Report by Boyd Allen, IBS Vice President
Over the weekend of October 27-28, 2018 forty-four shooters competed at the IBS 2018 Score Nationals held at the Ashe County Wildlife Club in Laurel Springs, North Carolina. The match had been rescheduled from its original, earlier date because of Hurricane Florence. Forty-three shooters shot Varmint for Score, and two of those also shot Varmint Hunter. One competitor strictly shot in Varmint Hunter class, for a total of three in that category.
Despite challenging winds and weather, there were some impressive performances. Brud Sheats won the VFS Grand Aggregate with 499-35X, with Richard Sissel second, 499-24X. Brud also topped the 200-yard VFS field, while Chris Gibby was the leading 100-yard VFS shooter.
This photo was taken on the cold and damp Saturday morning. Ashe County Wildlife Club’s 30 benches are generously proportioned and extremely well-built.
The Weather/Conditions
According to my source, Saturday morning was cool and cloudy, after a morning low of 40 degrees the day would only get up to a high of 48. As you can see from the picture of the firing line there was a little rain. The wind light and shooting conditions generally good, but on Sunday things changed. The wind became a more significant factor. According to my good friend Lee Martin, who shot the match and was kind enough to send me many good pictures, “Sunday brought 20 mph gusts that switched constantly.” Weather records show that the temperature ranged from an early morning low of 39 degrees with an eventual high of 56 and just a .01” of rain.
Photos by Clint Johnson and Lee Martin.
The Ashe County Wildlife Club
This impressive rural facility is far more than just a benchrest range. It has a Trout Pond, Skeet Field, Sporting Clays, 5-Stand Sporting, Wobble tower, Trap field, 300-yard Rifle range with 30 covered benches, and a 50-yard Pistol / Rimfire range. The 300-yard benchrest range has a newly constructed firing line and loading/multipurpose building that any club would be proud of. The firing line runs along the north east wall of the building and is covered by its extended eave.
Top Shooters, Results, and Equipment List
The above photo includes most of the “top guns” at the 2018 IBS Score Nationals. Shown, from left to right: Dean Breeden – 1st 100 Hunter, High X-Count Hunter & 2 Gun Grand Agg Hunter; Wayne France – 5th 200 & 4th Grand Agg; Dewey Hancock – 2nd 100; Chris Gibby – 1st 100 & 5th Grand Agg; John Cascarino – 4th 200 & 5th Grand Agg; Rick Hudak – 3rd 100 plus 2017 defending Grand Agg Winner; Brud Sheats – 1st 200 & 2018 Grand Agg Winner; Nick Breeden – 1st youth; David Richardson – 3rd 200; Orland Bunker – 1st 200 Hunter & 1st Grand Agg Hunter; K.L. Miller – 2nd 100 Hunter; Richard Sissel – 2nd 200 & 2nd Grand Agg. (Anything not designated as Hunter refers to VFS.)
Brud Sheats, 1st @ 200 & 2018 VFS Grand Agg Winner; Right — Richard Sissel, Grand Agg Runner-Up.
See More Match Photos from the 100/200 Score Nationals
If you want to see more photos from the Score Nationals, here are links to two web photo albums with many more images from the event:
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.
1. Browning A-Bolt III and Bushnell Scope, $349.99 with Rebate
Now you can get a complete hunting rifle package, WITH optic and sling, for under $350.00 — about what you’d pay for a custom barrel alone. This Browning A-Bolt III rifle, with included Bushnell scope, is offered in both .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield at this $349.95 price (after $75 Winchester factory rebate). This would make a great gift for a family member who hunts. This is a nice rifle — see features of the Browning A-Bolt series in the above video.
