Our south-paw shooters often complain that nice “previously owned” benchrest rifles are hard to find. We’ll we spotted a beauty on Gunbroker.com, Auction #128642607. It sports a Nesika Model J Left-Bolt, Left-port action in a gorgeous, laminated red cedar stock with hardwood fore-end tip and polished aluminum buttplate. We believe this rifle was built by Richard Franklin of Richards Custom Rifles, a well-known accuracy smith, and the rifle looks to be pillar-bedded. The barrel is a LV-contour, 22″ Krieger, 1:14″ twist, chambered in 6 PPC with a .261″ neck. Total weight is 10.4 lbs. with a Leupold scope so you can shoot it in either Light Varmint or Heavy Varmint class. This 6PPC has seen very little use and appears flawless in the photos. The seller claims the rifle has been “test-fired only” and that the bore is pristine.
Auction starting price is $1699.00 with no reserve. The auction closes on Sunday, May 17 at 11:39 am Eastern Time. So far, this gun has been “off the radar” so there has been just one bid. But hopefully one of our southpaw shooters will pick up a beautiful rifle for easily $1300.00 less than it cost new. (Note: Scope is NOT included in auction.) Yes we know a fiberglass-stocked gun would probably shoot as well… but that wood is a feast for the eyes.
Cabela’s has commenced a Memorial Day Sale that runs through May 25, 2009. Selected products are up to 50% off and sale prices are in effect right now. There are some real bargains to be had. Here are some good deals we found. To get these Memorial Day Sale prices, CLICK THIS LINK.
You probably already know that Leica’s CRF 1200 is a top-of-the-line laser rangefinder, rivaled only by the $999.00 Swarovski LaserGuide and, maybe, by the new $699.00 Zeiss Victory PRF. Among these three units, the Leica is the most compact by far. And, now, it is the least expensive. NOTE: You can also buy the Leica CRF 1200 from Amazon.com for $599.00 with FREE Shipping by clicking the special link below:
When we first saw this product we thought: “Great idea… it’s amazing nobody else has offered a covered loading tray before”. Being able to cover your loading tray makes sense. With the cover in place, you can’t inadvertantly drop something into the tray, or knock over cases filled with powder. You can also keep loaded rounds protected from the elements before they’re packed into ammo carriers.
We really like this little knife. Folded it is tiny, and weighs just 1 ounce! The 1.25″ blade is long enough to handle most typical cutting chores (opening box-tops, cutting tape, trimming cords). It even comes with a bottle opener and a sturdy lanyard attachment.
Garand Matches are among the most popular of CMP events, and the M1 Garand, acquired direct from the CMP, still represents a great value among collectible, military-style firearms. Recognizing the demand for accurate, yet affordable ammunition for M1 Garands and M1As(civilian version of m14), Federal® has introduced new American Eagle ammo expressly designed for these popular classes of rifles. M1 Garand and M1A shooters now have a quality yet economical ammo option, which reduced risk of slam-fires.
Special Loads for Special Rifles
The M1A and M1 Garand are storied rifles with a huge following. Unfortunately, much of the hunting ammunition today isn’t suitable for these special rifles. “We know there is a very large number of shooters who use the M1A and M1 Garand rifles at the range,” said Kyle Tengwall, Federal’s director of marketing. “Whether it’s practicing for a competition, or just spending some time at the range, these shooters need affordable loads that perform well. These new loads cater to this special segment of shooters, and we’re proud to offer them something that shoots great and is available at price that can’t be beat.”
These special loads use staked primers to reduce the risk of firearm malfunction, including slamfires. The M1 Garand load features a 150-gr FMJ bullet and a carefully selected propellant that produces pressures that match the gas system design. The M1A load utilizes a 168-grain Open Tip Match (OTM) bullet that gives match-grade accuracy at an unbeatable price.
Creedmoor Sports has announced its support of the M1 for Vets program, which provides financial and logistical support to wounded U.S. Veterans, allowing them to compete at Camp Perry and other major rifle matches. M1 for Vets has also donated refurbished M1 Garand rifles to more than 160 wounded war heroes.
Supporting these efforts, for a limited time, Creedmoor Sports will donate to M1 for Vets $5 from every internet order over $100. When you order from Creedmoor Sports’ website (and spend over $100.00), Creedmoor “kicks-in” $5.00 to support this worthy program.
