|
|
February 14th, 2008
AccurateShooter.com’s Editor attended the recent SHOT Show. CLICK HERE to read our Show Highlights Report, complete with interviews, late-breaking product news, and Video interviews.
For more info on SHOT Show, you can still access the four (4) official Daily Reports created in .pdf format during SHOT Show. We noticed the official ShotShow.com web links for these reports were pretty hard to find last week, so you may have missed them. Below you’ll find handy links for each daily report. Note: There is some duplication of content from day to day, but each “issue” does contain new content. In particular, the “New Product” sections were updated daily.
SHOT Daily 1 (Feb. 2)
Features: New Rifles for 2008, New Shotguns 2008, New Handguns 2008, Hunting Boots/Clothing, NSSF Industry Research, New Products (Part 1)
SHOT Daily 2 (Feb. 3)
Features: Air Rifles, Custom Knives, Scholastic Clay Program, Field & Stream “Best” Awards, New Products (Part 2)
SHOT Daily 3 (Feb. 4)
Features: Air Rifles, Custom Knives, NSSF Outdoor Challenge, New Products (Part 3)
SHOT Daily 4 (Feb. 5)
Features: NSSF Shooting Sports Summit Report, Legislator of Year, Writer of Year, Small Item Product Reviews, Custom Products, New Products (Part 4)
February 13th, 2008
You knew the firearms industry was big business, but we bet you didn’t know just how big. According to a report by TheStreet.com, the overall firearms, hunting, and ammunition sectors of the economy collectively represent a $76 billion dollar industry. At SHOT Show, TheStreet.com TV interviewed Mark DeYoung, an executive with ATK Ammunition Systems. DeYoung revealed some amazing statistics:
Annual Sales of “Hunting and Sporting” ammunition alone total $750,000,000.
ATK’s sporting, law enforcement, and military annual ammunition sales total $1.5 Billion dollars. ATK is now the largest ammunition producer in the world.
ATK produces 6.5 Billion rounds of ammunition every year. Yep, that’s “B” as in Billion. That includes everything from .22 rimfire up to tank ammo.
ATK uses 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 pounds of copper each year in ammunition production.
DeYoung also explained that commodity costs have skyrocketed. A few years ago copper was $0.77 per pound. Now it is $3.20 per pound. Lead prices have also increased substantially. This explains why precision brass and bullet costs have gone up significantly in recent years.
CLICK HERE to watch ATK VIDEO
While you may not be familiar with the ATK business name, most shooters will recognize the many commercial brands under the ATK umbrella:
Alliant Powder for reloaders
RCBS reloading equipment
CCI, Speer, Lawman, and Blazer ammunition
CCI and Federal Primers
Federal Premium, Fusion, and Estate Cartridge ammunition
Speer bullets
Champion traps and paper, metal and clay targets
Gunslick and Outers gun care products
Shooters Ridge rests, and gear bags
Ram-Line gun stocks
Weaver mounting systems
February 12th, 2008
 Alliant Powder, a division of Alliant Tech Systems Inc., (ATK), will be shipping new Reloder 17 powder in mid-March, 2008. This is an all-new, double-base powder produced in Switzerland by NitroChemie for Alliant. It is a high-energy powder with a burn rate close to IMR 4350, and “midway between Reloder 15 and Reloder 19.” The powder density is optimized for the short magnum cases such as the 7mm WSM and 300 WSM, but it also will work very well with cartridges such as .243 Win, .270 Win, 6XC, and 6mm Remington, according to Alliant Product Manager Dick Quesenberry.
Reloder 17, a state-of-the-art propellant, promises to deliver higher velocities than competitive powders for many popular calibers. If you have the “need for speed”, Reloder 17 is worth trying if you’re shooting IMR4350, H4350, N550 or similar powders right now. The new RL17 will be offered in 1-lb. and 5-lb. containers and will cost about the same as other Alliant Reloder powders, such as RL15 and RL19.
Mr. Quesenberry noted that Alliant tested many formulations, from a variety of makers, before choosing the Swiss-made Reloder 17. Alliant’s new RL17 is NOT the same as Norma URP, produced by Bofors in Europe. According to Alliant, the new Reloder 17 tested superior to URP (and most other powders in that burn range) in all major criteria: Velocity, Accuracy, ES/SD, material consistency, and resistance to ambient temperature-induced pressure changes.
