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March 5th, 2009
Katerina Emmons, the wife of U. S. shooter Matt Emmons, was selected by a panel of international shooting sports journalists as the 2008 International Female Shooter of the Year. Katerina, who competes for the Czech Republic, won gold and silver medals in the Beijing Olympic Games in women’s air rifle and three-position smallbore rifle. Katerina opened the 2008 Games by winning the very first Gold medal of the Beijing Olympics in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle. She also established two world records during her outstanding year of competition. Katerina now lives in the USA with husband Matt (who finished second in the journalists’ voting for ISSF male shooter of the year). Katerina and Matt Emmons are now looking forward to the birth of their first child in April.
Photo courtesy Fédération Française de Tir
Korean pistol shooter Jin Jong Oh was selected as the 2009 Male International Shooter of the Year, ahead of Matt Emmons. Jin won gold and silver medals in Beijing in the men’s free pistol and air pistol events. USA skeet Olympic gold medalist Vince Hancock was third in the voting. A full report on the International Shooters of the Year and the vote totals are posted on the ISSF website.
March 4th, 2009
Forum regular Aaron H. (aka “6BR”) has been having great success in the California varmint fields with “Orange Crush”, his super-accurate 6BR rifle. Aaron recently posted his experiences with various laser rangefinder (LRF) types, and field binoculars. While there’s plenty of information available on LRFs, including our own Laser Rangefinder Comparison, it’s harder to find good info on binoculars from the perspective of a varmint hunter. Aaron looked at a variety of premium binoculars, and ended up choosing the 15×45 Zeiss Conquest, after careful consideration.
Choosing the Right Binoculars for Long-Range Varmint Hunting
Aaron writes: “[It] was a hard undertaking to pick the right pair. I decided I wanted a high magnification pair of binos in the 10x to 15x range. I narrowed my choices down to Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica, or Nikon. I was sure I was going to buy the Swarovskis when I started comparison shopping. However, I was wrong… I ended up getting a pair of the Zeiss 15×45 Conquests.”
 
Aaron reports: “The clarity of the Zeiss binos is awesome. I am glad I took the time to look through each and every pair before I bought. I was also impressed with the Nikon Monarch ATB; for the price, they are impressive. The Swarovskis were awesome too. However, through my eyes, the Zeiss clarity was better.”
The Zeiss 15×45 Binoculars are fairly expensive. At most places they go for about $1100.00 (see chart below), but you can find some better deals. Aaron tells us: “I had to sell other firearms to be able to afford the Zeiss binos and a Swaro 8×30 LRF. If you decide to shoot varmints, at long range, you’ll find out very quickly how important it is to have quality optics. When you spend a bunch of time looking through binoculars, it can become very hard on the eyes. So the better quality binoculars you have, the more comfortable you’ll be during your varmint hunt. I learned the hard way during the beginning years of long range varminting, and I realized how important it is to have quality optics.”
Nikon Monarch ATB Offers Great Performance for the Price
Aaron was impressed with the Nikon ATBs, given their low cost. But Aaron cautions: “It’s very important to go look through the binos before you buy a pair. Had the Zeiss 15×45 Conquests not been so remarkably clear, I probably would have bought a pair of the Nikon Monarch ATBs. If you need a pair of binoculars and you can’t afford the higher end binoculars, I would highly recommend the Nikon Monarch ATBs, offered in both 10-power and 12-power. I would have to say, and I am not making this up, they were close to the clarity of the higher-end binos. I also looked through a pair of the Leupold Golden Ring binos. They are nice, however, I felt the clarity of Nikons were much better and the price was much cheaper.” [Editor: The Nikon 10x42mm and 12x42mm Monarch ATBs retail for about $290.00 and $330.00 respectively at discount vendors such as B&H Photo.]
Aaron added: “One more thing, I am stating my own opinion on what I think works best for me. Another brand of optics might work better for someone else. I don’t want to offend anybody or imply that other brands are bad, I just wanted to give my experience with what I use and have had success with.”
Tips for Holding Binoculars Steady
Nate Haler, another Forum member, offered this advice about high-magnification binoculars: “Unless you are using a tripod or other mechanical support for a binocular, 15x magnification is too much. Image tremble will be much more problematic when trying to hand-hold a binocular of such high magnification. Furthermore, the exit pupil (i.e. the little circle of light transmitted to the ocular lens) will be only 3mm in a 15×45 binocular, which means 15x magnification and a 45mm objective lens. Exit pupil enables you to see the image better or worse in low light. 7mm exit pupil is about as big as a healthy human eye in a young adult can dilate. Smaller than that, and the image is dimmer.”
