Tech Tip by Craig Arnzen of Area419.com
As wet-tumbling brass has become more popular in recent years, guys have tried a LOT of ways to get their brass dry — towels, hair dryers, and even food dehydrators. (See Top Ten Brass Drying Methods). Another common method — albeit with some potential issues — is putting your wet brass in the oven to dry. Provided you monitor TEMP and TIME, this method is fast, effective, and easy (as long don’t use the wife’s favorite cooking pans — that’ll get you in trouble.)

With oven-drying, however, unexpected issues can arise, as illustrated by this worrisome story: “I put my brass in for an hour at 200° F and turned it off. Next thing I know I realize my wife has the oven pre-heating to 350° F. Is my brass ruined?”

If you search the AccurateShooter.com Shooters’ Forum, you’ll find at least three threads with stories like that (i.e. higher-than-expected oven temps when drying brass), and answers on both sides of the line. I know this, because it happened to me — I had some 6XC brass drying and the wife pre-heated the oven. Concerned about my cases, I consulted a genuine annealing expert, Andrew Rixon.

Andrew is the Director of Engineering and Manufacturing at Alpha Munitions, makers of premium-grade rifle brass. I had baked a batch of Alpha 6XC brass, which is exceptionally consistent and well-made. (This 6XC brass is currently out of production, but Alpha produces many other good 6mm cases including 6 PPC, 6mm ARC, 6mm BR, 6 Dasher, 6BRA, 6 GT, and 6mm Creedmoor).

Before Andrew would answer my question though, he gave me a little lesson on what really happens during annealing:

“Annealing is performed by heating the brass to specific temperatures. There are three phases of annealing: recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth. All of which have specific temperatures and or exposure times related to them. It is key for cartridge brass annealing processes to hit the recrystallization phase which allows for strain-free grains to grow. The growth of strain-free grains eliminate dislocations, drastically decreasing hardness and increasing ductility. For recrystallization to occur the material temperature must be within 600-1000 degrees Fahrenheit (F).”

He then got into really answering the question, and was (fortunately) definitive in his answer: “If the temps do not exceed 450 degrees F then there is nothing to worry about as it did not exceed the critical temperature for annealing to occur.” Editor: Caution — do NOT assume that the temperature marked on the oven knob is the actual temperature INSIDE the oven, particularly near the back. Some older ovens can be off as much as 75 degrees F. Be conservative!

Well, there you have it. If you’ve baked your brass, you’re probably OK. If you got it hotter than 450° F then there can start to be some changes to the metal.

This TECH TIP brought to you by Area 419

Want to learn more about Alpha Munitions? Visit AlphaMunitions.com.

Report by Craig Arnzen, Area 419
As the PRS and other tactical/practical competitions continue to grow, a guy tends to wonder, just how good are the top competitors? And what are they actually doing (and viewing) as they complete a stage? Well, a great video from the Long Range Precision Shooters YouTube Channel let us see what the best in the sport see through their scopes when they shoot.

This video features Dave Preston, 2015 National Champion and consistent top performer, shooting the PRS Skills barricade. Dave Preston has been considered among the very best in the nation running this PRS stage. Dave nearly always shoots 100% with the fastest recorded time. In this video you’ll see him successfully engage all eight shots in under 43 seconds — that’s crazy fast. This includes a POV sequence (4:35 time-mark) showing the actual view through Dave’s scope as he completes the stage.

Watch this video! Dave offers excellent advice on gun-handling and body positioning for barricades. Listen to what he says and you WILL shoot better.

This video features the PRS Skills Barricade, an 8-round, 4-position stage featured at the majority of PRS matches throughout country. It’s called a “Skills Stage” as it is run the same way at every national match and gives shooters the ability to compare skill levels based on hit percentage and speed.

The target is a 10″ plate at 400 yards. There are four different positions, with two shots each. Most people run this stage in about 70 seconds, some in the mid-60s, the greats in the high 50s, and Dave does it in the low 40s… mighty impressive!

The Right Gear Aids Stability and Lets You Shoot Faster
Let’s also take a look at two pieces of gear that really helped Dave Preston get stable and shoot fast.

1. BARRICADE BAG — To Get Stable, Really Stable
In the video Dave is using a Solo Sac from Short Action Precision This bag was designed by USMC Solomon Mansalala. It’s a very soft/dense bag and is popular at matches.

The other bag that sees a LOT of use, and is far and away the most used, is the patented Gamechanger Bag from Reasor Precision Solutions and Armageddon Gear.

