Here Todd Jarrett nails three steel targets and a pop-up orange clay bird. Watch full video below.
If you are a fan of 3-Gun competition, tune in to Shooting USA this week. The latest episode, which airs Wednesday October 4, features the 2018 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals in Boulder City, Nevada. You can see many of the nation’s top 3-Gun shooters attacking some very challenging stages with pistols, rifles, and shotguns. CLICK HERE for TV Schedule.
Multi-gun competition has evolved considerably since it started 30 years ago. The firearms are more sophisticated, the optics are better, and the stage times are much faster. Still, the challenge remains the same: How fast can you shoot multiple targets, with the score determined by speed and accuracy? For the best in the sport, the answer is very fast indeed, but Match Director Pete Rinsing has a few tricks up his sleeve to challenge competitors on never-before-seen courses of fire at the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals held in April 2017.
Todd Jarrett highlights from 2017 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. Check out 300-yard prone rifle at 00:30, and blazing rifle-pistol-shotgun transitions at 00:50:
Most people compete in the Tactical Division, including 8-time Champion, Daniel Horner. Horner rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class with the USAMU. Now a civilian, Horner currently shoots with Team SIG. Competitors in the Tactical division are not allowed a bipod, so many competitors utilize structures on the stage to stabilize their long gun. Regardless of division, the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals is a true test of manipulating three different weapons, under pressure, on run-and-gun courses of fire. And the pressure is definitely on when a National Championship is on the line.
When a shot is fired through it, a barrel will exhibit harmonics. Tuning these harmonics (the “waves” that propagate through the barrel) can alter point of impact and, if you’re lucky, reduce group size. Barrel tuners have been used successfully in rimfire benchrest for many years (see photo above). While there are competing theories as to how and why barrel tuners work on rimfire rifles, there is no question that the accuracy of some rimfire barrels can be improved with the addition of a tuner. By changing the position of weights at the end of the barrel, we’ve seen shooters shrink their average group size as well as adjust the “sweet spot” for different lots of rimfire ammo. On the other hand, tuners can be the source of great frustration; some installations may yield little or no benefit. A shooter may have to experiment with a variety of different tuner designs (and weights) to find the optimal configuration.
Centerfire Tuners–Still a Work in Progress
In centerfire benchrest competition, the vast majority of competitors do not use tuners, though a few short-range shooters such as Gene Bukys and Jackie Schmidt have enjoyed considerable success. Gene has won major championships with tuned rifles. In 2011 Gene won both the Super Shoot and World Benchrest Championship (WBC), and Gene recently set a new NBRSA Sporter Class Grand Agg Record.
Centerfire benchrest guns typically employ shorter barrels with a much fatter contour (larger diameter) than rimfire rifles. Because centerfire rounds produce much higher pressures and velocities that a 22LR, a centerfire barrel also exhibits much different vibration characteristics than a typical rimfire barrel. Nonetheless, there are pioneers working with centerfire tuners who believe that tuning may be the “next leap forward” in centerfire accuracy.
Shown below is a switch-barrel benchrest rifle built by Forum member Eddie W. of Texas. It features a dual-port Hall “M” action with a ShadeTree Engineering Tuner crafted by Butch Lambert. The gun is designed to take both a 6PPC barrel for group shooting and a 30BR barrel for score shooting. The gun was barreled by Wayne Shaw, and Eddie did the stock work himself. Eddie reports: “It is a very accurate rifle.”
Will we see more tuners on centerfire rifles? Only time will tell. Some folks believe that, since one can easily adjust the loads shot by centerfire guns (by tinkering with the powder charge and seating depth), tuners have limited utility. On the other hand, tuner advocates such as Gene Beggs believe tuners can help keep your group sizes small even as conditions (temperature, humidity) change. Gene believes that, with an appropriate tuner, you can spend less time fiddling with the load specs (changing your powder charge) and instead “dial in” your sweet spot using the tuner.
