If you missed Top Shot All-Stars last night on the History Channel, don’t fret — you can watch the latest full episode online HERE. This week competitors faced the ultimate long-range challenge — shooting a 40″ exploding target at ONE MILE — the longest distance ever attempted on Top Shot. The rifle was a Barrett MRAD chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum. Whoever hit the target the quickest (and with the least number of shots) won a prize (an Oculus rifle scope). The top seven shooters were “safe” from the elimination round. The four who faltered faced possible elimination. This wasn’t easy. At one mile (1760 yards) a 10 mph wind shift can move the bullet nearly twenty FEET laterally. And a lot can happen in the 3+ seconds it takes the bullet to hit the target. (Ballistics based on a 250gr Lapua Scenar launched at 2900 fps, with full value wind vector. Lapua factory .338 LM ammo was used during this episode.)
CLICK to watch Mile Shot Full Episode on History.com
Some competitors did remarkably well — hitting the one-mile target with ease. However, challenging winds sent others to elimination, where they faced off using a prehistoric weapon, the Atlatl. To see who did well and who was eliminated, visit the Top Shot All Stars Video Archive.
Made by the same folks that created Wipe-Out™, and Carb-Out™, the NO-LEAD Brushless Lead Remover™ really works. Honest. If you are an active rimfire shooter, or if you shoot cast lead bullets in centerfire rifles and pistols, you should try this product. This stuff was introduced a year ago. We now use NO-LEAD in our rimfire benchrest rifles, and in some centerfire guns that receive a steady diet of soft-alloy cast bullets (90%+ lead). (With rimfire guns, you don’t need to use NO-LEAD very often — maybe every 300-400 rounds unless you have a real fouler of a barrel.)
If you’ve got stubborn lead fouling in a rimfire barrel, or on a pistol’s muzzle brake/compensator, you should definitely give this stuff a try. We don’t know how but it does soften lead deposits. The manufacturer says you don’t need brushes, but we found that a bit of brushing (after NO-LEAD application) can help remove more serious lead build-up.
Frankly we were surprised to find a lead solvent that really works. We have tried a half-dozen or more other lead “cleaners” that promise to dissolve lead and most of them, we discovered, are nearly useless. There’s a reason for that, as the lead alloys used in bullets don’t react to typical petrochemical-based solvents. It took the Wipe-Out chemists over five years to perfect a new water-based solution that really does dissolve lead.
NO-LEAD Cleaning Procedure — Read Carefully
NO-LEAD Lead Remover is a clear, red gel that is easy to apply. Just swab it in your bore (or on muzzle brakes) with wet patches or bore mop and let it sit for a few minutes. (The manufacturer says you can leave the NO-LEAD for up to 20 minutes, but that long of a dwell time does not seem necessary with our rimfire barrels.) When it contacts lead it will start to foam and you’ll see that the NO-LEAD solvent turns a pastel pink when it dissolves lead. The pink comes from the formation of lead oxide. After the recommended dwell time, simply patch out the dissolved lead deposits (you can also use a nylon brush for stubborn lead build-up).
NOTE: After cleaning, it is very important that you get all the NO-LEAD out of your barrel, and neutralize it. We recommend following the application of NO-Lead with Wipe-out or Patch-Out to neutralize the NO-LEAD, clear the bore, and remove residual carbon and copper fouling. If you don’t have Wipe-Out or Patch-out, flush the barrel thoroughly with Rubbing Alcohol or even a solution of Dawn dish detergent — then re-oil the bore.
Be Sure to Neutralize NO-LEAD After Use
Remember that N0-LEAD is a strong, slightly acidic chemical that needs to be neutralized after use. If you leave it on a nice, blued barrel for too long, it can harm the bluing. NO-LEAD will remove all the surface oils from the barrel bore. For this reason it is recommended that you neutralize NO-LEAD with Wipe-Out, or Patch-Out, which both contain effective corrosion inhibitors. If you don’t have those products, once you’ve flushed the NO-LEAD with something like rubbing alcohol, then follow with a gun oil. Caution: A petroleum-based gun oil will NOT, by itself, neutralize NO-LEAD. You need to neutralize first, then apply the corrosion inhibitor (or do it all in one step with Wipe-Out or Patch-Out).
Where to Buy NO-LEAD Lead Remover
NO-LEAD Lead Remover costs $14.99 for an 8 oz. squeeze bottle with a flip-top spout. This product is sold directly by Sharp Shoot R Precision Products, www.Sharpshootr.com, or you can purchase NO-LEAD through many other online vendors. For more information, email gethelp@Sharpshootr.com or contact Sharp Shoot R at (785) 883-4444. You can ask for Terry Paul, Sharp Shoot R’s owner and the master chemist who developed the NO-LEAD formula.
