Do you own a Springfield M1A (or wish you did)? Then you should watch this 5-minute video from the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI). This video shows the basics of the operation of the popular M1A rifle, the civilian version of the military M14. In this video, gunsmith John Bush field-strips the M1A and shows how the bolt, op rod, and trigger group fits together and operates. This video contains excerpts from the M1A Rifle Armorer’s Course, AGI Course #1584. The full Armorer’s Course is available on DVD from www.AmericanGunsmith.com.
Watch Highlights of AGI M1A Rifle Armorer’s Course:
2022 CMP Springfield M1A Match at Camp Perry
The 15th annual Springfield Armory M1A Match will take place during the 2022 CMP National Rifle Matches. The CMP will host the event on Sunday, August 7, 2022, the same weekend as the Garand/Springfield/Vintage Military matches. Competitors of all experience levels are encouraged to bring their M1A rifles to Camp Perry and compete. CLICK HERE for Online REGISTRATION. The match is open to all individuals ages 12 and above. For more information contact the CMP at competitions@thecmp.org or call 419-635-2141 ext. 724 or 714.
The Springfield Armory M1A match began with one man’s idea and passion. Springfield Armory’s Mike Doy witnessed the waning of classic M1 Garand and M1A rifles from the competitive High Power firing lines. “I really wanted to get those M1A rifles out of safes and closets and back out onto the field. So 11 years ago, I promoted the idea of running an M1A-specific match at Camp Perry. That first year we had over 600 competitors and spectators.” Now the match offers some of the biggest pay-outs at Camp Perry. In recent years, Springfield Armory has donated over $25,000 worth of cash and prizes, including a $2,000 cash award to the overall winner.
We’ve been hearing that top-name bullets are in short supply right now, particularly in popular .224, 6mm and .308 calibers. Here’s a new option for HPBT bullets that can serve for practice and local club matches. Creedmoor Sports now offers American Bullet Company bullets. These are “seconds” from a major bullet-maker, but they can be a good choice for competitors who want to spend more time on the range perfecting their position, trigger pull, and wind-reading skills.
Creedmoor Sports states: “American Bullet Company bullets technically are factory seconds, and are priced accordingly to provide more range time without breaking the bank. But, since Distinguished Rifleman Scott Young recently shot scores of 597 and 600 out of 600, with very high X counts, it’s easy to see they do not sacrifice on performance.” You can buy these bullets and save up to 50% compared to first-run offerings. Then you may want to sort the bullets by weight and/or base-to ogive measurement.
We think these are a good choice for service rifle shooters as well as M1 Garand, M1A, and 1903 Springfield shooters running .30-06 or .308 Win chamberings. And, at just $22.95 per 100 and $104.95 per 500, the 52gr and 55gr .224 bullets will also work well for high-volume varmint shooters.
These bullets are available in a .224, .243 (6mm), and .308 calibers in a variety of bullet weights. Choose 100-ct, 250-ct, or 500-ct boxes.
SIG Freedom Days — one of the biggest shooting events in America — was a huge success last weekend. Over 4000 firearms fans attended the first-ever SIG Freedom Days fun shoot/gear demo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
Over the weekend of May 6-8, 2022, 4000+ guests participated in the inaugural SIG Freedom Days — a unique, consumer-focused shooting experience. Attendees had the opportunity to shoot a wide variety of SIG Sauer firearms including the new SPECTRE series guns, the P320/P320-M17/P320-M18, the EDC P365 series, and the MCX rifle in multiple configurations. Participants also enjoyed an exclusive first look at the soon-to-be-released CROSS PRS and P320 X10. Additionally, many attendees were able to shoot the SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons: the MCX-SPEAR (XM5) and the SIG-LMG (XM250).
The event included live daily demonstrations from Team SIG’s pro shooters: Max Michel, Dan Horner, Lena Miculek, and Jerry Miculek. There were also machine gun demonstrations, K9 demonstrations and more. But the big attraction was being able to shoot a variety of SIG Sauer firearms. The $75/day fee included ammunition for pistols, rifles, and shotguns.
