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April 14th, 2014
Here’s a new product from SIG SAUER — the company’s first-ever line of centerfire pistol ammo. If this stuff matches the quality of SIG’s firearms, then shooters should be very happy. Designed for personal defense, SIG SAUER Elite Performance Ammunition features a proprietary V-Crown™ stacked hollow point bullet for reliable expansion. The five introductory calibers and bullet weights are: 90gr .380 ACP, 124gr 9mm Luger, 125gr .357 SIG, 165gr .40 S&W, and 200gr .45 ACP. Instructors at the SIG SAUER Academy have fired tens of thousands of rounds in the development of this new ammo. And here’s more good news — SIG plans to bring out rifle ammunition in the near future.
“Every product SIG SAUER produces will have the same attributes for which our firearms are known around the world – reliability, accuracy, and unparalleled performance,” said Jeff Creamer, SIG SAUER director of product management. “We are excited to enter the ammunition market and will be adding additional bullet weights for pistols as well as rifle ammunition in the months ahead.”
Video Explains SIG SAUER Ammo Features
The proprietary SIG V-Crown stacked hollow point bullet features an additional smaller hollow point cavity behind the main cavity. This design, along with the V-shaped jacket skives, guarantees controlled, uniform expansion. Brass cases are Techni-crom® coated for enhanced lubricity, superior corrosion resistance, and reliable feeding and extraction. Elite Performance Ammunition is made in the USA. For more information, visit www.sigsauer.com/ammunition.
About SIG SAUER
SIG SAUER, Inc. is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland. SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified company with more than 1,000 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER and its products, visit www.sigsauer.com.
April 13th, 2014
If you have a Federal Firearms License, or work with an FFL-holder, please read this story — there is an important change in the way the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (BATFE) will handle forms. It appears the the BATFE’s eform system was not ready for prime time, so it is being shelved for the time being. This means that import forms, NFA forms, and AFMER reports must now be submitted via paper “hard copies”.
In early April, BATFE took its troubled eForms program offline. A BATFE notice stated that: “The eForms software is not performing to our expectations. As a result, we are taking the eForms system down until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work with our industry partners to deliver a quality product. Any eForm (already) submitted will continue to be processed. The finalized forms will be sent to the user via email. Until the eForms system is returned to service for the industry, all imports forms (Forms 6 Part I and 6A), NFA forms (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10), and AFMER reports (Form 5300.11) must be submitted via paper, including any eForms in draft status.” Questions should be directed to eForms.admin [at] atf.gov.
April 12th, 2014
Remington Arms Company, LLC (Remington) is recalling Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with X-Mark Pro® (XMP) triggers, manufactured from May 1, 2006 to April 9, 2014. The reason for the recall is that “Remington engineers determined that some Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with XMP triggers could, under certain circumstances, unintentionally discharge.” READ Recall Notice.
Remington’s investigation determined that some XMP triggers might have excess bonding agent used in the assembly process, which could cause an unintentional discharge. Therefore, Remington is recalling ALL affected products to fully inspect and clean the XMP triggers with a specialized process. Remington has advised customers to immediately cease use of recalled rifles and return them to Remington free of charge. The rifles will be inspected, specialty cleaned, tested, and returned as soon as possible. Remington advises: “Do not attempt to diagnose or repair recalled rifles”.
Remington now offers a dedicated website and toll-free hotline to help consumers determine whether their Model 700 or Model Seven rifle(s) are subject to recall.
- Remington Recall Website: http://xmprecall.remington.com
On this website you can enter rifle serial number(s) to determine, in seconds, if a particular rifle is subject to recall.
- Toll-Free Recall Hotline: 1-800-243-9700
(Prompt #3 then Prompt #1) Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm EDT.
The Remington Recall Notice also says that a visual inspection can reveal if a rifle is subject to recall. You may determine if your rifle is subject to the recall by visually inspecting the face of the trigger.
