The 2020 Berger Southwest Nationals are complete. As expected, it was a hugely successful match that challenged the nation’s top Sling and F-Class shooters. We want to praise all the competitors and congratulate the 2020 SWN Champions in all three classes. The competition was fierce through-out the match. John Whidden won the Sling Division with a 1245-75X score, just one point ahead of runner-up Oliver Milanovic (1244-72X). Bobby Gill was third with 1240-58X.
In the F-TR Division, Peter Johns had a dominant performance with 1242-58X, twelve points ahead of second-place Wade Fillingame (1230-50X) and third-place Ian Klemm (1230-46X). Ian also shot on the winning USA Independence F-TR Team.
Jay Christopherson Wins F-Open
We cheered the F-Open news. AccurateShooter’s own Jay Christopherson, our Systems Administrator, took the 2020 F-Open title with a brilliant 1247-83X score, 11 “Xs” ahead of runner-up Pat Scully (1247-72X). In third place was Tod Hendricks (1245-81X). Jay (photo right) was shooting a Brux-barreled straight .284 Win with Berger 180gr Hybrid bullets. Up front he uses a SEB Mini coaxial tripod rest. Jay also helped carry Team Lapua-Brux-Borden to an F-Open Team victory. Here’s a short video of Jay shooting when he finished second in F-Open division at the SWN a couple seasons back. You can view Jay’s smooth gun-handling and patience waiting for his condition:
Jay Christopherson, AccurateShooter.com’s System Admin, won the F-Open division. Jay’s Brux-barreled .284 Win was superbly accurate all week long. This video was from a past Berger SWN Event.
John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks won Sling division with a 1245-75X score. John really likes this match: “For most of us it’s the first match of the year, a chance to shake off the cobwebs.” John said conditions were “pretty nice on Friday, Saturday and Sunday — most of the changes came slow and conditions were readable from the mirage.” John, a 5-time National Long Range Champion, is always a threat to win at the SWN. John shot a .308 Win in the Palma Class, and then his .243 Win in the Any Rifle division. Both with Berger bullets and Vihtavuori powders. Here’s John at Ben Avery in 2018:
Above is Peter Johns, F-TR Class winner. Peter posted: “I just accomplished one of my goals of winning a national-level F-Class shooting match! I was only able to do with the support of my wife and family. Also I would like to thank Alonzo Custom Rifles for building a great shooting rifle, Kelly McMillan for the best rifle stock for F-TR (Kestros BR) and Vortex for the best riflecope (Golden Eagle) for F-Class.”
Top SWN Team Performances
A new team record was set at Ben Avery this year. In the F-TR Division, Team USA Independence finished with a 2563-113X score. We are told this is the highest-ever F-TR score. Congratulations to Top Scorer Ian Klemm (645-28X) and the other shooters Wade Fillingame, Fritz Braun, and Luke Ramsey. Keith Trap coached and Kent Reeve was Captain.
In F-Open Team Lapua-Brux-Borden continued its dominance, with a fine performance on the final day. The Team finished at 2584-160X, six points ahead of runner-up Team McMillan F-Open (2578-135X).
F-Open Rifle with Barrel-Cool Device on SEB Neo front rest.
Give Credit to the Match Directors and Staff
Emil Praslick III of Capstone Precision Group offered this perspective on the 2020 Berger SW Nationals: “Wrapping up the Southwest Nationals which was amazingly well run by the Desert Sharpshooters. Matthew Schwartzkopf, Michelle Gallagher, Nancy Tompkins, Melesia Cisneros, Scott Fulmer, Mid Tompkins, and everyone else behind the scenes literally work for at least six months to make the event the well-oiled machine that it is.
Moving and managing close to 400 shooters is a Herculean task, and anyone who thinks they can do better should… offer to come down to help out. I shot awful, but it was a pleasure to see the joy of the shooters as they experienced this one-of-a-kind match. Imagine cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 400 relatives with individual dietary needs on a motel hot plate, and you’ll get an idea of the scale involved. Again, thank you Matt and the gang, and we’ll see you next year!”
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are 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.