Reloder 17 features an advanced, penetrant-type kernel coating. Alliant believes this is superior to typical surface powder coatings because it provides a more consistent, progressive burn. The powder pressures do not spike as sharply as with surface-coated powders, but remain more consistent throughout the burning process.
Testing has shown that Reloder 17 offers big velocity gains in many cartridges compared to other powders in the same burn range. For example, in the 6mm Remington, using an 85gr BTSP, Reloder 17 delivered a +156 fps gain over all other powders listed in the current Speer Reloading manual. Likewise, in the 300 WSM with a 180gr BTSP, Reloder 17 offered +104 fps edge in velocity over all powders listed in the Speer Manual. Below is a chart showing projected velocity gains compared to other Speer Manual-listed powders.
VELOCITY GAINS with RELOADER 17 POWDER
Alliant has already done extensive load testing in its ballistics laboratories and has load data available for 20 popular cartridges, including .243 Win, 6mm Rem, 6.5×55, .260 Rem, .270 Win, .308 Win, 30-06, 7mm WSM, 300 WSM, and 300 Win Magnum.
CLICK HERE for ALLIANT RELODER® 17 LOAD DATA
NOTE CONCERNING LOAD DATA:
Reloder® 17 was created with new technology to provide velocity greater than the competition in the most popular standard rifle calibers and the new short magnums. For the recipes developed in Alliant’s Ballistics Laboratory, all loads used Speer bullets and list the correct Overall Length — DO NOT SEAT THE BULLETS TO A LESS OVERALL LENGTH. These recipes are maximum loads and shall not be exceeded. Always start at least 5% low and work up.
February 11th, 2008
At SHOT Show, Jerry Stiller of Stiller Precision Firearms noted that his business grew rapidly in 2007, driven by the success of his Predator and Tac actions. These offer a Rem 700 style design, with improved tolerances and component quality. Jerry has doubled the square footage of his shop and added new machines and personnel to meet increased demand.
CLICK HERE to VIEW STILLER INTERVIEW
Jerry announced his plans to develop new actions in the months ahead. The first will be a specialized, single-shot, varmint action similar to the Predator, but “a little tighter” according to Jerry. It will be a Right-Bolt, Left-Port with a cone breach. Price should be comparable with the Predator action. “Hoped-for” release date will be mid-summer 2008. Later in 2008, Stiller Precision will introduce an all-new rimfire action similar to a Remington 40X. This will be followed by a Black Powder action.
Viper and Cobra Special–$50.00 off
If you call (972) 429-5000, and mention 6mmBR.com, Jerry has promised to offer $50.00 off existing Right-Bolt, Left-Port, Drop-Port, PPC-boltface Viper or Cobra actions. This discount is limited to the first TEN (10) Viper or Cobra orders. The discount is for this EXACT configuration only: PPC, Drop-Port, RBLP Viper or Cobra. The discounted price will be $900.00 including rings and trigger guard.
February 11th, 2008
Air rifles are ideal trainers for young shooters. They can be used indoors (with appropriate pellet traps). And, because they are not firearms as defined by state and federal law, there is no problem (in most jurisdictions) with the use of air rifles by teen shooters. Junior Air Rifles can be purchased through the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).
High School Air Rifle Competition on TV
This week, the ShootingUSA television show features Air Rifle Competition at the high school level. ShootingUSA reports the shooting sports are expanding in high schools across the country: “Air rifle competition is a growing sport in high schools. The proof is the largest invitational high school team match in the country.” The tournament hosted by Mongomery Bell Academy in Nashville, TN draws over 400 competitors from 72 high schools in 16 heartland states.
The format is Olympic-style 10-meter competition. The match requires 20 shots from each of three positions — standing, kneeling and prone. 600 is a perfect score, but with the very tiny Ten-Ring, perfect scores are very unusual. There are three classes of competition. Sporter Pneumatic Class (pump rifle, no special gear); Open Sporter Class (compressed air rifle, glove allowed); and Precision Class (Shooting Suits, Shoes and Gloves allowed).
