Looking for something really different for your next range visit — something fun to shoot with the kids or grand-kids? Then check out the new Game Series of paper targets from Action Target, a leading manufacturer of steel targets and shooting supplies.
Inspired by arcade games, tabletop gaming, circus themes, and team sports, the new Game Series paper targets are designed to be engaging — to involve the shooter in a fun process, rather than just aiming at dots on paper. The sports targets let you enjoy Baseball and Hockey. The nostalgic arcade target designs capture the fun of an amusement park. Some targets, such as ‘Alien Invasion’ (below), feature fluorescent colors that “glow” when used indoors with black lights.
The selection of games is impressive — there are currently 18 different Game Series targets — really something for everyone. NOTE: These Game Series targets are not inexpensive. A single Game Series target costs $1.12. However, with a 25-Pack, the cost per target goes down to $0.62, a 45% savings.
More Fun Targets from EZ2C Targets
Action Target’s new Game Series targets aren’t the only arcade-style targets you can buy. EZ2C Targets offers very bright, high-contrast targets printed with eye-popping fluorescent red/orange and Deep Black Inks. EZ2C’s Battleship Target (Style 22) would be great for precision rifles at 100 or 200 yards. The red circles are about 3/4″ in diameter. That’s 0.36 MOA at 200 yards. That’s a good test for an accurate rifle (and for any shooting pals who boast that their guns can shoot “1/4 MOA all day long”.) The Dartboard target is great for a two-man shooting competition. You can shoot the numbers in order, or for more challenge, shoot the red rings (for each number), from the outer diameter to the middle. Just as in a real darts game, there are many variations.
If you are looking for a new, full-size single-stage reloading press, definitely consider the MEC Marksman. Created by the makers of the popular MEC shotshell reloading systems, the MEC Marksman combines a sturdy cast-iron frame with a modern open-front design. With a $189.99 street price the Marksman press cost roughly $30 more than an RCBS Rock Chucker, but the MEC offers some distinct advantages — such as an open front plus a floating shell-holder system.
Our friend Gavin Gear got his hands on a MEC Marksman press and put it through its paces. He came away impressed with the product, saying it delivers excellent performance, and has many impressive features. Gavin tells us: “Cast iron tools and machines are a lifetime investment. The made-in-USA MEC Marksman features ductile cast-iron construction, an open-front frame design for easy cartridge access, a new floating shell-holder design with a unique retention system, and ambidextrous handle setup.”
Gavin liked the Marksman’s system for holding spent primers. A tray sits behind the ram to catch spent primers exiting from a hole near the bottom of the ram. This is more foolproof than the plastic primer cups on some other single-stage presses. Expect less spent primer “spillage”.
The Marksman is sold as a stand-alone unit. However MEC also offers a very nice steel mount/riser for the Marksman. Gavin tested the Marksman with this riser, and he says it was sturdy and well-built. Gavin liked the riser. He said that elevating the Markman press up above the benchtop made it easier to handle cases and to operate the handle. The riser also has “wings” on the left and right, providing a pair of handy die-holders on each side.
This article based on story by Jason J. Brown, EditorNRABlog.com
Americans are purchasing firearms at a historic rate, with more than 27 million NICS background checks performed in 2016, the closest indicator of gun sales in the U.S. Gun ownership is a great responsibility, entailing not only a well-formed understanding of the basic rules of gun safety while shooting, but at all times. Gun safety is never more important than inside your own home. Gun safety isn’t just for gun owners — it’s a critical skill for everyone.
The NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program has taught more than 29 million American youth what to do if they find a unsecured gun. Adults should also know how to properly handle a gun, load and unload it, perform basic maintenance, and safely store it so unauthorized persons can’t access it.
In the Home Firearm Safety Course, students will also learn about gun parts, ammunition, basic gun cleaning and care, and provide hands-on training on how to safely unload select types of guns. Each participant receives the NRA Home Firearm Safety handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Basic Firearm Training Program brochure, and a course completion certificate.
The NRA’s network of more than 128,000 NRA Certified Instructors delivers the Home Firearm Safety Course at locations nationwide. To find a course near you or learn about other NRA Training programs, visit the NRA Training portal.
