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June 27th, 2024

Cleaning Tips for Cartridge Brass and Reloading Dies

Bill Gravatt Creedmoor Sports Sinclair cleaning polishing brass reloading dies

Creedmoor Sports is a leading vendor of products for competitive shooters and serious hand-loaders. Along with great gear, Creedmoor Sports provides informative content for its customers. The Creedmoor InfoZone provides Reloading Tips, Gear Reviews, Shooting News, and basic gunsmithing information.

Bill Gravatt, President of Creedmoor Sports, is an expert on reloading processes and gear. He developed many of the popular tools marketed by Sinclair Int’l, and he brings that expertise to Creedmoor Sports. Bill hosts a series of “how-to” videos produced for the Creedmoor InfoZone.

Cleaning Cartridge Brass — Multiple Options Explained

In this video, Bill Gravatt demonstrates several methods to clean your cases. Bill tells us: “Powder residue should be removed before you insert your cases into your reloading dies. There are several ways to clean your cases. Many shooters use a combination of various methods…”

1. Manual Cleaning — You can use 0000 Steel wool for the outside of the case and a Case Neck brush for the inside. A paper towel can remove any remaining residue. This is a handy way to clean if you load at the range.

2. Vibratory Tumbling — This traditional method works well, particularly for pistol brass. Experiment with both Corn Cob and Walnut media. You can get a brighter shine by putting a small amount of liquid brass polish in the media.

3. Wet Tumbling with Stainless Media — This process can get your brass clean inside and out. Do check to ensure no pins are stuck in the flash-holes. Watch for peening of case mouths that can occur over time.

4. Ultrasonic Cleaning — Ultrasonic cleaning works great for small parts as well as brass. The ultrasonic process removes all carbon and traces of lube, which can leave the inside of case necks too dry. To smooth bullet seating, try putting a tablespoon of Ballistol in the cleaning solution.

Cleaning Reloading Dies

Cleaning your reloading dies is something that many hand-loaders neglect. In this 60-second Tech Tip, Bill Gravatt provides some smart advice on cleaning your dies. Bill notes: “After heavy use, case lube and carbon can build up in your reloading dies. It’s important to keep them clean. Also, with new dies, give them a good cleaning before first use, because they ship with a corrosion inhibitor.”

1. Step 1 — Prior to cleaning, disassemble the die and spray it with a good degreaser. Do this with brand new dies too.

2. Step 2 – Take a patch and run it in the die to remove old lube and gunk. Don’t forget the decapping assembly and other internal parts.

3. Step 3 — After cleaning the die, but before reassembly, spray the die with a good corrosion inhibitor, such as Corrosion-X or Starrett M1.

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June 27th, 2024

Versatile, High-Capacity TRC39 Tactical Rifle Crate

MTM case-gard trc39 tactical rifle case carry box transport box

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could have one large carry case that could hold your rifle, PLUS your ammunition, earmuffs, paper targets, rear bag, bipod, Magnetospeed, spotting scope, and all the other gear you might want to bring to the range? Well MTM Case-Gard has finally created such a do-it-all case, one of the first of its kind ever offered, available now for $89.99 on Amazon.

MTM’s new TRC39 Tactical Rifle Crate is an all-in-one solution for hunting and shooting gear transport and storage. The TRC39 has a foam-padded 39″ x 11.7″ x 3.1″ gun compartment on the top, and a storage compartment below. Up top, firearms are protected and held in place with MTM’s egg shell foam padding. Beneath the lift-out gun tray is a large compartment equipped with removable partitions. Total storage capacity of the 39″ x 11″ x 7.1″ (deep) lower compartment is 54 quarts. That’s plenty of room for gear and ammo in that lower storage area. And the TRC39 is rated to haul up to 75 pounds of guns and gear.

For security, the TRC39 has four snap latches, padlock tabs, and a water-resistant O-ring seal. To ease transport the TRC39 has two recessed wheels. And there are formed polymer handles on either end of the case. MTM Case-Gard’s TRC39 is now just $89.99 on Amazon36% Off the $139.99 original list price.

We can see this TRC39 case being very popular with tactical shooters and varminters who can carry a rifle, pistol, binoculars, spotting scope, ammunition, and rear bag, all in one large case. We just wish a longer version was also available — the max rifle length that can be stored would be 39″, unless the barreled action is separated from the stock.

