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August 21st, 2013
If you have a match, hunting, or tactical rifle that needs a little more “stiction” in the grip or fore-arm areas, particularly in wet or humid conditions, consider adding a non-slip coating to the stock. This is easily done with inexpensive materials. R+D Precision has a simple do-it-yourself procedure for adding texture to your stock. Be forewarned — this is basically a permanent addition to your stock, so you might want to practice first. Also the application of the bedding compound will change the color of the stock, so you may want to re-finish the stock.
Marking the Area to Texture with Steel-Bed or Similar Material
Tape off the area you want to put the texture. Spread a very thin coat of the Steel-Bed on the stock, just enough to cover the area. This can be done using Marine-Tex or Steel-Bed. Other products could be used but Steel-Bed is proven, and it’s what R+D prefers for the job.
Best Method for Applying Texture
Here is the secret to adding texture: Using the tongue depressor that is in the kit or something similar, BOUNCE the flat part of the stick on the still-wet bedding to get the textured effect. Once the bedding has dried for about an hour, and still kind of tacky, remove the tape, pulling at a sharp angle to leave a nice sharp edge. If the bedding has a sharp raised area where the tape was, wet your finger and rub along the edge and it will knock off the edge but still give that nice sharp transition.
Click HERE for more photos.
August 20th, 2013
The Tactical and Target T3 Tubeguns are here at last! Gary Eliseo of Competition Machine has announced that his new tubegun chassis for Tikka T3 actions “is now available in Target and Tactical versions”. The T3 kit will initially be right-hand only, set up for AICS short action magazines. This is a “no gunsmithing” installation — no modifications to the action are required and the chassis kit works with the factory T3 trigger and safety. Along with the new Target and Tactical versions, a lower-cost Light-Weight Hunter T3 Chassis is also offered (this will accept AR buttstocks).
 Tikka’s T3 action is rigid and robust. It cycles smoothly and has a short 75° bolt lift. The T3 features a Sako-style extractor, with angled-leading-edge bolt lugs for smooth lock-up. The T3 action can be installed in Gary’s Chassis Kit with either a recoil disc (and bolts) or glue-in action mounting. The Chassis Kit is designed to accept AR15 buttstocks.
Eliseo’s current T3 Chassis Kit is for right-hand short actions. However, Gary told us today that left-hand models will be included in the next production run this fall. He is also prototyping a long-action version.
Price for the Tactical model is $1020.00, with a rugged Cerakote finish. Price for the Target version is $925.00 with a powdercoat finish or $1000.00 with a Cerakote finish. The Light-Weight Hunter chassis (that accepts owner-installed AR-type buttstocks) is $685.00. Tikka T3 action and AICS 5-round or 10-round magazines sold separately. For more info, visit GotXRing.com, call 714-630-5734, or send email to: spraynandprayn [at] gmail.com . CLICK HERE for order page.
August 20th, 2013
Burris Signature Rings with polymer inserts are an excellent product. The inserts allow you to clamp your scope securely without ring marks. Moreover, using the matched offset inserts you can “pre-load” your scope to add additional elevation. This helps keep the scope centered in its elevation range while shooting at long range. Additionally, with a -20 insert set in the front and a +20 insert set in the rear, you may be able to zero at very long ranges without using an angled scope base — and that can save money. (To move your point of impact upwards, you lower the front of the scope relative to the bore axis, while raising the rear of the scope.)
Insert Elevation Values and Ring Spacing
People are sometimes confused when they employ the Burris inserts. The inset numbers (-10, +10, -20, +20 etc.) refer to hundredths of inch shim values, rather than to MOA. And you need the correct, matched top/bottom pair of inserts to give you the marked thousandth value. Importantly, the actual amount of elevation you get with Burris inserts will depend BOTH on the insert value AND the spacing between ring centers.
Forum member Gunamonth has explained this in our Shooters’ Forum:
Burris inserts are [marked] in thousandths of an inch, not MOA. To know how many MOA you gain you also need to know the ring spacing. For example, with a -20 thou insert set in the front and a +20 thou insert set in the rear, if the ring spacing is 6″, the elevation change will be approximately +24 MOA upwards.
