If you get the Outdoor Channel, tune in to the ShootingUSA hour of programming tonight. The first half-hour features the Fort Benning 3-Gun Match, one of the most popular multi-gun matches of the year. This is the only Multi-gun match that draws on the assets of the US Army — that means competitors get to ride in armored fighting vehicles on some stages. This year the match was designed to represent different army units, beginning with basic training and a DI yelling commands at the competitors. Below is some helmet-cam footage shot by our friend Zak Smith at the 2008 Fort Benning 3-Gun Match. In this stage, which was based on a “Sgt. York” scenario, Zak starts in the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and proceeds into a trench system to engage pistol targets.
The “Sighting In with Shooting USA” half-hour follows the Fort Benning feature. On this week’s “Sighting In” segment, soldiers from the US Army Marksmanship team (USAMU) action shooting team conduct a skills clinic for young shooters. This clinic focuses on basic skills and safety training. The USAMU Kids Clinic is the effort to help expand participation in practical shooting, and develop future champions in USPSA competition.
ShootingUSA TV and Sighting In air Wednesday on the Outdoor Channel at these times:
Geissele triggers are highly regarded by high power and service rifle AR shooters. Now there is a new line of moderately-priced Geissele triggers, sold exclusively by MidwayUSA. Geissele will produce three types of Super-Dynamic triggers for MidwayUSA: Combat, Enhanced, and 3-Gun. These will all boast tool steel hammers and precise, Wire-EDM-cut sear surfaces. The 3-Gun model has a special “short reset” feature to allow quicker shot strings in competition. Unless you’re “running and gunning”, however, you’ll probably prefer the “Enhanced trigger”, which features a 2.2-lb first stage, a 1.2-lb second stage and crisper break.
Geissele’s Super-Dynamic triggers feature a straight vertical trigger bow, preferred by many competitors. Geissele claims its HI-SPEED hammer cuts lock time by 50% compared to standard AR hammers.
The Combat Trigger features a 2.5 to 3-lb first stage and a 2-lb second stage. Normal price: $209.99.
The Enhanced Trigger has a 2.2-lb first stage, a 1.2-lb second stage and crisper break. Normal price: $224.99.
The 3-Gun Trigger was designed with input from competitive multi-gun shooters and features a “hybrid” 3.5-lb pull and shorter reset for rapid target engagement. Normal Price: $234.99.
ON SALE Through December 31, 2010
These three Geissele triggers are all marked down this month. The Combat trigger is reduced $21.00 to $188.99. The Enhanced trigger is discounted $25.00 to $199.99, and the 3-Gun trigger is marked down $25.00 to $209.99.
Disclosure: MidwayUSA has been a long-term advertiser with this site.
“[On] December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” — F.D.R.
Today, sixty-nine years later, it remains important to remember what took place at Pearl Harbor, and to honor those soldiers, sailors, marines (and civilians) who lost their lives in the surprise attack. The tragic memory of Pearl Harbor reminds us that our nation should never be lulled into complacency. The Berlin Wall may be down, but the world remains a dangerous place. The nation must remain alert to all dangers, and be prepared to respond to all threats, both known and unknown. As Wendell Phillips said famously: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
In 2008, as a “proof-of-concept”, AccurateShooter.com created a 20 Practical AR15 “Ultimate Varminter” with a custom 20-caliber upper from Robert Whitley. That project rifle was ultra-accurate — every 5-shot group out of the gun was less than the size of a dime. That gun was auctioned off, but Robert Whitley (AR-X Enterprises, LLC) continues to produce custom 20 Practical AR15 uppers. (The 20 Practical cartridge is simply the .223 Rem necked down to 20 caliber — you can use standard .223 brass and load with standard.223 Rem dies. Just swap in a smaller expander and use smaller neck bushings.)
Robert reports that the accuracy of the first 20 Practical AR15 was no fluke. After buildign six (6) more 20 Practical uppers, he tested them for accuracy and they all shot great. These uppers feature DPMS low-pro receivers with side charging handles. They are fitted with PacNor 1:11″ twist, three-groove stainless barrels.