MTM case-gard trc39 tactical rifle case carry box transport box

TRC39 Tactical Rifle Crate Features:

Gun compartment holds tactical and short rifles up to 39″ long
Lift-out upper rifle tray, protected with quality foam padding
Two removable dividers in 39″ x 11″ x 7.1″ lower compartment
A full 54 quarts of storage capacity in lower compartment
Two recessed wheels can support up to 75 lbs. of gear
Stackable design with tie-down and strap-over points
Four rugged, no-break snap latches with padlock tabs
No-rust, high-impact, polypropylene construction
Water-resistant O-ring seal (non-submersible)
External Size: 43.5″ x 14.7″ x 11.5″ (Tall)
Engineered and manufactured in America

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June 26th, 2024

Color Bullet Tips to Help Define Long-Range Groups on Paper

sharpie felt marker bullet color tip painting group paper target

When shooting groups at long range on paper it can be difficult to distinguish which bullet holes belong to a particular sequence of shots. If, for example, you shot three 5-shot groups at 600+ yards on a paper target, you would have 15 bullet holes on the target (assuming no misses). But at that distance it would be difficult to see the holes on target (even with a spotting scope). Accordingly, when you inspected the target up close, it would be hard to tell which shots belonged to which group. You might have a vague idea, but couldn’t be sure, without a target camera recording the shot sequence.

Here is a method to separate multiple shots into specific groups so you can better evaluate your load and shooting skills. The trick is pretty simple — mark your bullets with a color from a Sharpie or other felt marking pen. If you are shooting three 5-shot groups, mark five with red, five with green, and five with blue (or purple). Then, when you inspect the target, you can identify the group placements by the colors that appear on the paper.

sharpie felt marker bullet color tip painting group paper target

Round Robin: Using colors you can shoot “Round-Robin” to evaluate seating depths, neck tension, or other variables without having the shot order (and barrel heating) affect group sizes unequally. For example you might have three different neck tensions, each marked with a different color on the bullets. Then shoot Red, Blue, Green in that sequence for five total shots per color.

Smart Tip to Show Colors More Vividly

If the bullet inks are not showing up on your target paper clearly, here is a simple trick that can make the colors “bleed” to be more visible. In your range kit, bring some alcohol solution along with some Q-tips. Then dab the shots on the paper target lightly with wet Q-Tips. Here is the front of a target before and after application of alcohol:

sharpie felt marker bullet color tip painting group paper target

Forum Member NewbieShooter explains: “Dabbing a bit of alcohol on the bullet holes with Q-Tips makes the color pop a bit… especially on the back side.” See below:

sharpie felt marker bullet color tip painting group paper target

In short order you will see the colors spread into the paper, clearly marking the shot holes by distinguishing colors. If you were shooting a dark bullseye, view the the BACK side of the target to see the colors on a light background.

Credits: Bullet Tips photo by Forum Member Dave Way; Target photos by Forum Member NewbieShooter; Story tip from Boyd Allen.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Reloading, Tech Tip Post comment »
June 26th, 2024

How to Clean Brass Effectively with Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines

Ultrasonic Cleaning RCBS Ultrasound .308 Winchester 7.62x51 brass casings

Tumblers and walnut/corncob media are old school. These days many shooters prefer processing brass rapidly with an ultrasonic cleaning machine. When used with the proper solution, a good ultrasonic cleaning machine can quickly remove remove dust, carbon, oil, and powder residue from your cartridge brass. The ultrasonic process will clean the inside of the cases, and even the primer pockets. Tumbling works well too, but for really dirty brass, ultrasonic cleaning may be a wise choice.

READ FULL UltimateReloader.com Article on Ultrasonic Case Cleaning »

Our friend Gavin Gear has evaluated an RCBS Ultrasonic cleaning machine using RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaning Solution (RCBS #87058). To provide a real challenge, Gavin used some very dull and greasy milsurp brass: “I bought a huge lot of military once-fired 7.52x51mm brass (fired in a machine gun) that I’ve been slowly prepping for my DPMS LR-308B AR-10 style rifle. Some of this brass was fully prepped (sized/de-primed, trimmed, case mouths chamfered, primer pockets reamed) but it was gunked up with lube and looking dingy.”

