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November 30th, 2025

Protect Valuable Firearms with Quality Long Gun Cleaning Mats

rifle shotgun cleaning mat pad rush creek DryMate Boyt Harness
This deluxe, roll-out Rush Creek Creations 42-0000 69″ x 16″ gun cleaning mat (with pockets), is available from Amazon for $69.99 (#ad).

We normally use a gun cradle when cleaning or adjusting our rifles. But there are situations, such as when working on a barreled action, when it’s nice to use a pad that lies flat. Many work pads are too small — they’re nothing more than oversize mouse pads. Here are three gun pads that are big enough to work well with rifles and/or barreled actions.

DryMate Gun Cleaning Pad

rifle Gun cleaning pad drymateThe Drymate Gun Cleaning Pad is a full 59″ x 16″. That’s nearly five FEET from end to end — longer than most rifles, so you have plenty of surface area for working. Conveniently, this product can be washed with soap and water. It is offered in Green and Charcoal Gray colors. We prefer the Green version because the color makes it a bit easier to see small black and gray parts such as screws and springs.

rifle Gun cleaning pad drymate


Boyt Harness Counter Pad

The 48″ x 12″ Boyt Harness Counter Pad was originally designed more for display purposes than for serious work sessions, but we like this product. It is useful if you want to lay your gun on a bench to make small adjustments. The Boyt Counter Pad, $28.99 at MidwayUSA, is nice and big, a full four feet from end to end. The back side is canvas while the top-size is a quilted cotton fabric. This product has received high praise from buyers. Here are actual owner reviews:

rifle Gun cleaning pad drymate

Worth every penny. I bought three of them because I want to have at least one always around. I use one for a shooting bench or tailgate mat and another for my primary gun cleaning workbench mat. Awesome for both purposes. This one was perfect for my array of needs. — Joe D.

This mat is great for cleaning guns and keeping your surfaces clear of oil or solvent. The mat has plenty of space for a rifle or handgun and the padding is thick enough[.] I would definitely buy again and have recommended this to my friends and family. — Safety Guy

I bring this to the rifle range with me every time, to rest my rifle on the table without worrying about scratches. It fits nicely in my soft rifle case. One side is a tough canvas material that doesn’t show scratches, and the other side is a soft fleece material that protects the finish of your gun. — MACPSU


Hoppes Gun Cleaning Pad

rifle Gun cleaning pad drymateThe Hoppes Gun Cleaning Pad is 36″ wide x 12″. That’s big enough for many barreled actions (unless you have a really long barrel). This pad has a non-slip nylon backing, and Hoppes claims that the “Soft acrylic material absorbs 8 times its weight in fluids.” This Hoppes Cleaning Pad costs just $9.46 at Amazon this week, a 44% discount (#ad).

rifle shotgun cleaning mat pad rush creek DryMate Boyt Harness

Permalink Gear Review, Tech Tip 1 Comment »
November 29th, 2025

Saturday Movies: NRL22 and NRL22X Rimfire Tactical Matches

NRL22 rimfire tactical steel targets KYL JC Steel hangers

The National Rifle League (NRL) started off sponsoring major centerfire tactical matches, similar to PRS competitions. That proved successful so the NRL added a .22 LR Rimfire series, called NRL22. The NRL22 rimfire discipline has been a major success, as rimfire guns are fun to shoot and ammo is very affordable. The most popular NRL22 matches have drawn up to 200 rimfire competitors. And now there is a companion rimfire long-range series, NRL22X. Learn more about NRL22 and NRL22X at NRL22.com.

NRL22 rimfire tactical steel targets KYL JC Steel hangers

NRL22 rimfire tactical steel targets KYL JC Steel hangersNRL22 offers competition shooting at relatively low expense. There are six (6) classes: Open, Base, Ladies, Young Guns (8-16), Old Guns (OG 60+), and Air Rifle. Base Class is for the budget-minded shooter — the combined MSRP of Rifle and Optic in 2026 may not exceed $1650.00 (so you could spend $950 on a rifle and $700 on a scope for example). That keeps the sport affordable.

Open, Youth, OG, and Ladies Classes have no price limits on rifle and optic. Visit NRL22.com to find an NRL22 match near you. CLICK HERE for the latest set of NRL22 rules (PDF). The NRL also sponsors NRL22X matches. These involve significantly longer distances for greater challenge. Currently, an NRL22 membership costs $60/year for adult classes or $25/year for Young Guns Class.