Here’s how we calculate that. If you have a 2 X 0.020″ “lift” over a distance of 6 inches (i.e. 0.040″ total offset at 0.5 feet) that’s equivalent to 0.080″ “lift” over 12 inches (one foot). There are 300 feet in 100 yards so we multiply 0.080″ X 300 and get 24″ for the total elevation increase at 100 yard. (Note: One inch at 100 yards isn’t exactly a MOA but it’s fairly close.)
Here’s a formula, with all units in inches:
Total Ring Offset
——————– X 3600 = Change @ 100 yards
Ring Spacing
(.020 + .020)
—————– X 3600 = 24 inches at 100 yards
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NOTE: Using the above formula, the only time the marked insert offset will equal the actual MOA shift is when the center to center ring spacing is 3.60″. Of course, you are not required to use 3.60″ spacing, but if you have a different spacing your elevation “lift” will be more or less than the values on the inserts.
August 19th, 2013
The U.S. F-Class National Championships are underway at the Whittington Range in Raton, New Mexico. The event commenced yesterday with squadded practice. Today the first official matches started at 8:00 am, with threee 15-shot invidivual events at 1000-yards. The event is hosted at Raton by the Bald Eagle Rifle Club (BERC). CLICK HERE for match information.
U.S. National F-TR Team on Practice Day…
Course of fire — Day One
- Match 1: 1000-yard individual slow fire prone. Unlimited sighting shots and 15 shots for
record in a time of 22 minutes.
- Match 2: 1000-yard individual slow fire prone. Two (2) sighting shots and 15 shots for record in a time of 22 minutes.
- Match 3: 1000-yard individual slow fire prone. Two (2) sighting shots and 15 shots for record in a time of 22 minutes.
Because the 2013 F-Class World Championships will be held at Raton immediately after the U.S. Nationals, many international shooters will be attending the U.S. Championships this week. The firing line definitely has a multi-national look this year. Below is U.S. F-Open National Team Captain Shiraz Balolia with a proud Canadian competitor. For once Shiraz may have been one-upped in the hatsmanship competition.
Photos courtesy Shiraz Balolia and Team USA F-TR Rifle Team
August 19th, 2013
Story by Lars Dalseide for NRABlog
It was a close one for SSG Tyrel Cooper. He’s been close before at NRA’s National Long Range High Power Rifle Championships in Camp Perry, but not as close as this. Not so close that his overall point total of 1243, while impressive, was not good enough to win. It was only good enough for a tie. Thank god for the X count. With an X count of of 71, Cooper inched by fellow U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) teammate Brandon Keith Green by seven whole points. Talk about the skin of your teeth. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Cooper — Fourteen years to be exact.
Falling in love with High Powered Rifles
Cooper wasn’t raised on rifles. No, he was just your typical California kid on the streets of Sacramento. It wasn’t until a 14 year-old Ty accompanied his father to the Police and Fire Games that he discovered a passion for firearms.
 “I tagged along with Dad to a high power rifle match. We ran into Jim O’Connell at the practice range. He asked if I wanted to shoot one of his ARs. After a little prodding, I did and instantly fell in love. I ended up pulling targets for the rest of the match. That’s when I decided it was better to be pulling triggers than pulling targets.”
Working odd jobs and hoarding the cash, Cooper eventually saved enough for an AR of his own. Now all he needed was a place to shoot. California, contrary to popular opinion, would provide.
“There are a lot of real good shooters who come out of California,” said Cooper. “They have one of the best high power teams in the country right now. Norman Mayo, Tom Whittaker, and Bob Gustin (3rd in this year’s Long Range High Power Championships) all came out of California. We use to shoot at the same club in Sacramento. “I grew up watching him (Gustin) shoot, wishing one day I’d be like him.”
A path to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Long Range Rifle Team
The rest of Cooper’s teenage years were spent competing. With his father and sister in tow, they went from competition to competition throughout the state. It was a family affair.
“We only had one gun,” he said with a snicker. “I would shoot, she would shoot, then dad would shoot. After a while, he backed off and just supported us. “My sister was pretty good. I was actually her coach on the Junior Team in 2007 at the World Championships up in Canada. But that’s the last time we shot together. She went and got married, had two kids. Life got in the way.”
Cooper was working on a life of his own. Out of high school, he was searching for a place to put those rifle talents to use. That place would be with the U.S. Army. Joining at the age of 19, he spent the next few years honing skills. Reading wind, playing with ballistics, shooting whenever possible. Four years later, as a member of the USA Young Eagles Rifle Team (America’s under 21 and under 25 long range rifle team), he met with AMU Coach Emil Praslick.
