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February 26th, 2011
The wizard tool designer who runs 21st Century Shooting has invented a clever yet inexpensive new bench accessory that makes it much easier to turn case-necks. 21st Century’s new Neck Turning Tool Swivel Bracket gives you a “third hand” when using the 21st Century Neck Turning Tool, simplifying the process of neck turning, particularly when using power.
CNC-machined from aluminum billet, 21st Century’s Swivel Bracket mounts right on your bench. You can either attach it semi-permanently with screws or simply clamp it in place. Adjust your neck-turning tool (red unit in photo), at any angle from 0-90°, for best viewing of the cutter operation. With your neck-turning tool attached to the bracket, you have easy access to the arbor adjustment screw, arbor screw clamp, and the bracket rotation clamp screw. Once you’ve adjusted the angle, and locked the neck turner in place with the supplied Allen wrench, you can concentrate on turning the case, either by hand, or with power assist. The neck-turning tool is held securely; however, rubber bushings on the bracket allow the neck-turning tool to “float” just enough to work properly when using power.
This new Neck Turning Tool Swivel Bracket is simple, but very effective. It really does help you turn necks with greater ease and a greater sense of security. Importantly, the bracket lessens hand fatigue. No more “cramped hand syndrome” from struggling to hold the neck-turner steady. We really like this little device, and it only costs $19.95. However, for the time being, the Swivel Bracket ONLY works with the 21st Century Neck Turning Tool — it does NOT work with a Hornady, K&M, Neilson, or Sinclair Neck Turning Tools. For more info, call 260-273-9909 or visit 21stCenturyShooting.com.
February 25th, 2011
 Tom Manners of Manners Composite Stocks, makes very high-quality, stiff rifle stocks. Tom has designs for hunters, varminters, F-Class Shooters, and tactical shooters. All his stocks are strong for their weight, and you can count on a Manners stock to have correct geometry and first-rate build quality.
However, until recently, if you wanted a Manners stock with a molded-in finished, you had to settle for a solid color, in some variation of tan, green, gray, or black. That has changed. Manners Composite Stocks now offers molded-in camo, multi-color stock finishes. You can get these molded-in MSC Camo finishes for no extra charge over the regular price of the stock.
Manners’ MCS Camo color schemes consist of three colors: a base, which is usually 40%, and two lesser colors that usually are 30% each of the total finish. Tom reports: “We do our best to maintain the color balance of the Camo, but each one is done by hand and two stocks are never the same. There are 5 different molded-in versions of our MCS-Camo and 2 solid colors (OD Green and Coyote Tan).” The molded-in finishes are currently offered for the following stock models: MCS-T, TA, T2, T3, T4, T4quad, T5 and T5A; Special Order: Mcs-T4A and T2A.
Tom tells us: “The molded-in finishes are smooth compared to our painted finishes. For the guys that like the textured feel of our painted stock but want the durability of a molded-in finish, for $35.00 extra, we offer the ArmourGrip option — a textured dead flat clear finish that is applied to the stock.”
Custom Painted Finishes Offered Also
In addition to the new line of molded-in finishes, for an extra fee, you can order a custom, painted finish. This can be applied to either the stock, or to the complete rifle (more coverage is more money). Samples of custom paint jobs are shown below. All colors are a dead flat finish to minimize light reflection and have a non-slip pebble finish. The polyurethane enamel paint used is very durable. But, like all paints, it will scratch if dragged over rocks, limbs, and other sharp surfaces.
Manners Composite Stocks PAINTED FINISH Samples (other styles offered.)
February 24th, 2011
Both the North Carolina 1000-Yard Benchrest Shooters Assn. and the Montana NW 1000-Yard Benchrest Club have released their 2011 match schedules. You can access the schedules via the links below:
| NC 1000-Yard BRSA Schedule
2011 Matches
Match | Date
1 & 2: 4-9-11
3 & 4: 4-30-11
5 & 6: 5-14-11
7 & 8: 6-4-11
Makeup: 7-16-11*
9 & 10: 9-10-11
Makeup: 10-8-11*
*Shot only if regularly scheduled matches are postponed due to inclement weather. |
Montana NW 1000-Yard BR Club Schedule
2011 Match Dates
March 26-27
April 23-24
May 14-15
June 11-12
July 9-10.
August 12-14 Championship Shoot
Extra practice days are: March 13th, April 10th, March 26-27, April 23-24, May 14-15, June 11-12, July 9-10.
The 1000 Yard Range is available for practice on Mondays and Fridays, March 1st to August 31st, from 8:00 AM until Noon. We will have the range all day on Friday before each shoot. |
February 24th, 2011
If you’re looking to stock up on cleaning solvents, and you don’t want to carry around fragile glass bottles in your range kit, check out the new line of Montana X-Treme cleaners. These are now packaged in unbreakable aluminum containers. That’s a smart idea that makes a quality product even more attractive. While we like Wipe-Out foaming bore cleaner for regular cleaning, the Montana X-Treme Copper Killer is one of the most effective solvents you can buy for stubborn copper fouling. Copper Killer is used by many top benchrest shooters.
