|
|
October 23rd, 2010
 Grafs.com is running some great promotions right now. If you need to stock up on powder, now is the time to buy. Graf’s will waive the normal $25 hazardous materials (hazmat) transport surcharge for customers purchasing at least 16 pounds of powder. That’s two 8-lb jugs, or sixteen 1-lb cannisters. Graf’s is also running an ammunition special: Graf’s will toss in ten FREE Birchwood Casey 8″ Shoot-N-C targets if you purchase three or more boxes of centerfire ammo.
No Hazmat Fee with 16 Pounds of Smokeless Powder
Here’s the deal: Buy 16 pounds of smokeless powder, and you won’t have to pay the normal $25 hazardous materials fee on your order. You can add more smokeless powder or primers to your purchase (up to a total weight of 50 pounds) with no additional hazmat charge. Limit one free hazmat fee per order, all items must be in stock. Orders must ship via FedEx Ground.
Free Targets with Ammo Purchase
Buy any three (3) boxes of centerfire handgun or rifle ammunition and receive ten (10) free Birchwood Casey 8″ Shoot-N-C targets with your order (a $10 retail value). The ammo must be in stock to qualify. Limit one 10-pack per order.
October 17th, 2010
In early 2011, Hornady will start shipping its new, “enhanced velocity” Superformance™ Varmint ammunition for four chamberings: 222 Remington, .223 Remington, 22-250, and .243 Winchester. This ammo uses proprietary, blended powder formulations to achieve faster velocities that most other factory-loaded ammo (for these cartridge types). In addition, the propellant burns more completely in the barrel, reducing the amount of ejecta (i.e. powder residue that exits the muzzle). By burning the powder more completely in the barrel, Hornady claims the Superformance ammo delivers higher velocities without increased recoil.
New 53gr V-Max for .223 Rem Ammo
All four types of Superformance Varmint ammo are loaded with polymer-tipped V-Max bullets. The .223 Rem ammo features a new 53-grain V-Max bullet with a decent 0.290 G1 Ballistic Coefficient. Hornady claims that: “This new bullet… enables this load to produce trajectory and wind drift equaling that of a conventional 22-250″. Well, it may come close to factory loaded 22-250 rounds from other manufacturers, but any competent hand-loader can produce 22-250 or 22-6XC loads that easily outrun Hornady’s 53gr V-Max load. As with any advertising claims, run the numbers yourself. The chart below shows Hornady’s claimed velocities for its Superformance Varmint ammo:
Hot-Rod Ammo?
Hornady released a somewhat “over the top” video touting its Superformance Varmint Ammo. We chuckled at the drag-racing animation, but you will find some useful info in the second half of the video:
September 17th, 2010
A new web vendor for loaded ammunition has just opened its doors to the online public. BulkAmmo.com launched its new secure web-store earlier this month. To celebrate its grand opening, BulkAmmo.com is offering our readers a special promotion: $25 off their first order over $200. To take advantage of this special offer, use Coupon CODE “GrandOpening” during check-out.
Steven, one of the BulkAmmo.com principals tells us: “We have a lot of inventory available and it’s all ready to ship.” BulkAmmo.com currently stocks major brands including Aguilla, CCI, Federal, Fiocchi, PMC, Remington, Tula, Winchester, and Wolf. You’ll find a wide selection of pistol, rimfire, and centerfire rifle ammo, plus shotgun shells. Brands of .308 Win brass-cased ammo include: Hornady (Interlock), Federal (GMM), and PMC.
September 6th, 2010
 Applied Ballistics, run by top Palma shooter Bryan Litz, now offers extremely high-quality loaded match ammunition for .308 Fullbore (Palma) shooters. The new Applied Ballistics “FULLBORE” ammo, priced at $38.00/box, is unlike anything on the market. It features the best available components, with individually-weighed charges. Independent testing shows this ammo offers extremely low ES and SD with accuracy comparable to precision hand-loaded cartridges.
Bryan Litz tells us: “Applied Ballistics’ FULLBORE ammunition is not just another ‘factory ammo’ option. This ammo is loaded specifically for the rifles and chambers commonly used in international-style Palma and Fullbore shooting.” Bryan cited the important qualities which make his FULLBORE ammo unique:
- AB FULLBORE is the only .308 Win Ammo with Individually-Weighed Charges.
- AB FULLBORE is the only .308 Win Ammo with Berger Bullets AND Lapua Brass.
- AB FULLBORE is the only .308 Win Ammo Optimized for Int’l Fullbore Competition.
- AB FULLBORE is the only .308 Win Ammo with Independently-Verified Single-Digit SD.
