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August 24th, 2013
 One of the easiest ways to build a portable target stand is to use PVC pipe and connectors. Utah .308 Shooter “Cheese” has created a simple yet sturdy target frame, and he’s shared his design so you can build a similar frame easily and at low cost. The components are wood furring strips, 2″-diameter PVC pipes (and connections), and a 2’x3′ sheet of cardboard. The PVC base can be glued together, or, for easier transport and storage, you can leave some or all of the connections free. “Cheese” tells us: “I didn’t glue any of it together so I could disassemble it, shove it in a bag and take it anywhere.”
“All the parts are just pushed together and not glued. That way I can break it down and carry it all in a bag. Also, if a buddy (not me!) happens to shoot the stand, I can easily replace just the damaged piece. The last 6 inches of the furring strips are wittled-down a bit so they can be pushed into the upright pipes with a little friction. The cardboard is 2 x 3 feet, and I use a staple gun to attach it to the furring strips. Then I just staple the target onto the cardboard and go at it.
Of course you can modify the dimensions as desired. I chose the black ABS pipe over white PVC simply for cost — black ABS is a little cheaper. You can also glue some or all of the parts together, it’ll just be larger for transporting. In windy conditions, the thing likes to come apart. Duct tape might work well.
For weight, I thought about filling the two end pipes with sand and gluing test caps on each of their ends. The test caps still allow the pipes to slip into the elbows.”
Add Anchors or Internal Weight for Stability
On a very windy day, a PVC stand can shake or even topple over. There are a couple solutions to this. Some people fill the PVC pipe sections with sand to add weight, or you can put short sections of Re-BAR inside the long legs. One GlockTalk forum member noted: “I built [a frame] almost identical to this. I also take four pieces of wire coathanger bent into an inverted “U” shape to anchor the frame to the ground. It is so light that wind will knock the stand over [without anchors].”
Assembly Diagram with Dimensions
The photo below shows all the components of the base, with dimensions. The overall maximum assembled dimensions are roughly 26″ wide, 41″ deep, and 66″ tall (the cardboard is 2 x 3 ft).
You can find photos of a similar home-made PVC target stand (with a slightly different rear section) on the Box of Truth website. This also employs a PVC tubing base with wood uprights. We’ve also seen all-PVC target stands, but we’ve found that it is easier to attach the cardboard to wood strips than to PVC pipe. Also, if the upper section is wood, you can fit different height targets, while using the same base.
August 23rd, 2013
Browning is jumping into the “value-priced” rifle market. Browning has introduced a new bolt-action rifle, the AB3 (A-Bolt III) which will compete price-wise with Ruger, Savage, and Howa rifles. The AB3’s $599.99 sticker price is notable, because Browning’s regular X-Bolt and A-Bolt rifles cost hundreds of dollars more. Despite the low price, the new-for-2013 AB3 has some nice features. The button-rifled barrels are all “individually finished with a hand-reamed chamber for tighter tolerances and more precise headspace.” The trigger has a 3.5-lb pull — just about right for a hunting gun. A clever bolt-unlock button lets you unload the gun even with the safety engaged.
Browning announced: “Browning is pleased to announce the introduction of the AB3 bolt-action rifle. For 2013, the AB3 will be available in a Composite Stalker model in four different calibers. The new AB3 features a bolt-lock-override button that allows shooters to unload the firearm while leaving the top-tang safety in the on safe position. The steel receiver has a matte blue finish and is drilled and tapped for scope mounts. A free-floating, hand chambered barrel with target crown is featured. The AB3 also has a removable box magazine. The composite stock is matte black and features textured grip areas. An Inflex recoil pad reduces felt recoil. Sling swivel studs are included.”
Designed as a durable, affordable hunting rifle, the AB3 Composite Stalker model comes in four popular hunting chamberings: 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06 Springfield, and 300 Win Mag.
