A carpet is used up front for smoother tracking with the Joy-Pod’s flat, ski-style feet. The arms of the Joy-Pod were painted to match the stock. The rear bag features low-drag material on the ears.
The F-Class World Championships recently concluded in Canada. Our friend Derek Rodgers won the individual F-TR Championship using a rifle with a McMillan Xit stock and Kelbly F-Class Panda action. If you’re wondering what a modern F-TR competition rifle looks like, here is a new F-TR build from Forum member DM.Oakes.
Modern F-TR Rig with Borden Action, Krieger Barrel, and SEB Joy-Pod
This handsome .308 Win F-TR rig features a smooth-running Borden BRM action, 30-inch 1:10″-twist Krieger barrel, and an X-Ring Laminated Wood stock. Up front is a coaxial “Joy-Pod” joystick bipod. This is a state-of-the art, wide footprint bipod used by many competitors at the Worlds in Canada. The long joystick allows the “driver” to quickly adjust both elevation and windage in a smooth, continuous motion. The Joy-Pod can be adjusted so it will hold setting during the shot — you don’t have to “hard-hold” the joystick. Many shooters let the joystick slide through their fingers as the rifle moves back on recoil. With a little practice (and careful placement of the rear sand-bag), the tracking is excellent and you can slide the gun right back to point of aim after each shot.
One eye or two? That’s the question that confounds some pistol shooters, particularly during slow fire. When shooting one-handed, some bullseye pistol shooters use a piece of tape or paper on one lens of their shooting glasses to obscure their non-dominant eye. That way they can get a more precise sight picture. However, when shooting two-handed, it’s almost always better to shoot with both eyes open. And if you are doing a “move and shoot” session/match, you’ll surely want to have both eyes open.
Champion pistol shooter Doug Koenig says he always shoots handguns with both eyes open: “To me it’s very simple — I wouldn’t drive my car with one eye closed. I wouldn’t walk around the house with one eye closed. To me, it’s all about your vision, your depth perception.” Doug adds that you definitely need both eyes open to transition quickly from target to target.
With both eyes open you’ll have better depth perception and peripheral vision. You will also be able to transition from target to target more quickly. In a timed, multi-target stage, you’ll want to move your head/eyes to the next target right after you break a shot. You’ll find that you will then reflexively move the handgun on to the new target when you swing your vision on to it. Don’t linger on the target you just shot — move to the next.
Here are two other helpful videos from Doug Koenig and the NSSF:
Sight Alignment and Sight Picture
Trigger Press and Trigger Control
Doug Koenig’s List of Championships:
10-time World Champion
18-time Bianchi Cup winner
2016 NRA World Shooting Champion
More than 70 National Championships
6-time World Action Pistol Championship Winner
3-time World Speed Shooting Champion/Steel Challenge
Watch Doug Koenig’s Championship Season TV show on the Pursuit Channel: Wednesday 5:30 pm (Eastern); Friday 9:00 pm (Eastern); Saturday 1:30 am (Eastern) West Coast prime-time.
Today marks a milestone — this is our 100th “Deals of the Week” feature. We’ve got some awesome deals this week, just as 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.
This is a heck of a deal. Fine action, great stock, shockingly good price. For comparison, Savage sells its similar 6.5 Creedmoor Model 10 GRS for $1449.00 MSRP (street price $1250.00). Frankly, we prefer the Howa 1500 action and trigger, though we like the versatility of the Savage barrel nut system. Hard to go wrong here with Bud’s Gun Shop’s $799.00 price. That’s for payment via money orders, checks, or echecks; credit card price is $822.97.
Rifleshooter.com published a FULL REVIEW of this rifle: “Precise — The Howa GRS was capable of sub-MOA 5-shot accuracy out of the box. Value — The street price on these guns is well below the cost of a custom rifle. This would be a great entry-level gun. Stock — The length-of-pull and cheek-piece adjustments on the GRS were fantastic. Stock was extremely comfortable in alternate positions.” READ Rifleshooter.com REVIEW HERE.
