At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Today is Father’s Day 2020. Here are our select Father’s Day Bargain selections for Dad. You’ll find some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
⏺ Kestrel 5500 Bluetooth with Weather-Vane and DROP D3 in Case
This Father’s Day, give Dad a Kestrel Weather Spotter Kit. With this portable weather monitoring kit, dad can view real-time weather conditions, chart trends for forecasting, and share weather data remotely on a mobile device with the FREE Kestrel LiNK App. This Kit, normally $614.00, is now on Sale for just $449.00. Kit includes: Kestrel 5500 Weather Meter with LiNK Bluetooth, Kestrel DROP D3, Vane Mount, Ultrapod Mini Tripod, Carrying Case.
⏺ Holds TWO rifles, Sizes up to 55″, Lots of Pockets, Handy Shoulder Straps
Finding a good quality rifle case that has plenty of room for gun and accessories can be a challenge. Check out these Savior double rifle casesTWO rifles and just about all the accessories you’d want to pack. While there are many other smaller tactical rifle cases, Savior offers 51″ and 55″ models that will hold long match rifles and PRS rigs with suppressors.
3. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Ruger 10/22, $199.99
⏺ Great Starter Rifle, Weaver Scope Rail, 18.5″ Barrel
The Ruger 10/22 is one of the most popular .22 LR rifles of all time. With lots of affordable .22 LR ammo available now, there’s never been a better time to shoot a rimfire. Now, for just $199.00 at Sportsman’s Warehouse, you can get a nice Ruger 10/22 Carbine with a synthetic stock and built-in Weaver scope rail. For under $200 this is a deal you can’t pass up.
4. Grafs.com — Peterson Brass, Popular and NEW Cartridge Types
⏺ Consistent Neck Walls, New 7mmBR and .30-06, Nice Ammo Box
Ever since Peterson Brass hit the market it’s been embraced by shooters in just about every discipline and for good reason. It’s incredibly uniform, has strong primer pockets, and is competitively priced. Graf & Sons has one of the best selections of Peterson Brass including the new 7mmBR and .30-06 SPR at prices that are tough to beat. To top it all off, all Peterson Brass ships in nice plastic ammo boxes.
5. Midsouth Shooters — Leupold VX-Freedom Sale
⏺ Made-in-USA, Great Warranty, Many Reticle Options, Good Value
Leupold scopes are American-made and Leupold offers one of the best warranties in the business. If you’re looking for a great scope for an AR or similar platform check out the VX-Freedom line of scopes. They feature zoom ranges from 1.5-4X up to 6-18X. Leupold also offers a wide choice of reticles.
6. Midsouth Shooters — Lapua .22 LR Rimfire Ammo Sale
⏺ Superb Accuracy with Pistol, Rifle, and Biathlon Types
Lapua makes some of the best .22 LR rimfire ammo on the planet. The high-end Lapua .22 LR ammunition has won Olympic Gold medals and World Championships. Now you can save big on a variety of Lapua .22 LR rifle and pistol Rimfire ammo at Midsouth Shooters. For target rifle and NRL-22 competition we think Lapua Center-X offers a good balance of price and performance.
⏺ Secondary or RV Safe, Electronic Lock plus Key, Silent Entry Option
Need a small vertical safe for your workshop, loading room, remote cabin, or RV? This Legend Range & Field 4-Gun Safe can fill the bill. It has an electronic lock and backup key, and secures with five 1″ locking bolts. This small safe also includes a bolt-down kit for added security. At $183.30 this safe offers significantly more protection than a thin-walled security locker, for not much more money. Save $37 with this promotion at Gander Outdoors. NOTE: If you have the safe shipped to your house, there is a $50.00 Shipping Fee. Exterior Dimensions: 55″H x 11.6″W x 11″D
8. Amazon — Monstrum Rubberized Scope Caps, $9.99
⏺ Many Sizes for Eye Piece and Objective, Heavy-Duty Rubberized Protection
With the cost of optics these days, you MUST protect your glass. Unfortunately, very few high-end scopes come with lens protectors. These heavy-duty Monstrum rubberized scope caps offer great protection and are available in all kinds of sizes to fit most scopes. Choose basic black or hunters may prefer the Flat Dark Earth (tan) Monstrom Lens Covers. NOTE — Eyepiece and Objective covers sold separately for $9.99 each.
