|
|
February 27th, 2008
Many readers will be driving across multiple states this spring and summer to attend competitions. Other shooters will be heading out of state for a game hunt or to spend a week in the prairie dog fields. For $12.95 you can purchase a state-by-state Traveler’s Guide to firearms laws. Written by a lawyer, and updated for 2008, this 68-page guide covers all firearms types and all 50 states. It even has information for Canada and Mexico.
CLICK HERE for Sample Page.
 The Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States has sold more than 600,000 copies since it was first released in 1996. The book’s author, Attorney J. Scott Kappas, has written numerous magazine articles and has appeared on television, explaining the unexpected pitfalls that shooters may encounter when traveling with firearms. Along with being an attorney, Mr. Kappas serves as a director on the Board of the Kentucky Firearms Foundation, and Kappas is a Class III firearms dealer.
The Traveler’s Guide has proven especially useful for shooters traveling in RVs and motorhomes. One reader from Texas noted: “”I used to think that my RV was the same as my home when it came to gun carry….the Traveler’s Guide set me straight. Now I know my motorhome is subject to the same laws as any vehicle when it comes to guns”
February 27th, 2008
Active web-surfers have come to rely on Google’s impressive search functionality. Google is the #1 search engine for a reason. It is fast, and more often that not, Google finds what you’re looking for quickly and efficiently.
However, Google has a dark side. Google uses “cookies” to track the activities of web users. Google also records your computer IP and archives the searches you perform and the links you click. If you don’t like that idea, you can use the Scroogle web service. What this does is create a separate IP that hides your computer from Google’s data miners, and prevents the recording of your search terms and search destinations. While Google keeps your search terms until 2038, the folks at Scroogle delete the logs after 48 hours and vow to keep no cookies.
Note: You still get to use Google’s powerful search engine. But you can maintain your anonymity by starting at the Scroogle web page. Using this search page, you’ll get the top 100 search results provided by Google, but with no ads, no cookies, and no search activity tracking.
Scroogle Search Page
February 26th, 2008
The HuntingNut.com website offers Point Blank Ballistics and Reloading software free of charge. That’s right, the program is absolutely free, forever — not just for a trial period. We use Point Blank all the time, not just to calculate come-ups and windage for our rifles, but also to compare ballistics among various chamberings, or to compare different bullets. With Point Blank it is easy to just change your bullet BC value and instantly see the effect on windage and drop. Point Blank will even calculate muzzle energy and recoil force. Point Blank will also hold all your reloading info in a built-in database. You enter the caliber (chambering), bullet, powder, velocity, and other important variables. Then you can quickly access hundreds of different load combinations.
CLICK HERE TO download PointBlank Reloading & Ballistics Software v2.0 (ZIP Archive).
(Note: this 1.13mb file is for Windows computers; you need WinZip or other program to unzip the file archive.)
You can even use Point Blank to plot your shots on a test target. This way you can easily compare the accuracy of different “recipes” during load development. You can record up to 10 shots per target.
February 26th, 2008
Top air rifle and air pistol shooters from around the United States will compete for spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team at the Olympic Shooting Team Trials, February 29 to March 3, which will be conducted at the U.S. Olympic Shooting Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials is a collaborative partnership between the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Shooting, the national governing body for Olympic shooting sports in the United States.
 There are a total of five slots available for air rifle and air pistol on the U.S. Olympic team. There are two slots for Men’s Air Rifle and one slot each for Women’s Air Rifle, Men’s Air Pistol and Women’s Air Pistol. Competing for a spot on the Olympic Team in Men’s Air Rifle will be 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Matthew Emmons, who has already secured spots on the U.S. Olympic Team in Men’s Prone Rifle and Men’s Three Position Rifle. Emmons will try for his third berth to the U.S. Olympic Team and is looking to bring home three medals from China, in August.
Also competing for an Olympic team slot in air rifle will be two-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Jason A. Parker of the USAMU and 2007 Pan-American Games Gold Medalist. Matthew Rawlings of Wharton, Texas, the 2007 Pan-Am Silver Medalist, along with 2005 Munich World Cup Gold Medalist Ryan Tanoue of Honolulu, Hawaii, are also top contenders looking to make the Olympic Team in Men’s Air Rifle.
CLICK HERE to download Nat’l 3-P Air Rifle Rules
CLICK HERE for info on ANSCHÜTZ Competition Air Rifles.