Editor’s Comment: Nate makes some very good points, but we would add that you can rest your binoculars on a pack or sandbag, or use an inexpensive tripod or bracket to hold the binoculars steady. Zeiss also makes a 12-power version of the binoculars Aaron favored. This editor has used 12x binoculars in the field without difficulty, but you definitely have to learn to “hold steady”. One technological solution is built-in image stabilization. Canon has a series of image-stabilized binoculars (8x, 10x, 12x, 15x, and 18x), and they work very well. The 15×50 is shown below. Regarding the 3mm exit pupil, yes a bigger exit pupil is better in low light, but 3mm should be adequate for daytime hunting. Keep in mind that a shooter using a 25-power riflescope will be looking through an exit pupil that’s 2mm or smaller.
Geovid All-in-One Option (Rangefinding Binoculars)
The Leica Geovid binoculars are another option for hunters. These combine great glass with a built-in Laser Rangefinder. That way you only need one optic for both game spotting and rangefinding. Aaron considered the Geovid option, but it didn’t offer any money savings compared to purchasing binoculars and LRF separately. Additionally, he felt that his Swaro 8×30 rangefinder out-performed the LRF in the Geovids. “The Leica Geovids are excellent. They are just so darn expensive. I think they start around $2600 for the 8×42 and go up to $3300 for the 15×56 pair. I would still choose the Swaro 8×30 LRF over the Geovids. Why? Because the Swaro out-ranges the Geovids by 300 yards and the Swaro is $1600 cheaper. That leaves a lot of cash left over for good binoculars.”
March 4th, 2009
Tired of spending $25 or $30 on a box of bullets only to find they don’t shoot well in your barrel? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just buy 10 or 20 bullets and test them out before buying a large quantity? Now you can do just that.
Tom Reddin of Oklahoma has launched a new service, BulletSamples.com that should prove popular with both target shooters and hunters. Tom has acquired a large inventory of Berger, Hornady, Nosler, and Sierra bullets in 22 through 30 calibers. He stocks hundreds of different bullet types, including match bullets, varmint bullets, and game-hunting bullets. You can create your own “variety pack” with different brands, weights, and designs. You can “Mix and Match” brands, with pricing on a per-bullet basis. Bullets range in price from $0.24 to $0.50 (the bigger bullets typically cost more), with most bullets $0.35 or less. Here are examples:
22 Caliber:
40gr Hornady V-Max $0.28
75gr Berger VLD $0.36
77gr Sierra MatchKing $0.38
6mm:
55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip $0.31
75gr Hornady V-Max $0.33
105gr Berger VLD $0.35
30 Caliber:
155gr Berger VLD $0.43
175gr Sierra MatchKing $0.41
180gr Nosler Ballistic Tip $0.47
(Price is per 1 bullet, s/h extra)
There is a 75-bullet minimum order, but that could be composed of Berger VLDs, Sierra MatchKings, some Nosler Ballistic Tips, and a selection of Hornady V-Maxs and A-Maxs. Tom carries most of the popular match bullets in .224, .243 (6mm), .264 (6.5mm), .284 (7mm), and 30 caliber. For more info, call Tom at (405) 387-4541 or visit BulletSamples.com.
March 3rd, 2009
We often hear the question: “What is THE best spotting scope for viewing objects at ultra-long distances”. That’s not a trick question… but maybe there’s a trick answer. The best optic for ultra-long range may not be ONE spotting scope, but rather TWO scopes working in tandem. Military observers and artillery spotters have long used massive binoculars for long-range observation. Texas-based SWFA, one of the nation’s most successful optics vendors, now offers a dual-scope BIGEYES™ system that offers certain viewing properties no single scope can match. Employing two (2) premium 80mm-objective Swarovski spotting scopes with high-definition (HD) glass, the BIGEYES system promises better depth perception and enhanced perceived brightness compared to a single scope. Many people also find that extended viewing through a dual-lens system is less fatiguing than looking through one lens, but that is more about human factors than internal optic quality.
That’s Five Grand Worth of Swarovski Glass
The BIGEYES do work remarkably well. You’ll see these mounted on heavy tripods at long-range matches such as Williamsport. But BIGEYES are not for shooters and hunters on a tight budget. This twin-Swaro set-up is very expensive. SWFA offers two models. The STS80HD20XBE, with 20-power eyepieces, costs $4,929.95. The companion STS80HDZOOM with 20-60X zoom eyepieces (lower photo) runs a whopping $5,129.95. You can also purchase other eyepieces at different magnification, but remember, if you change eyepieces you need to purchase a pair — one for each scope.