SIG FREEDOM DAYS Participants Were Able to:
— Shoot nearly 50 new and existing SIG SAUER firearms
— Learn from world-class SIG SAUER Academy Instructors
— Shoot Mossberg Shotguns and Xpedition Archery Crossbows
— Shoot the SIG SAUER “Next Generation” Machine Gun (additional fee)
— See stage presentations by pro shooters, industry leaders, and personalities
— Watch live demos by Team SIG pros Max Michel, Dan Horner, Lena Miculek, and Jerry Miculek.
“As a company we challenged ourselves to… bring our brand right to the consumer outside of the typical tradeshow and retail environment and offer enthusiasts, second amendment advocates, [and] SIG lovers an authentic hands-on total SIG experience. SIG Freedom Days connected the consumer with the product in a first-of-its-kind range event…”, stated Tom Taylor, SIG SAUER Chief Marketing Officer & Executive VP, Commercial Sales.
SIG Freedom Days major sponsors included USCCA,, Mossberg Shotguns, XPEDITION Archery, 5.11 Tactical, Guns.com, Fieldcraft Survival, and Black Rifle Coffee Company. Additional sponsors included Arizona Fish & Game, Hogue Knives, Silencer Shop, Tactacam, and Timney Triggers. Non-profit partners included the Best Defense Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition.
The NRA 2022 Annual Meetings & Exhibits will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center May 27-29 in Houston, Texas. The Exhibit Hall is open all three days and will showcase over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear from the most popular companies in the industry. From entertainment to special events, it’s all happening in Houston over Memorial Day weekend.
There is FREE Admission for NRA members and their immediate family. On-site walk-up registration is available for NRA members and you can also join NRA on-site to access the show. CLICK HERE to book hotel rooms with optimal locations and special NRA discounted rates.
Admission to the event is FREE for NRA members and their immediate family (some special events do require paid tickets). You can register on-site, as Advanced Registration has now closed for the 2022 event. Walk-up registration will be available on-site for members and you can join NRA on-site as well.
Get the latest information on the 151th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits at NRAAM.org.
NOTE: Monday, May 30th is Memorial Day, a holiday for most workers. So, if you decide to attend the NRA Annual Meetings, you can come back on Monday without missing a day of work.
California young adults (18 to 20 years) can now own a semi-auto rifle such as this Browning for hunting, self defense, and target shooting. The 9th Circuit struck down a California law as unconstitutional.
Report from Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)
On May 11, 2022, A three-judge panel for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a California prohibition on sales of semi-automatic rifles to 18- to 20-year-old young adults. The 9th Circuit then remanded the case, Jones v. Bonta, back to the District Court for further proceedings. This ruling is a major victory for firearms rights. The fight against California’s unconstitutional restriction was led by a coalition of Second Amendment advocate groups.
In this legal action, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), was joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc., Firearms Policy Foundation, Calguns Foundation, Poway Weapons and Gear and PWG Range, North County Shooting Center, Inc, Beebe Family Arms and Munitions, and three private citizens, including Matthew Jones for whom the case is named. Download Jones v. Bonta PDF.
The majority opinion was written by Judge Ryan Nelson and joined by Judge Kenneth Lee, both Donald Trump appointees, and in part by Judge Sidney Stein from the Southern District of New York, a Bill Clinton appointee. Judge Stein also dissented in part.
Writing for the majority, Judge Nelson observed, “(T)he Second Amendment protects the right of young adults to keep and bear arms, which includes the right to purchase them. The district court reasoned otherwise and held that the laws did not burden Second Amendment rights at all: that was legal error…(T)he district court erred by applying intermediate scrutiny, rather than strict scrutiny, to the semiautomatic centerfire rifle ban. And even under intermediate scrutiny, this ban likely violates the Second Amendment because it fails the ‘reasonable fit’ test.”
“We are delighted with the opinion,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The court majority rightly recognized that delaying the exercise of a right until age 21 does irreparable harm. It also applied strict scrutiny to the semi-auto ban.”
Gottlieb noted this ruling could have an impact on another case challenging a similar prohibition in Washington State, which is also part of the Ninth Circuit. There, the prohibition was adopted via a citizen initiative in 2018, and was challenged by SAF and the National Rifle Association. ABA Journal related article.
“America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army,” wrote Judge Ryan Nelson in his majority opinion.
“Today, we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice: the right of young adults to keep and bear arms,” Nelson wrote.