About M1 for Vets
M1 for Vets is a non-profit organization dedicated to financial and logistical support of returning Combat Wounded Veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the Global War on Terror (GWT), for the purpose of helping them compete in national shooting sports. The goal is to give transitioning combat wounded veterans an opportunity to get back on the rifle range to participate in shooting competition. These are tough young men and women who quickly adapt and are able to overcome difficulties. In the video below, M1 for Vets recipients are interviewed at the 2008 Camp Perry National Matches.
Dennis DeMille of Creedmoor Sports reported that the 2009 Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup was a rousing success, setting new attendance records. Over 184 shooters competed in the individual Creedmoor Cup on Saturday, May 10th. Complete Results are posted on the CMP website.
Sherri Gallagher-Hurd was the overall match winner (and match rifle class winner), firing a score of 790-34x. SFC Grant Singley of the US Army Marksmanship Unit was the high service rifle shooter with a score of 788-38x. High Senior was Doug Morrison, a former US Army Reserve service rifle shooter, who has made the transition to match rifle. Doug fired a fine score of 785-31X. CWO3 Peter Burns won the M1 Garand Match and the Vintage Military Rifle Match. The USAMU Praslick Squad won the 4-man Service Rifle Team event. William Flagg, Jr. won the Rimfire Sporter event, shooting an excellent 590-33X.
The shooter who traveled the furthest to compete in this match was William Ellis, from England. William was able to bring his rifle to shoot in the matches, but had to buy ammunition in the US upon his arrival.
Match Report courtesy the NRA Blog. Hurd file photo from NRA Media Relations
Given the many matches won and records set by 6BR Improved cases, both 6 BRX and 6 Dasher varieties, product planners at Nammo Lapua have shown some tentative interest in manufacturing an official 6BR Improved case. This would be something very similar to a 6BRX, with about 41-42 grains of capacity, compared to about 38 grains for the 6BR. The case would be bigger than a 6BR, but smaller than a 6-6.5×47 or 6XC. The case would retain the small primer pocket and small flash hole of the 6BR case. A “bigger BR” would easily drive the 105-108gr 6mm bullets at 2950-3000 fps, where they often seem to shoot the best.
Before you jump out of the chair shouting “Oh Boy!”, keep in mind that Lapua’s interest is very preliminary — the engineers are merely fact-finding. This is just in the “idea stage”. Lapua’s cartridge designers are, however, intrigued by the accuracy and efficiency of the 6BR Improved case. Anything that regularly sets world records is worth considering. And Lapua would like to have a cartridge that will prove superior to the 6XC in international 300m competition.
AccurateShooter.com’s Editors have advocated the production of an “official” 6BR Improved. This wildcat deserves to become standardized. We suggest that it be similar to the 30-degree-shoulder 6BRX, but with a longer neck than a BRX (which loses neck length as the shoulder is moved forward). Existing BRX shooters could simply trim the necks shorter as needed to fit existing chambers. Dasher fans could proceed to “improve” the shoulder to 40 degrees, for their preferred configuration.
Obviously, as with any potential product, the question remains “is there sufficient market demand to justify production set-up and tooling costs?” We think the answer is yes. Not only would a factory 6BR Improved case be popular with Benchrest and across-the-course shooters, but this case would be great for varminters looking for something with more velocity than a 6BR but better barrel life than a 22-250. So, would you be interested in a factory 6BR Improved? Express your views in our Product Poll.
Forum Member Jim (Falconpilot) recently completed “Yeller”, a stunning new F-Class rig, chambered as a 6mm Dasher. Built with a BAT RBLP right-eject action, the gun features a Robertson Composites F-Class stock and Krieger 28″ barrel. With Berger 108gr VLDs, Reloder 15 and Wolf primers, “Yeller” has shot in the ones and low twos at 100 yards.
Jim’s new Dasher has already proven itself in competition. This past weekend, Jim took “Yeller” to Camp Robinson. In the very demanding 1000-yard F-class division, Jim shot 197/6X, 197/0x, and a 199/10X. Yeller’s proud owner tells us: “On the final 199/10X relay the one shot that drifted to the 9 rings was about 1″ out — I called the shot, so the gun performed beautifully! Still learning the right ‘hold’ for this stick, but I can tell you that…having a gun that you have complete confidence in makes a huge difference.”