With a B-25 fly-over, music from the 122nd U.S. Army Band, a Flag ceremony, and the roar of a replica 1812-era cannon, the 2013 NRA National Rifle and Pistol Matches got underway at Camp Perry (Port Clinton, OH) on July 8th. Over 2000 competitors will participate in the matches in July and August.
Ohio’s Lt. Governor Mary Taylor, speaking to a crowd of over 400 attendees, noted that the National Match venue has been significantly upgraded. Over $2.9 million has been spent to improve infrastructure, fix sidewalks, and upgrade the lodging available for shooters at Camp Perry. Master of Ceremonies Judy Legerski stated that: “The matches at Camp Perry have given us some of the finest competitors and friends we will ever know.”
Shouldering a match-grade M1 Carbine, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John S. Crosby fired the first shot downrange, officially opening this year’s event. The National Matches are hosted jointly each year by the NRA, CMP, and Ohio National Guard. The five-week event is a major operation. A combined legion of 6,000 civilian and military competitors, volunteers, spectators, vendors, and family members come to the Camp Perry Joint Training Center (CPJTC) each summer.
On July 4th, the Walking Tools Laboratory released the Gun Geo Marker App for Android OS Devices. This App lets users anonymously tag the locations of gun owners: “The Gun Geo Marker operates very simply, letting parents and community members mark, or geolocate, sites associated with potentially unsafe guns and gun owners. These locations are typically the homes or businesses of suspected unsafe gun owners, but might also be public lands or other locations where guns are not handled safely, or situations where proper rights to own or use any particular type of firearm may not exist.” The App’s creators add: “[Y]ou should mark any location about which you have a gun-related concern.” View Gun Geo Marker Website.
This tagging process is disturbing. As the Free Patriot website explains: “The applications’s entire purpose is to document and map the personal addresses of people who own guns. The ‘irresponsible’ part of that is completely at the discretion of the person [doing the tagging].”
The App’s developers encourage users to tag locations anonymously: “Happy Independence Day to all! What better way to spend your holiday than by exercising your first amendment right and making your neighborhood a safer place simply by anonymously marking the locations of any guns or owners of concern?”
The App developers have a clear anti-gun agenda: “If enough members of your community take the time to mark dangerous gun sites and owners, then this crowd-sourced data may … perhaps even influence national policy. It is a shame that this kind of ‘tattle ware’ is necessary, but it may be the only option….”
App Threatens Gun Owners
This geo-tagging App can be abused in many ways. First, the “tags” violate the privacy of law-abiding gun owners. Second, while the stated purpose of the App is to identify “potentially unsafe guns and gun owners”, there is no standard for determining “potentially unsafe”. Persons or businesses can be tagged solely to intimidate or harass. By pinpointing the location of gun owners, the tags also provide a road map for thieves. As one App reviewer states: “This app does nothing but invade the privacy of legal gun owners, and put them at risk of home robberies”.
Critical Comments from Google App Store Users:
“The makers of this app should be ashamed. The makers are asking people to rat out their neighbors. Thieves can use this app to know which houses to rob when the owners are off at work. Yes, the developers of this app have given criminals another excellent tool….”
“Anyone can mark anyone whether they own a gun or not. This is not reliable and only serves to invade the privacy of law-abiding citizens. It should be removed at once and never made available again.”
“Crime Magnet — This is dangerous and invasive. Dangerous because it allows criminals to determine where they might steal firearms. This has already happened thanks to a newspaper in New York.”
“Purely subjective and wrought with potential for abuse both by person doing marking AND potential criminals. This kind of app should be banned!”
“Great app for sheeple and criminals wanting to know which houses from which to steal firearms. Wonderful for attempting to stifle the 2nd Amendment rights and assisting Big Brother with violating the 4th Amendment as well.”
App Developed with Tax-Payer Money?
The Gun Geo Marker App was developed by Walking Tools Laboratory, which is affiliated with the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). Associated with Walking Tools is Brett Stalbaum, “a full-time lecturer and coordinator for the Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts Major (ICAM) at UCSD”. We assume, therefore, that this App was developed, at least in part, by persons receiving tax-payer dollars through UCSD.
There is a new digital magazine for Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest enthusiasts, The Benchrest Shooter. You can download the premier, Summer 2013 edition for free. This initial trial version of the digital magazine is free to all member states of the WRABF and ERABSF, allowing readers to preview the type of articles planned for future editions. Here is a link for a free download:
The free download links will be valid for the next two weeks — so grab this issue while you can. Future editions will be by paid subscription only. The magazine’s creators plan to produce four (4) issues of The Benchrest Shooter eZine per year, costing $3.50/ €3 per issue (based on an annual subscription price of $14/ €12). Articles in future issues will include:
Review of the Plzen World Championships
Product reviews — airline cases, rifles, components, rests, etc.