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. Brownells Labor Day Sale — Guns, Ammo, Components
Brownells hase been running a huge Labor Day Week Sale. Enjoy savings up to 53% now through Monday, September 3 at 11:59 CT. There are big discounts on products we really like including: Howa Barreled Actions, SIG Sauer Pistols, Lake City Ammo, Smith & Wesson Revolvers, and AR components. You may want to jump on these bargains, as inventory is limited on some items, such as the Howa Barreled Actions.
2. EuroOptic.com — Tikka T3 Liquidation Sale, Rifles from $349.00
Get a new Tikka for your fall hunt. These fine hunting rifles are now available with huge discounts. EuroOptic.com bought a truckload of Tikka T3 rifles from the North American distributor. Now these T3s are being offered at huge discounts –some below wholesale cost. Tikka rifles that typically retail for $600 to $1000 are selling for $359 to $600. Save hundreds! Look no further if you if you want a very high-quality hunting rifle at a rock-bottom price.
3. Bruno’s — Big Labor Day Sale on (Nearly) Everything In Stock
Celebrate Labor Day with big savings. Bullets, brass, powder, optics, dies, tools, stocks, barrels, actions — all this and more are on sale at Bruno Shooters Supply right now. You’ll find savings on pretty much everything Bruno’s sells (except MAP-price items). But you have to act quickly. This storewide sale ends soon so you don’t want to delay. NOTE: You don’t need a special discount code — the sale prices are already shown online. No Back-orders with sale pricing.
4.Natchez — CODES for 10% OFF, $5 Shipping, or Free Hazmat
Natchez has many items on sale this weekend, plus three (3) Promo Codes. Use CODE PO180831 to save 10% right off the price. Or, for heavy shipments, try CODE FR180831 — this provides $5.00 flat-rate shipping on orders over $99.99. If you need powder and/or primers, select CODE FH180831. This waives the HazMat fees for powder and primer orders over $150.00. Pick the Code that works best for you. Don’t hesitate — this deal expires 8/3/2018 at 11:59 pm CST.
5. Witt Machine — 25% Off Brakes and Suppressor Gear
The Witt Machine’s Labor Day Sale is easy to understand — save a full 25% on all items featured on the WittMachine.net home page. This includes clamp-on and screw-on muzzle brakes, suppressors, muzzle rise eliminators, plus integrally suppressed rifles and suppressed AR uppers. CLICK HERE for all sale items in stock. Witt sale tip from EdLongRange.
6. Midway USA — Camo Tuesday Sales on Hunting Gear
This year, MidwayUSA’s 7th Annual Camo Tuesday™ will feature deep discounts on select MidwayUSA hunting clothing, footwear, ammunition, optics and more from brands like Irish Setter, Federal, and Vortex just to name a few. “Camo Tuesday [is] Black Friday for the hunter and marks the first official shopping day of the fall hunting season,” said Jeff Larkin, VP Marketing. “This year’s Camo Tuesday event … will be bigger and better than ever.” Head over to MidwayUSA.com on September 4th to take advantage of the great deals. You can also enter the 2018 Camo Tuesday Sweepstakes with prize package worth $750.00.
7. Creedmoor Sports — Free Ground Shipping
To celebrate the long, Labor Day weekend, Creedmoor Sports is offering FREE Ground Shipping on most items in inventory. This applies to normal ground shipping rates, but not HazMat charges, so you’ll still have to pay HazMat for primers and powder. The Free Shipping will be automatically applied to Labor Day orders — no Code needed. Some exclusions apply (HAGAR brass, tumbler media, Sierra bullets, portable air gun ranges, primers). Drop-shipped items (e.g. Giraud and Gracey products) exempt.
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 $309.00. Owners love this 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 — Dictionary Book Lock Box, $9.41
Here’s a smart product at a great price. Amazon is selling a 9.5″ x 6″ lock box disguised as a hard-cover dictionary for just $9.41. That’s a great deal — 53% off Amazon’s normal price. Use this book safe to secure valuables, such as car keys, spare cash, or watches. We still recommend a secure gun safe for firearms, but this Lock Box definitely comes in handy for smaller items, such as currency and keys. This $9.41 deal won’t last long. These “hidden in plain sight” book safes sell for up to $35 elsewhere.
It’s hunting season already in many areas of the country. Improve your chances of a successful hunt by working on your position shooting skills before heading into the backcountry. Here are tips from Team USA Olympian and ISSF World Cup Winner SFC Michael McPhail.