9. Amazon — EZ2C 40pk Games Target Set, $19.67
⏺ 40 Target Sheets, 4 Hi-Viz Styles, with Repair Pasters
Shooting at regular paper targets or swinging steel can get pretty boring especially if you are shooting with a friend or kids. We like these assorted EZ2C Targets. They are bright and colorful, and fun to shoot. There are four target types, 10 each of Dart Board, Big to Small Circles, Ship Battle, and Tic-Tac-Toe.
Have you tried IMR Enduron powders yet (IMR 4166, 4451, 4955, and 7977)? We’ve been impressed with what we’ve seen. IMR’s line of Enduron extruded powders offer excellent temp stability, reduced copper fouling, and good load density for many popular cartridges (such as .223 Rem, 6mmBR, .308 Win, .30-06, 300 WSM to name a few). Some of our Forum members have reported excellent results with IMR 4166 in the 6mmBR, Dasher, 6.5×47 Lapua and .308 Win. One member wrote: “in my 6.5×47… 4166 gives speeds and accuracy pretty much exactly the same as Varget.” And other shooters have observed reduced copper fouling with Enduron series powders, so IMR’s Enduron anti-fouling chemistry does seem to work.
Varmint hunters, big game hunters, match shooters and military snipers all seek powders that are insensitive to temperature changes. These powders all have it. This translates to point of impact and group size remaining the same, no matter what temperature conditions prevail. Another huge benefit is an additive that prevents copper fouling from building during dozens of rounds being fired. Here the advantage is top accuracy for longer periods of time, and less cleaning time.
A third major accomplishment with this technology is ideal load density. Experienced reloaders know that a case-filling load often delivers the most uniform velocities and best accuracy. We see this in popular match cartridges such as the 6PPC, 6mmBR, 6BRA, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win. These new Enduron powders offer excellent “full case” load density for the most commonly used cartridges with popular bullets.
These three powders, IMR 4166, IMR 4451 and IMR 7977, are environmentally friendly by not having any ingredients harmful to the environment. Add to that, the three of them cover the most popular cartridges from .204 Ruger up to the mighty 500 Nitro Express, and the handloader “has it all”.
Yes, there WILL be a Precision Rifle Expo in 2020! With the economy reopening, event organizers have confirmed that the popular gathering WILL take place in September. This year, the PRE will be held September 26-27, 2020, at the Arena Training Facility in Blakely, Georgia. Registration is now open.
The Precision Rifle Expo (PRE) has opened registration for its 3rd annual, 2-day event featuring top brands in the tactical/precision rifle market. Manufacturers will showcase actions, optics, ammo, reloading equipment, stocks, chassis, electronics, supporting equipment (bags and tripods), rifles, triggers, suppressors, and much more. There will be training sessions on precision handloading, wind reading, marksmanship, ballistic devices, and PRS competition.
The event will continue to offer hands-on instruction plus demonstration of rifle systems at long range, along with displays from 50+ important companies. At last year’s event exhibitors included Applied Ballistics, AMP Annealing, MPA, Vudoo Gunworks as well as many action builders and optics manufacturers.
Attendee Registration for Event
Attendees may register now for the 2020 PRE. Pre-registration is $35 with onsite registration at $50. Pre-registrants will not receive a ticket and are asked to proceed to the Check-In Tent where a wrist band will be provided for admission. This year, attendees will not have to pre-register for any of the classes. Classes will be posted on the website and at the event.
PRE organizers state: “2020 promises attendees an outstanding opportunity to access the exhibitor tent, attend multiple education classes taught by leading names in the precision rifle category, and various range experiences. Novices and professionals, competitors, and industry experts, all converge on one of the Country’s premier shooting facilities to learn from each other and test their skills[.]”
Here is a video covering last year’s event:
Exhibitor Companies Can Still Register with the 2020 Precision Rifle Expo
Would you like to exhibit your company’s products at the 2020 PRE? There are still Exhibitor spaces available. Contact Phil Cashin at 770-401-3572 or precisionrifleexpo@gmail.com for more info or to reserve your exhibit space.
Arena Training Facility — 2300 Acres with Ranges out to 2100m
The 2300-acre Arena Training Facility is a premier shooting facility with multiple shooting ranges from 50m to 2100m. Arena’s 1000-yard covered Known Distance range offers multiple benches, steel and paper targets out to 1000 yards. On Arena’s UKD (unknown distance) range shooters can engage steel out to 2300 yards. This 2100m UKD range boasts a 3-Story Shooting Tower, Air-Conditioned Shoot House, and multiple Positional Challenges.