March 2023 NRL22 Course of Fire

For actual NRL22 competitors, this is a very useful video. It shows how shooting from a variety of positions, and it includes very cool through-the-lens views. This covers the NRL22 March 2023 course of fire.

NRL22 Competition with Base Class ($1200 Max) Rifle

One good thing about NRL22 competition is you don’t need to spend a fortune to compete. Base class is limited to $1200.00 for rifle and optic. You can do very well even at this budget level. This video, complete with through-the-lens imagery, shows an NRL22 match shot with a Base Class Ruger Precision Rimfire rifle.

NRL22 nrl22x rimfire tactical competition NRL rules registration
NRL22 and NRL22X are not just for guys. The ladies enjoy the competition too and do very well. There is a separate Ladies class, but women can also compete in other classes. Photo by Jonathan Ocab.

Interview with NRL22 Founder Travis Ishida
This Vortex Nation video features an 80-minute interview with Travis Ishida, one of the original founders of the NRL22 and NRL22X disciplines. Travis told us that the NRL now runs 7-8 times as many rimfire matches as centerfire matches.

NRL22 Competition Guide — Match Procedures and Equipment

NRL22 nrl22x rimfire tactical competition NRL rules registration

If you want a basic overview about NRL 22 Competition, there is a good NRL22 Competition Guide on the Widener’s website. This covers the classes, the rules, target dimensions, the types of supports used, and match strategies. Here are some samples:

Any rifle system that comes in under a combined MSRP of $1200 shall be eligible to compete in the Base class. This combined MSRP price is for the rifle and scope only. It excludes scope rings and bases, bipods, suppressors, data cardholders, magazines, spare magazine holders, auto bolt releases, aftermarket triggers, and extended magazine releases. Adjustments are also allowed in this division as well as adding rails of any type. If any shooter goes over the MSRP amount of $1200, they get bumped into Open class.

One of the most obvious rules is that all rifles must be chambered in .22 Long Rifle. Magnum and like rimfire cartridges are not allowed. It is recommended that whatever rifle you choose has a removable magazine rather than a fixed, tubular magazine since it’s harder to make safe, but they are allowed.

You can use any equipment in NRL22 unless a specific course of fire rules out using an item specifically. The only exception is tripods are never allowed. The sharing of equipment is allowed as well as slings to assist in unsupported positional shooting.

The steel target dimensions range from .25 inches wide to 6 inches wide. Some stages will require 10 rounds to be shot, while others may have you shoot 12 rounds. Most often, you’ll have 120 seconds to shoot a course of fire.

Ammunition Selection for NRL22 and NRL22X

Our friend F-Class John, a top F-Open competitor, has recently started tactical rimfire matches. He enjoys the challenge. And he admits a big part of the appeal is the MUCH cheaper ammunition. He has seen good results with relatively inexpensive Norma Tac-22 ammo, but he now favors SK ammo which he says offers great performance for the price. In this video, F-Class John tests SK Rifle Match Ammo vs. the premium Lapua Center-X ammo. He tested using a benchrest set-up with his MPA chassis rimfire rifle.

NRL22 nrl22x rimfire tactical competition NRL rules registration

How to Register for NRL22 Competitions

Looking to get started in NRL22 or NRL22X (long range) competition? CLICK HERE to visit the NRL22 home page. The NRL22/NRL22X website has a registration page along with information on equipment rules, match locations, match rules, and the 2023 Match Schedule. CLICK HERE for NRL22 rules and CLICK HERE for NRL22X-specific Rules.

NRL22 nrl22x rimfire tactical competition NRL rules registration

BONUS — Rimfire Practice Targets

SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets

These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing.
CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.

This article Copyright 2025 AccurateShooter.com. Any reproduction without authorization gives rise to penalties under 17 U.S. Code § 501.

Permalink - Videos, Competition, Shooting Skills, Tactical Post comment »
November 29th, 2025

How to Improve Your Trigger Technique for Better Accuracy

trigger show bix'n andy otm tactical

Do you occasionally get completely unexplained flyers, or have a shot land straight down at 6 O’Clock, right below your point of aim? That could be caused by poor or inconsistent trigger technique. How you pull the trigger can and does affect your accuracy.

Many gun enthusiasts start with pistols. When they later start shooting rifles they may carry over some not-so-good practices acquired from shooting handguns with heavy 4 to 6-pound trigger pulls. You may want to “re-learn” your trigger techniques to get better rifle results.

