While attending the CA Long Range Championship a few seasons back, we had the opportunity to test the performance of a high-magnification (63X) spotting scope in near-ideal conditions (maybe the best I’ve ever witnessed). On the event’s last day we arrived at 5:45 am, literally as the sun was cresting the horizon. I quickly deployed our Pentax PF-100ED spotting scope, fitted with a Pentax SMC-XW 10mm fixed-power eyepiece. When used with the 100mm Pentax scope, this 10mm eyepiece yields 63X magnification. Befitting its $359.00 price, this eyepiece is extremely clear and sharp.
At the crack of dawn, viewing conditions were ideal. No mist, no mirage, no wind. The first thing this Editor noticed was that I could see metal nail heads on the target boards. That was astonishing. As soon as the first practice targets went up, to my surprise, I could see 6.5mm, 7mm, and 30-caliber bullet holes in the white at 1000 yards. No lie…
That’s right, I could see bullet holes at 1000. I know many of you folks may not believe that, but there was no mistaking when I saw a 7mm bullet cut the white line separating the Nine Ring and Eight Ring on the target in view. (I was watching that target as the shot was fired and saw the shot-hole form). And when I looked at the 30-cal targets, the bullet holes in the white were quite visible. In these perfect conditions I could also make out 3/8″ bolt heads on the target frames.
The Human Factor
When viewing the bullet holes, I was using my left naked eye (no safety glasses or magnification). I also had a contact lens in my right eye (needed for distance vision). To my surprise, while I could see the bullet holes without much difficulty with my left eye, things were fuzzier and slightly more blurry with the right eye, even when I re-focused the scope.
Then I invited 3 or 4 shooters to look through the scope. One younger guy, with good eyes, said immediately: “Yeah, I can see the holes — right there at 4 o’clock and seven o’clock. Wow.” Some older guys, who were wearing glasses, could not see the holes at all, no matter what we did to the scope’s main focus and diopter adjustment.
The lesson here — if you have to wear glasses or corrective contact lenses, just that extra bit of optical interference may make a difference in what you can see through the scope. Basically anything that goes between the scope eyepiece and your eyeball can degrade the image somewhat. So… you may be better off removing your glasses if you can still obtain good focus sharpness using the diopter adjustment and focus ring. I did the left vs. right eye test a half dozen times, and I could definitely see small features at 1000 yards with my naked eye that I could not see with my right eye fitted with a contact lens. (I did have to re-focus the scope for each eye, since one had a corrective lens while the other did not.)
Mirage Degrades Image Sharpness and Resolution
The “magic light” prevailed for only an hour or so, and then we started to get some mirage. As soon as the mirage appeared I was no longer able to see raw bullet holes, though I could still easily see black pasters on the black bulls. When the mirage started, the sharpness of the visible image degraded a huge amount. Where I could see bullet holes at dawn, by mid-morning I could barely read the numbers on the scoring rings. Lesson: If you want to test the ulimate resolution of your optics, you need perfect conditions.
Chromatic Aberration Revealed
As the light got brighter and the mirage increased I started to see blue and red fringing at the edges of the spotting disk and the large numerals. This was quite noticeable. On one side of the bright, white spotting disc you could see a dark red edge, while on the other side there was a blue edge (harder to see but still present).
The photo below was taken through the Pentax spotter lens using a point and shoot camera held up to the eyepiece. The sharpness of the Pentax was actually much better than this photo shows, but the through-the-lens image does clearly reveal the red and blue fringing. This fringing is caused by chromatic aberration — the failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same point. Chromatic aberration, most visible at high magnification, causes different wavelengths of light to have differing focal lengths (see diagram). Chromatic aberration manifests itself as “fringes” of color along boundaries that separate dark and bright parts of the image, because each color in the optical spectrum cannot be focused at a single common point on the optical axis. Keep in mind that the Pentax does have “ED” or low-dispersion glass, so the effect would be even more dramatic with a cheaper spotting scope.
