The name Jessie Duff is synonymous with handgunning excellence. Winner of over 60 major Pistol Championships, Jessie is arguably the best female action pistol shooter in history. Jessie demonstrated her talent recently with another big victory. Jessie took top honors (again) at the 2017 U.S. Steel Nationals. She won her 8th Ladies Open National title, and also finished as High Lady Rimfire Optics plus 3rd overall Single Stack. Congratulations to Jessie and the other divisional winners.
Here’s Jessie shooting the “Roundabout” Stage at the 2017 U.S. Steel Nationals:
Jessie Duff — The First-Ever Female Grand Master
In 2013, Jessie Duff became the first woman in history to earn the vaunted title of USPSA Grand Master (GM), the highest rating conferred by the U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). To earn this prestigious ranking, Duff had to maintain an average above 95% in shooting classification courses, something never before achieved by a lady shooter.
“I am honored to have earned the designation of Grand Master with USPSA” said Duff. “This is something I have been working toward my entire shooting career and I’ve come this far thanks to a lot of hard work and a lot of support,” she added.
Duff has “raised the bar” for female shooters across the country. As female participation in shooting sports has grown, Duff’s accomplishments and continued success have blazed a path for women in competitive action shooting. “Jessie is one of the best shooters in the world,” said USPSA Executive Director Kim Williams. “USPSA is proud to announce her historic record as the first woman to ever reach this ranking in Practical Shooting,” added Williams.
Jessie Won Rimfire High Lady Title Shooting “Bulk Pack” Eley Ammo
For her rimfire stages at the 2017 U.S. Steel Nationals, Jessie used ELEY Contact .22 LR ammo, which is now available in 300-round bulk “REC Paks”. ELEY Contact is a 42 grain 1090 fps subsonic round engineered to perform in all rimfire semi-auto firearms.
In this video Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics offers tips on Big Bore shooting (i.e. .338 caliber and above). Bryan offers advice on bullet selection and he explains the challenge of handling the blast, noise, concussion, and recoil of big boomers such as the .416 Barrett and .50 BMG.
Bryan goes big … very big, shooting a monster .50 BMG bullpup.
Watch the recoil pulse shove Bryan backwards at 1:40 time-mark:
Big Bore Basics — Tips for Shooting Big Boomersby Bryan Litz
There are some unique things to consider with big-bore shooting. One is bullet design. For long-range shooting you want high-BC bullets. You get high BC from heavy bullets and bullets that have low drag. The interesting trade-off in big calibers is that there are a lot more lathe-turned solid bullets in copper and brass available than there are in the smaller calibers. You’ve got bullets that have slightly lower drag profiles but they are made of materials that are slightly less dense (than lead) so they are relatively light for their caliber. With that trade-off, the BCs might not be as high as you think for big calibers, although the bullets are heavy enough that they carry a lot of energy.
Energy really has a lot to do with shooting these big-caliber rifles. As with any kind of shooting, the fundamentals of marksmanship are the most important thing. However, it can be hard to maintain good fundamentals (e.g. trigger control and sight alignment) when you’re burning 100 grains of powder. There’s a lot of concussion (you want a muzzle brake no matter what your cartridge is above .338). It certainly can be challenging with all the muzzle blast and all the energy coming out of the barrel.
For long-range shooting with big bore rifles, you are still looking for the same things that you want with smaller-caliber rigs. You want a high-performance bullet, you want consistent ammunition, and you want a good fire solution to be able to center your group at long range. Basically you’re just dealing with the challenges that the high energy brings, and being smart about your bullet selection.
In the video above, Bryan is shooting the DesertTech HTI bullpup. This rifle can shoot four (4) big bore chamberings, with barrel conversion kits for: .375 CheyTac, .408 CheyTac, .416 Barrett, and .50 BMG. These can be quickly swapped in the HTI chassis, which employs an internal barrel-clamp system.
If you couldn’t attend SHOT Show this past January, here’s the next best thing. Shooting Industry Magazine has released, in its April issue, a comprehensive guide to SHOT Show 2017. You’ll find a summary of the hottest new products, including dealers’s selections for potential top sellers of 2017.
Over 60 products are detailed in this issue’s expanded New Product Showcase (April issue pp. 40-53). This features many new rifles suitable for Tactical or PRS Competition as well as some interesting hunting/varmint rig. You’ll also find some
A second product feature, “SHOT Show Standouts”, highlights dealers’ top picks from a variety of categories. Black Hills’ new line of “Honey Badger” ammunition, eye-catching knives from Steel Will and a smartphone-synced thermal camera by are just a few of the newest products poised to potentially draw big sales. Lastly, a variety gun storage solutions are covered in this April edition in an Arms & Woman feature.
