All shooters, even rimfire enthusiasts, should always wear ear protection when at the range. A typical rifle gunshot is very loud — in the region of 140 to 170 decibels (the pain threshold is 130-140 db). Without ear protection, you can permanently damage your hearing during a single shooting session. We all know older shooters who are partially deaf, or who suffer from Tinnitus, because they didn’t use earplugs or muffs when they were younger.
How Humans Hear Sounds — Amazing Video Reveals All
The human sense of hearing involves multiple delicate internal membranes, bones, organs, and nerves. Shooters understand the importance of protecting their hearing, but they may not understand the bio-mechanics of human hearing. We hear sounds through Auditory Transduction. Sound waves vibrate the ear drum (tympanic membrane), but that is only the beginning. These vibrations are passed along via tiny rocker-arm-like bones to be “processed” in a spiral chamber, the cochlea.
This remarkable VIDEO explains how humans hear sounds. We strongly recommend you take the time to watch and learn. The hearing you save may be your own!
Click Speaker Icon to turn on the video’s soundtrack.
Vibrations moving through the cochlea are separated into frequencies and then sent as neural messages to the brain. It is an astonishingly complex process, one that truly seems miraculous when you examine the bio-engineering involved. In the video above, the process of human Auditory Transduction is explained and illustrated with 3D animation. You really should watch this amazing video. By the end you will have a new-found appreciation for your ability to hear.
Every shooter should own a pair of Electronic muffs, even if you prefer shooting with earplugs and/or standard muffs. Electronic muffs are great when you are spotting for other shooters or are working near the firing line. They let you hear ordinary conversations while still providing vital hearing protection. You can also wear ear-plugs under muffs for extra sound attenuation.
Plugs PLUS Ear-Muffs — Benefits of “Doubling-Up” Hearing Protection
According to OHS Online: “The combined attenuation of an ear plug and an ear muff is not simply the algebraic sum of the performance of each individual protector. This is due to an acoustic and vibratory interaction between the ear muff and the ear plug that causes them to behave together as a system rather than as independent hearing protectors.
Generally speaking, when you combine two hearing protectors, with muffs over ear plugs, you can expect a Noise Reduction Rating improvement from 3 and 10 dB compared to the higher-rated hearing protector by itself. OSHA [now advises] 5 dB as the [typical] benefit offered by combining hearing protectors.” Source: OHSonline.com
Want to improve your understanding of Ballistics, Bullet Design, Bullet Pointing, and other shooting-related tech topics? Well here’s a treasure trove of gun expertise. Applied Ballistics offers dozens of FREE tech articles on its website. Curious about Coriolis? — You’ll find answers. Want to understand the difference between G1 and G7 BC? — There’s an article about that.
“Doc” Beech, technical support specialist at Applied Ballistics says these articles can help shooters working with ballistics programs: “One of the biggest issues I have seen is the misunderstanding… about a bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC) and what it really means. Several papers on ballistic coefficient are available for shooters to review on the website.”
Credit Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker for finding this great resource. John writes: “Our friends at Applied Ballistics have a real gold mine of articles on the science of accurate shooting on their website. This is a fantastic source for precision shooting information[.] Topics presented are wide-ranging — from ballistic coefficients to bullet analysis.”
Here are six (6) of our favorite Applied Ballistics articles, available for FREE to read online. There are dozens more, all available on the Applied Ballistics Education Webpage. After Clicking link, select Plus (+) Symbol for “White Papers”, then find the article(s) you want in the list. For each selection, then click “Download” in the right column. This will send a PDF version to your device.
Legal Heat, a major firearms training firm*, has released the 2021 Edition of the 50 State Guide to Firearm Laws and Regulations. For each state, this $20 book covers key firearms laws, lists prohibited areas, and provides key statutory references for further research. With over 20,000 gun laws nationwide affecting concealed carry permit holders, Legal Heat’s 50 State Guide helps gun owners stay informed about important gun statutes and regulations.