February 23rd, 2011
 Tonight, Feb. 23, at 8:00 pm on the Outdoor Channel, Shooting USA features End of Trail, the Cowboy Action World Championship. Hosted annually at the SASS Founders Ranch in New Mexico, End of Trail attracts over 1,000 shooters, hailing from 50 states and many foreign countries. SASS, the Single Action Shooting Society, is one of the most popular shooting organizations on the planet, having issued over 90,000 member badges. For SASS members, End of Trail represents the Superbowl and World Series combined.
If you like multi-gun competition, you’ll enjoy watching Cowboy Action Matches. The top male and female shooters are experts with three kinds of firearms: Lever Rifle, Single-Action Revolver, and Shotgun (which can be a double-barrel side-by-side, or a pump, or even an 1887 lever-action). The guns must be originals or reproductions made prior to 1898 to be used in competition. A typical stage will require 5 shots from each of two six guns, ten rounds from the rifle, chambered in a pistol caliber, and 6 to 8 shotgun rounds.
24 Rounds from Four Guns in under 13 Seconds
To give you an idea of the action you can see tonight on Shooting USA, here is a video of past world Champion Spencer Hogland, aka “Lead Dispencer”. In this video, Spencer fires 24 rounds, with four guns, in just 12.81 seconds (look at the timer in lower right corner). Spencer shows blazing speed with his lever gun and note how quickly he loads his shotgun. Fast loading is key to a successful stage run. Unlike modern multi-gun comps, normally Cowboy Action Shooters must start with empty shotguns.
February 23rd, 2011
One of the most interesting products we saw at SHOT Show 2011 was a Pentax riflescope with a motor-driven 3-15X power zoom. You can change magnification at the push of a button, just like on a modern camera. We looked through this Pentax “Ultimate Zoom” scope and it seemed clear and sharp. We thought it was a good deal at the normal mid-$300 price. Now get this, even while other vendors are retailing the scope for $349.00, Amazon.com has dropped its price to just $139.95. And shipping is free! This special sale may only last a few days, so don’t delay.
UPDATE: This Scope SOLD OUT at the $139.95 price. Current best price on Amazon.com is $212.99. We told you it was a great deal!
Pentax Marketing Demo — Ultimate Zoom
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Why a Power Zoom Makes Sense
We’re puzzled why this scope is not more popular. We figure that shooters are simply skeptical about new technology. But think about it, you probably have a camera and maybe a pair of binoculars with a power zoom. This technology has been around for years. And, for a hunting scope, it makes great sense. While scanning for prey, you can quickly zoom out for a wide field of view, and then zoom in to make the shot. The unit we looked at worked flawlessly and the battery driven motor was quiet. You control the magnification with a push-pad on a cable. Parallax control is via the adjustable front objective. Honestly, for $139.95, this Editor is very tempted to purchase one myself.
The Pentax Ultimate Zoom features a 30mm main tube, 1/4-MOA clicks, and Plex reticle. It weighs 28.0 ounces and is 14.3″ long. The scope, which is waterproof and fog-proof, is backed by the Pentax “Worry-Free” warranty.
| GREAT DEAL on Pentax Spotting Scopes
While you’re shopping on Amazon.com, you’ll find the straight-body Pentax PF-80ED Spotting Scope on sale for just $619.95, while the angled-body version is just $684.95. Shipping is Free. NOTE: Eyepieces are extra. This is a very high-quality 80mm spotting scope with ED Glass. We’ve tested this spotter, and its performance is very, very close to the finest European spotting scopes costing three times as much. It’s hard to go wrong with a PF-80ED at these prices. Pentax eyepieces for this spotter are superb — some of the best sold by any optics maker.
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February 23rd, 2011
The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) is always looking for qualified volunteer instructors to assist with Hunter instruction and safety programs in North America. Since its inception, the IHEA has served as the primary resource for information on hunter education; has promoted programs which prevent hunting accidents; and has worked to cultivate honesty, self-discipline, self-reliance, responsible behavior, and good citizenship among hunters.
Significant Discounts for Certified IHEA Instructors
To encourage qualified individuals to serve as IHEA Hunter-Safety instructors, numerous “big name” manufacturers offer significant discounts on firearms and/or shooting products to certified IHEA instructors. You can save up to 55% on optics, and up to 40% on the purchase price of firearms. Below are some of the current discounts offered by IHEA partners to certified instructors. This is only a partial list. CLICK HERE for a complete list of special offers for IHEA instructors. NOTE: For some product lines, certified instructors must log in with their passwords to see the current discounted pricing offers.
Beretta USA: Certified IHEA instructors receive wholesale pricing on select Beretta long guns.
Burris Optics: IHEA instructors and law enforcement officers receive a 50% discount on their optics and other items.
CVA: Hunter Education Instructors receive a 40% discount on CVA Muzzleloading Rifles and Supplies.
CZ-USA: Significant Discount on CZ-USA centerfire, rimfire and shotguns.
Henry Repeating Arms Co.: IHEA instructors can purchase basic model lever guns and bolt-action guns for approximately 33% off normal retail. Instructor Price List.
Leupold: IHEA Instructors may purchase Leupold products for their instructional use at special pricing plus one optic a year for their own personal use at special pricing.