February 26th, 2008
Recent visitors to the AccurateShooter.com site may not know that we have an entire set of FREE TARGETS. There are sight-in targets, load development targets, Benchrest Targets, NRA Highpower targets, Scope Testing Targets, even a special set of Fun Targets.
Most of the targets come bundled in .zip archives, so you can easily download multiple targets with one click. The targets are saved in .pdf format, so they are easy to print and the scale is correct no matter what your screen resolution.
Here Forum member FireMedic shows some fine shootin’ with our basic Accuracy Target. With small, red diamonds and extended black lines, this target allows very precise aiming at 100 and 200 yards. The gray dot on top provides a reference point for a 200-yard zero. FireMedic reports: “My 30″, 12 twist, 3 groove does pretty good for an old Savage chambered in .308 Win.” With an average group size of 0.208 inches we’d have to agree. Great Shootin’ FireMedic!
Here are two fun targets you might enjoy. The Atomic Target was originally created as a contest for our readers. The design is by Michael Forester of Auckland, New Zealand. Hit the bigger green and red neutrons, then try your luck with the smaller electrons. In the center, go for true “bug-holes” with our Fly Shoot Target. Watch out for the bio-hazard rings!
February 25th, 2008
We just found this in the latest CDNN Investments catalog. Act quickly. When we called at 11:00am Pacific Time on 2/25/2008, CDNN had sold six (6) CZ 452s this morning and had just five (5) left. Call 1-800-588-9500 to order.
At $409.00 (regular price), the CZ 452 is a fine value. At $279.99 it is a steal. You get a nice walnut stock, excellent accuracy and reliability. The trigger can be brought down to about one pound with an inexpensive Brooks Trigger Kit.
February 25th, 2008
 With the price of ultra-premium 22LR match ammo edging past $20 for fifty rounds, some dedicated bench shooters are turning to airgun technology to expand their shooting options. A tin of five hundred (500) RWS or JSB match pellets costs just $4 to $14. Compare that to spending $50 or more to shoot three 25-round target sheets with premium Eley or Lapua rimfire ammo.
While airguns are popular in prone, three-position, and Field Target disciplines, air rifle benchrest is a relatively new mode of competition. Joe Friedrich, 2007 ARA Aggregate Rimfire Champion, recently supervised the first air rifle benchrest match at his Open Grove range in Southern California. Joe reports: “After spending some time with everyone at the match, it appears there is a lot of interest, which is great. I had a wonderful time, and look forward to adding more matches to our schedule. We had 5 shooters show up despite the atypical cold, windy and rainy weather. We even had a guest from Alberta, Canada.”
Equipment list:
Glen R.– Walther 300 LG ALUTEC 10m .177
Dave L.–1ZH46M Russian Pistol .177
Doug M.–FWB P70 Modified Field Target .177
Brian D.–Air Arms SL 400 Field target .177
David R.–Theoben Rapid Field Target .177
 Shown above is Doug’s ultra-high tech FWB Field Target Rifle. (Be sure to click the large photo link to view the exotic hardware in detail.) Joe observed: “Doug’s FWB was one of the best looking rifles I have seen, and Doug can flat-out shoot. It was interesting to see how well these field target rifles perform. The two pellet types we’re using in the Field Target rifles are the 10.2gr JSB Exact Diablo Heavy, a round-nose design, and the Crosman Premier. These are both available from PyramidAir.com.”
Writing in Benchrest Central’s new AirGun Forum, Don M. explains: “The lack of recoil makes free recoil a non-issue. The springer class isn’t quite the same but the springer guys know this. The big wheel on the parallax adjustment of the scope [is used] as a range finder in the Field Target game. The wheel is calibrated in yards and when focused, will tell the distance to the target. With good balistic data, you can click in the elevation needed to hit your mark.”
Joe added: “Kudos goes to Dave shooting his little pistol at 340 fps. Dave did well, even though it seemed like it took awhile for the pellet to reach the target.”
February 25th, 2008
Purist readers may blanch at this Bulletin item, but every once in a while we need a good laugh, right? Indulge your editor in this — I just couldn’t resist ruthlessly mocking the mentality found on some main-stream gun websites. I found this item on another popular web forum. In the post the owner was bragging about his new Kel-Tec PLR-16 .223 Pistol.