UltimateReloader.com Case Cleaning Video (7.5 minutes):

Gavin describes the cleaning exercise step-by-step on UltimateReloader.com. Read Gavin’s Cartridge Cleaning Article to learn how he mixed the solution, activated the heater, and cycled the machine for 30 minutes. As you can see in the video above, the results were impressive. If you have never cleaned brass with ultrasound before, you should definitely watch Gavin’s 7.5-minute video — it provides many useful tips and shows the cleaning operation in progress from start to finish.

Ultra Dry Necks After Ultrasonic Cleaning — Some Suggestions
The Ultrasonic cleaning process gets cartridge brass so “squeaky clean” that increased force may be required to seat your bullets, or they may “grab” as they go in the necks. To reduce bullet-seating effort, you may benefit from adding a little dry case lube inside the case-neck before loading (use a nylon brush). Another trick is adding a teaspoon of Ballistol lube to the cleaning solution. That provides a trace lubricant inside the necks, but does not interfere with powder ignition in any way.


The latest Gen2 RCBS ultrasonic cleaning machine has a large 6.3-quart capacity. That’s nearly 100% larger than the first generation machine in Gavin’s video. The Gen2 machine, $399.99 on Amazon, features a second ceramic heater and transducer to better clean brass cases and firearm parts. The LED is easily programmable, and the timer can be set for up to 30 minutes of cleaning. The original 3.2 quart-capacity RCBS ultrasonic machine, as shown in Gavin’s video, is still available for $189.99 at Midsouth Shooters.

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June 26th, 2024

Feds Approve Sale of Vista Outdoor Brands to Czechoslovak Group

Vista outdoor ammunition kinetic group sale CSG Czechoslovak group csg cfius treasury department approval

CFIUS Clears Sale of The Kinetic Group to CSG
Vista Outdoor Inc. (NYSE: VSTO) and Czechoslovak Group a.s. (“CSG”) have announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) has cleared CSG’s proposed acquisition of Vista Outdoor’s The Kinetic Group business. CFIUS has concluded its investigation of the Transaction and has determined that there are no unresolved national security concerns. CFIUS clearance was the final regulatory approval required under the merger agreement with CSG. CFIUS is a U.S. government committee that reviews foreign investment transactions to determine their effect on U.S. national security.

The Shooting Wire reports: “Vista Outdoor Inc. cleared a major hurdle in its plans to sell off its ammunition segment, known as The Kinetic Group, to Czechoslovak Group, or CSG, after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) cleared the proposed acquisition of The Kinetic Group business after the Committee determined ‘there are no unresolved national security concerns’. The closing of the transaction remains subject to receipt of the approval of Vista Outdoor’s stockholders[.] The Vista Board recommends stockholder approval based partly on a $2 billion purchase price, representing a $90 million increase from the original $1.91 billion purchase price.”

Michael Callahan, Chairman of the VSTO Board of Directors stated: “The CFIUS process involved a thorough review and investigation of the Transaction by numerous U.S. Government departments and agencies[.] We believe the end result supports our view that CSG — which has deep expertise in supply chain excellence and ammunition manufacturing and strong support for NATO and allied nations — will be an excellent owner of The Kinetic Group. CSG is fully committed to supporting our American workforce, American hunters, and domestic and allied military and law enforcement partners.”

The closing of the transaction remains subject to the approval of Vista Outdoor’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions. The special meeting of Vista Outdoor stockholders to vote on a proposal to adopt the merger agreement with CSG is scheduled to be held virtually on July 2, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.

About Vista Outdoor Inc.
Vista Outdoor (NYSE: VSTO) is the parent company of more than three dozen renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products. Brands include Bushnell, CamelBak, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Camp Chef, Giro, Simms Fishing, QuietKat, Stone Glacier, Federal Ammunition, Remington Ammunition and more. Our reporting segments, Outdoor Products (Revelyst) and Sporting Products (The Kinetic Group), provide consumers with a wide range of performance-driven, high-quality and innovative outdoor and sporting products. For news and information, visit our website at www.vistaoutdoor.com.

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June 25th, 2024

Podcast About New Products with Built-In Ballistics Functions

Applied Ballistics podcast products with software integrated

Modern binoculars and Laser Rangefinders have built-in sensors and microprocessors that can provide ballistics solutions. These work via on-board software as well as systems that talk (via Bluetooth) to a mobile device with a Ballistics App installed. Today we feature an Applied Ballistics Podcast that covers these impressive products with integrated ballistics functionality.