Optical Advantages for Hunters
Even if we presume that two scopes are better than one, can a $5K investment in glass be justified? SWFA claims that: “BIGEYES™ allow you to view distant objects in great detail with the equivalent of a 20-60×80 tripod mounted binocular. Porro prism design provides the optimum focal length required to maximize the performance of the 80mm HD (high definition) objectives. BIGEYES offer superior field of view combined with amazing depth perception that no conventional binocular can match. BIGEYES allow you to hunt from a fixed location, providing you the ability to glass animals literally miles a way. You can scout and judge animals with out disrupting their patterns.”
This Editor doubts he could ever afford a set of BIGEYES. But it’s nice to know such a system, complete with mount, is available for those who have the financial resources. For more information, visit SWFA at www.RifleScopes.com.
March 3rd, 2009
 Midsouth Shooters Supply boast one of the largest inventories of shooting, reloading, and hunting products you can find. Midsouth is also known for fast service — 99% of all in-stock orders are shipped usually within 24 business hours of receipt. Midsouth just released its latest 240-page Master Catalog, in both print and digital format. If you ordered from Midsouth in the last 24 months you should be receiving your “hard-copy” 2009 Master Catalog in the mail very soon. If you don’t want to wait, you can download the Catalog now.
The entire 240-page Midsouth Catalog, with thousands of products, can be downloaded for free. It is a large (20 megabyte) file, so if you have a slow connection, you can also download smaller, 40-page Catalog sections.
CLICK HERE to Download 240-page Midsouth Catalog (20mb .pdf file)
CLICK HERE to go to Catalog Download page to select sections.
March 2nd, 2009
 Birchwood Casey has come up with a new polymer gun finish, Perma Fin™. Here’s the big news: NO BAKING or HEAT-CURING is required, and you don’t have to mix two components. Perma Fin can be applied with an air brush or a fine paint brush to provide a durable, long-lasting black satin finish. Air curing makes Perma Fin™ easier to use than most other polymer or resin gun finishes on the market. Heat-curing in an oven works fine for handgun slides or rifle actions, but what do you do with a 30″-long barrel that won’t fit in your oven? Also, with oven curing you have to be careful that the coated product doesn’t stick to the oven racks.
No Mixing Required. No Heat-Curing Needed.
Perma Fin is a single component, water-based polyurethane resin liquid that provides excellent adhesion to not only metal firearm surfaces, but to plastic and rubber as well. There is no mixing of components, no harsh chemicals, and because Perma Fin is water-based, clean-up is simple and easy. Perma Fin air cures, so no heating or baking of parts is required. As noted above, that simplifies the process of coating large or extra-long gun parts. Perma Fin is available as a kit with an air brush, 1 pair of vinyl gloves, 1 abrasive sanding pad and two 3-ounce bottles of Perma Fin, or in individual 3-ounce bottles. Retail price for the kit is $64.40 and $16.10 for the 3-ounce bottles.
EDITOR’s COMMENT: We haven’t tested Perma Fin™ yet, so we can’t comment on how well it works. But we think a single-component (no-mix) product that air-cures (like normal paint) holds promise for gunsmiths with access to compressed air. And this product also gives stock-painters the ability to finish metal parts (no heat required).
March 1st, 2009
It’s the first of March and spring is right around the corner, so here’s a little something to stir your spring fever. Below is a video prepared by Anschütz to promote that company’s line of match rimfire rifles and air rifles. You’ll note there’s some very nice rifles … and a rather comely model. OK, this is shameless merchandising, but they use pretty girls to sell cars, plasma televisions, and even beer … so why not use a pretty girl to sell rifles. Be forewarned though, this may be a little racy for a work computer. But, as one YouTube viewer commented: “Nice girl and nice rifles!”
February 28th, 2009
Readers often ask “What’s the difference between a Weaver scope rail and a Picatinny Rail?” The answer is not as simple as it seems. The dimensions of a Picatinny Rail should be consistent (from one rail-maker to another), since there IS a government spec. Conversely, there is some variance in “Weaver-style” rails. The width of the groove is the most important difference between Picatinny Rails and weaver rails. “Mil-spec” Picatinny rails will have a grove width of 0.206″ while Weaver rails typically have a narrower, 0.180″ groove width.
Brownell’s has a helpful GunTech Article that discusses the Picatinny Rail vs. Weaver Rail. That article explains:
“What are the differences between the ‘Picatinny’ and the ‘Weaver’ systems? The profile of the two systems is virtually identical. Depending on the quality of the machining done by the manufacturer, the two systems should be indistinguishable from the profile. The key difference lies in the placement of the recoil grooves and with width of the grooves. MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) grooves are .206″ wide and have a center-to-center width of .394”. The placement of these grooves has to be consistent in order for it to be a true ‘Picatinny’MIL-STD system. Weaver systems have a .180” width of recoil groove and are not necessarily consistent in a center-to-center measurement from one groove to the next.