Do you need a heavy-duty, single-stage press, or a high-output progressive with precise powder measure? Maybe a powder scale/dispenser is on your shopping list, or a versatile, multi-head case prep center. If you need these items, or other major reloading hardware, now is a great time to buy. Here’s the deal, right now Precision Reloading is discounting all RCBS gear in stock 10%. For example, the RockChucker Press is marked down from $154.99 to $139.99. And the ChargeMaster Lite is discounted from $239.99 to $215.99. Money saved is money earned, right?
But you must act quickly — don’t delay. This 10% Off discount program ends at 11:59 PM on Thursday, December 14, 2018. Go to PrecisionReloading.com to save now.
Huge RCBS Factory Rebates Now through December 31, 2018
In addition to Precision Reloading’s 10% SALE, you can save even more this month. RCBS is offering very significant factory rebates now through the end of 2018. On a $300 purchase you can get a big $100.00 rebate. And on a $500 purchase you can get a whopping $175.00 rebate — that equates to HUGE 35% net cost reduction, lowering the $500.00 item to just $325.00. The $175.00 you save can get you a very nice digital scale/dispenser, 4-6 boxes of bullets, or some nice, new dies. Or just use the money saved for other household holiday expenses. Submit RCBS Rebate Forms HERE.
Clearance Check — Remove the seating stem and drop a bullet into it. The farther down the ogive or nose-cone the step recess grips the bullet, the better. If it’s only pressing down against the bullet tip, a crooked seat is assured, along with inconsistent seating depth. — Glen Zediker
Some folks acquire a new seating die and then are surprised to find their hand-loads show crooked bullets and/or inconsistent seating depth. The problem could be a mis-match between the bullet and the die’s seating stem. In some case, particularly with long, streamlined bullets, the bullet tip can actually touch the bottom inside of the stem. This can cause a variety of problems, as Glen Zediker explains…
Invest in a Good Seating Die Reloading Tip by Glen Zediker
The bullet seating operation is the “last thing” that happens and it’s also the one thing that can corrupt the care and treatment given to the quality of the loaded round prior. A sleeve-style seater, well-machined, goes a whopping long ways toward preserving alignment, and, therefore, concentricity. Also make sure that the stem in yours comes to rest well down onto the bullet ogive, and, above all else, is not contacting the bullet tip! That will wreck a round.
If you have this problem, you should contact the die maker — some will offer a different seating stem expressly designed for longer, pointier bullets. This “long bullet stem” will normally drop right into your existing die. If you plan to run long, VLD-style bullets you should request the special seating stem right from the get-go.
Butch Lambert of ShadeTree Engineering provided this tip. Butch notes that many 6 PPC benchrest group shooters also enjoy shooting in score matches. But to be really competitive in the BR for score game, that means shooting a 30 BR, which has a wider, .308-class rim (0.4728″ diameter). Likewise, if you want to compete in 600-yard registered BR events or in varmint matches, you probably want to run a bigger case, such as the 6BR, 6BRA, 6mm Dasher, or 6-6.5×47. Those cartridges also have the larger 0.4728″ rims.
To convert a PPC-boltface action to shoot the bigger cases you can spend a ton of money and buy a new bolt. That can cost hundreds of dollars. The simpler solution is to turn down the diameter of the larger cases on a lathe. This is a relatively simple procedure with the right cutting tool.
Butch explains: “We’ve seen plenty of interest in rebating case rims. This lets you shoot a 30 BR in score matches using your PPC action. All you need is a new barrel. This saves buying another bolt, receiver, or rifle if you have a PPC boltface. Anyone who has access to a lathe can do this job pretty easily. Yesterday I turned 150 case in about an hour.” At right is the lathe form tool Butch uses to rebate the case rims.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every 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.