Plans for building your own front rest
Barrel tuners — how to choose one and how to use one
Country profiles and the international community
The editors of The Benchrest Shooter encourage air rifle and rimfire benchrest competitors to get involved: “The magazine in many respects is about you, your countries, the sport, development of equipment, and sharing ideas. [We] hope that people would submit articles about such ideas and products for future issues. The magazine can supply a great more detail than a forum for instance. All advertising supports WRABF and ERABSF sponsorship. The first year is a trial to see if the new eZine will be cost-effective.”
We reported yesterday that Hornady, in an effort to increase overall production, will suspend production of 150 bullet types and 150 ammunition types for the balance of 2013. Upon reading this story, many readers grew concerned, perhaps because they did not realize that Hornady is actually stepping up production of its most popular bullets and ammo types. By temporarily suspending production of less-popular products, Hornady can reduce assembly line change-overs and thereby increase production. Hornady explains that this strategy allows it to: “focus our efforts on the most popular and highest-demand products and ship more total product.” In the months ahead, Hornady will continue to produce over 270 different projectiles and over 140 types of loaded ammo. As Steve Hornady says: “There is something in there for everyone….”
Upon seeing ten-page-long list of suspended products, readers may have become overly concerned because they did not realize that Hornady will continue to churn out hundreds of bullet types and ammo types — and, in fact, the most popular products will now be manufactured in greater-than-ever quantities. Readers asked “So what products will Hornady continue to produce?” On its website, Hornady now lists all the high-demand bullets and ammo types that remain in production for the balance of 2013.
Steve Hornady Talks to Customers
In this video, Hornady President Steve Hornady explains the decision to suspend production of some items in order to increase production of Hornady’s high-demand bullet types and ammunition types.
Steve Hornady Explains New Production Strategies (July 8, 2013):
On its website, Hornady has posted a Product Availability Update, which explains why Hornady is suspending production of some products:
One area that we have identified that will enable us to increase production, is the minimization of machinery downtime. The largest period of downtime our machines experience is during change over and retooling to convert a machine from manufacturing one bullet or cartridge to another. Under normal market conditions, we can keep the supply chain full by making popular items on a regular basis and keeping specialty or less-used products on a seasonal basis. However, with demand at record levels, it has become difficult to justify shutting down a machine to change it over to produce a product of less demand. Therefore, we are temporarily suspending some items in order to focus our efforts on the most popular and highest demand products and ship more total product.
We realize that many of the suspended items are going to disappoint some of our customers. We have painstakingly reviewed our order status and order history and unfortunately had to make some tough decisions. It wasn’t easy, but we know that we will do a better job of servicing the industry as a whole by focusing on the items of highest demand.
We are not alone; this is effectively already happening throughout our industry, but is accomplished through selective manufacture with no notification to the industry. We are simply making every effort to be up-front about our plans to maximize production.
Again, this is only temporary. This is not a permanent suspension. We will continue to push as hard as we can to meet the demand of our industry and will produce our full catalog of items as soon as we can. Please know that nobody wants to produce more and get our product to into your hands more than we do.
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. (Ruger) announced on July 8, 2013, that it plans to open its third manufacturing plant, a 220,000-square-foot facility in Mayodan, North Carolina. This will be the company’s first major expansion in over 25 years and it is expected to be finalized in August. Ruger currently employs over 2,000 people in its two plants in Newport, New Hampshire and Prescott, Arizona.
At a time when we see unprecedented demand for firearms, ammunition, and reloading components, it is good to see a major company step up and invest in a big new factory. This should allow Ruger to boost production to meet increased consumer demand for Ruger pistols and rifles, including the top-selling Ruger 10/22, one of the most popular rimfire rifles ever made.
If you need a riflescope at a bargain-basement price, Natchez Shooters Supply (Natchez) is running a big sale on Weaver Scopes right now. You’ll find huge savings on scopes big and small, ranging from a 1.5-4.5x24mm all the way up to an 8-32x50mm. The discounts off MSRP are really pretty remarkable. For example, a Wever 6-24x50mm Classic Extreme Scope with illuminated reticle (and 30mm tube) is now just $339.95, marked down from $579.00. (That’s a 41% price cut). The Weaver 2.5-10x56mm Classic Extreme scope, a good general-purpose 30mm-tube hunting scope, is marked way down to $299.95. Original MSRP on this scope was $926.88, and it sells elsewhere for over $550.00. Most of these scopes are discontinued models, but they still carry the normal Weaver warranty.
NOTE: to find particular on-sale models, we suggest you type “Weaver” plus the scope power description in the Natchez home page search field. For example, type “Weaver 2.5-10×56″. That should bring up the item with the low sale price.
