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.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
Brownells — Early Black Friday Deals
⏺️ » Early Black Friday Deals plus Free Shipping with $47+ orders
Whether it’s rifle parts, ammo, or reloading equipment you can find what you want all on sale during the Early Black Friday Sale at Brownells. Enjoy massive savings on Magpul, Hornady, Faxon, Leupold, ATN and more. Plus you can get FREE SHIPPING this week on all orders over $47.00. No special discount code is needed for the FREE Shipping.
RCBS — 15% OFF Black Friday Week Savings
⏺️ » Save 15% with code on RCBS Products
Here’s a great offer for the high-quality and long-lasting RCBS Reloading Products and Tools. Now through 11/30/2025 you can save 15% with CODE FClass15. This 15% OFF Discount applies to nearly all RCBS products except RCBS digital powder measures and Matchmaster Powder Funnels. With this FClass15 code you can save on dies, case prep tools, reloading presses, scales, priming tools and much more — almost the entire RCBS product line.
Chart created with Ammoguide’s Visual Comparison Tool. Visit Ammoguide.com to learn more.
One of our forum members was looking for a very accurate, mid-sized 6.5mm cartridge for target working and coyote hunting. There are many great options including the 6.5 Grendel, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, and Remington .260 (a 6.5-08). If you are considering the 6.5×47 you should read our 6.5×47 Cartridge Guide authored by the 6.5 Guys. This and other 6.5mm cartridges are covered in this introduction to 6.5 mm cartridges prepared by Eben Brown, President of Eabco.com.
Quick Guide to 6.5mm Cartridges
by Eben Brown, EABCO.com, (E. Arthur Brown Co. Inc.)
The current popularity of 6.5mm cartridges in the USA has been a long time in coming. I won’t go into my opinions on why it took so long to catch on. The important thing is that it finally HAS caught on and we’re now so fortunate to have a wide selection of 6.5mm cartridges to choose from!
6.5mm Grendel – Developed by Alexander Arms for the AR15 and military M4 family of rifles. The Grendel fits the dimensional and functional requirements of these rifles while delivering better lethality and downrange performance. [Editor: The little 6.5 Grendel delivers a lot of performance from a small package. This is one of the most accurate cartridge options for the AR15 platform.]
6.5mm BRM – Developed by E. Arthur Brown Company to give “Big Game Performance to Small Framed Rifles” — namely our Model 97D Rifle, TC Contender, and TC Encore. Velocities of 2400-2500 fps with 140gr bullets puts it just under the original 6.5×55 Swede performance.
6.5mm x 47 Lapua – Developed by Lapua specifically for international 300m shooting competitions (with some interest in long-range benchrest as well). Case capacity, body taper, shoulder angle, and small rifle primer are all features requested by top international shooters. You can expect velocities of 2500-2600+ with 140 gr bullets.
6.5mm Creedmoor – Developed by Hornady and Creedmoor Sports, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is designed for efficiency and function. Its shape reaches high velocities while maintaining standard .308 Winchester pressures and its overall length fits well with .308 Win length magazines. You can expect velocities of 2600-2700+ fps with 140gr bullets. [Editor: Yep, we know some PRS guys are loading hotter than that in bolt guns. We recommend you try the 120-130 grain bullets also with this cartridge. That may put you in a better accuracy node.]
This video reviews 6.5 Creedmoor Cartridge Brass options:
.260 Remington – Developed by Remington to compete with the 6.5mmx55 Swedish Mauser that was (finally) gaining popularity in 1996. By necking down the 7mm-08 Remington to 6.5mm (.264 cal), the .260 Remington was created. It fit the same short-action [receivers] that fit .308 Win, .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, etc. You can expect velocities of 2600-2700 fps with 140gr bullets in the 260 .Remington.
[Editor’s Note: In the .260 Rem, try the Lapua 120gr Scenar-Ls and/or Berger 130gr VLDs for great accuracy and impressive speeds over 2950 fps.]
6.5mm x 55 Swedish Mauser – This was the cartridge that started the 6.5mm craze in the USA. It is famous for having mild recoil, deadly lethality on even the biggest game animals, and superb accuracy potential. Original ballistics were in the 2500 fps range with 140gr bullets. Nowadays handloaders get 2600-2700+ fps.
[Editor’s Note: Tor from Scandinavia offers this bit of 6.5x55mm history: “Contrary to common belief, the 6.5×55 was not developed by Mauser, but was constructed by a joint Norwegian and Swedish military commission in 1891 and introduced as the standard military cartridge in both countries in 1894. Sweden chose to use the cartridge in a Mauser-based rifle, while Norway used the cartridge in the Krag rifles. This led to two different cartridges the 6.5×55 Krag and 6.5×55 Mauser — the only real difference being safe operating pressure.”]