Shooting Sports USA has a good article on trigger technique that offers many useful tips. That article also has many helpful illustrations, including the one shown above. Another illustration shows different types of trigger shoes (straight vs. curved) and explains how each makes a difference: “With a lightly curved trigger, the shooter’s finger can contact the trigger either high or low according to preference. Higher contact will increase the resistance.” READ ARTICLE HERE.

The article analyzes common errors, such as pulling the trigger with the very tip of the finger rather than the pad of the index finger: “Using the tip of the finger can lead to lateral pressure on the trigger, which throws off the shot.”

The article also explains that you should check your trigger regularly to make sure it is functioning properly and is not out of adjustment: “Just like any other moving part, the trigger can suffer from wear. In such a precise mechanism, tiny amounts of wear can cause major problems.”

Gary Eliseo tubegun prone rifle
The ergonomics of the Eliseo Tubegun allow a nice, straight trigger pull.

Trigger Tips

Six Suggestions for Making your Trigger Control More Consistent.

1. If your triggers are adjustable, set the pull weight appropriate to the discipline. For a hunting rifle, you don’t want an ultra-light trigger pull. For High Power, you may want a two-stage pull, while on a Benchrest rifle you may prefer a very light trigger.

2. If you have a two-stage trigger, experiment with different combinations of First Stage and Second Stage.

3. Have a friend watch you as you pull the trigger, and maybe even take a close-up video as you pull the trigger. This can reveal a variety of flaws.

4. Practice dry-firing to see if flaws in trigger technique are causing gun movement.

5. As an experiment, try pulling the trigger with your middle finger. Ergonomically, the middle finger has a more straight alignment with the tendons in your hand. This exercise can help you identify alignment issues with your index finger.

6. For stocks with adjustable Length of Pull you may want to set the LOP differently for bench shooting vs. prone or F-Class shooting.

trigger show bix'n andy otm tactical

bix 'n andy trigger bullet centralWhen Only the Best Will Do…
German-made Bix’N Andy triggers, available from BulletCentral.com, are among the very best you can buy.

Available in both single-stage and two-stage, Bix’N Andy triggers are extremely precise, repeatable and smooth. The unique internal, friction-reducing roller ball system allows for extremely low reset force, yielding an ultra-crisp let-off. Bix’N Andy triggers can be fitted with a variety of trigger shoes according to shooter preference.

Bix’N Andy triggers are available for a variety of actions and there are models for various competition disciplines. These triggers start at $210.00. We like the single-stage for benchrest rifles and the two-stage for Palma rifles and hard-hold competition disciplines.

Permalink - Articles, Shooting Skills Post comment »
November 28th, 2025

Black Friday Sales — More Bargains from Leading Vendors

Black friday discount sale bargain free shipping 20% off cyber monday

Yesterday we featured nine great Black Friday SALES from leading vendors. With those deals you can save hundreds of dollars on firearms, gun safes, optics, reloading hardware and more. Here are seven more Black Friday specials, some of which have discounts that run for a full week or more.

Midsouth Shooters Black Friday Sale

midsouth shooters Black Friday sale

Midsouth is running a major Black Friday Sale with big savings on reloading presses (and combos), powder dispensers, and more. There are discounts on primers, with top-tier CCI primers discounted to $249.00/5000. That is just $50/1000, a great deal! Also, nearly all Dillon products are 15% off.

EuroOptic Black Friday Sale

Eurooptic Black Friday sale 15% Off code vtxbf

EuroOptic is running a huge Black Friday Sale with significant discounts on a wide variety of optics and firearms. Among the optics brands on sale are Leupold, Zeiss, Leica, Sightron, Burris, Athlon, Holosun, and Kowa. In addition there are discounts on Beretta, Barrett, and H&K firearms along with GRS stocks.

MidwayUSA Black Friday and Cyber Sale

midwayUSA cyber sale black friday savings

MidwayUSA is running an extended Black Friday + Cyber Sale, with major discounts good through 12/1/2025. There are some great deals on optics, hunting gear, reloading tools and much more — save 20-73% on featured items, with most sale goods discounted at least 30%.

KYGUNCO Black Friday Sale

KYGUNCO Black Friday sale Free Shipping

If you want to add a rifle, pistol, or shotgun to your collection, now’s the time to buy at KYGUNCO. This week you can save 20-35% on a wide selection of quality firearms.