Here’s great option for someone getting starting in hand-loading. The Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Kit includes all the tools you need to load precision ammo (except dies). You get a high-leverage single stage press, powder measure, trickler, digital scale, reloading manual — and much more. Normally you’d pay $308.59 for this full Kit. Now it’s just $249.99 with FREE shipping for everything listed below:
The 6mm Dasher was originally a wildcat cartridge. To make Dasher brass you had to fire-form (or hydro-form) 6mmBR brass. That all changed a couple years ago when Shiraz Balolia (of Grizzly.com) signed a deal with Norma to produce rifle-ready 6mm Dasher brass. Norma’s Dasher brass features a longer neck offering more seating flexibility (and slightly more capacity). The latest Dasher brass is very good — capable of winning benchrest matches. If you have an older Dasher chamber, just trim the necks. Thanks to Lester Bruno, Norma Dasher brass is now available again. This is premium GEN 2 Dasher brass with the standard rim thickness. We believe Bruno’s is now the exclusive supplier of Norma Dasher brass. The brass is in the USA and will ship soon. Get this Norma-made 6mm Dasher Brass while you can. Price is $114.95 per 100 pieces. Factor in the savings (in bullets, powder, and time) by avoiding fire-forming, and you see why this brass is very popular.
3. Amazon — Howard Leight NRR 30 Impact Pro Muffs
When it comes to protecting your hearing, the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is KEY. The higher the NRR number, the better the muffs protect your hearing from dangerous noise energy. Howard Leight’s new Impact Pro Earmuffs offer an impressive 30dB Noise Reduction Rating PLUS full electronic functionality. So you get really high-quality noise reduction PLUS the ability to hear range commands and conversations. Yes these Impact Pros are pretty big, but you won’t find better quality electronic muffs that offer a higher NRR for anywhere near the $49.99 price. These are our Editor’s Choice for indoor shooting and when we are spotting (where muff thickness is not an issue).
4. Natchez — Big Savings on Nikon Optics (Scopes, LRFs, Binocs)
Need a scope or LRF for hunting season? Here’s a chance to save hundreds on a quality Nikon optic. Natchez Shooters Supply is offering exclusive deals on both new and refurbished Nikon riflescopes, rangefinders, and binoculars including camo finish hunting scopes for hunters. There are some truly excellent bargains, plus you can get $5 Flat Rate Shipping with Code 180910 (through 9/12/18). Here are some of the best deals on Nikon scopes at Natchez right now:
Still laying on the ground or using your wife’s yoga mat for shooting? For $21.25 now you can grab this NcStar Vism shooting mat and give your knees, belly, and elbows a break from the ground below. It opens wide and even has straps for pre-loading your bipod. This is a quality pad that helps put some space between you and your rocky position. When you’re done simply fold in the edges, roll it up and it takes up the same or less space as a sleeping bag. This is a good product tested and used by our staff.
6. Midsouth — New Lyman Reloading Presses on Sale
Midsouth Shooters Supply is running a big sale right on Lyman’s impressive new Brass Smith line of reloading presses. There are three models, each offering great performance and value for its class. You can save quite a bit of cash with this Midsouth Lyman Press sale. If you haven’t tried orange yet, we think you’ll be impressed. The little C-Frame is a steal at $69.99. The sturdy O-Frame Singles stage press is $154.99. And if you’re looking for a Turret press, the new 8-station Lyman Turret press ($192.99 on sale) is very impressive — with more stations than the competition, and enhanced strength/rigidity.
7. CDNN — Ruger EC9S Carry Pistol, $229.99
Here’s a good little 9mm carry pistol for a crazy-low price. Right now, CDNN is selling the popular Ruger EC9S 9MM pistol for $229.99 — that’s $70 off the regular $299.00 price. This gun is light (17.2 ounces) and thin so it’s easy to carry discretely. The EC9S is 6″ overall with a 3.12″-long barrel. The EC9S features integral sights and ships with a single 7-round magazine.
A strong argument can be made that the best home defense firearm is a 12 gauge shotgun. This Mossberg 500 is a reliable 12ga pump-gun with useful upgrades including ghost-ring sights and barrel heat-shield. This Model 500 Tactical boasts an 8-shell capacity and weighs 7 pounds unloaded. Order now from GunBuyer.com for $299.00. Owners love this serious-looking shotgun: “This unit… fires smooth, and operates perfectly out of the box. There’s an odd beauty to the tactical pump that is hard to describe. The action is smooth and repeatable.”