If you wonder why top-of-the-line spotting scopes (such as the $3900 Leica APO-Televid 82) cost so much, the answer is that they will deliver even LESS chromatic aberration at long range and high magnification. With their exotic apochromatic (APO), ultra-low-dispersion glass, a few ultra-high-end spotting scopes can deliver an image without the color edging you see in the photo above.
The Pentax PF-100ED is a heck of a spotting scope. Any scope that can resolve bullet holes at 1000 yards is impressive. But if you want the ultimate in optical performance, with minimal chromatic aberration, you may need to step up to something like the 88mm Kowa Prominar TSN-883 with Flourite Crystal lenses ($2450.00 body only), or the 82mm Leica APO ($3899.00 with 25-50X eyepiece).
EDITOR’s NOTE: The purpose of this report is to show what is possible… in IDEAL conditions. With this Pentax 100mm, as well as a Swarovski 80mm, we have often been able to resolve 6mm bullet holes at 600 yards. But again, that performance requires really good viewing conditions. By 10:00 am at my range, even with the 100mm Pentax at 75 power, seeing 6mm bullet holes is “iffy” at best. So don’t go out and mortgage the house to buy a $4000 optic with the hope that you’ll be able to spot your shots at 1000 yards. If conditions are anything less than perfect, you’ll be lucky to see bullet holes at 500 yards. The real solution for very long-range spotting is to set up a remote target cam that broadcasts a video picture to a screen at your shooting station.
Here’s a great deal if you are looking for a smooth-running 6.5 Creedmoor rig in a modular chassis for PRS and tactical competitions. Right now you can get the Howa HCR chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor for just $867.00 at Bud’s Gun Shop (Check, eCheck or M/0 price). The new Howa HCR (Howa Chassis Rifle) combines a Howa 1500 barreled action with a modern, fully-adjustable aluminum chassis. MSRP for this HCR rifle is $1299.00, so this $867.00 price is a great deal for a 6.5 Creedmoor Howa with a very good two-stage trigger and 1:8″-twist 24″ barrel. Other chamberings are: .223 Remington, .243 Winchester and .308 Winchester (price may vary).
Mounted on an AR-style buffer tube system, the Howa HCR utilizes the fully adjustable LUTH-AR MBA-3 stock. Length of Pull is adjustable from 12.5″ to 16.75″. Comb height is also adjustable to fine tune for scope height-over-bore. Weight with a 24″ barrel is 10.2 pounds (before optics), so this Howa HCR is lighter than some similar rifles on the market.
Howa HCR Features
• Howa 1500 Barreled Action with 24″ Heavy Barrel
• Black 6061-T6 Aluminum Chassis with Free-Float M-LOK Forend
• LUTH AR Buttstock with LOP Adjustment (12.5″ to 16.75″) and Adjustable Comb
• 10-RD ACCURATE Detachable, Teflon-coated Steel Magazine
• Two-Stage H.A.C.T. Trigger
• 3 Position Safety
The HOWA HCR features an adjustable, two-stage HACT trigger, set for about 3 pounds (combined stages). Crisp and repeatable, this is an excellent trigger for a factory gun. In our opinion, the HACT trigger is clearly superior to the trigger on the Ruger RPR, as well as the Savage AccuTrigger. And there is no annoying Glock-style safety lever in the middle of the trigger blade.
Also available in .223 Rem, .243 Win, and .308 Win chamberings (price may vary)
NOTE: For all chamberings, 24″ barrels are offered, with 20″ options for the .223 Rem and .308 Win as well. Twist rates are 1:9″ for .223 Rem, 1:10″ for .243 Win, 1:8″ for 6.5 Creedmoor, and 1:10″ for .308 Win. We think .243 Win shooters will NOT be happy with the 1:10″ twist. We would prefer to see a 1:8″-twist for the .243 Win so it can shoot the 105-115 grain 6mm bullets. Most competitive 6mm shooters will want a true 8-twist or even a 1:7.5″.