What Makes Applied Ballistics’ FULLBORE Ammo Special
Unlike most factory ammo, AB FULLBORE powder charges are carefully weighed, not metered, which helps to minimize muzzle velocity variation. Velocity averages over 3000 fps from 30″ barrels with Standard Deviation (SD) typically under 10 fps. Components are the best available, according to Bryan: “The ammo is loaded with Berger 155.5 grain bullets and Lapua brass. These are the same components I’ve had success with for years. The brass preparation, loading techniques, and QC steps that I’ve implemented for larger-scale production insure this ammo is good enough to win at the highest levels.”
Applied Ballistics FULLBORE Ammo Already Proven in Competition
Can this pre-loaded FULLBORE ammo really rival handloads in competition? Yes it can, according to Bryan: “I’ve been prototyping and testing ammo this past year and have had very good results. One notable achievement was a 150-15X fired at 900 yards during a coached team match in Lodi, WI during the Midwest Palma Tournament.”
Brian adds: “This ammo is the perfect option for someone who doesn’t enjoy handloading but still wants the accuracy, consistency and performance of handloaded ammunition. It’s also a good option for beginners who haven’t learned how to reload and/or don’t yet have the equipment but want to train and compete with quality ammunition.”
Tierney Tests New FULLBORE Ammo and Rates It Highly
Jerry Tierney, past NBRSA 600-yard and 1000-yard Champion and skilled Palma shooter, has tested the new ammo extensively. In comparison tests with Jerry’s own .308 Win handloads, the Applied Ballistics FULLBORE ammo shot great. Jerry concluded: “The Applied Ballistics 155.5 grain FULLBORE loads matched the best I can do hand loading. They fit the new 2011 fullbore chamber very well. I would not hesitate to use this FULLBORE ammo in any match anywhere.”
Notably, the Applied Ballistics ammo had a lower ES and SD than Jerry’s handloads. One five-shot group of the FULLBORE ammo had an ES of 7 fps and SD of 2 fps — that’s remarkably low. Four groups shot with Tierney’s handloads at 300 yards averaged 0.449 MOA, vs. 0.498 MOA for two groups of the Applied Ballistics ammo, so the accuracy is very close to the best precision handloads.
Click Here for complete Jerry Tierney Applied Ballistics Ammo Test Results (PDF file).
Coming Next — Applied Ballistics Tactical .308 Win and .338 Lapua Magnum Ammo
Applied Ballistics plans to release more types of high-quality loaded ammo in the months ahead. Bryan reports: “Future plans include a .308 load optimized for tactical applications. This will be a magazine-length round probably with a 175 grain bullet with favorable transonic stability. Eventually I’d like to offer a .338 Lapua Magnum tactical/hunting round loaded with Berger’s 300 grain Hybrid bullet.”
Bryan explains that he is developing .308 Win tactical ammo, because the FULLBORE product is made specifically for Palma work: “The fact that the FULLBORE ammo is optimized for the target application means it’s not necessarily ideal for other uses. For example, the rounds are too long to feed through standard-length magazines so they’re not of much use for tactical shooters. Also the seating depth is optimized for the chambers typically used in custom target rifles so it’s not the best option for factory (SAAMI) chambers.”
To order Applied Ballistics’ .308 Win FULLBORE ammo, visit Bryan’s AppliedBallisticsLLC.com website, which features secure online ordering. Currently, .308 Win FULLBORE ammo is priced at $38.00 per 20-round box (shipping extra).
August 15th, 2010
Powder Valley, a major vendor of powder, primers, brass, bullets, and loaded ammo, has received some large shipments of popular powders including Hodgdon Varget and IMR 8208 XBR. Powder Valley also has the hard-to-find Alliant Reloder 17 powder in stock, in both 1-lb and 5-lb containers.
 Powder Valley Now Stocks Factory-Loaded Ammo
FYI, Powder Valley is now stocking quality factory-loaded ammo from Lapua, Hornady, Nosler, Prvi Partizan, and Wolf. If you’re looking for match-grade Lapua factory ammo or the Hornady .223 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .30-06 ammo, give Powder Valley a call at 800-227-4299.
Powder Valley Inventory Updates on Facebook
Powder Valley now posts recent product arrivals on Facebook. If you have a Facebook account you can link to the Powder Valley page to get the latest updates.
August 13
IMR 8208: Finished up the backorders on 8208 8#. We received in about 200 kegs from Hodgdon last week and have filled backorders that were placed prior to June 25.
August 12
Large shipments of primers received over the last couple days. Received 2 million Winchester, 1.2 million Federal, 1.5 million Rem and 6 million Tula. Also received large shipment of Winchester brass.
August 6
Varget 8-lb jugs have arrived. We won’t update the website until Monday. Facebookers go ahead and put your order in now and you will get first dibs.
