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September 8th, 2025

Better Spotting for Hunters — Using Binoculars with a Tripod

Vortex Binoculars

With hunting season coming up soon, we know that many readers will be out in the field — with a set of binoculars. On most game hunts, you’ll speed a lot more time glassing with binocs than looking through your riflescope. With wide field of view and extended low-light capability, a good set of binoculars will be your most important game-finder. And with premium LRF binoculars, such as the ZEISS Victory series, one tool serves both for spotting and laser ranging.

“Without the stabilization of your binoculars [provided by] a tripod … you will be missing a majority of the game you are glassing for.” — Outdoorsmans.com

In this article, Vortex Optics’ Mark Boardman, an experienced hunter, explains the benefits of using a tripod with high-magnification binoculars. Everybody knows that powerful spotting scopes work best when mounted to a stable tripod or otherwise secured to a steady mount. Yet when most folks use binoculars, they never even think of using a tripod, despite the fact that tripod adapters are available for many premium binoculars.

Vortex Binoculars


» READ FULL ARTICLE with More Tips for Hunters

Vortex BinocularsOutdoorsmans Tripod Adapters
Outdoorsmans.com sells tripod adapters for various kinds of binoculars. These really work: “Mounting your binoculars to a quality tripod is a must for the serious western hunter. Without the stabilization of your binoculars [by] mounting them to a tripod … you will be missing a majority of the game you are glassing for.”

A serious hunter should learn how to glass with tripod support, using methods outlined here. With binoculars offering more that 8X magnification, you can really benefit from a steady mount. You’ll be amazed at the difference the tripod will make.

Premium Laser Rangefinder Binoculars: Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski

Permalink - Articles, Hunting/Varminting, Optics 1 Comment »
September 7th, 2025

Sunday GunDay: N50 Airgun & Rimfire Competition at Raton, NM

N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025

The National 50 Benchrest League (N50) held its annual National Championships at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM on August 23-25, 2025. This event featured air rifles and rimfire rifles competing together. Top shooters from around the country brought some of the most accurate and sophisticated air rifles and rimfire benchrest rifles ever created. Participants enjoyed the Whittington venue, with its great scenery and excellent facilities.

N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025

n50 championship raton nmCombined Class champion Mike Schultz reported: “The 2025 N50 Nationals were a lot of fun and at the same time encompassed friendly fellowship and highly competitive shooting. It felt like everyone was there to enjoy each other’s company while giving full effort to do their best. The facilities were excellent and the range itself is perhaps one of the most consistent ranges for even fairness. Mike, Joe, Ardy, and Lou did a great job managing the event and keeping us on schedule. I personally made a number of new friends and look forward to shooting with them again. My Thomas HPX .22 cal air rifle was faithful. My time finding the right pellets paid dividends. I am thankful for N50, the leadership team created a friendly and safe environment. The banquet and awards ceremony had an atmosphere of good food and everyone celebrating whomever received an award. Looking forward to 2026.”

N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025

N50 Championship Event Results by Class

Pro Class: Mike Niksch took 1st place with a score of 1494-78X using Slug Air Rifle, He was followed by Mark Clemons 1493-88X and Mark Huber 1491-65X who both shot custom unlimited .22 LRs.
Sportsman Class: Matt Kellerman and Mike Tokar tied for 1st place on points with Matt Kellerman taking the lead by X count. Four top competitors were within 2 points.
Pellet Class: Jayson Barnes won with 1495-85X Dan Burbach was second with 1492-85X and Mike Schultz was third with 1489-85X.
All Pellet Class: Overall ranking for pellet competitors in all 3 classes: Mike Schultz 4459-238X (1st); Dan Burbach 4441-224X (2nd); Ben Womack 4422-159X (3rd).
All Combined Class: The Top 3 competitors shooting any rifle in all 3 classes. Mike Schultz 4459-238X (1st); Matt Kellerman 4458-218X (second), and Dan Burbach 4441-224X (3rd).