Ruger: Ruger offers certified Hunter Education Instructors specific product discounts on purchasing Ruger firearms.
Savage Arms: Special discounted pricing to enable certified Instructors to purchase a rifle.
Smith & Wesson: S&W offers a limited number of guns to instructors certified by the IHEA program. Guns are to be used for training activities only and are not intended for resale.
February 22nd, 2011
According to the latest Firearm Manufacturing and Export Report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. firearm manufacturers produced more than 5.4 million firearms in 2009. That’s a big increase compared to the start of the decade in 2001, when less than 3,000,000 firearms were manufactured by U.S. companies. In recent years, production of both handguns and long guns has grown significantly, as show in the graph below, prepared by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) based on ATF records from 1984-2009.
The ATF data (from 1984-2009) reveals some interesting trends:
- Total firearms produced in 2009 topped 5.4 million, exceeding the previous high total in 1994.
- Over 3,000,000 long guns were produced in 2009, the highest quantity in the past 25 years.
- The total number of firearms sold in 2009 works out to one gun for every 57 citizens, based on the 2009 U.S. population of 305,529,237.
- After a decade-long decline, handgun production rose dramatically from 2004-2009. If trends continue, in a few more years, pistol sales could out-number long gun sales.
NSSF research has updated its 14-page Industry Intelligence Report, titled Firearms Production in the United States, with the most recent data on U.S. production of pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns. Additional updated data found in this report include: Annual Survey of Manufacturers figures and U.S. International Trade Commission firearm import and export figures. The report is available for free to NSSF members by logging into the members section of the NSSF website, clicking “NSSF Industry Research” and then clicking “Industry Intelligence Reports.” For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
February 22nd, 2011
Cabelas.com just announced that it is offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $150.00 or more. This offer is valid through March 1, 2011 and you must use Discount Code 2WSHIP when checking out through the online shopping cart. This is a good deal, as shipping on small items is often a significant percentage of the cost. NOTE: The FREE Shipping offer does not cover hazmat charges, and some large and heavy items are excluded; also firearms shipments are excluded. The offer covers standard shipping to U.S. addresses only. CLICK HERE for more details.
Free Shipping on Orders $150 (or more) with code 2WSHIP — Valid until 3/1/2011.
February 20th, 2011
 There’s a lot of buzz about ballistics programs for smartphones. Those are handy, to be sure, but most people still need a solid, full-featured program to run on their home computers. Berger Bullets offers a sophisticated ballistics programs for MS Windows computers that works really well, and lets you print out results. Up-to-Date G7 BCs for Berger projectiles are built-in to the program, and the price is right — FREE.
CLICK HERE to Download Berger Ballistics Program
The program is basic enough to be easy to use, but flexible enough to allow you to calculate custom ballistics for your rifle and load. The program accounts for all the basic external ballistic parameters including bullet BC and muzzle velocity, atmospherics, uphill/downhill shooting, etc. The output tabulates velocity, energy and time of flight as a function of range. Bullet path and wind deflection are displayed in your choice of inches, centimeters, MOA or MILS.
 Instructions for Program
On the Berger Bullets Blog (1/26/2010), You’ll find a description of program features and a complete set of instructions. Here are instructions for the bullet variables: “The bullet inputs are straightforward. The BC can be entered in reference to either the G1 or G7 standard. You can find the G1 or G7 BC for your bullet either printed on the bullet box label, or on our products page. For accurate results, you should measure the muzzle velocity with a good chronograph. If you don’t have access to a chronograph, you can estimate the muzzle velocity based on your load data.”
Tips for Best Results
Bryan Litz includes tips on getting the most from the Berger Ballistics program. Some of Bryan’s suggestions will also help you when working with other ballistics software:
G1 vs. G7 BC: The accuracy of the ballistic solution is only as accurate as the inputs you give it. The advertised BCs for Berger bullets are established by actual field firing tests over long range and are very accurate. Using the properly referenced BC (G7 vs. G1) for the bullet you’re modeling is important. For any bullet with a boat tail, we recommend using the G7 BC.
Muzzle Velocity: Knowing your true muzzle velocity is important when calculating external ballistics. It’s best to measure your muzzle velocity directly with a chronograph.
Altitude and Atmosphere: If you want a truly accurate long-range trajectory prediction, you can’t ignore atmospheric effects. This is especially true the farther you get from standard conditions (sea level altitude, 59 degrees Fahrenheit, 0% humidity).
Scope Verification: It’s important to verify the most important link between the calculated ballistics and your point of impact: your scope. If the ballistics program calculates 30.0 MOA of drop for a particular shot, and you dial your scope to 30.0 MOA, are you sure it’s giving you exactly 30.0 MOA? In reality, many scopes have enough error in them to cause misses at long range. It’s important to verify the value of your scope clicks by firing groups at short range.
If you have further questions not answered on Berger’s Blog Page, email Bryan.Litz [at] bergerbullets.com. NOTE: If your computer won’t run the program, please download and install this Java update: http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp. This is a Windows PC program. You may have problems trying to run it on a MAC in emulation.
Story sourced by Edlongrange.
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