The Legal Heat 50 State Guide is an authoritative reference guide on concealed carry and transport laws with concise synopses, including legal citations. Written and edited by attorneys and firearms instructors. This full-color, $20 book provides a comprehensive overview of state and Federal gun laws, serving as a quick reference guide for travelers.
GET FREE Legal Heat APP for Android or Apple
Along with the $20 print book, there is a FREE Legal Heat APP that provides the same information at no cost to you. Just download the App to your smartphone or tablet. CLICK HERE to learn more about the FREE 50-State Law App. There are FREE versions for both Android (Google) and iOS (Apple). This is the only APP with comprehensive Concealed and Open Carry Law summaries written by attorneys.
Key Topics Covered in Dedicated Sections
The Legal Heat 50 State Guide has specific sections dedicated to important topics, such as Gun Transport at Airports, Police Stops, Inter-State Travel, and Purchasing/Selling. Having these and other key topics clearly outlined is one of the compelling reasons to buy the book. Here are the Key Topics:
- Airports
– Police Encounters
– State-to-State Firearms Transport in Vehicle
– Purchasing/Selling A Firearm
– Castle Doctrines
– AMTRAK
- U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Land
– National Parks And Monuments
– BLM Land
– Indian Reservations
– May Issue Vs. Shall Issue States
– Contact Info For Attorney Generals
State by State Law Summaries
For every one of the 50 U.S. STATES, there is a dedicated summary covering:
1. All Prohibited Areas for Firearms
This Section Is Essential Knowledge For All Concealed Firearm Permit Holders. 2. Self-Defense and Firearms Laws 3. Reciprocity (Recognition of Other State’s Permits)
This lists ALL firearm permits from other states that are recognized. 4. Self Defense And Firearm Laws Statutory References (For Additional Research) 5. Ratings of Each State for “Friendliness” to gun owners.
Video Summary of 50 State Firearms Guide
This video covers the highlights of the Legal Heat 50 State Guidebook. This shows the 2018 Edition, but the latest 2021 Edition contains all those elements, updated with current law changes.
* With over 250,000 certified students, Legal Heat claims to be the nation’s largest firearms training company. Legal Heat provides in-person as well as online training, and works with major gun retailers including Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, and Sportsman’s Warehouse. CLICK HERE for more information on Legal Heat Training Programs.
Berger Issues Safety Notice for .223 Remington 77 grain OTM Tactical Ammunition
Berger’s Load Development Team has determined that some .223 Remington 77 grain OTM Tactical (Product # 65-23030) cartridges from Lot # P002745, P002745-1, P002745-2, and P002745-3 may cause function/ignition issues with AR-style gas operating platforms. Bolt action rifles are NOT affected.
Berger Ammunition Lots # P002745, P002745-1, P002745-2, and P002745-3 .223 Remington 77 Grain OTM Tactical ammunition, Item #65-23030 was shipped to retailers on April 2nd, 2021 to April 22nd, 2021.
If you own Berger ammunition from Lot # P002745, P002745-1, P002745-2, and/or P002745-3 or have questions regarding this notice, please contact Berger Customer Support at 660-460-2802 or support@capstonepg.com to arrange replacement of the product.
EDITOR: Once again, if you are running this ammo in a bolt-action rifle, there should be no issues according to Berger. If you had intended to use the ammunition in an AR-platform rifle, contact Berger for further information.
Recall is for Berger 77gr .223 Rem Ammunition when used in AR-Platform Rifles
Story notice from ELR Researcher. We welcome reader submissions.
Here is a cool video that shows the entire production process for a SilencerCo Octane pistol suppressor start to finish. Beginning with the raw materials, this video shows a wide variety of cutting, milling, drilling, burnishing, fitting, metal bathing, surface finishing, and laser etching processes.
If you have any interest in production methods you’ll want to watch this video all the way through, and maybe a second time.
SilencerCo states: “From cutting metal to chemical baths, to extensive quality control every step of the way, our streamlined process is more than just a few steps.” We think you may be surprised by how many steps are involved in producing this silencer (aka “suppressor”).
