Happy New Year to all our readers, and especially the 60,850+ members of our AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2022 brings you happiness in your lives and success in your endeavors. We wish for small groups, high scores, and successful hunts in the New Year. And, yes, we wish for mankind’s victory over COVID and its variants, so we can return to our normal lives, before all the lock-downs and cancelled events.
Forum Members — Upgrade Your Membership to Get Unlimited Classifieds for 12 Months.
Looking Forward to 2022 Every year we work to improve AccurateShooter.com. We have continued to upgrade the Forum, adding enhanced search features. We also added more security measures, with background checks on all sign-ups and enhanced scammer detection. On the content side we have expanded our popular Deals of the Week and Sunday GunDay features. We also now offer more technical videos and product reviews in our Daily Bulletin. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Deals of the Week, our match reports, and our Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever, with Forum membership growing substantially year after year.
Forum Membership Increased 12.45% in 2021
Our Shooters’ Forum grew significantly in 2021. Total registered membership grew by 12.45% as Forum ranks swelled to 60,855 members! More people are successfully buying and selling through our Forum Classifieds services than ever before. Silver and Gold members get unlimited Classifieds for 12 months. Gold members also get custom Avatars and other privileges.
We need your support. For 18 years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts. But as the site grows, we need the assistance of Forum moderators, product testers, web gurus, and computer software experts. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — you could pay $25 for a couple medium pizzas. For the same twenty-five dollars you can become a Silver Forum member for an entire YEAR and help this site provide info, tests, tech tips, bargains, and shooting news.
And consider the benefits — Silver or Gold Members get unlimited classifieds for 12 months. If you were to sell just ONE $1500 rifle through Gunbroker.com, you would pay $58.75 in fees! That’s more than our Gold Membership — just to sell one single rifle.
In the last quarter of 2021 about 540 site users have donated or upgraded their Forum membership. That’s less than 1% of the current membership. We thank all those who have generously contributed. But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site every week without contributing. With more donations and more Forum upgrades, we can deliver more premium content and offer more services to our members.
How to Contribute
If you ARE a Forum member, you can help the site by UPGRADING your membership. CLICK HERE to UPGRADE.
If you are NOT a Forum member, you can still help by making a donation. Donating is simple and easy. Just click on the orange “Donate” button at right. If you have a credit card, you don’t need a PayPal account to contribute.
IMPORTANT: After you click on the orange button a PayPal screen will load. You’ll also see a field that says “0.00”. Fill in the amount you want to give. For example, to give $25, type 25.00 in the amount field. You choose the amount.
Help Support this Site by Making a Secure Donation.
If You Don’t Like PayPal, You Can Send a Check.
Make the check payable to: Jeff Williams. Please list your Shooters’ Forum Log-In Name (if any), and mail the check to:
Jeff Williams
P.O. Box 240
Solon Springs, WI 54873
Top 2022 image licensed through iStock photos.
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Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our 60,000+ Forum Members. This marks our 17th Christmas “in business”, and the site is stronger than ever thanks to our Gold and Silver Forum members and industry sponsors. AccurateShooter.com is now accessed by over 500,000 visitors every month, who enjoy our Feature Articles, Daily Bulletin, Shooters’ Forum, and our Facebook Page. Part of the reason for that success is the hard work of our dedicated staff and volunteer helpers.
Unsung Heroes Deserve Recognition
I want to acknowledge those guys who have really helped out the site. Number one is skilled F-Class shooter Praveen K. who serves as our System Admin. Along with being a talented trigger-puller, Praveen is a super-smart computer wizard who has kept our servers running smoothly and helped with vital software upgrades. Praveen has also done some key product tests for the site. We also thank Andy B., our Xenforo ace who has contributed vital Forum software solutions.
