Winchester’s new “Introduction to Ammunition — Ammo 101” is a four-part series including custom illustrations and information for four major ammunition categories: rifle, pistol, rimfire, and shotshell. The Ammo 101 series provides a detailed overview of centerfire rifle, centerfire pistol, rimfire, and shotshell ammunition, showcasing ammunition construction, components, calibers, and common usage. The Ammo 101 resource is free to download from Winchesters.mediaassets.com. Or, simply click one or more diagrams below. Each image will launch a large PDF which you can print or download.
TIP: Click Each Image for Full-Screen Printable PDF
Shown below are the first four ammunition information sheets prepared by Winchester. These show all the key components of cartridges and shotshells, and explain the functions. These diagrams are useful for training, and for persons getting started in reloading.
Ammo 101 Centerfire Rifle Cartridge Diagram (click for PDF)
Ammo 101 Rimfire Cartridge Diagram (click for printable PDF)
Ammo 101 Pistol Cartridge Diagram (click for printable PDF)
Ammo101 Shotshell Diagram (click for printable PDF)
About the Ammo 101 Series
The FREE Ammo 101 resources can help instructors nationwide who introduce new entrants to the shooting sports and hunting. Instructors can incorporate these resources into their training presentations, use them as handouts, or have them printed locally.
“The basics of ammunition… is what we want to deliver with the Ammo 101 series,” said Matt Campbell, Winchester V.P. of Sales & Marketing. “With millions of people across the United States starting their journey in the shooting sports as new firearm owners, providing easy-to-understand information on ammunition types is one way we can help educate our customers.”
AR-platform rifles can be maintenance-intensive beasts. They need regular inspection, cleaning, and lubrication. But some AR owners make the situation worse by not regularly cleaning important small parts, or by using too MUCH oily/greasy lubricants in the wrong places. A properly maintained and lubricated AR15 can shoot hundreds of rounds (between cleanings) without a problem. If you learn where (and where not) to apply lubricant, you’ll find that your AR will run more reliably and the task of cleaning the bolt, bolt carrier, and upper receiver internals will be less of a burden.
Here we showcase videos that show how to field-strip an AR-15, inspect the key parts, clean components, and lubricate internal parts as needed. Along with these videos, we recommend you read the comprehensive AR-15 Gun Cleaning Clinic article on the Brownells website. This explains in detail important procedures that the videos might only cover in a few seconds.
If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. Here are five videos that explain how to properly disassemble and clean AR-platform rifles.
1. How To Clean Your AR-15 | Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
This is a quick 90-second starter video that may help new AR owners. Ricky Lehnhardt of OTIS Technology demonstrates the basics of cleaning and maintaining your AR-15. Lehnhardt does a good job identifying the points that need cleaning on the inside of ARs. However he works very quickly in the video. You may want to pause the video at some points. Also, Lehnhardt employs a cable for pulling patches and brushes through the barrel. Yes this is fast and easy. However, for match AR rifles, we recommend that you instead use a cleaning ROD with fitted bore guide.
2. Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR-15 by Jerry Miculek
Here ace shooter Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.
3. AR-15 Maintenance: Field-strip, Clean and Lubricate an AR-15
Gunsite Academy instructor and gunsmith Cory Trapp demonstrates the proper way to field-strip, clean, and lubricate an AR-15 carbine. In this 30-minute video, Trapp offers several important technical tips and hints. For example, at 11:05 Trap demonstrates how to determine if your bolt needs new gas rings. Along with cleaning procedures, this video explains how to inspect key components and how to function-test your AR before each shooting session.
4. AR-15 Dissassembly and Cleaning Guide
This video does a good job, with close-ups, showing how to remove the bolt carrier and clean the inside of the upper receiver. Then you can see how to work with various tools to clean the bolt, bolt carrier, and inside of chamber. We also recommend that you inspect the ejector recess and extractor recess. When we’ve inspected ARs that failed to cycle properly, we have often found nasty gunk (mixture of carbon, greasy lube, and brass particles) in these areas.