The Octane is a user-maintainable, multi-caliber centerfire pistol silencer featuring a modular mounting system for use across a wide range of hosts. High strength, stainless steel CTA™ (Click Together Assembly) baffles are easily disassembled for cleaning. This design makes the Octane one of the most durable small-caliber suppressors on the market.
In its Octane 45 review, SilencerShop notes: “When it comes to ease of maintenance, the Octane 45 is probably the simplest .45 suppressor on the market. It uses the new click-together baffle system from Silencerco/SWR – which allows the suppressor to come apart like a monocore suppressor, while providing performance that is closer to a K-Baffle design.””
Need a simple, easy-to-use drop chart for your rifle? Something you can tape right to the buttstock? Then check out Hornady’s handy Online Ballistics Calculator. This user-friendly calculator will compute your drops accurately, and output a handy “Cheat Sheet” you can print and attach to your rifle.
Here’s how it works. From the Ballistics Calculator Page, simply input G1 or G7 BC values, muzzle velocity, bullet weight, zero range, and a few other variables.
Click “Calculate” to view the full chart (shown below). Then click “View Cheatsheet” and the simpler, 4-line Drop Chart (shown above) appears. Click “Print” and you’re done!
Choose Basic Table or Advanced Version with More Variables
The online ballistics caculator is easy to use. You can select the basic version, or an advanced version with more data fields for environmental variables (altitude, temperature, air pressure, and humidity). You can also get wind drift numbers by inputing wind speed and wind angle.
Conveniently, on the trajectory output, come-ups are listed in both MOA and Mils — so this will work with either MOA clicks or Mil-based clicks. There are more sophisticated ballistics solvers available on the web (such as the outstanding Applied Ballistics Online Calculator), but the Hornady Calculator is very simple and easy to use. If you just want a basic drop chart, you may want to check this out.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could put up one BIG target that would handle a myriad of important tasks at the range: Zeroing, Load Development, Click Value Verification, and Click Tracking Repeatability Tests. Well the team at Box to Bench Precision (B2B) has developed what may be the most versatile (and biggest) precision targets ever developed. With ultra-accurate grid geometry, and razor-sharp printing, B2B’s targets set a new standard for target precision.
Click Tracking Grid Target The best procedure for checked the true value of your scope click values is to use a tall target that can dial in at least 25 MOA of “up”, and check where your cross-hairs air compared to exact pre-measured reference lins. B2B developed an advanced target just for that task. The 30″ tall by 23.5″ wide Rex Grid Target (shown below) provides a highly precise grid for testing elevation and windage clicks. The unique grid design has small tics denoting 1/4 MOA, 1/2 MOA, and 3/4 MOA. 1 MOA is marked with a “+” and the 5, 10, 15, 20, & 25 MOA elevation lines are bolded for better visibility. There are aiming points at 5 MOA intervals over the full grid.
This same target can also be used for “Box Tests” that verify click values and repeatability. with a box test you start in one corner with the initial shot (we recommend doing this with a warm barrel after a couple foulers). They you add “up” clicks to go straight up and take a second shot. Next add horizontal clicks to go across for the third shot. Then click down (the same number of cliks you went up) for the fourth shot. As a last step you reverse your horizontal clicks and take a fifth shot. If you have a good rifle and the scope clicks are repeatable, your fifth and final shot will be touching the first shot.
B2D’s Rex Grid Target can be used for Box Tests, as can B2B’s popularhttps://bit.ly/2BBe1jYLoad Development and Scope Tracking Target (left below) and B2B’s Sniper’s Hide 100-yard Target (right below).
B2B’s 100 Yard Long Range Load Development and Scope Tracking Target will perform many functions. This big, 30″ x 23.5″ target has specific aiming points for various tasks. In the upper left, there are 11 small orange circles for precision load testing. Over on the upper right are 7 more small, orange circles for doing a Seating Depth Comparison test.
The bottom half of the target has larger black-on-white circles that serve multiple functions. Use the corner circles to do a “Box Test” to confirm scope tracking. There’s another great feature on this target — running up the center of the target is a tall line that shows elevation in both MILs and MOA. That helps you confirm the TRUE click values of your optic. You’d be surprised how many scopes are slightly off — not exactly 1/4 MOA, 1/8 MOA, or 1/10 Mil as advertised. That’s why Long Range shooters absolutely need to verify their click values.