Need targets — not just any old targets, but the correctly-sized targets for specific shooting disciplines (such as NRA Smallbore, F-Class, and 1K Benchrest)? Well you won’t find them at your neighborhood Wally World store. Precise, dimensionally-correct competition targets are producted by a half-dozen specialty printers. In this article we provide links to the leading target sellers, with a chart showing “who’s got what”. Look for your particular discipline and the vendors will be specified.
Sources for Official Shooting Competition Targets:
AccurateShooter.com offers dozens of FREE, printable targets for target practice, load development, and fun shooting. We also offer a few of the most popular NRA Bullseye targets. One or more of these printable targets should work for most training purposes. However, some readers have asked: “Where can we get the real targets… exactly like the ones used in NRA, IBS, and NBRSA shooting matches?”
All these vendors carry nearly all the NRA High Power and Smallbore targets, including the new, smaller F-Class targets. National Target has the F-Class and High Power targets, including 100-yard reductions of the 200, 300, and 600-yard military targets. Germany’s Kruger Targets sells all the important NRA targets, and international (ISSF) air rifle and smallbore targets too.
Orrville Printing currently sells IBS targets for rimfire (50 yard) benchrest, short-range centerfire Benchrest (100, 200, 300 yards), Hunter BR Rifle (100, 200, 300 yards), plus the official 600-yard and 1000-yard IBS targets. National Target Company also has most of the IBS targets. NBRSA short-range, 600-yard, and 1000-yard benchrest targets are available directly from the NBRSA Business Office. Call (307) 655-7415 to order for the season.
We all know that ammo prices have dropped and gunmakers are discounting handguns and rifles. But have gun sales really dropped that much since the 2016 Presidential election? Actually not. Recently released data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) show that gun sales remain at near-record levels.
The expected drop in firearms sales has been minimal. Sales are at historically high levels, only a little less than the records set in 2016. If the economy continues to pick up, 2017 will be the second highest year on record for NICS background checks. — Dean Weingarten
According to Dean Weigarten: “Firearm sales and NICS checks are having a good year. In 2017, the overall NICS checks are at 92% of the all-time record through August.” 2017 will probably surpass 2015 as the second-highest year for NICS checks since 1999, when the program started. (2016 was the highest year ever). And notably, the trend is up: NICS checks were 1,925,146 in August 2017. That beat the August 2016 number of 1,853,815, the previous high mark for the month.
Report by Dean Weingarten
The Trump era of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) checks has had eight months of high sales. The record for NICS checks was set in 2016, with over 27 million NICS checks for the year. 2015 was the second highest year for NICS checks with over 23 million checks done.
This chart reveals that the annual number of NICS Checks has more than doubled in the last decade! Source: www.FBI.gov
The high number of NICS checks reflects an expanded base of firearms owners and shooters who are buying more guns under the expectation of a prosperous Trump Presidency. Gallup released a poll on September 8th, that shows U.S. investor optimism at a 17-year high….
Now is a Good Time to Buy — Especially AR Platform Rifles
There is a high inventory of firearms for sale, and many good quality AR-15 types can be had for under $500. Ammunition prices have been slowly dropping.
Growth of Concealed Carry by Americans Drives NICS Numbers
The number of people with carry licenses continues to soar. There are over 16.5 million. At the time of this report, the number has likely surpassed 17 million. Carry permit holders are 5-15% of voters in many states [such as] Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. When a carry permit is obtained or renewed, another NICS check is done.
NICS checks are done for Federal Firearms License sales of used guns as well as new ones. The latest estimation of the ratio of NICS checks to the addition of private firearms stock is about 0.53 private firearms added for each NICS check done. If that ratio holds in 2017, about 8.6 million more firearms have been added to the private stock in 2017 thus far.