Mind you, he didn’t shoot at any targets, but he was overjoyed with the noise and flame his new toy produced: “Just got [my Kel-Tec] two days ago. I love it. The shock wave and sound coming out of such a short barrel is very impresive [sic]. I didn’t set up any targets, so I can’t tell you how accurate it is, but it is a blast to shoot!”
If you’re not shooting at any targets, one wonders why spend $500 in the first place. But maybe we should give Mr. Kel-tec Pistol some credit for his creativity….
Myriad Benefits of Shooting without Targets
When you think about it, maybe Mr. Kel-Tec could start a trend. Imagine the labor savings at highpower matches if we removed the targets–you’d no longer need a crew in the pits. And if “point-blank” benchresters no longer shot at targets, they could retire their forests of windflags. In the F-Class game, eliminating targets would promote the use of low-cost, low-recoiling calibers, such as the 22 Short, for 1000-yard shooting. If there’s no target, it doesn’t really matter if the bullet never gets there, right — you can still claim a perfect score every time! And if we didn’t shoot at targets, we wouldn’t have to keep ponying up more and more money for the latest and greatest $2000+ target scopes. Heck we wouldn’t need scopes at all….
February 24th, 2008
 Many match directors have told us that, in the past 18 months, match attendance is down, particularly at regional and national events which require long drives. The main reason is fuel cost. With the price of gasoline soaring above $3.00/gallon, many shooters have decided to cut costs by attending fewer matches, or sticking to competitions closer to home.
While not traveling to a distant match will certainly save on gas (not to mention hotel bills etc.), we’d think there’s a compromise solution. We’ve observed that 95% of competitors at matches arrive solo — one to a vehicle. And, typically, most shooters drive big pick-up trucks or SUVs that may get less than 20 mpg on the freeway.
PROPOSAL: Car Pool to your next shooting match, and/or drive a vehicle with better mileage.
Whenever possible, this editor tries to “share my ride” with other shooters attending a match. I also drive an 8-year-old station wagon that gets an honest 29 mpg on the highway. Though it’s cheap to run, my vehicle has plenty of space for all the guns and gear 2 or 3 shooters would ever need.
Here is a chart showing how much you can save by carpooling and by driving a vehicle with better mileage. If you drive 5000 miles a year to shooting matches, a car getting 27 mpg will burn $349 less fuel than a vehicle getting 17 mpg. And even if you stick with your 17 mpg truck or SUV, ride-sharing with one other shooter can save you over $470 per year (if you drive 5000 miles to matches).
| MPG |
Miles Driven |
Fuel Cost
@ $3.20/gallon |
Ride-Share Savings |
| 27 mpg |
3000 |
$355.56 |
$177.79 |
| 22 mpg |
3000 |
$436.36 |
$218.18 |
| 17 mpg |
3000 |
$564.70 |
$282.35 |
| 27 mpg |
5000 |
$592.59 |
$296.30 |
| 22 mpg |
5000 |
$727.27 |
$363.64 |
| 17 mpg |
5000 |
$941.18 |
$470.59 |
Subaru 4WD Outback Wagon — 26 MPG on Highway
If you want to replace an older, gas-guzzling vehicle, check out the Subaru Outback. We’ve tested one and came away very impressed. It’s roomy inside and has good ground clearance outside. It has a 5-Star crash rating and gets 26 MPG on the highway. Base models start at under $22K.
February 23rd, 2008
Many of our readers have asked “Where can we buy the Russian small rifle primers?” Currently, Wideners.com has the Wolf-brand, Russian-made Small Rifle and Small Rifle Magnum primers on sale for just $18.50/1000 or $87/5000. Test have shown these primers deliver very good accuracy and extremely low ES/SD with certain powders. However, we also note that the cup is harder than most domestic-made primers and a few guys have reported some ignition problems if they run a fairly “soft” firing pin spring in a Benchrest action. We’ve had no problem firing these primers from Remington and Savage actions with a normal firing pin spring.
Wolf recommends the Magnum primers for use in ARs and similar semi-autos because the Magnums have a slightly harder cup: “The Wolf Standard Small Rifle Primers have an all-copper cup, which is a little more sensitive than the brass cup magnum primers. If you are loading for an AR15 or Military-style semi auto rifle, or are loading high pressure cartridges in any other type of rifle, we recommend the Magnum Small Rifle Primers. Both primers use the same amount of compound. The only difference is in the cup hardness.”
|
