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September 27th, 2009
 Forum Member Dave B., aka “Gunamonth”, is a chemist/physicist with decades of experience working with the ultrasound process. He has achieved great results cleaning cases via ultrasound. Dave tried a variety of solutions and he favors a mix of water and Citranox®. This achieved the best results, and did not require a separate neutralizing step if you rinse the cases thoroughly after. Citranox, mixed 1:75 or 1:100 with water (distilled H20 is best), is inexpensive to use. Phospate-free Citranox® contains a blend of organic acids, anionic and non-ionic surfactants and alkanolamines. For more information on using Citranox®, check out THIS FORUM THREAD.
Dave notes: “I had a lot of communication with the technical VP of Alconox about trying to clean fired cases with an ultrasonic unit. He sent me a copy of his ultrasonic cleaning manual and recommended a product called Citranox®. So far I’ve been very impressed. With once- or twice-fired brass they clean up very quickly. The worst cases I tried were 6 Dashers that had been fired ten times with Varget and never cleaned. The worst fouling was in the bottom of the case around the flash hole. They took longer and I used a more concentrated cleaning solution but they did come out clean. The price is reasonable. I paid $35 a gallon and for once- or twice-fired cases I dilute the cleaner 100 to 1. There is much less chemical reaction with the brass than there is with vinegar. No weird colors, just shiny bright. I even used it with hot water, which speeds up the cleaning process. No need to neutralize. Just rinse in running water and they’re squeaky clean. The cleaner is mostly detergents with a little citric acid. Even at a 1:75 ratio my $35 worth of cleaner will make 75 gallons of solution. It doesn’t seem to be reusable but 75 gallons is a whole lot of solution when I only use about two cups at a time.”
The price has gone up a bit since Dave acquired his Citranox, but Amazon.com sells Citranox for $40.00 per gallon, or you can buy a gallon of Citranox from LabSafety Supply for $46.40.
September 26th, 2009
 We live in a digital, electronic era. The very story you’re reading right now consists of digital data packets transmitted electronically around the globe. Because of cost factors, 99+% of shooting matches in the USA still rely on old-fashioned manual scoring methods. However, target scoring can be done faster and more precisely with electronic scoring systems. Olympic and international CISM shooting competitions now employ electronic target systems. And electronic scoring is widely used in Europe already.
Below is a video showing an electronic scoring system developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Mikroelektronikk AS. Watch as a prone shooter puts five rounds on a 300m target. You can see the group form on the video screen at his shooting station. He’s a good shooter (with an accurate rifle). The first three shots are touching.
As you can see from the video, viewing shots on the monitor is easier than using a spotting scope and waiting for targets to be marked. The electronic target eliminates the need for a crew of target pullers in the pits.
The Kongsberg system, like the electronic systems produced by Sius Ascor of Switzerland, do more than just display shot locations to the shooter. The target units automatically calculate scores, which are transmitted to a central computer. This can provide updated competitor rankings, and can even display the results to event spectators on large view screens.
CLICK HERE for a longer streaming Flash VIDEO showing how electronic target systems work. This video, produced by Sius Ascor, shows olympic target systems in action.
September 25th, 2009
 The 2009 NBRSA 100/200 yard Benchrest (for Group) Nationals are underway this week in Missouri at the Benchrest Club of St. Louis. Conditions have been extraordinarily calm, with very little wind. As a result, a host of potential records have been set. At the completion of Unlimited (UNL), Sporter (SPTR), and Light Varmint (LV) classes, there have been thirteen (13) possible new World records shot, and more may come in the final Heavy Varmint (HV) relays. Potential records set so far include:
UNL 10-100: Tony Boyer and Eric Stanton
LV 5-100: Jack Neary and Tony Boyer
LV 5-200: Gene Bukys
LV Grand: Jack Neary and Tony Boyer
SPTR 5-200: Tom Libby
SPTR Grand: Jack Neary, Gary Ocock, Mike Ratigan, Mark Buettgen, and Rodney Brown.
Thus far, Jack Neary has won the Sporter Grand Aggregate, and he won the LV 100 with a spectacular 0.15+ Agg. We’ve been told that Gene Bukys won the SPTR 200 with yet another 0.15+ Agg. That’s amazing shooting by Jack and Gene. Tom Libby also shot a .093 in Sporter at 200 yards to set a potential record.