Report based on story in theNRA Blog
The 2017 NRA World Shooting Championship was a big success. Attendance was strong — nearly 300 competitors shot the three-day event at the Peacemaker Nat’l Training Center in Glengary, West Virginia. Both pros and amateurs competed in 12 challenging stages with a broad spectrum of firearms — rifles, shotguns, and handguns. This is the richest multi-discipline shooting event in the world. With $250,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, competition was tough. Rankings were based on a “blend” of time plus points — you had to shoot fast AND accurately. Congrats to Pro Greg Jordan who took home the $25,000 first prize as overall winner. John Chambers finished first in the Amateur Division, Lena Miculek was High Lady, and Michael Davis was High Junior.
Greg Jordan – 2017 NRA World Shooting Champion
John Chambers – NRA World Shooting Championship – High Amateur
Lena Miculek – NRA World Shooting Championship – High Lady
Michael Davis – NRA World Shooting Championship – High Junior
(Overall winner Greg Jordan seconed from left. Photo courtesy Jim Powell)
Big Turn-Out in Amateur Division
Unlike typical matches, the NRA World Shooting Championship allows those interested in the shooting sports to compete among some of the best shooters in the world all while using the same firearms and equipment. This year, 232 competitors participated in the Amateur Division — some who had never competed in a shooting competition before!
Here are the final scores for the top 10 shooters from each division:
We want to add a special congrats to Sean Murphy of Nightforce. Sean finished 9th overall in the Pro Division, an impressive showing for an industry executive with limited time to attend matches. Sean says: “I had a great time at the NRA World Shooting Championship this weekend. It’s a 12-stage match featuring 12 different disciplines, with all equipment provided. You have to adapt to each set of rules and equipment and then shoot and be competitive. This is a fun format for both new and experienced shooters, and gives some insight [into] other disciplines. I finished at 9th place in Pro, hitting my goal of a Top 10 finish. Congratulations to Greg Jordan on the overall win, don’t spend that $25k all at once!”
WSC Highlight Video with Competitor Interviews (Past Event):
Seen at the WSC: VuDoo Gunworks Tactical .22 LR Rimfire Rifles
The WSC included a side-match featuring Vudoo Gunworks .22 LR rimfire tactical rigs. Shooters were impressed with the V-22 rifle, which looks and feels like a centerfire rig, but with a rimfire repeater action running full-size mags.
Vudoo states: “Our V-22 also runs a full-size short action bottom metal (DBM) and our V-2210 magazine has a [full-size] AICS form factor. The V-22 is the only controlled-round-feed .22 LR receiver out there. The bolt has full capture control of the cartridge from the time it leaves the magazine until it ejects the spent round out the ejection port.” That means the round never touches anything during feed travel so the bullets won’t be nicked/dented during rapid cycling. Sean Murphy of Nightforce enjoyed shooting the Vudoo Gun Works .22s: “I’ll probably end up with one of their rimfires as it is a sweet setup.”
Hunting season is coming soon. Here’s a rifle with a smooth three-lug action and good trigger that can take any game in North America. The Browning A-Bolt III is justifiably respected as a solid hunting rifle. This AB3 model with wood stock normally retails for $700.00+. Now it’s on sale for under $549.99 in a choice of five chamberings: .243 Win, .308 Win, 7mm Magnum, .30-06 Springfield, and .300 WSM. What’s more, Browning is currently offering a $100.00 Browning Bucks Rebate for qualifying Browning firearm purchased before September 30, 2017. That drops your net cost for this hunting rifle to just $449.99. But to get this rebate, you have to act soon — you have just ten (10) more days to purchase.
You can also purchase this rifle with a “tupperware” black synthetic stock for $349.99 after rebate. Available chamberings at this price include: .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, 7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .300 WSM, .30-06 Sprg, 300 Win Mag. The .270 Win and .30-06 versions are also available with Realtree Xtra Camo (above) for the same $349.99 after-rebate price.
Story based on report by Ammoland.com, under Creative Commons License: Attribution.
While California politicians are doing everything possible to strip citizens of their gun rights, things are different in Texas. Very different. Shooting is big business in Texas. Witness the latest shooting facility being built in the Lone Star Star: “The Gun Range”. Under construction now in Killeen, Texas, this 15,000-square foot facility will have 16 indoor shooting lanes. It will even have a “Virtual Reality” room where you can shoot bad guys. The total cost for this state-of-the art shooting range? A cool four million dollars ($4,000,000).
