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October 15th, 2010
 Inspecting and grading thousands of surplus rifles is a huge task. Accordingly, the Civilian Marksmanship program seeks volunteer manpower to help with this process. In an effort to give the Garand shooting and collecting communities an opportunity to view and participate in CMP Inspection and Repair processes and to reduce labor costs, the CMP established a volunteer program starting in July, 2010. Most volunteers work for 3-5 days.
 The CMP is looking for more volunteers. Assignments are based primarily on individual level of familiarity with the Garand, and the CMP’s needs at the time. Although the CMP tries to ensure that volunteers spend time working with Garands, some time may be spent in warehousing, packing, or shipping operations. Volunteers must be pre-approved, with work sessions scheduled in advance. No walk-ons. Volunteers should submit requests at least two weeks prior to planned visits (many volunteers schedule “shifts” months in advance).
The CMP reports: “[The] volunteer program that was in effect from 2001-2006 was a huge success and benefited the CMP and all the great people who had donated their time. Without exception, all past volunteers reported their visits as very educational, recreational and enjoyable. Most of the past volunteers had made several repeat visits from all parts of the country, and many have become ambassadors for the program. The CMP is a charity and expenses associated with volunteering may be tax-deductible.”
Volunteers absorb all costs for transportation, lodging and meals. Most volunteers stay 3-5 days per trip. Tools and gauges are available, but the CMP encourages volunteers to bring their own. To learn more about the CMP Volunteer program, or to schedule work sessions, contact Brian Vick at bvick [at] odcmp.com, or call 256-835-8455 x 1126.
October 14th, 2010
 The 2011 edition of the Hodgdon® Annual Manual has just been announced, and should be at newstands in January 2011. Now in its 8th year, the Hodgdon Annual Manual includes over 5,000 rifle and pistol loads, with information on 29 Hodgdon, 19 IMR® and 10 Winchester® brand powders, with updated propellant burn rate and usage charts.
The new 2011 Manual features 31 cartridge updates including the new 30 AR Remington and 338 Marlin Express. The latest manual of course incorporates the 44 cartridge updates from 2010, which included data for the 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmoor.
Extensive reloading information is provided for popular cartridges such as the 223 Remington, 204 Ruger, 6PPC, 6mmBR, .243 Win, 308 Winchester, .30-06, 338 Federal and more. In addition, the 2011 manual boasts 70 pages of shooting and hunting feature articles by top outdoor writers.
New Superformance Powder Data Included
The 2011 Hodgdon Annual Manual includes comprehensive load data for the two new Hodgdon powders, Hornady® Superformance™ and Hornady LEVERevolution®. This pair of advanced, high-speed propellants are currently used in Hornady’s factory ammunition. Both powders can provide a significant performance boost in many popular cartridges.
The 2011 Hodgdon Annual Manual costs $8.99 at news-stands or $11.99 delivered via mail from Hodgdon. To order call 913-362-9455, visit Hodgdon.com, or write to Hodgdon Powder, 6231 Robinson, Shawnee Mission, KS 66202.
October 13th, 2010
 Two ammunition manufacturers in Lewiston, Idaho, plan to add “significant numbers of workers” this year and next. Alliant Techsystems (ATK), parent of CCI, Alliant Powder, RCBS and other companies, expects to add about 100 jobs by the end of 2010, and Extreme Bullet plans to expand its facility and add about 100 jobs over the next few years. ATK’s employee ranks will grow to approximately 1,200 workers by the end of this year.
ATK will be re-hiring many workers laid off in a 2009 force reduction. According to the Spokane Journal of Business, “The new hires should give ATK a total of about 1,200 workers by the end of 2010 at its plant on the east side of the Snake River.” The Journal also interviewed ATK Spokesman Jason Nash who explained: “We’ve definitely had a few good years at the plant there. There’s been an increased demand for sporting ammunition, which has allowed us to add to our employment base.”
Speer Brothers Brought Ammo Production to Lewiston
Here is an interesting historical footnote. Today’s large ATK operation in Idaho can be traced back to the companies founded by the Speer brothers. After settling in Lewiston in 1944, Vernon Speer started Speer Bullets. A few years later, in 1951, Vernon’s brother Dick (with partner Arvid Nelson) started Cascade Cartridges Inc., a producer of small-arms ammunition and primers. Yes, as you may suspect, Cascade Cartridges Inc. is now CCI, part of ATK’s family of companies, and one of the largest manufacturers of primers and loaded ammunition. Today, ATK’s Lewiston plant produces both Speer bullets and CCI-branded ammunition and primers. ATK acquired the plant in 2001. Vernon Speer died in 1979, and Dick Speer died in 1994.