1. Cabela’s — Predator Sale — Save on Rifles, Optics, Gear
Cabela’s is running a big sale with significant savings on rifles, optics, hunting accessories, and outdoor gear. You can save up to $100 on optics, and up to $80 on firearms. There are some very good deals with this Predator Hunting Sale which lasts through 11:59 pm on Wednesday February 12, 2020. For example, the Vortex Ranger 1300 Rangefinder is just $299.99.
2. Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Powder Measure, $37.23
This new Frankford Arsenal Powder Measure — just $37.23 on Amazon — is a very good value. The unit measures from 0.8 grains up to 120 grains. A “Quick-Disconnect” screw allows you to take the powder measure off the mounting assembly quickly to pour powder back into the jug easily. We really like that feature. This measure also has a micrometer-style adjustment knob with white-on-black markings. The unit ships with two mounting stands allowing either elevated position or bench-edge mount.
3. Amazon — Barska Double-Sided Hard Rifle Case 50″, $159.08
We like cases capable of carrying two rifles. But it’s very difficult to find a soft case with the strength to carry two long-barreled scoped rifles. We like this new Barska Double Hard-Sided Case because each rifle is carried in a separate lockable compartment, with foam padding AND a hard protective panel on BOTH sides of the rifle. The interior length is 50″ — that should fit rifles with barrels up to about 28″. The exterior of the Barska Case is made of rigid ABS with an aluminum frame.
4. Brownells — Sellier&Bellot 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo $13.99/20rds
We know many PRS and tactical shooters don’t have time to load large quantities of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo for practice sessions (or even a match). Right now you can purchase 20 rounds of reliable 6.5 Creedmoor loaded ammo for just $13.99 at Brownells. That’s just $0.70 per round. These days you can pay $1.00 or more just for 6.5 Creedmoor brass. This Sellier & Bellot 6.5mm Creedmoor ammo drives 140gr FMJ bullets at 2500+ FPS muzzle velocity.
5. Precision Reloading — ADG Brass for Magnum Cases Special
Atlas Development Group (ADG) brass is quality American-made cartridge brass, proven to be strong and consistent. It is a very good choice if you are looking for less-common large or magnum cartridges. Precision Reloading has many ADG brass types at attractive prices. Cartridge types available include: 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, .300 Norma Magnum, .338 Rem Ultra Magnum, .338 Edge, and .338 Lapua Magnum.
6. Amazon — Caldwell E-Max Pro Electronic Muffs
The new Caldwell NRR23 E-Max Pro Electronic Muffs are a good value at $44.29 on Amazon. Other compact electronic muffs, such as the NRR22 Howard Leight Impacts, can cost $60.00 or more. Caldwell’s new 23dB NRR E-Max Muffs deliver excellent performance with easy-to-use Push Button Volume Controls, illuminated On/Off Indicator, and Auto-Shutoff. Color options: Neon Blue, Neon Green, or Hot Coral (orange).
NOTE: Caldwell also offers the Bluetooth-enabled NRR24 E-Max Pro BT. This $99.99 unit allows you to hear phone calls, listen to music, or monitor audio from Bluetooth Apps.
7. CDNN Sports — Ruger American Pro 9mm, $299.89
We like the 9mm Ruger American Pro pistol. It is extremely reliable and is very accurate. The American Pro also boasts great ergonomics with interchangeable backstraps to suit different hand sizes. We prefer this full-size 9mm to a Glock and the Ruger American Pro is 50% less expensive than a SIG or HK. Right now you can get the 9mm Ruger American Pro at CDNN for $299.89, complete with two 17-rd metal magazines.
Many of our readers have been curious about Hornady’s A-Tip bullets, but don’t want to spend $75-$85 to try out a full box. In addition, many of the more popular calibers and bullet weights are sold out. Now, thanks to Midsouth Shooters, you can try an A-Tip Sample Pack to see if A-Tips work in your barrel. Choose from four options: 110gr 6mm; 135gr 6.5mm; 153gr 6.5mm; and 250gr .308 caliber. All Sample Packs contain 10 bullets, and cost $9.99 at Midsouth.