Construction is already underway on “The Gun Range”, set to open in the Spring of 2018. The new facility will feature four 50-yard general purpose lanes plus twelve 25-yard pistol lanes, all equipped with advanced Target Retrievers. A new high-tech feature at the range will be a virtual reality projector that uses a real gun to shoot the “bad guys”, but without shooting real projectiles.
Other features include a full snack bar, and TV Lounge. The Gun Range will offer online reservations for gun safety courses, range sessions, and appointments for large parties.
“This… will also be a great place for date nights too,” said The Gun Range owner Paul Doyle.
COMMENT: Only in Texas would they think of going shooting on “Date Night”. We love it.
The new $4 million Killeen Gun Range will be located at 2401 South Fort Hood in Killeen, home of the Fort Hood Army base. Fort Hood is the most populous army base in the world — roughly 88,000 active duty personnel live in the immediate area. When complete, “The Gun Range” will be the most modern shooting range to serve army personnel and the local population. Killeen currently has another 10-lane, 15,000 sq.ft. facility, the Mountain Creek Range, on the south side of town.
Texans Love Their Shooting Sports
There were some interesting comments on Ammoland.com about this project and the shooting sports in Texas:
“Funny how California is doing everything it can to deprive people of their Constitutional civil rights. But in Texas everyone I know has at least one shooting range on their place, every municipality has a shooting range, and commercial shooting ranges are making money hand over fist.” — Wild Bill
“In Texas, if you have 10 acres or more, the county is not allowed to prohibit your shooting on your land by state law. Ft. Hood used to have a sportsman’s range on Ft. Hood, but anti-gun commanders added onerous regulations that drove many people away, then finally closed the range. That was a real disservice to soldiers.” — D. Baker
Have you tried the IMR Enduron powders yet (IMR 4166, 4451, and 7977)? We’ve been impressed with what we’ve seen. IMR’s new line of Enduron extruded powders offer good temp stability, reduced copper fouling, and good load density for many of the most popular cartridges (such as .223 Rem, .308 Win, .30-06, 300 WSM to name a few). Some of our Forum members have reported excellent results with IMR 4166 in the 6mmBR, Dasher, 6.5×47 Lapua and .308 Win. One member wrote: “in my 6.5×47… 4166 gives speeds and accuracy pretty much exactly the same as Varget.” And other shooters have observed reduced copper fouling with Enduron series powders, so IMR’s Enduron anti-fouling chemistry does seem to work.
Varmint hunters, big game hunters, match shooters and military snipers all seek powders that are insensitive to temperature changes. These powders all have it. This translates to point of impact and group size remaining the same, no matter what temperature conditions prevail. Another huge benefit is an additive that prevents copper fouling from building during dozens of rounds being fired. Here the advantage is top accuracy for longer periods of time, and less cleaning time.
A third major accomplishment with this technology is ideal load density. Experienced reloaders know that a case-filling load often delivers the most uniform velocities and best accuracy. We see this in popular match cartridges such as the 6PPC, 6mmBR, and .308 Win. These new Enduron powders offer excellent “full case” load density for the most commonly used cartridges with popular bullets.
These three powders, IMR 4166, IMR 4451 and IMR 7977, are environmentally friendly by not having any ingredients harmful to the environment. Add to that, the three of them cover the most popular cartridges from .204 Ruger up to the mighty 500 Nitro Express, and the handloader “has it all”.
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. Monmouth Reloading — Massive Inventory Liquidation Sale
Honestly, this is one of the best buying opportunities we’ve seen all year. Monmouth Reloading is having a huge inventory reduction sale. Prices have been slashed on brass, bullets, AR parts, barrels, and dozens of popular accessories. Aero Precision uppers are $50-$70 off. Nosler bullets are typically marked down 28-37%, with some example going for a fraction of the original cost. Prices on the popular Hornady ELD-X bullets have also been slashed. If you need bullets for a tactical/PRS rifle, or want to put together an AR-based gas gun, check out this sale and take advantage of the huge savings.
