SHOT Show 2023 kicks off today in Las Vegas, Nevada with Industry Day at the Range and the Supplier Showcase. This evening, we’ll have a report on new guns and optics seen at Industry Range Day. Later today you’ll find posts and videos from Range Day on the SHOT Show Facebook Page.
Supplier Showcase Monday and Tuesday
Even before the SHOT Show exhibit halls open, attendees can meet with industry representatives at the SHOT Show Supplier Showcase. This two-day event starts early on Monday, January 16th. It is hosted at the Palazzo Ballroom on the 5th Floor of the Venetian hotel. Over 500 suppliers will participate. For persons who use or produce tools, machinery, plastics, fabrics, OE materials, logistics, software or other products and services for the shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement industries, the Supplier Showcase provides the opportunity to connect with a wide range of manufacturers and other industry professionals.
New Handguns for 2023 Will Be on Display at SHOT Show
As a preview of the new handgun offerings that will be showcased at SHOT Show, here is a video featuring five impressive new pistols set for 2023 release:
Download SHOT Show 2023 Mobile App
The FREE SHOT Show Mobile App has lists of all exhibitors for SHOT Show 2023, with floor plan maps showing all the booth locations. You can search exhibitors by company name or booth number and conveniently manage your time by arranging the booth visits in logical order.
SHOT After Dark — New Evening Event
SHOT After Dark is a series of networking events each evening Tuesday through Thursday after the main exhibit halls close. On Tuesday there is a Industry Welcome Reception at the Great Outdoors Plaza followed by a Rock and Roll themed event at Rockhouse Las Vegas. On Wednesday there will be an All Star Jam Concert outside Caesars Forum, next to Great Outdoors Plaza.
Registration Center Open Now
The SHOT Show center at the Venetian EXPO Complex is open now to take registrations. In addition the Supplier Showcase takes place today and tommorow.
A while back, the Precision Rifle Blog conducted a fascinating study of Muzzle Brakes. PRB figured out a way to show the actual “blast pattern” of gasses ejecting from the ports of muzzle brakes. The result was a fascinating (and eye-catching) series of images revealing the distinctive gas outflows of 20+ different types of muzzle brakes. If you are considering buying and installing a muzzle brake on your rifle, you should definitely review this important PRB Muzzle Brake Test.
For a prone shooter, particularly on dusty, dirty or sandy ground, muzzle blast is a major bummer. Muzzle blast can be very disturbing — not just for the trigger-puller but for persons on either side of the gun as well. Some muzzle brakes send a huge shockwave back towards the shooter, and others send blast towards the ground, kicking dirt and debris into the prone shooter’s face. If there was a way to illustrate those factors — shockwave and debris — that might help shooters select one brake design over another.
Cal Zant at PrecisionRifleBlog.com applied a unique blend of creativity and resourcefulness to try to answer that question for 20+ muzzle brakes. Using high-speed photography and household products, he captured the blast pattern of 20+ different brake designs for easy side-by-side comparison. Can you figure out how Cal managed to show muzzle brake blasts so clearly? His “hi-viz” solution, revealed in the article, is very clever. See the eye-opening results for 20+ brakes, with illustrative photos, by visiting the Precision Rifle Blog Muzzle Brake Ground Signature Test Page.
This Sunday we showcase a top choice for PRS/NRL Production Division competition. Savage Arms has adapted its Impulse straight-pull action for the tactical market. Savage’s Impulse Elite Precision combines the award-winning* Savage Impulse straight-pull action with a precision MDT aluminum alloy chassis. The ability to shoot faster, with less rifle movement, is potentially a game-changer for the tactical/precision rifle competitions where stages run “on the clock” and fast follow-up shots are very important. And with a $2499.00 MSRP (for 6mm Creedmoor and .308 Win), and $2719.00 for 6.5 Creedmoor, the Impulse Elite Precision qualifies for the PRS Production Division, which is now capped at $3000 for rifle and $2500 for optic under 2023 PRS Rules (2.3.1). The 2022 PRS Production rifle max price was $2500.00.
