At most American shooting facilities, you’re lucky to have running water and an electrical hook-up. Those Germans, with their penchant for advanced engineering, have created an amazingly high-tech (and even luxurious) indoor shooting facility that is truly state-of-the art. The NRA is proud of its modern indoor range in Fairfax, Virginia, but the NRA range can’t hold a candle to the advanced Müller Schiess Zentrum facility in Ulm, Germany. This vast complex features an indoor benchrest range with video monitors, a full-sized trap/skeet hall, pistol ranges, and a “running game” hunting simulator that actually displays (in 3D view) the placement of your bullet strike in the moving animal prey. On top of this, the Müller Schiess Zentrum Ulm (MSZU) has a cafe, a restaurant, and a large shopping/retail facility.
We still prefer shooting outdoors, but for a country like Germany, where long, cold winters limit the opportunities for outdoor shooting, a deluxe indoor facility like this makes sense. German reader JPeelen adds: “The problem in Germany is not [just] the weather but density of population. Noise problems led to the closure of many outdoor ranges. Ulm is unique because it offers a 300 meter indoor range, not just 100 meters[.]” Overall, you have to hand it to the Germans for “raising the bar” to a whole new level. View the Müller Schiess Zentrum’s amazing facilities in the video below. The editor of The Firearm Blog wrote: “I have seen the future… and it is in Germany. If you don’t do anything else today, just make sure you watch this video.”
Wilson Combat has come up with a new cartridge, dubbed the 7.62×40 WT (Wilson Tactical). Basically it is a .223 Remington necked up to .308 caliber, i.e. a .30-.223 Rem Wildcat. The cartridge is designed to give .30-cal capability to a standard AR15, using the normal bolt assembly and standard AR15 magazines. An AR15 can be converted to shoot the 7.62×40 WT with just a barrel swap. Note: Don’t confuse this new cartridge with the 7.62×39, the Eastern Bloc military cartridge that has been around for decades. The 7.62×40 WT is not derived from the 7.62×39 in any way. The 7.62×39 has a larger rim size, more body taper, and requires a different magazine and bolt. There have been 7.62×39 adaptations for ARs, but most didn’t function well (usually because of magazine issues). Wilson Combat claims the 7.62×40 WT offers the hitting power of the 7.62×39, but with a cartridge design that feeds and functions 100% in an AR15.
The 7.62×40 WT was designed around an optimal overall cartridge length of 2.250” which is a perfect fit for standard AR mags without shoving the bullet too far down in the case. Wilson says that its 7.62×40 WT barrels are optimally throated for the 2.250″ COAL. Therefore, Wilson claims, the “7.62×40 WT does not suffer from the same inconsistent accuracy issues in the AR platform often seen with the 300 Whisper and 300 BLACKOUT.”
Here are comparative Velocity and Energy numbers for the 7.62×40 WT vs. other cartridges with which it will compete.
7.62×40 WT (16″ Barrel)
110 gr: 2450 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1466 Foot Pounds of Energy
125 gr: 2400 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1599 Foot Pounds of Energy
150 gr: 2200 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1612 Foot Pounds of Energy
5.56 NATO (.223 Rem) (16″ Barrel)
55 gr: 3150 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1212 Foot Pounds of Energy
62 gr: 3000 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1239 Foot Pounds of Energy
77 gr: 2750 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1293 Foot Pounds of Energy
7.62×39 (16″ Barrel)
123 gr: 2320 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1470 Foot Pounds of Energy
6.8 SPC (16″ Barrel)
110 gr: 2550 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1594 Foot Pounds of Energy
At first it looks like the 7.62×40 WT has more energy than a 7.62×39 and outruns a 6.8 SPC handily. But Wilson omitted some key data for the 7.62×39. Taking load info straight from the Hodgdon Reloading Center, a 7.62×39 can be loaded to 2408 fps with a 125gr bullet, or to 2192 fps with a 150gr bullet at relatively moderate pressures (under 41,000 CUP, or roughly 44,250 psi). A 7.62×39 launching 150-grainers at 2192 fps generates 1601 foot-pounds, virtually the same as Wilson’s 150gr load. So, the 7.62×40 WT has no real advantage (over the 7.62×39).
Is This Cartridge Needed at All?
The “T” in 7.62×40 WT stands for “Tactical”, but we don’t think many police or military units will adopt this round. The 5.56x45mm is too well-established in the AR15/M16 platform and the 7.62×39 is the smart .30-Cal choice for an AK. So what, then, is the real “niche” for the 7.62×40 WT?