August 2
Received in about 2 million Remington primers. Also, received a large shipment of backorders from Berger. We will be receiving about 125,000 Federal Small Pistol primers later this week and about 2-2.5 million in 3-4 weeks. We will begin listing these primers on the website August 3 so you can place an order if you would like.
August 10th, 2010
 Young Entrepreneurs Launch LuckyGunner.com
What happens when two dedicated sport shooters, one of whom is an IT specialist, find they aren’t able to source the ammo and reloading supplies they need? Well, they start their own company! The acute ammo/component shortages of the past two years inspired the creation of LuckyGunner.com. LuckyGunner.com’s story is like most American success stories: a combination of hard work, entrepreneurial innovation, and some good fortune. The co-founders, both under age 30, successfully navigated the Obama-induced ammunition shortage, the Great Recession, and the normal challenges faced by all small-business owners to transform their idea into a shooting supplies website generating over $3,200,000 of revenue in its first twelve months.
 Among ammunition and component vendors, LuckyGunner.com is somewhat unique — it “doesn’t do back-orders”. Through an advanced “real-time” inventory system, everything that displays on the LuckyGunner.com website is guaranteed to be in stock. LuckyGunner.com also ships orders fast — normally all orders placed before 3:00 pm EST will ship that same day or on the following business day.
Extensive In-Stock Ammo Inventory
Most of the loaded ammunition carried by LuckyGunner.com is for handguns, but the company is building up its selection of name-brand rifle ammo in popular calibers: .308 Win, .223 Rem, .243 Win, 30-06, 7.62×39 and more. And of course LuckyGunner.com maintains a huge supply of 22LR and 17HMR rimfire ammo in stock. Hand-loaders will be pleased to note that Luckygunner.com has plenty of primers in stock, of all flavors: CCI, Federal, Fiocchi, Remington, Winchester, Wolf.
Frustrations with Other Vendors Inspired Creation of LuckyGunner.com
Luckygunner’s founders had themselves experienced the frustration of waiting long periods for merchandise: “We were already customers of other online retailers and simply realized that all our normal sources were chronically out-of-stock.” This frustration was compounded by the common industry practice of accepting orders for out-of-stock product and then notifying frustrated customers only days later that the order could not be fulfilled for several weeks or months.
A New Business Model Based on Fast Shipping with No Back Orders
LuckyGunner.com was created to “deliver the goods” without long wait times. One of the company’s founders told us: “We are built exclusively on the twin ideas of fast-shipping and not doing back-orders — ever. The Obama-induced ammo rush prompted us to open our online doors because we just couldn’t find what we needed on a regular basis…and when we did find what we were looking for, we couldn’t be sure that the [other vendor] actually had it in stock or just hadn’t updated their website. Hence, the on-site live inventory counter next to each product listing. So far, our customers have responded really positively to this focus on fast shipping with no back-orders.”
August 1st, 2010
 Many readers have asked, “Is there an ammo case that holds short BR, PPC and Grendel cases securely — one without a lot of extra clearance that allows fired brass to fall out of their slots if the box is tipped?” Yes, the J & J BR-100 Ammo Case fits BR, PPC, and Grendel cases just right. Many folks use the large green/red MTM 100-round ammo boxes for transporting 6BR and 6PPC ammo. The big MTM boxes work fine with loaded rounds, but not so great with fired cases. If you tip the MTM box on its side, the empties can spill out. That’s frustrating if you’ve meticulously sorted your cases. You won’t have this problem with the J & J 100-round BR-100 ammo case. It has tighter vertical clearance, so your empties won’t come out of their slots if the case tips over or is stacked upside down.
BR-100 cases are bargain-priced at just $4.88, and they come in Red, Blue, Smoke, or White colors. In addition to the BR-100 case, varminters who need to carry large numbers of loaded rounds should check out J & J’s 175-round Rifle Ammo Case (photo below). This foam-lined ammo transporter, item LR-175, costs $18.16 and is the largest-capacity ammo case we’ve found. For more info go to JandJProducts.Com.
June 29th, 2010
The U.S. Army has begun shipping its new, improved 5.56×45 cartridge, the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round, to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The Army will procure over 200 million rounds of the new M855A1 ammo in the next 12-15 months, and soldiers in Afghanistan will begin using M855A1 ammo in the summer of 2010. The new round replaces the current M855 cartridge used by U.S. troops since the early 1980s.
The military sought to replace current M855 ammo because M855 has not performed adequately in the Afghan theater. Specific complaints include: 1) inability to effectively penetrate vehicle windshields; 2) poor long-range performance; and 3) failure to fragment even in short-range anti-personnel use. The Army’s Picatinny Arsenal claims that the new M855A1 has improved hard target capability, more consistent performance at all distances, improved accuracy, reduced muzzle flash, and higher velocity. M855A1 ammo is tailored for use in M4 carbines but should also give enhanced performance in M16s and M249s.