The Savage Impulse Elite Precision in the Field
This Savage Arms video shows an Impulse Elite Precision rifle being fired in the field, shooting off a tripod at steel targets. There are good close-ups showing the rifle being shot and cycled rapidly. Starting at 00:19, watch how quickly the operator can cycle the action in just about 1 second. If you are considering purchasing an Impulse Elite Precision, definitely watch this video:
The new Impulse Elite Precision features a straight-pull action fitted in a ACC (adjustable core competition) chassis from Modular Driven Technologies (MDT). With a full-length ARCA rail, the Impulse Elite Precision can be easily customized for individual balance preferences. You can add weight and accessories on the fore-arm easily through the ARCA mounts. And the rear section offers adjustable length of pull and cheekpiece height. The ambidextrous bolt can be fitted on either right or left sides.
This Impulse straight-pull action is bedded in an Adjustable Core Competition chassis from Modular Driven Technologies (MDT). From its full-length ARCA rail to its nitride coatings, the Impulse Elite Precision is optimized for the PRS/NRL game.
Seven Chamberings Offered for Impulse Elite Precision
The Impulse Elite Precision is offered in seven chamberings: 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, .300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua Magnum. MSRP for the rifle in 6mm Creedmoor and .308 Win (both with 26″ barrels) is $2499.00. In 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC, also with 26″ barrels, the rifle retails for $2719.00. For the bigger chamberings, .300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, and .338 LM, which have 30″ barrels, MSRP is $2799.00. Effective January 1, 2023, the max allowed price for PRS Production Class is $3000.00 (Rule 2.3.1 update).
“The Elite Precision has changed the way Savage shooters think about long-range capability,” said Jessica Treglia, Senior Brand Manager for Savage Arms. “The addition of the Impulse straight-pull action is going to add a new element of speed to an already efficient rifle. When split times are an important aspect of the competition, Impulse Elite Precision will be a game-changer.”
Savage Impulse Straight-Pull Action — Overview
Savage’s Impulse series of straight-pull bolt rifles is the first American-designed and crafted straight-pull centerfire rifle. The new Impulse features an innovative Hexlock bolt-locking mechanism with six spherical bearings that move radially outward into a ring in the barrel extension, thereby locking the bolt in place. That barrel extension is held in the receiver assembly by four cross-bolts on the lower front section. Ahead of the barrel extension is a conventional recoil lug and a familiar Savage barrel nut.
Innovative Hexlock Bolt System in New Savage Impulse
When the bolt is closed, the Hexlock system holds it in place instead of conventional lugs. With the Hexlock, six (6) hardened steel bearings lock the bolt in place inside the receiver’s barrel extension. Savage says “As pressure increases, Hexlock’s hold tightens, ensuring that there can be no rearward movement of the bolt. Once the round has left the barrel, the pressure subsides, and the action can safely open again with the straight pull of the bolt handle.”
Savage Impulse — Hexlock System (Bolt Locks in Barrel Extension)
* Hunting Version of Impulse Named 2021 Rifle of the Year — The Savage Impulse straight-pull hunting rifle won the coveted NRA American Hunter 2022 Golden Bullseye Award as Rifle of the Year. Previously, Guns & Ammo magazine editors also named Savage’s Impulse the 2021 Rifle of the Year.
This discussion of rear bag designs and fill levels may offer some new insights for many readers. By “tuning” your rear bag you can reduce hop on shot-firing and help your rifle track better. All that can translate to better scores, particularly with large-caliber rifles.
Tuning Your Rear Sand Bags
Over the years, noted gunsmith and a Benchrest Hall-of-Fame inductee Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez has learned a few things about “tuning” rear sandbags for best performance. On his Facebook page, Speedy recently discussed how sand bag fill levels (hard vs. soft) can affect accuracy. Speedy says you don’t want to have both your front and rear sandbags filled up ultra-hard. One or the other bag needs to have some “give” to provide a shock-absorbing function (and prevent stock jump). And you want to tune your fill arrangements to match your shooting style. Free recoil shooters may need a different fill levels than bag squeezers (who a softer bag but harder ears).