ShootingUSA runs every Wednesday on the Outdoor Channel at the following times:
Eastern Time 4:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 2:00 AM (Thursday)
Central Time 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 1:00 AM (Thursday)
Mountain Time 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, Midnight
Pacific Time 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 11:00 PM
Camp Perry Junior Open
In related news, the Second Annual CMP Camp Perry Junior Open was held successfully on Jan. 18-19. For the second year in a row CMP’s newest three-position air rifle event, the Camp Perry Junior Open, was filled to capacity with 57 junior shooters. Travelers from as far away as Auburn, Alabama and Waukegan, Illinois made the trek to Camp Perry, Ohio, for the sanctioned precision and sporter air rifle match.
The event was held on a temporary range in Camp Perry’s Bataan Armory, which the CMP acquired from the Ohio National Guard. Next year the Camp Perry Junior Open will take place at the new CMP Camp Perry Competition Center which will house an 80-point air gun range with electronic targets. The Competition Center will open in June, 2008.
February 10th, 2008
Cooper Firearms is well-known for the quality and accuracy of its varmint, rimfire, and hunting rifles. At SHOT Show, Cooper’s Rob Behr was on hand to show us some of Cooper’s featured offerings, including a Montana Varminter chambered in 20 VarTarg, the TRP-3 rimfire benchrest gun, and the NEW model 52 big game repeater. New for 2008, the model 52 repeater is sized for the 30-06 class of cartridges and will be available in both basic and deluxe versions, starting at about $1600.00. The 20 VarTarg is based on the .221 Fireball case necked to .204. It is a very accurate and efficient cartridge as Rob explains in the video.
CLICK HERE to WATCH VIDEO
In addition to the 20 VarTarg Montana Varminter, Rob showed us the impressive TRP-3 rimfire benchrest rifle. Outfitted with a proper benchrest-style stock, this little rifle has proven to be a capable competitor, setting records in South Dakota rimfire matches. With an MSRP of $1298 (without scope), the TRP-3 is half the cost of a typical full-custom rimfire benchrest rig.
Built on the 57M action, the TRP-3 is a competitive, introductory rimfire BR rifle at a reasonable cost. The 8-lb., TRP-3 features a .875 straight-taper, 1:16″ twist, stainless steel barrel. The proprietary, competition stock from Bell and Carlson has a wide, flat forearm, with parallel geometry front and rear for excellent tracking in the bags. The TRP-3 is guaranteed to shoot 1/4″ or better groups at 50 yards with Lapua Midas ammunition.
POSTSCRIPT: Here’s an interesting side note — while this editor was visiting Cooper’s booth, a gunshop owner from Georgia came by the booth. He pulled Rob aside, shook his hand and said: “I just wanted to say, of all the companies at this show, Cooper is one of the few that still gives a darn about quality and accuracy. You guys build ‘em right and deliver what you promise.” That’s quite an endorsement.
February 10th, 2008
 If you’ve ever used a borescope to inspect a rifle barrel, you know how valuable these tools can be. No other device lets you see the true condition of your barrel’s lands and grooves, from the throat all the way to the crown. For many of us the question isn’t whether we want and need a borescope, but whether we can afford one. Luckily, MidwayUSA has made it easier to acquire a quality Hawkeye borescope. Currently, MidwayUSA is offering a special 17″ Hawkeye Borescope “Limited Edition Kit” for just $639.99. That’s about $110.00 less than the regular price for the Deluxe Kit. The more expensive model comes with a fitted aluminum case while the Limited Edition Kit ships in a cardboard box.
Standard features of the economical Limited Edition are a 17″ precision stainless steel optical tube with advanced fiber optics, 25x magnification, high intensity (H.I.) light source with batteries, and 90-degree mirror tube, which provides a full 360-degree view of the bore’s interior. This borescope accommodates 17 caliber and larger with the standard mirror tube, and 22 caliber and larger with the 90-degree mirror tube. Optional accessories are a 90-degree eyepiece, and a rechargeable Nova light source which is 8 times brighter than the standard H.I. light source. NOTE: the Limited Edition Kit does have a 90-degree mirror, but not the 90-degree viewing eyepiece. You don’t want to confuse these two components.