Howa 1500 GRS 6.5 Creedmoor Specifications
Howa 1500 Heavy Barreled Action with HACT 2-Stage Trigger
GRS Berserk Stock (Pillar bedded 15% fiberglass-reinforced Durethane)
Accepts Detachable Box Mags (with extra-cost accessory kit)
Push button adjustment for comb height and length-of-pull
2. Total Eclipse Sales at Grafs.com and Midsouth Shooters Supply
Now through 11:59 pm on August 21, 2017, you can get big savings at Grafs & Sons and Midsouth Shooters Supply. Both vendors are running big “Total Eclipse” Sales, with big discounts on ammo, bullets, brass, and reloading equipment. Grafs.com is offering 15% off rimfire ammunition, plus 10% off most everything else in stock (no back-orders). In addition, this Path of Total Savings SALE includes Free Shipping on orders of $75.00 or more.
At Midsouth, prices are reduced on products from Hornady Manufacturing, Nosler Inc., Sierra Bullets, and Starline Brass. Because those four companies are in the path of the total eclipse (as is Midsouth), they’ve been selected for the big promotion. You can get savings with up to 17% OFF PRODUCTS from each company.
3. Lyman — $25.00 Off Top-Selling Products
ACT Soon — This rebate expires 8/31/17. You can now get $25.00 Off five of Lyman’s top-selling products: BoreCam, Case Prep Xpress, Gen6 Powder Dispenser, Cyclone Rotary Tumbler, and AutoAdvance Target. With Lyman’s Summer Mail-In Rebate Program, you can earn a $25 rebate per select item bought from any Lyman dealer, online or direct from the Lyman website. Items must be purchased no later than August 31, 2017 to qualify. CLICK HERE for the Rebate Redemption Form.
4. Bullets.com — Huge Reloading Powder Sale — Great Prices
Got powder? If you need smokeless propellants for your rifles and pistols, head over to Bullets.com which has slashed prices on its powder inventory. There are great savings to be had here, honest. We compared Bullets.com’s inventory reduction sale pricing with some other online powder vendors. With Bullets.com’s current price cuts, you can SAVE $4-$7 per pound for even high-demand powders such as Varget. Bullets.com’s powder sale is scheduled to run through 8/23/2017; however, prices are subject to change. Here are examples of current Sale Prices.
Grab a Walther PPS M2 for under $300.00. This is a great little concealed carry pistol. You can run it with a flush mag for deep concealment or with an extended mag that provides a more comfortable grip (photo at right). This week, CDNN Sports is offering special sale pricing on the Walther PPS M2. Get $60 off regular the retail price. Combine that with Walther’s $100 manufacturer rebate, and you can get the PPS M2 for just $299.99.
We do like this little pistol — it’s comfortable, accurate, and has a decent trigger. The PPS M2 is the carry choice of our System Administrator. READ PPS M2 Review.
Late last year, Hornady released the 10th Edition of its reloading manual. That costs $28.04 at Amazon.com. But you can get the 900+ page 9th Edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading (hardback) for just $9.99 at Midsouth. We think that’s a great deal. All the key information is still there. The 9th edition covers 233 different calibers/cartridges (including 6.5 Creedmoor), plus 146 powders and 304 bullets! Each cartridge data section features Hornady bullets along with velocity and powder recipe tables. FYI — the 10th Edition adds the new ELD and ELD-X bullets, a handful of new cartridges plus IMR Enduron powders. But other than that, you’ll probably be very happy with the 9th Edition at one-third the price!
Got patches? Here’s a great deal on 100% cotton flannel patches. There are many sizes available, starting at $8.99 for 800 3/4-inch “17 Cal” patches. For 6mm rifles, we like either the 1-inch “22/.223″ patches or the 1 1/4-inch “.25/6mm” patches priced at $11.99 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 $17.99 for 800. These prices include FREE Shipping for Prime Members.