1) If the face of the trigger is ribbed (see Photo (1) below), your rifle does not have an XMP trigger and is NOT subject to this recall.
2) If the face of the trigger is smooth (see Photo (2) below), your rifle has an XMP trigger and IS subject to this recall. You should immediately seek further assistance by calling 1-800-243-9700 or visiting XMPrecall.remington.com.
If You Have A Rifle Subject to Recall
STOP USING YOUR RIFLE. Any unintended discharge has the potential to cause injury or death. Immediately cease use of recalled rifles and return them to Remington free of charge. Rifles will be inspected, specialty cleaned, tested, and returned as soon as possible, at no cost to you. DO NOT attempt to diagnose or repair recalled rifles.
“Remington takes safety extremely seriously,” said Teddy Novin, Director of Public Affairs and Communications. “While we have the utmost confidence in the design of the XMP trigger, we are undertaking this recall in the interest of customer safety, to remove any potential excess bonding agent applied in the assembly process. We have established significant safety and technical resources to determine which rifles are affected and to minimize any risks. Our goal is to have every recalled firearm inspected, specialty cleaned, tested and returned as soon as possible.”
If you have a Model 700 or Model Seven rifle subject to recall, contact Remington right away. Provide the rifle’s serial number and your addresss. Remington will send you pre-paid shipping tags, boxes and written instructions. Remington will cover all related shipping, inspection, and cleaning charges.
Story Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
April 12th, 2014
Here’s a great offer if you are looking for a top-quality, high-end competition, tactical, or hunting scope. Now through the end of April, 2014, Kelbly’s is offering a $300.00 Kelbly’s Credit if you purchase a March scope in stock. Here’s how this works, as explained by Ian Kelbly: “During the month of April, Kelbly’s will have a $300.00 instant gift certificate for anyone buying a March scope that is in stock. This sale does not include any March scopes that have to be ordered from the factory. You can use your gift certificate instantly on anything Kelbly’s carries, or use it on the purchase of the scope. If you would like a list of current March Scopes inventory, just email jim@kelbly.com and we will send you the inventory list.” CLICK HERE for more details.
Think about this — you can buy a great scope and save $300.00, or you could apply your $300.00 credit to a Kelbly Panda, Kodiak, or Atlas action or a Kelbly stock. Hmm, have you been wondering what to do with that tax refund? Well the folks at Kelbly’s have just stretched your budget by $300.00. Just remember this special $300.00 “instant gift certificate” is good this month (April, 2014) only. If you wait too long you may miss out on the big savings.
Special Promo Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
April 12th, 2014
New Daily Bulletin readers may not know that our AccurateShooter.com website offers an entire set of FREE TARGETS. There are over 50 free targets, including: Sight-in targets, Load Development targets, Benchrest targets, NRA Highpower targets, Scope Testing targets, Fun Targets, Rimfire BR targets, 3D Bullseye targets, and even a special set of Rimfire Tactical targets.
Most of the targets come bundled in .zip archives, so you can easily download multiple targets with one click. The targets are saved in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat), so they are easy to print and the scale is correct no matter what your screen resolution.
In the photo above, Forum member FireMedic shows some fine shootin’ with our basic Accuracy Target. With small, red diamonds and extended black lines, this target allows very precise aiming at 100 and 200 yards. The gray dot on top provides a reference point for a 200-yard zero. FireMedic reports: “My 30″, 12 twist, 3 groove does pretty good for an old Savage chambered in .308 Win.” With an average group size of 0.208 inches we’d have to agree. Great Shootin’ FireMedic!
Above are two fun targets you might enjoy. The Atomic Target was originally created as a contest for our readers. The design is by Michael Forester of Auckland, New Zealand. Hit the bigger green and red neutrons, then try your luck with the smaller electrons. Or you can try to shot some “bug-holes” with our popular Fly Shoot Target. Watch out for the bio-hazard rings!