Robert reports: “We have been making more 20 Practical AR15 uppers and I have to say I am astounded by the accuracy of these things. For shooting little tiny groups out of an AR15 with bullets going 3500+ fps, it’s hard to beat the 20 Practical. Today I test-fired six more uppers, all with 11-twist barrels. Three of the uppers had 24″ barrels, two had 20″ barrels, and one had an 18″ barrel (we call it ‘Stubby’).
In four of these uppers I shot re-sized Winchester brass using 25.3 grains of WC844 powder with Berger 40gr BTHP bullets loaded at 2.225″ OAL (about .015″ off the lands). WC844 is inexpensive military surplus powder that is nearly identical to H335. I tried three different primers and the choice did not seem to matter (CCI BR4, Rem 7 1/2s and Win Small Rifle — the old silver ones). All these four uppers shot great. Here is an overlay with targets from uppers #6, 10, and 11. All groups are mag-fed, 5-shot groups shot at 100 yards using a front rest and rear bag.”
Neck Tension is Important
With four of the uppers, Robert used Winchester brass which had good neck tension, and accuracy was excellent, as shown above. However, for two of the uppers (uppers #3 and #5) Robert used some old 20 Practical ammo that he pulled down and reloaded without re-sizing the case neck. Robert says: “With this old ammo, the neck tension was way too light and the accuracy was so-so, i.e. between .75″-1.0″ at 100 yards — which for a lot of ARs is still considered ‘very good’.” Lesson learned — accuracy may suffer with the 20 Practical if your neck tension is inadequate.
For more information visit www.6mmAR.com, or contact Robert Whitley via email: rcw3 [at] erols.com.
The 9th Annual SASS Convention and Indoor Championship will be held December 8-12 at the Riviera Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the Single Action Shooting Society’s annual gathering, SASS members can attend seminars on shooting skills, reloading, gun maintenance, stage planning, and match management. Firearms vendors will display their wares, and a wide variety of activities will be held, including: Indoor World Championship, Classic Cowboy Saloon Dance, Hall of Fame Induction, and Wild West Performers (e.g. Trick Ropers, Gun Spinners, and Bullwhip Artists). The Popular “Cowboys in the Sky” CW band will perform on Friday night.
Indoor Shooting Championship with Wax Bullets
The SASS Indoor World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting is a three-day, nine-stage shooting competition to be held during the SASS Convention in Las Vegas. Competitors will shoot supplied firearms and wax bullets at steel targets in a variety of Cowboy Action Shooting scenarios. The ammunition is powderless, as the wax projectiles are propelled by standard primers only. This allows shooting indoors, within the convention center itself.
Editor’s Comment: Traditionalists may scoff at the use of wax bullets, but SASS has devised a form of action shooting that can be safely done indoors (on hotel premises) without ricochet risks and without pollution issues. By adapting its game to an indoor setting, SASS has added something new to the shooting sports, and has provided an exciting adjunct to its annual Convention. When shooters get together, they want to shoot. The wax-bullet technology allows SASS Convention-goers to enjoy shooting without traveling miles to a formal indoor or outdoor range. There may be something here that can be adapted to other shooting sports. We can certainly see the potential for winter indoors rifle training using primer-propelled wax bullets. Keep in mind however, that shooters must still employ normal safe-shooting procedures; even wax bullets can cause serious injuries.
Starting in mid-December, travelers on Amtrak will be able to bring their firearms in checked baggage. With airport security and airline baggage fees becoming more burdensome by the week, rail travel may become more appealing to shooters and hunters. The new Amtrak gun transport policy goes into effect on December 15, 2010. However, firearms transport will only be available between stations where checked baggage service is currently available. Amtrak has modified 142 baggage cars “to provide a secure, safe location for the firearms.”
Requirements for Firearms Transport
You can’t just walk on an Amtrak train with a holstered gun or a rifle in a gun case. Far from it. Advanced notice and special packing is required. Here are Amtrak’s gun transport rules:
Advanced Notice: At least 24 hours before departure, travelers must notify Amtrak of their intention to transport firearms. Notification must be by phone (not online), and firearms must still be declared upon check-in.
Declaration: When checking-in, you must tell baggage handlers that you are transporting firearms.