Video Shows Features of Value-Priced AB3
August 23rd, 2013
The dust has settled and all the scores have been tabulated at the 2013 U.S. F-Class Nationals. This was a hugely successful event with 350 shooters on the firing line. After three days of individual matches, concluding with blustery conditions on Thursday, we have two new USA F-Class Champions, Larry Bartholome (F-Open) and Derek Rodgers (F-TR). Both men shot great matches from start to finish — we congratulate both on their well-deserved victories.
CLICK HERE for Final F-Open Full Results | CLICK HERE for Final F-TR Full Results
Derek Rodgers (Team Sinclair) is the 2013 U.S. National F-TR Champion. Posting a 1270-44X final score, Derek edged runner-up Lige Harris (1268-44X) by two (2) points, both men finishing with identical X-counts. John Chilton was third with 1264-35X, with Trudie Fay (1263-33X) and James Crofts (1261-33X) rounding out the top five. Lige finished as High Senior, while Trudie was the High Lady.
Fellow F-TR shooter (and past National F-TR Champion) Brad Sauve praised Rodgers:
“Derek is the only person that has won both the F-TR and F-Open U.S. National Championships. Derek just dominated those Raton winds in every match and must have ice in his veins to go into that last match knowing he was tied for first and [still] pull out another great performance.”
In F-Open class, Larry Bartholome won the 2013 National Championship, besting an extremely strong field packed with talent. Larry shot great on all three days, holding on to his lead even in extremely challenging conditions on Thursday. Larry took the F-Open title with a 1283-59X score. The next three positions were decided on X-Count, with three shooters, second-place Kenny Adams (1281-66X), third-place Freddy Haltom (1281-52X), and fourth-place William Wittman (1281-50X) all finishing with 1281 point totals. Kenny’s impressive 66X was the high X-count for the match. Steven Blair finished fifth with a 1280-52X score.
Here’s One of the Next Generation of Champions…
Stormy Conditions on Thursday
On Thursday, the wind started out calm for the first couple of relays. Conditions started to get a little switchy by the 3rd through the 6th relays and then with a storm front coming in, the 7th and 8th relays got a bit wild. Our reporter at Raton, Jeff Williams, reports: “We had dust devils dancing between the line and the targets. Rain held back until after all shooters had finished.”
August 23rd, 2013
Here’s a remarkable feat of accuracy. But this “trick shot” is not made with a rifle — it’s performed with a Tomahawk. Top Shot Season 3 Champion Dustin Ellermann shows off his “Tomahawk Sniper” skills by hitting a target at 60 feet. Flying over that distance, the Cold Steel Norse Hawk makes five full rotations before hitting the wood target. Dustin’s first throw planted solidly in the wood. That was impressive enough. But Dustin’s second throw hits dead-center, bursting the blue balloon. Ellermann’s tomahawk-tossing skills are impressive, but we do wonder what the Ballistic Coefficient (BC) of that spinning long-handled ‘hawk would be. Watch the video — we bet you’ll enjoy this.
August 22nd, 2013
 Want a FREE Remington Catalog? Well here you go. The latest editions of Remington’s product catalogs are now available online. You can view a digital version of the 2013 Remington Catalog in an ezine-style format, with tabs and flippable pages. Alternately you can download the 2013 catalog as a PDF file, either section by section, or as one big, humongous file. (Warning — the complete 2013 digital catalog PDF is a 187.5 mb file). You can also download a free PDF version of the Remington Model 700 Owner’s Manual (link below).
The Rifle Catalog features all the latest Remington rifles, including the Model 700 ‘Target Tactical’ model. This 11.75-lb gun boasts a Bell & Carlson composite stock with ergonomic grip and adjustable LOP and cheekpiece. The .308 Win Target Tactical retails for $2117.
Launch Remington 2013 Digital Catalog | Download Remington 700 Owners Manual (PDF)
Ballistics Data for Dozens of Factory Loads
Remington also has a comprehensive Ballistics Data Sheet with ballistics information for all Remington loaded ammo — from 17 Fireball all the way up to the 45/70 Government. Even if you don’t use factory-loaded ammo, this is a very useful resource that allows you to quickly compare velocities, energy, wind drift, and drop among a wide variety of cartridges. Which shoots flatter… a .204 Ruger or a 22-250? Remington’s Ballistics Data Sheet provides a quick, reliable answer. Info is laid out in tables, with color coding for different bullet types.