SAND BAGS & HOW TO FILL THEMby Speedy Gonzalez
I was asked several times by competitors at the S.O.A. Matches and F-Class Nationals as to how I fill my sand bags for benchrest competition. Here is a copy of a reply I gave several years ago:
Back in the old days, Pat McMillan told me: “You can not have two bags filled so hard that you gun bounces on them in the process of firing round at your target, especially if you have a rig with a very flexible stock. The bags must be set up in a manner for them to absorb the initial shock of the firing pin moving forward and igniting the primer.
Then [they must] maintain their shape and absorb the second shock wave as well the rearward thrust and torque of the rifle. What happens to the rifle when this is not done? Well let me tell you. The rifles have a very bad tendency to jump and roll in the bags. This causes many of those wild, lost shots that one can’t explain.”
Here’s some Good General Advice for Bag Set-up:
1. You should not have TWO hard bags [i.e. both front AND rear] in your set-up.
2. Heavy sand magnifies these phenomena.
3. If you are a bag squeezer, pack ears hard and leave bag pliable enough to squeeze for the movement required. You may pack front bag as hard as rules permit.
4. Free recoil shooters pack both bags firm, but not so hard as to allow stock jump. Especially if you have a stock with a very flexible forearm.
5. We use play-ground sand, also know as silica sand. I sift mine to get any large impurities out then mix it with 25% to 50% with Harts parakeet gravel to the desired hardness that I am looking for. The bird gravel keeps the sand from packing itself into that solid as a brick state.
Speaking of bricks — another thing that happens when shooters employ that heavy zircon sand is the ears form a low spot under them from recoil and then tend to rock back and forth with the rifle causing many low shots to crop up. Edgewood makes an Edgewood/Speedy rear bag specially reinforced under the ears to eliminate this scenario.
Shown below are the latest SEB Bigfoot Bags. Note that the bags sit perfectly flat — there is no bulge on the bottom even though the bags are “packed to the brim with sand”.
General Thoughts about Bag Construction and Ear Materials
I do not like the solid double-stitched leather bottoms. While this seems like a good idea, I see more shooters have problems because of them. They tend to slide around the bench and or slide with the rifle on recoil. The standard Protektor with Cordura rabbit ears and an Otto ring bag with a Cordura front would be what I would suggest to the new shooter or one of the Edgewood / Speedy rear bags, these mimic the “Donut” and feature a ring of leather around the bottom circumference that keep the bottom from rocking on the bench or ground[.]
One last note –If you use the Cordura bags, keep them sprayed with a good silicon spray or “Rain-Ex”. This keeps them from getting sticky. — Speedy
Lapua just introduced two new Long Range Rimfire ammo offerings. New for 2023, Lapua’s Super Long Range and Long Range rimfire ammunition are optimized for long range accuracy and consistency. The goal was to have extremely low extreme spread (ES) and standard deviation (SD), to yield the highest precision down range. Shooters competing in disciplines such as NRL22X and Rimfire ELR where targets are routinely placed beyond 250 yards, will benefit from Lapua’s new ultra-consistent Long Range rimfire ammo. Both the new Long Range and the Super Long Range have a 1106 FPS muzzle velocity (from 26″ barrel) and a 0.172 G1 Ballistic Coefficient.*
Introducing Lapua Super Long Range and Long Range .22 LR Ammo
Lapua’s two new .22 LR cartridges are designed for use at distances of 100 yards and beyond. The result of extensive product development and extremely advanced production processes, Lapua Super Long Range and Long Range rimfire ammunition offer ultra-consistent velocities and BC values for every shot. These new ammo types are designed for those competing in .22 LR rimfire disciplines at longer ranges. Those disciplines include: NRL22X, PRS 22, Rimfire Long Range, rimfire benchrest, and Field Target shooting. These new ammo types provide excellent performance on targets at 100 yards and beyond. With a 1106 FPS muzzle velocity, Lapua Long Range and Super Long Range provide a flat trajectory and improved wind performance. Both rimfire ammo types bring a competitive advantage with the Super Long Range offering the very best group accuracy.