To give you an idea of how many shooters have turned in truly superior performances, there were 20 teen aggs in the LV 100 alone. Below are the Top Ten LV 100 Aggs. As one observer commented on Benchrest Central, “I can’t imagine how it must feel to shoot a .1690″ Agg and finish 7th…or worse yet, a .1498″ and NOT win!”
1. Jack Neary .1482 (Possible New World Record)
2. Tony Boyer .1498
3. Mike Conry .1574
4. John Horn .1626
5. Larry Costas .1648
6. Tim Courtney .1660
7. Larry Scharhorst. 1690
8. Lester Bruno .1708
9. Eddie Harris .1794
10. Bob Scarborough Jr. .1800
On Day 1 of the Unlimited Match, Tony Boyer shot brilliantly at 100 yards, nailing a 0.1894 Agg which lowers the existing record by 0.0271, a large margin in short range benchrest. The previous UNL 8-10-100 NBRSA World Record Agg was 0.2165 set by Lester Bruno in 2001. In the same St. Louis UNL 100 match, Eric Stanton also broke the existing record with an 0.2161.
We will update this report as more official results are received. If you have photos of the NBRSA 100/200 Nationals in St. Louis, please email them to mailbox@6mmBR.com. Please include caption information (Date, Event, Shooter, Equipment etc.).
September 25th, 2009
Here’s good news for collectors of classic American military rifles. Over 100,000 M1 Garands and M1 Carbines are “returning home” from South Korea. The South Korean Defense Ministry recently announced plans to ship 86,000 Garands and 22,000 Carbines back to the United States for sale to American collectors. Originally made in the USA, these weapons were supplied by the US during the Korean and Vietnam war years.
 Thankfully, South Korea’s plan to return the Garands and Carbines to the United States has received a “green light” from American officials. “The US government recently approved our plan to sell old M1 and carbine rifles, which were given to our soldiers as part of a US aid programme,” a ministry spokesman declared.
Most of the arms have been in storage at military warehouses, only occasionally used for drills by reserve forces. While South Korea plans to send back most of its M1 Garands, it intends to retain another 640,000 carbines for reserve units. The 108,000 rifles set for return to America are collectively valued at over $108,000,000 (based on $1000.00 retail price per gun). Realistically, given the fact that CMP rack grade and service grade Garands sell for much less, we would hope many of these Korean returns would sell for quite a bit less than $1000.00. But, ultimately, supply and demand in the United States will dictate selling prices.
UPDATE: On August 12, 2010, the Korea Times reported that the U.S. Government is now opposing the return to the USA of the 108,000 Garands and Carbines. A Korean Defense Ministry source revealed that American officials were now claiming the weapons could cause accidents or “be smuggled to terrorists, gangs or other people with bad intentions”.
September 24th, 2009
North Carolina-based gunsmith Nat Lambeth is one of the gurus of the Savage world. He has built many highly competitive match rifles using Savage actions, employing his special accurizing methods. Nat recently built up a 6 BRX prone rifle using Gary Eliseo’s new S1 Savage Chassis. The 6 BRX, a 6BR improved with 30° shoulder, can be a very accurate cartridge, as demonstrated by Nat’s new rifle. Right out of the gate, this gun shot an 0.290 five-shot group during barrel break-in.
The rifle features a Savage Target action, factory Accutrigger, and a very accurate 32.5″, 8-twist Broughton 5C™ barrel. The load was Lapua 6BR brass hydraulically formed to 6 BRX, 32.5 grains of Hodgdon Varget, Wolf (Russian) SRM primers, and a Berger 105gr VLD bullet.
Nat really likes the 6 BRX chambering in a long-range prone rifle: “The 6mm BRX is like a 6mmBR on steroids. The whole purpose of the 6mm BRX and 6mm Dasher is to make the 6mmBR a better round for 600-1000 yard shooting. The have the advantages of the 6mmBR with a little more velocity. Most folks who shoot a 6mm BRX fire-form their 6mmBR brass by seating the bullets in the rifling and loading the 6mmBR case with a 90% load. The case expands into the larger chamber making a 6mmBR case now a 6mm BRX. [For this gun] I used my new Hornady Hydraulic Forming Die. [Editor: the hydraulic die will form the cases to about 95% of final shape using just the die, a water-filled case, and a mallet.] As you can see, the hydraulic die allowed me to start off with a standard 6mm BRX load from the get go. For optimum accuracy, barrel life, and case life the 6mm BRX seems to have an accuracy node between 3000 fps and 3080 fps.