2. MUZZLE BRAKE — To Make Your Follow-Up Faster
You’ll notice that in the video the rifle is very steady through firing, even though he is not applying a lot of pressure to the rifle. Dave is using a Hellfire Muzzle Brake from Area 419. Combined with the soft-recoiling 6mmBR cartridge he is able to spot his impacts and make adjustments, and can also make very fast follow-up shots as his rifle hasn’t bounced way off target.

This TECH TIP brought to you by Area 419

Report by Craig Arnzen, Area419.com
It’s easy to think about shooting your first precision rifle match and worry about all of the gear and trinkets that you may need to make it through. In reality, the old rules apply — keep it simple.

We wanted to put together for you a no-nonsense list of the Top Five Gear Items you need for your first match. This list focuses on the “must-have” items you’ll need for PRS-Style competitions.

1. A Rifle (That is Reliable and Sub-MOA Accurate)

Your rifle is the most obvious piece of kit, but we can give you a little more information. Most of the guys you’ll find out there are shooting 6.5 Creedmoor. Yeah, there are guys using .308 Wins and 6mm Dashers, but the 6.5 Creedmoor makes up more than half of the rounds shot in PRS competition, when looking at both national and club matches. Your comp rig needs to be mag-fed and shoot better than 1 MOA. It DOESN’T need to be better than 0.5 MOA (half-MOA). With most targets being 2-3 MOA in size, a half-MOA gun will do just fine. More accuracy is better of course, but you don’t need an exotic quarter-MOA rig to win.

[Editor’s NOTE: PRS does offer a Gas Gun division, but most guys start out with a bolt-action rifle, which will be less maintenance-intensive than an AR-platform rig.]

Muzzle brakes, like our Area 419 Hellfire, are also very popular as much of the PRS game is recoil management. If you can’t see your misses, you’re sure to have more of them.

The rifle also needs an optic with repeatable clicks and a reticle with Mil- or MOA-based hashmarks. The clicks can be either Mil system or MOA system (Mil is more common), so long as the click values match the reticle (i.e. you don’t want 1/4-moa clicks with a Mil-marked reticle). How much power do you need? Anything that zooms in the mid-teens will suffice. I could shoot a match with a fixed 12X scope and not feel disadvantaged. We love the Kahles K624i, if you’re looking for a suggestion.

Oh, and you’ll want a bipod — but the choice in bipod deserves a whole separate article by itself. Nothing wrong with starting out with a Harris swivel. Then you might look at different bipods on other competitors’ rifles for comparison.

2. Ammunition — Factory Ammo and Hand-loads

Good ammo is important, but as we discuss above, 0.5 MOA is good enough. Also, speed is great but it matters FAR less than you’d think. Drop can be calculated with precision, and distances are normally known, so a slightly flatter trajectory doesn’t really matter. Wind matters, but the difference you’ll find when eeking out that last 50 fps is very, very small.

Federal, Hornady, and Prime all make quality ammo that is widely used by shooters from local to national matches. Facebook photo by CReece.

Precision Handloads
If you want to run down the rabbit hole of finding that perfect ammo that shoots in the “twos” (0.2 MOA), get yourself an AutoTrickler and some of our billet aluminum accessories — you’ll love the setup.

3. A Versatile Support Bag

There are countless bag options. But there is ONE bag you’ll see everywhere, and for good reason. The Game-Changer from Armageddon Gear is aptly named. Many shooters use it as a barricade bag as well as a rear bag, meaning a guy could get away with using only this bag for an entire match. If you need another bag when you get there, ask someone in your squad, they’ll share. I promise.

4. Ballistics Calculator APP

All PRS/NRL shooters need reliable and accurate ballistic solutions. The software-enabled Kestrel is a very common item on the range, but you’ll also see lots of guys using mobile Apps such as Shooter or Applied Ballistics Mobile, and they have great results.

It’s also handy to have an armband or an item like the Hawk Hill data card holder for stages with various targets at differing ranges. Once the RO says “engage” and your mind stops working, you’ll appreciate having it written down.

5. Hearing Protection

PRS Competitors shoot with brakes and sometimes in enclosed spaces. That’s why you need serious hearing protection. We recommend NRR 33 earplugs, doubled up with Electronic Muffs to hear range commands. I have used the 33 dB NRR Mack’s foamies at matches for most of the last year, and the Howard Leight NRR 33 Max-1s are also very effective. The budget-priced (under $55) Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic muffs work well, but premium electronic muffs may be more comfortable.