Story based on Report from NRA-ILA
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reports that, as of April 30, 2022, Florida now has over 2.5 million firearms permit holders. This number has steadily risen every year and is more than double the total from 2012. The 2.5 million permits represents 11% of Florida’s 22 million residents, and 14% of all adult Floridians (18 and over). This comes after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced last week that he plans to sign Constitutional Carry legislation into law while he is Governor.
Twenty-five states now have permitless or “Constitutional Carry” in the United States. Four states, including Florida’s neighbor states Georgia and Alabama, enacted Constitutional Carry laws this year. Officially, half of the nation’s 50 states now recognizes the right of law-abiding adults to carry a concealed firearm without first having to obtain government permission and pay a tax. This ensures that citizens have the right to self-defense without government red tape or delays.
The NRA-ILA will continue to update members and supporters on this and other Second Amendment issues in the Sunshine State. Visit www.NRAILA.org for more information.
More Information for Gun Owners with Carry Permits
Many of our readers use AR-type rifles for Service Rifle matches, varmint hunting, 3-Gun competition, or defensive use. AR-platform rifles can be configured in a multitude of ways to suit the application. But if you plan to put together your own purpose-built AR rifle, how do you get started?
For AR Do-It-Yourselfers, we suggest reading the late Glen Zediker’s book, the Competitive AR-15 Builders Guide. Following on Zediker’s The Competitive AR15: Ultimate Technical Guide, the Builders Guide provides step-by-step instructions that will help non-professional “home builders” assemble a competitive match or varmint rifle. This book isn’t for everyone — you need some basic gun assembly experience and an aptitude for tools. But the Competitive AR-15 Builders’ Guide provides a complete list of the tools you’ll need for the job, and Zediker outlines all the procedures to build an AR-15 from start to finish.
One of our Forum members who purchased the AR-15 Builders Guide confirms it is a great resource: “Much like any of the books Mr. Zediker puts out this one is well thought-out and is a no nonsense approach to AR building. I can not stress how helpful this book is from beginner to expert level.”
Along with assembly methods, this book covers parts selection and preparation, not just hammers and pins. Creedmoor Sports explains: “Knowing how to get what you want, and be happy with the result, is truly the focus of this book. Doing it yourself gives you a huge advantage. The build will honestly have been done right, and you’ll know it! Little problems will have been fixed, function and performance enhancements will have been made, and the result is you’ll have a custom-grade rifle without paying custom-builder prices.” Other good resources for AR projects is Gunsmithing the AR: The Bench Manual, and the Building Your AR from Scratch DVD.
LawShield, America’s largest provider of Legal Defense for Self Defense® coverage, offers a National Travel Guide for Gun Owners and state-specific Travel Guides for Gun Owners. These guides feature practical information for people traveling through nearly every state in the USA.
State-Specific Travel Guides — Access for FREE
State-specific Travel Guides and a National Travel Guide for Gun Owners can be accessed for FREE on the the U.S. LawShield website. For planning future travel, bookmark Resources.uslawshield.com/travel-guide,
According to Kirk Evans, President of U.S. LawShield, “Because there are so many details for people to understand before they leave home, we developed state-specific guides to help folks stay on the right side of the law. Take the time to learn the laws before hitting the road because they are not the same everywhere. Don’t wait until after the fact to plan for your guns when preparing for your trip.”
Travel Guide for Gun Owners Topics:
Permits/licenses recognized by specific states
State laws you should know, including vehicle carry, duty to notify law enforcement, and open and concealed carry laws
Where you can legally carry your gun
Federal laws you should know
Carrying in National Parks
Transfer of firearms
Traveling from state to state and the Safe Passage provision
Flying with a firearm, including TSA requirement warnings and how to pack ammunition
Driving with a firearm
Two Knowledgeable Attorneys Explain State Law Issues When Traveling
In this video U.S. LawShield Independent Program Attorneys Richard Hayes and Emily Taylor provide essential information for traveling with firearms. Discussion includes essential information needed to stay safe and responsible while traveling with firearms.
