If you ever shoot with electronic targets, ShotMarkers, or target cams, chances are you’ll spend lots of time looking at the screen of a tablet computer or iPad. These electronic devices are pretty amazing, but they have one major shortcoming when used outdoors — reflections from the highly-polished glass screen.
Well it turns out there is a simple, inexpensive solution to the problem of annoying tablet screen reflections. Just purchase a quality anti-reflective screen protector for your tablet, iPad, or smartphone and you will eliminate most annoying reflections and make your mobile device MUCH easier to use at the range.
Take a look at the two photos above. The first photo shows how annoying reflections can obscure the ShotMarker display on a tablet. The second shot shows how much easier it is to view the ShotMarker target image with an anti-reflective screen cover in place. BIG improvement!
Our friend Keith Glasscock recently added an anti-reflective screen protector to his iPad tablet and found that it works wonders. Keith recently reviewed the iCarez Matte Screen Protector for his Winning in the Wind YouTube Channel. These screen covers are available in a wide variety of sizes to fit most Apple iPhones and Apple iPads. These thin, matte screen protectors are quite affordable, with prices starting at just $9.95.
In addition, there are other brands of screen protectors for Android devices that work the same way. Again, you’ll find a variety of sizes. For example, Supershieldz now offers a 3-pack of matte screen covers for 10″ Samsung tablets for just $5.99 on Amazon
In the above video, Keith Glasscock explains the problem of screen reflections when using mobile devices for shot monitoring. Keith then describes his positive experience with the iCarez Matte screen cover installed on his personal iPad.
A good screen cover can eliminate this kind of harsh reflection on tablet screens:
Here’s a story about a $1500 screw-up. Last year a fellow was shooting pistols at a range in Colorado. After his range session, the shooter left behind a specialty back-pack containing two nice 9mm handguns, plus ammo, hearing protection, and other gear. The smaller pistol appears to be a Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 compact, while the larger handgun looks like a SIG Sauer P320 Nitron full size. Combined current value of those two handguns (with mags) was over $1200.00.
What was the total value of the forgotten items? To the handguns’ value, you must add the cost of the ammo ($150+), hearing protection ($50+) and the price of the range backpack and other accessories ($150). All totaled, this unfortunate shooter left over $1500.00 worth of guns, ammo, and gear on the bench.
The poor fellow was fortunate however. His backpack filled with guns and ammo was found by an HONEST member of our Shooters’ Forum. That Forum member put up a notice about the lost items on the shooting club’s website. The objective was to safely return the guns and gear to their absent-minded rightful owner.
“I was at my club range in Colorado this morning right at sun up. I wanted to fire a box of 7mm-08 before the heat set in. I found this backpack left behind from the day before on a bench. The backpack had two pistols and was packed to the gills with ammo, magazines, and ear protection.
But there was NO OWNER ID inside!
I left a big note there at the range saying that I found the pack, and listing my phone number. I will have a ‘found gear’ notice posted on our shooting club website very soon.
Guys, this isn’t the first time. Last fall I found a Ruger 77 .30-06 rifle left in a rifle rack. The owner got it back a few days later.”
Guys — Slow down!
Look around before leaving the range!
Be sure to gather ALL your guns and gear!
HAPPY ENDING — Guns and Gear Returned to Owner
“The very happy owner was reunited with his pack after coming to my house. He drove out to the range at 1:00 PM and saw my note held down with a rock on that bench. He called and ID’d the contents. I love a happy ending!” READ Forum Thread.
For load development, some guys shoot 3-shot groups. Other guys shoot 5-shot groups, or even 10-shot strings. But for testing its projectiles, Sierra Bullets takes it to another level entirely. A while back Sierra was testing its .30-Caliber 175gr HPBT MatchKing in the Sierra underground tunnel. The results appear above — a FIVE HUNDRED Round group!
500 Shots Form 0.82 MOA Group at 300m (328 yards)
Sierra’s trigger-pullers sent five full boxes of bullets down-range at a single target. The photo above shows the result of 500 shots taken in a 300 meter test tunnel. The raw group size, edge to edge of the farthest shots, is about 3.13 inches, as shown on the calipers’ metal linear scale. Subtract a .308″ nominal bullet diameter* to get the 2.823″ on the digital readout. So you’re seeing a 2.823″ group at 300 meters (328 yards). One MOA at this distance is 3.435″ so this 500-round group is 2.823 divided by 3.435 or 0.82 MOA (0.8218 MOA to be precise).