A huge “thank-you” goes to F-Class John who finds weekly bargains for the Bulletin and tests new products. John produces gear/hardware reviews for the Daily Bulletin with informative videos showcased on his YouTube Channel. John’s work has become a highlight of our Bulletin content. We also regularly feature videos from wind wizard Keith Glasscock, and product tests from Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. We thank Boyd Allen and EdLongRange who supply story leads for the Daily Bulletin. And we wouldn’t be here without Jeff Williams, who handles site donations by mail. We have a great place to test rifles thanks to our valued friend Joe Friedrich. Other important contributors include: Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics, Bill Marr of Rifleshooter.com, Jason Baney of EuroOptic.com, and Dennis Santiago. These folks have contributed stories, reviews, and and videos. I also want to recognize Hunting Editor Colton Reid and Norway’s Thomas Haugland. All these men (and many others) have aided the site.
Praise for our Site Sponsors and Advertisers
We also want to thank our major sponsors, without whose support the site could not provide the full AccurateShooter.com experience, with an active Forum, an archive of in-depth articles, and fresh content 365 days a year in our Daily Bulletin. We’re grateful to ALL our sponsors and advertisers. In particular, we want to acknowledge the major companies which have been strong supporters of this site for many years: Capstone Precision Group (Berger, Lapua, SK, Vihtavuori), Bruno Shooters Supply, Bullet Central, EuroOptic, Graf & Sons, Krieger Barrels, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Powder Valley Inc., Precision Reloading, Whidden Gunworks, and Zeiss Sports Optics. Their continuing support helps us keep up the flow of information and serve our readers and Forum members.
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Readers who have just recently discovered the Daily Bulletin may not realize that AccurateShooter.com has hundreds of reference articles in our archives. These authoritative articles are divided into multiple categories, so you can easily view stories by topic (such as competition, tactical, rimfire, optics, shooting skills etc.). One of the most popular categories is our Technical Articles Collection. On a handy index page (with thumbnails for every story), you’ll find over 120 articles covering technical and gunsmithing topics. These articles can help you with major projects (such as stock painting), and they can also help you build more accurate ammo. Here are six popular selections from our Technical Articles archive.
Stress-Free Pillar Bedding. Richard Franklin explains how to do a top-quality bedding job, start to finish.
Gun Safe Buyers Guide. Our comprehensive Safe Buyers Guide examines the key features to consider in a safe — Wall Thickness, Volume, Shelving, Fire Rating, Lighting, Weight and more. We also explain the Pros/Cons of Dial vs. Digital (Keypad) locking systems.
Savage Action Tuning. Top F-TR shooter Stan Pate explains how to enhance the performance of your Savage rifle by optimizing the torque settings of the action screws.
Complete Precision Case Prep. Jake Gottfredson covers the complete case prep process, including brass weight sorting, case trimming, primer pocket uniforming, neck-sizing, and, case-neck turning.
Stock Painting Instructions. Step-by-step guide for stock painting by expert Mike Ricklefs. Mike shows both simple coverage and fancy effects.
Ultrasonic Case Cleaning. This article reviews the recommended process for cleaning cartridge brass with ultrasonic cleaning machine. We cover the right liquid solutions, processing times, and case drying options.
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The 2020 Berger Southwest Nationals, one of the biggest (and best) rifle competitions of the year, kicks off Wednesday, February 5, 2019 at the Ben Avery Range outside Phoenix, Arizona. The big match continues through Sunday, February 9th. This match attracts the top F-Class and sling shooters in the country, along with many talented foreign competitors. See Desert Sharpshooters SWN Facebook Page.
Here’s a state-of-the-art F-Open rig with sleek, low-profile, Speedy-designed Shurley Brothers stock:
Talk to the competitors and many will tell your that the SWN is their favorite match of the year. For those in Northern states, the chance to enjoy some Arizona sunshine is a big draw, along with the quality of the competition, and the camaraderie.
The 2020 Berger SWN event commences today with a Mid-Range, 600-yard Match:
Capstone Precision Group Makes This Event Possible
The Berger SW Nationals are made possible through the principal support of Berger Bullets and Lapua, both part of the Capstone Precision Group, which also distributes Vihtavuori powder and SK Ammunition in the USA. Berger and Lapua both generously donate prizes for 2020 SWN competitors.