Precision Reloading Black Friday Sale

Precision Reloading Black Friday sale 10% Off code BF25

Precision Reloading is running a 10% off Promo that covers most of the merchandise in the stock. Use CODE BF25 to save 10% on your orders over $149.00.

Natchez Black Friday Sales and Other Discounts

natchez vortex free hazmat Black Friday sale

Natchez is offering major promotions now through Cyber Monday. First, you can get FREE Hazmat with purchase of $99.99+. And you can get $5.00 Flat-rate Shipping with orders of $99.99 or more. Another notable deal is 10% Off Vortex scopes. Plus there are discounts on a large variety of merchandise.

Cabela’s Black Friday Week Sales

Black friday sale discount cabela's cyber monday

Cabela’s has been running an extended Black Friday Week Sale. There are major discounts on optics, hunting gear, tripods, gun safes and more.

K&M Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

Black friday sale discount K&M KM tool arbor press cyber monday

K&M Precision Shooting Products (K&M) makes great arbor presses and precision reloading tools. Now through Monday 12/1/25 you can save $20-$75 on Arbor Presses and other K&M Gear. Pick the discount code — KMBF20, KMBF30, KMBF45, KMBF60, or KMBF75 — that fits the amount you spend.

Shooting Targets USA Sale

Shooting Targets USA Black Friday sale 10% Off

Need targets? Right now Shooting Targets USA is discounting its full selection of targets — steel, “healing” polymer, foam, rubber, and cardboard. The reactive targets work great.

Permalink Handguns, Hot Deals, News, Optics Post comment »
November 28th, 2025

Tools to Chamfer INSIDE of Case Necks — Various Angle Options

Neck case chamfer tools Redding Forster Rocket model 15-p
Shown is the Redding Model 15-P Competition Piloted Inside Chamfering Tool with pilot rod that centers in the case flash hole. Also shown is a Forster 45° Rocket Tool.

There are a wide variety of reloading tools designed to cut a slight chamfer in case necks and deburr the edge of the case mouth. You don’t need to spend a lot of money for an effective tool. A basic “rocket-style” 45° chamfering tool, such as the Forster, actually does a pretty good job taking the sharp edge off case mouths, particularly if you use a little scotch-pad (or steel wool) to smooth the edge of the cut. The Forster chamfer tool, shown below, is a nicely-made product, with sharper cutting blades than you’ll find on most other 45° chamferers. It costs $26.99 at Brownells.com.

forster rocket 45 degree neck chamferer chamfer tool

Redding sells a handy piloted chamfering tool with a 15° inside cutting angle and removable accessory handle. This Redding Model 15-P chamferer works really well, so long as you have consistent case OALs. The pilot rod (which indexes in the flash hole) is adjustable for different cartridge types (from very short to very long). This ensures the concentricity of the inside neck chamfer to the case mouth. This quality tool works with cases from .22 to .45 Caliber, and retails for $42.99 at MidwayUSA.

Neck case chamfer tools Redding Forster Rocket model 15-p

Sinclair International offers a 28° carbide chamferer with many handy features (and sharp blades). The $29.99 Sinclair Carbide VLD Case Mouth Chamfering Tool will chamfer cases from .14 through .45 caliber. This tool features a removable 28° carbide cutter mounted in the green plastic Sinclair handle.

Neck inside chamfer chamferer case neck tool

Many folks feel they can get smoother bullet seating by using a tool that cuts at a steeper angle. We like the 22° cutter sold by Lyman. It has a comfortable handle, and costs just $19.99 at Cabelas.com. The Lyman tool is an excellent value, though we’ve seen examples that needed sharpening even when new. Blade-sharpening is easily done, however.

K&M makes a depth-adjustable, inside-neck chamferer (“Controlled Depth Tapered Reaper”) with ultra-sharp cutting flutes. The latest version, which costs $64.40 at KMShooting.com, features a central pin that indexes via the flash hole to keep the cutter centered. In addition, the tool has a newly-designed handle, improved depth-stop fingers, plus a new set-screw adjustment for precise cutter depth control. We caution, even with all the depth-control features, if you are not careful, it is easy to over-cut, slicing away too much brass and basically ruining your neck. We think that most reloaders will get better results using a more conventional chamfer tool, such as the Forster or Redding 15-P.