2. Amazon — Impact Sport (22 NRR) and Impact Pro (30 NRR)
Every shooter needs effective hearing protection. Wearing Electronic Muffs over plugs is a great way to go. Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs are probably one of the most commonly-used electronic muffs and there’s a reason why. They provide a good level of protection (NRR 22), fold up neatly and also have a slim profile making them ideal for rifles and shotguns. Get a set now for just $32.96 on SALE. Need more sound reduction than the 22 NRR offered by the Impact Sports? Then choose the Howard Leight 30 NRR Impact Pro at $49.99. Yes these are a bit more bulky, but they offer significantly more sound reduction, and they only cost $17.00 more right now. Fifty bucks for 30 NRR Electronic Muffs is a STEAL.
Do you have a rifle sitting in the safe because you haven’t found a scope for it yet? Eurooptic has the Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50mm rifle scope with EBR-1 reticle for a jaw-dropping $499.99. This is a great scope for $900 and an AMAZING one for the amazingly low price of $499.99. This deal won’t last long for grab it while you can.
4. Sportsman’s Guide — Guns Galore at Great Prices
Sportsman’s Guide has some serious bargains this week on its December Firearms Sale Page. We’ve showcased six super deals above but there are over 40 firearms on sale at radically low prices right now. Whether you want a slim 9mm for Every Day Carry (EDC), a Ruger 10/22 for plinking, an AR15 for varminting, or a Weatherby shotgun for home defense — you’ll find great deals at Sportsman’s Guide this Week. There are also Springfield XD pistols on sale that qualify for 3 FREE extra magazines and range bag. The $39.99 Buyer’s Club annual membership fee can pay for itself quickly when purchasing firearms and other big ticket items.
5. Midsouth Shooters — Lyman Case Prep Center, $109.99
Case prep is key to consistent accuracy, so a powered prep center is a good investment. Midsouth Shooters now has the highly-regarded, 5-station Lyman Case Prep Center for $109.99 on SALE. With this Case Prep Center you can save time, and reduce repetitive hand fatigue dramatically. And this is a real bargain. The $109.99 price is the lowest price we’ve seen (it’s nearly $30 cheaper than even the current Amazon price.
6. Gander Outdoor — Stack-On 24-Gun Safe, $503.99 with Code
Do you live in fear every time you head to work or leave on a trip because you still don’t have a safe to properly secure your firearms? The Stack-On Electronic 24-Gun Safe can help you have some piece of mind that everything secured and safe from little hands or nasty thiefs for $629.99. Use Promo Code GOHOLIDAY to get this 24-gun safe for just $503.99 delivered to a Gander Store. NOTE — this $503.99 price is ONLY with the CODE AND delivery to an eligible Gander Store. If you want home delivery that’s $325.00 Extra! Be sure to select “Ship to Gander Outdoors Store” option in the shopping cart.
7. Amazon — MTM AC4C Ammo Crate with 4 Ammo Boxes, $23.99
Here’s a very cool product from MTM at a great price. The versatile MTM AC4C Ammo Carrier features four, lockable polymer ammo cans in a fitted, four-slot 23.5” x 11.3” x 7.5” carry crate. This makes it easy to haul your ammo. Actual purchasers have raved: “Moments after I received this storage box set I ordered another. Very well built and great design. Awesome and a steal at the price.” The system includes four lockable, O-Ring 11.3″ x 7.2″ x 5″ ammo cans (AC30T) for multi-caliber ammo storage. The crate even includes tie-down points for transport in a cart or ATV. Grab this from Amazon for just $23.99. NOTE: Last year this MTM AC4C system sold for $39.99. The current $23.99 price represents a 40% savings!
8. Walmart — 46″ Workbench with LED light, $49.00
Are you looking for a solid workstation to reload or gunsmith on? This Walmart 46″ Workbench is solid, easy to assemble, and comes with an LED light, peg hooks, plus drawer liner. That’s a lot of bench for $49.00 especially considering how much you can store under it or in the drawer. The advantage of the LED light is that it won’t affect delicate electronic scales.
9. Cabela’s — Bushnell 10×42 Binoculars, $49.97
Ever wish you had a cheap pair of binoculars for those times you don’t want to take your good ones? Or maybe your kid needs his own pair for when you take them hunting. These are some nice binoculars for a range bag, your child or to let your buddy borrow and not lose any sleep over. Bushnell 10×42 all-purpose bincoculars feature high-quality BK-7 prisms, nitrogen-purged construction to resist fogging and a long eye relief for a can’t beat price of $49.99.