Bird’s Eye Ben Avery — A Look at the Range
If you’ve never visited the Ben Avery Facility north of Phoenix, Arizona, here is a video shot in 2016 that shows the 1000-yard range (including drone footage). The desert range at Ben Avery is something special — check out this “birds-eye view”. This video also includes an interview with Derek Rodgers, F-TR World Champion, King of 2 Miles, and the only man who who has earned both F-Open AND F-TR USA National titles.
Event Schedule for 2020 Berger SWN
Wednesday, 5 February 2020, 9:00 AM
Mid-Range Match – Three 20-shot matches at 600 yards. (Divisions – Palma, Any Rifle-Any Sight, F-Open, F-TR)
Thursday, 6 February 2020, 9:00 AM
4-Man Palma Team Match – 15 shots for record at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. (Divisions – Palma, F-Open, F-TR)
Friday, 7 February 2020, 8:30 AM – Start of Grand Agg
Individual Palma Match – 15 shots for record at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. (Divs – Palma, F-Open, F-TR)
Swap Meet at 1000-Yard Line after conclusion of Day’s Match
Saturday, 8 February 2020, 8:30 AM
Individual 1000 Yard Matches – Two 20-shot matches at 1000 yards. Any Rifle-Iron Sight (Any sight for F-Class shooters). (Divisions – Palma, Any Rifle-Iron Sight, F-Open, F-TR)
4 Man Team Match – 20 shots at 1000 yards. Any Rifle-Iron Sight (Any sight for F-Class shooters). (Divisions – Palma, Any Rifle-Iron Sight, F-Open, F-TR)
Banquet Dinner – Approximately 5:00 pm at Indoor Range.
Sunday, 9 February 2020, 8:30 AM
Individual 1000 Yard Matches – Two 20-shot matches at 1000 yards. Any Rifle-Any Sight (Any sight for F-Class shooters). (Divisions – Palma, Any Rifle-Any Sight, F-Open, F-TR)
Awards Ceremony at the Indoor Range.
Sling Shooters in Palma Division
For the Palma division, the cartridge of choice is the .308 Winchester (7.62.x51). This versatile cartridge is still capable of extreme accuracy. Never underestimate a skilled sling shooter with a good Palma rifle. Below is multi-time NRA National Long-Range Champion John Whidden in action. John’s rifle features a centerfire action in an aluminum Anschutz small-bore stock.
We created the above target a decade ago. Since then it has been used by tens of thousands of shooters. It has proven very popular as a load development target, since all your load data fits neatly in the boxes under each target. In fact this target is being employed by both rifle-makers and barrel-makers (including Criterion) to test their products. The target was designed for aiming efficiency. The diamonds have 1/2″ sides and you can align your cross-hairs on the horizontal and vertical lines. It is a clean design that is easy to see even at 200 yards with a 20X scope. When we test, we usually crank in a little elevation, setting the point-of-impact higher, so that our shots fall in the gray circles. That way you leave the squares intact for precise aiming.
We also use these two targets for load development and precision practice. The circle dot target can also be used for informal rimfire competition at 50 yards.
Right-Click Each Target to Download Printable PDFs.
How to Print Your Targets
Most of us have access to a printer at home or at work. That means you can print your own targets. You’ll find hundreds of free target designs online, including dozens of downloadable targets on our AccurateShooter.com Target Page. If you’re feeling creative, you can design your own target with a computer drawing program such as MS Paint.
Paper Stock Is Important
If you want your self-printed targets to show shots cleanly (and not rip when it gets windy), you should use quality paper stock. We recommend card stock — the kind of thick paper used for business cards. Card stock is available in both 65-lb and 110-lb weights in a variety of colors. We generally print black on white. But you might experiment with bright orange or yellow sheets. Forum Member ShootDots report: “They sell cardstock at Fed-Ex Kinko! I use either Orange or Yellow. That makes it easy to see the bullet holes clearly.” On some printers, with the heavier 110-lb card stock, you will need to have the paper exit through the rear for a straighter run.