One of the world’s best smallbore shooters, McPhail is also an avid hunter, who enjoys harvesting game with centerfire rifles. In this excellent short video from the USAMU, McPhail shows how competition shooting positions can be adapted for hunters. McPhail shows how well-established positions can provide a more stable platform for hunters in the field. That can help ensure a successful hunt. McPhail demonstrates three positions: kneeling, supported prone, and sitting in a tree-stand.
Watch SFC McPhail Demonstrate Positions for Hunters (Good Video):
McPhail first demonstrates the kneeling position. Michael notes: “I like kneeling. It’s a little bit of an under-utilized position, but it’s almost as stable as prone. It allows you get up off the ground a little bit higher to [compensate for] vegetation. For kneeling start by taking your non-dominant foot and put that towards the target, while at the same time dropping down to a knee on the dominant leg. At the same time … wrap the sling around wrist and fore-arm, lean slightly into the target and take the shot.”
McPhail shows a nice “field expedient” use of your backpack. He shows how the basic prone position can be adapted, using the pack as a front rifle support. McPhail recommends pulling your dominant (strongside) leg forward, bent at the knee. According to Michael, this takes pressure off the abdomen, helps minimizes heart beat effects, and helps with breathing.
Last but not least, McPhail shows some clever treestand tricks. McPhail recommends a position with your weakside leg pulled up and firmly braced on the front rail of the treestand. You can then rest your support arm on your leg. (That would be the left arm for a right-handed shooter). This provides a rock-solid position when shooting from a stand. The second half of the video shows how this works.
With most optics rebate programs, typical savings are fifty bucks — maybe $75 if you’re lucky. Here’s something WAY better — now through the end of October 2018, Bushnell is offering TWO Hundred Dollars ($200) off the price of Bushnell Elite Tactical Riflescopes. That’s great for PRS and tactical shooters — that $200 can pay for your support bags and other essential accessories.
Terms of Bushnell Rebate Purchase any qualifying Bushnell Elite Tactical Riflescope (excluding red dot) and receive a $200 rebate. Limited to 2 qualifying riflescope purchases. Product must be purchased between 9/1/2018 through 10/31/2018. DEADLINE for mail in or online submission 11/30/2018. Click here to Download FORM.
Here our two of our favorite First Focal Plane (FFP) Bushnell Elite Tactical Scopes. Compact for their magnification ranges, both are good choices for hunters and/or PRS Competitors:
Hunting season is right around the corner. For many of us, that means liberating a rifle that sits in a safe most of the year, grabbing a box of cartridges, and heading to the wilds. But this “once a year thing” carries with it potential risks.
It is all to easy to grab some rounds that may look right, but which are, in fact, a slightly different chambering. Likewise it is possible some hunting rounds got put in the wrong box after last year’s hunting trip. Be very careful when you get ready for a hunting trip — check the headstamp, cartridge dimensions, and bullet diameter of all your rounds. If you make an ammo selection mistake, the consequences can be disasterous, as this story reveals.
The .223 WSSM and 6mmBR Disaster Report by Dr. Jim Clary
Under most circumstances, shooters don’t have to worry about chambering the wrong cartridge into the wrong rifle. After all, the cartridges are well marked and we all know which rifle we are shooting on any given day. In many cases, incorrect cartridges cannot be chambered — larger cases will not fit in smaller chambers, for example. No problem! That being said, I can tell you that even an experienced, careful and normally safe shooter can make a mistake.
The following is an account of just such a mistake that could have resulted in death or dismemberment. Fortunately, the shooter was not hurt, but the rifle was completely destroyed.
Last year, a friend purchased a Savage Precision right bolt, left port, single shot bolt action in 6mmBR Norma. It was an incredible prairie dog gun and he spent the summer burning powder and busting dogs. In October, he purchased a stainless steel Browning A-Bolt Varmint in .223 WSSM. The weather in the upper Midwest turned sour by the time he got the brass tuned up and he only got to fire it a few times before he was “socked in” for the winter. Thus, he spent his evenings loading ammo for the spring thaw.
During a break in the weather, he grabbed both rifles and a couple of bags of .223 WSSM and 6mmBR cartridges and headed to the range to check out his new loads. In case you are not familiar, the 6mmBR is smaller in diameter and a mite shorter than the .223 WSSM. Because of this, it will chamber in a .223 WSSM, but the .243 caliber (6mm) bullet is too big for the .22 caliber bore. That is what happened to my friend.