9. MidwayUSA — Pro Series Folding Shooting Mat, $29.09
We like this folding shooting mat for three main reasons. First, it has nice half-inch-thick EVA high-density foam inside. That 0.5″ padding makes this mat MUCH more comfortable than thin mats when shooting from concrete or hard ground. Second, at 76″ long x 35.5″ wide, the mat is big enough for tall guys and there’s plenty of width for log-books, ammo boxes, and other gear. Third, the multi-cam pattern is distinctive. When you’re at a big match with many competitors, this mat is easy to spot, so you can quickly find your place on the firing line. The Pro Series Folding Shooting Mat is currently CLEARANCE SALE priced for $29.09, marked down from $109.99. Choose either Multi-Cam or OD Green for $29.09. NOTE: This is more like a work-out mat than a typical thin shooting mat. It does NOT roll into a small bundle, but this is much more comfortable for long shooting sessions on hard ground.
10. Amazon — Caldwell Front and Rear Bag Set (Unfilled), $11.29
This is a functional, “field expedient” system that’s easy to haul around and only costs $11.29! Varminters can keep these bags in a vehicle for deployment any time. Act quick — this is a special sale price at Amazon.com. This unfilled bag combo sells for up to $25.00 elsewhere. Yes this is a very inexpensive system, but it works surprisingly well, particularly with “standard” rifles with narrow fore-ends. Rather than sand, you can fill with rice or media to make the bags lighter. This system features a heavy-duty clip and D-Ring for linking the two bags for easy transport. The Caldwell DeadShot bags are crafted from durable, water-resistant 600 denier polyester.
BAG Dimensions (filled): FRONT bag 11″ x 8.5″ X 6″; REAR bag is 5″ x 5″ x 4.5″.
UPDATE: Some readers did not understand how to most effectively use this price-tracking service. They wondered: “What good does it do for me to know past prices?” Well you can set a price target, and CamelCamelCamel.com will email you (in the future) when the price has dropped to that level. That’s a powerful tool that WILL save you money!
Take the time to read this article and we bet you’ll save $100.00 or more this year. Honest. This article explains how to find the right time to buy a product from Amazon.com at a super-low price. Amazon price trend graphs, updated by the hour, show exactly when prices have been slashed on your favorite Amazon items. With this “insider info” you can save big — often 50% or more. This applies to everything Amazon sells — optics, reloading gear, tools, electronics, you name it.
Here’s how it works — find a product you want on Amazon.com. Then go to CamelCamelCamel.com and enter the product in the search field. Usually the product name is enough, but you can also enter the Amazon URL. When the product appears in the search results, click on the product name. Then a chart will appear that shows the price trends for a given time period (All Time, 1 Year, 6 Months etc.). You can see right away if it’s time to buy, or you need to wait for a price reduction.
Here’s one example. Steiner makes a black version of its 8×30 Military-Marine Binoculars called the AZ830. We found these on sale for about $120.00 and posted that on our Deals of the Week. Later the same binoculars cost over $280! Yet some months before, this Steiners cost just $75.87! You could save $204.71 by buying at just the right time — that’s a 73% savings! Check out the 1-year price history from CamelCamelCamel.com:
Here’s another example, the popular RCBS Rock Chucker press. In the last year, the price has fluctuated between $166.68 and $112.49, a $54.19 difference! By using the CamelCamelCamel price checker website, you could snag a Rock Chucker for $112.49, saving over 32%.
Track Third-Party Prices As Well for Ultimate Savings
CamelCamelCamel will also give you the lowest third-party price on Amazon. This option shows products sold on Amazon but fulfilled by third parties. Check out this chart for the Kowa TSN-880, one of the best spotting scopes on the market. The third-party price is in blue. In the last year it bounced between $849.95 and $2450.00! That’s a difference of $1600.05, or 65%. Even measured vs. the Amazon direct sale high price ($2254.00), the savings is over 60%.
Set Up Your Own Price Watch Page with Notifications
We have no affiliation with CamelCamelCamel.com but we know it can help you save big money on Amazon purchases. We have subscribed to this service, and you may want to do so as well. When you subscribe, you can create a Product Price Watch List. Let’s say you’re looking to snag a Leica Rangefinder, Lyman BoreCam, and Vortex Scope. Put those items on your watch list and you can see price trends instantly whenever you visit CamelCamelCamel.com.
