This article, written by Sinclair’s Phil Hoham, originally appeared in the Sinclair Int’l Reloading Press.
Forster Products’ Heritage
I toured Forster Products’ Lanark, Illinois plant with Forster owners Robert Ruch and Rod Hartman. Forster Products was founded by the Forster brothers in 1935. The company’s first production was in the basement of their home. There, the brothers crafted the famous “Forster 99” model airplane engines, establishing a reputation for quality right from the start. In 1946 the company expanded into firearms reloading products, starting with headspace gauges, universal sight-mounting fixtures, and Forster’s famous case trimmers. All of these tools are still being manufactured and sold by Forster Product today.
In the 1950s, Forster’s reputation for precision allowed it to become a Rolls-Royce subcontractor making fluid and fuel control parts used in Rolls-Royce aircraft engines. Forster also manufactured fluid control parts used at the Hoover Dam and in the United States MX missiles. With this precision background it is no wonder that Forster Products holds an ISO 9001-2008 quality certification!
Forster Acquired Bonanza Reloading Co. in 1984
Forster reloading dies and presses came into being in 1984 when Forster purchased the Bonanza Reloading Company from its owner Clarence Purdie. Mr. Purdie designed the CO-AX press with its floating jaws, easy die installation and tremendous leverage. He also held the patents on the famous “sliding sleeve” featured in the Forster “Ultra” and “Benchrest” seaters. His sizing die design positioned the expander ball high up in the full length and neck dies so the case neck is supported as it resized while it is being withdrawn from the die. This design feature is also unique to the Forster brand. All of these innovations make Forster dies a quality product for producing precision ammunition. No wonder Carl Bernosky and John Whidden (NRA High Power and Long-Range champions) swear by them! It was great seeing that “Made in the USA” quality is still alive and well and that Bob and Rod along with their staff have such a great commitment to precision manufacturing and quality customer service.
Forster’s Time-Saving 3-in-1 Case Trimming/Chamfering Tool
Forster’s CFO, Robert Ruch, demonstrates the 3-in-1 Case Mouth Cutter tool in the video below. This unit trims the case to length, puts a 14-degree chamfer on the INSIDE of the neck, AND (last but not least), it cuts a 30-degree chamfer on the OUTSIDE of the neck. As you can see, the tool turns very smoothly (no chatter) and the job is finished in a few seconds. Forster’s 3-in-1 Carbide cutting tool works with all existing Forster case trimmers and other hand lathes with a .490″ shaft diameter. The tool typically sells for about $60.00 at major vendors, and Robert says it should last for a lifetime of use. The unit fits over the Cutter Shaft and easily secures with one set screw. The 3-in-1 cutter is available for five (5) calibers: .224, .243 (6mm), .264 (6.5mm), .284 (7mm), and .308.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) invites young men and women shooters to apply for CMP scholarships for the 2015-2016 school year. The CMP offers $1,000 one-year scholarships to current high school seniors. Since 2005, CMP has awarded over $1 million in scholarship grants.
Last year the CMP authorized 160 awards for a total of $160,000 from the CMP Scholarship fund. NOTE: In 2013, 68% of qualified CMP scholarship applicants received an award! Recipients hailed from JROTC programs, 4-H groups, and other shooting clubs. Selection is based on merit and demonstrated rifle or pistol marksmanship activity/affiliation. Applicants must provide rifle or pistol competition history, list of awards, and future goals in the shooting sports. Applicants must also provide academic GPA and an official transcript.
Applications are Being Accepted Now for 2015-2016
The CMP is now taking scholarship applications for the 2015-2016 freshman college year. Scholarships are one-year awards that may be used to fund any accredited, post-secondary education or vocational program. (Note: Students planning to enroll in a military academy are not eligible).
The deadline for CMP Scholarship Application is March 20, 2015. Learn more about the program at the CMP Website Scholarship Page. Click the links below to download Scholarship Regulations or a Scholarship Application Form (as PDF files).
Do you think your borescope is a state-of-the-art bore inspection device? Well think again. There is now something way more advanced than any optical borescope. A new laser-equipped scanning device can map the entire interior surface of a barrel bore. With this new technology you can now examine every land and every groove, millimeter by millimeter, from the chamber to the tip of the muzzle. The most minute flaw in a barrel can now be revealed.