Here are some Target-Printing Tips from our Forum members:
“Staples sells a 67-lb heavy stock that I have settled on. I use the light grey or light blue, either of these are easy on the eyes on bright days. I have used the 110-lb card stock as well and it works fine. It’s just a little easier to print the lighter stuff.” (JBarnwell)
“Cardstock, as mentioned, works great for showing bullet holes as it doesn’t tear or rip like the thin, lightweight 20-lb paper. I’ve never had a problem with cardstock feeding in the printer, just don’t stick too many sheets in there. If I need three targets, I load only three card stock sheets”. (MEMilanuk)
“20-lb bond works pretty well for me if I use a spray adhesive and stick the entire back of the paper’s surface to the backer board.” (Lapua40X)
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Happy New Year to all our readers worldwide, and especially the 48,120+ members of our AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2020 brings you happiness in your lives and success in your endeavors. And we wish for small groups, good scores, and successful hunts in the New Year.
Forum Members — Upgrade Your Membership to Get Unlimited Classifieds for 12 Months.
Looking Forward to 2020 Every year we work to improve AccurateShooter.com. In 2016 we completely overhauled the Forum, making it faster and more mobile-friendly. In 2017 we upgraded our servers. In 2018 we started vetting every new sign-up to prevent scammers. In 2019 we added more security measures, expanded our popular Deals of the Week, and commenced our first-ever exclusive Promos for Gold and Silver members. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Daily Bulletin, our match reports, and our Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever.
Forum Membership Increased 11.5% in 2019
Our Shooters’ Forum grew significantly in 2019. Our membership grew by 11.5% as Forum ranks swelled to 48,120+ members! More people are successfully buying and selling in our Forum Classifieds section than ever before. Silver and Gold members get unlimited Classifieds for 12 months. Gold members also get custom Avatars and other privileges.
We need your support. For 16 years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts. But as the site grows, we need the assistance of Forum moderators, product testers, web gurus, and computer software experts. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — you’ll pay $25 for a couple movie tickets and a large popcorn these days. For the same twenty-five dollars you can become a Silver Forum member for a YEAR and help this site provide info, tests, tech tips, bargains, and shooting news.
And consider the benefits — Silver or Gold Members get unlimited classifieds for 12 months. If you were to sell just ONE $1500 rifle through Gunbroker.com, you would pay $58.75 in fees! That’s more than our Gold Membership — just to sell one single rifle.
In the last quarter of 2019 about 470 site users have donated or upgraded their Forum membership to Silver or Gold Levels. That’s less than 1% of the membership. We thank all those who have generously contributed. But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site every week without contributing. With more donations we can deliver more premium content and offer more services to our members.
How to Contribute
If you are a Forum member, you can help the site by UPGRADING your membership. CLICK HERE to UPGRADE.
If you’re not a member, making a donation to the site is simple and easy. Just click on the orange “Donate” button at right. If you have a credit card, you don’t need a Paypal account to contribute.
IMPORTANT: After you click on the orange button a PayPal screen will load. You’ll also see a field that says “0.00”. For desktop users that field will be on the right (with other pre-set amount buttons on the left). Fill in the amount you want to give. For example, to give $25, type 25.00 in the amount field.
Help Support this Site by Making a Secure Donation.
If You Don’t Like PayPal, You Can Send a Check.
Make the check payable to: Jeff Williams. Please list your Shooters’ Forum Log-In Name (if any), and mail the check to:
Jeff Williams
P.O. Box 240
Solon Springs, WI 54873
Winter testing image from Alex Wheeler and TM — That’s dedication!
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These days, online gun Auctions and Classifieds attract more attention than ever. With so many folks accessing the internet daily, many gun owners find it easier to sell their firearms online rather than in the local gun store. Online selling opens up a much larger audience. With nearly 50,000 members in the AccurateShooter Forum, we have a very active gun Classifieds area. And then of course, there are the big dogs — Gunbroker and GunsAmerica. You’ll find tens of thousands of guns for sale on those big sites.