Another factor is that the Broughton barrels seem to give about 100-150 fps more velocity. Almost every Broughton barrel that I have chambered seem to gain a little velocity after the first 200 rounds. I have chambered the 6mm BRX with most other barrel manufacturers and they all have shot well. This is a very sweet round.”
If you want to check out this rifle, head to the 2009 F-Class Nationals at Camp Butner, Sept. 30 – October 4. Nat explains: “This rifle will be at Butner for the F-Class Nationals and future matches and practices. I will have it and ammo available for those who would like to shoot it during the practice sessions both as a 6mm BRX and .308 Win.” For more info, call Nat Lambeth at (919) 556-0554 (Home/shop — evenings and weekends), (919) 662-6848 (cell), or email NLambeth [at] embarqmail.com.
September 24th, 2009
 Here is a useful, FREE program that will convert MS Word documents, Excel files, or Powerpoint presentations into universal .PDF (Adobe Acrobat) documents. Today only, September 24, 2009, the PDF Tiger program is FREE for the downloading (regular price is $29.95).
Who needs this kind of program? Well, if you prepare club newsletters or match reports, it’s a good idea to publish .PDF versions of your documents on the web. Additionally, if you have a gunsmithing or parts business with technical documents, you’ll want to offer .PDF versions of important files, such as price lists or installation instructions. Also, if you host shooting matches or clinics, you can provide .PDF versions of sign-up sheets and match rules. The benefit of .PDF (Acrobat) files is that they can be read by anyone with a web browser and the FREE Adobe Acrobat plug-in; also .PDF files can be easily scaled for printing. You could create a target in Powerpoint, for example, then save as a .PDF file for printing.
CLICK HERE to download PDF Tiger. (FREE today only. NOTE: The download comes with a help file listing a license key for full use. For the key to work, You MUST install the program before midnight 9/24 when the offer runs out.)
In addition to converting Word or Excel documents to .pdf files, PDF Tiger can also convert .PDF files into editable MS Word Documents, Rich Text Documents, Plain Text Files, Images, HTML Files, and Shockwave Flash SWF Files. So, if you’re running a club website, you can build web-friendly html pages starting with .PDF files.
NOTE: PDFTiger is offered for FREE today only, as a promotion on www.GiveawayoftheDay.com a website that offers a new FREE software product each day of the year. If you miss today’s PDFTiger promotion, check for other free software products in the future.
September 24th, 2009
 Here’s a “dream job” for someone with gunsmithing experience and writing skills. American Gunsmith magazine, the official publication of the American Gunsmithing Association, is looking for a new editor. The candidate shoud be something of a “jack of all trades” who is computer-savy and has multiple skills.
In edition to writing copy, the editor needs to do some basic layout functions, and edit photos. Duties involve writing original articles, editing contributed material to length, arranging for art and photography, and performing layout duties using InDesign CS2 templates.
According to the publisher, “No relocation is required if you have a broadband connection to the internet and possess the requisite computer skills. You’ll need a passion for the mechanics of firearms and superior communications skills.” To apply for the job, send a cover letter and resume to American Gunsmith publisher Tim Cole at tim.cole@belvoirpubs.com.
September 23rd, 2009
 This Saturday, Sept. 26th, is National Hunting & Fishing Day (NHF Day). In connection with NHF Day, Ranges in Connecticut, Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire and Ohio will be hosting First Shots seminars on Saturday. There is also a program in Phoenix, AZ on the 24th. If you know someone who wants to get started in recreational shooting, attending a First Shots seminar can be a great way to go. Organizers provide everything one needs — guns, ammo, targets, safety gear, and instruction. Here’s a list of Ranges that will be holding First Shots Seminars in connection with NHF Day:
September 24
Shooters World: Phoenix, AZ
September 26
Seymour Fish & Game Club: Oxford, CT (Shotgun)
US Shooting Academy: Tulsa, OK 74117
Gainesville Target Range: Gainesville, FL
Fusilier Complex: Arnaudville, LA (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun)
Elkin Fish and Game Club: Elkins, NH
Miami Valley Shooting Grounds: Vandalia, OH
September 22nd, 2009
Kelbly’s Inc., just annouced that it will produce a new, stainless Rem-clone “Atlas” action that will sell for $700.00 (before options). Notably, it is available with a cone bolt and a trigger hanger. The latter feature means that glue-in installation is feasible. Additionally, a headspace adapter will be offered so you can use chambered barrels that have been headspaced for Kelbly Panda actions. Currently, only two configurations will be offered: right bolt, right port (RBRP), or left bolt, left port (LBLP). The first run of Atlas actions are slated for release at end of October 2009. The new action is named after the Atlas Bear, once found in Morocco’s Atlas mountains. To learn more about the new Atlas action, call Kelbly’s at (330) 683-4674.