We asked Falconpilot about his bright yellow color choice. “The stock came in a basic dark gray and I wanted something that I couldn’t lose on the firing line! The color turned out better than I hoped. The paint is PPG Lemon Ice Yellow, with PPG Clear. I shot a base coat of white, then the Lemon Ice, then clear. Special thanks to Howard Pitts at Pitts Precision for chambering another perfect chamber. A huge thanks to my shooting buddy and friend, Matt Owens of ARKCO Customs for helping me pillar bed the stock, and the use of his equipment. His gun is next, mine was the test subject for us, as neither one of us had ever pillar-bedded a rifle before. The result shown on the target (below) show that we got it right!”
“Yeller” Dasher Gun Specs:
6mm Dasher, .269″ neck, .104 freebore
BAT MB Right Bolt, Left Port, Right Eject
Kreiger 28″, 1.250″ straight, 1:8″ twist
Robertson SG&Y F-Class Stock
Jewell Trigger, Bat Trigger Guard
Nightforce NXS 12-42×56, CH-3, Bat Rings
Loading Tips for the 6mm Dasher
Jim reports: “I’ve found that using Varget while fire-forming forms the cases a little more evenly, but Reloder 15 is my ‘go to’ powder once fire-formed. I resize the brass and bump the shoulders back .0015-.002″ after every firing. Then I’ll tumble-clean the brass. I then use a .265″ bushing in my Redding neck die to resize the necks about 3/4 way down, clean the primer pockets, and reload from there.” As for bullets, Jim adds: “Every Krieger 6mm .237 barrel that I’ve had has shot the 108 especially well.”
The NRA’s Annual Meeting & Exhibits will be held May 14-17 at the Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over 200 exhibitor companies, including Berger Bullets, Hornady, Remington, and Savage Arms, will have their wares on display. In addition, the NRA will host many informative seminars, including a Clubs/Associations workshop, and a Firearms Law Seminar. The meeting will also feature a benefit auction and the NRA Foundation Banquet. There will even be an air rifle range inside the Convention Center. General Admission is free for NRA members, but tickets are required for the Banquet and some seminars. NRA Meeting Hours are listed below:
Thursday, May 14 6:00pm (Foundation Banquet)
Friday, May 15 10:00am-6:00pm (Convention)
Saturday, May 16 9:00am-6:00pm (Convention)
Sunday, May 17 10:00am-5:00pm (Convention)
The 30th Anniversary NRA National Action Pistol Championship, also known as the NRA Bianchi Cup, will be held in Columbia, Missouri, May 18 to 23, 2009. Over 200 of the world’s top pistoleros will compete at the Green Valley RPC’s Chapman Academy Range. Tens of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes will be awarded, making the Bianchi Cup one of the richest shooting sports events. The NRA Blog will provide daily updates from the match.
The 2009 event will offer an Open Class, Metallic Division, and (new for 2009) Production Division. The Bianchi Cup originated in 1979 as a Law Enforcement Training match. The “founding father” was holster maker (and former police officer) John Bianchi. Since its inception, the NRA Bianchi Cup has retained its original, 4-event course of fire:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from one side to another (back and forth) with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.The moving target is shot while moving to the left as well as to the right.
The Bianchi Cup draws shooters from all over the world. In 2008, competitors haled from Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, and the United States. For more info about the Bianchi Cup and Action Pistol events, contact Tom Hughes at bianchicup@nrahq.org or (800) 672-3888, extension 1478. Bianchi Cup revolver photo courtesy J.C. Blauvelt Gunsmith.
On May 9, 2009, friends and shooting buddies Larry Isenhour and Mike Davis set two new IBS 600-yard records at the Piedmont Gun Club (Rutherfordton, NC). First, Isenhour broke his own 50-3X (0.944″) 600-yard IBS Light Gun Score Record, shooting a perfect 50-5X at 600 yards, with a tiny .904″ group. Larry used a 6 BRX and Berger 105gr VLDs to shoot his sub-inch group and perfect score, in tricky conditions. Not to be outdone, Mike Davis shot an impressive 4-Target, 20-shot Aggregate 600-yard Heavy Gun Record of 1.460″. Mike was also shooting a 6 BRX and Berger 105gr VLDs, but in a mammoth rig with a 1.45″-diameter Brux barrel. Mike’s Heavy Gun looks like it came from Area 51, complete with the stealth gray finish.