We think this round may prove popular with hunters who want to shoot a much heavier bullet out of a standard AR. A 150gr projectile is nearly twice as heavy as the biggest projectile you can shoot from a .223 Rem AR. The bigger bullet should work better on some kinds of game. Wilson Combat says: “Designed for tactical/defense applications as well as hunting for medium-sized game such as deer and feral hogs. For hunting the 7.62×40 WT vastly out performs the 5.56 and is on par with the 6.8 SPC at ranges out to 175-200 yards. The VERY mild recoil of the 7.62×40 WT also makes it ideal for female and younger shooters as well as anyone that’s recoil sensitive.”
Wilson says the 7.62×40 has proven itself as a good hunting cartridge: “A LOT of Texas feral hogs, whitetail deer and predators lost their lives testing the terminal performance of this cartridge! The 7.62×40 WT has proven to be a VERY efficient killer on medium sized game with the 110gr Barnes TTSX, 125gr Nosler Ballistic Hunter and the 125gr Sierra Pro Hunter. Any of these three bullets perform admirably on deer and hogs under 150 lbs. or so, but we recommend the 110gr Barnes TTSX for large hogs. The 110gr Sierra HP is a great bullet in the 7.62×40 WT for varmints and predators, and has proven to be one of the most accurate bullets.”
For home defense, it could be argued that the 7.62×40 WT is better than the .223 Rem because the larger, slower .30-Cal projectile has less penetration (through walls), but that would have to be demonstrated with real-world testing. Moreover, there are frangible .224-cal bullets that minimize the risk of over-penetration indoors.
Some benchresters might even tinker with the 7.62×40 WT in a bolt gun for score competition, but we doubt it would prove competitive with the 30 BR which can push a 120gr bullet at around 3000 fps. Wilson’s cartridge does give a paper-puncher the ability to shoot a .30-caliber bullet from a rifle with a .223 bolt face, and that might be attractive to club shooters in informal score matches.
Wilson Combat will be selling 7.62×40 WT loaded ammunition (with 110gr or 125gr bullets), but it is also supporting the reloading market. Wilson offers 7.62×40 WT brass, Hornady 7.62×40 WT dies, and you’ll find extensive load data on the Wilson Combat website. For those who want to put together a 7.62×40 WT AR, Wilson offers pre-chambered 7.62×40 WT barrels, as well as complete 7.62×40 WT uppers. Barrels start at $249.95, while the 7.62×40 WT uppers retail for $1024.95.
A dedicated iPad version of Ballistic (‘Ballistic’ App), a full-featured ballistics calculator for the iPhone, is available for the growing numbers of iPad users. As with the iPhone version, ‘Ballistic’ App for the iPad is “powered by JBM Ballistics” so it offers very precise solutions — typically, at 600 yards, JBM will get you within two or three clicks, provided you have good bullet BC data and reliable MV from your chronograph.
The ‘Ballistic’ App for the iPhone and iPad features a library of over 3,100 projectiles; the library includes the latest 2010 commercial data and G7 military coefficients from Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Along with calculating bullet trajectories, this software has many extra features. There are several different target cards so you can input shot placement and scoring is calculated automatically. There is also a range log (for recording shooting sessions), a mildot and MOA range estimator, and a convenient load database for storing your reloading recipes.
Special features in the iPad edition of ‘Ballistic’ App include: fully integrated split-screen ballistics, favorites, and range log; full-screen, hi-resolution charts; ballistics calculations update automatically as you edit; larger target sizes in range log; and screens can rotate. The iPad Ballistic App (release 2.3.7) costs $19.99. The standard version for iPhone and iTouch units, costs $9.99. To learn more about this software, visit ballistic.zdziarski.com.
Midsouth Shooters Supply is offering huge discounts on “Blem” Bullets from a major manufacturer. They’ve almost run out of their .30-caliber blems, and the next batch to go on sale will be the 7mm (.284 bullets). Our “inside man” at Midsouth reports: “We decided to move some of the bigger quantities of the blem bullets we have in stock. They’ve been narrowed down to just about Eight SKUs (lot numbers) and we’re packing them up as 500-ct packs and slashing the price. The .308 150-grainer was the first to be offered and they are just about gone — they sold fast. Our GM this morning decided the next to go on sale is the 154gr 7mm bullet. These will be sold at just $89.99 per 500. They’re good bullets and if I had a 7mm I’d get some. I can’t say who the manufacturer is, but I can say there are bonded bullets similar to Accubond or Interbond.”
With a price of $89.99 for for five hundred 7mm (.284) bullets, that’s a great deal for big-name manufacturers’ bullets, even if there are some cosmetic defects. That bulk price works out to just $18.00 per hundred bullets! Midsouth can’t disclose the bullet manufacturer, but we can assure you it’s a big name company with a reputation for quality. If you need some good 7mm hunting bullets, you may want to jump on this deal before Midsouth sells out. Visit MidsouthShootersSupply.com or CALL 1-800-272-3000 to order.