You can access all these product features on the Shooting Industry Digital Edition. CLICK HERE to launch the April Cover page, then navigate by flipping pages, just as with a print magazine. You’ll find the main SHOT Show Product Showcase starting on page 40.
Can you form a wildcat cartridge such as the 6 Dasher without expending primer, powders, and bullets? Absolutely. Using the hydro-forming method you can form improved cases in your workshop with no firing whatsoever, so there is no wear on your precious barrel. Watch this video to see how it’s done:
6 Dasher Case Hydro-Forming Demonstration:
Forum member Wes J. (aka P1ZombieKiller) has produced a helpful video showing how to form Dasher cases use the Hornady Hydraulic forming die kit. This includes a two-part die (body and piston), and a special shell holder. To form the case, you insert a primer in your virgin brass, top the case off with with a fluid (water or alcohol), then run the case up into the Hydro-forming die. A few stout whacks with a hammer and your case is 95% formed.
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
1. Insert spent primer in new 6mmBR brass case.
2. Fill with water or alcohol (Wes prefers alcohol).
3. Wipe excess fluid off case.
4. Place case in special Hornady shell-holder (no primer hole).
5. Run case up into Hydraulic forming die.
6. Smack top piston of forming die 3-4 times with rubber mallet or dead-blow hammer.
7. Inspect case, re-fill and repeat if necessary.
8. Drain alcohol (or water) into container.
9. Remove primer (and save for re-use).
10. Blow-dry formed case. Inspect and measure formed case.
Wes achieves very uniform cartridge OALs with this method. He measured ten (10) hydro-formed 6 Dasher cases and got these results: two @ 1.536″; 2 @ 1.537″; and 6 @ 1.538″.
Three or Four Whacks Produces a 95%-Formed Case
With a Hornady hydro-forming die, hydraulic pressure does the job of blowing out the shoulders of your improved case. The process is relatively simple. Place a spent primer in the bottom of a new piece of brass. Fill the case with water, and then slip it into a special Hornady shell-holder with no hole in the middle. Then you run the case up into the forming die. Now comes the fun part. You gently insert a plunger (hydraulic ram) from the top, and give it three or four stiff whacks with a mallet (or better yet, a dead-blow hammer). Remove the plunger and you have a 95% formed case, ready to load.
Hornady supplies a shell holder made specifically for the hydro die; there’s no hole in the bottom of it. Just insert a spent primer into the primer pocket and you’re ready to go. The spent primer combined with the solid shell holder, keeps the water from seeping out of the primer pocket. The primer pushes out a little bit during this process, but it’s impossible for it to come out because of the way the shell holder is designed. The shell holder has a grove which allows the case to slide out of the shell holder even when the primer protrudes a bit.
Story tip from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
Right now Midsouth Shooters Supply is running a Spring Inventory Clearance Sale. Everything in the Clearance Sections just got marked down 10% below the previous sale pricing. There are a lot of great bargains here — everything from big name optics to reloading dies to loaded ammo and much more. Hundreds of items are on sale, even top-quality items such as Sierra MatchKing bullets and Norma brass. If you need a scope or dies, you should definitely check out the sale. Likewise if you want factory ammo for a hunting rig, you’ll find some great bargains.
Here’s Some of the Cool Stuff on Sale, at Very Low Prices:
Sierra 7mm and .308 MatchKing Bullets
Federal Primers
Lyman Sonic Cleaning Machine
Hornady Reloading Tools
Norma 22 PPC Brass
Leupold Scopes
Leupold Binoculars
Burris Scopes
Vihtavuori N310 and N350 Powder
Redding Competition Dies
Redding TiN Neck Bushings
RCBS Reloading Dies
Nosler .260 Rem and 300 WSM Ammo
Leica CFR Rangefinders
Weatherby/Howa stocks
Handgun Holsters and Gun Cases
Clearance Sale Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Forum member Kevin (aka “N10Sivern”), revealed he needs some help with a compulsion — a compulsion to keep buying more and more guns and ammo. Particularly ARs, all shapes and sizes of ARs. Way too many ARs. You could say he has an ARdiction….
In a Forum Thread, Kevin posted: “I may need an intervention. Trying to clean my office and pulled this stuff out. I’m missing an AR10 lower somewhere and an AR15 upper. I’ll find them before the day is done. I have a big box full of parts as well, and 4 barrels still in the cardboard tubes. Sigh. This is gonna be a lot of Cerakoting for me.”