Of course, if you happen to have actual insect land on your target, you might just shoot an honest-to-goodness “bughole”. Here we see an accurate “direct hit” on a gnat’s a** by Dr. Clint D., described by GA Precision’s George Gardner as a “gnat protologist”. The shot was made at 100 yards with a very accurate GAP .260 Rem.
April 11th, 2014
 The 2014 National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) take place this month in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The prestigious event, which runs through April 26th, kicked off yesterday with air pistol matches.
Following the pistol competition, Women’s Rifle takes to the range April 16-20, and then the NJOSC will conclude with Men’s Rifle, April 22-26. Both rifle weeks will include both Air Rifle and Three-Position (smallbore) competition.
For the first time in the history of the National Junior Olympics, all competitors will shoot on electronic targets. USA Shooting completed a massive range upgrade to improve lighting and enhance the spectator experience by incorporating more than 70 new electronic targets. This is cutting-edge technology that allows both real-time scoring and even live video streaming on the internet. Shown below are the target print-outs for Air Pistol.
In our dreams we could hope for electronic scoring at high power and long-range centerfire events. Wouldn’t it be cool to have scores appear instantaneously, in real time? In addition, after firing a relay you could get a print-out that would show the exact placement of your shots in the scoring rings. That would be handy for analyzing your wind calls. But best of all, with electronic targets, shooters would no longer have to pull pit duty in the hot sun! Over time we may see more of this technology for centerfire competition. We’re told that the new 500-acre, $20 million CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, being built in Alabama, will have some electronic scoring capabilities.
USA Shooting Video Streaming of Junior Olympics Events
On its YouTube channel, USA Shooting will provide Live and recorded events from the USA Shooting Olympic Training Center Ranges in Colorado Springs. As we write this, the NJOSC 2014 Men & Women Air Pistol Day 2 Air Pistol Relays are streaming. CLICK Here for NJOSC Videos and Streamed Events.
April 11th, 2014
This Article Originally Appeared in Sinclair International’s The Reloading Press.
Pre-Season Gun Maintenance,
by Ron Dague, Sinclair International
 I give my rifles a pre-season check before the shooting season starts. This starts with a general inspection starting with the butt-plate or recoil pad and making sure that all the screws and adjustable parts (on an adjustable butt-plate) move freely up or down and side to side. If you got caught in rain some of these screws and adjustable parts may not move when needed. I disassemble parts as needed and put rust preventative or a light oil and/or grease on threads and sliding parts. On rifles with recoil pads and fixed butt-plates, make sure the screws are tight and that holes in the stock aren’t stripped out. Make sure there are no cracks in the stock and around the butt-plate. If the recoil pad is glued-on, just make sure it hasn’t come loose.
Next I take the action out of the stock and check for cracks and wear marks. I look at the bedding to make sure that oils and cleaning solvents have not damaged the bedding. While the action is out of the stock, I look for any surface rust or dirt/dust in the recoil lug area and magazine well. Clean as needed and repair or re-bed if needed.
Trigger Assembly and Action
 With the barreled action out of the stock, it is a good time to spray out the trigger with cleaner. I use Ronson oil or lighter fluid. [Editor’s Note: Some trigger-makers advise against using any kind of lubricant, grease or oil — so plain lighter fluid is preferred.] After the trigger is cleaned you may want to check the trigger pull weight. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, take it to a gun smith and have it checked. It is worth every penny to not have a trigger issue and/or a safety malfunction. I also take the bolt apart and clean the firing pin spring and bolt housing with Gun Scrubber or automotive brake cleaner. Then lube the firing pin-spring and firing pin with light oil. I use Kel Lube and/or Butch’s gun oil. Put a small dab of gun grease on the [bolt locking lugs] and cocking ramp.
I will also spray the outside of the action and barrel and give that a light coating of oil for rust prevention. I clean the action with Sinclair’s action cleaning tool. Don’t forget to clean the bore. Even though you didn’t fire the rifle, this makes sure nothing obstructs your barrel.