AB Integrated Products and Features
Applied Ballistics podcast products with software integratedIn this podcast, Applied Ballistics Founder Bryan Litz and Product Manager Francis Colon answer some of the most common questions received from listeners. They primarily discuss the latest Applied Ballistics integrated devices and highlight their capabilities.

Along with describing the basics of optics and rangefinder products with Applied Ballistics functionality, Bryan and Francis talk about how software can tailor the ballistics output to specific applications and firearms. Francis explains Drop Scale Factor (“DSF”) — a means by which you “train” your solver to match your specific equipment.

NOTE: As we cannot embed the full 42-minute podcast here, you’ll need to go to the Applied Ballistics site to listen. CLICK HERE.

Applied Ballistics podcast products with software integrated

Applied Ballistics podcast products with software integrated

Integrated Solution — Leica LRF and Kestrel with AB Software

This video shows how to pair a Leica Rangemaster 2800.com to a Kestrel Elite 5700. The Leica Rangemaster 2800.com provides the Kestrel with the Range, Firing Direction, and Inclination angle. The Kestrel will then calculate the firing solution and provide that solution on its own display as well as feed that back to the Leica which then displays the hold-over when looking through the Rangefinder. This allows for remote, hands-free operation of the Kestrel in a mount while still being able to see the firing solution in the range finder. NOTE: This is an older video, but similar systems operate with the latest products.

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June 25th, 2024

Cartridge Base to Ogive (CBTO) Length — What You Need to Know

chamber length loading berger bullets
Here are two different bullet types, seated to the same CBTO length, but different COAL. Note the shiny scratches on the bullets made by the comparator tool which indicates a point on the bullet ogive near where the ogive will engage the rifling.

Berger Bullets COAL length cartridgeEffects Of Cartridge Over All Length (COAL) And Cartridge Base To Ogive (CBTO) – Part 2
by Bryan Litz for Berger Bullets.
Part One of this series focused on the importance of COAL in terms of SAAMI standards, magazine lengths, seating depths, and pressure levels. Another measure of length for loaded ammunition is highly important to precision, namely Cartridge Base to Bullet Ogive Length (CBTO).

Figure 2. Chamber throat geometry showing the bullet jump to the rifling or lands.
chamber length loading berger bullets

Look at Figure 2. Suppose the bullet was seated out of the case to the point where the base of the bullet’s nose (ogive) just contacted the beginning of the riflings (the lands) when the bolt was closed. This bullet seating configuration is referred to as touching the lands, or touching the riflings and is a very important measurement to understand for precision hand-loading. Due to the complex dynamics of internal ballistics which happen in the blink of an eye, the distance a bullet moves out of the case before it engages the riflings is highly critical to precision potential. Therefore, in order to systematically optimize the precision of his handloads, it’s critically important that the precision hand-loader understands how to alter bullet seating depth in relation to the barrel rifling. Part of the required knowledge is understanding how to accurately and repeatably measure the Cartridge Base To Ogive (CBTO) dimension. This is explained in the FULL ARTICLE.

Bryan Litz offers an extended discussion on how to measure CBTO using different tools and methods, including the Hornady OAL gauge. You can read this discussion in the full article found on the Berger Bullets website. CLICK HERE to Read Full Article.

Why Not Use CBTO as a SAAMI Standard?
If CBTO is so important to rifle accuracy, you might ask, “Why is it not listed as the SAAMI spec standard in addition to COAL?” There is one primary reason why it is not listed in the standard. This is the lack of uniformity in bullet nose shapes and measuring devices used to determine CBTO.

Benefits of Having a Uniform CBTO
There is another aspect to knowing your CBTO when checking your COAL as it pertains to performance. With good bullets, tooling, and carefully-prepared cases you can easily achieve a CBTO that varies less than +/- .001″ but your COAL can vary as much as .025″ extreme spread (or more with other brands). This is not necessarily bad and it is much better than the other way around. If you have a CBTO dimension that varies but your COAL dimension is tight (within +/- .002″) then it is most likely that your bullet is bottoming out inside the seater cone on the bullet tip. This is very bad and is to be avoided. It is normal for bullets to have precisely the same nose shape and it is also normal for these same bullets to have nose lengths that can vary as much as .025″.

Summary of Cartridge Base To Ogive (CBTO) Discussion
Here are four important considerations regarding bullet seating depth as it relates to CBTO:

1. CBTO is a critical measurement to understand for handloaders because it’s directly related to precision potential, and you control it by simply setting bullet seating depth.