5. Basic AR-15 Quick and Easy Field Maintenance
In this NSSF-sponsored video, pro shooter Ryan Muller demonstrates basic, quick field maintenance of his AR-15. This would be for a quick cleaning and lubrication of the reciprocating parts. This covers rapid maintenance in the field. For full field-stripping and thorough cleaning, watch the previous videos.
Handy Mat for Cleaning AR Rifles
When working on an AR-15, it’s smart to have a pad that can absorb solvents and cushion your upper and lower. The $24.99 Real Avid Smart Mat is a good choice. This features printed take-down instructions and it has a handy parts tray on the right side. The mat rolls up for convenient storage. Click HERE to learn more.
Vital Inspections You Should Do After Disassembly
Last but not least, here are recommended inspections you should do every time you do a full field-strip and cleaning of your black rifle:
Can you form a wildcat cartridge such as the 6 Dasher without expending primer, powders, and bullets? Absolutely. Using the hydro-forming method you can form improved cases in your workshop with no firing whatsoever, so there is no wear on your precious barrel. Watch this video to see how it’s done:
6 Dasher Case Hydro-Forming Demonstration:
Forum member Wes J. (aka P1ZombieKiller) has produced a helpful video showing how to form Dasher cases use the Hornady Hydraulic forming die kit. This includes a two-part die (body and piston), and a special shell holder. To form the case, you insert a primer in your virgin brass, top the case off with with a fluid (water or alcohol), then run the case up into the Hydro-forming die. A few stout whacks with a hammer and your case is 95% formed.
This same procedure can be accomplished with a Whidden Gunworks 6mm Dasher hydraulic form die. We like the Whidden hydro-forming die for its production quality and consistent results. This Whidden system works great according to our Forum members.
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
1. Insert spent primer in new 6mmBR brass case.
2. Fill with water or alcohol (Wes prefers alcohol).
3. Wipe excess fluid off case.
4. Place case in special Hornady shell-holder (no primer hole).
5. Run case up into Hydraulic forming die.
6. Smack top piston of forming die 3-4 times with rubber mallet or dead-blow hammer.
7. Inspect case, re-fill and repeat if necessary.
8. Drain alcohol (or water) into container.
9. Remove primer (and save for re-use).
10. Blow-dry formed case. Inspect and measure formed case.
Wes achieves very uniform cartridge OALs with this method. He measured ten (10) hydro-formed 6 Dasher cases and got these results: two @ 1.536″; 2 @ 1.537″; and 6 @ 1.538″.
Three or Four Whacks Produces a 95%-Formed Case
With a Whidden or Hornady hydro-forming die, hydraulic pressure does the job of blowing out the shoulders of your improved case. The process is relatively simple. Place a spent primer in the bottom of a new piece of brass. Fill the case with water, and then slip it into a special Hornady shell-holder with no hole in the middle. Then you run the case up into the forming die. Now comes the fun part. You gently insert a plunger (hydraulic ram) from the top, and give it three or four stiff whacks with a mallet (or better yet, a dead-blow hammer). Remove the plunger and you have a 95% formed case, ready to load.
Special Shell-Holder
Hornady supplies a shell holder made specifically for the hydro die; there’s no hole in the bottom of it. Just insert a spent primer into the primer pocket and you’re ready to go. The spent primer, combined with the solid shell holder, keeps the water from seeping out of the primer pocket. The primer pushes out a little bit during this process, but it’s impossible for it to come out because of the way the shell holder is designed. The shell holder has a grove which allows the case to slide out of the shell holder even when the primer protrudes a bit.
If the battery on your safe’s electronic lock is more than a year old, or if it is not giving you the right voltage, replace it today!
Check Your Gun Safe Batteries
We’re halfway through 2023. Hey guys — when was the last time you replaced the batteries in your gun safe? Has it been more than a year? If so, it’s time you get a new battery (or two) for that safe. The electronic keypad won’t work with an insufficient charge, and the lock system could potentially lose its combination memory if you wait too long.