Got patches? Here’s a great deal on 100% cotton flannel patches. There are many sizes available, starting at $11.83 for 800 3/4-inch “17 Cal” patches with FREE Shipping. For 6mm rifles, we like either the 1-inch “22/.223″ patches or the 1 1/4-inch “.25/6mm” patches priced at $12.99 for 800. These are Amazon’s #1 seller for gun cleaning patches. Some shooters prefer to wrap their patches around a jag or brush and square patches work better for wrapping. The large, 2-inch .30 Cal patches cost $19.88 for 800. These prices include FREE Shipping.
CREDIT Forum Member F Class John for finding most of this week’s deals.
Here’s an interesting offering from one of the USA’s leading brass-makers. We all know that having consistent brass is an important factor in repeatable accuracy. That’s why some hand-loaders weight-sort their brass and why any serious shooter trims his brass to consistent case overall length (OAL).
Well those time-consuming tasks may be a thing of the past for Peterson brass buyers. Peterson is now offering Peterson Select Brass in nine popular cartridge type. According to Peterson:
“Peterson Select casings are weight sorted at the factory. All casings in a 50-count box are guaranteed to be within one grain of each other. They are also sorted by overall length (OAL) and guaranteed to be consistent to within .001 inch.”
Derek Peterson further explained: “If you weighed and measured all of the casings in the box, the highest weight and the lowest weight, and the longest casing and the shortest casing would be no more than one grain and .001″ apart from each other.”
Think about that — brass consistent to ONE GRAIN, right out of the box. And having OAL standardized to .001″ is remarkable. NOTE: After firing, case length may vary. AccurateShooter recommends you re-measure your brass after first firing and trim to length as needed before normal case neck prep (chamfering and deburring).
Peterson Select Brass is offered in FIFTY (50) Count Boxes for These Cartridge Types:
“+SRP” Indicates Small Rifle Primer Option. Note that this brass is shipped in 50-count boxes, not 100 count boxes. Pricing is still attractive. For example Fifty Peterson Select 6.5 Creedmoor casings cost $49.50, about one dollar each.
What does it take to win in the tactical game? Ask Oregon’s Jon Pynch. He won the 2018 National Rifle League (NRL) 2018 Championship event along with three out of six of the bolt-action PRS matches in which he competed this year. And with 300 points overall this season, Jon has been a #1-rated shooter within the Precision Rifle Series (PRS). In most sports you’d call that an MVP performance.
PRS Competitor Jon Pynch had a superlative run in 2018, scoring victories in many big matches, capped off by winning top honors at the 2018 NRL Championship. And as you read this, this very day (December 2nd) Jon is shooting at the PRS Season Finale at the Triple C Range in Cresson, Texas. Here is Jon Pynch’s 2018 competition record:
2018 National Rifle League Champion
2018 National Rifle League Finale Winner
2018 Rock Lake NRL Match – Jon Pynch – 1st Place
2018 JC Steel High Mountain PRS Match – Jon Pynch – 1st Place
2018 Meaford PRS Match – Jon Pynch – 1st Place
2018 NCPPRC NRL Match – Jon Pynch – 1st Place
2018 Gunwerks PRS Match – Jon Pynch — 1st Place
NRL Champ Jon Pynch was interviewed for the NRL’s Precision Rifle Channel. Click the Red Arrow above to hear a wide-ranging 45-minute audio interview with Jon, with highlights listed below, so you can skip to key sections.