9. Amazon — 12″x12″ 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. High contrast makes down range targeting easy and the splatter contrast is [great].”
Powder Moisture Content — Did You Know?
Variations in moisture content change the burning rate of a powder and thereby chamber pressures and muzzle velocity. The moisture content of the Vihtavuori N100 and N300 series powders is usually around 1%, while the N500-series’ normal moisture content is 0.6% because of the added nitroglycerine.
So what difference does moisture content make? Here’s an example. In a test, a [Vihtavuori] powder sample was dried by heating it, losing about 0.5 % of its weight. Cartridges were then loaded with the dried powder and fired using a pressure gun. Chamber pressures and muzzle velocities produced by these special cartridges were compared to those produced by cartridges loaded with untreated powder. (The powder charge and bullet were of course the same in both sets of cartridges.)
After Powder Drying:
Pressure Increased 11% from 320 MPa to 355 MPa
Velocity Increased 2.6% from 2526 to 2592 FPS
Comparing results showed chamber pressures increased from 320 MPa to 355 MPa with the dried powder, and the muzzle velocity increased accordingly from 770 m/s to 790 m/s (2526 to 2592 FPS). And note, this is only one example, of one caliber and loading. The difference might be much higher depending on the cartridge and loading combinations.
Recommendation: Store powder below 68°F in 55-65% humidity.
What does this tell us? Well, it seems we need to forget the old saying “Keep your powder dry”! Instead, focus on proper powder storage, at a temperature below 20°C/68°F and humidity between 55 and 65%. Safe reloading everybody!
Tech Tip sourced by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Want to know how bonded hunting bullets are made, or why plastic tips make varmint bullets more “explosive”? Do you need help selecting a projectile for your next Elk hunt? Then you may want to pick up a copy of Understanding Ballistics: Complete Guide to Bullet Selection by Philip Massaro. Released in 2015, this 272-page Gun Digest reference book covers bullets for hunting, competition, target shooting, and self-defense. Both print (paperback) and digital (Kindle) versions are available.
This handy guide includes detailed reviews of a vast variety of bullets in both factory-loaded and component form. The book covers all types of projectiles — solids, hard-cast, tipped, bonded, FMJ, round-nose, soft-tip, composite, jacketed, hollowpoint and more. Massaro help you pick the best bullets for everything from self-defense pistols to dangerous game rifles (and everything in between). There is extensive coverage of rimfire ammo and bullets. Notably, Massaro gives detailed descriptions of most of the popular bullets on the market today. He explains how they are designed and constructed, and how they will perform when they impact the intended target. Fully illustrated with hundreds of black/white images, this book is truly an “Encyclopedia of projectiles”. Massaro covers a host of bullet options, including more caliber/bullet combinations than any other comparable book on the subject.
FREE Preview on Amazon.com
You can PREVIEW this book on Amazon.com. Go to the Book Listing Page then click on “Look Inside” right above the cover photo. That will let you see about 30 pages from the book, including dozens of illustrations. Here is the Table of Contents:
The relatively new Ruger Precision Rimfire has generated considerable interest because it is an affordable, chassis-style platform well-suited for tactical/practical cross training. It also offers some cool features including a +30 MOA scope rail and adjustable bolt throw length (from 1.5″ to ~3.0″). The adjustable bolt lets you switch to a longer, centerfire-style bolt “run” for consistent cross-training. That’s clever.
Introduced at the beginning of 2018, the Ruger Precision Rimfire has now been in the hands of multiple reviewers who have tested the little rifle for accuracy, reliability, and functionality. This smallbore chassis rifle has been tested with a variety of ammo and in both bench and “tactical” style sessions. Here are three videos that put the Ruger Precision Rifle though its paces.