The new device is called the BEMIS-SC™ (for Barrel Inspection Machine Small Caliber). Operated by Chesapeake Testing and Laser Techniques Company (LTC), BEMIS-SC performs non-destructive laser-based mapping of gun bores. The BEMIS-SC currently works with .22 caliber to .50 caliber (5.56 – 12.7 mm) barrels. The BEMIS captures thousands of highly accurate data points over the full length of a barrel. The inspection can be completed in mere minutes, with scan results displayed in graphical, tabular, and 3D visual formats. Here is a barrel cross-section, as scanned by the BEMIS-SC:
Click for Full-Screen Version
Until the 1980s, gun tube inspection had to be conducted by hand using a manual “star” gauge, a process that would take hours and provide minimal data. Electronic gauges were eventually developed along with the video bore scope, but these systems were still limited to very few, low-resolution data points. That has all changed with the BEMIS™, a huge leap forward in technology that is capable of rapidly capturing thousands of precise data points.
Chesapeake Testing commenced BEMIS-SC barrel inspection services in September 2014. Testing is performed in Chesapeake’s commercial barrel inspection laboratory, located in Belcamp, MD, minutes from the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. While testing is currently limited to .22 to .50 caliber barrels, Chesapeake Testing will accommodate both smaller and larger calibers in the future.
“We have always focused on building our company around very unique technologies. BEMIS™ has changed the industry in regards to the inspection of weapon systems. We are excited to be an exclusive partner with LTC in this industry and look forward to contributing to the future of this technology,” says Jim Foulk, founder and president of Chesapeake Testing.
Frank Galli, aka “Lowlight”, runs the popular SnipersHide.com website. A while back, Frank completed a gunsmithing course with Robert Gradous. Frank recounts the learning process in an informative, nicely-illustrated article on the ‘Hide. Frank explains how he put together a new 6.5 Creedmoor tactical rifle using a Bartlein barrel, Bighorn Action (Rem clone with floating bolt-head), and a “lightly used” Accuracy International 1.5 chassis. The HD video below shows the process start-to-finish. READ Full Article.
During Frank’s “hands-on” training sessions with Gradous, Frank learned to thread and chamber a barrel, fit a recoil lug, and install the barreled action in the AI chassis. Chambering was done with great care: “We spent the better part of the day working the barrel. I feel this is a critical component and seeing the attention to detail in Robert’s approach confirmed it for me. When it came time to chamber Robert had a custom tight chamber reamer there for a 6.5CM but I’m shooting a tactical rifle, tight chambers aren’t for me, and this was clear, as out came the standard SAAMI reamer.”
Frank also learned how to modify an aluminum chassis: “the AI chassis had the recoil lug opened up, but it was opened in the wrong direction. This was going to require milling increasing the gap to at least a 1/2″ in size. Robert was really leery of this, but my attitude was, ‘it’s just a chassis and nothing a little Marine Tex can’t handle’.” Thankfully the chassis mod came out OK.
Once the barreled action was complete and the AI chassis was successfully milled, Frank applied a tan Cerakote finish to the barreled action. This would give a proper tactical look to the rifle, while providing superior corrosion resistance for the metal parts. To learn more about Cerakote finishing, check out the Cerakote Application Video, published last week in the Daily Bulletin.
When the rifle was complete, Frank took it out for testing with a variety of ammo, both factory fodder and handloads. There were some initial worries about accuracy as it took a while for the barrel to break in. A few sessions of bore cleaning were required before the barrel stopped fouling and then — like magic — the rifle started printing really small groups.
By the end of his load testing session, Frank was getting good groups with Hornady 120gr GMX factory 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, and really superb groups with handloads. The 120gr GMX ammo “was going 3100 fps with no ill effects”. The best handloads were approaching 1/4 MOA for three shots, and Frank’s load with Berger 130 VLDs shot even smaller than that: “In my opinion the load development we did was worth its weight in gold. Where else can you build in a rifle in two days, then go out and develop a baseline load using everything from 120gr ammo to 140gr ammo with a few in between? My favorite load and clearly the rifle’s too, was the [Berger] 130gr VLD. This gave us great velocity, awesome groups [with some one-holers] and really nice results at distance.”
