U.S. Olympic shooter Eric Uptagrafft in prone position, LARRC 2012. CC photo by Tony Chow.
Eley sponsors many of the world’s top rimfire shooters, who have shared their Tips from the Top. Five ace smallbore shooters provide advice on how to shoot better, how to train more effectively, and how to stay motivated even when “the going gets tough”. If you’re a competitive shooter (in any discipline) you can benefit from reading these words of wisdom from world-class shooters.
Henri Junghaenel, Past #1 ranked, 50M prone rifle shooter.
Focus on Fundamentals: Good performance requires a solid technical foundation. One can hunt after personal bests or one can try to work on the technical basics. The latter will probably lead to better results sooner.
Stay Motivated Over Time: Be persistent and don’t lose your motivation on your way to success. Shooting, like every other sport, requires a learning process which takes a lot of time.
Don’t Yield to Outside Pressures: Don’t let the expectations from others impact yourself. If some people try to put pressure on you (consciously or unconsciously), don’t let them!
Bill Collaros, 2013 Australian WRABF World Cup (Benchrest) and RBA team captain.
Don’t Skimp on Hardware: Ensure your equipment is a good as you can buy. This includes: rests, bags, rifle, scope, and ammunition.
Tune to Your Ammo: Ensure that the ammunition you have is tested and your rifle is tuned to it, to get the smallest possible group.
Train in All Conditions: Train in all sorts of wind and conditions so you know how your rifle and ammunition react in all circumstances.
Stine Nielsen, 2012 Olympic finalist for 3-Position Smallbore Rifle.
No Excuses: When I train, I train by my motto: “A loser has excuses. A winner has a plan.” And when I shoot in competitions I think about that mantra.
Stay Focused: When I stand at a shooting range, I have a good focus on my shooting and myself. I also have a good will to want to shoot 110%.
Zorana Arunovic, Past world #2 ranked, 25M women’s pistol shooter.
Never give up: No matter how hard it is you should always find something that will inspire you to keep going further. I find my inspiration in the success of other athletes. They inspire me to work more and harder. I would say to any young athletes, never give up, no matter how hard it is.
João Costa, Past world #2 ranked, 50m pistol shooter.
Breathing is Key: In shooting as in life, breathing is of paramount importance. So, when shooting try to be calm and quiet. On the bench in front of me I have my pistol, the scope, the magazine and my choice ammo then I count:
If you’ve ever used a Harris Swivel Bipod, you know that, without tools, it is difficult to put enough tension on the swivel locking knob to really lock the unit solid. And, if you do manage to get the knob really tight (perhaps by using pliers), it is difficult to loosen with fingers alone.
That was why Terry Cross and the folks at KMW Long Range Solutions invented the Pod-Loc™. This system replaces the knurled swivel tension knob with a push-button adjustable handle. Using the handle you can easily set the swivel tension at any level from loose to “rock solid”. And you can release tension to adjust the bipod to different terrain just as easily. The genuine KMW Pod-Loc™ retails for $33.99 at Brownells.com.
How to Build Your Own Bipod Swivel Locking System
While we use genuine KMW Pod-Locs on our rifles, readers on a tight budget, or who have a large collection of bipod-equipped rifles, can economize by putting together their own swivel locking systems from off-the-shelf components. You can buy suitable levers from www.T-Nuts.com. This vendor offers a variety of appropriate handles, ranging in price from $7.70 to $10.00. So, by sourcing the parts, you can outfit four bipods with swivel adjusters for the cost of one Pod-Loc.
We recommend the Nylon/Stainless BPL/NS model ($7.70), but you may prefer the all-metal BPL-ZS ($8.50), or the shorter BPL-Micro model ($8.25). The compact Micro lock does not protrude past the body of the bipod, yet is still easily grasped. T-Nuts supplies one 3/16″ spacer with most of its bipod handles. T-Nuts handles are also available with a metric M6x1.0 thread for use with imported bipods such as Outers and Rockport.