Locked Container Requirement: As when transporting guns on a commercial airline flight, gun owners should pack firearms unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided container. NOTE: handgun cases must stored inside a suitcase or other checked bag.
Ammo Transport: Ammunition should be stored in a manufacturer’s box or in “fiber, wood, or metal boxes … or in other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.”
Gun-toting travelers with questions should call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit www.amtrak.com. Federal legislation mandated this Amtrak policy change.
Most of our regular visitors observed that we activated our new, enhanced AccurateShooter.com website a couple weeks ago, but there are many cool features you may not have tried out yet.
NEW Category Index Pages with Photos
We have created Category Index Pages with thumbnails that are easy to navigate. You’ll find 16 different category pages, such as Cartridge Guides, Competition, Hunting, Optics, Reloading, Rimfire, Shooting Skills, Tactical and more. On any Category page you can see thumbnails and a short summary of each article.
Here’s how to navigate on the Category Index Pages. First, at the top, you’ll see four thumbnails, with blue arrows on the left and right. Simply click the arrows to see four more articles appear at the top. You can also scroll down to see the articles in a grid format.
Switch Categories with Pull-Down Menu
Let’s say you want to switch from Competition to another category, such as Gear Reviews, Optics, or Cartridge Guides. That’s really easy. At the upper right, you’ll see a pull-down menu that includes all the Categories. Just select the category you want and click the GO button.
To read a story, click on the square photo (thumbnail) or click on the story title just below the thumbnail photo. In addition to the Category Index pages you can also find articles using the search field, found in the upper right-hand corner of every page. Just type what you want and click the red “Search” button.
Here’s another promo that can save you money on your holiday shopping. When ordering goods through Gander Mountain’s online store, use Coupon Code GME1205 during check-out. That code gets you $20 off a $100+ order (20% savings), $50 off a $300+ order (16.6% savings), or an impressive $100 off a $750 order (13.3% savings). This promo is good through December 11, 2010.
How to Beat MAP Pricing on Optics
Note that many premium scopes, binoculars, and rangefinders are governed by “MAP” (Minimum Advertised Price) rules imposed by the manufacturers. That means the list price is going to be the same at all authorized dealers, even the “super-discounters”. However, if you can use a “generic” discount code to get $50 off or $100 on an order that includes MAP-priced items, you’ll come out way ahead. MAP agreements prevent any seller from displaying specific items below a certain price point. But your coupon code effectively allows you to purchase below MAP price.
These photos show actual product restriction notices at stores in the UK. The bright red toy ray-gun can only be sold to adults. The sign reads: “This product is restricted…. To protect our younger customers, you have to be over 18 to buy imitation firearms.”
Steak Knives — For Adults Only
If that wasn’t bad enough, check out this sign next to a set of flatware for the dinner table: “Sale of Knives & Bladed Articles — The sale of these products is governed by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 (as Amended by the Violent Reduction Act 2006). It is a criminal offence to sell these products to any person under the age of 18 years.”
What’s next, restricting those under 18 to soft foods they can eat with a spoon? How did things ever become this absurd? What would Winston Churchill say about the rampant “Nannyism” in today’s UK?
One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation. — Thomas Reed
Editor’s Comment — Yes this is Real
We were skeptical about the knife ban, until we located the House of Commons Legislation Report. As originally passed in 1988, the knife-purchase age limit was 16 years, but, according to the report: “Section 43 [of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006] amends section 141A(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 under which it is currently an offence to sell a knife or an article with a blade or point to a person under the age of 16 years. Section 43 increases that age to 18″.
Apparently not all Britain’s politicians are spineless idiots. During the debate on the 2006 Amendment (raising the age limit on knife sales), M.P. Mark Oaten stated:
“It is difficult to see how the proposed age limit for knives can work. The bill will land us in the ridiculous situation where a 16- and a 17-year-old can get married and set up home on their own, but can’t buy a kitchen knife”.