N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025
N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025

Here are comments from new shooter Jayson Barnes: “This is truly a special event, if you want to learn from some of the best! The equipment I used was an FX Dynamic in .22 cal with 700mm slug for the Pro and Sportsman classes and a FX Dynamic 30 cal 600mm in the pellet class. I truly now believe the 50 is more difficult and more disciplined than the 100 — you must really zone in or lose a point or 2 and that will cost you. I had never had scope and flag fatigue before, but on the second day it was very hard, you could not take your eyes from your wind flags or you would pay dearly. In the course of 2 days, you had the opportunity to shoot 18 cards of 25 targets per card.

From start to finish, the N50 [event] ran as well as any I have attended in the last 7 years! We were on schedule by the minute or ahead of time the whole time. As most of you know, this is very rare over the course of two days.

The rules and etiquette are straight forward and upheld. The scoring was also top notch and professional. Your previous card was usually already posted when you finished the card you were on!

I want to thank Joe, Lou, and Mike for being great sports and putting up with us, so many 5-star peeps! And the N50 medals are beautiful! I will covet mine forever and yes, I want more.”

National 50 benchrest league Raton NM Whittington Center Air rifle .22 LR
.22 LR Rimfire Rifles and Air Rifles Shooting Side by Side — Same Match, Same Targets.

Air Rifles and .22 LR Rimfires Compete Together
N50 competition is an innovative 50-yard benchrest discipline where .22 LR shooters and Air Rifle aces compete shoulder to shoulder. This modern Rimfire + Airgun sport was created by the National 50 Benchrest League (aka “N50″) which now has 23 registered clubs in 15 U.S. States plus Panama.

National 50 benchrest league Raton NM Whittington Center Air rifle .22 LR
N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025
The NRA Whittington Center has beautiful ranges. Above is an aerial drone view.

About N50 — The National 50 Benchrest League

N50 national league air rifle airgun .22 LR rimfire raton nm august 2025Joe Friedrich, Open Grove Benchrest
The N50 National Benchrest League offers a unique shooting experience. We shoot air rifles with pellets and slugs alongside .22 LR Rimfire shooters. We currently have sanctioned clubs throughout the USA offering competition and good fellowship.

N50 has three Classes: Pellet, Sportsman, and PRO. The first Pellet Class is strictly for pellet airguns ranging in calibers from .177-.30 using Diabolo-style pellets from various manufacturers.

The second class is the Sportsman Slug/Rimfire. This combined class allows any factory air rifle shooting commercially-made slugs in calibers from .177-.30 to compete against any factory rimfire that utilizes a factory-barreled action with no attachments to barrel. Pellet air rifles may also compete in this class.

The third class is the PRO Class, and no you do not have to have some magic card that says “Professional” to compete. This class allows purpose-built air rifles, and what we call “unlimited” rimfire rifles to compete. Three types of loads are allowed in PRO Class: .177 slug air-driven, .22 slug air-driven, and any .22 LR ammunition.

Another point — in N50, competitors are allowed to move up in class — you aren’t restricted to a “lower” division. For example, Pellet Class shooters can also move up to shoot in Sportsman and Pro. In addition, Factory rimfires are allowed in Pro Class. This way shooters with the less-expensive rifles can shoot more relays and also see how they compete with the unlimited rigs. It’s all about having fun.

We wanted to make N50 as simple as we could combining air rifles with rimfire so folks who have a factory rimfire can participate and have fun. We also did not want a lot of classes, so combining the two gun types would be simpler. To be honest we were worried that the rimfires will outpace the air rifles, but that was not the case at this year’s Nationals.

National 50 benchrest league

National 50 Benchrest League Rules and Course of Fire

The official N50 website, National50.net, lists N50 rules, classes, courses of fire, and membership requirements. There are currently 23 affiliated clubs nationwide, with more coming.

General Rules — Here are some of the more notable N50 General Rules that apply to N50 matches:

Target Distance: 50 yards
Match Times: 20 minutes per target
Targets: Official targets produced and distributed by N50
Aggregate Score: Cumulative score of 3 targets shot in sequence on same day
Scoring: No competitor shall score their own target

As far as hardware, N50 is pretty open. For all 3 classes, any scope is allowed and any trigger is allowed. For all 3 classes, stocks are unrestricted, stocks may be bedded, and rifle weight is unlimited. However, the Sportsman Class must retain factory barrel and action. N50 competitors in all classes may use 1-piece rests, 2-piece rests, bags, or bipods — whatever they prefer.