Lapua states: “With a flat trajectory and improved wind performance, Lapua Super Long Range provides the very best accuracy for any top .22 LR shooter looking to beat the competition at longer distances.” The new Lapua Long Range ammo offers similar performance with the same 1106 FPS MV.
“Lapua’s new Long Range offerings are a game-changer for shooters seeking a competitive advantage in today’s most popular rimfire disciplines”, stated Jeff Knowles, Lapua U.S. Sales Director. “Lapua’s product innovation and manufacturing capabilities are unprecedented”.
Ammo Availability: Lapua’s new Long Range rimfire offerings will soon be available at authorized Lapua retailers for delivery by the end of the first quarter of 2023. Learn more about new Lapua Long Range rimfire ammunition at Lapua.com.
About Lapua: For 100 years, Lapua has been producing the highest-quality small caliber cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Lapua is a part of the Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products.
*Ballistic coefficients are calculated by Quick Target Unlimited Lapua Edition from V0 to V75 BC. G1 BC for all rimfire .22 LR bullets = 0.172.
SHOT Show 2023 is right around the corner, with the annual NSSF Gun Industry convention opening its doors to dealers and media on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Thousands of new products will be unveiled for the first time at SHOT Show 2023, including hundreds of new rifles. Today’s Saturday Movie showcase features a number of new (or nearly-new) rifles that will be on display at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. This showcase gives our readers a chance to preview some of the newest hunting, precision, and tactical rifles on the market even before retail buyers get to handle them at SHOT Show display booths.
Five Best New Generation Precision and Sniper Rifles for 2023
This Survival Gear video showcases five newer model precision/tactical rifles offered in 2022 and some new offerings for 2023. The models are: 1. SIG Sauer Cross PRS (1:01 time-mark); Scopes Poweryz (2:25); Tikka T3X Tac A1 (3:18); Kelbly’s Nanook MG (4:48, shown below); and IWI US DAN (6:05).
The video hosts based his choice on function, reliability, and accuracy: “When pulling together this list of the best precision rifles and sniper rifles, I considered a few different criteria. The list highlights modern rifles with proven track records that are currently in use. It includes some new precision rifles that are coming online right now.”
Three Impressive Modern Rifles — Including a Cool Ultralight
This 10-minute Central Gear video covers three fairly interesting rifles. PRS/NRL fans will like the Daniel Defense Delta 5 Pro Precision Rifle, a modern mag-fed chassis rig for PRS/NRL competition. Hunters should check out the impressive Gunwerks Skunkwerks Lite SabR rifle. Designed for easy field carry by hunters, the limited-edition Lite Sabr features an ultra-light magnesium metal chassis and a folding buttstock. The third rifle, also from Gunwerks, is a modern muzzleloader for hunters.
Fierce Arms 5.8-Pound Mountain Reaper Ultralight
This video covers just one rifle, the Fierce Arms Mountain Reaper. But we think this new ultralight rig will definitely appeal to hunters who need a light rifle. With an 18″ barrel, the Mountain Reaper weighs just 5.8 pounds! The Mountain Reaper features an ultra-light magnesium chassis, carbon-wrapped barrel, and carbon M-Lok forearm. It also boasts a quick-deploying, push-button-lock folding stock and premium Bix ‘N Andy trigger. Seven chamberings are offered starting at $3399.00 MSRP.
Three New Bergara Rifles for 2023
With over 620,000 subscribers, the Backfire YouTube Channel is very popular. It has earned a strong following for its multi-product comparison tests and straight-talk “No BS” reviews. In this video, Backfire reviews three new rifles from Bergara: The Bergara B14 Squared Crest, The Bergara Wilderness Ridge Carbon, and the Bergara HMR Carbon. All three products are well suited for hunting and varminting.