Buyers Praise the B2B Targets
We’ve handled the B2B Targets, which are printed on high-quality, tear-resistant card stock. We can attest the printing is very precise — with accurate elevation and windage values. These aren’t your ordinary targets — they are LARGE — nearly three feet tall. Verified buyers praise these targets:
“Thank you for talking to me about the MIL and MOA markers on your targets. They are very accurate. While using the Long Range 100-Yard Load Development/Scope Tracking target and my new scope, it helped me realize that my scope wasn’t tracking correctly (both turrets). So, I sent the scope to the manufacturer. When it came back, and using your target as my known constant… the scope is now ‘spot-on’ accurate. These targets are a great tool to gain a better understanding of your rifle, scope, turrets etc., all on one sheet.” — Stan, 2018
“Almost too nice to put holes in. I was in the printing industry for 35 years and these are really well done. Quality paper and precise printing … able to see bullet holes easily with these!” — Dan, 2018
After purchasing a new set of dies from Forster, Hornady, Redding, or Whidden Gunworks, you’ll want to disassemble the dies, inspect then, and then remove the internal grease and/or waxy coatings placed on the dies by the manufacturer. Here are two video that show how to de-grease and clean dies as they come “out of the box” from the manufacturer. In the first video, from Creedmoor Sports, Bill Gravatt (now President of Capstone Precision Group) shows various methods for cleaning dies both when new and after they have accumulated carbon and lube after use. This video is definitely worth watching. In the second video, a Hornady technician shows the method for degreasing dies before first use. A convenient aerosol spray cleaner is used in the video. You an also use a liquid solvent with soft nylon brush, and cotton patches. NOTE: After cleaning you may want to apply a light grease to the external threads of your dies.
Creedmoor Sports Die Cleaning Video with Bill Gravatt
Hornady Video Showing Aerosol Cleaner
Clean Your Sizing Dies and Body Dies Regularly
These same techniques work for cleaning dies after they have been used for reloading. Many otherwise smart hand-loaders forget to clean the inside of their dies, allowing old case lube, gunk, carbon residue, and other contaminants to build up inside the die. You should clean your dies fairly often, particularly if you do not tumble or ultrasound your cases between loadings. It is most important to keep full-length sizing and body dies clean. These dies accumulate lube and carbon residue quickly.
Berger Twist-Rate Stability Calculator On the Berger Bullets website you’ll find a handy Twist-Rate Stability Calculator that predicts your gyroscopic stability factor (SG) based on mulitiple variables: velocity, bullet length, bullet weight, barrel twist rate, ambient temperature, and altitude. This cool tool tells you if your chosen bullet will really stabilize in your barrel.
How to Use Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator
Using the Twist Rate Calculator is simple. Just enter the bullet DIAMETER (e.g. .264), bullet WEIGHT (in grains), and bullet overall LENGTH (in inches). On its website, Berger conveniently provides this info for all its bullet types. For other brands, we suggest you weigh three examples of your chosen bullet, and also measure the length on three samples. Then use the average weight and length of the three. To calculate bullet stability, simply enter your bullet data (along with observed Muzzle Velocity, outside Temperature, and Altitude) and click “Calculate SG”. Try different twist rate numbers (and recalculate) until you get an SG value of 1.4 (or higher).
Gyroscopic Stability (SG) and Twist Rate
Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator provides a predicted stability value called “SG” (for “Gyroscopic Stability”). This indicates the Gyroscopic Stability applied to the bullet by spin. This number is derived from the basic equation: SG = (rigidity of the spinning mass)/(overturning aerodynamic torque).
If you have an SG under 1.0, your bullet is predicted not to stabilize. If you have between 1.0 and 1.1 SG, your bullet may or may not stabilize. If you have an SG greater than 1.1, your bullet should stabilize under optimal conditions, but stabilization might not be adequate when temperature, altitude, or other variables are less-than-optimal. That’s why Berger normally recommends at least 1.5 SG to get out of the “Marginal Stability” zone.