October 13th, 2010
Larry and Brenda Potterfield of MidwayUSA recently donated $1,000,000.00 to the National Wild Turkey Federation to support youth shooting programs, including the JAKES Take Aim program. The JAKES Take Aim program provides youths (ages 17 and under) with opportunities to try shooting in a safe, fun environment. With the big donation from the Potterfields, over the next four years, the NWTF aims to triple the annual number of youth shooting participants at JAKES events –- from 50,000 to 150,000.
“Thanks to the generosity of Larry and Brenda Potterfield, more young people will have the chance to try shooting sports and may discover a passion that they will enjoy for the rest of their lives,” said George C. Thornton, NWTF CEO.
Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, remarked, “Brenda and I believe in supporting youth programs that teach our next generation about shooting and shooting safety. The NWTF is doing a great job with our youth, who are the future of shooting, conservation, and the outdoor industry. We are proud to help them change the future.”
October 12th, 2010
 The 7th NRA World Action Pistol Championships (WAPC) was held October 6-9 in Blacktown, Australia. Chip Lohman, Managing Editor of Shooting Sports USA magazine, covered the event, which was dominated by American shooters.
- First Place: Doug Koenig, 1920-188x
- Second Place: Carl Bernosky, 1920-181x
- Third Place: Bruce Piatt, 1920-177x
Doug Koenig, Carl Bernosky, and Bruce Piatt all shot perfect scores at the Championships, a phenomenal feat, Lohman said. Koenig is shown at left with one of his WAPC prizes. (Photo courtesy SSAA2010.com).
Complete WAPC results (PDF format) are posted on SSAA2010.com. You can view pictures of the action by browsing the WAPC Photo Gallery.
October 12th, 2010
MidwayUSA has teamed up with Burris Optics to produce a new scope that should be ideal for Multi-Gun competition. The new Burris Fullfield TAC30, sold exclusively thorugh MidwayUSA, features 1X to 4X adjustable magnification and a 24mm objective. The illuminated Ballistic CQ reticle provides hold-over points for the longer stages. The scope body is sealed and nitrogen-purged. Sean Doke, MidwayUSA’s Optics Manager noted: “We listened to our Customers and partnered with Burris to create a unique scope that met our customers’ requirements. The new Burris Fullfield TAC30 allows for rapid engagement of close quarters targets while also providing holdover points out to 600 yards.”
The scope, finished in Burris’s popular Dark Earth Color, is constructed with quality, multi-coated lenses. The new TAC30 retails at MidwayUSA for $339.99, and is covered by the Burris Forever Warranty which states: “If [this product] is ever found to have defects in materials or workmanship, Burris will, at our option, repair or replace it at no charge, even if you are not the original owner.”
October 11th, 2010
 Looking for firearms and gun accessories on the web? You can spend hours cruising Forum Classifieds. Or, with just ONE CLICK, you can view items for sale on over 30 different gun forums! You’ll be amazed at all the stuff you’ll find… and how fast you can find it.
Using robotic web spider technology, EliteDealSeeker.com collects active “for sale” listings from around the web, displaying them all on one page, sorted by site. It’s a great system that makes shopping for bargains fast and easy. Most of the listings are for optics and accessories for AR15 or semi-auto style rifles, and for handguns, but precision shooters can still find many good bargains out there. Trust us, this technology can save you lots of time. Spidered sites include:
www.6mmbr.com
www.24hourcampfire.com
www.1911forum.com
forums.accurateloading.com
www.akfiles.com
www.armslist.com
www.ar15.com (ar15 related)
www.ar15.com (rifle/shotgun related)
www.ar15.com (handgun related)
www.berettaforum.net
www.calguns.net
www.defensivecarry.com
www.falfiles.com
floridashootersnetwork.com
www.glocktalk.com
www.gunboards.com |
www.gunco.net
www.gunsnet.net
www.hkpro.com
www.longrangehunting.com
www.migunowners.org
www.rimfirecentral.com
www.rugerforum.com
www.shotgunworld.com
www.sigforum.com
www.smith-wessonforum.com
www.snipershide.com
www.sturmgewehr.com
www.theakforum.net
www.thefiringline.com
www.thehighroad.us
www.xdtalk.com |
NOTE: The Elite Deal-Seeker covers the 6mmBR.com | AccurateShooter.com Forum, but easiest way to browse our Forum Classifieds is just to CLICK this LINK.
October 10th, 2010
 RCBS has recently started shipping two new Rifle Bullet Feeder Kits for progressive metallic reloading presses. Availble for 30-caliber and 22-caliber, the Rifle Bullet Feeder Kits are designed to fit on most 7/8″-14 threaded progressive presses. An electrically-powered collator unit orients the bullets to drop directly into the feed mechanism where they are placed precisely in the case-mouths of your cartidges.