ARES Puškárska Dielňa, a Slovakian bullet-maker, has come up with a new colorized bullet coating for cast lead bullets. This coating provides a surface barrier so that the lead does not contact the rifling in the barrel. In addition, no bullet lube is required and the colored coating reduces friction. As explained on the Wieder-Lader.de website, “Please take into consideration that ARES Colored Bullets are more quick than copper plated/FMJ bullets. If you used to [shoot] copper plated/FMJ bullets, please start reloading Colored Bullets (CB) with approx. 5% less powder and adjust the final quantity of powder on basis of your own speed measurements. CBs keep the barrel clean. CBs are ready for reloading, i.e. it is not necessary to grease CBs.”
In the photo below, a .40-caliber bullet is shown before and after firing (the bullet was recovered from the target). You can see that the fired bullet (labeled “after”) has been engraved by the rifling, but very little, if any, lead was exposed.
No this is not a hoax — no Photoshop tricks here. ARES offers a a full line of colored pistol and rifle bullets from .25 caliber up to .58 caliber. Ares even offers colored shotgun slugs. We haven’t seen ARES bullets in the USA yet, but they are sold throughout Europe by ARES Distributors.
Don’t Snack on ARES Bullets
Though ARES colored bullets do look like Jelly Beans, they are most definitely NOT to be eaten. We will still have to wait a while for snack bullets, such as BIO-Bullets, the vitamin-enriched “Incredible Edibles” unveiled in our 2010 April Fool’s Edition.
Moly-Polymer Coated Bullets in USA Precision Bullets in Texas sells cast lead bullets coated with a proprietary moly-polymer matrix. With this special coating, the moly does not rub off like most moly-coated pistol bullets. The coating is tough enough to survive heat that will melt the lead core (See Photo). This Editor has shot thousands of Precision Bullets’ coated bullets in my .45 ACP and .40SW pistols. These “Black Bullets” are extremely accurate and the leading in the barrel is dramatically reduced compared to normal cast lead bullets.
If you get the Outdoor Channel, tune in to the ShootingUSA hour of programming tonight. The first half-hour features the Fort Benning 3-Gun Match, one of the most popular multi-gun matches of the year. This is the only Multi-gun match that draws on the assets of the US Army — that means competitors get to ride in armored fighting vehicles on some stages. This year the match was designed to represent different army units, beginning with basic training and a DI yelling commands at the competitors. Below is some helmet-cam footage shot by our friend Zak Smith at the 2008 Fort Benning 3-Gun Match. In this stage, which was based on a “Sgt. York” scenario, Zak starts in the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and proceeds into a trench system to engage pistol targets.
The “Sighting In with Shooting USA” half-hour follows the Fort Benning feature. On this week’s “Sighting In” segment, soldiers from the US Army Marksmanship team (USAMU) action shooting team conduct a skills clinic for young shooters. This clinic focuses on basic skills and safety training. The USAMU Kids Clinic is the effort to help expand participation in practical shooting, and develop future champions in USPSA competition.
Geissele’s Super-Dynamic triggers feature a straight vertical trigger bow, preferred by many competitors. Geissele claims its HI-SPEED hammer cuts lock time by 50% compared to standard AR hammers.
Neck Tension is Important
Editor’s Comment: Traditionalists may scoff at the use of wax bullets, but SASS has devised a form of action shooting that can be safely done indoors (on hotel premises) without ricochet risks and without pollution issues. By adapting its game to an indoor setting, SASS has added something new to the shooting sports, and has provided an exciting adjunct to its annual Convention. When shooters get together, they want to shoot. The wax-bullet technology allows SASS Convention-goers to enjoy shooting without traveling miles to a formal indoor or outdoor range. There may be something here that can be adapted to other shooting sports. We can certainly see the potential for winter indoors rifle training using primer-propelled wax bullets. Keep in mind however, that shooters must still employ normal safe-shooting procedures; even wax bullets can cause serious injuries.
Starting in mid-December, travelers on Amtrak will be able to bring their firearms in checked baggage. With airport security and airline baggage fees becoming more burdensome by the week, rail travel may become more appealing to shooters and hunters. The new Amtrak gun transport policy goes into effect on December 15, 2010. However, firearms transport will only be available between stations where checked baggage service is currently available. Amtrak has modified 142 baggage cars “to provide a secure, safe location for the firearms.”
Requirements for Firearms Transport
Most of our regular visitors observed that we activated our new, enhanced 