Five New Rifles for 2023 — Wide Variety of Platforms
The five rifles featured in this video have just hit the market. Most of these were first revealed at the NASGW (Nat’l Assn. Sporting Goods Wholesalers) EXPO a few months ago. Many will also be showcased soon at SHOT Show 2023 next week. The five featured rifles are: 1) Traditions Shed Horn .50 Cal Muzzleloader (1:02 time-mark); 2) Rock River Arms LAR22 (3:19); Mossberg Patriot Predator (5:47); Live Free Armory Challenger (8:28); and Pioneer Arms 556 (11:05). Two of these five choices are AR-type rifles, and one is an AK variant underfolder. The reviewer notes: “Here are five of the best new rifles introduced at NASGW 2022 … to keep an eye out for in 2023.”
Top AR-Platform Rifles for 2023
AR-platform “Modern Sporting Rifles” continue to be top sellers because of their affordability and versatility. An AR rifle can be used for Service Rifle competition, 3-Gun games, varmint hunting, and of course, home defense. This video features 15 modern-generation AR-platform rifles. Most of these rifles will be on display at SHOT Show in Las Vegas starting Tuesday January 17, 2023.
In this 54-minute video interview, Ken Clemens, co-owner of Brux Barrels, is interviewed by F-Class ace Erik Cortina for the Cortina Precision YouTube Channel. A lot of ground is covered, with many fascinating insights into barrel-making revealed. Watch and learn:
Interview with Ken Clemens, Co-owner of Brux Barrels
If you are involved in competitive shooting, and especially if you compete in F-Class or long-range benchrest, we recommend you take the time to watch this interview, perhaps in a couple of sessions because it runs for a lengthy 54 minutes. Ken Clemens explains the important procedures that go into making match-grade, cut-rifled barrels. Ken also explains some factors to consider when choosing a barrel-maker and specifying length, contour, land/groove configuration, and twist rates.
About BRUX Barrel-Making Methods
Brux starts with 4150 chrome-moly or 416R stainless steel double-stress-relieved bar stock — the best available. Barrels are bored with the Barnes gun drill, and reamed with an industry-standard Pratt & Whitney reamer. Brux uses solid carbide cutter hooks and employs special methods to achieve best results.
After the bore-cutting process is complete, each barrel is hand-lapped to high-precision standards. Multi-point inspections and meticulous hand processes (not possible in mass production) ensure extremely high quality. The Brux website says: “If there is the slightest deviation in surface finish or tolerance, the barrel is discarded.”
BRUX Specializes in Cut-Rifled Gun Barrels
Brux produces custom cut-rifled barrels, precision-crafted by professionals with extensive experience in both machine tools and competitive shooting. While Brux earned its reputation building great barrels for F-Class, benchrest, and long range competition, Brux also crafts hunting barrels. Brux states: “Hunters, big game and varmint, can benefit from the accuracy and dependability of a custom barrel made to your specifications.”
BRUX Barrels’ Owners Are Competitive Shooters
Brux owners and machinists are shooters themselves. So they understand how important a truly top-quality barrel can be. Everything else about a rifle can be great, but you need a superb barrel to win at the highest level. Owners Ken Clemens (pictured above) and Norm Brux are both seasoned shooters with years of experience using their own products.
Made in the USA — About the Home of Brux Barrels
The Wisconsin River Valley near Lodi has a storied history of hunting and shooting. The glacier spared many granite escarpments, leaving secluded glens and a topography rich in soil and wildlife habitat, which attracted families with old-world values and skills. Many of their descendants turned raw steel and iron into the tools necessary for farming – and some evolved to precision tooling and making gun barrels.
Wisconsin River Valley near Ferry Bluff State Natural Area.
In the archives of The First Shot (the CMP’s Online Magazine), SGT Walter E. Craig of the USAMU discusses physical conditioning for competitive shooters, particularly High Power competitors. Fitness training is an important subject that, curiously, is rarely featured in the shooting sports media. We seem to focus on hardware, or esoteric details of cartridge reloading. Yet physical fitness also matters, particularly for High Power shooters. In his article, Craig advocates: 1) weight training to strengthen the Skeletal Muscle System; 2) exercises to build endurance and stamina; and 3) cardiovascular conditioning programs to allow the shooter to remain relaxed with a controlled heart beat.