6.5-284 Norma — This comes from necking the .284 Winchester down to .264 caliber. Norma standardized it for commercial ammo sales. The 6.5mm-284 was very popular for F-Class competition and High Power at 1,000 yards. However, many F-Class competitors have switched to the straight .284 Win for improved barrel life. 6.5-284 velocities run 3000-3100+ fps with 140gr bullets.
.264 Winchester Magnum – Developed by Winchester back in 1959, the .264 Win Mag never really caught on and may have delayed the ultimate acceptance of 6.5mm cartridges by US shooters (in my opinion). It missed the whole point and original advantage of 6.5 mm cartridges.
The Original 6.5mm Advantage
The special needs of long-range competition have skewed things a little. However the original advantages of 6.5mm cartridges — how deadly the 6.5mms are on game animals, how little recoil they produce, and how easy they are to shoot well — still hold true today.
We’re told the 6.5 Creedmoor is now the best-selling chambering in new bolt-action rifles sold in the USA. Accurate, versatile, with moderate recoil, the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge serves hunters, paper punchers, and PRS/NRL shooters equally well.
As part of its online Load Data Center, Nosler offers very complete load data for the popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. This medium-sized cartridge combines excellent accuracy, good mag-feeding, good barrel life, moderate recoil, and reasonable component cost. That’s why this cartridge has become very popular for multiple shooting disciplines. GET ALL 6.5 Creedmoor Load Data.
How does barrel length affect 6.5 Creedmoor Muzzle Velocity? CLICK HERE for RifleShooter.com barrel cut-down velocity test.
According to the Sierra Load Manual: “Developed in 2007 by Dennis DeMille and Dave Emary, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a shortened and improved 30 TC cartridge case that was inspired by the .308 Winchester design. This short action design was created to maximize case capacity and a wide range of loading lengths, while still fitting in standard short action magazines. With the correct twist barrel, the versatile 6.5 Creedmoor can take advantage of the wide range of bullet weights available in 6.5 mm (i.e. .264 caliber). Reloaders should keep in mind that the 6.5 Creedmoor works best with medium to medium-slow powders such as H4350, Varget, Win 760, and RE-17.”
Click Each Image to Load PDF File for Listed Bullet Weights
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before — a single-shot, bolt-action pistol chambered for the 6mmBR Norma cartridge (aka 6BR). Featured as one of our Guns of the Week a while back, this Green Machine is a Savage Striker upgraded by Chuck G. from Arizona, a self-described “Savage Maniac”. This impressive bolt-action pistol has shown exceptional accuracy.
Chuck transformed this Savage Striker single-shot from a ho-hum .308 into a reliable half-MOA precision 6BR that can run with accurized rifles all the way out to impressively long ranges. Here we provide highlights from our original article. Click the link below to read our full Savage Striker article, which is three times longer than this story, and has more photos, plus videos and a detailed load development section.
The Striker Project — Pursuit of Precision, by Chuck G.
I didn’t even know Savage Strikers existed until I saw one for sale on Gunbroker.com. I snagged it with a $400 bid. My idea was to build an accurate, long-range pistol on a pauper’s budget. As purchased, the Striker had a .308 barrel with an unknown round count, the standard center-grip, black synthetic stock, an odd two-piece custom brake, and an old Burris 4X pistol scope in a Conetrol 2-piece ring set. The trigger was very heavy, 6-8 lbs I’d estimate, with a lot of take-up and over-travel.
Initial Disappointments — Too Much Recoil, Poor Accuracy
My initial attempts to get the Striker to shoot well at even 100 yards were disappointing. I was never able to get better than a 3″, 5-shot group at 100. Not what I was looking for. Being used to benchrest triggers, the pull on this one was hard for me to manage. The gun would roll around on any type of front rest I had, and from a cement bench on a bipod it would jump about 18 inches up and sideways with every round. Not being used to this type of gun, I found the recoil and muzzle blast to be unsettling. It was hard not to flinch. I started off using my 1K .308 rifle load, 175 SMKs over 44 grains of Varget. That probably would have knocked the hell out of a deer, but it wasn’t much fun to shoot from the bench.
New Caliber, New Barrel — Way Better Accuracy!
I decided to rebuild the Striker in a caliber that would be more fun to shoot. 6mmBR was an obvious choice for all the usual reasons–good brass, wide choice of match bullets, easy to load, low recoil, very accurate, and relatively cheap to shoot. As part of a SavageShooters.com group buy, I ordered a 15″, SS match grade, 3-groove, heavy varmint contour, 10-twist barrel from Pac-Nor. To set the freebore, I provided Pac-Nor with a dummy case with an 88gr LD Berger bullet seated to use as a guide. Total delivered price was $340 chambered and threaded for a muzzle brake from JP Rifles.