2. Tools and methods for measuring CBTO vary. Most of the measurement techniques have pitfalls (which may give rise to inconsistent results) that you should understand before starting out.

3. A CBTO that produces the best precision in your rifle may not produce the best precision in someone else’s rifle. Even if you have the same rifle, same bullets, same model of comparator gauges, etc. It’s possible that the gauges are not actually the same, and measurements from one don’t translate to the same dimension for another.

4. Once you find the CBTO that produces the best precision in your rifle, it’s important to allow minimal variation in that dimension when producing quality handloads. This is achieved by using quality bullets, tooling, and properly preparing case mouths and necks for consistent seating.

CLICK HERE to Read Full Article with More Info
Article sourced by EdLongrange. We welcome tips from readers.
Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Reloading, Tech Tip Post comment »
June 24th, 2024

BargainFinder 457: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week

AccurateShooter Deals of the Week Weekly Bargain Finder Sale Discount Savings

At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.

NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.

1. Brownells — 15% Off All Brownells Products Plus Weekly Deals

brownells weekly sale labradar chronograph rcbs press protektor bag vortex scope
Great savings on large variety of products at Brownells

To mark its 85th year in business, Brownells has been running a big sale throughout June 2024. During this month all Brownells brand products are 15% OFF. In addition, shipping is free with orders over $85, and FFL fees are waived on firearms purchases. Along with those promotions, there are some exceptional Weekly Deals. Here are some of the best deals we found for the last week of June:

Sinclair/L.E. Wilson Ultimate Stainless Case Trimmer with Stand, $179.99 ($20 Off)
CCI Blazer .22 LR LRN Ammunition, 500 rds for $31.99 ($0.06/Round)
Magnetospeed V3 Ballistic Chronograph, $349.00 ($100 Off)
Sinclair Int’l Hand Die Arbor Press, $139.99 ($10 Off)

2. Natchez — Huge Ammo Sale

ammo sale
Significant savings on many types of pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammo

If you need factory ammo, check out this sale on pistol, rifle, and shotgun rounds over at Natchez. A wide selection of ammo is on sale including .22 LR, .22 WMR, Pistol Ammo (9mm, .40SW, .45 ACP), and Rifle Ammo (.223 Rem, .300 BLK, .30-06). Save up to 30% off the regular price. Federal 12ga “Top Gun” shotshells are are also on sale — just $8.99 for 25 shells. NOTE: This promo ends Tuesday, 6/25/24 so grab the deals while you can.

3. Creedmoor Sports — Redding Concentricity Gauge, $159.95

redding concentricity gauge
Well-made tool that aids precision reloading

It’s important to check run-out on your cases. With this Redding Slant Bed Concentricity Gauge you can quickly identify excessive case neck and bullet run-out on loaded rounds. The “Slant Bed” design moves the bearing surface down and away from the user, making case rotation easier and more precise. Precision stainless steel bearings provide single point contact with the cartridge case. You can easily adjust for various cartridge lengths using bearing sliders on stainless steel guideways.

4. Graf & Sons — Graf’s Brass Tumbler Kit, $99.00

brass tumbler sale
Complete kit including tumbler, separator, media and polish

With a good tumbler system so you can clean fired brass inside and out efficiently. Right now, for $99.00, you can get a complete Graf Brass Tumbler Kit with Separator, Corn Cob Media, and Polish. The kit includes everything you need to clean and polish your cases: Vibratory Case Tumbler 110v, Rotary Brass Case/Media Separator, Corn Cob Media (6 lb.), and Hi-Luster Brass Polish (8 oz.).

5. EuroOptic — Walther PPQ M2 Q5 Match 9mm Pistol, $629.99

walther pistol sale
Good 9mm pistol for gun games and defense

The Walther PPQ M2 Q5 Match 9mm is very accurate, with great ergonomics and excellent reliability. If you shoot action pistol matches, this is a good competition gun. The PPQ M2 Q5 Match has nice adjustable LPA sights with fiber optic red front. The optics-ready slide is pre-milled for a battery-powered Red Dot optic. The PPQ M2 Q5 Match’s trigger boasts a short, smooth pull and fast reset. This Walther handgun comes with interchangeable backstraps, allowing it to be customized to the shooter’s hands. Get this now at EuroOptic for $629.99, $350 off the regular price.