At the 2018 EXPO, Long-Range Clinics were held on the 1000-yard Range:
Brownells is running a big Father’s Day Sale now through June 21, 2020 (at 11:59 pm ET). Scores of popular products are deeplyl discounted — up to 40% Off. Save on AR Lowers/Uppers, Triggers, Optics, Chassis Systems, Magazines, Tools, Ammo and more. But you don’t want to delay too long — Brownells Memorial Weekend Sale runs through 11:59 pm on Monday, May 25, 2020. There nearly 1200 products on sale including: Barreled Actions, Chassis Systems, Magazines, Tools, Dies, Reloading Presses, Berger Bullets, Leupold Scopes, Leica Rangefinders, Lapua Brass, and much more.
Here are our TOP DOZEN hot Father’s Day Deals at Brownells today. CLICK HERE view all items on sale (1187 total as this is released):
Click on Photos to Access Sale items at Brownells.com
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 Glen Zedicker’s book, the Competitive AR-15 Builders Guide. Following on Zedicker’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 AR-15 Builders’ Guide provides a complete list of the tools you’ll need for the job, and Zedicker 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.
Do you enjoy 3-Gun competition or other types of “Action Shooting”? Then you should visit the USAMU Facebook Page today Friday, June 19th at 2:00 pm Eastern.
There will be a LIVE Q & A session today. Members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) will answer questions about Action Shooting, about the USAMU in general, and about the U.S. Army. This is a great opportunity to communicate directly with some of the top 3-gun shooters in the nation. If you have specific questions, then post a comment on the USAMU’s Facebook page before the session.
Want to learn more about Action Shooting? This Virtual Tour Video first tours the USAMU training center. Then team members show the rifles, pistols, and shotguns they use in Multi-Gun competition.
SFC Daniel Horner — Greatest 3-Gunner Ever?
Though now a civilian competing for SIG Sauer, SFC Daniel Horner was a USAMU superstar. One of the best 3-Gun competitors in history, Horner was blazing fast (and wicked accurate) with all three guns.
As a soldier with the USAMU, Horner was a true phenom with rifle, pistol, and shotgun, winning multiple 3-Gun titles against tough competition. When he was on his game, no one on the planet was better in the 3-Gun arena. His record of major multi-gun championships may never be rivaled. He has won over 125 major events/titles at the world, national, regional, and state level.
Daniel Horner Major Titles
10-Time USPSA Multi-Gun National Champion
4-Time 3-Gun Nation Pro Series Champion
2014 NRA World Shooting Championship Winner
2-Time Int’l Sniper Competition Team Winner
2-Time IDPA National Champion
IPSC Shotgun National Champion
Rifle Grip, Stance, and Body Position for Action Shooting Competition
In this action-packed video, SFC Horner gives tips on how to properly handle a semi-automatic rifle, including grip, stance and body position.
Trigger images from PrimaryArms.com, which sells all the triggers reviewed here: Geissele, Elftmann, Timney, and ALG Defense.
Are you thinking of upgrading the trigger system for your AR-platform rifle? There are dozens of options available, from $45 up to $300. Thankfully, Brownells has created video reviews of some of the more popular AR trigger options from Timney, Geissele, and ALG Defense. And we included a video review of the highly-regarded Elftmann Match Trigger. If you want the best solution for Service Rifle competition, you might favor the Geisselle. For ease of installation, it’s hard to beat the Timney, a “drop-in” module. Like the Timney, the super-smooth Elftman is a drop-in module. At $249.00 it’s pricey, but it is one of the best AR triggers out there. If you’re on a tight budget, the best “bang for your buck” may be the “Perfected Mil-Spec” ALG which starts at around $45.00.
Geissele Enhanced Two-Stage Trigger
Geissele makes a variety of quality AR trigger sets both single-stage and two-stage. Many High Power competitors like the two-stage Geissele trigger. This delivers a repeatable, controlled pull through the first stage with a very clean break in the second stage. The Super Dynamic Enhanced Trigger, shown above, features a distinctive, trigger blade. Reviewer Thomas Conroy says: “The flat surface is very easy to press against. Both stages are light and very distinct.”
Elftmann Drop-In Match Trigger
Though pricey ($249.00 at PrimaryArms.com), we really like the Elftmann AR trigger. It combines the best of both worlds — the precision and smoothness of the Geissele with the Timney’s ease of installation. This single stage trigger is user-adjustable from 2.75 to 4 pounds pull weight. It is offered with either straight or curved trigger blade. Primary Arms says: “The amazingly short take-up, glass-rod crisp break and [near-zero] over-travel can be compared to the finest custom 1911 triggers.” The above video shows the installation process start to finish. There is also a “mil-spec” version for $162.00 at Primary Arms.