K & M K&M neck chamferer reamer controlled depth

One last thing to note — tools like the K&M and the Sinclair chamferer are often described as VLD chamferers. That is really a misnomer, as bullets with long boat-tails actually seat easily with very minimal chamfering. In reality, these high-angle chamferers may be most valuable when preparing brass for flat-base bullets and bullets with pressure rings. Using a 22° or 28° chamferer can reduce the risk of cutting a jacket when using VLD bullets though — so long as you make a smooth cut.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Gear Review, Reloading Post comment »
November 28th, 2025

Need Loaded Ammunition ? Here Are 15 Factory Ammo Sellers

online internet ammo ammunition purchasing

If you need factory-loaded ammunition for your rifles and handguns it pays to comparison shop. Smart shooters can benefit by price-shopping to get the best deals on factory-loaded ammunition, particularly for popular cartridge types such as .22 LR, 9x19mm (9mm Luger), .357 Mag, .223 Rem (5.56×45), and 6.5 Creedmoor. It this article we list 15 reliable online sources for factory-loaded ammo. You may want to bookmark this page so you can quickly scan and price-check multiple vendors. In addition, you can use a service such as AmmoSeek.com.

Online Ammo Vendors — 15 Solid Choices

Brownells Brownells loaded ammunition ammo
Bruno Shooters Supply Bruno's loaded ammo ammunition
Cabela’s Cabela's loaded ammo ammunition
Creedmoor Sports Creedmoor loaded ammo Ammunition
Graf & Sons Graf Graf's loaded ammo ammunition
Lucky Gunner Luck gunner loaded ammo ammunition
Midsouth Shooters Supplies Midsouth loaded ammo ammunition
MidwayUSA MidwayUSA loaded ammo ammunition
Natchez Shooters Supplies Natchez loaded ammo ammunition
Palmetto State Armory PSA Palmetto loaded ammo ammunition
Powder Valley Powder Valley ammo ammunition loaded sale
Precision Reloading Precision Reloading loaded ammo ammunition
Scheels scheels retail  loaded ammo ammunition
Sportsman’s Warehouse Sportsmans warehouse loaded ammo ammunition
Target Sports USA TrueShot Reloading loaded ammo

Why Should You Shop for Ammo Online?
By shopping online for ammo, you can save money, get a wider selection, and get bulk discounts. GunDeals.com explains: “Online purchases [can] save you a lot of money [and can] also save your time… one of the most important advantages is definitively the huge selection.” With online retailers you can quickly compare prices, and you will often get a discount on a large order (300 rounds or more) that is not available in local stores. Note, with some large vendors such as Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse you can order online then pick up in a local store.

Are There Restrictions on Online Ammo Purchasing?
In most (but not all) U.S. states is it legal to order ammunition online to be shipped to your residence. However, you MUST check your State and local laws and regulations. In some states and/or cities, it is ILLEGAL to purchase ammunition online for shipment across state lines with direct delivery. For example, in California, all ammo must be purchased from a licensed ammo dealer/vendor with a state background check (so much for the Second Amendment)*. Likewise Washington DC, and Hawaii do not allow online ammunition purchases. And there are restrictions in New York City. In Alaska there are multiple shipping regulations that impact ammo deliveries from online sales so many vendors do not ship to Alaska.


*In some instances ammo can be purchased online from an out-of-state seller who will then ship to an authorized, in-state California vendor who may transfer the ammo for a fee with background checks as required by CA law.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Gear Review, Hot Deals Post comment »
November 27th, 2025

Thanksgiving Focus — Turkey Hunting INFO + FREE Turkey Target

Turkey hunting video Get Zone

Today is Thanksgiving, aka “Turkey Day”, a time to enjoy an annual get-together with family and friends. To mark this occasion we offer a collection of interesting videos about turkey hunting plus a FREE Turkey target. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

GetZoneHunting.com has a vast video library for hunters, with hundreds of helpful videos on all types of hunting. In time for spring turkey season, GetZoneHunting offers a big collection of turkey hunting videos: At the Ranch – Turkey. On that page you’ll find 13 turkey hunting “how-to” videos. Here are links to five GetZone Turkey Hunting videos with valuable information from skilled, experienced hunters.

At the Ranch Turkey Hunting Videos

At the Ranch – Turkey offers solid advice for turkey hunters. These five videos will help you better understand turkey behavior and have success on your hunt. Click any photo to watch the particular video on the GetZone website. (Work Warning — When each GetZone video opens, it may immediately launch an annoying commercial with loud AUDIO!). There are eight more turkey hunting videos on GetZone’s Turkey Hunting HQ Page.