9. Amazon — 12″ x 12″ Splatter Grid Targets, 10 for $9.99
This 12″x12″ Splatterburst Target combines splatter shot marking with a grid background, with five aiming points. The bright neon shot circles make it easy to see your shots. And the handy grid lets you quickly estimate your group size. Get a 10-pack for $9.99, or a 25-pack for $17.99 (better deal). This particular target has earned rave reviews — 87% of verified buyers gave this a FIVE-Star rating. One example: “Excellent quality and durability. The adhesive is really strong and the splatter contrast is [great].”
We first ran this story a few seasons back. Since then we’ve received many questions about this gun, so we thought we’d give readers another chance to learn about this truly innovative, switch-barrel “convertible” rifle. This gun works for both short-range (100/200) and long-range (500-1000 yd) benchrest matches.
You interested in a truly innovative bench gun that can shoot both short-range and long-range matches? Check out Seb Lambang’s original “do-it-all” rifle. This switch-barrel rifle combined two very different chamberings: 6 PPC and .284 Winchester. With that caliber combo, Seb’s covered from 100 yards (LV/HV mode) all the way out to 1000 (LR Light Gun mode). But the dual chambering is not the rifle’s only trick feature. Exploiting the long-range benchrest rules on stock designs, Seb has fitted a 3″-wide, flat rear metal keel to the buttstock. That counter-balances his 30″-long 7mm barrel, improves tracking, and adds stability. Seb built the stock and smithing was done by Australian gunsmith David Kerr.
Detachable Hammerhead Wing Section Plus Fat-Bottom Keel
To further reduce torque and improve tracking, the stock features an 8″-wide, detachable fore-end fixture. This “hammerhead” fore-end section has extended “wings” on both sides, making the rifle super-stable. The hammerhead unit can be removed, leaving the stock 3″ wide for use in registered benchrest matches where 3″ is the maximum width. The photos below show Seb’s gun in .284 Win Long-Range (LR) Light Gun mode, complete with front wings and rear keel.
Yes This Rig Shoots … In Both Configurations, Long-Range and Short
Seb has already used his switch-caliber, switch-barrel rig successfully in competition. Seb tells us: “The gun shot and tracked real well either in 6 PPC LV/HV mode or in .284 Win LG mode. I love it! Back in 2015, with this gun I placed Top 10 for the Two-Gun at the Harry Madden Championship in Brisbane, Australia just a few days ago and took the silver medal for the 500m Flyshoot with the .284 Win on the next day. So who says a switch-barrel rifle can’t (or doesn’t) work?” And get this, Seb finished the stock just four days before the Brisbane match. He glued-in the action the evening before the match and shot it the next day in competition. Pretty impressive we’d say….
6 PPC and .284 Win Convertible Rifle Specifications
Action: Stolle Panda Short Action (glue-in plus front/rear alum. pillars), Right Bolt, Right Port, Right Eject, .473 bolt face.
LV/HV Weight: Rifle weighs 10.4 lbs in 6 PPC mode (no keel, no front wings).
LV/HV Barrel: Krieger 21.5″ OAL, 6mm (6 PPC, .270″ neck), 1:14″ twist.
Light Gun Weight: 15.5 lbs in .284 Mode with 3″ rear aluminum keel and 8″ fore-end attachment.
Light Gun Barrel: Maddco 30″ OAL, 7mm (.284 Win, .316″ neck), 1:9″ twist.
Metal: Home-made, one-piece scope base with +15 MOA scope rings.
Seb Lambang — Indonesian Innovator
Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang is the designer/builder of the innovative SEB Coaxial rests, some of the best joystick rests on the market. The SEB Mini is a remarkable design — very compact but solid enough to win F-Class matches. And the SEB Neo Rest has become the go-to choice for short-range and long-range benchrest. The NEO folds flat for transport, yet offers extended vertical and horizontal travel and a rest top that can adjust from roughly 2″ wide to over 6″ in width. This Editor uses a SEB Neo for both bench and F-Class shooting and it is my favorite joystick rest. Here’s a video review of the SEB Mini, filmed at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix:
Seb is actually in the USA right now, competing at the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN). No he’s not shooting his radical Hammerhead at Ben Avery this year — he’s got a more conventional F-TR rig. He is shooting with the Int’l Pickup F-TR team coached by Dean Wheeler. In the 2/6/2020 Team Palma match, Seb finished with high score for his team, 438-9X.