Timney Drop-In Trigger Module
This trigger module is available for both the AR15 and the AR10 platform (as covered in the above video). Timney triggers are easy to install and come with multiple pin size and pull-weight options. Reviewer Thomas Conroy confirms that the single-stage Timney “breaks cleanly and crisply. This trigger is modular, meaning that the trigger, sear, hammer, and spring are all encased in a bright, shiny yellow aluminum housing.”
ALG Defense Trigger — Higher-Quality Basic AR Trigger
According to Thomas Conroy, ALG triggers “are the perfected version of the standard, non-adjustable mil-spec original trigger. They have the same geometry, but are made to higher quality standards, and come with … hardened and smoothed-out sear contact surface to eliminate all grittiness.” These are also offered in a nickle-boron coated version. Available for under $50.00, the ALG is a well-made, low-cost option for shooters who want a better factory-type trigger system.
GET MORE INFO about AR-Platfrom Triggers
Learn more about Geissele, Timney and ALG triggers, plus two more AR trigger options (CMMG and Rock River Arms) in a Trigger Comparison Review by Thomas Conroy on Ammoland.com. And here is a very current (April 2020) review of 10 popular AR triggers:
NRA Media offers a series of informative videos about the Science of Shooting, covering a wide range of topics, from eye dominance to long-range ballistics. These videos feature high production values, with super-slow motion segments, as well as helpful computer graphics to illustrate the principles covered.
The videos are narrated by Jessie Duff, a top action pistol shooter (and the first women ever to achieve USPSA Grand Master status). Jessie is assisted by talented shooters such as Top Shot Season 4 Champion Chris Cheng. There are over forty videos in the Firearm Science Video Series. Here are five NRA videos, with links to others below. You’ll find all NRA Firearm Science Videos HERE
BULLET TRAJECTORY — Factors at Play and Zeroing Strategies
Host Jessie Duff and Veteran Air Force Sniper and Long Range Expert George Reinas help us understand the factors behind bullet trajectory. NOTE: There are some exaggerations in the graphics in the videos, and inconsistent terminology use, but it’s still a helpful basic primer on the subject of trajectories.
Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Gray demonstrates the four positions used by competition shooters: Prone, Standing, Sitting, and Kneeling. Helpful overlay graphics show how the human skeleton aligns in each of these positions. This video should help hunters as well as competitive position shooters. If you shoot silhouette, definitely watch this video!
ZEROING RIFLES for Long Range — Tech Tips
The process of zeroing rifles for long range is covered in this Firearm Science video featuring George Reinas, a veteran Air Force sniper. George demonstrates how to adjust his scope to compensate for bullet drop at long range. Our friend Dennis Santiago was involved in the making of this video, which was filmed at the Burbank Rifle & Revolver Club in Southern California.
CHRONOGRAPHS — Calculating the Speed of a Bullet
This video shows a conventional chronograph with front and rear light sensors. The bullet first trips the front sensor and then the rear sensor as it flies over the unit. The difference in sensor time is used to calculate bullet speed. This is not the only kind of chrono in common use today. The popular MagnetoSpeed chrono works by tracking the bullet as it passes over two magnetic sensors mounted on a bayonet-style fixture on the barrel.
The high-tech LabRadar chronograph employs Doppler Radar to measure the speed of a bullet without the need to send the round directly over sensors. No need to set up tripods down-range. Just set the unit near your rifle’s muzzle, on the side. There is also an inertial trigger accessory for LabRadars. Interestingly, this video also explains how, in the days before electric lamps, digital processors, and radar, scientists used a mechanical “Ballistic Pendulum” to calculate bullet velocity using Newtonian physics. The Ballistic Pendulum (shown at right) was first used in the mid 1700s.
EYE DOMINANCE — How to Determine Which Eye is Dominant
Host Jessie Duff and longtime shooter Krystie Messenger demonstrate how eye dominance affects aim and teach you how to determine your dominant eye in this edition of Firearm Science. There are very simple tests you can do to determine your eye dominance. This Editor is right-handed but left-eye dominant. All competitive shooters should check for eye dominance. If you are cross-dominant, you can alter your head position or put a paper patch on one frame of your shooting glasses.
Winchester Ammunition has been selected for a $38 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). This contract will be for 9x19mm (9mm Luger) handgun ammunition. The selected 9mm frangible ammunition will be used for close-quarter battle (CQB) combat and indoor/outdoor CQB training.