Checking Metal Fixtures and Fasteners
 Next I look at the trigger guard and hinged floor plate and make sure it works as designed. Make sure there are no cracks in the trigger guard from an accidental drop. Check guard screws and /or action screws for tightness and tighten to proper spec. There are torque specs for this, but on wood stocks the wood can crush and this should be checked throughout the year as weather change can affect this. My entire collection of rifles are bedded and I just tighten them just snug with screw driver or Allen wrench. The rimfire rifles have a spec of 55 to 74 inch/lbs and I think would carry over to center fire as well. I would caution you about torque wrenches as you need a good quality wrench, and read the directions on how to use it. You can over torque if not careful. Check the swivel studs and bipod to make sure there tight as well. You may want to take scope off and check the base screws and check the rings.
Test Fire the Rifle After Maintenance
After all cleaning and is done and everything is reassembled, take a few rounds out to the range and test fire to make sure everything works as it should. Don’t forget to run 3-5 rounds through the magazine at least two times for function. I look at this as preventive maintenance on the rifle. If you give it a look over you shouldn’t have any trouble during the rifle matches or hunting trip.
Ron Dague
Certified Reloading Instructor
Certified Range Safety Officer
Email: rond [at] sinclairintl.com
Phone: 800-717-8211
April 10th, 2014
We know you guys like exotic hardware, so today we pulled something very exotic from our featured rifle archives. We doubt that you have ever seen anything quite like this before. Gun-builder Richard King says: “I thought you might like to see my latest project. This is my personal gun, built the way I wanted it. I know it’s radical and some may not care for it. But it works.”
Report by Richard King (King’s Armory, Texas; ‘Kings X’ on our Forum)
This is pretty much an all-aluminum rifle. The action is a Kelbly F-Class with a Shilen stainless steel competition trigger. The scope is a 1″-tube Leupold 36X with a Tucker Conversion set in Jewell spherical bearing rings. The .223 barrel is Pac-Nor 3-groove, 1:6.5″-twist mounted in a “V”-type barrel block. The bipod has vertical adjustment only via a dovetail slide activated by a stick handle. It works like a joy-stick, but for vertical only. I adjust for windage by moving the rear sandbag.
The 30″ barrel is 1.250″ in diameter. With the barrel block forward, the vibrations should be at a low frequency. Instead of one long rod whipping, I now have two short rods (barrel haves) being dampened. This is my fourth barrel block gun. They work, but so does a good pillar-bedded action. I just do stuff a little different.
The vertical “keel” down the bottom of the stock stops the “spring” of a flat-bar stock. There is little, if any, noticeable flex before or during recoil. The long length of the stock, the fat barrel, and the forward-mounted barrel block work together to keep the gun from rising off the ground. BUT, remember this is a .223 Rem rifle. A .308 Win version might act very differently. I may try a .308-barreled action soon, just to see what happens. But I will stick with the .223 Rem as my choice for match shooting.
 The offset scope idea came from a benchrest “rail” gun. In truth, the whole concept came from a rail gun — just adapted to being shot off a bipod. Sure it isn’t directly over the bore. It is about 1.5″ over to the left. So if you want the scope to be zeroed on the center of the target, you have to adjust for the offset. At 100 yards that is 1.5 MOA. But at 300 it is only 0.5 MOA, at 600 only a ¼-MOA, and at 1000 about 1 click on my scope.
What the offset DOES do for me is eliminate any cheek pressure. My cheek never touches the stock. Since this is only a .223 Rem, I don’t put and shoulder pressure behind it. And I don’t have a pistol grip to hang on to, but I do put my thumb behind the trigger guard and “pinch” the two-ounce trigger.
The offset scope placement could interfere with loading a dual-port action from the left. That’s not a problem for me as I set my spotting scope up on the left side very close to the rifle. I have plenty of time to reload from the right side while the target is in the pits being scored.