ADDENDUM — Seb Succeeds at SWN in Sharpshooter Division:
Seb just posted this report from the Berger SW Nationals in Phoenix: “Proud to get first place in Sharpshooter Class in the Long Range Day 1 Aggregate. Super tough F-CLASS match against lots of the best shooters in the USA and some other countries. Thanks a bunch to my gunsmith Alex Wheeler who did a really great job, [providing a] super-smooth timed action. Thanks also to Tom Mousel who did a great job with the super-accurate ammo! Thanks to Will McCloskey for the best laminate wood rifle stock on the market. The rifle shoots GREAT. I really enjoy this match!”. Here is Seb on the firing line at Ben Avery. The rifle rests on the SEB Joy-Pod joystick bipod he created.
[NOTE: The NRA has multiple divisions: High Master, Master, Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman. The most elite level is High Master.]
Looking to shoot an AR-platform rifle out past 500 yards? Then you should read two articles by AR guru Glen Zediker. Author of The New Competitive AR-15 and The Competitive AR15 Builders Guide, Zediker is an expert when it comes to AR-platform rifles. Glen believes ARs have excellent long-range capability, provided they are built to high standards, with good barrels.
Glen says: “a properly configured AR-15 is easily capable of good performance at 500+ yards. Good performance means it can hit a 1-foot-square target all the time. Competitive shooters can cut that standard in nearly half (the X-Ring on an MR1 600-yard NRA High Power Rifle target is 6 inches, and high X-counts are commonplace among more skilled shooters).”
Published in the Cheaper than Dirt Shooter’s Log, Zediker’s articles first cover the history of the AR-15, and then explain how AR-platform accuracy can be optimized. Part One reviews the AR’s development as an accurate firearm, tracing its evolution from a Vietnam-era combat weapon to what is now a favored target rifle of High Power competitors. READ PART ONE.
Part Two discusses the specifics that make an AR accurate at 500 yards and beyond. Zediker talks about barrel configuration (profile and twist rate), bullet selection, floating handguards, and proper mounting of optics or iron sights. READ PART TWO.
Barrel Twist Rate
To stabilize anything longer than a 68- or 69-grain bullet, the barrel twist rate must be — at minimum– 1-in-8. Twist rates reflect how far the bullet travels along the lands or rifling to make one complete revolution. So, 1-in-8 (or 1-8, 1:8) means “one turn in eight inches.” I think it’s better to go a little faster in twist. There is nothing wrong with a 1:7 twist. The 90-grain bullets require a 1:6.5, and that is getting on the quick side. If you want to shoot Sierra 77s or equivalent, and certainly anything longer, 1:8 is necessary. By the way, it is bullet length, not weight, which constitutes the necessary twist rate to launch a stable bullet.
Optics Mounting
Correct optical sight positioning can be a challenge. With a flattop upper, I need a good inch additional forward extension at the muzzle side of the upper for the sight mount bases to avoid holding my head “back” to get the optimal view through the scope. A longer rail piece is necessary for my builds as a result.
Buttstock Length and Adjustment
An adjustable buttstock is valuable, and even more valuable if it’s well-designed. Mostly, a standard stock is too short, and the cheek area sits too low. Adding length helps a lot by itself. There are assemblies that replace the standard buttplate to allow for length and, usually, height and rotation adjustments for the buttpad. An elevation-adjustable cheekpiece is a big help to attain a solid position.
Couldn’t make it to Las Vegas this year for SHOT Show 2020? Well thankfully there is extensive SHOT Show coverage on the internet — both on websites and on the YouTube platform. GetZone.com, a large gun industry media resource, has provided 24 video reports on new products — rifles, pistols, shotguns, optics, and accessories. The 2-3-minute product showcase videos include both booth coverage from the SHOT Show floor and product-in-action footage from Industry Day at the Range.