Since World War I, Winchester has been the U.S. Army’s largest commercial supplier of small-caliber ammunition. Currently, Winchester is the largest supplier of certified U.S. mil-spec small-caliber ammunition to the U.S. military. Winchester will assume full operational control of the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in October 2020. Lake City is the largest small-caliber ammunition military production facility in the United States. Winchester is a world leader in production of small caliber ammunition.
U.S. Military’s 9mm Handguns — SIG Sauer M17 and M18
How will all that Winchester 9mm ammo be used? This ammo will be loaded into the U.S. military’s latest M17/M18 handguns from SIG Sauer, as well as remaining older Beretta M9s. The SIG Sauer M17 and M18 are striker-fired service pistols. In 2017 the U.S. Army announced that a modified version of the SIG Sauer P320 had won the Army’s XM17 Modular Handgun System competition. The U.S. Air Force has also adopted the M17, while the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy will be issuing the smaller M18 pistols.
The M17 is the full-sized model while the smaller-sized carry model is designated M18. Both M17 and M18 service pistols are striker-fired handguns with polymer frames. The M17/M18 have proven reliable and popular with U.S. military personnel. The smaller M18 successfully completed a MHS material reliability test, which consisted of firing three M18 pistols to 12,000 rounds each for a total of 36,000 rounds.
The M17/M18s feature a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide, coyote-tan controls, a coyote-tan grip module. SIG offers both 17-round and 21-round magazines. These handguns can be equipped with SIGLITE sights (orange rear & green front). Models are available with removable night sight rear plates that can adapt to electro-optic red dot sights.
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, 2019, so now’s the time to shop for a great gift for the “Old Man”. If your father enjoys the shooting sports and hunting, here are some recommended items. There are a couple items for home use as well. All selections cost less than $100.00. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can get two-day shipping in most areas of the country.
TEN Great Father’s Day Gifts for Dad Under $100.00
Protect Dad’s hearing — Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Muffs These high-tech muffs provide NRR 22 dB sound protection with the ability to still hear conversations and range commands. These muffs offer Headphone Functionality via external audio jack, so Dad can listen to music. These are the #1 selling electronic muffs on Amazon.
Teslong Digital Borescopes are “game-changers”, hugely popular with our Forum members. These Teslong borescopes display clear, sharp digital images on your mobile device. Shown here is the latest rigid version. Get the Rigid Borescope for $79.99, or flexible cable model for $49.99.
It’s hard to find quality tactical gun cases that fit long match rifles. This Savior Gun Case (55″ model) can hold two rifles up to about 54″ OAL. Multiple colors and five lengths are available: 36″, 42″, 46″, 51″, 55″. This is a great choice for PRS. The big 55″ case is $94.99 at Amazon while the 51″ version is $89.99.
We’ve used Bog-Pod shooting supports on varmint hunts. They’re great for down-angle shots from a ridge or kneeling shots to get above terrain obstacles. Bog-Pods adjust from 17″ to 39″.
Lyman’s cast-irong Ideal compact press works great as a second, lighter-duty press. It also is a good choice for loading at the range. It can easily be mounted to a bench with C-Clamps. This cast-iron press is stronger than other presses in its price class. The Lyman Ideal costs $92.73 at Amazon.
This Columbia Bahama II guide shirt is durable and comfortable. More importantly it provides UPF 30 protection from the sun’s damaging rays. The added cape over the shoulder area provides extra protection for shooters in the prone position. This is offered in 17 colors in breathable nylon. This is popular for fishing, sailing, hiking and other outdoors sports.
Walkie-Talkies are “must-have” items for long-range shooting. The 22-CH Motorola T100 Two-Way Radio is an Amazon Favorite in FRS/GMRS Handheld Radios. This is a 2-Radio set for under $30.00.
This is brand new-for-2020 Edition of The Wind Book, the best wind resource in print for competitive shooters. The Wind Book analyzes key aspects of wind reading — vectors, cycles, vertical elements, and mirage. You may want to grab this for Dad before it sells out: $22.99 at Amazon.
Plano’s AirGlide case is a unique, top-loading rifle case. Ideal for benchrest guns with wide forearms, the AirGlide case puts no side-pressure on scopes. We like the ease of loading. This fits rifles with barrel up to about 28″ max.
This cleverly-designed Shotshell thermos will make Dad smile. Styled just like a 12ga shotgun shell, the Stansport Thermo Bottle holds 25 oz. of hot or cold liquids.
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?
Trigger images from 
This video shows a conventional chronograph with front and rear light sensors. The bullet first trips the front sensor and then the rear sensor as it flies over the unit. The difference in sensor time is used to calculate bullet speed. This is not the only kind of chrono in common use today. The popular 