In addition, you can have email alerts sent to you when the price of a “watched” product hits a “trigger” price you set. For example, we told the site to let us know when the AZ830 binoculars hit $120.00 again. And we snagged a nice Seiko titanium watch recently, saving $90 on the price.
New Technology — Electronic Reticle Level. Activate level by pushing illumination button for 15 seconds. The level warning deactivates automatically when you rotate the scope over 30 degrees.
The latest Leupold VX-6HD scopes have a feature we’d like to see incorporated in other optics: a tilt-correction warning system. When the rifle is canted more than 1 degree off level, the VX-6HD’s new electronic reticle level flashes, telling the shooter to square up his rifle. This kind of innovation helps both hunters and target shooters. Even a small bit of cant variance from shot to shot will change the point of impact at long range. Proprietary MST (Motion Sensor Technology) automatically deactivates illumination after 5 minutes of inactivity, yet reactivates instantly as soon as any movement is detected.
The electronic reticle level and other advanced VX-6HD features were praised by Petersen’s Hunting magazine, which awarded the VX-6HD an Editor’s Choice award. Leupold put a lot of advanced optics technology in this scope. Leupold says: “We gave it new high-definition lenses for sharpened clarity, Twilight Max Light Management System, an in-scope cant indicator, a throw lever for fast magnification changes, and a more robust erector system.”
Leupold offers six VX-6HD series riflescopes: 4-24x52mm, 3-18x50mm, 3-18x44mm, 2-12x42mm, 1-6x24mm, and 1-6x24mm multigun. All Leupold VX-6HD riflescopes are CDS-capable and include one free Custom Ballistic Dial with purchase.
The VX-6HD series of scopes also feature a very clever, button-controlled return-to-zero system for both windage and elevation. A visible button snaps out at the zero point, locking the turret. Press the ZeroLock button to release and dial your needed elevation or windage. Simply spin the turret back and the lock snaps into place automatically at the designated zero point. Simple, easy, effective.
Brian, a gunsmith at GA Precision, built this rimfire rig with GAP colleague Anthony Soukup.
On his Facebook page, Tactical competitor Bryan Sikes posted a photo of a rimfire rig we really liked. Brian works at GA Precision. He and fellow GAP gunsmith Anthony Soukup built this rifle. With a modified Rem 40X action, Manners stock, Bartlein barrel, and Mack Brothers suppressor, this rig has top-quality components stem to stern. And Bryan tells us this rifle performs as good as it looks: “This is the baddest little .22 LR trainer ever. I’m stoked about it. With the barrel length and can, it’s the exact length of my regular comp rigs.” With length, balance, and ergonomics near identical to Bryan’s centerfire competition rifles, this 40X is a superb training tool.
Many readers wanted to know about the bottom metal and the detachable box magazine. Bryan Sike reveals: “The magazine setup is designed specifically to replicate my actual competition rifles. The bottom metal is for use with AI magazines and uses a standard M5 type inlet just like any centerfire completion rifle. In this case with the .22LR, Mike Bush designed a high reliability rimfire magazine using the same outside dimensions as an AI magazine. This rifle was built no different from any other. The action was modified and trued, barreled, fully bedded, etc. using ALL components common to centerfire match rifles.” The Rem 40X action was modified by Modacam Custom Rifles to work as a repeater with box mags.
Bryan adds that a new rimfire action is in the works: “My preference is modified Remington 40X actions and the soon-to-be available, V-22 action from Mike Bush. Both of which are TRUE repeaters and don’t feed from a Savage magazine. This rifle feels nothing like a .22 LR and that was the whole point.”
Why You Need a .22 LR Tactical Cross-Trainer
Many guys who shoot long-range tactical matches practice with .22 LR rifles of similar configuration. Rimfire ammo is way more affordable than centerfire, you do not need a big range facility, and shooting rimfire saves wear and tear on your centerfire rifle. Further, for learning how to read the wind, there really is no better training tool than a .22 LR, even as close as 50 yards.