CLICK HERE for More Information and N50 Official Rules »

National 50 benchrest league

CLICK HERE for a free, printable version of the N50 practice target shown above. NOTE: Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage for the printable targets. You can also download the two parts of the N50 target as separate LEFT and RIGHT side PDFs. Download LEFT Side PDF | Download RIGHT Side PDF

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September 7th, 2025

Access 16 Years of Shooting Sports USA Articles — All FREE

Shooting Sports USA competitive shooting high power marksmanship archive SSUSA

Enjoy the Shooting Sports USA Archives
As we head into spring, many Americans will be spending more time at the range. And competitors will be shooting in rimfire and centerfire rifle matches throughout the country. Here’s an opportunity to learn competition skills, gun tuning methods, and reloading techniques from leading experts. A vast resource of great gun-related content available online for FREE. Check out the Shooting Sports USA Articles Archive. SSUSA maintains a vast digital library with hundreds of articles going back to June 2009.

Shooting Sports USA competitive shooting high power marksmanship archive SSUSAIt’s easy to find back issues of Shooting Sports USA magazine. Here’s how: First, navigate to the latest SSUSA Online Issue (September 2025). Then click on the “ARCHIVES” icon in the upper right area (indicated with red arrow). When you click on “ARCHIVES”, a window will open with a selection of Shooting Sports USA magazine covers/dates in a vertical column. The most recent issue (August 2024) will appear at the top left. You can then scroll down — use the vertical scroll bar to go from September 2025 all the way back to June 2009. Click any issue cover to read.

Shooting Sports USA competitive shooting high power marksmanship archive SSUSA
The June 2020 issue features a Palma rifle built with Eliseo Tubegun Chassis System.

How to Find and Save Articles
To search back issues, select “MORE OPTIONS” from the toolbar (top left). Then click the “SEARCH” button. When that opens, select either “Search Archives” for ALL back issues or “Search Only this Issue”. When you’ve made your choice, enter your search term(s). For example, you can search for “Camp Perry” or “Palma” or “F-Class Championship”. You can also save any archived issue as a PDF for viewing offline. Just click “SAVE” to download the article you’re currently viewing/reading.

Shooting Sports USA competitive shooting high power marksmanship archive SSUSA

Read Sample Articles
Here are a three of our favorite SSUSA feature stories from recent years. There are hundreds of other informative articles worth reading.

Wind-Reading Tips from Champion Shooters »

Shooting Sports USA Wind Reading tips

How to Clean and Maintain Match Barrels »

Shooting Sports USA Barrel Maintenance Clean Bore Scope

F-Class World Championships in South Africa »

Shooting Sports USA F-class world championship

F-Class fans will enjoy the coverage of the 2023 F-Class World Championships in the June 2023 issue of Shooting Sports USA. On the cover is our friend and Forum member Erik Cortina. The 2026 F-Class World Championship will be held at the at the world-famous Stickledown range at the Bisley Camp in the UK

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September 6th, 2025

Saturday Movies: Electronic Target Systems Video Showcase

saturday showcase video movie e-target electronic target reviews

Video Reviews Selected by Brandon Green
For this week’s Saturday Showcase, we present seven videos featuring modern Electronic Target Systems. These videos were selected by Brandon Green, one of America’s greatest marksmen. Recent winner of the legendary King’s Prize in the UK, Brandon is a three-time National High Power Champion, and a National Long-Range Champion. Brandon has chosen these videos to illustrate how electronic target systems work, and so viewers can optimize their performance when working with e-Targets, both for live fire and dry-fire training. The first four videos cover electronic live-fire systems for rifles. The second three videos cover dry-fire systems for pistols that can be used indoors.

Electronic Targets for Rifles

e-target shotmarker kongsberg camp perry

Shotmarker Target Unboxing, Overview and Set-Up

The convenience of electronic targets offers the competitive marksman or enthusiast the ability to train and gather data without having to enlist help. These systems allow the shooter to set up a target at any distance where the projectile is supersonic and collect vital data. This system allows you to see impacts on target, get retained velocities, and measure group sizes with remarkable accuracy provided the target frame is square, rigid, and calibrated properly. This 14-minute Ultimate Reloader video will cover the unboxing of the system as well as discussing the capabilities, setup, and calibration for proper use. This ShotMarker unit retails at $799.00 USD. LINK: ShotMarker Product Page.