 MidwayUSA has the Deluxe Hawkeye Borescope Kit on sale for $719.99 through the end of February. This is $30.00 off the normal $749.99 price. The components are similar to the Limited Edition Kit, but the Deluxe Kit includes a high-quality, lockable aluminum hard-case. The 90-degree angled eyepiece, Midway item 181455, costs an additional $274.95, and fits both Deluxe and Limited Edition models.
February 9th, 2008
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:
60gr Hornady V-Max $0.25
75gr Berger VLD $0.33
77gr Sierra MatchKing $0.34
6mm:
55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip $0.34
75gr Hornady V-Max $0.30
105gr Berger VLD $0.35
30 Caliber:
155gr Berger VLD $0.43
175gr Sierra MatchKing $0.38
180gr Nosler Ballistic Tip $0.39
(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.
February 9th, 2008
Of the thousands of handguns on display at SHOT Show 2008, one in particular caught our eye — the 50th Anniversary Smith & Wesson Model 41 22LR Target pistol. As accurate as it is beautiful, the commemorative Model 41 features full Class A+ machine engraving from stem to stern, with 24-carat gold edging. Served up in a glass-top presentation case, the 50th Anniversary Model 41 has an MSRP of $2150.00.
The Model 41 is one of those classic American designs that has stood the test of time. Many feel the Model 41 represents the apex of American 22LR pistol design, much like the Colt Python is the “crown jewell” of double-action revolvers.
S&W historian Roy Jinks recounts the development of the Model 41: “Sales began in December of 1957 and the Model 41 was first cataloged in 1958. The factory was soon heavily back-ordered and [the Model 41] became the most popular auto-loading pistol offered by the company. In May of 1959 Smith & Wesson introduced a 5-inch lightweight barrel for the handgun to meet the demand of hunters[.] The line of Model 41s was further expanded in September of 1960 with the introduction of the Model 41-1 which fired .22 shorts for the International Rapid Fire Shooters. [I]n August of 1963 the company introduced the 5.5 inch heavy barrel. The last of the major barrel changes occurred in 1965 when the company produced the 5.5-inch heavy barrel with an extendable front sight[.] During the last 50 years the Model 41 has … established many records around the world. Today it is one of the classic target handguns.”
Click For More Info and History of the Model 41 by Roy Jinks (.pdf file)
February 8th, 2008
The Blaser R93 is a unique rifle, employing a patented straight-pull bolt with radial locking system. Using a pivoting short-throw bolt handle, the bolt slides straight forward and back to feed and eject ammunition. It’s simple and fast. The Blaser R93 was designed as a modular system. This means the bolt can be changed from right-pull to left-pull in seconds, and barrels can be exchanged quickly and easily. This makes the R93 extremely versatile — invest in one action and stock and you can shoot a multitude of chamberings. Factory barrels in 28 different calibers are offered. In this video, Blaser’s Keith Lay demonstrates how a Blaser barrel can be switched in under a minute, with a simple T-handle wrench.
CLICK HERE to WATCH VIDEO
While most Blasers sold in America are hunting rifles with conventional-style stocks, Blaser also makes a model for CISM 300m competition, a tactical model, and long-range target model (LRS-2). These all feature an aluminum receiver block, synthetic sub-chassis with cantilevered fore-end, and larger-capacity magazine. The rear section of the stock has an adjustable cheekpiece and butt-plate. Shown in the video below is a Blaser R93 LRS-2 fitted with bipod and muzzle brake. Note the very low recoil of the 6mmBR cartridge when the braked gun is fired. Along with the 6BR chambering, the LRS-2 is offered in .223 Rem, 6.5×55, .308 Win, 300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua Magnum.
CLICK HERE to WATCH BLASER LRS-2 VIDEO
One of the Blaser’s best features is the speed with which the bolt can be cycled. Just pull the bolt-handle back to open the action and eject the brass, then slide the bolt handle forward to close the bolt. Compared to a conventional bolt, the Blaser requires minimal hand movement. Once you get the hang of it, you can cycle the gun extremely fast. The video below show a hunter practicing with a .308. Watch how quickly the bolt cycles–and this shooter could probably shoot even faster if he maintained his cheek-weld.
CLICK to WATCH VIDEO
|