“We head a real good talk. I got the letter and was off to basic training.”
It’s been a whirlwind ever since. Learning from the best in the business, Cooper utilizes his refined skills to be the best in competition and valuable resource in training. As any member of the AMU will tell you, one of their primary goals is to serve as a force multiplier. They do this by sending members of the Unit to army bases throughout the world. There they teach the troops the finer points of marksmanship.
But the travel doesn’t end there. There’s also a great deal required for the competitions. Ty explained: “For Long Range I’ve been to Canada, England, Australia, South Africa. In the states I’ve shot in California, Louisiana, Tennesee, Virginia, Georgia and Ohio. Long Range has taken me around the world, High Power has only taken me up and down the east coast.” Now, no matter where he goes, he will always be known as NRA’s 2013 National Long Range High Power Rifle Champion.
“When he was a kid growing up, he had a lot of help from a lot a good shooters,” said Robert Gustin, one of Cooper’s early mentors at the Sacramento shooting club. “One thing you can count on is that he’s always been good and will get nothing but better.” Photo above shows SSG Brandon Green, SSG Tyrel Cooper, and Bob Gustin on stage at the NRA Long Range High Power Rifle Championships in Camp Perry.
August 19th, 2013
Bushnell Outdoor Products has launched a new optics family designed especially for AR-platform rifles. The new AR Optics product line from Bushnell includes six new riflescopes that range in configuration from a 1-4x24mm scope for close target acquisition to a 4.5-18x 40mm scope designed for extended range shooting. The AR Optics series scopes all feature fast-focus eyepieces, and large-diameter, target=style turrets. Side parallax control is included, except the for the lower-power 1-4X models.
One nice feature of Bushnell’s AR line of optics are caliber-specific reticle options. With three bullet-drop compensation (BDC) reticles available in the AR Optics line: DropZone-22, DropZone-223 and BTR-1, the scopes are designed for ease of use and quick target acquisition. The Bushnell AR scope offerings boast fully multi-coated optics in durable one-piece tubes. Bushnell claims that its AR-line scopes are waterproof and fogproof.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
August 16th, 2013
F-Classers — you better get your ammo loaded and your bags packed. The 2013 F-Class U.S. National Championship commences this Sunday, August 18, 2013 with an official practice day. The United States National Championship matches start on Monday with Registration and Squadding at 0700-0730. (Don’t over-sleep and miss the action.) There will be individual matches on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with a U.S. Championship Team Match on Wednesday.
The F-Class World Championships follow immediately after the U.S. Championships, with the Worlds running Friday August 23rd (practice day) through Tuesday, August 27th. This back-to-back scheduling means that many foreign shooters can come early and participate in the U.S. Championship matches as well. It looks to be an exciting week-and-a-half of competition. Good Luck to all individual shooters and teams. Here is the schedule for the U.S. Nationals:
U.S. F-Class Championships Shooting Schedule
Sunday, August 18, 2013
There will be a squadded practice at 1000 yards for individuals and teams. Squadding at 0700-0730. Commence firing 0800. Squadded practice fee is included in the match entry fee. There will be four relays, 20 minutes per relay. The range will be closed the remainder of the day.
Monday, August 19, 2013
DAY 1: F-Class 1000 Yards
Registration/Squadding at 0700-0730. Opening ceremonies 0720
Commence fire 0800. Three individual 15-record-shot 1000-yard matches plus Aggregate.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Day 2: F-Class 1000-Yards
Squadding at 0700-0730, commence fire at 0800
Three individual, 15-record-shot 1000-yard matches plus Aggregate.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Day 3: F-Class Team Matches
Team Captains will draw for target assignments 0720, commence fire at 0800
Two, four-person 1000-yard slow fire prone team matches, plus aggregate. Two sighting shots and 20
shots for record per team member.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Day 4: F-Class 1000-yards
Squadding 0700-0730, commence fire 0800
Two 1000-yard individual 20-record-shot matches plus Aggregate.
The National Championship will be awarded based on Individual Grand Aggregate (total of matches 1-3, 5-7, 9-10). The Award Dinner/Ceremony will be held at the Coors Building at 6:00 PM Thursday, August
22, 2013. Free to all competitors. $10.00 for guests.