Again — this is my rifle. It is designed for my style of shooting. It is not meant to be a universal “fit all” for the general public. However, I will say the design is adaptable. I can easily convert the system to run in F-Open Class. I would drop a big-bore barreled action into the “V” block, slide on a heavier pre-zeroed scope and rings, add plates on the sides up front to bring the width to 3”, and maybe a recoil pad. It might be interesting to offset the wings up from to counter torque of the big bullets. But I would also have to offset the rear bag rider to get the gun to recoil straight back.
How the Gun Performs
I have had “T” to the range only twice for load development. It groups like my present barrel-blocked 223 F-TR gun. But it’s much easier to shoot and it only moves about 3/4” — straight back. I tried to build am omni-directional joy-stick bipod but I could not get all the side-to-side wiggle out of it. So I have set it up so it only moves up and down (horizontal movement is locked-out). As it works now, the joystick on the bipod lets me set elevation on the target quickly (with up/down adjustment). Then, to adjust for windage, I slide my rear bag side-to-side as needed. Once set, I just tickle the trigger and smile.
Gun Handling — Shoot It Like a Bench-Gun
I basically shoot the gun with no cheek or body contact. I don’t grip it, other than maybe a pinch on the trigger guard. The scope was offset to the left to help the shooter move off the gun and avoid the possibility of head/cheek contact with the stock.
[haiku url=”http://accurateshooter.net/Video/RichKingTalks.mp3″ Title=”Richard King Talks”]
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VOICE FILE: Richard King Explains How He Shoots his ‘Texas-T’ Rifle: |
CLICK PHOTOS to See Big Size
April 10th, 2014
Here’s a new target that should be very useful at long range (500 yards and beyond). The new 12″ square Birchwood Casey white background Sight-In Target displays a black “halo” around each hit (like the yellow circle on a conventional Shoot-N-C). Larger than bullet diameter, the “halos” can be easily seen with a high-magnification scope at long range. The self-adhesive target features four diamonds with contrasting red box centers. For precise aiming, you can position your cross-hairs to align with the corners of the boxes. Or, you can put a target dot sticker in the middle.
While we envision using this target with optics at long range, Birchwood Casey says that open sights show up well against the white background, making these targets well-suited for indoor ranges or use in low light conditions.
The new sight-in target has five aiming points and a 1-inch grid overlay for quick and easy sight adjustments. It comes with target pasters that allow shooters to cover up bullet holes and continue using the target for added value. The new White/Black Shoot-N-C 12″ Sight-In Targets come in packs of five with 75 target pasters for a suggested retail price of $12.70.
If you prefer a target that displays yellow/green “halos”, Birchwood Casey also makes a 12″ grid target with four yellow-edged diamonds. Red circles provide precise aiming points in the middle of each box. You can quickly estimate group size or dial-in your zero using the hi-viz yellow 1″ grid lines.
April 10th, 2014
 The CMP Games – Oklahoma kicked off yesterday with a Small Arms Firing School session. The 2014 CMP Games – Oklahoma run 9-13 April at the Oklahoma City Gun Club. This popular 5-day event features clinics, SAFS/M16 match, EIC Rifle Match, GSMM Four Gun Aggregate, Vintage Sniper Match, CMP As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match, Military & Police Service Pistol Match, EIC Pistol match, and several other activities.
Below, Leon Rutherford, CMP Master Instructor, helps a shooter on the firing line during the CMP Small Arms Firing School. The SAFS teaches safety, positions, how to load and clear the rifle, how to loop a sling and prepare for practice firing. Students are issued AR-15 rifles to use during the school and will fire the M16 EIC Rifle Match on April 10.
On April 11-13 there will be Garand/Springfield/Vintage and Modern Military Matches, a Carbine Match, and a Vintage Sniper Match. There will also be Pistol Matches held each day from April 10 – 13, 2014. To see match results, visit the CMP Competition Tracker Webpage.
NOTE: The young shooter in the above photo IS wearing eye protection, an all-clear set of eyewear. This close-up shows the eye protection better.
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