JON PYNCH PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
0:00 to 8:45 — 2018 NRL Championship
9:00 – The mental aspect of shooting
16:30 – Jon’s mindset going into a match
20:30 – What gear Jon ran this season
28:20 – Jon’s hunting background
30:55 – The next up-and-comers in the sport
41:20 – Plans and goals for 2019
43:55 – Three (3) under-rated items Jon can’t shoot without
Pynch won 3 out of 6 PRS bolt-action matches he shot in 2018. Pynch runs a landscaping business in Oregon. When time permits, he travels around the country to tactical matches. He grew up around guns, starting with his trusty BB gun, and the passion grew. About 14 years ago, Pynch started to dabble in long-range shooting from the hunting side. In the past few years, he has focused more on competition, observing how the sport has changed: “Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed it feels like the level of competition and the level of quality products are growing at an incredible rate.”
CLICK HERE for full size image showing gun details.
The MPA BA Competition Chassis has many notable features: RAT System and multi-function Arca Swiss Rail provide a variety of bipod locations. There is a special rotating barricade stop, plus a spigot mount on the front of the fore-end which can extend the “wheelbase” between front and rear support. A clever Weight Tuning System allows competitors to adjust gun balance and reduce felt recoil.
State of the Art PRS/NRL Tactical Rifle:
Above is Jon’s Match Rifle shown from summer 2018 with older barrel chambered for 6mm Dasher. These shots were taken during a fire-forming session. John says: “On right (below) is unfired Lapua 6mmBR round. Shoot it and it turns in the case on the left. 6mm Dasher. 25 formed… 975 to go! Alamo Precision Rifles did a great job on this chamber/barrel. It’s won a few matches and placed well in a few others, but after 1800 rounds I think I’ll use the rest of its life as a practice/fireforming barrel.”
Making Brass — 6mmBR loaded round is fire-formed into 6mm Dasher 40° improved case:
Jon Pynch’s Favored Hardware — Curtis Vector Action, Kahles Scope, MPA Comp Chassis
Like many PRS/NRL competitors, Jon uses the MPA Competition Chassis, the most-utilized chassis in the 2016 and 2017 PRS series. The match rifle above sports a Curtis Custom Vector Action with Proof Research barrel. For optics Jon has recently used a Kahles scope in the rock-solid, MPA BA Mount, the #1 Mount used in the PRS in 2017.
M107 on duty in Afghanistan with Company F, 2nd Aviation Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade’s Pathfinders. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cody Barber, 11th PAD.
Christmas came early for Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc. — the company was awarded an $8,000,000 U.S. Army contract for .50 BMG rifles, plus a $3.3 million maintenance support contract for M107s in service. Under the $8 million contract, Barrett will deliver new M107A1, M107, and M82A1M, Caliber .50 Cal Long Range Sniper Rifle systems with scopes, suppressors and spare parts kits. The work is expected to be completed by November 26, 2023, the United States Department of Defense reported this week.
The M107A1 was made “leaner and meaner” back in 2014, with a six-pound weight savings. That’s important to soldiers charged with carrying the big rig in the field. The M107A1 model comes with Lightweight aluminum upper receiver with integral 23″ (58.4 cm) 27 MOA M1913 optics rail, 20″ (50.8 cm) or 29″ (73.7 cm) barrel with fully chrome-lined chamber and bore, 10-round steel magazine with cartridge witness indicators, and anti-corrosive coating.
M107A1 with Quick Detach Large (QDL) Suppressor
$3.3 Million Maintenance Contract for M107s in Service
Barret Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. has also won a $3.3 million maintenance contract for the U.S. Army-issued M107, Caliber .50 Long Range Sniper Rifle system. The 5-year ID/IQ contract was awarded November 27, 2018 and will be available through November 26, 2023. The M107 Rifle System has been fielded by the U.S. Armed Forces for over 15 years.
The Official Rifle of Tennessee
Believe it or not, the Barrett Model 82/M107 is Tennessee’s official state rifle. Barrett’s plant and headquarters are situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Barrett rifle is a true Tennessee success story — a rifle born from sketches drawn at a dining room table by 26-year-old Ronnie Barrett, who was born, raised, and educated in Tennessee. Using sketches of his design, Barrett worked in a one-bay garage with a tool-and-die maker to build the first prototype.