Installation is Easy — With the Right Socket
To install a swivel locking system, first you’ll need a 1/4″ socket to remove the keeper nut from the threaded pivot rod. (During this process, you’ll need to keep pressure on the pivot rod retaining pin on the opposite side of the bipod.) Don’t try to remove the keeper nut with pliers or an open-end wrench. You really need the correct socket. Once that keeper nut is removed, then unscrew the knurled tension knob/ring. This is attached to the same threaded shaft as the keeper nut but you should be able to remove it without tools.
After the knurled tension ring is off, it is easy to put your handle on the bipod. First slip the 3/16″ spacer over the threaded pivot rod. Keeping finger pressure on the pivot rod retaining pin (on reverse side), then spin on the T-Nuts handle. Rotate the handle inwards until it firmly locks the bipod swivel mechanism. By pushing the button in the head of the handle, you can swing the handle left or right to set its position without altering the swivel tension.
We like AR-style .22LR rigs for Rimfire Tactical Matches and 3-Gun cross-training. With an AR-style rimfire rifle you can train with low-cost ammunition while enjoying the same ergonomics, controls, and sighting systems found on your centerfire ARs.
Smith & Wesson offers an upgraded version of its M&P 15-22, a fun rifle that we’ve praised in the past. The enhanced M&P 15-22 Sport MOE SL model (Magpul Original Equipment Slim Line) features a more comfortable handguard, an improved grip, and an adjustable Magpul buttstock. The dedicated .22 LR M&P rifle retains the look and features of the company’s popular M&P rifle line, with the enhanced ergonomics of Magpul furniture. The M&P 15-22 Sport MOE SL model is offered with either Flat Dark Earth (Tan) stock and grips, or with Matte Black components. MSRP is $505.00, with street price around $450.00.
Click Image for full Spec Sheet.
Here is an interesting Long-Term Test of the M&P 15-22 Sport MOE SL:
IMPORTANT: If you are considering buying an M&P 15-22, then definitely watch this video. It explains which types of ammo (CCI, Browning) work well, and which caused issues (Federal bulk). In addition the video explains how best to clean and maintain the rifle.
The M&P 15-22 Sport MOE SL features a high-strength polymer upper and lower receiver. In addition to the standard features of the M&P 15-22 Sport rifle, which include front and rear MBUS folding sights and the M&P Slim M-LOK handguard, the new MOE SL version comes with a Magpul mil-spec carbine stock, SL Grip, and Magpul Type2 M-LOK rail covers. The M&P 15-22 SPORT MOE SL is available in matte black or flat dark earth finishes and comes with a 25-round .22 LR magazine.
S&W 15-22 MOE SL Notable New Features:
— Adjustable stock with improved sloped comb profile.
— Shielded ambidextrous release lever prevents snagging and accidental adjustment.
— Push button QD socket and sling loops.
— Grip is slimmer with more vertical grip angle and Beavertail backstrap.
— Heavily textured grip contact surface.
Despite the edicts of Democratic Party Governors shutting down gunshops and shooting ranges, the Second Amendment is still part of the U.S. Constitution. A successful lawsuit in Massachusetts demonstrated that. Hopefully the Governors of other states where gunshops were closed by executive order will take notice. In California, Marijuana dispensaries were declared “essential businesses” but not gun stores.
Injunction Granted against Massachusetts Governor’s Closure of Gun Stores
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, by executive order, shut down all the gun stores in his state. Well it turns out Baker’s action violated the U.S. Constitution. A U.S. District Court in Massachusetts has granted a preliminary injunction against Gov. Baker’s order shutting down gunshops in the state. The injunction was issued in McCarthy v. Baker*, a case brought by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition, and Commonwealth Second Amendment.
In ruling for the plaintiffs, U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock declared: “We don’t surrender our Constitutional rights. These plaintiffs have constitutional rights that deserve respect and vindication, and it becomes necessary for a court to do that rather than the executive when the executive declines.” He added that the Governor’s lawyers did not show justification for the gun store closures: “I don’t have anything like a substantial fit between the goals of the emergency declared by the Commonwealth and the burdening of the Constitutional rights.”