 The Aussies Are Coming!
The first contingent of the Australian F-Class Team is heading our way. South Australian members Richard Braund, Stuart Braund, Dave Zerbe, and Mike Willment, received an enthusiastic send-off by fellow F-Class shooters in Adelaide, before the foursome jetted off to Sydney. They will join other Aussie team members in Sydney before flying to Los Angeles, and then heading on to Raton, NM.
Coming all the way from the Southern Hemisphere requires hauling a ton of gear through multiple airports. We don’t want to even think about the “excess baggage” charges. At least these intrepid Aussies will be racking up the frequent flyer miles. Sydney to Los Angeles and back again is roughly a 15,000 mile round-trip.
Report by John Cranwell of South Australia, who tells his countrymen: “Go Aussie!”.
CLICK HERE for F-Class World Championship Information Packet
August 16th, 2013
Update August 20, 2013: The Class is full. The CMP states: “If you applied and did not get accepted, the CMP plans to hold additional classes next year in Anniston. Dates will be announced at a later date and an email announcement will be sent out.”
This fall, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will offer a 3-day, Advanced Maintenance Class (AMC) for students with strong mechanical aptitude and a desire to learn how to work on M1 Garand rifles. The first AMC class starts Friday, November 1st at the CMP Custom Shop in Anniston, Alabama. The course fee is $1,400.00. This includes a CMP Special Rifle that each student will build (as his own “keeper”) and three lunches. Students must provide their own accommodations in Anniston.
The 3-day class is intended for individuals interested in learning how the M1 Garand rifle functions and how to perform advanced maintenance procedures to their personal rifle(s). The class involves classroom lecture as well as hands-on shop time. Tools will be provided.
NOTE: This class is not intended for gunsmiths or students with advanced knowledge of the M1 rifle. No prior armorer or shooting experience is required. Students will each assemble their own CMP Special rifle from components included in the AMC fee.
CMP M1 Garand AMC Course Topics
- Component purpose and function
- Commercial barrel installation, chambering and headspace; use of gauges
- Component selection and inspection
- Fitting and proper assembly of a complete CMP Special rifle
- Some discussion of malfunctions and their remedies
- Accurizing techniques for the M1
How to Apply for M1 Garand Class
To apply for the CMP AMC, complete the online APPLICATION FORM (You can fill this out online or download the PDF file and email completed application to armorers@thecmp.org.) The class is expected to fill quickly. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more info, email John McLean via email at jmclean@thecmp.org or call the CMP Custom Shop at (256) 835-8455, ext. 2114. The November AMC class is the first of its kind. However, the CMP hopes to offer similar classes quarterly at the Anniston Custom Shop.
August 16th, 2013
Need a new firearm, scope, or gun accessory, but are you overwhelmed with the myriad options available? Well there’s a new website that allows gun enthusiasts to comparison-shop firearms, ammunition, parts, scopes, and accessories. GunZillion.com, slated to launch this fall, is an online, comparison-shopping engine focused exclusively on the firearms market. The website will offer hundreds of thousands of products from a network of top online retailers. This lets consumers quickly find and compare products from many different manufacturers. Using modern web database technology, GunZillion.com offers advanced search capabilities as well as quick filters for caliber and gun type.
CLICK HERE for Sneak Preview of GunZillion.com
GunZillion.com Provides Options after Google and Other Sites Ban Gun-Related Listings
“The walls have been closing in on firearm companies’ ability to advertise online for quite some time,” explained Jake Messerly, President of GunZillion.com. “Over the past year popular sites such as Google, Nextag, and Amazon have stripped the vast majority of firearm-related products from their websites leaving retailers very few options for promoting their products online. GunZillion.com will give consumers an exclusive experience and retailers a dedicated channel to market their products.” GunZillion.com is seeking to partner with the top retailers in the firearms, ammunition, parts, and accessories markets.
August 15th, 2013
We reported two weeks ago that Texas shooter Mike Stinnett nailed a .0077″ group in competition — the smallest 5-shot group ever shot at 100 yards. This has now been officially recognized as a new NBRSA record, eclipsing the .009″ record group shot 40 years ago by Mac McMillan. Congrats to Mike for breaking the “unbreakable record”. As Glenn C. posted on Benchrest Central: “They said it couldn’t be done. Hats off to Mike for an awesome personal achievement in a Sport/Hobby where getting your name in the record books is a rarity.”