The rest is history — when he squeezed the trigger, all hell broke loose. The entire bottom of the rifle blew out, including the magazine assembly. The explosion actually cut the stock into two pieces. However, the bolt held and amazing as it may seem, the .243 bullet was “swaged” right out of the .223 barrel.
6mmBR (left) and .223 WSSM (right) cartridges above the remains of Browning A-Bolt rifle.
One Small Mistake Is All It Takes
Now, realize that my friend has been shooting all manner of firearms, safely, for over half a century. He is meticulous, thorough and conscientious in his approach to reloading and shooting. However, he made one mistake. He put some lose 6BR cartridges in a baggie as he packed up from a prairie dog hunt last summer, without noticing that the baggie was marked .223 WSSM in black marker. Then, when the break in his winter weather came, he grabbed the bag, believing it to be the WSSM cartridges and didn’t check the head stamp.
Couldn’t happen to you? How many times have we emptied our pockets of cartridges and dropped them into a plastic container on the shooting bench? How many times have we set down to a marathon reloading session, loading several calibers in a row? How many times have we put the wrong bullets, cases or primers into the incorrect container? My point is that even the safest of us can make a mistake. So, look at the picture above and take a bit more time when you reload your ammunition at home or chamber a round in the field. It might save your life.
Each Wednesday, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit publishes a reloading “how-to” article on the USAMU Facebook page. A while back, the USAMU’s reloading gurus looked at the subject of case lubrication. Tasked with producing thousands of rounds of ammo for team members, the USAMU’s reloading staff has developed very efficient procedures for lubricating large quantities of cases. This article reveals the USAMU’s clever “big-batch” lube methods. For other helpful hand-loading tips, visit the USAMU Facebook page on upcoming Wednesdays.
Rapid, High-Volume Case Lubrication
Today’s topic covers methods for quickly applying spray lube to cartridge cases prior to sizing. A typical order for this shop may be 25,000 rounds, so [speeding up] the lubrication process can be a real time-saver. While your ammunition lots probably aren’t this large, the efficient methods discussed here may help save a considerable amount of time over your handloading career. Our case lubrication rates range from 1500-1600 cases per hour, to 2400-2500 cases per hour, depending on caliber.
This shop uses virgin brass, whereas most home handloaders use fired brass, which necessitates some small changes at times. These will be discussed as they arise. Begin with fired brass that has been tumbled clean.
Ensure as much tumbling media as possible is removed from the brass, as when it gets into a size die, it can dent cases significantly. This is a good time to round out dents in the case mouths using a tapered tool to prevent damage from the decapping stem.
First, dump the clean cases into a large box or reloading bin. Shake the bin back and forth so that many cases are oriented with the mouths up. Next, pick up as many cases as is convenient with the mouths “up”, from natural clusters of correctly-oriented cases. With 7.62mm-size cases, this is usually 3-4, and with 5.56mm cases, this can be up to 8-10. Place the cases into the rack slots, mouth-up. Doing this in groups rather than singly saves considerable time. Once these clusters have been depleted, it will be time to re-shake the bin to orient more cases “up.”.
This photo shows a case lubrication rack made by a USAMU staffer.
Naturally, adjust the spacing to best fit the calibers you reload. We have found this size … convenient for handling through the various phases of case lubrication/transfer to progressive case feeders for processing. Note that the 1/2-inch angle does not cover much of the critical case area at the base, just forward of the extractor groove, where most re-sizing force will be exerted. As the USAMU uses virgin brass, less lubrication is required for our brass than would be needed for Full Length (FL) sizing of previously-fired brass.
NOTE: The amount applied using our rack is easily enough for our purpose. If using fired brass, be sure to adequately lube this base area to avoid having cases stick in the full-length sizing die.
Using a spray lube, coat the cases adequately, but not excessively, from all sides. Be sure to get some lube into the case mouths/necks, in order to reduce expander ball drag and case stretching/headspace changes. The spray lube this shop uses does not harm primers or powder, and does not require tumbling to remove after lubing.*
Take a close look at the photo above. The USAMU shop uses a common kitchen turntable, which allows the rack to be rotated easily. We place this in a custom-made box which prevents over-spray on to floors and walls.