Feeder Kit Can Increase Load Rate by 50%
The 30-Cal hopper holds approximately 125 (180gr) 30-caliber bullets while the 22-Cal feeder holds about 250 (55gr) 22-caliber bullets. RCBS claims that both units increase load rates by 50%. We’d say that depends on how fast you operate your machine. On this Editor’s RCBS 2000 Progressive press I can usually pick up a bullet and place it in the case mouth in about 2-3 seconds. But now and then I will fumble with a bullet or place it in slightly tilted, requiring me to do it all over again. That’s where the feeder comes in very handy — the bullets always orient correctly in the case. We just wish RCBS offered .45 caliber and 9mm versions for pistol ammo and a 6mm version for rifles. RCBS says these calibers may be offered in the future.
RCBS Bullet Feeder Features:
• Available for either 22-caliber or 30-caliber
• Large hopper for non-stop reloading and max output
• Bullets are oriented to drop directly into feed mechanism/seat die
• Bullet feeding and seating are accomplished in one station.
• Adjustable collator height
• RCBS® two-year warranty
Feeders Increase Reloading Efficiency
The power-operated collator unit ensures each bullet component is properly oriented for feeding directly into the seat die. “This steady stream of properly-aligned bullets increases the consistency of your reloading process,” explains Kent Sakamoto, product line manager. “Red, green or blue, our new Rifle Bullet Feeders fit all progressive presses and increase the seed and consistency of reloading. That’s what these Bullet Feeders bring to the reloading table.” Here is a video we took at SHOW Show 2010 where the RCBS Bullet Feeder was previewed by Sakamoto:
October 9th, 2010
Stephen Ivey has engineered a set of gimbaled scope rings allowing up to 150 Minutes of Angle (MOA) of elevation. These rings have precision hinge pins front and rear allowing the entire scope to be tilted by a micrometer-controlled cam in the rear. This allows the scope to tilt upwards (in the rear) with the front ring as the axis while both rings remain parallel to prevent scope binding. The rear ring tilts to match the front while a cam pushes it up. Ivey also makes tilting +150 MOA Picatinny riser rails.
Ivey offers two scope-mounting products. First is the RT-150 Ring set (above). This has two, polished 30mm or 34mm 6061-T6 aluminum rings with bases to fit a Picatinny profile or mil-spec 1913 rail with standard 5mm cross slots at 10mm spacing. (Weaver installation requires extra cross-slots to be cut.) Total elevation is +150 MOA. The micrometer adjuster is graduated in true 1 MOA intervals, with 5 MOA of elevation change per rotation. This product costs $525.00 and requires at least 5-1/2″ length mounting base.
The newest product is the MSRR-150MOA Riser Rail, a pivoting 5.75″-long Picatinny-style rail that accepts Weaver-style clamping scope rings. This Adjusts from Zero to +150 MOA and raises the scope 1.45″ from the top of the action. The extra height provides clearance for large objectives when the unit is tilted for a full +150 MOA elevation. Cross slots are 5mm wide at 10mm (.394″) spacing. The $525.00 riser rail is made of 6061 T6 Aluminum hard-anodized black. Clamps are heat-treated steel. The micrometer thimble is marked for 1 MOA gradations, and provides 20 MOA per revolution.
The Ivey products are expensive, to be sure, but they are beautifully machined, and they offer unique capabilities for ultra-long-range shooters. With the +150 MOA units you have enough elevation to shoot at 2000+ yards! We like the idea of using the micrometer to dial within 1 MOA and then just using the scope turrets for fine-tuning. To learn more, visit the Ivey Shooting website, or call Stephen Ivey at (615) 896-9366, or email him at sales [at] iveyshooting.com .
October 9th, 2010
Many of our readers tell us: “I love the challenge of shooting paper in Benchrest, F-Class, or High Power matches, but it would be fun to get some buddies together and ring some steel at multiple distances.” Well, if you’re in America’s heartland, here’s a place to go. Young’s Longshot Range, in Woodruff, Indiana, is a veritable “Disneyland of Steel”, with a huge variety of reactive metal targets set at yardage-marked berms from 25 to 1000 yards. Indiana’s only 1000-yard facility, Young’s Longshot Range is open 365 days a year. It has outdoor shooting stations (both covered and uncovered), PLUS a heated building with drop-down windows for winter shooting. There’s even a raised 5 meter high platform for prone shooting.
Big thanks to Michael Sorensen (below) for this report and range photos.
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