At the Ranch: Shot Placement for Turkeys — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video

At the Ranch: Turkey Hunting Essentials — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
turkey hunting video

At the Ranch: The Difference Between a Jake and a Tom — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
turkey season hunting

At the Ranch: Early vs. Late Spring Turkey Hunt — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
turkey hunting

At the Ranch: How to Plan a Turkey Hunt — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
turkey hunting video

Free Printable Turkey Target from AccurateShooter.com

As a special bonus for our readers, here is a free, printable Turkey Target, so you can practice for your turkey hunting adventure, This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.

printable turkey gobler target thanksgiving fun paper

Permalink Gear Review, Hunting/Varminting, Shooting Skills Post comment »
November 27th, 2025

Thanksgiving Preview — Black Friday Sales Will Offer Big Savings

Black Friday Deals bargain sale discount

Black Friday Deals bargain sale discountHappy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 5% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.

While some sales are set for Friday, November 28th only, most of the featured Black Friday Sales have already started. And some of these promotions run through 11:59 pm on Cyber Monday (12/1/2024). Find other sales at Gun.Deals.

Most of the showcased vendors offer discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 20% or more. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified those particular deals. In addition to the 9 sellers showcased below, Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings on nearly all products. Get 15% OFF your Brownells orders with Code SHOPBF15.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of our Black Friday Sales Showcase!

Optics Planet Black Friday Sale

optics planet black friday sale

Powder Valley Outdoors Black Friday Sale

powder valley 8-lb black friday sale

NOTE: In addition to this special powder sale, Powder Valley Outdoors is offering 5% off your whole cart if you purchase more than $299.00 of non-sale items.

Sportsman’s Warehouse Black Friday Sale

powder valley 8-lb black friday sale

Primary Arms Black Friday Sale

primary arms black friday sale

Vance Outdoors Black Friday Sale

ammo depot black friday sale

Creedmoor Sports Black Friday Sale

creedmoor sports black friday sale

Ammunition Depot Black Friday Sale

ammunition depot black friday sale

Guns.com Black Friday Sale with Early Access

sportsman's outdoor black friday sale

Amazon Black Friday Featured Sales

sportsman's outdoor black friday sale

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, News, Optics Post comment »
November 26th, 2025

For Thanksgiving Week — Outdoor Images from Jim Borden

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Readers know Jim Borden as a Hall of Fame shooter and the owner of Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles. Jim won 10 IBS National Championships, set 10 IBS world records, and was inducted into the Benchrest Hall of Fame in 1996. But Jim is not just a great shooter. This highly-trained engineer is very much a Renaissance man. He is as skilled with cameras as he is with benchrest rifles.

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock RiflesJim is a talented outdoor photographer who has compiled an impressive portfolio of wildlife and landscape photographs. For this Thanksgiving-eve edition of the Daily Bulletin we are featuring some of Jim’s favorite nature images. We hope readers enjoy them as much as shooters prize Borden’s Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions.

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, in a hunting household and hunting community, Jim learned about shooting at a very early age. He started hunting at the age of nine with his father and grandfather. His grandfather had an avid interest in photography while they were on hunts and Jim became interested as well. Jim began using SLR cameras in the 1970s, often carrying cameras on his hunts. As the years passed, Jim became more interested in “shooting” the animals with a camera versus a gun. Jim converted from film to digital in 2006 and in 2007 Jim’s wife Joan started accompanying Jim on the photo safaris. Jim has a particular passion for elk, moose, and eagles and Jim also enjoys scenic photography. Jim and Joan both shoot Nikon professional equipment. Their photographs can be viewed on his JandJB Wildlife Photography Blog.

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

All in the Family
Jim’s grandfather was a gunsmith who taught Jim the trade when Jim was very young. Jim’s father and grandfather ran a country business that included an auto repair shop, welding, a small lathe, and a forge. Jim earned a degree in Mechanical engineering at Penn State University. For 23 years he worked for Procter and Gamble (P&G) as an engineer and as an engineering manager/project manager.