CLICK HERE to download Ballistics INFO
August 22nd, 2013
Wednesday was Team Day at the U.S. F-Class Championships. There were 27 four-member F-Open Teams plus 19 four-member F-TR teams. Many teams were composed of foreign shooters who are tuning up for the upcoming F-Class World Championships which kicks off at Raton on Friday. Team competition was fierce, but when the dust settled, two squads emerged victorious, USA F-Open Team 4, and the U.S. F-TR Team 3.
CLICK HERE for Complete List of Team Results
USA F-Open Team 4: Robert Bock, Trudie Fay (Coach), Larry Bartholome (front row); Shiraz Balolia (Captain), Emil Kovan (back row).
F-Open Team USA #4 Captain Shiraz Balolia reports: “We won the first match, lost the second to Australia and won the overall Aggregate Championship (total of both matches). We were knocking on the door of a new National record on the first relay, having the same score, but a few less Xs. One more point would have set a record. We took the Gold Medal in the first match, and Bronze in the second match.” Team USA #4 finished with a 1570-62X total, four points ahead of second-place F-Open Team USA #3 (1566-66X). Shiraz praised team #4 coach Trudie Fay and his fellow team shooters Larry Bartholome, Robert Bock, and Emil Kovan. Shiraz joked: “Maybe it was Trudie’s glow-in-the-dark Crocs that gave us the winning edge.”
USA Team 3 Wins F-TR Championship, Aussie Team Second
The USA F-TR Team 3, under Captain Mid Tompkins and coach Steve Cunico, powered out an impressive victory, finishing with 1536-44X, six points ahead of the runner-up Team Australia Gold squad. USA F-TR Team 3 shooters Lane Buxton, John Chilton, Laura Perry, and Paul Phillips all turned in great performances lead by Lane Buxton’s 388-6X total.
| F-Open Team Championship
1. USA F-Open Team 4, Total 1570-62X
2. USA F-Open Team 3, Total 1566-66X
3. Team Australia #1 F-Open Gold, Total 1566-52X
4. Team Spindle Shooters, Total 1561-47X
5. USA F-Open Team 1, Total 1560-55X |
F-TR Team Championship
1. U.S. F-TR Team 3, Total 1536-44X
2. Team Australia G-TR Gold, Total 1530-40X
3. U.S. F-TR Team 4, Total 1525-51X
4. Michigan F-TR Team, Total 1521-30X
5. Canada F-TR ‘White’ Team, Total 1518-39X |
August 22nd, 2013
 Building your own portable shooting bench is a great do-it-yourself project. You can build a sturdy bench for well under $100 in materials. Compare that to some deluxe factory-built benches which may cost $500.00 or more.
FREE Bench Plans on the Web
You’ll find a wide assortment of home-built shooting bench designs (both portable and fixed) on the internet. Renovation Headquarters has links to FREE Plans and building instructions for fourteen (14) different shooting benches. There are all-wood shooting bench designs as well as benches that combine a wood top with a metal sub-frame or legs.
CLICK HERE for Shooting Bench FREE Plans Webpage
Among Renovation HQ’s fourteen featured shooting benches, here are five designs we liked:
Reader Jim Jewell has used the eHow bench design shown above. He recommends it highly. Jim reports: “A colleague and I built two of the eHow permanent wood, sturdy benches for our Pt. Phillips Rod and Gun Club in PA, which had outdated benches. I want to tell you that these benches are very stable and a real bargain. The benches cost precisely $100.00 each using the bill of materials and pressure treated wood. The bill of materials, with careful cutting, using a Chop saw, resulted in almost no scrap wood if carefully measured and cut. The plans are terrific and the benches are great platforms for bench-rest shooting. I made only one modification — I left a 6″ wing on both sides of the table to mount a spotting scope. Further we added a base of dry QuickCrete or similar fast setting concrete mix material. Add it dry, make sure the table is level and fill in the 6″ hole. The hole and QuickCrete add maximum stability. The QuickCrete sucks moisture from the ground, hardens in situ, and adds stability to the bench.