Before selling your stuff online, you should survey the major online sales and auction sites, comparing their fees and features. The costs are NOT all the same. For example, though you can list an item on Gunbroker for free, if the gun sells you may end up paying a LOT of money. Confirm this with the Gunbroker FEE Calculator. Using Gunbroker’s Fee Calculator we determined that, for a $2500.00 gun, the seller will pay $93.75 in fees! Yes, that’s for a single sale. That’s why many sellers prefer to list their rifles on Benchrest.com, or right here on AccurateShooter.com for FREE. Currently, basic members get five (5) free adverts in a 12-month period, while Gold and Silver members get unlimited classifieds for 12 months.
SEVEN TIPS for Selling Your Gear Online
1. Include Good, Sharp Photos: A custom rifle or expensive optic will sell two to three times as quickly, at a higher price, if you include good sharp photos. We can’t over-emphasize the importance of good photos. For all products, show multiple angles, and include the original boxes if you still have them. For a rifle, include detail shots as well as a photo of the complete gun.
2. Resize Your Photos Before Posting: Remember that many readers have monitors that only display 800-1000 pixels in screen width. We recommend you size your photos down to 600×480 pixels, or 800×600 at the most.
3. Be Fair and Complete in Your Description: Buyers appreciate honesty and thoroughness in product descriptions. Potential buyers want details. For a rifle, list the gunsmith, barrel-maker, round count, and provide the specifications. If the rifle has a winning competition history, say so. Always highlight the positives in your description, but you should disclose significant flaws. A buyer will be more willing to purchase if he thinks the seller is 100% honest.
4. Don’t Forget Contact Info: We’re amazed by how many adverts omit key contact info. In a forum classified ad, include a first name, e.g. “Ask for Dan.” We also suggest you list your residence city and state. Some buyers will prefer to buy from a seller in their home state. When communicating with a buyer, provide your phone number and email address. We recommend that all buyers and sellers actually talk live on the phone before concluding high-value deals.
5. Make the Price Attractive: Buyers, everywhere, are looking for good deals. If you want your item to move quickly, set the price accordingly and don’t expect top dollar. Check comparable listings and then discount by 10-15% if you want the item to move fast.
6. Include a Call to Action: Advertisements can be twice as effective if they include a “Call to Action”, i.e. a statement that directly inspires the potential buyer to respond. Sample calls to action are: “Free Shipping — today only.” Or, you can use a time limit: “Special Sale Price good ’til the end of the month”.
7. Always Follow ALL Applicable Laws: Even in states where private face-to-face gun sales are allowed, we recommend ALWAYS using an FFL for firearms transfers. This will protect YOU the seller. In addition, do your homework. Don’t sell to a buyer in a city or state (such as California) state or city where the particular firearm (such as an AR15) may be restricted
Classified Advert vs. Auctions For benchrest, F-Class, Silhouette, Tactical or High Power rifles, you may get the best results posting a For Sale ad on a Forum that caters to the right discipline. You want your ad to reach the right audience. On the other hand, a GunBroker.com auction will have tens of thousands of potential buyers. Realistically, however, if you price your rig attractively, it should sell quickly in a Forum Classified Advert. Plus with conventional Classifieds, you can sell immediately — you don’t have to wait for the auction to end. For scopes and reloading equipment (but not firearms, actions, barrels etc.), also consider eBay, which still allows many gun-related items.
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Happy New Year to all our readers worldwide, and especially the 43,200 members of our AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2019 brings you happiness in your lives and success in your endeavors. And we wish for small groups, good scores, and successful hunts in the New Year.
Forum Members — Upgrade Your Membership to Get Unlimited Classifieds for 12 Months.
Looking Forward to 2019
Every year, we work to improve AccurateShooter.com. In 2016 we completely overhauled the Forum, making it faster and mobile-friendly. In 2017 we upgraded our servers to improve speed and security. In 2018 we started vetting every new sign-up to prevent scammers. And we have continued our popular Deals of the Week and launched a weekly Video Product Showcase. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Daily Bulletin, our match reports, and our Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever.