In his book Applied Ballistics For Long-Range Shooting (3rd Ed.), Bryan Litz (Berger Ballistician) recommends at least a 1.4 SG rating when selecting a barrel twist for a particular bullet. This gives you a safety margin for shooting under various conditions, such as higher or lower altitudes or temperatures.
Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Many of our readers have been interested in learning how modern bullets are made. While a “boutique” bullet-maker, supplied with appropriate cores and jackets, can craft bullets using relatively simple hand dies and manual presses, factory production is different. The major bullet-makers, such as Barnes, employ huge, complex machines to craft their projectiles on an assembly line.
Modern hunting bullets are made with a variety of sophisticated (and expensive) machines, such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) lathes, giant multi-stage presses, and hydraulic extruding machines that draw lead ingots into lead wire. Barnes offers an “inside look” at the bullet production process in a series of videos filmed at its Mona, UT factory. We’ve embedded four videos from the series here. These videos can also be viewed on the Barnes Bullets YouTube Channel.
Milling Slots in TSX All-Copper Bullet
This video shows how the slots (between the drive bands) in the TSX all-copper bullet are cut. The slots reduce the bearing surface that contacts the rifling. This helps reduce friction and heat, extending the life of barrels used with all-metal, drive-band bullets:
Varminator Bullets Produced in Jumbo Transfer Press
Here is the transfer press used in the production of Varminator and MPG Bullets. The process begins with a giant spool of flat copper material. The copper is stamped into jackets and eventually the formed Varminator bullets are ejected one by one into a bucket.
CNC Lathe Turns Bullets Automatically
In the video below, a Bar-Feed CNC crafts mono-bloc bullets from metal bar stock. Barnes uses a small CNC lathe to turn .50-caliber bullets from brass bar stock. We’re not sure which bullet is being made in this video. The material looks to be sintered metal. In the close-ups you can gold-colored shavings from when the machine was previously used for CNC-turned brass bullets.
Accuracy Testing in 100-yard Tunnel
Barnes regularly tests bullet samples for accuracy. In the video below, a Barnes technician loads sample rounds and tests them for accuracy in a 100-yard tunnel. The rounds are shot through a special fixture — basically a barreled action connected to parallel rods on either side. This allows the testing fixture to slide straight back on recoil (see it move back at 1:07-08 minute mark).
Upside-Down Trigger — Application for Unlimited Benchrest Competition?
Note how the tester actuates the trigger, which points UPWARDS, just the opposite of a normal rifle. The technician lightly taps the upward-pointing trigger shoe with a metal rod. Could this upside-down trigger work in benchrest shooting — perhaps with railguns? It could make for an interesting experiment.
Story suggestion by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
All shooters, even rimfire enthusiasts, should always wear ear protection when at the range. A typical rifle gunshot is very loud — in the region of 140 to 170 decibels (the pain threshold is 130-140 db). Without ear protection, you can permanently damage your hearing during a single shooting session. We all know older shooters who are partially deaf, or who suffer from Tinnitus, because they didn’t use earplugs or muffs when they were younger.
Plugs PLUS Ear-Muffs — Benefits of “Doubling-Up” Hearing Protection
The best procedure for checked the true value of your scope click values is to use a tall target that can dial in at least 25 MOA of “up”, and check where your cross-hairs air compared to exact pre-measured reference lins. B2B developed an advanced target just for that task. The 30″ tall by 23.5″ wide Rex Grid Target (shown below) provides a highly precise grid for testing elevation and windage clicks. The unique grid design has small tics denoting 1/4 MOA, 1/2 MOA, and 3/4 MOA. 1 MOA is marked with a “+” and the 5, 10, 15, 20, & 25 MOA elevation lines are bolded for better visibility. There are aiming points at 5 MOA intervals over the full grid.
Many of our readers have been interested in learning how modern bullets are made. While a “boutique” bullet-maker, supplied with appropriate cores and jackets, can craft bullets using relatively simple hand dies and manual presses, factory production is different. The major bullet-makers, such as 