I can’t recommend this design highly enough. It is dirt cheap for clubs on a budget, goes together quickly, the table is very stable and there is no waste if you make precise measurements and cuts. A bag of QuickCrete is enough for two tables adding about $2.00 to the cost of each table. We plan on building new tables for the whole club for under $1000. After about a year, with a completely water-free wood in the bench I recommend a coat of Thompson’s Water Seal and these benches should last a long time.”
Heavy Wood Bench That Converts to Three Sections for Transport
In addition to the fourteen benches mentioned above, here is an interesting break-down bench design. Call it a “semi-portable” bench. The legs and frame are made from stout 4×4 post segments so the bench is fairly heavy. However, this bench can break down into three (3) sections for easier transport to and from the range. Dado-cut channels assure proper top alignment. This might be a good choice if you plan a multi-day excursion to a location without fixed benches. This three-leg bench design can be made from easy-to-locate materials. Note: The dimensions of this bench are are larger than typical fixed benches to accommodate 50 BMGs and other big rifles. CLICK HERE for more details.
Do you like the bench in the illustration at the beginning of this story (top right)? This is a prototype design by Chris Byrne of the Anarchangel Blog. For more details, CLICK HERE.
August 21st, 2013
Just a “heads-up” for our AR shooters out there. Check this out. For a limited time, Brownells is selling
Magpul 30-Round Polymer AR mags for just $10.79 each. That’s right — high-quality Magpul PMAG 30s for under eleven bucks. Hard to beat that deal if you are looking for name-brand 30-rounders for your .223/5.56 AR-platform rifle. Click image below to see product info on the Brownells webstore.
August 21st, 2013
The U.S. F-Class Nationals, now underway in Raton, NM, are a big success. This event has drawn huge numbers of talented shooters from across America (and around the world). There are roughly 180 F-TR shooters plus over 170 F-Open Shooters. That’s a record turn-out we’re told. The Nationals got off to an impressive start — the best shooters were center-punching the 1000-yard targets right out of the gate. Chris Ford shot a 150-11X in the first F-0pen match of Day 1, when many other 150s were shot, including a 150-9X by Larry Bartholome. Many 150s were also shot on Day 2 during the first match. On both days, conditions got tougher over the course of the day.
In F-Open, after two days of shooting, William Wittman (894-39X) enjoys a two-point lead over Larry Batholome (892-42X). In F-TR class, Lige Harris (885-34X) has been the class of the field so far, posting the top scores on both Day 1 (445-18X) and Day 2 (440-18X). The level of competition is extraordinarily high this year — so high that some past National Champions are well down the pack. Overall, if you look at the complete score sheets linked below, you’ll see that competition has been very tight, with many shooters clustered with near-identical scores.