Know the Laws of Every State You Travel Through
“There is no standardization of gun laws within the 50 individual states, so even if a state recognizes your handgun license or permit, they may have additional restrictions on certain types of firearms, magazines, or ammunition,” said Evans. “In some states, it’s illegal for a non-resident to possess a firearm in the passenger compartment of their vehicle. And, because you are subject to a state’s laws when you are in that state, if you break their laws, you could be committing a crime — whether you think you intentionally broke the law or not,” he added.
“Remember, not knowing the law is not a valid defense,” stated Evans. “Use our Travel Guide for Gun Owners for whatever state you’re traveling through, and learn which states honor your carry license or permit before you go.”
So, are you feeling lucky? Then you may want to head over to Brownells.com. Right now Brownells and SIG SAUER are running a cool contest, with an impressive Grand Prize valued at $9,999.00.
PRIZE PACKAGE: Brownells customers will get a chance to win a SIG MCX-Spear chambered in .277 Fury, along with a training class hosted at the SIG SAUER Academy, airfare to the class and lodging, and an SLX suppressor. The hardware and the Academy training trip have a combined value of $9,999.00.
The contest runs through May 15, 2022. Get more INFO or enter via the Brownells SIG MCX-Spear & Training Sweepstakes page. No purchase is necessary. However, the winner must be legally eligible to own the SIG MCX-Spear, and must be from a state where Suppressors and Short Barreled Rifles are legal with the ATF tax stamp.
.277 Fury — Modern Hybrid Cartridge That Delivers Amazing Velocities
The .277 Fury cartridge (shown below) is the same length as the .308 Winchester and has a unique hybrid three-piece cartridge case allowing for increased pressures that drive bullets at high velocities. The MCX-Spear is the civilian version of the SIG rifle recently chosen by the US Army as the new Next Generation Squad Weapons System.
“Right now, civilian variants of the MCX-Spear are very limited in number and almost impossible to find,” said Brownells Marketing V.P. Ryan Repp. “This giveaway is a great chance for somebody to win one, and we’re very happy we can partner with a great company like SIG SAUER to offer this fantastic prize.”
MCX-Spear Rifle Features Short Barrel and Suppressor
The MCX-Spear Prize Rifle is a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) with a 13″ barrel and SLX suppressor optimized for this and its special ammunition. Both the rifle and suppressor are subject to Federal paperwork and rules under the ATF. Brownells will cover the $400 for the two required tax stamps. Obviously, the winner will need to live in a state that permits suppressors and short-barreled rifles.
Here is one of Bill Reid’s 6mmBR (6BR) rigs. Like his Sako 6 PPC, this is exceptionally accurate.
AccurateShooter Forum member Bill White (aka “CT10Ring”) is a New Yorker who relocated to Idaho in his senior years. From his Idaho home, Bill enjoys long-range target shooting. But his favorite gun pastime is varmint hunting in nearby states — the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. Every year he loads up his truck and hits the road, often doing a grand circle route, visiting prairie dog havens in multiple states.
Bill has a large rifle collection, most of which see duty in the varmint fields of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Here are his key “take-aways” for his eight favorite varmint chamberings: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, .22-250, .22 BR, .22-243, 6 PPC, 6mmBR, and 6-6.5×47 Lapua (aka 6×47).
Eight Great Varmint Cartridge Types — .204, .224, .243 Calibers
.204 Ruger — This delivers great velocity with the little .20-caliber bullets, with mild recoil. The .204 Ruger easily reaches out to 400 yards, but heavier winds do move the tiny bullet around. Tremendous splat factor under 250 yards. I use Sierra 39gr bullets with IMR 8208 XBR in a Sako 75. Even now, .204 Ruger ammo is relatively easy to find.
.223 Remington — Probably the most popular centerfire rifle round in the USA, the .223 Rem offers inexpensive brass, and is a great choice for AR-15 owners. If you run short on ammo, you can find it nearly everywhere. I often bring one AR-15 and one .223 Rem bolt gun on varmint safaris. My Rem 700 5R 1:9″-twist barrel likes 53gr V-Max bullets.
.22 BR — My .22 BR is my first choice for most prairie dog missions. Accuracy is superb with necked-down 6mmBR Lapua brass — quarter-MOA and blazing fast. With the right twist rate, this chambering can shoot anything from 40gr FB bullets to 80gr VLDs. Load development is easy. Below is my .22 BR ammo for another varmint trip. I use 55gr Sierra BlitzKings with Varget in my 1:12″-twist Shilen-barreled rifle. 60gr Bergers are very accurate with a fairly flat trajectory for useful distances.