Forum Membership Grows 14% in 2018
Our Shooters’ Forum grew significantly in 2018. Our membership grew by 14% as Forum ranks swelled to 43,200 members! More people are successfully buying and selling in our Forum Classifieds section than ever before. Silver and Gold members get unlimited Classifieds for 12 months. Gold members also get custom Avatars and other privileges.
We need your support. For 15 years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts. But as the site grows, we need the assistance of Forum moderators, product testers, web gurus, and computer software experts. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — you’ll pay $20 for a couple movie tickets these days. For the same twenty dollars you can become a Silver Forum member for a YEAR and help this site provide info, tests, tech tips, bargains, and shooting news.
And consider the benefits — Silver or Gold Members get unlimited classifieds for 12 months. If you were to sell just one, single $1500 rifle through Gunbroker.com, just one, you would pay $58.75 in fees! For one sale!
In the last quarter of 2018 about 430 site users have donated or upgraded their Forum membership to Silver or Gold Levels. We thank all those who have generously contributed. But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site every week without contributing. With more donations we can deliver more premium content and offer more services to our members.
How to Contribute
If you are a Forum member, you can help the site by UPGRADING your membership. CLICK HERE to UPGRADE.
If you’re not a member, making a donation to the site is simple and easy. Just click on the orange “Donate” button at right. If you have a credit card, you don’t need a Paypal account to contribute.
IMPORTANT: After you click on the orange button a PayPal screen will load. You’ll also see a field that says “0.00”. For desktop users that field will be on the right (with other pre-set amount buttons on the left). Fill in the amount you want to give. For example, to give $25, type 25.00 in the amount field.
Help Support this Site by Making a Secure Donation.
If you don’t like Paypal, you can send a check.
Make the check payable to: Jeff Williams. Please list your Shooters’ Forum Log-In Name (if any), and mail the check to:
Jeff Williams
P.O. Box 240
Solon Springs, WI 54873
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AR-platform rifles are fun and versatile, but the standard, mil-spec triggers leave much to be desired. They tend to be gritty, with creep and heavy pull weight. One of the easiest, most effective AR upgrades is a trigger group swap. An improved fire control group makes a huge difference. There are many aftermarket trigger options for the AR platform rifles. Choose single-stage or two-stage, either standard trigger assembly or unitized “drop-in” trigger, such as those made by Timney or Triggertech.
When upgraded with a precision trigger and match barrel, AR-platform rigs work great in NRA High Power competitions (Photo from NRA Blog, at Camp Perry).
Two-Stage vs. Single-Stage Triggers
Two-stage triggers have two separate movements. The first stage offers a light, spring-loaded pressure that works against the shooter’s pull until stopping at the second stage – this is called “take-up”. If there is no spring pressure, it is known as “slack”. Should the shooter continue to pull the trigger once he’s arrived at the second stage, the mechanism will operate like a single-stage trigger from there until engaging the sear and firing the gun. Good trigger reset requires the shooter to keep pressure on the trigger, even during reset, to minimize movement of the muzzle.
Single-stage triggers feature no take-up or slack, as they begin engaging the sear as soon as the shooter begins pulling the trigger. Some competitive shooters prefer the two-stage trigger because of the feedback it provides during its first stage, while other shooters, including those using their rifle in tactical scenarios, may want the surety of a single-stage trigger, ready to engage and fire once their finger is inside the trigger guard. Regardless of preference, a good trigger will feature minimal creep and should be free of grittiness, providing a smooth, even break.
Drop-In Trigger Assembly vs. Standard Trigger Group
Once you decide between a single-stage or two-stage trigger, you can choose between standard and drop-in trigger groups. Standard trigger groups feature all the fire control group parts separated, and need to be pieced together and installed much like a mil-spec trigger, while drop-in trigger are pre-assembled and contained within a casing that simply drops in to the receiver and accepts the pins, hence the name.