SGT Craig explains: “An individual would not enter a long distance race without first spending many hours conditioning his/her body. One should apply the same conditioning philosophy to [shooting]. Physical conditioning to improve shooting skills will result in better shooting performance[.] The objective of an individual physical training program is to condition the muscles, heart, and lungs thereby increasing the shooter’s capability of controlling the body and rifle for sustained periods.”
In addition to weight training and cardio workouts (which can be done in a gym), SGT Craig advocates “some kind of holding drill… to develop the muscles necessary for holding a rifle for extended periods.”
For those with range access, Craig recommends a blind standing exercise: “This exercise consists of dry-firing one round, then live-firing one round, at a 200-yard standard SR target. For those who have access only to a 100-yard range, reduced targets will work as well. Begin the exercise with a timer set for 50 minutes. Dry-fire one round, then fire one live round and without looking at the actual impact, plot a call in a data book. Continue the dry fire/live fire sequence for 20 rounds, plotting after each round. After firing is complete, compare the data book to the target. If your zero and position are solid, the plots should resemble the target. As the training days add up and your zero is refined, the groups will shrink and move to the center.”
Fitness training and holding drills help position shooters reach their full potential. Here is 6-Time U.S. National Long Range Champion John Whidden.
Training for Older Shooters
Tom Alves has written an excellent article A Suggested Training Approach for Older Shooters. This article discusses appropriate low-impact training methods for older shooters. Tom explains: “Many of the articles you will read in books about position shooting and the one mentioned above are directed more toward the younger generation of shooters in their 20s. If you look down the line at a typical high power match these days you are likely to see quite a few folks who are in their middle 30s and up. Many people in that age range have had broken bones and wear and tear on their joints so a training program needs to take that into account. For instance, while jogging for an extended period for heart and lung conditioning may be the recommended approach for younger folks, it may be totally inappropriate for older people.”
SHOT Show 2023 is three days away. The 2023 event kicks off with Industry Day at the Range on Monday, January 16, 2023. Then the indoor event runs Tuesday the 17th through Friday the 20th. There will be over 2600 exhibitors from all 50 states and dozens of nations. This year continues with SHOT Show running in TWO large exhibit halls — the Venetian Expo and the relatively new Caesars Forum. Total exhibit space for the 2023 show in these two venues is more than 800,000 net square feet — equivalent to more than 18 acres (about 14 football fields). And with these twin halls, SHOT Show boasts 13.9 miles of aisles!
SHOT Show FACTS AND FIGURES
– The “SHOT” in SHOT® Show stands for Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade.
— SHOT Show 2023 will have 800,000 square feet of Exhibit Space with 13.9 MILES of Aisles. The floor space is equivalent to 14 football fields.
— 2023 SHOT Show will have more than 2,600 exhibitors, including the Suppliers Showcase.
— More than 55,000 professionals in the shooting, hunting, outdoors and law enforcement industry are expected to attend, along with 2000+ media members.
— Firearms and ammunition are a $7.1 billion industry. The total economic impact of the gun/ammo/hunting industry is more than $63 billion, which supports more than 342,000 jobs.
— SHOT Show generates millions of dollars in revenue to fund NSSF programs including Firearms Training programs, Project ChildSafe, National Shooting Sports Month, and the +ONE mentoring initiative.
— This is the 45th Annual SHOT Show and the 24th in Las Vegas. The first SHOT Show was in 1979 in St. Louis, Missouri. Las Vegas has been home to the show continuously since 2010. However, the 2021 SHOT Show was virtual due to the pandemic.
SHOT Show is a Massive Event — 800,000 Square Feet of Products
Based on current bookings, SHOT Show 2023 will encompass over 800,000 net square feet. That’s the equivalent of 14 football fields. There should be over 2600 exhibitors this year. CLICK HERE to search for exhibitor booths by company name. View the 2023 SHOT Show layout here:
CLICK HEREfor full floor-plan with Venetian Level 1, Venetian Level 2, Caesars Forum, and Supplier Showcase. From that page, click tabs for each location. When on a page, zoom to see individual booth numbers. Mouse over any booth to see the exhibitor (example below for Vista Outdoor in booth 11838).