.22-250 Rem — A classic varmint cartridge, the .22-250 with 50gr V-Maxs delivers spectacular hits. If three P-Dogs happen to be lined up, I’ve witnessed one .22-250 shot take ‘em all out with a triple hit. I currently have five .22-250-chambered rifles: 3 Sako 75s, one Rem 700, and a single shot Nesika that shoots tiny groups. I favor the very deadly Berger 52gr Varmint HP. Making a custom .22-250? With a 1:8″-twist barrel you can use the full weight range of .22-cal bullets, while spinning the lighter bullets fast for “red mist” effect. Remember this cartridge can be a barrel burner. Don’t shoot too many rounds too quickly.
.22-243 Win — This wildcat is even more potent than the .22-250, delivering devastating results on P-Dogs. Run a .243 Win case slowly through a full-length .22-243 die, with plenty of lube to form the brass. I start with Lapua .243 Win brass. There can be some issues necking-down the brass. Watch for donuts forming at the neck-shoulder junction. I bought my .22-243 rifle not sure how it would perform. But now I love shooting it. My .22-243 delivers half-MOA groups with 41.0 grains RL-22 and Hornady 75gr Amax bullets. With those 75-grainers, it’s great in the wind and good to 600 yards easily.
6 PPC — You may consider the 6 PPC a benchrest competition cartridge only, requiring fire-forming. However I have an original Sako 75 single-shot 6 PPC rifle that I load with Sako-headstamp 6 PPC brass (see below) so no fire-forming is required. This Sako 75 came with a test target that measured 0.113″! With my 6 PPC Sako, I found that 58gr V-Maxs, pushed by Vihtavuori N133, are potent out to 300 yards. [Editor’s NOTE: As the Sako brass is no longer available, new 6 PPC shooters will need to fire-form their brass, or try to find Norma 6 PPC brass.]
6mmBR — The 6mmBR Norma (6BR) offers a nearly unbeatable combination of accuracy, efficiency, and tunability. With the 6BR and a fast twist barrel, you can shoot everything from 40gr flat-base bullets to the latest 105-110gr match bullets. I load Lapua brass, Vihtavuori N135, and Hornady 58, 65, and 75gr bullets for my Krieger 1:14″-twist HV barrel. While this cartridge is capable of long-range accuracy, I usually limit my 6BR shots to 350-400 yards.
6-6.5×47 Lapua — I have a nice 6-6.5×47 Lapua varmint rifle, with Surgeon action and Manners stock. I Cerakoted the barreled action and then bedded the action. Shown below is 6-6.5×47 ammo I loaded for testing. Note how I separated different bullets and powder loads into multiple, labeled bags. Hodgdon H4350 is a great choice for this cartridge — 39 grains H4350 with 105gr Amax was the winner here, but 88gr Bergers also shot well. This cartridge has tremendous “critter dismantling” abilities out to 600-700 yards.
Six Tips for Novice Long Range Varmint Hunters
1. Take twice as much ammo you think you may need. The fields could be particularly rich, or, because of wind or other variables, you may have far more misses than expected.
2. When possible, set up with the wind at your back (or, alternatively, directly ahead). This will minimize the effect of cross-winds. Set up a stake with a ribbon to show wind direction.
3. Bring at least two rifles. Ideally one would be a low-recoil rifle with cheaper components for the closer shots. Then bring a rifle with higher-BC bullets for longer shots where wind is a bigger factor.
4. Check the weather before you head out. Prairie dogs like sunshine and calm conditions. If a cloudy, very blustery day is predicted, considering staying in town and cleaning the rifles.
5. Bring plenty of water on a trip. An adult male should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water (or other liquid) every day — more if it’s very hot or you are sweating a lot.
6. Preferably always hunt with a companion. If you do go out solo, have a Garmin inReach SatComm/GPS for emergencies if there is no cell coverage in your location.
Many of our readers use AR-type rifles for Service Rifle matches, varmint hunting, 3-Gun competition, or defensive use. AR-platform rifles can be configured in a multitude of ways to suit the application. But if you plan to put together your own purpose-built AR rifle, how do you get started?