Our Friend “DesertFrog”, who shoots tactical matches in Southern California, explains: “I used to shoot an average of 200 rounds of .308 Match ammo a month for training (50 per weekend). These days I shoot maybe an average of 50 rounds of .308 Win per month and probably around 600 rounds of .22 LR. Using mainly the .22 LR for practice did NOT hurt my standings in actual competitions. I shot my .308 just as well in matches, but saved the cost of hundreds of rounds of .308. If I didn’t reload and was still buying boxes of Federal Gold Medal Match .308 Win [at $1.00/round], this would be a savings of [$150 per month on the centerfire ammo.]” Money saved is money earned.
Targets for Rimfire Cross-Training
SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets
These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing. CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.
Photo Credits Laura Perry(top) and Kelly McMillan (bottom)
The 2017 F-Class World Championships wrapped up August 17 with the final day of Team competition. Over the past two days, 8-shooter squads competed in the major international challenge match while 4-shooter teams vied for honor in the Rutland match. Team USA F-TR stole the show with a stirring come-from-behind victory over a very strong Australia F-TR squad. Not to be denied, Aussie F-Open shooters countered America’s F-TR success with a solid win for Australia in the 8-shooter F-Open match. It was Deja Vu… this result was a replay of the 2013 Worlds, where Team USA won the F-TR Team Title, while Team Australia won F-Open.
F-TR World Champions: Team USA, Richardson Trophy — Score: 3400-264V
PERRY, LAURA, AL — 419v31
DROELLE, JOHN, MI — 418v27
BARNHART, ALAN, MI — 433v36
HOGG, TRACY, NC — 424v31
KLEMM, IAN, WI — 426v39
RODGERS, DEREK, NM — 435v39
RORER, JEFFREY, NC — 429v35
POHLABEL, DANIEL, OH — 416v26
GROSS, RAYMOND, MI
HARDIN, CARLTON, GA
PHILLIPS, PAUL, MI
LENTZ, DANIEL, WI
LITZ, BRYAN, MI
FULMER, SCOTT, NY
REEVE, KENT, NC
BOYER, DOUGLAS, MI
F-Open World Champions: Team Australia, Farquharson Trophy — Score: 3511-342V
DAVIES, ROD — 441v45
CARTER, PETER — 437v37
LARSEN, PETER — 442v38
LOBERT, MARTY — 437v43
POHL, ADAM — 440v48
BRAUND, STUART — 431v39
BUNYAN, BRETT — 440v40
NUGENT, TIM — 443v52
MCGOWAN, CRAIG
BRAUND, RICHARD
WAITES, MICHAEL
LAZARUS, STEVE
REID, JOSH
FERRARA, BEN
TILLACK, LOWELL
DOBSON, DAVID
Team USA — Three-time World Champions deliver a come-from-behind win at the 900 meter line.
Along with winning F-Open, the Aussies did well in the 8-man F-TR competition, finishing second overall with a score of 3394-237V, six points behind Team USA F-TR (3400-264V). Third in F-TR was Team South Africa, with 3376-250V.
Team Canada (3506-346V) finished second in F-Open, while Team USA (F-Open) finished third with the interesting score of 3500-350V (that’s not a misprint). We believe Calvin Waldner of Canada had the top individual F-Open score for the match — 444-51V.
The F-TR Team Battle — It Paid to Wait
The top two F-TR squads, Team USA and Team Australia, followed very different strategies. The Australians got off to a quick start, while the Americans waited… and waited … and waited. Being patient and waiting for more readable and stable wind conditions proved a winning strategy for the Yanks who overcame a 9-point deficit to finish with a six-point margin as time closed down in the firing period.
Team USA Captain Ray Gross reports: “The match came down to the last yard line. The Australians were up 11 points to start the day and the Canadians were 6 points behind. We made up 2 points at 700m and shot even with the Australians at 800m, leaving us 9 points down going into the final 900m stage.
The Aussies chose to start shooting right away in what looked liked easy conditions and we waited, hoping for better. While we waited the team stayed focused and ready. Luck was on our side, it calmed down and the shooters and coaches performed flawlessly, making up the nine points and finally pulling ahead in the last few minutes of the match.