Long Shot LR-3 Long Range Target Camera

saturday showcase video movie e-target electronic target reviewsWith the versatility of shooting steel or paper targets at distance, the camera style target systems can bring undeniable convenience to your range sessions. These systems can give you both the visual indication of shot placement on target and group sizes right on your phone or tablet.

This video covers unboxing, compatibility, and functionality of the Long Shot LR-3 target camera system with a live fire demo that shows image quality and speed. This impressive system can work out to 2 miles and syncs directly to your device. No range WiFi is required. This Longshot LR-3 Target Camera System is on sale for $899.99 USD.

If you typically shoot inside 1000 yards there are less expensive Long Shot devices. The Ranger+ 1K system is $404.00, The Marksman 300-yard UHD (ultra-high definition) is $449.00, and the Range 100-yard unit is just $224.00. LINK: LongShot Camera Options.

Caldwell Ballistic Precision LR Target Camera System

The Caldwell camera system appears to work similarly to the Long Shot system while coming in at a bit of a reduced cost. This video will cover unboxing, setup, and capabilities as well as a live fire demo that shows video quality and speed. This unit retails at $604.99 USD. LINK: Caldwell Camera System.

Kongsberg Electronic Targets for CMP

The CMP’s outdoor electronic targets at Camp Perry employ Kongsberg Target System (KTS) technology. The system includes monitors at each firing point that instantly display shot scores. The mobile version of the KTS system, which has been featured at CMP Travel Games events and the National Matches highpower series for many years, was used at the 2025 National Matches this summer. The advanced Kongsberg eTarget system at the National Matches will includes the KTS Shooter’s Journal, which keeps a log of each individual’s shots/scores on the firing line. LINK: Kongsberg Target System Products.

Pistol Dry-Fire Training Systems

saturday showcase video movie e-target electronic target reviews

Strikeman Laser Firearm Training System

The Strikeman Laser Training System is another dryfire training aid that allows the user to choose calibrated targets and get instant feedback with the training App on their smartphone. This video covers the unboxing, setup, and demonstration of the system. This unit is sold for $124.98 on the Strikeman website. LINK: Strikeman Pistol Training System.

Mantis Laser Academy Training System

The Mantis Laser Academy is a complete dryfire training system that allows the user to train indoors with the added benefit of getting feedback of shot placement, score on target and split times between shots. This system allows you train on numerous calibrated targets and offers several training drills with the app. You can also adjust your offset if you’re running an optic such as an RMR on your pistol. This kit is sold for $159.00 USD on the Mantis website. LINK: Mantis Laser Academy Kit.

Laser Ammo i-MTTS Target Training System

Laser Ammo’s i-MTTS training system is an interactive training system that allows the shooter to set up a complete indoor training range with various target sizes and shapes. This system allows the user to program drills, group targets together, and track splits with elapsed time. This video will cover the target system, setup, programming and drill demonstrations. This unit starts at $99.95 for a single target or $395.00 for the 5-in-1 combo pack on the Laser Ammo website. LINK: Laser Ammo i-MTTS Target System.

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September 5th, 2025

European F-Class Championships in United Kingdom This Week

stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-open

The 2025 Great Britain F-Class Association (GBFCA) European F-Class Championships take place in the United Kingdom this week from September 2-7, 2025. This match will feature hundreds of F-Open and F-TR competitors. The 2025 “Euros” will be the largest F-Class event ever to be held at the world-famous Stickledown range at the Bisley Camp in the UK, the home of the UK National Rifle Association since 1890. Vihtavuori, Lapua and Berger, known for their world-class reloading powders, brass, ammunition and bullets will be platinum sponsors for the 2025 GBFCA European F-Class Championships.

stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-open
stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-open

The Championships are expected to bring more than 400 top shooters (from over 20 countries) to compete in F-TR and F-Open classes. The event consists of both individual and team matches at 800, 900 and 1,000 yard daily aggregates, and Grand Aggregates on Friday and Saturday.