Speaking from the bench during a virtual hearing, Judge Woodlock said, “There’s no justification here” for mandating the closure of gun shops. He specified that gun shops will be free to open at noon, Saturday, May 9. In allowing gun stores to open, the Judge did impose certain restrictions — gunshops should operate from 9 am to 9 pm, by appointment only, with maximum four appointments per hour. Social distancing must also be observed both inside and outside gun stores.
Plaintiffs argued that Gov. Baker’s emergency order eliminated “all lawful channels of access to constitutionally-protected arms and ammunition by mandating the closure of all businesses that sell firearms and ammunition to the consumer public. These actions amount to a ban on obtaining modern arms for personal defense in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb praised Judge Woodlock’s decision: “Constitutional rights are never put on hold because of an emergency, including the outbreak of a virus. Too many elected officials think otherwise, and we’re having to deal with them one lawsuit a time….”
Gottlieb explained: “When Governor Baker lumped gun shops in with thousands of other businesses deemed ‘non-essential’, he obviously didn’t consider the exercise of a fundamental right to be essential. We can think of nothing that is more essential than exercising a right protected by the Constitution, especially during a declared state of emergency.”
A Federal judge on Thursday ordered that gun shops across Massachusetts can reopen this weekend, ruling that Governor Charlie Baker’s decision to shutter them along with thousands of other “nonessential” businesses infringed on people’s Second Amendment rights.
The decision from US District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock marked a rare rebuke of Baker and the broad emergency powers he’s wielded to fight the COVID-19 pandemic[.] — Boston Globe, 5/7/20
*In two lawsuits joined into the single case, Massachusetts citizens, gun shops and advocacy groups asked the court to force the state to let the shops resume sales. The cases are McCarthy et al. v. Baker et al., case number 1:20-cv-10701, and Cedrone LLC et al. v. Baker et al., case number 1:20-cv-40041, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Got four-and-half grand to burn? Looking for a new rifle that will impress your buddies at the range? Then check out Remington’s updated .50 BMG rifle, the R2Mi. In appearance, it sort of looks like an AR10 on steroids. But this thing is massive. It weighs about 30 pounds and has a 30″ Walther barrel. Though it may look like a semi-auto in the photo, this is a LEFT Bolt, Right port bolt-action gun.
GunsAmerica Digest says the R2Mi is based on the Bushmaster BA50: “The R2Mi has upper and lower receivers that follow the basic design of AR-pattern rifles, but it is a manually operated bolt-action rifle with a left-side charging handle that works the bolt carrier directly. The upper receiver is railed like most modern AR rifles as a scope mount. The R2Mi comes standard with a Lothar Walther 30″ barrel with a 1:15″-twist and a free-floating railed handguard that serves as an accessory mount for low light optics and other accessories along with the included folding steel bipod.”
For the hefty investment ($4599.00 MSRP, $3999.00 Street Price), at least Remington tosses in some good gear. The R2Mi ships in a big Pelican Storm transport case, and comes complete with a bipod, two 10-round magazines, eye protection, ear protection, and cable lock. Those accessories are worth $450.00 or so.
The Remington R2Mi is closely related to the Bushmaster BA50*, shown in this video:
The R2Mi is fitted with a Magpul PRS Gen 3 stock and ErgoGrip Deluxe Tactical pistol grip. If you want to change out those components, the R2Mi is compatible with various AR components including grips and stocks. The controls are similar to AR controls including the selector lever and magazine release.
Here is Remington’s product description: “The free-floated barrel, with 1:15″ twist and 8-groove rifling is perfectly suited for harnessing sub-MOA accuracy from the .50 BMG. And its left-hand operated, right-hand eject bolt-action and 10-round box magazine, ensure comfortable cycling with no need for the shooter to adjust position. The R2Mi is also one of the simplest .50-caliber rifles to assemble and maintain. Its upper receiver locks to the lower receiver with two integral pins, and its full-length Picatinny rail accommodates a wide range of optics.”