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock RiflesBorden Accuracy/Borden Rifles Success Story
Borden Accuracy/Borden Rifles has been a source for precision benchrest and hunting rifles for many years. Jim started doing his own gunsmithing while competing in benchrest and high power silhouette matches. Jim launched his business in 1987, working nights and weekends while still employed at P&G. The business became full-time in 1995 with Jim and his wife Joan doing the work. The business was expanded in 1999 with the construction of the new Springville, PA facility and the addition of sons Jim Jr. and John to the staff. Son-in-law John Mecca came onboard in January 2000. Now the Borden shop continues to make some of the finest rifles and actions in the world. Joan tells us that the company has seen a significant growth in ultra-high-quality precision hunting rifles in recent years.

Jim and company began making Rimrock benchrest and Rimrock hunting actions in 2001. They added Borden Alpine and Timberline actions in 2006. These actions are made in an advanced manufacturing facility which has three CNC vertical Machining centers, three CNC lathes, three manual lathes, a manual knee mill, a surface grinder, a cylindrical grinder and wire EDM machine. To learn more, visit BordenRifles.com, call (570) 965-2505, or send email to info [at] bordenrifles.com.

Jim Borden Photography Rimrock Rifles

Permalink Gear Review, Gunsmithing, Hunting/Varminting Post comment »
November 26th, 2025

Be Careful When Traveling with Guns — Five Troublesome States

Top Five 5 Worst states for Travel Guns Firearms

Tomorrow, November 27th, is Thanksgiving. Today and tommrorrow a large percentage of Americans will be on the road to visit relatives. We know many of our readers have concealed carry permits or will otherwise be traveling with firearms. When crossing into different states with guns in a vehicle, you need to be mindful of all state and local laws and restrictions.

Five Worst States for Traveling with Firearms

This article appears in the Cheaper Than Dirt Shooter’s Log.
The U.S. is a patchwork of confusing and cumbersome laws that change the rules of what you can carry, where you can carry, and whether you can possess the firearm, ammunition of magazine at without running afoul of the local laws. Now, if every state was like Vermont, law abiding gun owners could freely travel with their firearms with no worries. Unfortunately, many states have a history of being hostile to traveling gun owners.

The federal “Firearms Owner Protection Act” allows travel through any state as long as the firearm is unloaded, in a locked case, and not easily accessible to the passengers. However, that is not to say that certain states that are less friendly to firearms have not created their own laws that would snare unsuspecting otherwise law-abiding firearm owners. This led us to name the Top 5 States to Avoid while traveling with a firearm this holiday season.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut does not have any gun reciprocity agreements with other states. This means nonresidents are not allowed to carry handguns in Connecticut under a permit issued by another state.

HAWAII
Every person arriving into the state who brings a firearm of any description, usable or not, shall register the firearm within three days of the arrival of the person or the firearm, whichever arrives later, with the chief of police of the county where the person will reside, where their business is, or the person’s place of sojourn. GET Hawaii Firearms INFO HERE.

MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts imposes harsh penalties on the mere possession and transport of firearms without a license to carry. Prospective travelers are urged to contact the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau at (617) 660-4780 or contact the State Police. GET Massachusetts Firearms INFO HERE.

NEW JERSEY
New Jersey has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country. Your firearm must be unloaded, in a locked container, and not accessible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that anyone traveling within the state is deemed to be aware of these regulations and will be held strictly accountable for violations. If you’re traveling through New Jersey, you need to comply with state laws on firearm transport, which are very strict. GET New Jersey Firearms INFO HERE provided by a New Jersey legal team.

NEW YORK
Use extreme caution when traveling through New York state with firearms. New York’s general approach is to make the possession of handguns and so-called “assault weapons” illegal. A number of localities, including Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, and Yonkers, impose their own requirements on the possession, registration, and transport of firearms. Possession of a handgun within New York City requires a New York City handgun license or a special permit from the city Police Commissioner. This license validates a state license within the city. Even New York state licenses are generally not valid within New York City unless a specific exemption applies. Possession of a shotgun or rifle within New York City requires a permit, which is available to non-residents, and a certificate of registration.

More Scary States for Gun Owners
Here are six other jurisdictions (five states and DC) where you need to be wary when traveling. California, for example, treats all handguns in vehicles as “loaded” if there is ammunition loaded into an attached magazine. It’s wise, when in California, to have handguns unloaded in a LOCKED case, with all ammunition or magazines in a separate section of the vehicle. These states (and DC) all have laws that can trap unsuspecting gun-owners. Be wary.

California
Delaware
Dist. of Columbia
Illinois
Maryland
Rhode Island

Top Five 5 Worst states for Travel Guns Firearms

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