IMPORTANT: If you have a safe with an electronic keypad, you should replace the battery every year as a precautionary measure. Trust us, you don’t want to come back in a few months and find that the keypad memory is kaput, and you’re locked out. That can lead to frustration and an expensive locksmith visit.
Here’s a true story. I have one safe with a Sargent & Greenleaf (S&G) keypad. A couple years back, in early December, I went to get into the safe. I punched in the correct combination, but all I got was a rapid “beep, beep, beep, beep” after I finished the last combination entry. I tried again to ensure I entered the combination correctly (I did). But again, the locking system responded with multiple rapid beeps indicating something was wrong. And the safe would not open. Now I was worried….
I popped out the battery holder (which slides in from the bottom of the keypad housing on the door). I removed the battery and tested it with a volt-meter. The 12-month-old Duracell 9-volt battery only registered 6.1 volts.
Low voltage was the problem. I went down to the store and got a couple new 9V batteries. I tested the new batteries and both measured 9.4 volts output. I slipped one of the new 9V batteries into the keypad housing, punched in the combination and everything worked OK again. Eureka.
Most electronic locks for safes WILL “remember” the combination for a period of time even when the battery is low (and the keypad’s “brain” should retain the combination when you remove the battery for replacement). However, a dead battery, or extended periods of low voltage can give you problems. Don’t rely on wishful thinking…
Summer Solstice is just four days away. That means shooters nationwide will soon be dealing with peak summer ambient temperatures. When it’s hot outside your barrels will heat up even faster during use — and that’s not good for barrel longevity or consistency during long strings of fire. If you want a barrel to have maximum useful life you need to keep it from getting very hot. That’s why you should have a barrel cooler. There are many variations, but the most popular models blow cooling air through the bore. This can reduce barrel temps significantly in a relatively short period of time.
For this Saturday Movies feature, we’ve found 7 videos that review commercial barrel coolers or show how to build your own cooler with a hose, small electric fan, and modified case. There are a variety of barrel coolers on the market currently. Three of the most popular coolers are the yellow BarrelCool, $39.99 at MidwayUSA, the red Magnetospeed RifleKuhl, $56.89 on Amazon ($59.99 MSRP), and the black/yellow Chamber Chiller BA PRO, $80.40 on Amazon.
Barrel Coolers — Why You Should Use Them
This video explains why it’s vitally important to keep your barrel cool, particularly when running a suppressor. The host, a long-range shooting instructor, explains: “The best way to extend your barrel life [is using] barrel coolers. We have learned through decades of shooting that keeping the barrel cool and cooling it as fast as possible between relays and strings of fire will return meaningful results in the longevity of your rifle barrel. If you shoot suppressed like we do, this brings the level of importance up to a whole new level. Keeping it cool will keep it running at its best longer than you ever thought possible.” The barrel cooler featured in this video is $65.00 on the Wolf Precision website.
Barrel Cooler Comparison Tests — Four Options
Barrel coolers are vital accessories that let you get more shots downrange with less time waiting. In this excellent, comparison test video LongRangeOnly’s Ryan Furman shows which barrel coolers will remove the most heat with the rate of air flow comparison. Ryan also covers some basic differences and attributes of each unit tested and tests the units with temp gauges. Units tested are the BarrelCool, Magnetospeed RifleKuhl, the blue-bodied Original Barrel Cooler (6:48 time-mark), and a large Coleman rechargeable Quick-Pump (8:12 time-mark). The latter two units provided the most airflow when fitted with an appropriate hose.
Build Your Own Barrel Cooler — New and Improved
Popular YouTube host F-Class John was one of the pioneers in building very affordable, yet very effective do-it-yourself barrel coolers. John initially used a hose fitted to a battery-powered black Rechargeable Mini Air Pump. John then tapered a hose to fit a cartridge case for a perfect fit in the chamber. The case-head was cut off to better fit the hose for maximum airflow.
F-Class John later created an upgraded barrel cooling system using smaller, more compact pumps. He would charge these with a high-capacity battery pack (see above) and a USB charging cord. As shown in the video above, this Gen 2 system proved to be very effective. John notes: “Make sure you watch how long you the pump runs and don’t let it overheat”. One of these USB-port Mini Air Pumps is currently available on Amazon for $29.98, and there are similar compact pumps for a bit less.