GetZone’s What’s Hot at SHOT 2020 features Ruger as title sponsor for the third straight year, in addition to the following sponsors:
GetZone.com has grown into one of the largest video platforms for hunting, firearms, and shooting sports content. With YouTube and Facebook aggressively censoring Gun-related content, we are pleased to see GetZone.com providing a gun-friendly new media platform serving all shooting disciplines. GetZone.com states that it “promotes safe shooting, encourages responsible firearms ownership, and supports wildlife conservation across the globe.”
Thursday 2/6/2020 was the first Team Day at the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN). Dozens of squads competed in F-TR, F-Open, and Sling Divisions. This 4-Man Palma Team Match had 15 shots for record each at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. This is a real test of wind-reading and marksmanship. Phil Kelley reports: “Tricky conditions challenged great teams throughout the day.” We first want to congratulate Team Lapua Brux Borden (LBB), with a convincing Thursday win in the F-Open Division. We were especially proud of this performance because Team LBB member Jay Christopherson serves as AccurateShooter.com’s system administrator. Congrats to Jay (far right below) and his team-mates including David Christian, Tod Hendricks, Pat Scully, Erik Cortina (Captain), and Bob Sebold (Coach).
Team Lapua Brux Borden Archive Photo from 2019 at last year’s Berger SWN.
In the F-TR division, Team USA Independence took top honors with a 1773-83X total for four shooters: Ian Klemm, Wade Fillingame, Fritz Braun, and Luke Ramsey.
In the Sling Division, Team USNRT Milanovic took top honors with 1782-82X, finishing three points ahead of Team USNRT Gill. Captain/Coach Oliver Milanovic lead the team with 449-30X.
In team competition, the shooter relies on his coach and spotter.
Berger SWN 600-Yard Mid-Range Match Results
In the Mid-Range match, Tod Hendricks topped the F-Open field with 598-37X, a dominant performance. Jim Fowler finished second with 596-20X, and our own Product Tester John Masek was third with 595-33X. John, aka “F-Class John” in our Forum, prepares our Deals of the Week, and does product reviews. Here is his latest Teslong Borescope Review.
In the F-TR Division, the top three shooters all finished with 584 points. However, Mid-Range Champion Scott Harris (584-30X) tallied a huge X-Count advantage over second-place Doug Boyer (584-21X), and third-place Ian Klemm (584-20X). Congrats to all three men.
In the Sling Division, Randy Teissedre won with 597-33X, followed by Mike Kelley with 593-30X, and Larry Sollars with 592-32X.
High Winds for Mid-Range Match on Wednesday
It was windy and cold to start the day for the 600-Yard, Mid-Range Match on Wednesday at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix. Capstone’s Adam Braverman posted: “Nice full value wind to start the Mid-Range portion of the SW Nationals sponsored by Capstone Precision Group. 38 degrees felt like 27!”
There is an excellent article about primers on the Shooting Times website. We strongly recommend you read Mysteries And Misconceptions Of The All-Important Primer, written by Allan Jones. Mr. Jones is a bona fide expert — he served as the manager of technical publications for CCI Ammunition and Speer Bullets and Jones authored three editions of the Speer Reloading Manual.
This authoritative Shooting Times article explains the fine points of primer design and construction. Jones also reveals some little-known facts about primers and he corrects common misconceptions. Here are some highlights from the article:
Size Matters
Useful Trivia — even though Small Rifle and Small Pistol primer pockets share the same depth specification, Large Rifle and Large Pistol primers do not. The standard pocket for a Large Pistol primer is somewhat shallower than its Large Rifle counterpart, specifically, 0.008 to 0.009 inch less.
Magnum Primers
There are two ways to make a Magnum primer — either use more of the standard chemical mix to provide a longer-burning flame or change the mix to one with more aggressive burn characteristics. Prior to 1989, CCI used the first option in Magnum Rifle primers. After that, we switched to a mix optimized for spherical propellants that produced a 24% increase in flame temperature and a 16% boost in gas volume.