Watch Jerry Miculek Shoot .50 BMG Offhand. Action Starts at 1:20:
Since 2010, Lapua has shipped its quality cartridge brass in sturdy blue plastic boxes. Here’s a handy tip for you — don’t toss the plastic boxes when you load up your brass! These are double-duty containers. If you’re not familiar with “Blue Box” Lapua brass, you may not realize that the boxes are designed to serve as 50-round carriers for your loaded ammo and fired cases. (Yes we know some folks who’ve been tossing out their blue boxes without knowing how the boxes work as caddies.)
Snapped in place under the box lid is a rectangular plastic grid that fits in the bottom of the box. Pop the grid loose and slide it into the box with the smooth side facing up. Side supports molded into the lower section hold the grid in place.
Voilà, instant Ammo Box! Each grid contains holes for fifty (50) loaded rounds or empty cases. The convertible plastic container/ammo box is a great idea that Lapua executed very nicely. Now you have even more motivation to purchase your cartridge brass from Lapua.
USER TIPS: When transporting ammo you may want to put some foam over the loaded rounds. That will protect the bullet tips. Also, with shorter cartridges, this will help keep your loaded ammo and fired cases from moving around. You can also tape the FREE Redding Ammo Box Labels on the underside of the lids to list your load information.
The shooting world is lucky to have McMillan Fiberglass Stocks and MC3. Some companies talk about supporting competitive shooting. Maybe they bankroll a couple “rock stars” at pistol matches. But REAL commitment involves a LOT more. The kind of support that McMillan USA has shown to top shooters and top teams is truly exceptional. You won’t find a company that is more committed to supporting serious rifle competition than McMillan. The bossman, Kelly McMillan, loves the sport and is a capable marksman and hunter himself. McMillan has been a strong ally of AccurateShooter.com for many years. But more importantly, McMillan supports shooters and teams in many disciplines and McMillan donates prizes (and cash) in dozens of competitions.
Shown are some of the 2018 National Record holders who shoot McMillan equipment.
McMillan is a company that really supports both individual shooters and talented teams of competitors. Here is the story behind McMillan’s commitment to our sport and our Champion shooters (and rising stars).
Why We Support Competitive Shooting — McMillan’s Commitment
by Kelly McMillan
Anyone who knows the history of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, knows that our roots are firmly planted in competitive shooting, and specifically short-range benchrest. We were in business several years before we made a stock other than a competition stock. It is where we made our reputation for high quality stocks and first rate customer service. For several years while I was running McMillan Firearms Manufacturing, I let the focus of the stock company drift a bit. I wasn’t donating to as many matches or events and was not sponsoring any shooters. When I sold the rifle company it was made clear to me almost immediately that there were competitors of mine that were taking advantage of my loss of focus, and making huge inroads into the field that used to be dominated by McMillan.
Kelly and the Talented Xit Strategy Ladies Team:
It has always been obvious to us that if we want this business to prosper for generations to come, we need to do everything we can to get young shooters and women shooters involved in the shooting sports. I personally have been sponsoring youth shooting sports, e.g. The Scholastic Clay Targets program, Boy Scouts, NRA U-25 USA team and many individual shooters. I also sponsor a Texas junior girls F-Class team as well as many individual youth and female shooters. Team Xit Strategy is an F-TR team comprised of both adult and junior female shooters. It is the only exclusively female team in the National F-Class circuit. The team includes Laura Perry 2017 (World Champion 8-person Team member), Jen Bondurant, a top level F-TR competitor, as well as Claudette Joe, one of the top juniors in F-Class currently.
Dollars and Sense — How McMillan Supports the Shooting Sports
Below is a list of the matches, teams, and shooters that McMillan has supported over the last year. Kelly notes that McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has donated $63,000 while McCubed (Mc3) has donated $6700 in gift certificates and products to various matches and conservation efforts. Kelly adds: “We have also contributed over $15,000 cash to various events. In addition, we have contributed $30,000 in cash to Team Sponsorships as well as 60 stocks of assorted types for team members.” Take note those numbers are for just ONE YEAR — yes, all that support in product and cash for just one year’s worth of sponsorship.