Remington R2Mi Features:
• Left Bolt, Right Port Action
• Billet Aluminum Lower Receiver
• Compatible with AR Accessories
• AAC Cyclops Muzzle brake
• Ships with Steel Folding Bipod
• AR-type Take-down for maintenance
Price is Hefty — MSRP is $4599.00
Is this a good value? It depends — this is a mag-fed rifle, with some interesting features. But $4599.00 is still a steep price for a rifle that is not an everyday shooter. On the other hand GunsAmerica states: “It can be very expensive to shoot .50 BMG and many repeating rifles chambered for the round can cost thousands more. The MSRP for the R2MI is only a little more than what some single-shot .50s cost, which means this rifle has a good value.”
* The BA50 was the original design of Cobb Manufacturing. Bushmaster purchased the design, upgraded some features, and released the rifle as the Bushmaster BA50. This bolt-action, magazine-fed .50 BMG rifle featured a 22″ or 30″ Lothar Walther free-floating barrel with a 1:15″-twist rate. Bushmaster claimed the BA50 was capable of shooting 1 Minute of Angle (MOA) groups with M33 ball ammunition.
Finally… some good news in the shooting world. One of the most important ranges in the nation re-opens next week. Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama will open its gates on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has announced that its outdoor rifle, pistol and shotgun facility in Alabama, the Talladega Marksmanship Park, plans to resume activity in May with updated protocols for staff and guests. These requirements are designed to ensure the public well-being and safety during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Starting Wednesday, May 13, the facility will be open to the public Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 am – 5 pm and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am – 5 pm.
Special Health Procedures
All park visitors will be required to have his/her body temperature checked and will also need to answer questions about current health and recent activities that could relate to COVID-19 before being permitted to use the ranges. The number of guests within the Clubhouse will also be monitored, and those on the ranges will adhere to social distancing guidelines put in place by CMP personnel.
Though staff members of Talladega Marksmanship Park will be equipped with face masks, they will not be required for visitors to the facility. However, for the protection of everyone present, masks are highly recommended. The CMP also asks that guests stay mindful of social distancing and hygiene practices in all areas of the grounds.
No Classes, Clinics, or Matches in May
While the park will be open effective 5/13/20, the regularly-held monthly classes, clinics, and have been cancelled for the entirety of May and June. All activities scheduled after June 30th will be reassessed at a later date. For updates on Talladega status, visit the Talladega Marksmanship Park webpage.
About Talladega Marksmanship Park:
The 500-acre Talladega Marksmanship Park features a 600-yard rifle range, 100-yard multi-purpose range, and 50-yard pistol range, each equipped with Kongsberg electronic targets and scoring monitors that allow shooters on the firing line to review shots in a matter of seconds. The Park also includes 15 action pistol bays and a trap field, 5-stand field, and a 15-station sporting clays field — all with automated trap machines. All firing lines are covered, so competitors and guests stay dry and shaded.
COVID-19 stay-at-home orders have created abundant free time at home for millions of Americans. To fill otherwise empty hours, we know many readers have been reloading ammo — LOTS of ammo. And quite a few of you folks are thinking of getting a progressive press to increase output. Because multiple operations take place with a single pull of a lever, a progressive press can produce way more ammo in a given period of time than any single stage press. With a progressive, on the ram up-stroke, the multiple stations can simultaneously remove spent primer, full-length size case, drop powder, seat bullet, and crimp (if desired). Most progressives are also set up to prime cases with the ram in the lower position — though some guys prefer to prime manually.
Progressive presses aren’t just for high-output pistol ammo or bulk rifle ammunition. Good progressives can be adapted to do certain reloading tasks for top-on-the line match ammo. You might use a progressive for decapping, priming, and sizing, then throw powder and/or seat bullets separately. Some Champion shooters do use progressives to load their match ammo! For example 5-Time National Long Range Champion John Whidden and 2020 Berger SWN F-Open Champion Jay Christopherson both use progessive presses for some (but not all) operations.