In many instances, a Weaver system has a specific application that it is machined for, so interchangeability is not necessarily an issue. A MIL-STD-1913 system must adhere to the specifications listed above in order for it to be considered MIL-STD, since the military desires uniformity in the recoil grooves to allow for different systems to be mounted on the weapon with no concern for compatibility.
Now, what does this mean to you? Boiled down, it means that accessories designed for a Weaver system will, in most cases, fit on a ‘Picatinny’ system. The reverse, however, is probably not the case. Due to the larger recoil groove, ‘Picatinny’ accessories will not fit a Weaver system. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, but for a good rule-of-thumb, [full-width] ‘Picatinny’ won’t fit Weaver, but Weaver will fit ‘Picatinny’.”
February 28th, 2009
 The Ballistic Coefficient (BC) of a bullet is an index number used to describe the bullet’s aerodynamic drag relative to a reference standard. While bullet manufacturers commonly include BCs in their product descriptions, often times those numbers are merely a mathematical calculation, rather than the result of actual testing. Also, since the true drag of a bullet changes over the course of its trajectory, using a single BC is a fairly primitive way to predict how that bullet will actually perform over a long distance.
Lapua is now using Doppler radar to provide a more sophisticated model of bullet flight. Lapua has issued drag coefficients for its bullets based on radar testing. Importantly, Lapua didn’t just calculate drag coefficients off bullet blueprints. Instead, Lapua used radar to measure bullet velocities at various points along the bullet flight path (trajectory). This provides Cd (Coefficient of Drag) values that can be used with advanced ballistic software such as QuickTARGET to calculate trajectories with great reliability and precision.
Lapua’s engineers explain: “With our Cd-data measured by continuous Doppler radar measurements you can calculate the trajectory of your bullet much more accurately than using the simplified one-number BC. Typically-used simple ballistic coefficient (BC) describes only ballistic performance of the bullet compared to old standard ‘G1′ bullet. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of drag force compared to G1 projectile. The higher the BC value, the less drag and better ballistic performance.
The BC changes during a projectile‘s flight and stated BCs are always averages for particular velocity ranges. Knowing how a BC was established is almost as important as knowing the stated BC value itself. For the precise establishment of bullet trajectory, Doppler radar-measurements are required. The normal shooter however, has no access to such expensive professional measurement devices.
The radar-measured Cd factor describes the aerodynamic drag at particular points of trajectory. A Cd table (see above) shows this factor as a function of velocity (Mach number). Special software is required (e.g. Quick Target Unlimited) to utilize this data to [generate a] ballistic table. During the Doppler radar measurements the complete location information versus time is recorded.”
Long-Range Tests Show Lapua’s Bullet Drag Models Work Well
One of our sources has been working with Lapua’s radar-derived ballistic data for over a year. His task was to see how calculated trajectories using Lapua’s stated Cd values for particular bullets compared to observed bullet flights at long range. Using the data for the Lapua 250gr Scenar, this tester found the predicted trajectory “dead on to 1600 meters (about a mile) and only a few click off [at] 2000 meter (1.25 mile) distances”.
Bullet Ballistic Info for Download
CLICK HERE for explanation of Doppler-derived Cd with sample charts.
CLICK HERE for Cd-data for Lapua bullets.
February 27th, 2009
 For years the NRA has published Shooting Sports USA, an informative print magazine for competitive shooters. While sample articles and a match calendar could be found on the web, the complete magazine contents were available only via a conventional print magazine subscription.
Now that’s changed. You can read ALL the contents of Shooting Sports USA now for FREE, in a monthly “Digital Edition”. Using “digital paper” technology from Olive Software, the entire magazine loads as a file in your internet browser. You can size the pages larger or smaller. You can even turn the pages as with a conventional magazine. To get your FREE subscription to Shooting Sports USA in digital form, just go to the Shooting Sports USA website, and enter your email address and zip code. That’s it — no fees, no credit card info required.
CLICK HERE to read a sample Digital Edition of Shooting Sports USA
(Note: This will load a flash player that may not be compatible with all browsers.)
Get New Rules, Match Results, Gear Reviews, and More…
The current issue of Shooting Sports USA includes the 2009 NRA Competitive Rule Changes. You can access those rule changes by viewing the March, 2009 sample digital edition (may take some time to load). Other features in the March edition include Shooters News, a Score Sheet (recent match results), Brief Product Reviews, and a Calendar of Coming Events.
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