Another Forum member said: “For the love of God, man. Delete this thread lest you be accused of hoarding!”
Kevin replied: “I guess I am hoarding a little. But it’s good hoarding right?”
And then he posted this “Mail Call” photo:
Kevin’s caption: “It only gets worse. Mail Call today: 20″ .308 Ballistics Advantage barrel, 26″ Savage 25-06 barrel, 700 pieces of .38 special, 300 pieces of .357 magnum, 500 pieces .308 Win, gas tube, Hornady Modified Case Gauge. I have more crap on the way too.”
Forum Member’s Chime In…
Kevin’s “Need Intervention” post drew plenty of comments from other Forum Members:
“God! It is so refreshing to see that my illness is widespread with little hope (or desire) for a cure. I smiled reading each post.” — Gary0529
“You know you have a problem when you open a drawer and find components you forgot you bought.” — JoshB
“It’s not hoarding if you intend to use it. Says he who has 12,000 primers.” — Uthink
“I guess I’ll go ahead and volunteer to help you with your obviously much needed intervention… send me the pictured items and then you’ll no longer have to deal with those nasty temptations. Just think about it, you’ll have less clutter in your office plus you’ll not have to fret over the need for any cerakoting either. I’m just one human being volunteering to help out another fellow human being who needs help!” — PikesPG
Here’s the best reason to go to Las Vegas we know — to attend a shooting camp taught by some of the nation’s leading 3-Gun aces. In three weeks, the Clark County ranges will be ringing with the sounds of pistol, rifle, and shotgun rounds on steel…
April 20-23, 2017 NSSF presents its first-ever 3-Gun Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp, to be held at the world-class Clark County Shooting Complex in Las Vegas. This event features shooting instruction from some top pros, including Randi Rogers, Robert Vogel, Tommy Thacker, Dianna Muller, Ryan Muller, BJ Norris and Chris Cheng. You don’t even need to bring your bang-sticks — the program includes guns and all ammo (as well as meals and hotel accommodations). The April 2017 camp is sold out, but the NSSF plans more camps in the future.
During the 4-day session, “campers” will learn from the pros, practice techniques, have some friendly competitions, and, of course, enjoy Las Vegas nightlife (after the shooting stops).
Nevada’s Clark County Shooting Complex, located just North of Las Vegas, is the largest shooting facility in the United States. Opened in 2010, the modern 2,900-acre complex is a deluxe facility with multiple ranges, club-house, and even an RV park.
Hardware for 3-Gun Competition — Guns & Gear
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. Cerino also demonstrates pistol techniques and explains the key features of a belt/holster rig.
We know that many of our readers have never seen a “Hammerhead” benchrest stock before. This is a design with an extra wide section in the very front, tapering to a narrow width starting about 6″ back. When paired with a super-wide front sandbag, the hammerhead design provides added stability — just like having a wider track on a racing car. Some folks think mid-range and long-range benchrest stocks can only be 3″ wide. Not so — IBS and NBRSA rules now allow much wider fore-ends. While F-Class Open rules limit fore-end width to 3″ max, there is not such restriction on IBS or NBRSA Light Guns or Heavy Guns for 600- and 1000-yard competition. Here’s a 5″-wide Hammerhead design from Precision Rifle & Tool (PR&T).
Ray Bowman of PR&T sent us some photos of another hammerhead benchrest rig. Ray reports: “Here’s another benchrest rifle that Precision Rifle & Tool crafted. The customer shot this rifle at the 2014 IBS 1000-yard Nationals in West Virginia.” This IBS Light Gun sports PR&T’s “Low Boy Hammer Head” stock in red/black laminate. Other components are a 6mm BRUX 30″, 1:8″-twist barrel, Borden BR Action, and a PR&T 20 MOA scope rail.
The verdict is in — Lapua’s new 6.5 Creedmoor brass is ultra-tough and very consistent. So sayeth the 6.5 Guys, who recently field-tested the brass, loading it to very stout levels. Even after 20 reloadings, the Lapua 6.5 CM brass held up extremely well. This brass, with its small primer pocket and small flash hole, really does out-perform other 6.5 Creedmoor brass offerings. Yes the Lapua brass is pricey, but it outlasts the alternatives, and, if the 6.5 Guys test is any indication, you can run higher velocities with this brass compared to other brands. Watch the 6.5 Guys Lapua brass test in this video:
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.
The Evolution of the 6.5 Creedmoor
Over the last few years the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has become increasingly popular among precision rifle enthusiasts. However, availability of brass cases was limited to only a few manufacturers. In early 2017 Lapua introduced to the market its own 6.5 Creedmoor case with a unique twist — the case has a small rifle primer pocket and small flash hole — like the 6mmBR Norma and 6.5×47 Lapua.
Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass — Test Protocol
The 6.5 Guys tested a box of Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge brass supplied by Graf & Sons. The project involved two phases. First the 6.5 Guys weighed and measured the cases to assess weight uniformity and dimensional consistency (which was impressive). Then came phase II — the “torture test”. The 6.5 Guys loaded the brass with a very stout charge of H4350 pushing 140gr Hornady ELD bullets*. The brass was loaded and shot over 20 times. This durability test was conducted to see how many repeated firings and resizing/reloading cycles the brass could handle. Remarkably, after 20+ loadings, the brass was still holding up — no “blown-out” primer pockets. This stuff is tough. The 6.5 Guys note: “You can go at least 20 reloadings without a split neck…but brass spring-back may be another issue.”
After 20 Load Cycles — Going to the Extreme
Once the Lapua cases had been shot 20+ times, the 6.5 Guys tried something more extreme. They stuffed the brass with a very hot load — a powder charge weight well beyond a sensible maximum. Even with this “beyond max” load, the Lapua brass held up but there was some evidence of pressure on the primers: “You do see some cratering on the primer with a Remington 700 that you don’t see with a Defiance action, but nothing to indicate a potential pierced primer.”
WARNING: The 6.5 Guys deliberately used a very stout load for testing. Do not attempt to duplicate. This load was shot in a faster-than-average barrel with a chamber set up for long 140gr bullets. You may not be able to achieve similar velocities — maybe not even close. As with all hand-loading, always start low and work up charges in small increments.
6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6.5×47 Lapua — Battle of the Middle-Weights
With this new brass, does the 6.5 Creedmoor enjoy an edge over the 6.5×47 Lapua? The 6.5 Guys answer: “That’s hard to say. From a market share standpoint, the 6.5 CM is more popular in the USA. From a technical perspective, 6.5×47 Lapua offers near identical performance with better barrel life. But from our tests, you can drive a 140-grain bullet much faster with 6.5 Creedmoor than you ever can (safely) with a 6.5×47 Lapua. That’s our non-answer answer….”
The 6.5 Guys concluded that the 6.5 Creedmoor will enjoy a velocity advantage: “We’ve had a number of discussions with RBros and other folks about this. It appears that 6.5×47 still has the edge as far as barrel life. But it also looks like you can push a 140gr bullet pretty fast with the 6.5 CM — speeds that are not obtainable with the 6.5×47 Lapua.”
* Why were the Hornady 140gr ELDs chosen for testing? The 6.5 Guys wanted a bullet in the 140gr weight range. Beyond that, the choice was fortuitous. Ed explained: “Our bullet selection was quite scientific — we sat down at my reloading bench and looked around. Saw the Hornady 140 ELD Match and decided to roll with that.”
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, 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 very good, thickly-padded mat, with unique features — twin side wings for gear. Sale priced at $44.99 at Cabela’s, this offers great value for the money. With 1/2″-thick padding, this mat is comfortable, and the large side wings keep your gear off damp, mucky, or dusty ground. The left wing has a zippered compartment while the right wing has a large pouch that can hold ammo box, rangefinder, or other gear. Up front is a handy bipod stop. Deployed, the mat is an ample 73-1/2″ long x 35-1/2″ wide. The mat rolls up into a convenient package complete with adjustable shoulder strap. With a Lifetime Guarantee, this mat has earned very positive user reviews — 4.8 out of 5 stars. One owner declared: “This is a great shooting mat … rivals many other mats in a much higher price range. The added wing area has plenty of room for ammo, elbows and miscellaneous gear. It has two sewn-in bipod stops and the padding is just right. It is very well built, love it!” — LHeffy.
2. CDNN Sports –$1.50 Safety Eyewear and $10.00 Muffs
CDNN is selling off all its remaining inventory of Safety Eyewear and Hearing Protection. Accordingly, you can purchase ANSI-Z87.1-Rated Eyewear for $1.50, and a set of NRR25 Muffs for just $10.00. At these prices, you can outfit the whole family, or donate a few sets to your local youth program. We’ve learned it’s always good to have spare eye and ear protection — keep extra sets in your range bags and vehicle glove boxes.