This image below features a target created by the founder of AccurateShooter.com and 6mmBR.com. You can CLICK HERE to visit our target page with this and many other free targets.
When I bought it, the Striker, with factory .308 barrel, shot 3″ groups at 100. Now, with a Pac-Nor 6BR Match barrel, 3″ fore-arm plate, upgraded trigger, 24X scope, and match bullets, the gun consistently groups 1/2″ or better at 100 yards. What a transformation!”
Striker Project — Mission Accomplished
With further load development and bench practice, the gun is showing even more accuracy potential. Using a 24X target scope, the Striker has delivered 5-shot groups in the 3s and 4s during recent range visits. All in all, I’m very satisfied with the project. I ended up with an accurate, fun-to-shoot gun for under $1,000 including scope, paint, and bedding materials.
Stock Modifications
While waiting for the barrel I started working on the stock. As virtually no aftermarket stocks were readily available for the center-grip Striker, I decided to rebuild the standard black synthetic stock. The grip fit my hand poorly so I worked it over with a Dremel tool and sandpaper, built up the grip with Bondo, filled in some holes and bedded the action using Devcon Plastic Steel. This was my very first attempt at these tasks so progress was slow. Once I had re-shaped the stock, I sprayed five coats of “John Deere” green topped by several coats of auto clear. It came out surprisingly well considering I had never painted a stock before. I had originally planned to build up the fore-end to 3″ wide using Bondo but later decided to just use a Sinclair Benchrest Adapter that I had on hand.
Chuck notes: “I’m really pleased with the C & J one-piece Rest. It’s solid, heavy, and well-designed. There is no real need for a windage top; small adjustments are easily made by slightly shifting the pistol butt. Elevation adjustments are positive and once the pistol is set up on this rest NOTHING moves.”
Thanksgiving is just 4 days away. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to blast away at some bearded gobblers (of the paper variety). Here’s our Turkey Day target, ready for some family fun. This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.
Get a Full Set of Animal Targets
For your convenience, we’ve packaged the Turkey Target along with five (5) other varmint/animal-themed targets. These are all offered in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format for easy printing.
Lyman’s popular E-Zee Case Length Gauge II is now bigger and better. The latest version of Lyman’s Case Gauge is much larger than the original version. The Case Gauge II now measures more than 70 cartridge types — way more than before. This tool is a metal template with SAAMI-max-length slots for various cartridge types, including modern cartridges such as the Winchester Short Magnums. This tool allows you to quickly sort brass or check the dimensions. If you have a bucketful of mixed pistol brass this can save you hours of tedious work with calipers. You can also quickly check case lengths to see if it’s time to trim your fired brass.
If you load a wide variety of calibers, or do a lot of pistol shooting, we think you should pick up one of these Lyman Case Gauge templates. They are currently available for $24.99 at Brownells, $25.99 at MidwayUSA, and $30.53 on Amazon. The E-Zee Case Gauge has long been a popular item for hand-loaders.
NOTE: For years the E-Zee Case Gauge had a silver finish with black lettering, as shown above. Some of the most recent production of E-Zee gauges have a new “high contrast” look, with white lettering on a black frame. You may get either version when you order online — Brownells and MidwayUSA show silver, while Amazon shows black. We actually prefer the older silver version. Below is the black and white variant.
Lyman Case Gauge Should Last a Lifetime
Easily measure the case length of over 70 popular rifle and pistol cases with Lyman’s E-Zee Case Length Gauge. This really is a “must-have” piece of kit for any gun owner who hand-loads numerous pistol and rifle calibers.
This precisely-made metal gauge makes sorting or identifying cases fast and accurate. The template is machined with SAAMI max recommended case lengths. Made from metal, with no moving parts, the E-Zee Case Gauge should last a lifetime. The Lyman E-Zee Gauges offered by Brownells are silver with black lettering, while other Case Gauge models are black with white lettering.
Hunting season is well underway throughout North America. If you’re planning a hunt, and want to improve your chances of success, you can benefit from today’s Saturday Showcase featuring noted huntress and outdoor video host Kristy Titus. Titus, co-host of the Team Elk TV show, is a certified instructor who has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father.
Successful Hunts with Kristy Titus and Field Dressing Methods
Kristy has her own successful YouTube Channel, Pursue the Wild with Kristy Titus. Here are three popular videos on that channel. Kristy’s field dressing video has amassed over 5.7 million views!