Photo courtesy Greg Culpepper
ISENHOUR 600-Yard Record: 50-5X (.904″) Score
Larry reports: “Sometimes everything just works right and things like this happen. It was the last target of the day and it was pretty windy. Sam Hall was shooting and I knew I’d have to shoot great to beat him. I got on target and must have got those five rounds downrange in 12-15 seconds.” Larry’s gun wears a beautiful maple and walnut stock made by his brother, Robert (Mike) Isenhour. Larry says: “The stock is the same as in the photo, but now the gun has a Viper action and a different scope. This gun was smithed by Mike Davis.” Other gun specs and Larry’s load data are listed below. Readers should note that Larry was running a “no-turn” chamber in a gain-twist barrel, and shooting H4895. Most guys run Varget or RL15 with the 6BRX, but this proves that H4895 can be super-accurate in 6BR Improved cases. Larry does caution that “with H4895 I’m getting single-digit ES, but you have to watch the pressure as you get near max. Reloder 15 is a little more forgiving at the top end — it doesn’t spike so hard.” Larry is running his 105gr VLDs at 2970 fps. He says: “I’ve run ‘em as fast as 3050 fps with the BRX but the accuracy is better at 2970. At that velocity the BRX is coasting and you’re not working the brass hard.” Larry’s load procedure involves three dies. First he neck-sizes with a .268″ bushing in a Redding neck die. Then he uses a .308 Win FL die to size the body. As a final step he uses a Redding body die to bump the shoulder about 1.5 thousandths.
ISENHOUR 6BRX Light Gun
Stiller Viper Drop-port action
Isenhour Maple/Walnut stock
30″ Krieger (gain-twist, 1:9″ to 1:8.3″) 6mm barrel
Leupold 45X Competition Scope
6BRX .272″ neck (brass is NOT turned, but necks are mic’d)
Berger 105 VLDs, Tungsten Disulfide coated
32.5 grains Hodgdon H4895, Fed 205M
“What about that gain-twist barrel?” we asked Larry. He revealed: “Well, there’s a story behind that. This was one of four prototype barrels Krieger produced that we sourced through Lester Bruno. Krieger wanted to keep things quiet until the barrels had been proven in competition. Well I guess we can let the cat out of the bag. Yep the Krieger shoots great with a slght gain twist (9 to 8.3). However, if I had my choice, I’d go with a 28″ length rather than a 30″. You don’t need 30″ with a BRX.”
DAVIS 600-Yard Record: 1.460-inch, 4-target HG Aggregate
Mike Davis’s 4-Target, 20-shot Aggregate was also set with the dimunitive 6BRX cartridge, but in a massive rifle. Davis stealth gray rig is a true heavy gun, complete with a full-length rest set-up. Mike told us: “Larry and I started shooting together over ten years ago. In early 2002 I started building my own personal guns. Larry was the first person that I built a rifle for other than my own. This new gain-twist barrel for long range was something that Krieger and I have been working on trying to get a twist rate exactly what I wanted. It looks like [Krieger] has got the twist just right. These things are going to shoot! I think Larry’s group is proof.” Mike added: “Both of the barrels I am shooting now are Brux barrels. These barrels are great, and the people are great to work with.”
DAVIS 6BRX Heavy Gun:
BAT Model B RB/LP/RE
Alvey Aluminum stock
30″ Brux 1.450″ diam., 1:8.5″ twist
6BRX .272″ no-turn neck
Leupold 45x Competition Scope
Berger 105 VLDs, Tungsten Disulfide coated
32.5 grains Reloder 15, CCI 450 primers
Dennis DeMille of 
Given the many matches won and records set by 6BR Improved cases, both 6 BRX and 6 Dasher varieties, product planners at 
“Yeller” Dasher Gun Specs:
The 30th Anniversary NRA National Action Pistol Championship, also known as the 