This 500-round group was shoot as part of a pressure/velocity test for a commercial customer. The cartridge was .308 Winchester, loaded at 2.800″. The powder was Reloder 15. A 26″ barrel was shot from a return to battery rest. The gun was cleaned every 125 rounds and two foulers shot.
What do you think — could you beat this group from a bench for 500 rounds?
One Facebook poster joked: “500-round group? Everyone knows anything less than 1000-round groups are a waste of time and statistically irrelevant.”
Sierra’s 300 Meter Testing Tunnel
Ever wonder how (and where) Sierra tests its bullets? The answer is underground, in a 300-meter test tunnel located under Sierra’s factory in Sedalia, Missouri. The photo above shows the construction of the tunnel back in May, 1990. Like most bullet manufacturers, Sierra does live-fire bullet testing of its projectiles. Sierra’s 300-meter test range is the longest, manufacturer-owned underground bullet test facility in the world. In years past, Sierra offered free visits to the test tunnel as part of a factory tour.
* Normally, to get an exact group size, you should subtract the TRUE bullet hole size, which is usually smaller than the nominal bullet diameter. E.g. a .308 bullet hole may show on paper as .298 or so. But here, for simplicity, we are subtracting .308″ because we do not have the original target to measure.
Here is an important safety reminder for readers who employ hand priming tools with trays of multiple primers. In this instance a primer detonated while being seating in a pistol cartridge case. This caused a “flash-over” which instantly ignited multiple other primers in the tray. That, in turn, caused a small explosion which broke the tray and Hornady Handheld Priming Tool. The user, a Forum member, reported this last summer in our Shooters’ Forum.
Report by Forum Member about Primer Flash-Over Incident
I had a small scare the other day while reloading. My experience might be a helpful reminder to people to keep safe and follow proper procedures and not be sloppy.
A primer popped (went off) when being seated and (while hot) flashed over into the tray causing other primers in the tray to detonate. That, in turn, broke my Hornady Handheld Priming Tool and injured my hand.
Here is my loading area after the incident. Note the damage to the hand priming tool. I’m not not sure where the rest of the pieces are.
Injuries to User — Multiple Cuts on Hand and Forearm
This photo shows the resulting cuts to hand. Fortunately they seem superficial. Note — I was wearing latex gloves so my hand had some protection.
The blast also blew my glasses off my face and they landed about six feet away. Be careful folks and wear your eye protection! EDITOR: Guys — This is yet more compelling evidence why handloaders should always wear eye protection!
More Details — Primers Were Federal LP, Case Primer Pockets Had Been Checked
The forum member noted: “Just in case people are interested, I didn’t notice anything different from usual. Cases were Privi Partizan (PPU) factory brass on their fourth firing. The primers were Federal Large Pistol. The cases had been ultrasonic cleaned and the primer pockets checked prior to priming. I had primed around 50 cases during this session before the accident.”
Here is a close-up of “flashed” primers — note the empty but dented cups and triangular “anvils”:
Two other Forum members reported feeding issues with this particular Hornady handheld priming tool and one other member, Kiwi Greg, suffered a multi-primer detonation causing injury: “I had the same thing happen a few years ago now with the same Hornady hand primer with 50-75 [Federal 215M primers] in the tray. Made a bit of a mess of both my hands, blew primers and tray all around my large workshop. Scared the [heck] out of my employee who was near me at the time. Some stitches, bandages and it was all good, [but with] some wicked scars… I think a primer had turned side-on when being put into Bertram .408 CT brass which had nice tight pockets and required more force than usual. I use RCBS [priming tools] now with a flat bar that slides across to prevent sympathetic detonations. I hadn’t heard of it before, but found out it wasn’t that uncommon after it happened.”
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.
What was the total value of the forgotten items? To the handguns’ value, you must add the cost of the ammo ($150+), hearing protection ($50+) and the price of the range backpack and other accessories ($150). All totaled, this unfortunate shooter left over $1500.00 worth of guns, ammo, and gear on the bench.
Report by Forum Member about Primer Flash-Over Incident
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
Special Shell-Holder
Check Your Gun Safe Batteries