Foiled Again
Most component primers have a little disk of paper between the anvil and the priming mix. It is called “foil paper” not because it’s made of foil but because it replaces the true metal foil used to seal early percussion caps. The reason this little disk exists is strictly a manufacturing convenience. Wet primer pellets are smaller than the inside diameter of the cup when inserted and must be compacted to achieve their proper diameter and height. Without the foil paper, the wet mix would stick to the compaction pins and jam up the assembly process.
Redding has a new tool that can make it easier to measure case neck and bullet run-out. Redding’s new Slant Bed Concentricity Gauge features a tilted, 4-point case support. The “Slant Bed” design moves the bearing surface down and away from the user, making case rotation easier. Redding explains: “Pushing down with the index finger is a natural movement as opposed to rolling on a flat which requires the movement of the entire arm. It improves both the ease of case rotation and the maintenance of proper alignment for reading.”
The orientation of the Dial Indicator also improves ergonomics. The fixed vertical indicator stand places the indicator face at the optimal sight angle of 30°, reducing the possibility of off-center readings. Precision stainless steel bearings provide single-point contact with the cartridge case. Bearing sliders on stainles guideways allow quick and easy linear adjustment for cartridge length.
Redding’s new Slant Bed tool is affordable — $124.19 with 1″ Dial Indicator. The tool ships set-up for right-handers, but quickly converts for left-hand use.
- Ergonomic Design — Ships complete with large 1″x.001″ dial indicator
– Fixed indicator position — Dliminates set-up errors
– Precision stainless steel bearings mounted on linear guideways accept cartridge sizes from .17 Hornet to .408 CheyTac.
– Supplied with non-skid rubber feet or use direct mounting holes
– Easily converted to left-hand arrangement
Redding Product Description:
The new Slant Bed Concentricity Gauge features a large, easy-to-read dial indicator which quickly mounts in a factory aligned base dead-on the centerline of the case. No additional indicator alignment is needed. The uniquely angled design of the slant bed also better positions the dial indicator for easier reading as opposed to older designs. Additionally, the Gauge can be transitioned from right-handed use to left-handed by using a provided set of mounting holes on the base. Simply remove the mount screws and transfer the working sections from one end to the other. Left-handed users no longer need to struggle to get accurate readings.
At SHOT Show and Media Day at the range, hundreds of new pistols were on display. We were pleased to see a variety of new .22 LR rimfire choices. For training, fun plinking, and target work, a .22 LR pistol offers many advantages. First, the ammo is inexpensive — you can get decent ammo for under $3.00 a box these days. In addition, barrel life is excellent with the little .22 LR cartridge. Finally, .22 LR has very low recoil, and less noise than centerfire cartridges — though you should still always wear eye and ear protection when shooting rimfire handguns.
Here are five new-for-2020 .22 LR Handguns from Browning, Ruger, Keltec, and Glock. Though it appears to have some reliability issues, we included the new Glock 44, because many of our Forum members asked about this new handgun.
Browning Buck Mark Limited Edition Buck Mark Plus Vision
This is a new Limited Edition of Browning’s classic Buck Mark semi-auto rimfire pistol. This features a ported barrel shroud. Along with the blue version shown, this new pistol is offered with a Red or Black finish. This Editor shot this Buck Mark Plus Vision Ltd. Edition on Range Day and were impressed. It balances well, has a great trigger, and was very accurate. See Full Review on GunsAmerica.com. With lots of close-up photos, the GunsAmerica Digest review provides very complete information on the Limited Edition Series Plus Vision Buck Mark.
Ruger Mark IV .22 LR with 10″ Barrel
This new Ruger Mark IV has a serious sight radius — the 10-inch barrel is near twice the length of the Mark IV’s typical 5.5-inch barrel. Even Ruger’s Mark IV Hunter and Competition models only offer a 6.88″ barrel. These new 10″-barrel guns still use the standard Mark IV one-button takedown for quick and easy field-stripping. The upper receiver comes drilled and tapped to mount Weaver- or Picatinny-style rails for optics. These new long-barrel Mark IVs will be available soon from Guns.com.