The National Matches, first held in 1903, have become a huge, national shooting sports festival with well over 6,000 annual participants. To help serve those shooters, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has launched a new web page, dedicated to the National Matches at Camp Perry. The CMP’s National Match Page now offers easy-to-use links to Registration Forms, Match Schedules, Rules, and event photo galleries. It’s very handy to have all the key links in one place. If you are thinking of visiting Camp Perry this year, whether as a shooter or a spectator, you should bookmark this page.
The 2011 CMP Eastern Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches took place the first week of May at Camp Butner, NC. The overall winner (no surprise) was current NRA National High Power Champion SGT Sherri Gallagher, who tallied a spectacular 797-50X. Finishing second was fellow USAMU shooter SSG Tyrell Cooper, with 794-41X. Sherri also had the highest individual score, 499-29X, in the 4-person Team Event. Sherri showed, once again, that she leads the field in High Power Match Rifle shooting. When Sherri is “on her game”, she’s hard to beat. You can see a large collection of Eastern Games photos from the Garand and Springfield matches (on Day 1) at the CMP online photo archive.
Sean Leighton won the Garand Match (289-3X) AND the Springfield Match (290-9X), and had the highest Three-Gun Aggregate with an 870-15X combined score. Great shooting Sean! In other specialty matches, Ken Lygren won the Carbine Match (356-1X), Doug Armstrong won the individual Vintage Sniper match (194-6X), and William Flagg Jr. won the Rimfire Sporter match. In 4-person team competition, USAMU teams took both Service Rifle (Craig Team, 1967-74X) and Match Rifle Divisions (Praslick Team, 1991-103X).
In our Shooters’ Forum, French shooter Aurelien posted some spectacular 400m groups shot with a “6×47″ built by Christian Salva. (We believe that is the 6mm based on the 6.5×47 Lapua cases, and not the RUAG 6×47, a separate cartridge.) If you want to see some cool-looking precision rifles (and target pistols) built with a continental flair, check out Christian’s website. Christian has built some wild-looking silhouette pistols, and we are intrigued by his barrel-block F-Class rifle, and thumbhole Varmint rifle.
Last year we reported on the Bushnell Fusion 1600 ARC rangefinding binoculars. As first introduced, the Fusion 1600 was sold as a 10×42 binocular with ten-power magnification. Now Bushnell has introduced a larger, more powerful 12×50 Fusion ARC model. This has larger, 50mm objective lenses, plus 12X magnification. With a “street price” under $900.00, the new 12×50 Fusion 1600 is less than half the price of the less powerful 10×42 Leica Geovids ($2349.00) or Zeiss Victory RF Binoculars (10×45, $2,799.00). That huge price advantage makes the Fusion very tempting — but can Bushnell’s 1600 ARC binos perform as advertised?
Don’t Expect to Range a WhiteTail at 1600 yards
There is BIG difference between ranging a water tower, and ranging a deer-sized animal. Bushnell lists three different effective ranging distances for the Fusion 1600, and Bushnell claims only 500-yard effectiveness on deer-sized objects (vs. 1000 yards on trees). This is fairly consistent with our LRF comparison tests.
You can see the features of Bushnell’s new 12×50 Fusion 1600 ARC rangefinding binoculars in the video below. This also shows the smaller 10×42 Bushnell Fusion for comparison. The video does a good job explaining the functional differences between the 12X and 10X units, helping you decide which one best fits your needs. Surprisingly, the bigger Fusion is only about one ounce heavier. If you have any interest in a combo bino/rangefinder you should watch this video. The reviewer concludes the Fusions represent good value for the money.
Fusion 1600 ARC Features
The 12×50 roof prism binoculars feature built-in battery life indicator, twist-up eye pieces, and multi-coated optics with RainGuard. The Fusion 1600 is fully waterproof and submersible, meeting IPX7 “waterproof” specification. Owners have reported that the Fusion 1600 has good glass, and the red readouts are easy to see. Bushnell employs Vivid Display Technology™ (with four display brightness settings) to enhance display readability in all lighting conditions.
The built-in laser rangefinder features ARC (Angle Range Compensating) technology, which calculates the angle to the target (-90 to +90 degrees). ARC also and gives the hold-over range for the rifle shooter, and true horizontal distance for bow hunters. We like the fact that you can choose between Inches and MOA for holdover. There is a brush mode for measuring distances in heavy cover and a bullseye mode for ranging in open areas. The brush mode can filter out false returns from closer objects. This IS a useful feature that actually does work. The Fusion 1600 ARC laser rangefinder binoculars come with battery, neck-strap, and carrying case. Typical retail price for th 12×50 Fusion is around $900.00. For more info, visit www.bushnell.com or call 800-423-3537 for consumer inquiries.