Today is Friday the 13th. For those of you who are superstitious — maybe you should avoid climbing ladders, playing the stock market, or using power tools today.
When it comes to shooting, there are many things that shooters chalk up to “bad luck”. In fact, most of these instances of “bad fortune” just come from a failure to anticipate problems. When you have a major, critical problem at a shooting match, i.e. a “train wreck”, this can be the end of your weekend. In this article, Ballistics Guru Bryan Litz talks about “train wrecks” and how to avoid them, even if you are shooting on Friday the 13th. As Bryan told us: “I don’t believe in superstition — we make our own luck!”
How to Avoid “Train Wrecks” In Competition
In any shooting competition, you must try to avoid major screw-ups that can ruin your day (or your match). In this article, past F-TR National Mid-Range and Long Range Champion Bryan Litz talks about “Train Wrecks”, i.e. those big disasters (such as equipment failures) that can ruin a whole match. Bryan illustrates the types of “train wrecks” that commonly befall competitors, and he explains how to avoid these “unmitigated disasters”.
Urban Dictionary “Train Wreck” Definition: “A total @#$&! disaster … the kind that makes you want to shake your head.”
Success in long range competition depends on many things. Those who aspire to be competitive are usually detail-oriented, and focused on all the small things that might give them an edge. Unfortunately it’s common for shooters lose sight of the big picture — missing the forest for the trees, so to speak.
Consistency is one of the universal principles of successful shooting. The tournament champion is the shooter with the highest average performance over several days, often times not winning a single match. While you can win tournaments without an isolated stellar performance, you cannot win tournaments if you have a single train wreck performance. And this is why it’s important for the detail-oriented shooter to keep an eye out for potential “big picture” problems that can derail the train of success!
Train wrecks can be defined differently by shooters of various skill levels and categories. Anything from problems causing a miss, to problems causing a 3/4-MOA shift in wind zero can manifest as a train wreck, depending on the kind of shooting you’re doing.
Below is a list of common Shooting Match Train Wrecks, and suggestions for avoiding them.
1. Cross-Firing. The fastest and most common way to destroy your score (and any hopes of winning a tournament) is to cross-fire. The cure is obviously basic awareness of your target number on each shot, but you can stack the odds in your favor if you’re smart. For sling shooters, establish your Natural Point of Aim (NPA) and monitor that it doesn’t shift during your course of fire. If you’re doing this right, you’ll always come back on your target naturally, without deliberately checking each time. You should be doing this anyway, but avoiding cross-fires is another incentive for monitoring this important fundamental. In F-Class shooting, pay attention to how the rifle recoils, and where the crosshairs settle. If the crosshairs always settle to the right, either make an adjustment to your bipod, hold, or simply make sure to move back each shot. Also consider your scope. Running super high magnification can leave the number board out of the scope’s field view. That can really increase the risk of cross-firing.
2. Equipment Failure. There are a wide variety of equipment failures you may encounter at a match, from loose sight fasteners, to broken bipods, to high-round-count barrels that that suddenly “go south” (just to mention a few possibilities). Mechanical components can and do fail. The best policy is to put some thought into what the critical failure points are, monitor wear of these parts, and have spares ready. This is where an ounce of prevention can prevent a ton of train wreck. On this note, if you like running hot loads, consider whether that extra 20 fps is worth blowing up a bullet (10 points), sticking a bolt (DNF), or worse yet, causing injury to yourself or someone nearby.
[Editor’s Note: The 2016 F-Class Nationals will employ electronic targets so conventional pit duties won’t be required. However, the following advice does apply for matches with conventional targets.]