We were the last team on the line shooting and everyone was behind us watching. After two days of very close competition, the match was not decided until our last two shooters. Our last shooter started with only 12 minutes left in the match and he finished his string of 15 shots in about five minutes. He only dropped two points giving us a six point victory.
We were so focused on delivering our best performance that we weren’t sure how the other teams had finished. After the last shot the Australian captain came over and congratulated me. They had been watching our score after they had finished and knew that we had won the match. Our gritty determination had paid off and it had been one of the most exciting matches that I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone on the team should be proud that they did not let our slim chances discourage them going into that last yard line. They stayed focused and each delivered a top performance.”
American F-Open Squads Dominate 4-Shooter Rutland Match
In the F-Open Rutland competition for 4-shooter teams, American squads dominated, taking the top 4 places. Team USA Blue (1758-177V) won the Rutland title, edging Spindle Shooters by a slim one-point margin. In third place was Team USA Red followed by the Texas State Rifle Association team.
In F-TR Rutland competition, Team “Da Bulls” secured a very convincing win. Da Bulls’ 1709-131V score was a full 14 points ahead of Team KP Ballistics. This was sort of an American victory… though Da Bulls did have one Canadian “ringer” on the squad, Stephen Ireland of Toronto. Runner-up KP Ballistics was just the opposite — KP had all Canadian members except one Yank, Wade Fillingame of New Hampshire.
Above Team Da Bulls member James Crofts waives “good-bye” from the Connaught Ranges in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The next F-Class World Championships will be held in South Africa in 2021. ICFRA Web Page for 2021 FCWC.
IBS Scoring Reticle Updated with Brighter Circles
In an ongoing effort to improve the two-piece IBS scoring reticle, a material change has been made to the plate showing bullet diameters. The new material displays white circles that are brighter than the previous version and does not require the circles to be colored.
The complete scoring reticle continues to have two components: 1) the Plate, and 2) the Domed Magnifier. The reverse laser-etched Plate displays 12 bullet diameters: .224, .243, .257, .264, .277, .284, .308, .323, .338, .358, .375 and .408. The etched circles are in direct contact with the target. The 4X domed magnifier provides a clear visual image that aids in accurate scoring.
New Laser-Etched Scoring Plate (12 Bullet Diameters):
UPGRADE Your Scoring Reticle
Plate Only Upgrade for $15.00
The new “plate only” is available to customers who have purchased the complete reticle package in the past. This is an upgrade for past customers. The price for the “plate only” is $15.00 which includes shipping within the USA.
Complete Scoring Reticle for $40.00
The complete reticle package is being shipped with the improved plate. The price for the complete reticle package is $40 which includes shipping within the USA.
If you have questions, contact Frank at: (603) 878-1474 or by e-mail at frank30br@comcast.net
Send your payment to:
Frank Danisienka
P.O. Box 97
New Ipswich, NH 03071
HOW to USE IBS SCORING RETICLE — INSTRUCTIONS
1. Depending on the condition of the hole, it may be necessary to turn the target onto its face and fold the torn pieces of the target back toward the center of the hole.
2. Lay the target face up and place the plate on the target centering the proper circle (bullet diameter) over the bullet hole.
3. At times the scribed hole will be larger than the bullet hole making the positioning of the scribed circle critical for accurate measurement.
4. Place the plate and magnifier on the target over the hole to be scored.
5. With the magnifier remaining on the plate and the scribed circle of the correct diameter PERFECTLY CENTERED over the bullet hole — score the target using the OUTSIDE EDGE of the scribed circle to determine the results.
Scoring Reticle Maintenance
When not in use, place the scoring plate on the magnifier carton to keep it clean and away from abrasive or dirty surfaces. Fine scratch remover, such as Novus #2, can be used with a paper towel to remove scratches.
Here’s something for varmint hunters looking for a simple, inexpensive rifle support system. For just $12.49 you can get the Caldwell DeadShot front and rear bag set (unfilled). These work fine on any kind of bench, and you can also shoot off a truck hood or bed. The two bags clip together for easy transport. The front bag, when filled, is about 8.5″ high. You may want to set it on a wood block to raise it up.