2. Amazon — Multi-Gun Backpack Case with Shooting Mat, $59.93
Here’s a cool item for you tactical and 3-Gun guys. This unique gun case will haul shotgun, rifle, and pistol, plus magazines. A large, removable padded section serves as a shooting mat. This multi-gun rifle case even comes with built-in shoulder straps. What would you expect to pay for all this functionality — $150 or more? Think again. Right now this 3-Gun Carry Case with Shooting Mat costs just $59.93 at Amazon. User reviews have generally been quite positive, saying the case is well-made and very functional: “The shoulder straps make carrying the bag easier when fully loaded”; “The bag securely holds my two scoped rifles. Exterior pouches are excellent, pull-out pad is short, but sufficient. VERY good quality for the price.”
3. CDNN Sports — Ruger 17 HMR American Compact, $249.99
This is a good little rifle in our favorite varmint chambering. With ballistics far superior to a .22 LR, the 17 HMR is ideal for prairie dogs and small varmints out to 180 yards or so. Now you can get a reliable, name brand 17 HMR rifle for a very attractive price. CDNN Sports is selling the 17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire Compact, with 18″ barrel, for just $249.99. That includes two (2) comb units and a FREE padded carry sling. FFL required.
4. Natchez — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit, $249.99
Everything you see above can be yours for just $249.99, a great deal. Right now, Natchez is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $249.99. That’s a great deal considering all the hardware you get. Heck, the Rock Chucker press alone is worth $150.00+. Considering all you get, this is a heck of a deal. The Natchez price is $70-$90 cheaper than many other vendors. For example, MidwayUSA’s price is $329.99 for this same kit!
5. Cabela’s — Savage 12 FV Rifle, $319.99
Here’s a good deal on a Savage hunting rifle. Purchase a Model 12 FV for $319.99 from Cabela’s. This is a sweet deal if you’re looking for a basic, no-frills hunting or varminting rifle. Cabela’s offers five chamberings at this price: .204 Ruger, .223 Remington, 22-250, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .308 Winchester. NOTE: The Cabela’s website includes a link to a $100 Savage rebate. That is for the 12 FCV, a different model. This basic 12 FV is not rebate eligible. But it’s still a good deal at $319.99.
6. Amazon — FosPower 10200 mAh Waterproof Charger, $24.99
When you’re at the range or on a hunt, it’s smart to have a USB-output battery pack for smart phone, target-cam monitor, even a LabRadar. There are many battery packs available, but most are fairly fragile, with exposed ports. This “ruggedized” FosPower 10200 mAh charger is different. It is waterproof, dust-proof, and shock-proof. (IP67 certified: dust and water resistance for up to 3ft/1m for 30 minutes under water.) It can handle all that a PRS competitor or hunter can dish out. It even has a handy LED light. Right now it’s priced at $24.99 with FREE Shipping on combined orders over $25.00.
7. Bullets.com — Handgun Safe, $44.95
This pistol safe keeps your handguns secure while still permitting instant “push-button” access. The three-button lock can be personalized with 3- to 8-digit codes, and there is a key override. This safe will hold two (2) full-sized pistols and can also store passports, cash, or other valuables. The spring-loaded door gives you near-instant response. The all-steel case also includes mounting holes for fixing the safe to floor or shelf.
8. MidwayUSA — 25-50% Off Hunting Clothing
Hunting Season is almost here. Time to get fully outfitted for this fall’s hunting adventures. Good Camo clothing can help make your hunt a success. Right now MidwayUSA has a large selection of camouflage outerwear on sale at up to 50% Off. Pants, shirts, vests, parkas, coats, rain jackets, bibs, hats, neck gaiters, and pull-overs are all marked down. CLICK HERE to see the MidwayUSA Hunting Clothing Deals
9. Mystery Deal — Versatile Digital Item, 32% under 2016 Pricing
Today’s Mystery Deal of the Week is something you’ll use at home as well as at the shooting range. This handy product will help you plot your trajectories, keep track of load data, get weather reports, and even see your bullet holes better (when coupled with a target cam). When introduced, this handy, high-tech gadget cost $285.00 (3rd party price). Now you can get one for under $120.00. Considering all that this product can do, it’s a bargain. We wouldn’t be surprised if purchasers might use this gadget ten or more hours per week.