To help you get started with progressive presses, here are five videos from UltimateReloader.com that cover six popular machines, from the elite Mark 7 Evolution to the inexpensive Lee Pro 1000. With many of these machines you can add separate vertical bullet feeder systems that further increase loading efficiency.
Mark 7 Evolution Press — Distributed by Lyman
Dillon XL-650 vs. Dillon XL-750
RCBS Pro Chucker 7 with Bullet Feeder
Dillon 550C with 6mm Creedmoor and 9x19mm
Lee Pro 1000 Features and Operation
Better Safe Than Sorry — the RCBS Lock-Out Die
RCBS Makes a “Lock-Out Die” that senses the powder charge. This will halt the Progressive press if you have a double charge, or an undercharge. Your Editor has the Lock-Out Die on his RCBS Pro 2000. It has “saved his bacon” a half-dozen times over the years. It can be used on Dillon and Hornady progressives as well as RCBS machines.
We like simple yet well-designed products that serve an important purpose. In this case, transporting pistol magazines to and from the range and storing them efficiently in gun safe or storage locker. When we saw MTM’s new-for-2020 Pistol Magazine Case, we thought this was a smart new product that will benefit countless handgun owners. The new PMC5 Pistol Mag Case (MSRP $5.99) offers compact protection for up to five (5) standard double-stack magazines. The low-profile, compact design takes up minimal space in gun safes and storage lockers. The see-through transparent gray case material make it easy to identify contents. To allow efficient storage, these Mag Cases are STACKABLE (like ammo boxes). Overall, this is a good system for protecting and organizing your pistol magazines.
MTM states: “The new Pistol Magazine Case is ideal for use in your range bag, gun safe, or wherever you need to store your pistol magazines. The case maximizes portability and organization for range days. The case maximizes portability and organization for range days.”
MTM PMC5 Pistol Magazine Case Features:
Fits up to FIVE (5) double-stack magazines (up to 5.375″ OAL).
See-through plastic material so you can see contents without opening.
Compact, stackable design for efficient storage in safe or locker.
Made in USA with $5.99 MSRP.
Mag Case hold up to five (5) double-stack magazines, such as these Glock 17 mags.
For more information and availability, check with your local sporting goods dealer or contact MTM Molded Products at (937) 890-7461. See the full line of MTM products at MTMcase-gard.com.
Turn on your TVs and break out the popcorn — it’s a big week on Shooting USA. A full hour of SHOT Show coverage runs tonight (5/6/20) at 9:00 pm ET. This episode provides a “first look” at the new guns, optics, and gear introduced for 2020. Shooting USA’s team looks at over 65 new products.
2020 SHOT Show Highlights: Colt Python, Hornady A-Tip bullets, Manners PRS Stock, Volquartsen Summit .17 WSM, Ruger-57 Pistol, Pinnacle Precision Rifle, HK SP5, Impact Sport Muffs, Laugo Arms Alien Pistol, Vortex 1-10X Scope, Glock 44 Pistol, Hornady Rapid Safe and more.
This SHOT Show 2020 episode airs on the Outdoor Channel Wednesday, May 6 at 9:00 pm ET and Thursday, May 7 at 3:00 pm ET. If you miss those broadcasts, you can watch this and ALL episodes of Shooting USA on Vimeo.com by subscription. The SHOT Show 2020 edition is just $0.99.
Great Shooting USA Episodes
For our Bulletin followers, here are two of our favorite full-length Shooting USA episodes, and well as two excellent instructional segments, one with past NRA High Power Champion SGT Sherri Jo Gallagher.
Texas Varmint Silhouette Match — 200 Meters to 750 Yards
We love shooting reactive targets. This Texas varmint silhouette match features multiple target shapes, 10 at each distance: Tiny Prairie Dogs at 200m, 3″x3″ Armadillos at 300m; 3″x5″ Coyotes at 385m; 5″x4″ Hogs at 500m; Chickens (on swingers) at 600 yards; and Pigs (on Swingers) at 750 yards. Competitors are allowed 10 rounds and 10 minutes to hit each set of targets.