After-Market Trigger Comparison
Some shooters prefer drop-in triggers due to the ease of installation, while others opt for standard groups so they can access the components individually for cleaning adjustment or replacement. If one piece of a drop-in trigger fails, you’ll need to either replace the entire unit or send it to the manufacturer for repair, whereas you may be able to simply replace the broken component of a standard trigger without needing a whole new trigger set.
Trigger Terminology — “Creep”, “Stacking”, “Overtravel”
“Creep” or “travel” is the distance the trigger moves between the end of take-up and when the trigger breaks to fire the fun. Too much creep can affect accuracy, but no creep can be unsafe, as the shooter may not be prepared to fire. “Stacking” occurs when the trigger weight actually increases during travel — this shouldn’t happen. Lastly, “overtravel” is the distance the trigger continues moving back after the gun fires.
This article is based on a longer story in the NRA Blog.
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Merry Christmas from Guns & Ammo. This publication is making its entire 106-page December 2017 issue available for FREE online from December 12, 2017 through January 9, 2018. To read the entire issue for FREE, go to: GunsandAmmo.com/freepreview.
The free December issue will include the 2017 Guns & Ammo of the Year Awards (page 52) and a first-look at the new Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Compact, Shield and M360 lightweight revolver. You’ll want to check out the articles about: Winston Churchill’s Mauser C.96 Pistol (page 104), the Dixie Gunworx DOA Shooting Bench (p. 38), and Concealment Furniture (page 18) that hides your home defense guns. We also recommend the NovX ammo review (page 26). NovX is a new kind of ammunition with a hybrid stainless steel and aluminum case, and polymer-coated copper bullets.
If you haven’t seen a copy of Guns & Ammo recently, here’s a chance to sit down and enjoy a large issue at no cost. We found it interesting to see Guns & Ammo’s Annual Award selections (page 52): CZ P-10 C — Handgun of the Year; Barrett Fieldcraft — Rifle of the Year; Winchester SX4 — Shotgun of the Year. To be honest, we found all those choices puzzling…
Guns & Ammo magazine is one of 15 publications from Outdoor Sportsman Group. The publisher claims Guns & Ammo has more than 11 million readers (29.7 readers per copy) — more readers than any other firearms publication. If that’s really true, we wonder, frankly, why the magazine isn’t a whole lot better. With that circulation, and the high percentage of display ads (over 30% of the pages) Guns & Ammo should be minting money. That should allow the Editors to do some pretty exciting stuff. Unfortunately, many of the articles seem little more than sales brochures. And you won’t find much on precision reloading or competitive rifle shooting.
By all means, check out this FREE Issue of Guns & Ammo. After all the price is right. However, we believe you’ll find more reliable, useful information on websites such as ShootingSportsUSA.com, Rifleshooter.com, PrecisionRifleBlog.com, 65Guys.com, UlimateReloader.com, and, of course, our own site AccurateShooter.com. We provide 80-90 features per month on our Daily Bulletin which is always free. We also offer a very active Shooters’ Forum with over 37,500 members. Many top-flight competitive rifle shooters, barrel-makers, and gunsmiths are Forum members. You can learn from their expertise. If you haven’t joined our Forum yet, you should.
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Most of us have access to a printer at home or at work. That means you can print your own targets. You’ll find hundreds of free target designs online, including dozens of downloadable targets on our AccurateShooter.com Target Page. If you’re feeling creative, you can design your own target with a computer drawing program such as MS Paint.
Paper Stock Is Important
If you want your self-printed targets to show shots cleanly (and not rip when it gets windy), you should use quality paper stock. We recommend card stock — the kind of thick paper used for business cards. Card stock is available in both 65-lb and 110-lb weights in a variety of colors. We generally print black on white. But you might experiment with bright orange or yellow sheets. Forum Member ShootDots report: “They sell cardstock at Fed-Ex Kinko! I use either Orange or Yellow. That makes it easy to see the bullet holes clearly.” On some printers, with the heavier 110-lb card stock, you will need to have the paper exit through the rear for a straighter run.