3. Scoring/Pit Malfunction. Although not related to your shooting technique, doing things to insure you get at least fair treatment from your scorer and pit puller is a good idea. Try to meet the others on your target so they can associate a face with the shooter for whom they’re pulling. If you learn your scorer is a Democrat, it’s probably best not to tell Obama jokes before you go for record. If your pit puller is elderly, it may be unwise to shoot very rapidly and risk a shot being missed (by the pit worker), or having to call for a mark. Slowing down a second or two between shots might prevent a 5-minute delay and possibly an undeserved miss.
4. Wind Issues. Tricky winds derail many trains. A lot can be written about wind strategies, but here’s a simple tip about how to take the edge off a worse case scenario. You don’t have to start blazing away on the command of “Commence fire”. If the wind is blowing like a bastard when your time starts, just wait! You’re allotted 30 minutes to fire your string in long range slow fire. With average pit service, it might take you 10 minutes if you hustle, less in F-Class. Point being, you have about three times longer than you need. So let everyone else shoot through the storm and look for a window (or windows) of time which are not so adverse. Of course this is a risk, conditions might get worse if you wait. This is where judgment comes in. Just know you have options for managing time and keep an eye on the clock. Saving rounds in a slow fire match is a costly and embarrassing train wreck.
5. Mind Your Physical Health. While traveling for shooting matches, most shooters break their normal patterns of diet, sleep, alcohol consumption, etc. These disruptions to the norm can have detrimental effects on your body and your ability to shoot and even think clearly. If you’re used to an indoor job and eating salads in air-conditioned break rooms and you travel to a week-long rifle match which keeps you on your feet all day in 90-degree heat and high humidity, while eating greasy restaurant food, drinking beer and getting little sleep, then you might as well plan on daily train wrecks. If the match is four hours away, rather than leaving at 3:00 am and drinking five cups of coffee on the morning drive, arrive the night before and get a good night’s sleep.”
Keep focused on the important stuff. You never want to lose sight of the big picture. Keep the important, common sense things in mind as well as the minutia of meplat trimming, weighing powder to the kernel, and cleaning your barrel ’til it’s squeaky clean. Remember, all the little enhancements can’t make up for one big train wreck!
Even before the SHOT Show exhibit halls open, attendees can meet with industry representatives at the SHOT Show Supplier Showcase. This two-day event starts early on Monday, January 16th. It is hosted at the Palazzo Ballroom on the 5th Floor of the Venetian hotel. Over 500 suppliers will participate. For persons who use or produce tools, machinery, plastics, fabrics, OE materials, logistics, software or other products and services for the shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement industries, the Supplier Showcase provides the opportunity to connect with a wide range of manufacturers and other industry professionals.
SHOT After Dark is a series of networking events each evening Tuesday through Thursday after the main exhibit halls close. On Tuesday there is a Industry Welcome Reception at the Great Outdoors Plaza followed by a Rock and Roll themed event at Rockhouse Las Vegas. On Wednesday there will be an All Star Jam Concert outside Caesars Forum, next to Great Outdoors Plaza.
Back in the old days, Pat McMillan told me: “You can not have two bags filled so hard that you gun bounces on them in the process of firing round at your target, especially if you have a rig with a very flexible stock. The bags must be set up in a manner for them to absorb the initial shock of the firing pin moving forward and igniting the primer. 
Lapua just introduced two new 
In the archives of 
– The “SHOT” in SHOT® Show stands for Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade.
Train Wrecks (and How to Avoid Them)
4. Wind Issues. Tricky winds derail many trains. A lot can be written about wind strategies, but here’s a simple tip about how to take the edge off a worse case scenario. You don’t have to start blazing away on the command of “Commence fire”. If the wind is blowing like a bastard when your time starts, just wait! You’re allotted 30 minutes to fire your string in long range slow fire. With average pit service, it might take you 10 minutes if you hustle, less in F-Class. Point being, you have about three times longer than you need. So let everyone else shoot through the storm and look for a window (or windows) of time which are not so adverse. Of course this is a risk, conditions might get worse if you wait. This is where judgment comes in. Just know you have options for managing time and keep an eye on the clock. Saving rounds in a slow fire match is a costly and embarrassing train wreck.