Best of North American Big Game Hunting
Caribou Hunting in the Northwest Territories
Gutless Field Dressing Method
Hunters who are deep in the backcountry may need to quarter the animal for easier field removal and to help cool the meat as quickly as possible. In this video, Kristy Titus shows the step-by-step process of the gutless method. Kristy recommends a good skinning knife such as the Buck Knives Pursuit Series. She also states you should have quality game bags plus a section of Polyethylene Visqueen material which can be purchased at local hardware stores.
Shooting Skills and Tactics for Hunters with Kristy Titus
As part of NRA Women TV, hunting guide Kristy Titus hosts a series of videos that explain important strategies and shooting skills for hunters. In these videos, Kristy demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt. She also explains preparation for a hunt, including fitness training.
Click each link below to watch other Kristy Titus Hunting Videos.
Kristy says: “When it comes to bolt-action rifle fit, there is no ‘one size fits all’. When picking out your rifle [consider options] after the purchase to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.”
Bryan Litz and The Science of Accuracy Academy have released a Podcast with vital information for all handloaders. This Podcast examines the effects of humidity variances on powder. Bryan notes: “If you want to know how much this can matter, we’re talking up to 200 fps difference for the same load of H4350 in 6.5 Creedmoor” at opposite extremes of humidity.
Bryan adds that “Most shooters don’t realize what a big deal this can be — it overshadows many of our efforts to make consistent velocity and hit targets. This can happen in loaded rounds not just for hand loading where you expose powder to ambient humidity. This is especially important for hunters considering the range of environments hunting ammo goes through.”
Subscriptions for Applied Ballistics The Science of Accuracy Academy Podcasts
If you like this podcast, and want to learn more from Brian Litz and his Applied Ballistics team, you can order a subscription to the Academy. Priced at $9.95/mo, this subscription will allow you to access all podcasts, exclusive videos, learning resources, and bullet data sheets.
For centerfire ammo, you can choose from dozens of flip-top boxes, storage bins, or milsurp-style ammo cans. For rimfire ammo, there are not so many good choices. Our preferred rimfire ammo carrier is the MTM SB-200 Small-Bore Fitted Ammo Box. This flip-top plastic box holds 100 rimfire rounds in black grids on the left and right. Each side has five rows left to right, holding ten rounds per row front to back (for 50 rounds per side). In the center is a storage area that will hold another 100 rounds in factory boxes.
Versatility for ALL Types of Rimfire Ammo
MTM’s SB-200 box is not just for .22 LR ammunition. This handy carrier will hold .17 HMR rounds, as well as .17 Mach 2, .22 Short, .22 Win Mag Rimfire, and of course .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR). This box is a winner — it has a low profile, holds rounds securely, and the center storage feature is smart.
MTM Case-Gard 200 Round Smallbore Box
This is really the only product of its kind on the market. It allows you to conveniently and securely hold 200 rimfire rounds, and also segregate your ammo by brand or bullet type. These boxes fit all types of popular rimfire ammunition. The vertical clearance of the lid is sufficient to hold the longer .22 WMR Rounds, and 17 HMR (as well as .22 LR naturally). The lid fits securely so you don’t have to worry about your rimfire ammo spilling out on the way to the range.
If you don’t have one of these boxes yet, we recommend you order one or two. They cost less than $20.00 and are available in Blue or “Rust” (a brick color).
You can save big bucks on guns and gear with factory rebate programs. But with the end of 2025 fast approaching, dozens of great shooting industry rebate programs are about to expire. Many major rebates on rifles, pistols, optics, and/or ammunition require purchases no later than December 31, 2025.
If you are in a buying mood (maybe to get a new gun as an Xmas gift to yourself), check out these notable rebate offers. We showcase 16 great discount/rebate programs. These rebates can save you big bucks on rifles, pistols, shotguns, ammo, or gear. Many of these rebates are worth $100 or more. For example you can Save $200 on Savage rifles or Save $150 on Beretta pistols. Note: most of these promos are good through the end of December 2025, but some expire on November 30 — so check the dates.
.260 Remington – Developed by Remington to compete with the 6.5mmx55 Swedish Mauser that was (finally) gaining popularity in 1996. By necking down the 7mm-08 Remington to 6.5mm (.264 cal), the .260 Remington was created. It fit the same short-action [receivers] that fit .308 Win, .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, etc. You can expect velocities of 2600-2700 fps with 140gr bullets in the 260 .Remington.
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before — a single-shot, bolt-action pistol chambered for the 6mmBR Norma cartridge (aka 6BR). Featured as one of our 
Lyman’s popular 