Chamber Chiller BA Pro vs. Magnetospeed RifleKuhl
This video compares two compact barrel coolers, the red Magnetospeed RifleKuhl, $56.89 on Amazon and the yellow Chamber Chiller BA PRO, $80.40 on Amazon. Hear the tester’s conclusions starting at the 2:40 time-mark. The tester reports that both the RifleKuhl and the Chamber Chiller fit well in the chambers. The two units cooled down barrels pretty much identically in the field. Measured with a Kestrel, the RifleKuhl had a 12 mph flow vs. 11 mph flow for the Chamber Chiller (3:03 time-mark). The deciding factors for the tester (1:32 time-mark) were the superior battery life of the Chamber Chiller (with an extra USB battery attached) and the quietness of the Chamber Chiller.
Riflekühl Barrel Cooler by MagnetoSpeed
The MagnetoSpeed Riflekühl barrel cooler is designed to get barrel temperatures down to intended operating levels quickly. The turbocharger-inspired impeller is engineered to produce great airflow in a small package. Powered by a single CR123A Lithium battery (included), ambient air is forced through the extendable nozzle down the bore of the rifle. This is pretty efficient and can typically cool a barrel in under 8 minutes. The Riflekühl doubles as a chamber flag and features an exclusive built-in air filter to prevent dust and dirt from being blown into your rifle.
DIY Barrel Cooler Made with Mattress Inflator and Hose
An average gun-owner can build a good barrel cooler relatively easily with low-cost components. In this GunMart.TV video from the UK, the host showcases a very effective barrel cooler he crafted with an electric mattress inflator and a hose. The unit has good flow and can cool a barrel in a couple of minutes (3:10 time-mark). These components can be purchased for under $30.00. The tester purchased his cooler fan for $14.99 on Amazon (3:40 time-mark).
Thanks to Boyd Allen for help finding these videos.
Much of the Northeast USA recently suffered from smoke drifting south from massive forest fires in Canada. This underscores the importance of helping to prevent wildfires. There were 68,988 wildfires in 2022 that burned more than 7.5 million acres of land throughout the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. These conflagrations — an increase from 2021 of over 10,000 more wildfires — caused billions of dollars in damage plus hardship for both people and wildlife.
NSSF reminds target shooters and hunters to take precautions so they don’t accidently ignite a wildfire. Some 90 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by human actions.
KEY PRECAUTIONS:
1. Be aware of any/all restrictions on shooting and other activities in fire-prone areas.
2. Do NOT use tracer rounds, exploding targets or ammunition that is steel-jacketed or contains steel-core components.
3. Be aware that a car, truck, or ATV’s hot exhaust system can ignite dry vegetation — so stay on roads whenever possible. Park only in designated areas and don’t leave the motor running in wilderness areas.
4. Make sure all campfires and smoking materials are properly extinguished.
NSSF’s Help Prevent Wildfires public service campaign helps remind recreational shooters and outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of their surroundings and to follow the key precautions outlined above. Wildfires are tragic in many ways. Remember that most wildfires can be prevented if people pay attention to their surroundings and follow safe practices.
The Summer Solstice is June 21, 2023, just a week away. And July is coming very soon. That means “peak heat” summer conditions. It’s vitally important to keep your ammo at “normal” temps during the hot summer months. Even if you use “temp-insensitive” powders, studies suggest that pressures can still rise dramatically when the entire cartridge gets hot, possibly because of primer heating.
It’s smart to keep your loaded ammo in an insulated storage unit, possibly with a Blue Ice Cool Pak if you expect it to get quite hot. Don’t leave your ammo in the car or truck — temps can exceed 140° in a vehicle parked in the sun.
To learn more about how ambient temperature (and primer choice) affect pressures (and hence velocities) you should read the article Pressure Factors: How Temperature, Powder, and Primer Affect Pressure by Denton Bramwell. In that article, the author uses a pressure trace instrument to analyze how temperature affects ammo performance. Bramwell’s tests yielded some fascinating results.