With the ‘Euros’ taking place less than 12 months before the 2026 F-Class World Championships, also at Bisley, the organizers are expecting a very high level of competition. The world’s top shooters are taking this timely opportunity to experience the famous Stickledown range as part of their preparations for 2026.

stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-open
stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-open
Conditions were challenging earlier in the week — with heavy rains during the competition. But then the skies cleared, revealing a double rainbow. Photos courtesy March Scopes UK.

stickledown range bisley united kingdom england f-Class f-tr f/tr f-openThe European F-Class Championship event is run by the GB F-Class Association. “We’re really thrilled to extend our partnership with these top brands as main sponsors. Working together to create this successful event strengthens the shooting community and offers great development opportunities for our sport”, said Richard Jones, GBFCA committee Chairman.

“The GBFCA European F-Class Championships is one of the world’s long-range shooting highlights. We’re excited and proud to support this event that brings together the world’s top F-class shooters”, states Vihtavuori, Lapua, and Berger Sales & Marketing Manager Olof Borgstrom. Vihtavuori, Lapua and Berger are part of Nammo Group, a leading supplier of high-quality ammunition for military, LEO, and sporting use.

To learn about the 2025 European F-Class Championships, visit GBFclass.com.

bisley f-class stickledown

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September 5th, 2025

Not One, Not Two, But THREE Barrels — Blaser Bockdrilling Rifle

Blaser BD14 Drilling Bockdrilling Shotgun Rifle
CLICK Photo for full-screen view.

If two barrels are better than one, then why not three? That’s the thinking behind the exotic Bockdriling BD14 from Blaser, unveiled at the 2014 IWA Show in Germany. This three-barrel Bockdrilling firearm works as a shotgun, large-caliber rifle, and small-caliber rifle all in one. Even with all those barrels, the BD14 is relatively light, at 3.3 kg (7.26 lbs) without optics. That makes this a nice, carry-around gun for stalking. As you’d expect from Blaser, the twin triggers are crisp and precise, with a pull weight of just 1.43 lbs (650 grams). The front trigger is for the large-caliber rifle barrel, while the rear trigger works both the shotgun and small-caliber barrels, via a tang-mounted selector. These firearms are rare in the USA — and quite expensive. The only Blaser BD 14 we could find on GunBroker had a $9099.95 asking price. That works out to over three grand per barrel.

Blaser BD14 Drilling Bockdrilling Shotgun Rifle

Here’s what Blaser USA has to say about its unique three-barreled BD 14:

“The ‘Bockdrilling’ is, put simply, an over/under (O/U) rifle-shotgun combination with a smaller caliber rifle-barrel… on the side. The barrel arrangement [allows] for an extremely slender receiver, making the BD14 exceptionally huntable.

The [patent-pending] Vertical Block Lockup… combines an extremely compact and solid block lockup in a closed system within the monoblock with the comfortable handling of a classic break-action rifle.

The double lock permits, if needed, a rapid second shot, the front trigger always releasing the large rifle-caliber. The … barrel selector actives the shotgun barrel when in position ‘top’ and activates the smaller rifle caliber in position ‘bottom’.”

Blaser BD14 Drilling Bockdrilling Shotgun Rifle

Why Does Anyone Need Three Barrels?
The Blaser website explains: “As hunters, we learn to expect the unexpected, whether in a blind or stalking, so it’s understandable that we dream of a firearm that will allow us to take advantage of any situation. With the Bockdrilling BD14, Blaser has developed the perfect blind and stalking firearm – compromises are finally a thing of the past.”

Design Features of the Bockdrilling BD 14 Tri-Barrel Gun
The BD14 has a double-lock system so that a second shot can be taken without having to recock the firearm. Blaser says: “Thanks to the free-floating barrels, point of impact remains constant even with a quick succession of shots, no matter which barrel was fired first. The extremely strong vertical block lock on the BD14 helps contribute to the high degree of precision.”

Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Permalink Gear Review, Gunsmithing 1 Comment »
September 4th, 2025

Powder Valley Outdoors Resumes Business After Warehouse Fire

powder valley outdoors warehouse fire rebuilding open business active

Powder Valley Outdoors (“Powder Valley”) is one of the leading reloading component and shooting supplies vendors in the country. Powder Valley has also been a strong supporter of AccurateShooter.com for over a decade. However, as you may have heard, Powder Valley suffered a warehouse fire recently. Thankfully no one was injured and Powder Valley is now fulfilling orders for customers.

Powder Valley is making great progress after the warehouse fire. The company now has a variety of products back in stock — powder, primers, brass, bullets, and more — and Powder Valley is fulfilling orders through trusted industry partners while Powder Valley gets its own warehouse back up and running. Orders can be placed now through the Powder Valley website. The staff at Powder Valley tells us: “Powder Valley would like to say thank you to the entire community for their incredible support and prayers through this time.” To support Powder Valley and place an order, visit PowderValley.com.

Powder Valley: Rising from the Ashes

When a devastating fire tore through Powder Valley’s main warehouse and offices, the loss was total. Everything melted, burned, and destroyed. But through it all, the Powder Valley team is standing strong — grateful that everyone is safe and determined to come back better than ever.

powder valley outdoors warehouse fire rebuilding open business activeIn the immediate aftermath, the team rallied to take care of customers. Kim and Kort from Customer Service worked to make sure orders and support didn’t stop. Jacob, laptop in hand, quickly transitioned to remote operations. Beau jumped in to handle inventory assessments in what was left of the office area. Owners Bryan and Noel Richardson also stepped forward, sharing their story with local news outlets about the impact of the fire and what Powder Valley means to their family and community.

The damage to the facility was extreme, and while Powder Valley is insured, dealing with insurance will take time. In the meantime, the company has partnered with trusted industry allies to fulfill orders, ensuring customers can still get what they need while keeping revenue flowing to sustain operations.

powder valley outdoors warehouse fire rebuilding open business active

“Right now, working with industry partners was the fastest way to get back up and running,” the team explained. “It allows us to continue serving our customers and keep business moving while we navigate insurance and begin planning for our long-term home.”

powder valley outdoors warehouse fire rebuilding open business activeThe road ahead will be long — finding or building a new facility, reorganizing operations, and reestablishing full capacity. But the Richardson family and the entire Powder Valley team are unwavering in their commitment to the shooting sports community. “We’re going to get up and we’re going to keep swinging. We’re going to keep swinging”, Bryan said.

For now, every order placed with Powder Valley helps keep the lights on and supports the rebuild. And the company couldn’t be more grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support from shooters and reloaders across the country. “This incredible community has given us strength and optimism to keep forging ahead,” the team shared. “From the bottom of our hearts — thank you.”

Permalink - Articles, Bullets, Brass, Ammo, News, Reloading 1 Comment »
September 4th, 2025

Protect Your Vision — Use Quality Eye Protection

Safety Eyewear 6.5 Guys 65guys.com

Proper eye protection is ‘must-have’ gear for shooting sports. In addition to providing reliable impact protection, good shooting glasses should be comfortable, fog-free, and not interfere with your preferred hearing protection. Those who require corrective lenses also need to consider the various options available. In a past episode of their Weekly Gear Review, the 6.5 Guys discuss a variety of shooting glasses they have tried, including examples from DeCot, Oakley, and Wiley-X. Ed and Steve outline the key considerations when choosing eye protection, and then review practical aspects of eyewear design and construction that enhance comfort and functionality in the field.

READ FULL ARTICLE ON 65Guys.com »

The 6.5 Guys (Ed and Steve) offer a number of smart tips consider safety eyewear, helping you select the most effective safety glasses at an affordable price. Here are the 6.5 Guys’ KEY Take-aways when choosing shooting glasses, including prescription eyewear:

Key Things To Consider When Choosing Eye Protection

1. Avoid polarized lenses or lenses that reduce light transmission significantly (except for action shooting in very bright conditions with large, close targets).

2. Avoid frame designs that interfere with prone shooting.

3. Avoid designs that easily fog.

4. Avoid frame designs with thicker temples that are uncomfortable to wear underneath hearing protection.

5. Select lenses with an appropriate degree of ballistic protection. CLICK HERE to learn more about eyewear safety standards.