Angled Box Method for Smaller Cases to be Neck-Sized
A refinement of the above method which especially speeds processing of 5.56x45mm cases is as follows. A small cardboard box which holds about 100 cases is fitted with an angled “floor” secured by tape. With the smaller 5.56mm cases, usually about 8-10 cases per handful can be picked up, already correctly-oriented, and placed into the box together. This prevents having to place them into the rack slots, saving time.
HOWEVER, note that this does not allow nearly as much lube access to the case bodies as does the rack. For our purposes — neck-sizing and setting neck tension on new brass, this works well. If using this procedure with fired brass, take steps to ensure adequate lube to prevent stuck cases.
As always, we hope this will help our fellow handloaders. Good luck, and good shooting!
*A two-part test performed here involved spraying primed cases heavily, while getting more lube into the case mouth/body than even a careless handloader would likely apply. The second part of the test involved literally spraying considerable quantities of the lube directly into the cases, drenching the primers. After a several-day wait to allow the lube to penetrate the primers, they were then fired in a test barrel. All fired normally; no unusual reports were noted. This bolstered confidence that normal amounts of the lube would not adversely affect our ammunition, and we have been pleased with the results over several years.
How would you like to be able to switch out your scopes every three months, or try out a variety of optics without having to buy and then re-sell (at a big loss). Well the folks at Vulcan Circle have created a new service that is essentially like a “time-share” for optics. You pay a monthly membership fee, and then you can try out different scopes. Vulcan Circle calls this an “Optics Subscription Service”.
Vulcan Circle allows its members to receive and use high-end optics from brands like Vortex, Leupold, and Swarvoski and send them back to receive a new item every 3 months. The Vulcan Circle website shows a wide variety of scopes from trusted brands including Burris, Bushnell, Leupold, Kahles, March, Nightforce, Schmidt & Bender, Trijicon, Vortex, Zeiss, and more.
Vulcan Circle currently has three subscription levels. The basic “Legionary” Membership costs $45 per month for lower-priced scopes. Move up to “Centurion” ($90/month) to get Nightforce NXS, Vortex Razor, and similar optics. Finally, with the “Tribune” membership ($180/month) you can get high-end scopes such as Schimidt & Bender and Swarovski.
Truth about Guns explains: “Think of it as Netflix for your rifle. You’ve had your eye on a Zeiss 5-30×50mm Conquest V6 for your Ruger Precision Rifle, but $1900 is a lot of samolians. Or maybe you’d love to top your Nosler Model 48 with… something like the Steiner 3-15×50-T5Xi for an upcoming hunt. But you don’t want to buy one, you just want to use one for your trip. Vulcan Circle lets you try before you buy, offering various membership options to give you access to different optics[.]”
Vulcan Circle President John Tippets explains: “As interest in shooting sports continues to grow, Vulcan Circle seeks to help those new to the idea familiarize themselves with optics and determine their needs. Instead of purchasing the optic up-front, members have unprecedented access to the most advanced firearm optics on the market. Even better, members can exchange optics every 3 months to experience something else.”
Vulcan Circle also offers a point-based rewards program for its members. The “Vulcan Honors” program allows members to redeem points which are accrued every month for products like tents, binos, rangefinders, YETI coolers, and more. Members are rewarded with points for continued membership and for returning optics on time and in good condition.
EDITOR’s COMMENT: This is an interesting new business model. Time-based rentals of sports/hobby gear have worked in other industries. You can rent a motorcycle, or a bass boat, or an RV after all. The concern we have with Vulcan Circle comes down to potential liability for damage or even normal “wear and tear”. Scopes used on hunting trips or Gun Games can easily get scratched or damaged. If that $3500.00 Schmidt & Bender scope gets busted, who pays? And how much? For those considering a Vulcan Circle membership (at any level), you’ll want to have these and other “financial exposure” questions answered BEFORE you commit.
Click Map to launch interactive webpage with info for all 50 states.
Going hunting this year? Need to find out about hunting licenses, deer tags, local regulations, and the best hunting areas? Then visit WheretoHunt.org. This website has an interactive map of the country. Simply click on a state to find the info you need. For all 50 states, the NSSF has compiled information about hunting license and permits, where to hunt, hunter education classes, laws and regulations and more. For each state you’ll also find a link for required applications and license forms. Have a safe and productive hunt this year.
Hunting season is right around the corner. For many of us, that means liberating a rifle that sits in a safe most of the year, grabbing a box of cartridges, and heading to the wilds. But this “once a year thing” carries with it potential risks.