Match Sponsorships
All NRL matches
All Guardian matches
Arizona Elk Society
Sportsman’s Challenge
Lone Survivor Foundation
Berger SW Nationals
Boy Scouts Troops
Various PRS matches
NRA ELR Nationals
GAP Grind
Rocky Mountain Big Horn Society
AZ Mule Deer
Hillsdale College
FClass Championships
Cactus Classic
King of 2 Mile
King of 2 Mile Television Show
JC Steel Challenge Matches
France’s PRS Match
World’s Long Shot Challenge
Bushnell Elite Tactical Sniper Challenge
WTRC/Wyoming Tactical Rifle Championship and
WYSHOT
Team Sponsorships
Team Michigan
Team USA U-25 (2021 Open)
Team Xit
US Rifle Team
US Navy Marksman Team
Team Xit Strategy
Team Savage
Shooter Sponsorships
Regina Milkovich
Tim Milkovich
Andy Puzsman
Randy Galvan
Texas Youth Girls F-Class
Cody Hartsock
Derek Rodgers
Paul Phillips
Daniel J. Pohlabel
Jeff Rorer
Mark V. Lonsdale
David Mann
Rick Jensen
Stan Pate
Mike Miller
Warren Dean
Monte Milanuk
Dan Lentz
Austin Elbert
McMillan Also Sponsors Team Savage
Grow the Sport By Helping Shooters Improve Their Performance
Kelly explains McMillan’s mission in supporting the shooting sports: “In competitive shooting it is fairly simple. If people who use your product win matches, and more importantly, improve their own personal scores, it shows potential customers that they can expect the same type of improvement. It sounds more simple than it is. Getting some of the best shooters in the world to shoot your stock requires more than just giving it to them. Remember these guys (and ladies) are at the top of their game so when you offer them something they have to be shown that it will actually improve their scores and if it doesn’t, no way they are changing to your product. Finally, I am sure I have forgotten some shooters and if so I apologize to each individual.”
Kelly McMillan is also an avid hunter. Here’s Kelly with Derek Rodgers (front) and Paul Phillips (top), two of his sponsored competitors. Derek is the reigning F-TR World Champion and previous King of Two Miles.
A pre-cut hole at the rear of each receiver allows easy insertion of a cleaning rod to clean the bore from the chamber. The Brownells BRN022 receiver will take all accessories/parts made for the Ruger 10/22. You can order factory bolt parts, and a premium barrel.
Now you can build the ultimate 10/22 with an affordable railed receiver. Precision-machined from billet 6061 aluminum, the Brownells BRN-22 receiver is fully compatible with components for the Ruger 10/22 platform. Brownells offers both standard factory 10/22 top profile (with drilled/tapped scope mounting holes), and a Railed Receiver (shown above) with an integral Picatinny top rail. We think most buyers will get the railed version shown above. At $69.99 (on sale), it’s only $7 more than the $62.99 basic version.
Some folks may ask — “Well why not just purchase a production Ruger 10/22 rifle from the factory? It will come complete with barrel, trigger, and stock…” The answer is the components. By starting with a bare bones receiver you can have better-than-factory components from the start — a better barrel, a premium trigger. Plus the Brownells BRN-22R Railed Model comes with a built-in Picatinny rail — that makes it easy to mount optics. And, if you want a specialty stock — say for rimfire tactical games — you can purchase an aftermarket stock that fits your requirements. Finally, the action has a port in the rear so you can insert a cleaning rod to clean from the breech end. This avoids potential cleaning rod damage to the muzzle.
The first part of the video features the all-new Brownells BRN-22R Railed Receiver:
Railed Receiver with Installed Barreled for $139.99
Brownells also sells BRN-22 receivers complete with pre-installed .22 LR barrels. The BRN-22 Barreled Receiver features a 16″ long barrel in either sporter or heavy contours, threaded at the muzzle. SALE Price is $134.99 (std) and $139.99 with Railed Receiver with either sporter or heavy barrel. We recommend the railed Heavy barreled receiver on sale. Then you can add the remaining components — your choice of trigger, stock, sights/optic, and muzzle device.