For example, barrel temperature was a key factor: “Both barrel temperature and powder temperature are important variables, and they are not the same variable. If you fail to take barrel temperature into account while doing pressure testing, your test results will be very significantly affected. The effect of barrel temperature is around 204 PSI per F° for the Varget load. If you’re not controlling barrel temperature, you about as well might not bother controlling powder temperature, either. In the cases investigated, barrel temperature is a much stronger variable than powder temperature.”
This Editor had the personal experience of 6mmBR hand-loaded ammo that was allowed to sit in the hot sun for 45 minutes while steel targets were reset. The brass became quite warm to the touch, meaning the casings were well over 120° on the outside. When I then shot this ammo, the bullets impacted well high at 600 yards (compared to earlier in the day). Using a Magnetospeed, I then chron-tested the sun-heated ammo. The hot ammo’s velocity FPS had increased very significantly — all because I had left the ammo out in the hot sun uncovered for 3/4 of an hour.
LESSON: Keep your ammo cool! Keep loaded ammo in the shade, preferably under cover or in an insulated container. You can use a SEALED cool pack inside the container, but we do NOT recommend H20 ice packs. And don’t have the container do double duty for food and beverages.
Powder Heat Sensitivity Comparison Test
Our friend Cal Zant of the Precision Rifle Blog has published a fascinating comparison test of four powders: Hodgdon H4350, Hodgdon Varget, IMR 4451, and IMR 4166. The first two are Hodgdon Extreme powders, while the latter two are part of IMR’s Enduron line of propellants.
The testers measured the velocity of the powders over a wide temperature range, from 25° F to 140° F. Hodgdon H4350 proved to be the most temp stable of the four powders tested. [NOTE: New Alliant Reloder TS 15.5 has also proved very temp stable in AccurateShooter’s range tests.]
Today’s Sunday GunDay Story is a unique and beautiful F-Class rifle from France. This handsome rifle was first featured in our Gun of the Week Archives. This rifle was a gift from husband to wife. Because this is such a unique rifle, with a great back-story, we are reprising this “French Connection” rifle once again.
Europe has a number of capable custom arms makers, and in this article we feature one of them, Christian Salva of Toulouse, France. Here we spotlight an ultra-accurate and handsome 6-6.5×47 Lapua F-Class rifle. Built for a lady, the rifle exhibits flawless craftmanship to match its superior performance.
Alie Gets Her Gun — Thanks to Husband Aurélien
Photos and text by LONASSAC, translation by T.J.E., NRA UK
Aliénore, a charming young French lady, shares her passion for short- and long-range shooting with her husband, Aurélien. Aurélien already owns a 6mmBR PGM Ultima Ratio rifle and decided to have a rifle built for his wife so that they could shoot together. They therefore turned for help to the Christian Salva workshop, located in Toulouse in the south of France, close to their home.
SALVA Walnut Stock–Gorgeous Wood, and Great Ergonomics
Aliénore chose a superb, perfectly-grained French walnut blank for the stock. The stock is a single, solid piece of walnut, with a waxed finish to show off its fine figuring. The stock design is optimized for F-Class, prone and Bench Rest shooting. The fore-end is flat and 3.35″ (85mm) wide, slightly wider than the common 3″ used on most benchrest rifles. On the underside of the forearm is a rail to take a Parker-Hall or a Versa Pod-type bipod. The trigger guard is a custom, light alloy SALVA design. The butt plate is Anschütz-type. It adjusts vertically and can be rotated on its horizontal axis. The cheek piece is adjustable for height only — all that is needed.
Aliénore selected the F-Class Target Rifle from Christian Salva’s range of rifles, which is the one best suited to the type of shooting she wanted to do. Their club’s rifle range, near their home, goes out to 600 meters (See photos above). Unfortunately, as is usual in France, the range does not have a target pit. Members shoot prone using front benchrest-style rests, as in F-Class. The problem is that, without a proper target trench, it’s not possible have individual shots spotted and marked (as would be done in American High Power matches). However, with a good scope, in good light, shot-holes can be seen at 400m, and sometimes even at 600m — but this is rare.