Download DAY ONE F-Open and F-TR Results | Download DAY TWO F-Open and F-TR Results
F-Open Results Day 1 (Top 10)
William WITTMAN 148-7 150-10 150-4 448-21X
Martin LOBERT 149-8 150-6 148-9 447-23X
Gordon OGG 148-9 148-7 150-8 446-24X
Larry BARTHOLOME 150-9 148-6 148-6 446-21X
Speedy GONZALEZ 149-8 149-4 148-8 446-20X
Marce BEEN 148-6 149-3 149-8 446-17X
Bob SEBOLD 149-7 148-3 149-6 446-16X
Kenny ADAMS 150-7 145-7 150-8 445-22X
Mike MCGILL 146-4 150-10 149-8 445 22X
Freddy HALTOM 149-6 148-7 148-5 445-18X |
F-Open Results Day 2 (Top 10)
Larry BARTHOLOME 150-10 148-6 148-6 446-22X
William WITTMAN 150-7 147-7 149-4 446-18X
Freddy HALTOM 149-10 149-8 147-4 445-22X
Kenneth PADILLA 150-8 148-8 147-4 445-20X
Steven BLAIR 150-11 147-7 147-3 444-21X
Charles BALLARD 149-11 149-4 146-2 444-17X
Bob SEBOLD 150-9 148-1 146-5 444-15X
Emil KOVAN 150-6 147-4 147-3 444-13X
Jeff TRAYLOR 149-6 148-1 146-3 443-10X
Speedy GONZALEZ 149-8 146-7 147-6 442-21X
Pete PETROS 148-5 147-8 147-8 442-21X |
F-TR Results Day 1 (Top 10)
Lige HARRIS 149-5 146-6 150-7 445-18X
John CHILTON 150-7 146-3 146-4 442-14X
James CROFTS 149-6 143-3 149-7 441-16X
Paul KENT 147-4 147-6 147-3 441-13X
Philip KELLEY 146-6 144-5 150-9 440-20X
Derek RODGERS 148-10 143-3 149-6 440-19X
Michael SMITH 148-4 145-3 147-3 440-10X
Ian KLEMM 147-5 146-4 146-2 439-11X
Daniel POHLABEL 148-8 142-7 148-4 438-19X
Radoslaw CZUPRYNA 147-6 141-1 150-9 438-16X |
F-TR Result Day 2 (Top 10)
Lige HARRIS 147-7 148-5 145-4 440-16X
Derek RODGERS 147-3 147-4 146-4 440-11X
Gerry WIENS 148-4 145-2 145-6 438-12X
Trudie FAY 146-3 146-4 146-3 438-10X
Ian KLEMM 149-6 145-7 142-5 436-18X
Alan BARNHART 148-9 144-2 144-1 436-12X
William LITZ 148-5 143-4 144-4 435-13X
Laura PERRY 146-5 146-4 143-2 435-11X
Allen TAMPKE 147-4 141-4 146-3 434-11X
Stephen SIRCAUSA 148-7 143-8 142-4 433-19X
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August 21st, 2013
Jerry Stiller of Stiller Precision Firearms has revealed the final pre-production versions of his new 2500X rear lock-up rimfire action. Jerry reports: “I have eight of them as prototypes that have been sent to our best smiths to build on and test. As soon as we hear back (in a month or so?), we will start the next run of 100. There will be plenty to go around and should be available this fall for next year’s builds. Cost will be competitive, estimated $1249.00 retail”. Notably, this new action features a convertible 6 o’clock or 12 o’clock firing pin, giving the owner the choice of his preferred configuration. The trigger hanger can also be reversed for a 0.030 change in pin fall.
Jerry provided these photos of the first 2500X action off the production line. Jerry notes that: “The only difference with the final production version is that the body will be melonited on the inside for super-slick operation and the outside will still be polished for great looks”.
Stiller 2500X Rimfire Action Features
- Dual rear locking lugs symmetric about the horizontal centerline.
- Super tight tolerances on all fitted parts.
- Firing pin design easily unscrews.
- 6 o’clock or 12 o’clock firing pin. The other pin acts as a guide to eliminate any off-axis canting that can impair ignition and cause flyers.
- Cocking piece controlled by a shroud so it is always centered in the trigger and cannot rub.
- Easy loading ramp design similar to the Anschutz.
- Entrance cams in the body.
- Beveled loading port
- Four #8 screw holes for scope mounts, plus two #6 screwholes (in between) also reamed for .125 pins. That way a long one-piece mount or just front-only will both be accommodated.
- Threaded bolt handle so that any available knob will work. Stiller offers three knob types.
State-of-the-Art Machining Technologies Used to Make 2500X Actions
A multi-step process is employed to deliver precision tolerances on every 2500X action. The process begins with a drilled, undersize hole. Then the body is cut and heat-treated/stress-relieved with oversize outside diameter (OD). The Inside diameter hole is wire-EDM finished after heat-treating for optimal sizing and straightness. Next the OD is ground to size and the action face and threads are machined. The action is finally engraved, hand-finished, and melonited on the inside (unless the customer specifies a non-melonited version). Individual parts receive special attention — the extractors are wire-EDM cut, and the bolt lugs are factory-lapped with special devices to load the lugs as they would be when fired.
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