Lowlight’s Gunsmithing Story is a ‘Must-Read’
We recommend you read Frank’s story. It shows that, with the right tools, and the supervision of a master smith, even a novice can produce an ultra-accurate rifle. For those of you who have considered taking a gunsmithing class, Frank’s successful experience with gunsmith Robert Gradous should give you plenty of motivation.
Would you like to see an image you photographed on the cover of Shooting Sports USA? If you’ve snapped a great shooting-related photo, you could be honored with the cover shot for the SSUSA December issue. 2014 marks Shooting Sports USA’s second year for the December cover shot contest. Both professionals and amateur photographers may participate as long as reproduction rights are given to NRA. Shown below are the ‘Top Shots’ from 2013, i.e. last year’s finalist photos.
Contest Entry Rules and Guidelines
Contest entrants should submit one or two high resolution (300 dpi or greater) photos of youth shooting sports, famous shooting athletes, or shooters in action. Provide a caption for each image. Note: if your image shows shooters on the firing line, the shooters should be wearing ear and protection. Images should be vertically oriented to fit the cover format and color photos are preferred. The magazine’s editors will consider all submissions and pick one for the December cover of Shooting Sports USA magazine. E-mail submissions to: shootingsportsusa [at] nrahq.org.
Forum member Erick C. (aka cncmill) has produced a very nice laminated stock featuring wood inlays. A tool and die maker from Pennsylvania, Erick is justifiably proud of his handiwork. Erick tells us: “Here is my latest build — just finished. The rifle features a Kelbly’s Atlas action, with Hawk Hill custom barrel chambered for the .284 Winchester. The stock is made from three types of wood: Birdseye Maple, African Padauk wood, and Wenge wood (for the dark stripes).” Erick explained that the Wenge inlays served a useful (as well as aesthetic) purpose: “I put the Wenge stripes in to fix two cracks in the Birdseye Maple. I was not sure about it at the time but it turned out well.”
Home-built Laminated Stock features three different woods.
Stock before final finishing.
Detail of Fore-End.
If you like this example of rifle-building, check out the ‘Pride and Joy’ thread in the AccurateShooter Forum to see other “home-built” project guns.
Here’s a new, versatile target stand system from CTK Precision. The P3 Ultimate Target Stand, which combines CTK-supplied clamping plates with wood furring strips, can adjust to almost any size or shape of target. Because the clamping plates (brackets) are readily removed, your entire target frame can easily break down into small units for ease of transport. CTK’s kits include all the metal parts. You supply the wood (which can be purchased at home supply stores.)
• The 24″ angled legs provide a solid 4-point stance on any terrain. Legs can be pushed into the ground to further stabilize the stand. The 3.5″ main beam height allows use of extra sandbag ballast.
• Adjustable from 5″ to many feet wide, this system can handle just about any paper or cardboard target. Bottle holders are optional.
• Clamping plates (with large tightening knobs) grip furring strips firmly over a large area.
Video Shows CTK Target Frame Components and Use with Optional Bottle Holders.
CTK’s P3 Ultimate Target Stand can be adjusted to accommodate paper and cardboard targets of virtually any size. It sets up and breaks down in seconds, with no tools required. The system is crafted in the USA from from strong 14 gauge tubing and 3/8″ rod.
Forum member Rick Curtis, a shooter from the Phoenix area, put together an interesting video showing some of the F-Class shooters at a recent club match at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Rick notes: “As you can see (hear) at the beginning of the video the first relay was fired in a ‘frisky’ headwind.” (Don’t worry about the awful wind noise — it moderates 35 seconds into the video.) It is interesting to see the different shooting styles, and the wide variety of hardware on the line.
Watch F-Class Shooting Video from Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, AZ
One fellow who watched the video made an interesting comment: “A couple of those shooters sure do a lot of moving around before and after the shot. I shoot sling and jacket and definitely try to minimize my movement. Is minimizing movement as important in F-Class?”
Rick Curtis replied: “I sent some of the individual videos back to the shooters who were in them with some recommendations that included minimizing movement, spotting scope placement, shot routine suggestions and a few other observations.”
Need to find an FFL near you (or near a destination to which you’ll be traveling)? Then check out this handy FFL Finder app from Huntgeek.com. This easy-to-use, inexpensive iPhone App locates FFLs throughout the country. FFL Finder sells for just 99 cents ($0.99) on the iTunes store.