Stinnett Sets .0077″ Record with a .30-Caliber Modified Grendel Cartridge, Pre-Loaded
Many folks have asked about the gun and ammo that produced the .0077″ group. The rifle was chambered as a .30-caliber wildcat, the 30 Stewart, which is based on the 6.5 Grendel case necked up. Mike was using Hodgdon H4198 powder behind BIB 114gr, 10-ogive bullets. Notably, the record-setting ammo was pre-loaded before the match. Unfortunately, we don’t have a photo of the target yet — it is still in the hands of the official NBRSA certification committee. However, Mike has been kind enough to tell us about his rifle and his load.
Mike Stinnett .0077″ Record Group Equipment Report
Mike reports: “Several guys have asked so here is my equipment listing. The hardware build actually started in 2008 with the goal of building two identical Benchrest rifles which could be used for both group and score. The idea was to shoot 6PPC and a 30 Cal without a base rifle change.”
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Action: Kelby Panda “Speedy Shorty” with solid bolt and PPC-diameter bolt face. Kelby was asked to build several actions which were identical with the intent to eliminate any variance in head space between the two new rifles. This helped me use a single set-up on sizing dies for both rifles and ammo is interchangeable. Both actions were sent to Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez to be blue-printed and have Jewell triggers installed.
Reamer: 30 STEWART (I just call it a 30 PPC as that is what everyone expects, but it is in fact a custom design and Ralph deserves about 99% of the credit).
Barrels: Krieger was selected for the barrels. After discussions with Randy Robinett of BIB Bullets, a 1:17″ twist was identified as the correct, safe solution. Ralph Stewart has cut all my chambers using a custom-designed reamer. [Our goal] was consistent headspace and Ralph has been able to keep my barrels within .0002 variance. The barrel tuner also comes from Ralph Stewart.
- Stock: Larson (including action bedding)
- Scope: Leupold 45X Competition in Kelby Single Screw Tall Rings
- Brass: Lapua (Base case is 6.5 Grendel)
- Bullets: Randy Robinett (BIB) 30 Cal. 114gr, 10 Ogive (secondary bullet; primary is 112gr BIB)
- Powder: H4198 – Stout Load with 2980 FPS Velocity
- Front Rest: Farley Coaxial
- Bags: Micro Fiber
- Flags: Graham Wind Flags (large)
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About the Cartridge — 30 Stewart (Based on Lapua 6.5 Grendel Parent Brass)
Mike explains: “Our goal was to shoot H4198 as the optimal powder for stability. There were several versions of the reamer before we settled on the current configuration. I am optimized for the 10 Ogive BIB bullet, powder to the base of the bullet. I found in testing the small 30-cal case did not like compression at all. The bullet is seated only 0.12″ into the case with zero freebore.
Cases were initially created with the .220 Russian (like a PPC) but I later decided it was better to build from the 6.5 Grendel. I size the brass and bump the shoulder back until it will fit into the chamber, fill to shoulder with International Clays, cotton wad packed on top. I have a fire-forming barrel. (I would not recommend this Clays and cotton wad method in a good barrel.) After initial fire-forming, I then mandrel the neck up the rest of the way to .30 caliber, turn the necks and trim.
It takes at least 8 firings to fully form a case! If you fire only three loads I find the brass does not have a sharp shoulder or any pressure on the bolt so any die selection is incorrect. Brass continues to harden well past 25 firings. I have match brass with well over 500 rounds fired, and I have never blown a case or neck yet (using my forming method).
For loading I use a Hornady Custom Shop Sizing Die and a Ralph Stewart Custom Seating Die. For those who are curious, yes the small group was fired with pre-loaded rounds. I do this now and then with local matches or may load 50 in a batch for one match.”
Mike wanted to thank his smiths, Randy Robinett, and all the folks involved in running the matches: “A big THANKS — as these are the guys that make our matches possible and without question maintain the integrity of the targets and record system. I was very fortunate to have all the right people in the right places for this match and my record. As for measurement – I only saw the target for about 10 seconds up close and can say I’m very happy I did not have to measure that group! Thanks again to everyone!” — Mike Stinnett
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