When this rifle was crafted, Christian Salva was one of the few gunsmiths in France who manufactures complete rifles from front sight to butt-plate. With the sole exception of the barrel, he constructs the whole rifle, including action, bolt, trigger and stock. He also does all the bedding and chambering himself. Everything is done to his customer’s specification which, of course, can only be achieved in a small and highly specialized business.
General Rifle Specifications
The rifle was built on a SALVA hexagonal long range action with a flat base, which is set in a highly-figured French walnut stock using a bedding block. The gun is 49″ (125 cm) overall, and weighs 9 kg (about 20 lbs.), including scope. The barrel is 29″ (74cm) long, and a straight 1.22″ (31mm) in diameter. Given the weight and size of the barrel, the decision was made to secure the barreled action into the stock with a bedding block. On top of the action is an angled Picatinny rail with 20-MOA built-in to allow long-range shooting without using up the scope’s internal elevation. The rifle is currently fitted with a Nightforce 12-42x56mm BR scope held in alloy rings.
Details of SALVA Action
The rifle features a light Dural alloy right bolt, right port, single-shot action treated and coated with a champagne-color surface hardener. The action is hexagonal in shape (normal for a French action), with a flat base for improved bedding. On this particular gun, however, the action is floated, with the barreled action secured by the long barrel block. Take a good look at the photo below. Yes, the action on is fully-floated — the barrel block secures the barreled action into the wood stock. This is similar to some Benchreast heavy guns.
Christian Salva produces his actions from scratch, employing high-tech machinery, including CNC multi-axis mills. The advanced design allows the action to be very strong as well as light. The SALVA action is very thick and sturdy, in spite of its weight being reduced to a minimum. It can chamber cartridges from the 6mmBR size up to magnum calibers such as the 300 Win Mag. A treated steel insert is screwed into the front of the action. This is threaded to receive the barrel and machined to receive the locking lugs of the bolt. The threaded section is especially long (36mm with a 1.5mm thread) so as to ensure proper rigidity for the unit. Where the bolt lever closes, a steel insert, screwed into place with a BTR screw, prevents the steel bolt lever from wearing the softer Dural alloy of the action.
Tri-Lug Bolt with Extractor and Ejector in Lugs
The cylindrical all-steel bolt has a diameter of 0.906″ (23mm) and three (3) front locking lugs. The bolt design has BOTH extractor and ejector placed in locking lugs. Salva’s goal, in engineering the position and operation of both extractor and ejector, was to reduce side pressure on the cartridge. The extractor is designed to hold a cartridge case in place with minimal lateral displacement. The ejector is also built into one of the three lugs. [Editor’s Note: Many modern benchrest actions, such as the Stolle Panda, Stiller Viper, and some BATs employ an extractor in the lug. This is also a feature on Savage bolts and push-feed Model 70 Winchesters. However, these bolts do not have the ejector in a lug as well.]
Remarkably, the ejector has no spring, unlike most bolt designs. It should be noted that this springless ejector is designed to eliminate side pressure when chambering a round, thus keeping the round concentric in the chamber. The ejector is mechanical and will eject the case if the shooter pulls the bolt all the way back. If the shooter prefers to extract the case by hand, one simply pulls the bolt part way back. The 1.5″ (38mm) bolt lever is fairly short, but it has an oversize 30mm polymer knob to facilitate the opening and closing of the bolt.
French Gun, German Barrel — a 29″ Lothar Walther
On Aliénore’s rifle, the barrel is the only component not manufactured by SALVA in Toulouse. For the barrel, Christian Salva chose a stainless Lothar Walther, 6-groove barrel, with a 1:8″-twist for handling 105gr bullets. The muzzle is milled with an 11º slope so as to handle boat-tail VLD bullets. This German-made Walther tube has a 1.22″ (31mm) straight contour and is 29″ (74mm) in length. This long, non-tapered barrel is heavy enough that Salva decided to mount it with an alloy bedding block, about 8″ long (20 cm). Ten Allen-head screws clamp the block to the barrel, while the lower section of the bedding block is secured to the wood stock with eight screws and bedding compound.