Here are some Target-Printing Tips from our Forum members:
“Staples sells a 67-lb heavy stock that I have settled on. I use the light grey or light blue, either of these are easy on the eyes on bright days. I have used the 110-lb card stock as well and it works fine. It’s just a little easier to print the lighter stuff.” (JBarnwell)
“Cardstock, as mentioned, works great for showing bullet holes as it doesn’t tear or rip like the thin, lightweight 20-lb paper. I’ve never had a problem with cardstock feeding in the printer, just don’t stick too many sheets in there. If I need three targets, I load only three card stock sheets”. (MEMilanuk)
“I’ve used Staples Sticker paper. This works well and no staples are required (joke intended). It helps if you put slight tension on the lighter weight paper when mounting it on the target frame.” (Mac 86951).
Here are some tips for using lighter weight paper (if you want to save money or your printer won’t work with heavier stock):
“20-lb bond works pretty well for me if I use a spray adhesive and stick the entire back of the paper’s surface to the backer board.” (Lapua40X)
“I use the regular 20-lb paper but the only time it tears is when there is no backer to support it. This can be an issue when going to a public range and the backer are all shot out. I use a large construction paper backer that I clip onto the stands.” (CPorter)
Here Are Three of Our Favorite Targets. Click to Download PDFs.
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We’ve learned that many first-time visitors to AccurateShooter.com may come in via a link to the Daily Bulletin rather than through our home page. As a result, they may not be aware that there is a wealth of other content available to our readers. Our Shooters’ Forum, with nearly 33,000 registered members, is one of the best places on the web to discuss precision shooting and advanced reloading. We also offer FREE Forum Classifieds. On the editorial side, AccurateShooter.com offers hundreds of pages of content, with thousands of photos. Our Cartridge Guides are definitive one-stop resources for popular match calibers, while our Guns of the Week articles spotlight outstanding custom rifles, most with competition pedigrees. In addition, we offer videos, gear reviews, book reviews, gunsmithing tips, and even FREE downloadable targets.
If you’re a new visitor to AccurateShooter.com, you should check out all that we have to offer. There are hundreds of informative articles to read … and they’re all FREE.
Every year we work to improve AccurateShooter.com. We have continued to upgrade the Forum, adding enhanced search features. We also added more security measures, with background checks on all sign-ups and enhanced scammer detection. On the content side we have expanded our popular Deals of the Week and Sunday GunDay features. We also now offer more technical videos and product reviews in our Daily Bulletin. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Deals of the Week, our match reports, and our Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever, with Forum membership growing substantially year after year.
Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
How to Print Your Targets
These days, online gun Auctions and Classifieds attract more attention than ever. With so many folks accessing the internet daily, many gun owners find it easier to sell their firearms online rather than in the local gun store. Online selling opens up a much larger audience. With nearly 50,000 members in the 
For benchrest, F-Class, Silhouette, Tactical or High Power rifles, you may get the best results posting a For Sale ad on a Forum that caters to the right discipline. You want your ad to reach the right audience. On the other hand, a GunBroker.com auction will have tens of thousands of potential buyers. Realistically, however, if you price your rig attractively, it should sell quickly in a Forum Classified Advert. Plus with conventional Classifieds, you can sell immediately — you don’t have to wait for the auction to end. For scopes and reloading equipment (but not firearms, actions, barrels etc.), also consider eBay, which still allows many gun-related items.
The free December issue will include the 2017 Guns & Ammo of the Year Awards (page 52) and a first-look at the new Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Compact, Shield and M360 lightweight revolver. You’ll want to check out the articles about: Winston Churchill’s Mauser C.96 Pistol (page 104), the Dixie Gunworx DOA Shooting Bench (p. 38), and Concealment Furniture (page 18) that hides your home defense guns. We also recommend the NovX ammo review (page 26). NovX is a new kind of ammunition with a hybrid stainless steel and aluminum case, and polymer-coated copper bullets.