The 2017 Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge will be held November 16-19, 2017. This year there will be at least 12 stages, plus more than 40 guns on the prize table!
Rifle, pistol, shotgun. More guns = more fun. If you are curious about multi-gun matches, check out this video from Shooting USA. This episode covers the 3-Gun Match at Fort Benning, Georgia. This one-of-a-kind match is the only multi-gun competition where civilians can run-and-gun on an active U.S. Army installation. What’s more, at this match competitors get to ride in a Stryker armored vehicle and shoot Army weapons such as the M249 SAW and M203 Grenade launcher. The lure of playing with military hardware, along with the quality of the stages, makes this a hugely popular 3-Gun event which quickly sells out every year.
Interested in 3-Gun Shooting? Here’s an in-depth report on the Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge:
Getting Started in 3-Gun Competition
Thinking of getting started in 3-Gun competition? In this NSSF video, Top Shot Finalist Chris Cerino reviews the hardware you’ll need for multi-gun matches. Chris talks about carbine configurations — including barrel, handguard, and optics options. In reviewing shotguns, Chris discusses shotshell caddies and the high-capacity extended tubular magazines now available. Cerino also demonstrates pistol techniques and explains the key features of a belt/holster rig for 3-Gun competition.
SSG Dan Horner of the USAMU, a past winner of the 3-Gun Nation Championship, is one of the country’s best multi-gun competitors. Here Horner offers some tips on 3-Gun hardware, and safety procedures:
Adapting to New Equipment
There’s a lot of hardware in 3-Gun Competition. To succeed you need mastery of ALL the tools: “New competitors should know how to operate all their equipment. They should spend time getting familiar with their equipment. I spend exponentially more time ensuring the gear is right than I do shooting.”
Safety in 3-Gun Competition
Everyone practicing with shotguns, rifles and pistols must keep safety as top priority. “Obviously, safety is the No. 1 priority, but after that, the focus should be on developing specific skills,” noted Horner. A good three-gunner must not only be fast, but he or she must also be accurate and be able to adapt to a wide variety of shooting positions. And strategy is involved too. Successful 3-gunners develop a ‘plan of attack’ for each stage.
While attending the CA Long Range Championship a few seasons back, we had the opportunity to test the performance of a high-magnification (63X) spotting scope in near-ideal conditions (maybe the best I’ve ever witnessed). On the event’s last day we arrived at 5:45 am, literally as the sun was cresting the horizon. I quickly deployed our Pentax PF-100ED spotting scope, fitted with a Pentax SMC-XW 10mm fixed-power eyepiece. When used with the 100mm Pentax scope, this 10mm eyepiece yields 63X magnification. Befitting its $359.00 price, this eyepiece is extremely clear and sharp.
Then I invited 3 or 4 shooters to look through the scope. One younger guy, with good eyes, said immediately: “Yeah, I can see the holes — right there at 4 o’clock and seven o’clock. Wow.” Some older guys, who were wearing glasses, could not see the holes at all, no matter what we did to the scope’s main focus and diopter adjustment.
Chromatic Aberration Revealed
CLICK HERE to view LARGE PHOTO that shows aberration more clearly.
The HOWA HCR features an adjustable, two-stage HACT trigger, set for about 3 pounds (combined stages). Crisp and repeatable, this is an excellent trigger for a factory gun. In our opinion, the HACT trigger is clearly superior to the trigger on the Ruger RPR, as well as the Savage AccuTrigger. And there is no annoying Glock-style safety lever in the middle of the trigger blade.