6. Amazon — Tuxapo Rifle Covers, $28.99

rifle cover sale
Quality cover keeps grit out of action and protects scope

Here is a good field cover for both competition and match rifles. The Tuxepo Rifle Cover protects your stock, barreled action, and optic. This keeps out brush, sand, dirt, and dust, and provides some protection from moisture and abrasions. This rifle cover has a tubular barrel cover, plus an elastic band the secures the cover in place running along the bottom of the rifle from forearm to buttstock. The elevated middle section (with elastic) provides good coverage for your riflescope.

7. Amazon — Caldwell Stable Table Lite, $126.85

caldwell stable table
Very good price on collapsible ambidextrous shooting bench

Every avid shooter should have some kind of portable shooting bench for practicing at undeveloped ranges, and/or for varmint safaris. Priced at $126.85, the Caldwell Stable Table (#ad) is a secure and affordable platform for practice, sight-in sessions, and varmint field trips. This table is fully collapsible for easy transport. Set-up is fast and simple with a right/left movable seat and height adjustments for maximum shooting comfort. This ambidextrous shooting table works for both right-handed or left-handed shooters.

8. Amazon — AR500 Steel Targets with Mounting Kit, $39.99

ar500 target sale
AR500 steel plates complete with hanging hardware

Here’s a pistol and RIMFIRE plinking target kit at a super-low price. The Jenaai AR500 Steel Targets with Gong Mounting Kit (#ad) includes two metal targets, one 6″ round and one 7″x12″ rectangular. This Kit includes complete target hanger hardware (4 chains, washers, nylon lock nuts, flange nuts, carriage screws, eye hooks screws, and steel connecting rings). IMPORTANT: While these targets are made from AR500 steel they are NOT heavy enough for centerfire rifle rounds. Use these targets ONLY with rimfire ammo or centerfire pistol ammo (such as .38 Special, 9x19mm, .45 ACP). Do NOT use this with ANY centerfire rifle ammo — the bullets will damage the steel.

9. Amazon — Tipton Deluxe Rifle Cleaning Rods, $31 and up

tipton cleaning rod sale
Durable rod with good grip handle and ball bearings

For proper barrel cleaning you want a quality cleaning rod that spins freely. The Tipton Deluxe Cleaning Rod (#ad) is a good design that has earned many positive user reviews. These cleaning rods have an ergonomic handle that spins on two sets of ball bearings. This allows the rod to smoothly follow the rifling both pushing and pulling, even under pressure. The “shank-through” construction also allows the user to tap the end of the cleaning rod to get a tight patch through a bore. Amazon offers a variety of Tipton Rod lengths and diameters, for barrels from .17 caliber up to .45 caliber, plus shotguns.

As an Amazon affiliate, this site can earn revenues through sales commissions.

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June 24th, 2024

Experiment with Rifle Position on Rest and Bags for Best Accuracy

Benchrest stock

To get the best accuracy out of any benchrest rifle, you need to find the optimal position of front rest and rear bag. The important point to remember is that each rig is different. One gun may perform best with the front rest right at the tip of the forearm (Position ‘D’ in photo), while another gun will work best with the rest positioned much further back. This Editor’s own 6mmBR rifle has a laminated stock that is pretty flexy in the front. It shoots best with the front rest’s sandbag located a good 6″ back from the forearm tip (position ‘A’).

Here’s some benchrest advice that can help you reduce vertical and shoot tighter groups… without spending another penny. Many benchrest shooters spend a fortune on equipment and devote countless hours to meticulous handloading, but they never experiment with their rifle’s position/balance on the bags. This article explains why you should test your rifle in various positions. What you learn may surprise you (and improve your scores).

Next time you go to the range, experiment with the position of your rifle on the front rest, and try a couple different positions for the rear bag. You may find that the rifle handles much better after you’ve made a small change in the placement of your gun on the bags. Recoil can be tamed a bit, and tracking can improve significantly, if you optimize the front rest and rear bag positioning.

front rest Sally benchrest IBS
This competitor has the front rest positioned fairly far forward but not all the way out. Note the stop on the front rest — this limits forward stock travel.

A small change in the position of the forearm on the front rest, or in the placement of the rear bag, can make a big difference in how your gun performs.