EDITOR: We strongly recommend you take the time to watch this Shooting USA feature — it shows some top-flight benchrest rifles, and also covers the origins of benchrest varmint silhouette in Pennsylvania. There are even some AccurateShooter Forum members on screen. John Scoutten also does a nice job explaining the challenges of shooting this discipline with a PRS rig. We think any benchrest or tactical shooter will really enjoy this video.
Travis Frazier of Field & Cave Outfitters says shooters love the reactive targets: “The most exciting thing is seeing your hits — these [targets] really go airborne”. Yep, that’s the best thing about Varmint Silhouette matches — hits deliver instant gratification. Travis designs and produces these steel targets.
Vintage Sniper Match and GAP Grind PRS Match
Historic Rifles are on the firing line! It’s the Vintage Sniper Match in Talladega for collectors competing with classic rifles and historically accurate optics from the two World Wars. A team from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit also takes the challenge with a reproduction 03A4.
Plus, John Scoutten welcomes a new shooter to Precision Rifle (PRS) Competition. The two team up to take on 25 grueling stages at the Bushnell GAP Grind in Tennessee. With a special Pro/Am format, the GAP Grind is one of the most popular tactical matches in the country
Reading the Wind — SGT Sherri Jo Gallager (USAMU)
This segment, created when Sherri Jo was shooting with the USAMU team, explains how to evaluate wind conditions and adjust your hold for long range.
Minute of Angle (MOA) Defined with Jim Scoutten
Minute of Angle (MOA) — what does it actually mean? And what do you get when a rifle manufacturer guarantees one-half MOA accuracy? Jim Scoutten answers these questions and explains MOA basics. One MOA is an angular measurement equivalent to 1.047″ at 100 yards.
What if you could have a normal-height rear sight that could dispense with the need to align front sight and rear sight? In fact, what if that rear sight could eliminate the need for a front sight altogether?
That’s exactly what the Meprolight FT Bullseye system does. Employing fiber optics and tritium, the FT Bullseye provides a bright aiming dot inside a circle — no front sight is needed. When the dot is centered in the circle, you’re on target. It’s as simple as that! The front blade is rendered superfluous. This really is innovative technology, albeit expensive — the FT Bullseye’s street price runs $135 to $150, depending on pistol make and model — not cheap.
Traditionally, a shooter aims by aligning the front and rear sights. Meprolight combined the dot and the circle on the rear sight, eliminating the need to use the front sight altogether. This sight is fast on target and works in all light conditions. Meprolight claims the patented FT Bullseye is the “smallest optical sight in the world.”
Red dot and reflex systems also work without iron sights, but red dots are tall and bulky, and they don’t work well at all for shooters with astigmatism.
Meprolight’s engineers created a sleek, low profile rear sight by combining fiber optics with tritium. For concealed carry, this is better than a bulky red-dot. The low-profile design allows the shooter to draw from holster without worrying about snagging a bulky red dot or reflex sight assembly. To see how the FT Bullseye sight works, watch this video.
The fiber optic technology used in the FT Bullseye was pioneered by Tactical Aiming Systems (T.A.S.) an Israeli company. Meprolight dramatically improved the TAS system, adding tritium and an enhanced dot/circle reticle. The FT Bullseye is also smaller and sleeker than the original T.A.S. rear sight. The FT Bullseye is currently available in red or green dot/circle for all Glock models. Meprolight guarantees the tritium to last 12 years. MSRP is $199.00.
If you’ve ever used a Harris Swivel Bipod, you know that, without tools, it is difficult to put enough tension on the swivel locking knob to really lock the unit solid. And, if you do manage to get the knob really tight (perhaps by using pliers), it is difficult to loosen with fingers alone.
That’s exactly what the 