Scope Sale tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
In order to increase deliveries of its most popular types of ammunition and bullets, Hornady announced that it will temporarily suspend production of 150 bullet types and 150 ammo types. IMPORTANT: These bullet and ammo products are NOT being discontinued. Rather, these less-popular, suspended items will simply not be produced for the remainder of 2013. By doing this, Hornady can reduce tool/machinery changes and thereby increase production of products in highest demand. On July 2nd, Hornady issued this statement:
Dear Hornady Customer:
As you are aware, 2013 has been one of the most challenging years ever in the sporting arms industry. We are proud of the increases in production we have achieved this year, but we are still faced witha demand that exceeds our ability to produce.
In efforts to increase production, we have reviewed everything, refining procedures, adding people, and equipment when possible. One area that will help us produce more: cutting the number of changeovers in our production machinery.
In order to reduce changeovers, we are announceing the temporary suspension of over 150 ammunition items and 150 bullet items, for the balance of 2013.
Attached you will find the list of items that will be suspended. Our plan is to remove the orders for these items from our system, beginning July 10th, and notify you of the cancellations. We will continue to monitor and update this list as the market conditions change.
Our goal is to try to deliver more to every customer, and while this may impact certain categories, our overall delivery should improve.
Hornady has listed the suspended bullet/ammo items in ten pages of attachments sent out to Hornady wholesalers and retailers. One representative page (covering 6mm, 6.5mm, and 7mm bullets) is shown below. This is NOT the complete list — there are TEN (10) pages! Click on each link below to see suspended items listed by caliber, small to large.
Notable Bullets on the Suspended List:
22832 – 22 Cal .224 80gr A-Max
22420 – 6mm .243 75gr V-Max
24562 – 6mm .243 105gr A-Max
26101 – 6.5mm .243 100gr A-Max
29402 – 7mm .284 162gr A-Max
29405 – 7mm .285 162gr BTHP Match
30314 – 30 Cal .308 155gr A-Max Moly
30715 – 30 Cal .308 178gr BTHP Match
30733 – 30 Cal .308 208gr BTHP Match
33102 – 338 Cal .338 200gr SST
Note, the above selection of “notable bullets” is just a “short list” of items that caught our attention. Remember 150 bullet types are being suspended for the balance of the year. With some items on the list, partial orders will be filled, or current orders will be filled, but no new orders taken.
On August 2, 2013, the new NRA National Sporting Arms Museum will open its doors at the Bass Pro Shops flagship store in Springfield, Missouri. The new 7500-square-foot Sporting Arms Museum will have over 1000 guns on display, including some of the most historically significant firearms from the NRA Museum Collection. The value of the collection is over $20,000,000!
Exhibits include original prototypes and paintings from the Remington Arms Company, shotguns from the American Trapshooting Association’s Hall of Fame, and the full collection of guns from the Pachmayr Foundation. There are many special displays, including a diorama showing replicas of firearms used on the Lewis & Clark expedition.
“Visitors to the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum are in for a treat. They’ll see firearms that figure significantly in the history of our country and trace the evolution of hunting and conservation,” said Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. “This museum houses a fantastic collection, from the firearms of Theodore Roosevelt and John Wayne to historic U.S. military pistols and engraved Colt revolvers of the Old West. It has something for every firearms enthusiast.”
“We are thrilled to bring such a wonderful collection of firearms to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World,” said NRA museum director Jim Supica. “Featuring treasured guns from the NRA collection along with special exhibits from Remington and others, this museum promises to showcase a sporting arms collection the world has never seen.”
Museum Admission is Free
To see this one-of-a-kind collection, come to the grand opening of the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri on August 2, 2013.
The museum, located at 1935 S. Campbell in Springfield, Missouri, will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with extended hours during Bass Pro’s Fall Hunting Classic. Admission is FREE and parking is free as well. To see a preview of the National Sporting Arms Museum, with many photos of the soon-to-be-opened exhibits, go to www.basspro.com/nramuseum.
If you’ve got stubborn lead fouling in a rimfire barrel, or on a pistol’s muzzle brake/compensator, you should definitely give this stuff a try. We don’t know how but it does soften lead deposits. The manufacturer says you don’t need brushes, but we found that a bit of brushing (after NO-LEAD application) can help remove more serious lead build-up.
Where to Buy NO-LEAD Lead Remover
On July 4th, the 
App Threatens Gun Owners
In order to increase deliveries of its most popular types of ammunition and bullets, Hornady announced that it will temporarily suspend production of 150 bullet types and 150 ammo types. IMPORTANT: These bullet and ammo products are NOT being discontinued. Rather, these less-popular, suspended items will simply not be produced for the remainder of 2013. By doing this, Hornady can reduce tool/machinery changes and thereby increase production of products in highest demand. On July 2nd, Hornady issued this statement:
Suspension List Contents by Page
On August 2, 2013, the new 