 Kelbly’s reports: “The new Atlas action is a Remington 700 clone made to benchrest standards. The action body is made of 416RS stainless steel. Bolts are made of 4140 alloy steel on the body and stainless steel on bolt handle. The Atlas action will come standard as a single-shot with trigger bracket for Rem-style triggers, aluminum bolt shroud, cone bolt on 222, PPC, and 308, flat bolt on .532 bolt face, and top safety cutout. The headspace is .692 without recoil lug. The thread will be 1 1/16 x 18 tpi.”
Options available
Fluted bolt – $60.00
Magazine (extended, requires flat bolt) – $60.00
Ejector – $75.00
Recoil Lug .250 – $35.00
Cera-Kote action body and bolt handle – $100.00
Polish action and bolt handle – $120.00
Stolle 1.115 Headspace washer – $30.00 (Allows installation of Panda-spec barrels on the Atlas action without rechambering.)
Forum Member Al Nyhus observes: “This new action is going to be a winner. One of the big things it has going for it is the use of a hanger for the trigger mounting. Add to that an innovative way to use barrels already chambered for the ‘standard’ headspace Kelbly actions and you’ve pretty much covered all the bases. — Well done.”
September 22nd, 2009
Ruger has just announced the new SR-22, which is a Ruger 10/22 shamelessly tarted up to look like an AR-15. For tactical and 3-gun competitors needing a practice weapon that shares the ergonomics of their AR15 match gun, the SR-22 makes sense. Otherwise, frankly, we lament the addition of the wobbly and poorly-designed AR-style collapsible stock to a firearm that works just fine with a conventional stock. We do like the integrated Picatinny-style rail on top of the action. This allows you to easily mount Red Dot sights or other optics. But does anyone really need rails on the forearm or a Mini-14 flash suppressor on a 22LR? No, but these features will probably sell more rifles. Anything that looks “tacticool” these days seems to sell well.
CLICK HERE for SR-22 Specifications Sheet
MSRP for the new SR-22 is $625.00 and we expect street price to be about $575.00. That’s more than twice the price of a standard 10/22 that, frankly, performs pretty well once you’ve upgraded the trigger. Is it worth paying double to get a pistol grip, AR-style buttstock, and Picatinny scope rail? Ruger is banking on the fact that AR devotees will say yes and shell out big bucks for the SR-22.
AR Egonomics with 10/22 Economy and Simplicity
According to Ruger, the “SR-22 Rifle allows shooters to use economical .22 LR ammunition, while still enjoying the look and feel of an ‘AR’. [The gun] faithfully replicates the AR-platform dimensions between the sighting plane, buttstock height, and grip. Like the 10/22, the AR-style SR-22 Rifle also has an extensive array of accessories available, allowing shooters to select a custom configuration that best suits their tastes and needs.”
The SR-22 uses standard SR-22 rotary magazines. Indeed, at its heart, the SR-22 is pretty ordinary. It features a standard 10/22 action inside an aluminum Nordic Components chassis that provides the rail mount, buttstock mount, and AR-style grip mount. The SR-22 ships with a six-position, telescoping M4-style buttstock (on a Mil-Spec diameter tube), plus a Hogue pistol grip. Buttstocks and grips may be swapped out for any AR-style compatible option. The wobbly, collapsible buttstock is the first thing this editor would toss on the SR-22.
Interestingly, the round handguard/float tube is secured with a standard-thread AR-style barrel nut, and the handguard is drilled and tapped for rails at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’ clock positions. Picatinny handguard rails are available from Ruger so you can add rail-mounted gizmos to your heart’s content. There is a barrel support V-block in the handguard so you can easily swap barrels or install after-market 10/22 barrels. The SR-22’s 16-1/8″ barrel is capped with an Mini-14 flash suppressor mounted with AR-spec ½”-28 thread.
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