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics announced that it is taking over distribution of the Hensoldt line of optics in the United States effective May 1, 2011. The Hensoldt line of riflescopes and other optical instruments for military, law enforcement and civilian applications is produced by the Carl Zeiss Optronics division and had been distributed in the U.S. by HDC, LLC (Hudisco.com) since 2008. Nathan Hunt, president of HDC, has joined the Carl Zeiss Optronics division in the U.S. as Vice President, Sights. In this role, Hunt will focus on the military market and help the Carl Zeiss Sports Optics team in Chester, VA, expand Hensoldt distribution in the USA.
“The Hensoldt line offers exceptional quality and versatility for elite marksmen, and Carl Zeiss Sports Optics is pleased to take over distribution of these optics to select dealers throughout the United States,” said Erik Schumacher, President of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. “At this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the Hensoldt line was shown in the same booth as the ZEISS Sports Optics line for the very first time and the response from dealers was overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to expanding the footprint of the Hensoldt line in conjunction with our sports optics business.”
The customer base for Hensoldt optics is comprised of police and law enforcement agency sniper units as well as the most discerning competitive marksmen and shooting enthusiasts who are looking for the absolute finest optics available. Hensolt produce a a select variety of high-end optics, including telescopic sights, spotting scopes, and hterml imaging systems. Hensoldt scopes are very expensive but the optics performance and build quality is absolutely top-of-the-line.
Texas native Trevor Baucom, a former U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot, has joined the ranks of Team Smith & Wesson as the S&W’s first disabled veteran shooter. At the NRA’s 2011 Annual Meeting, Baucom was introduced as the newest member of the S&W Team. One of Baucom’s first events will be the prestigious NRA Bianchi Cup, scheduled for May 25-29 in Columbia, Missouri.
Pilot Wounded in Afghanistan With a distinguished service record of 13 years in the U.S. Army, CW3 Baucom was injured in a helicopter crash while serving his fourth deployment in Afghanistan. The injury, which occurred during a nighttime assault, left the Blackhawk command pilot paralyzed from the waist down. Once back in the USA, Baucom began his rehabilitation in Franklin, TN. There he met Shooting USA host Jim Scoutten, who encouraged Baucom to get involved in competitive shooting. The 31-year-old Vet began training with the goal of competing at the 2011 NRA Nat’l Action Pistol Championship, shooting against able-bodied competitors.
While the NRA Bianchi Cup will be Baucom’s first competitive shooting event, the avid hunter and recreational shooter is more focused on enjoying the experience than wondering what his score will be. That said, Baucom is training diligently to improve his X-count.
“For me, this is all about breaking down barriers,” said Baucom. “This opportunity presents a unique challenge for me to push my abilities. I hope that my participation will lead to other wounded warriors taking an interest in competitive shooting and that more matches like the Bianchi Cup will take a look at how they can open up spots for other disabled shooters.”
At most American shooting facilities, you’re lucky to have running water and an electrical hook-up. Those Germans, with their penchant for advanced engineering, have created an amazingly high-tech (and even luxurious) indoor shooting facility that is truly state-of-the art. The NRA is proud of its modern indoor range in Fairfax, Virginia, but the NRA range can’t hold a candle to the advanced Müller Schiess Zentrum facility in Ulm, Germany. This vast complex features an indoor benchrest range with video monitors, a full-sized trap/skeet hall, pistol ranges, and a “running game” hunting simulator that actually displays (in 3D view) the placement of your bullet strike in the moving animal prey. On top of this, the Müller Schiess Zentrum Ulm (MSZU) has a cafe, a restaurant, and a large shopping/retail facility.
At first it looks like the 7.62×40 WT has more energy than a 7.62×39 and outruns a 6.8 SPC handily. But Wilson omitted some key data for the 7.62×39. Taking load info straight from the 
For home defense, it could be argued that the 7.62×40 WT is better than the .223 Rem because the larger, slower .30-Cal projectile has less penetration (through walls), but that would have to be demonstrated with real-world testing. Moreover, there are frangible .224-cal bullets that minimize the risk of over-penetration indoors.
A dedicated iPad version of 
The 2011 
“The Hensoldt line offers exceptional quality and versatility for elite marksmen, and Carl Zeiss Sports Optics is pleased to take over distribution of these optics to select dealers throughout the United States,” said Erik Schumacher, President of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. “At this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the Hensoldt line was shown in the same booth as the ZEISS Sports Optics line for the very first time and the response from dealers was overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to expanding the footprint of the Hensoldt line in conjunction with our sports optics business.”
With a distinguished service record of 13 years in the U.S. Army, CW3 Baucom was injured in a helicopter crash while serving his fourth deployment in Afghanistan. The injury, which occurred during a nighttime assault, left the Blackhawk command pilot paralyzed from the waist down. Once back in the USA, Baucom began his rehabilitation in Franklin, TN. There he met 