Proprietary SALVA Trigger
The trigger is also manufactured by SALVA in its entirety, from Christian’s own design. Overall trigger pull weight adjusts from 50-250 grams (1.8 oz. – 8.8 oz.). The SALVA trigger can also adjust for: Longitudinal trigger position (Length of Pull); Over-travel; Main travel; Second-stage pressure; and Sear engagement.
Cartridge and Load Info
The rifle is chambered in 6-6.5×47 Lapua. Aurélien starts with Lapua 6.5×47 cases. These are then necked-down to 6mm and neck-sized with a .265″ bushing. The necks are turned very slightly, to ensure neckwall uniformity, and achieve a consistent grip on the bullet. Aurélien loads Berger 105gr VLD bullets, pushed by Vihtavuori N160 powder and small magnum primers. His preferred load is 38.2 grains of N160 with a cartridge overall length (COAL) of 2.732″ (69.40 mm). With this load, muzzle velocity is 2854 fps (870 meters per second) chronographed one meter from the muzzle. [Editor’s note–this is a very mild load. The 6-6.5×47 can drive 105-grainers over 3100 fps.]
How the Rifle Shoots
Smooth Function + Great Accuracy
When firing using a front rest, the recoil of a 9 kg, 6-6.5×47 Lapua rifle is minimal and ideal for a lady. The operation of the rifle is trouble-free, even if a few rounds were initially a bit stiff on loading for the first time. Thereafter everything sorted itself out very nicely. The action of the bolt is solid and one can feel that everything is very snug and that the tolerances are properly tight.
The versatile trigger rivals the best benchrest triggers, with the additional bonus of a single- or two-stage operation. That said, with a minimum pull-weight of 50 grams (1.8 oz.) perhaps the term “two-stage” is not the best description, since it is difficult to detect a let-off point at that weight. The trigger can be set to be a very light, single-stage let-off.
The rifle is fitted with a Nightforce 12-42x56mm BR model scope. This high-magnification optic enables the shooter to see his/her bullet holes at 400 meters in good light. This is very useful when it comes to adjusting for wind. The stock’s adjustability and ergonomics allow the shooter to feel comfortable using this rifle. The Anschütz butt-plate and easily-adjustable height of the cheek piece help in that regard.
This rifle has demonstrated some impressive accuracy. Below is a group shot by Aurélien at 400 meters (437.4 yards) on C200 targets. Using OnTarget group measuring software, we calculated this 5-shot group at 0.555″ or 0.121 MOA. That’s remarkable for a gun shooting long, VLD-style bullets. At 100 meters the rifle has yielded “one-ragged hole” groups.
After a successful first year at the 2022 NRA National Matches, electronic targets are returning to Camp Atterbury for the 2023 Rifle Matches. Shooting Sports USA reports that: “Last year at the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, the High Power Rifle Nationals were fired on electronic targets from Silver Mountain Targets. The e-targets that made their debut last summer … will be returning for use again in competition this year at Camp Atterbury during the High Power … National Championships.”
Cole McCulloch, NRA’s Director of Competitive Shooting explained: “For 2023, we are continuing with range improvements, including 50 Silver Mountain electronic targets to support High Power Rifle and F-Class. We will have these targets in place for the 2023 National Matches.” (NOTE: The 2023 F-Class National Championships will be held Oct. 29 through Nov. 6 at the Ben Avery Range in Arizona.)
The e-targets on Camp Atterbury’s Range Six at Camp Atterbury last summer eliminated pit duty last summer and, importantly, allowed real-time scoring. Competitors could immediately see their shot placements and scores using mobile devices (such as iPads) connected via WiFi to the e-targets. Shooting Sports USA noted that: “After a few hiccups on day one of the 2023 NRA High Power Nationals, which were quickly rectified, the Silver Mountain electronic targets performed without any major issues for the duration of the championship.”