With FFL Finder, you instantly get mapped results of FFL holders near your location (via GPS) or by selecting an area on a map. You can quickly find a variety of nearby FFLs you can contact to compare their transfer rates and policies. If you need to ship a gun out of state, the program quickly finds an FFL who can receive the firearm. And if you are traveling away from home for a match, or a hunting trip, the App can find locations where you can obtain ammo, supplies, and replacement parts. That’s reassuring. Imagine you are traveling and your firearm breaks, or your optics fail, so you need spare parts or a new scope immediately. The FFL Finder App can help you source what you need.
MIL or MOA — which angular measuring system is better for target ranging (and hold-offs)? In a recent article on his PrecisionRifleBlog.com website, Cal Zant tackles that question. Analyzing the pros and cons of each, Zant concludes that both systems work well, provided you have compatible click values on your scope. Zant does note that a 1/4 MOA division is “slightly more precise” than 1/10th mil, but that’s really not a big deal: “Technically, 1/4 MOA clicks provide a little finer adjustments than 1/10 MIL. This difference is very slight… it only equates to 0.1″ difference in adjustments at 100 yards or 1″ at 1,000 yards[.]” Zant adds that, in practical terms, both 1/4-MOA clicks and 1/10th-MIL clicks work well in the field: “Most shooters agree that 1/4 MOA or 1/10 MIL are both right around that sweet spot.”
Zant does note that a whopping 94% of shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) used a mil-based reticle. However, Zant says: “This does NOT mean MIL is better. It just means MIL-based scopes are more popular.” Zant agrees with Bryan Litz’s take on the subject: “You can’t really go wrong with either (MIL or MOA). They’re both equally effective, it comes down to how well you know the system. If you’re comfortable with MOA, I wouldn’t recommend switching to MIL. I have a few MIL scopes but primarily because they’re on rifles used for military evaluation projects, and that community is now mostly converted to MILS, so when in Rome….”
We recommend you read Zant’s complete article which is very thorough and is illustrated with helpful graphics. Here are the key points Zant makes in his MIL vs. MOA analysis:
MIL vs. MOA — Key Points
There are a handful of minor differences/trade-offs between MIL & MOA, but there are no inherent advantage to either system. Most people blow the small differences WAY out of proportion….Here are the biggest differences and things to keep in mind:
Whatever you decide, go with matching turret/reticle (i.e. MIL/MIL or MOA/MOA)
1/4 MOA adjustments are slightly more precise than 1/10 MIL.
MIL values are slightly easier to communicate.
If you think in yards/inches the math for range estimation is easier with MOA. If you think in meters/cm the math is easier with MIL.
When your shooting partners are using one system, there can be some advantage to having the same system.
Around 90% of the PRS competitors use MIL.
There are more product options (with ranging reticles) in MIL.
Range Card Print-Outs
Zant makes an interesting practical point regarding range card print-outs. He suggests the MIL System may be easier to read: “You can see in the range card examples below, 1/4 MOA adjustments take up more room and are a little harder to read than 1/10 MIL adjustments.”
Forster Products’ Heritage
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) invites young men and women shooters to apply for CMP scholarships for the 2015-2016 school year. The CMP offers $1,000 one-year scholarships to current high school seniors. Since 2005, CMP has awarded over $1 million in scholarship grants.
The new device is called the BEMIS-SC™ (for Barrel Inspection Machine Small Caliber). Operated by 
Once the barreled action was complete and the AI chassis was successfully milled, Frank applied a tan Cerakote finish to the barreled action. This would give a proper tactical look to the rifle, while providing superior corrosion resistance for the metal parts. To learn more about Cerakote finishing, check out the 
By the end of his load testing session, Frank was getting good groups with Hornady 120gr GMX factory 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, and really superb groups with handloads. The 120gr GMX ammo “was going 3100 fps with no ill effects”. The best handloads were approaching 1/4 MOA for three shots, and Frank’s load with Berger 130 VLDs shot even smaller than that: “In my opinion the load development we did was worth its weight in gold. Where else can you build in a rifle in two days, then go out and develop a baseline load using everything from 120gr ammo to 140gr ammo with a few in between? My favorite load and clearly the rifle’s too, was the [Berger] 130gr VLD. This gave us great velocity, awesome groups [with some one-holers] and really nice results at distance.”
Contest Entry Rules and Guidelines
Here’s a new, versatile 