NOTE: This is NOT a complete barreled action — you will still need bolt, bolt handle, and trigger group — but all those parts can be easily acquired by direct mail-order. Like the bare BRN-22 receiver, this barreled receiver is the “gun” component for ATF purposes, so this must be shipped to your FFL. If you don’t want the rail, get the standard barreled receiver and save $6.00.
BRN-22 Barreled Receiver Features:
Receiver machined from 6061 T6 aluminum billet
Matte black hardcoat anodized receiver finish
1/2″-28 tpi muzzle threads for brakes and suppressors
Matte black oxide finish on barrels
Compatible with all components that fit a factory Ruger® 10/22®
FFL required for purchase
Barrels are available in Sporter and Heavy profile, both in 16″ length, while the Heavy barrel is also available in a short, 10″ length for pistol or SBR builds. All barrels come with ½”-28 tpi muzzle threads for the installation of a compensator, flash suppressor, or silencer.
The 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has become extremely popular in the last few years. It is a favored cartridge among PRS and tactical competitors, and has been used successfully by deer hunters and High Power shooters. Notable major manufacturers such as Ruger and Savage are selling popular rifles chambered for this mid-sized cartridge. The availability of affordable factory rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor further fuels its popularity.
To celebrate the 6.5 Creedmoor as 2018’s mid-size popularity contest winner, we’ve sourced five recent videos from YouTube. These videos cover loading for the 6.5 Creedmoor and also test accuracy in both custom and factory rifles. Enjoy this 6.5 Creedmoor Video Fest:
1. Gas Gun Shoot-Out: 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Win
In this TFB TV video, testers put a 6.5 Creedmoor up against a .308 Winchester with AR-10 type rifles. The head-to-head test compares the ballistics, trajectory, recoil, and inherent accuracy of the two popular cartridge types. We can’t call this a definitive test because most 6.5 Creedmoor shooters run bolt-action rifles. The key take-aways are that the 6.5 Creedmoor has significantly less recoil, and a flatter trajectory (at least with typical factory ammo). Still, the video is a good starting point for anyone considering a gas gun in 6.5 Creedmoor.
2. Ruger Precision Rifle with Norma 6.5 Creedmoor Ammo
In this video Gavin Gear tests Norma-brand factory ammo in a Ruger Precision Rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Gavin reports: “Norma is known for its high-quality brass and ammunition. Recently, I saw that Norma had announced a new addition to their Professional Hunter lineup of ammunition: in 6.5 Creedmoor! I thought I should try some out with the Ruger Precision Rifle. As you saw in the video, this ammunition behaves more like match ammunition.”
3. 6.5 Guys Test Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass in Tactical Rifles
If you have a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle, or are considering getting a gun chambered for this cartridge, we strongly recommend you watch the full 6.5 Guys Video. Ed and Steve spent a lot of time conducting this test, and the video includes helpful summaries of their findings.
4. Reloading for the 6.5 Creedmoor — Gear and Components
If you own a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle, and plan to start hand-loading for the popular cartridge, this video may help you select effective load components. The video examines a wide variety of brass, powder, and bullets options for the cartridge. In addition the reviewer looks at various reloading dies and tools suitable for 6.5 Creedmoor hand-loading.
5. The Springfield Armory M1A — Now Offered in 6.5 Creedmoor
Many folks may not realize that Springfield Armory now makes an M1A chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. With considerably less recoil, this 6.5 CM version is easier to shoot than the classic 7.62×51 M1A: “Having a 6.5 Creedmoor caliber in the M1A lineup gives long-range shooters more choices with the precision and accuracy they require,” says Springfield Armory CEO Dennis Reese.
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?
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 from $99 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.
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.
Report by Boyd Allen, IBS Vice President
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 from 
