcmillan Stock, Lapua 139, Harris Bipod, S&B PM II MSR, Vortex Binoculars, AAC Suppressor. |
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