Thinking of putting together an accurate AR for the new PRS Gas Gun series (or 3-Gun matches)? Here’s a good place to start. Aero Precision now offers a $193.49 kit with stripped Upper and Lower Receivers — both with a durable Flat Dark Earth (Magpul FDE) Cerakote finish. Just add barrel, buttstock, trigger group, controls, and your bolt carrier group. Note: This Kit will work with the .223 Rem and similar-length, larger-caliber cartridges such as the 6mmAR and 6.5 Grendel. If you want to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor, you’ll need an AR10 platform rifle.
4. Midsouth — GECO .22 LR Bolt Action Ammo, $42 for 500 Rds
This a very good deal on quality, European-made GECO .22 LR rimfire ammunition. This is optimized for use in bolt-action rifles. Test lots have proven reliable with much better than average ED and SD and solid accuracy. GECO is a good brand, part of the Swiss RUAG family of companies. The price, $42.00 for a 500-round Brick (10 boxes), is just 8.4 cents per round. Though still very affordable, this GECO .22 LR ammo is way better than typical domestic “bulk pack” rimfire ammo.
5. Grafs.com — Sightron SIIB Scope Clearance Sale, 46-47% Off
We like the 4-16x42mm Sightron SIIB with adjustable front objective for just $329.99. That’s 47% off the regular price. The 15X is enough power for most prairie dog shooting and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with an adjustable front objective — these systems are very positive and “dead nuts” reliable.
6. CDNN Sports — Ruger 17 HMR American Compact $279.99
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. That’s right, CDNN Sports is selling the 17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire Compact, with 18″ barrel, for just $279.99. That includes two (2) comb units and a FREE padded carry sling. FFL required.
7. Amazon — Plano Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $113.99
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is under $115.00, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move through airports and parking lots. This is a very tough, roomy case for the money (plus there’s Free Shipping for Prime Members).
We use 1″-diameter Target Spots for sight-in and practice at 100-300 yards. These bright red/orange self-adhesive dots are easy to see. At 100 yards the high-contrast black diamond centers provide precise aiming points. We found this 10-pack of target spots on Amazon at a rock-bottom price. You get 630 total stick-on dots for just $9.65 with FREE Shipping. You can also get 360 Birchwood Casey 1″ dots from Midsouth for just $3.15, but shipping is extra. If you’re already ordering something from Midsouth, you may want to add the dots to your order.
Got patches? Here’s a great deal on 100% cotton flannel patches. There are many sizes available, starting at $9.99 for 800 one-inch “17 Cal” patches. For 6mm rifles, we actually like the 1.25″ round “22/223″ sized patches priced at $11.99 for 800. Choose either round patches or square patches in most sizes. We generally like round patches for use with spire-tip jags, but some shooters prefer to wrap their patches around a jag or brush and square patches work better for wrapping. The large, 2″-square .30 Cal patches cost $17.99 for 800. These prices include FREE Shipping for Prime Members.
10. Amazon — Leight MAX NRR33 Earplugs, $7.45 for 50 Pairs.
These Howard Leight NRR33 Max plugs are your Editor’s favorite foam earplugs. They seal out noise better than any others I’ve tried. Between shooting, motorcycling and mowing lawns, I probably have Max plugs in my ears 2-3 days a week. This is a very good price for a bulk pack of 50 pairs (100 plugs). And if you act soon, you can get free shipping to boot.
A second product feature, “SHOT Show Standouts”, highlights dealers’ top picks from a variety of categories. Black Hills’ new line of “Honey Badger” ammunition, eye-catching knives from Steel Will and a smartphone-synced thermal camera by are just a few of the newest products poised to potentially draw big sales. Lastly, a variety gun storage solutions are covered in this April edition in an Arms & Woman feature.
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
Hornady supplies a shell holder made specifically for the hydro die; there’s no hole in the bottom of it. Just insert a spent primer into the primer pocket and you’re ready to go. The spent primer combined with the solid shell holder, keeps the water from seeping out of the primer pocket. The primer pushes out a little bit during this process, but it’s impossible for it to come out because of the way the shell holder is designed. The shell holder has a grove which allows the case to slide out of the shell holder even when the primer protrudes a bit.
We know that many of our readers have never seen a “Hammerhead” benchrest stock before. This is a design with an extra wide section in the very front, tapering to a narrow width starting about 6″ back. When paired with a super-wide front sandbag, the hammerhead design provides added stability — just like having a wider track on a racing car. Some folks think mid-range and long-range benchrest stocks can only be 3″ wide. Not so — IBS and NBRSA rules now allow much wider fore-ends. While F-Class Open rules limit fore-end width to 3″ max, there is not such restriction on IBS or NBRSA Light Guns or Heavy Guns for 600- and 1000-yard competition. Here’s a 5″-wide Hammerhead design from 