VIDEO ONE — Impressive Accuracy Suppressed from Bipod at 130m
In this video, a UK-based shooter tests the Ruger Precision Rimfire with a suppressor. He came away mighty impressed with the rig’s accuracy, stating: “It is a flippin’ laser. Oh my god I’m impressed with that — five minutes in and it’s grouping literally like that [makes small “OK” sign with thumb and index] on the steel at 130m”. (Time-mark 2:40+)
VIDEO TWO — 22 Plinkster Explains Gun Features
In this video, popular YouTube gun tester 22 Plinkster explains the Ruger Precision Rimfire’s features in detail. Then he puts an early production example through its paces. He gets good accuracy from a bench, but also tries some off-hand shooting, demonstrating the rifle’s suitability for tactical cross-training.
With Federal Gold Medal Ultra-Match, 22 Plinkster produced a 5-shot group well under half-inch (with first three overlapped and the last two in same hole) at 50 yards. Note 22 Plinkster’s bench set-up. He uses a second rabbit-eared sandbag in the FRONT. This “field expedient” solution is clever. The front bag’s ears mate well with the rifle’s tubular fore-arm, adding considerable stability. And the front sand-bag helpd absorb vibration, always a good thing. For a varminter who doesn’t want to carry a bulky front rest, this is worth trying. The bag in front functions like a compact version of the large, heavy Bulls Bag.
VIDEO Three — Five Ammo Types and Front Rest
Here is detailed review from Down-Under that was positive. From bench, with Caldwell front rest, five different ammo types were tested: SK Rifle Match, SK Standard Plus, Eley Match, Eley Edge, and CCI High Velocity. The tester reports: “I was able to get 0.9″ 10-shot groups at 50 yards and 1.5″ 10-shot groups at 100 yards using Eley Edge. Overall the rifle is good but I don’t honestly think I achieved any greater accuracy over my standard Ruger American Rimfire Rifle.” We think that’s a fair assessment. This is an accurate rifle, but other affordable bolt actions can probably rival the accuracy, so the buying decision should be based on the rifle’s other features — such as the chassis.
For Ruger Precision Rifle owners, this .22 LR offers ergonomics just like their centerfire rig. This PRS-style .22 LR rig has some very interesting features, including adjustable bolt throw that lets shooters change from a rimfire 1.5″ bolt throw to a short-action centerfire 3″ bolt throw, reducing the chance of short-stroking your bolt in competition. The Ruger Marksman trigger adjusts from 2.25 to 5.0 pounds.
RUGER PRECISION RIMFIRE Important Features:
Quick-Fit Stock with adjustable cheekpiece and adjustable LOP
18″ barrel, pre-threaded for brakes and Silent-SR® suppressor
Barrel can be removed and replaced easily with AR-style tools
Picatinny scope rail with +30 MOA built-in elevation
Front 15″ free-float M-Lok handguard
Adjustable Trigger 2.25 to 5 pounds
Accepts all Ruger 10/22 magazines
Need something for the walls of your “man cave” or reloading room? Looking for a great Xmas gift for one of your shooting buddies? The creators of the Cartridge Comparison Guide offer a collection of wall posters showing ammunition types from 17 caliber rimfire cartridges all the way up to giant 35mm military rounds. ChamberIt.com offers 15 different large wall posters that display a huge variety of cartridge types.
For example, the Rifleman’s Classic Poster (below), a full 38 inches wide and 27 inches tall, is the most comprehensive. This $17.99 poster displays over 300 rifle cartridge types at true size (within 4/1000 of an inch). Cartridges shown range from .17 caliber all the way up to the big boomers (including some cannon shells). The Rifleman’s Classic Poster includes nearly all American Standardized Rifle Cartridges and many European rifle cartridges.
Rifleman’s Classic Poster Click to view large size poster.
Ammunition Performance Specifications Poster
There is also an interesting Ammo Performance Specs poster. This shows dozens of popular hunting cartridges with the velocity, energy, momentum and recoil for each cartridge displayed in a bar graph.
This shows the actual size of the Ammo Performance Poster as displayed on a wall.
Centerfire Tuners–Still a Work in Progress