Camp Atterbury competitors last summer were generally impressed with the electronic targets: “E-targets were a godsend, as they totally eliminated the need to pull in the pits, which was especially valuable this summer in the scorching Indiana heat,” Charles Rowe, a longtime NRA High Power shooter, said.
At the 2023 NRA Nationals at Camp Atterbury, the High Power Rifle matches (Over the Course (OTC), Mid-Range, Long-Range) will have electronic targets. That means faster relays, quicker scoring, and NO PIT DUTY! Relays can proceed much more quickly and efficiently, so matches can be completed in significantly shorter time-spans.
Silver Mountain Targets Electronic Targets at Camp Atterbury
The Silver Mountain Targets (SMT) electronic target system is an OPEN SENSOR system fitted to conventional wood target frames. It uses four sensors to plot shot location (and score value) with great precision. Scores are transmitted via a WiFi network to mobile devices placed at each shooting station. Along with shot location, the score values are listed and recorded on the receiving devices.
The electronic target systems from Silver Mountain Targets provide instantaneous scoring, with scores instantly transmitted to WiFi monitors at each station on the firing lines. This shows competitors their shot locations immediately. That helps with wind calls. For the most part, the system worked very well in 2022 after some glitches on Day One.
Silver Mountain Target’s David Schnelle explained “The system is designed to be easily expandable and provide a high level of reliability. System components are battery-powered to simplify deployment on a military range and allows the system to even operate if there is a power outage. Communications between targets and the firing line is via a highly reliable WiFi connection, utilizing any WiFi-capable device to display competitors’ shots.”
For some applications, we prefer a non-bushing FL die over a bushing die. Shown here are three Forster full-length sizing dies, with necks honed to three different dimensions: 0.265″, 0.266″, and 0.267″.
The Honed Full-Length Sizing Die Option
There are many good options in full-length (FL) sizing dies. Most precision hand-loaders prefer FL dies with neck bushings. These let you adjust the “grip” on your bullet by using larger or smaller bushings. FL bushing dies are available from Whidden Gunworks, Forster, Redding and other makers.
Conventional, non-bushing full-length sizing dies can create ultra-accurate ammo with very low run-out. But many conventional non-bushing FL dies have an undersized neck diameter so you end up with excess neck tension, and you work the brass excessively.
There is another effective option, one that promises extremely low run-out. The honed FL die is a full-length sizing die that has the necked honed to provide a precise fit to the case-neck. When done right, honed FL dies produce extremely straight ammo — as there are no issues with bushing alignment (or bushings that are not perfectly concentric). This Editor owns honed dies from Forster, Redding, and Whidden Gunworks. They all perform extremely well, delivering match ammunition with extremely low run-out measured with a 21st Century Concentricity Gauge.
In one of the most popular articles we’ve ever published, Bugholes from Bipod, California shooter “Froggy” explained why he prefers honed dies for his tactical ammo.
Q: Do you FL size every time? Do you use custom dies?
Absolutely, I full length resize all of my brass every time I reload. And guess what? I’ve never had a feeding problem.
I do use a modified sizing die, without bushings. My FL resizing die has been custom-honed in the neck area to give .0015″ press fit on the bullet. I also put a slightly larger radius at the neck shoulder junction. I feel that this helps to seal the chamber. With this die, I get consistent neck tension every time–without bushings. Bushings are useful when you’re fishing around for a good load. But once you find the right amount of sizing for ideal neck tension, you can do this better with a customized FL die.
6.5 Guys Review Forster Honed Full-length Dies
The 6.5 Guys have reviewed honed FL sizing dies from Forster, explaining the pros and cons of this type of reloading die. They explained that, if you load a wide variety of bullets from different manufacturers, you many want to stick with a Bushing FL die. However, if you have settled on a particular bullet and found the “ideal” neck tension, then a honed die may make sense.
In this Gear Update, the 6.5 Guys discuss a service offered by Forster Products to custom hone the neck diameter of its full-length sizing dies to the customer’s specifications (to the thousandth). Whidden Gunworks also offers custom-honed FL dies.
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