Ruger Lite Rack LCP II .22 LR Pistol
For SHOT Show 2020, Ruger introduced a new ultra-compact .22 LR pistol, the LCP II “Lite Rack”. This rimfire version of Ruger’s popular .380 ACP pocket pistol gets its name from the easy-to-charge slide. Initial testing shows this little rimfire has a decent trigger and good accuracy. With a 10+1 capacity, the Lite Rack .22 is very reliable, as you can see in this .22 Plinkster video. If you’re interested in a “Deep Cover” .22 LR carry pistol, the Lite Rack LCP II, with its $319.99 street price, may fit the bill.
Keltec P17 — Compact, Budget-Priced .22 LR Pistol
Keltec’s new P17 rimfire pistol is lightweight, easy to handle, and features a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable rear. Priced at just $199.95 MSRP, the .22 LR P17 has 16+1 round capacity and ships with three, 16-round magazines. This is a small pistol — it weight just 14 ounces and OAL is 6.65″. Keltec states: “The new, affordable P17 pistol makes range days a lot less expensive and far more fun.” With low cost .22 LR ammo and a 16+1 capacity, this should be fun to shoot.
Glock 44 — Glock’s First-Ever .22 LR Handgun
Glock surprised the world with its new Glock 44, with a form factor similar to the Glock 19. Glock’s first rimfire handgun has a 4.02″ barrel and 7.28″ OAL so most G19 holsters will work with the G44. There is minimal muzzle flip, accuracy is good, and the trigger is decent. OK, that’s the good stuff. The negatives? There have been reliability issues with bulk-type, inexpensive .22 LR ammunition. Reviewer .22 Plinkster was disappointed with his G44. He had dozens of malfunctions with bulk .22 LR ammo (see 9:00 time-mark) and the gun shot high with normal sight alignment (9:20 time-mark). He says the new G44 needs further development: “I… had high hopes for the Glock 44 when it was released. Hopefully, Glock will remedy some of the issues with this handgun.” And in the Pew-Pew Tactical video below you’ll see a malfunction at 6:50. The reviewer stated: “I struggled with the rounds that were cheaper and lighter, but I didn’t struggle with hot stuff or the good stuff.” Lesson — if you are considering the G44, be sure to use quality, hotter .22 LR ammo such as CCI Mini-Mags.
Readers — if you reload with Accurate-brand 2495, 4064, or 4350 powders, check your containers now! Accurate Powder is recalling certain lots of these powders in both 1-lb and 8-lb containers. This is serious. The manufacturer says: “The use or storage of this product may result in combustion, fire damage, and/or possible serious injury or property damage.” The problematic powders being recalled were manufactured for Western Powders Inc. prior to 10/1/2016, but they may have been sold anytime after that.
Check the Lot Number on the back or bottom of the containers. The lot number is the last digit or last two digits (right-most digits). Here are the recalled lots:
Accurate 2495 Lots 2-17 | Accurate 4064 Lots 2-16 | Accurate 4350 Lots 2-22
If you have any of the affected powder you should fill the container immediately with WATER. Then contact Western Powders at 406-234-0422 or customerservice@westernpowders.com .
Accurate Powders Recall Notice for 2495, 4064, 4360 Powders
Recall tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
You Should Inspect Your Powder Supplies Now
This Powder Recall was first announced in November 2019, but we are repeating it now for our readers who may still be unaware of the issue. Some of our Forum members have observed some powder degradation with affected lots. But they also report that the refunds were handled promptly and fairly.
Member Snert noted: “I went through my inventory and found an 8-pounder and a 1-pounder, 2495 and 4350 respectively. The 4350 was going….changing color and stunk, red mist. The 2495 hadn’t obviously gone, but was part of the recall.
I called and the process is easy. Read the tags and tell em what you have. Write down the info they give you. Take a photo of the product and tag, send your contact info and a claim number. I found that they are sending me back more money than I paid. Very fair refund. I was happy with the customer service. Stand-up guys who were helpful. I’d buy from them again.” READ FORUM Recall thread.
In the F-TR Division, Peter Johns had a dominant performance with 1242-58X, twelve points ahead of second-place Wade Fillingame (1230-50X) and third-place Ian Klemm (1230-46X). Ian also shot on the winning USA Independence F-TR Team.