 New Steel-Tip Bullet Design
The 62-grain bullet for the new M855A1 ammo is a completely new design. While it may appear to have a plastic “ballistic tip”, that’s deceiving. The new bullet created for M855A1 ammo has a bismuth-tin alloy core with a steel “stacked-cone” penetrating tip. The photo at right shows the version from last year; the final production version may be slightly different (e.g. the final version tip is a different color). Apparently the latest bullet design is a winner. During testing, M855A1 ammo performed better than current 7.62mm ball ammunition against certain types of targets. According to Lt. Col. Jeffrey K. Woods, the program’s product manager, the new M855A1 ammo is “the best general purpose 5.56mm round ever produced. A true general purpose round, the M855A1 exceeds the performance of the current M855 against the many different types of targets likely to be encountered in combat.” The chart below illustrates how M855A1 ammo performs on hard targets compared to M855.
Over One Million Rounds Fired in Army Tests
Prior to initial production, the new M855A1 round underwent vigorous testing. Official qualification of the round consisted of a series of side-by-side tests with the current M855. Overall, the Army fired more than one million rounds to ensure the new cartridge met all expectations. The new M855A1 round is the “most thoroughly tested small caliber round ever fielded” according to Lt. Col. Woods. The new M855A1 is sometimes called “Green Ammo” because it uses a lead-free projectile. Woods said the M855A1’s bullet design shows how “greening” a previously hazardous material can also provide extremely beneficial performance improvements.
May 4th, 2010
 Graf & Sons has launched its redesigned, updated website. Grafs.com is now much easier to navigate, and the search is faster. Also product photos are bigger and better. To simplify shopping, products are grouped into nine primary categories: Ammo, Shotshell Reloading, Metallic Reloading, Powders & Primers, Bullet Casting, Optics, Muzzleloading, Accessories, and Tactical.
Just click on “Ammo”, select “Rifle” and you get a complete list of all calibers. Then choose the ammo you need. Likewise, click on “Metallic Reloading”, select “Rifle Brass” from the expanded menu, then choose the cartridge type you need from the full list that appears. It’s very intuitive and easy. You can also use the left menu to quickly find powders, primers, dies and other tools. Once you become familiar with the expanding menu structure, we think you’ll find it easy to locate what you need very quickly.
Of course, you can still search search by keyword or product number. Once you run a search, you can then filter the search results by manufacturer, or you can alpha-sort the products, or even rank them by price, rating, or availability. On the new website, the search engine is much faster than before.
Ground Shipping is Pre-Paid on Most Items
As before, most of the stated prices on the Grafs.com website INCLUDE ground shipping to the lower 48 states. For some products, Graf’s listed price might initially seem a bit higher than with another vendor, but when you factor in shipping costs, you’ll often find that Graf’s pricing is more than competitive. With heavy, bulky items, it nearly always pays to check with Grafs. Note, however, that there are separate hazmat fees on powder and primers. Also each internet order (no matter now many items) has a single non-refundable $4.95 handling/insurance charge ($6.95 for phone/fax/mail orders).
April 9th, 2010
We know many of our readers have a Ruger 10/22 for varminting, fun shooting, or rimfire tactical competition. Here’s an affordable new product for the Ruger 10/22 that will fit the highly-accurate Volquartsen rimfires as well. The new TriMag™ magazine coupler secures three standard, 10-round 10/22 rotary magazines together, giving you extra ammo capacity with full factory reliability. Yes there are long, banana-style magazines for the 10/22, but a TriMag 3-mag assembly won’t interfere with prone or off-hand shooting. And when varminting, you won’t have to set your tripod super-high to provide clearance for a long single-column magazine. This is ideal for rimfire tactical matches.
Designed and crafted by Alangator of Hayden Lake, Idaho, the $9.95 patent-pending TriMag™ is a clever, U.S.-made invention that any 10/22 or Volquartsen owner can afford. Puchasers give the TriMag™ high marks. One Cabela’s customer writes: “One of the best 10/22 products ever! As everyone who owns a 10/22 knows, aftermarket or non-factory extended capacity 10/22 magazines perform terribly. This product resolves that issue because you have 30 rounds available using your perfectly-functioning factory magazines.” Another buyer adds: “IMO one of the best accessories for the 10/22… one of those things that you can’t go without. An added bonus is that when you set your gun on a bench it holds it up right.”
Where to Buy
The TriMag™ is currently offered by Cabela’s, Volquartsen, and other vendors starting at $9.95. Volquartsen says the device fits all Volquartsen .22 LR semi-auto rifles.
|