[UPDATE 8/19/2017: After we released this article, the price got event lower. Amazon is now listing this bag set at just $11.99.]
Of course, this won’t match a SEB Neo front rest with an Edgewood in the rear — but it only costs $12.49! This is a good “field expedient” system that costs less than a couple movie tickets. Varminters can keep this system in a vehicle for deployment any time.
Yes this is a very inexpensive system, but it works surprisingly well, particularly with “standard” rifles with narrow fore-ends. Rather than sand, you can fill with rice or media to make the bags lighter. This system features a heavy-duty clip and D-Ring for attaching the front bag to the rear bag for easy transport. The Caldwell DeadShot bags are crafted from durable, water-resistant 600 denier polyester.
BAG Dimensions (filled): FRONT bag 11″ x 8.5″ X 6″; REAR bag is 5″ x 5″ x 4.5″.
USER REVIEWS have been quite positive. Most users seem to favor a lighter fill material to make the bags easier to carry around:
“Great bags overall. I filled mine with ground walnut shells from the reptile section at the local Petco store. Similar to sand but lighter. Filling the big bag was easy. I used the top part of a Gatorade bottle as a funnel.” — Natumes
“The large front bag is about 8″ high when filled. The smaller, rear, butt rest bag is about 3″. I filled mine with the ground walnuts.” — Hal1945
“Used with AR and bolt action .308, works well as expected. I filled mine with rice. You will need a little more than 10 lbs of rice to fill both bags.” — Li N Ngoc
For sheer “Fun with Firepower” it’s hard to beat a 3-Gun match at Raton, New Mexico. You get to play with lots of guns — rifles, pistols, and shotguns — while enjoying great views in one of North America’s most scenic shooting facilities. This past weekend many of the nation’s top 3-Gun aces were in Raton for the 2017 Rocky Mountain 3-Gun World Championship. This was held August 10-13 at the Whittington Center facility. Stages were conducted both on the designated rifle ranges as well as nearby hillsides.
In 3-gun matches, all stages are “on the clock”. Competitors need to be FAST and accurate.
There was a lot of Army black and yellow on the top of the podium, with USAMU shooters winning two divisions, along with the Team Event. SSG Joel Turner won the Open Division and SSG Tyler Payne won the Heavy Metal Scope Division. SFC Daniel Horner placed second in the Tactical Scope Division, while SFC Kyle McMaster finished second in the Tactical Irons Division. All four soldiers teamed up to win the Team Relay Shoot-Off competition to close out the event.
High-tech AR platform rigs are the rifles of choice for 3-Gun matches.
Who wouldn’t like a chance to shoot at the Whittington Ranges? What a backdrop!
Run ‘N Gun at 6000 feet
The Rocky Mountain 3-Gun (RM3Gun) is an action shooting match in the natural terrain of the NRA Whittington Center near Raton, NM. The riverbeds, mountains, trees and rocks provide props for the stages. There are 5 divisions: Open, Tactical Scope, Tactical Iron, He-Man Scope, and He-Man Iron.
RM3Gun is a very physical match, and Whittington’s 6000′ altitude makes things even tougher. The pace, thin air, and terrain challenge competitors’ fitness levels. The match has a healthy amount of long range rifle shooting. The match organizers state: “We try to strike a balance between rifle, shotgun and pistol, but you will definitely have lots of rifle because it’s one of the only places you can shoot as far in such a beautiful environment. Usually, we have some moving/aerial targets for the shotgun as moving targets are what the gun is designed for.”
Grab a 
The electronic reticle level and other advanced VX-6HD features were praised by Petersen’s Hunting magazine, which awarded the VX-6HD an Editor’s Choice award. Leupold put a lot of advanced optics technology in this scope. Leupold says: “We gave it new high-definition lenses for sharpened clarity, Twilight Max Light Management System, an in-scope cant indicator, a throw lever for fast magnification changes, and a more robust erector system.”
IBS Scoring Reticle Updated with Brighter Circles