Balance Your Gun BEFORE You Spend Hours Tuning Loads
In the pursuit of ultimate accuracy, shooters may spend countless hours on brass prep, bullet selection, and load tuning. Yet the same shooters may pay little attention to how their gun is set-up on their front rest and rear bag. When you have acquired a new rifle, you should do some basic experimentation to find the optimal position for the forearm on the front rest, and the best position for the rear bag. Small changes can make a big difference.

Joel Kendrick

Joel Kendrick, past IBS 600-yard Shooter of the Year, has observed that by adjusting forearm position on the front rest, he can tune out vertical. He has one carbon-fiber-reinforced stock that is extremely rigid. When it was placed with the front rest right under the very tip of the forearm, the gun tended to hop, creating vertical. By sliding the whole gun forward (with more forearm overhang ahead of the front sandbag), he was able to get the whole rig to settle down. That resulted in less vertical dispersion, and the gun tracked much better.

stock position benchrest forearm sandbag front rest
Fore/aft stock position is important even with very wide fore-ends.

Likewise, the placement of the rear bag is very important. Many shooters, by default, will simply place the rear bag the same distance from the front rest with all their guns. In fact, different stocks and different calibers will NOT behave the same. By moving the rear bag forward and aft, you can adjust the rifle’s overall balance and this can improve the tracking significantly. One of our shooters had a Savage 6BR F-Class rifle. By default he had his rear bag set almost all the way at the end of the buttstock. When he slid the rear bag a couple inches forward the gun tracked much better. He immediately noticed that the gun returned to point of aim better (crosshairs would stay on target from shot to shot), AND the gun torqued (twisted) less. The difference was quite noticeable.

A small change in the position of the forearm on the front rest, or in the placement of the rear bag, can make a big difference in how your gun performs. You should experiment with the forearm placement, trying different positions on the front rest. Likewise, you can move the rear bag back and forth a few inches. Once you establish the optimal positions of front rest and rear bag, you should find that your gun tracks better and returns to battery more reliably. You may then discover that the gun shoots smaller groups, with less vertical dispersion. And all these benefits are possible without purchasing any expensive new gear.

Rifle photo courtesy Johnson’s Precision Gunsmithing (Bakersfield, CA).

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June 24th, 2024

CMP Adds Social Events at 2024 Camp Perry National Matches

Camp Perry 2024

As a way of providing guests of the 2024 CMP National Matches more opportunities to socialize off the range, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has added Beach Parties and Movie Nights to the calendar of the Camp Perry National Matches.

These social events will be held near Camp Perry — at the beach and within the historic Hough Theater. These fun events/entertainment are open to all competitors, coaches, parents, and volunteers.

Movie Nights – Hough Theater
July 11, July 31, and August 3: 7:00 PM

• July 11 – The Sandlot
• July 31 – Top Gun: Maverick
• August 3 – Hacksaw Ridge

Doors to the theater will open at 6:00 pm, with the movies beginning at 7:00 pm. Concessions will be for sale inside the theater.

Beach Parties at Camp Perry Beach
July 9 and July 12: 5:00 – 7:30 pm

• DJ with Music
• Food Trucks or Bring Your Own Food/Drinks
• Games (cornhole, volleyball)
• Fun with Friends and Fellow Competitors
• Free Giveaways of Sunglasses and Beach Balls

Guests should bring chair or blanket for seating.

More Camp Perry Summer Services — Sales and Accommodations

On Camp Perry’s Commercial Row an array of vendors will be offering firearms, ammunition, competition gear, accessories, apparel, and more. The CMP North Store, located on the grounds of Camp Perry, offers a large selection of military surplus rifles, memorabilia, and equipment.

Accommodations — Housing for the National Matches is currently available on the grounds of Camp Perry. Accommodations include 4-person huts, cottages, barracks, RV spaces, and camp sites. In addition, numerous hotels are available in the surrounding Port Clinton, Fremont, and Sandusky areas. CLICK HERE for information on local hotels and tourism resources.

Camp Perry 2024
CLICK PHOTO for article on after-match activities in the Camp Perry region.

National Matches Shooting Events at Camp Perry
The 2024 CMP National Matches run July 11 through August 10 at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Site in Port Clinton, Ohio. The month-long event will feature a mix of rifle, pistol, and air gun matches and clinics for both adults and juniors. Learn more about the 2024 National Matches and review the event schedule on the CMP website at TheCMP.org/cmp-national-matches.

Camp Perry National Matches
Camp Perry rimfire sporter match

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