6. When you get your prescription, be sure your ophthalmologist includes the interpupillary distance. This is a critical measurement particularly for heavier prescriptions.

7. If you have a complicated prescription select a vendor who will actually spend time with you to address any concerns.

Horrific .50 BMG Kaboom — Eye Saved by Protective Eyewear

Think you don’t need eye protection? Watch this video starting at 4:10. The screw-on barrel “cap” (chamber closure) of the .50 BMG action flies into the shooter’s face. Without eye protection the shooter would have definitely lost his right eye. (See video at 5:20 for analysis).

Safety First — Your Eyes Are Irreplaceable
Safety Eyewear 6.5 Guys 65guys.comAccurate shooting begins and ends with the human eye. Your career as a marksman could be cut short if you don’t use good eye protection every time you go to the range and/or handle a firearm.

Every year, over 1,000,000 people suffer serious eye injuries. Shooting is hazardous; it is estimated that there are 30,000 firearms-related eye injuries each year (if you include paintball sports.) After paintball, general hunting accidents comprise most firearms-related eye injuries.

Quality eye protection need not be expensive. You can find comfortable, ANSI Z87.1-certified shooting glasses for under $10.00.

If you select shooting glasses carefully, and ensure that your eyewear is safety-certified, inexpensive shooting glasses can perform very well. But you need to avoid cheap, soft-plastic lenses that claim “impact resistance” without satisfying a testing standard.

For more comprehensive information on safety eyewear, read the AccurateShooter’s Guide to Eye Protection for Shooters.

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September 4th, 2025

Hornady Case Prep Trio Power Tool — Compact and Effective

Hornady Case Prep Assistant Trio

Nobody likes to spend hours manually chamfering cases and cleaning primer pockets. There are simple hand tools that will perform these tasks, but the process is time-consuming and tedious after a couple dozen cases. To speed up case prep duties, you can get one of the large, powered case prep centers. These function well, but frankly we didn’t want to give up that much precious space on our reloading bench. One good solution is Hornady’s compact Lock-N-Load Case Prep Trio (item 050160). This triple-threat tool packs a lot of functionality in a small package.

Hornady Case Prep Assistant Trio

This cleverly-designed powered tool has a small footprint, yet it can perform three tasks as well as much more expensive, tower-style case prep units. The Hornady Case Prep Trio $139.99 at Midsouth, $144.65 at Precision Reloading, and $146.99 on Amazon. We’ve used this machine and it works well. The only negative is that you will get metal shavings on your bench (unlike some of the larger case prep centers). We’ve seen some guys put a small pan under the power head — then you can just dump the shavings out of the pan.

With three active stations, you can chamfer, deburr and clean primer pockets without having to change tools. The Case Prep Trio ships with inside chamfer, outside chamfer, and deburr tools. You can also use the machine with other optional 8/32 threaded accessories such as primer pocket reamers, primer pocket uniformers, and case neck brushes. CLICK HERE to see all tool options. Conveniently, the Case Prep Trio has on-board storage for your tool-heads. User reviews have been very positive.

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September 3rd, 2025

Hunting 101: Tips and Tactics for Successful Fall Hunts

Kristy Titus hunter hunting video bipod shooting position

Hunting season is coming soon in most parts of the country. As part of NRA Women TV, hunting guide Kristy Titus hosts a series of videos that explain important strategies and shooting skills for hunters. These videos can help you prepare for a fall hunt. Titus is a certified instructor who has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In these videos, Kristy discusses demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt. She also explains preparation for a hunt, including fitness training.

Click each link below to watch other Kristy Titus Hunting Videos.

Kristy Titus preparing for hunt positional shooting hunter hunting video bipod shooting position

Kristy Titus follow up shots hunter hunting video bipod shooting position

Kristy Titus hunter hunting video bipod shooting ethical shots position

Kristy says: “When it comes to bolt-action rifle fit, there is no ‘one size fits all’. When picking out your rifle [consider options] after the purchase to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.”

Kristy Titus hunter hunting video bipod shooting position

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