Growing in popularity are high-tech, in-ear digital units like the ESP Stealth. I have a set of linked ESP Steaths on the way and hope to evaluate them soon. These are supposed to be very good, but the ESP Stealths cost $2100.00 per pair!

Think we missed something? Have more questions? Let us know.

Contact: Team@Area419.com

The new Garmin Xero® C1 Pro chronograph has hit the market and it has been making a splash. Initial reports have been very positive, and the price is attractive — $599.99. Accordingly, many LabRadar owners are putting their orange radar chronos up for sale. Check out the features of this new compact radar chrono in this official product launch video from Garmin:

The new Xero C1 Pro radar chronograph, measuring just 3.03″x2.38″x1.36″, is compact and easy to transport. Using Doppler radar, the Xero C1 Pro accurately records projectile velocities from 100 fps to 5,000 fps, so it works with all kinds of projectiles. Setup is simple and intuitive, thanks to the button-operated design. SEE FULL RecoilWeb Review (many photos).

Garmin offers a modern ShotView™ smartphone app and lets you compare velocities for all shots fired, track ES/SD, and record total sessions. The rugged Xero C1 Pro chrono has a IPX7 water-resistant rating and boasts up to 6 hours of battery life. The unit ships with a compact tripod mount, and the screen is described as “sunlight-visible, transflective, monochrome” so it is easy to view in all conditions. There is no need to attach anything to your firearm, so this Garmin chrono won’t affect rifle zero or barrel harmonics.

Garmin Xero C1 Pro Features:
— Measures projectiles from 100 fps to 5,000 fps.
— Works with bullets, arrows, bolts, slugs, birdshot, paintballs, and airsoft BBs
— Easy to set up and use; turn it on, point it in the right direction, and shoot within 15″ of device
— Compact design is easy to transport — can even fit in a pocket
— Features an easy-to-read, backlit display
— Button-operated design is simple to use
— Up to 6 hours of battery life
— IPX7 water-resistant rating

Garmin Radar Chrono Works with Full-Featured Modern Smartphone App
Garmin offers a full-featured ShotView™ smartphone App for the Xero C1 Pro radar chronograph. This lets you compare velocity for every shot fired, calculate extreme spreads, keep track of different projectiles, track deviation and more.

The Garmin Xero C1 Pro ($599.99 MSRP) can be pre-ordered now from leading vendors including Midsouth, MidwayUSA, and Area419. In addition, Area419 offers an ARCALOCK Arm allowing the Xero C1 Pro to be mounted via an ARCA rail.

Garmin Xero C1 Pro Radar Chronograph Video Reviews:

Report by Craig Arnzen, Area 419
As the PRS and other tactical/practical competitions continue to grow, a guy tends to wonder, just how good are the top competitors? And what are they actually doing (and viewing) as they complete a stage? Well, a great video from the Long Range Precision Shooters YouTube Channel let us see what the best in the sport see through their scopes when they shoot.

This video features Dave Preston, 2015 National Champion and consistent top performer, shooting the PRS Skills barricade. Dave Preston has been considered among the very best in the nation running this PRS stage. Dave nearly always shoots 100% with the fastest recorded time. In this video you’ll see him successfully engage all eight shots in under 43 seconds — that’s crazy fast. This includes a POV sequence (4:35 time-mark) showing the actual view through Dave’s scope as he completes the stage.

Watch this video! Dave offers excellent advice on gun-handling and body positioning for barricades. Listen to what he says and you WILL shoot better.

This video features the PRS Skills Barricade, an 8-round, 4-position stage featured at the majority of PRS matches throughout country. It’s called a “Skills Stage” as it is run the same way at every national match and gives shooters the ability to compare skill levels based on hit percentage and speed.

The target is a 10″ plate at 400 yards. There are four different positions, with two shots each. Most people run this stage in about 70 seconds, some in the mid-60s, the greats in the high 50s, and Dave does it in the low 40s… mighty impressive!

The Right Gear Aids Stability and Lets You Shoot Faster
Let’s also take a look at two pieces of gear that really helped Dave Preston get stable and shoot fast.

1. BARRICADE BAG — To Get Stable, Really Stable
In the video Dave is using a Solo Sac from Short Action Precision This bag was designed by USMC Solomon Mansalala. It’s a very soft/dense bag and is popular at matches.

The other bag that sees a LOT of use, and is far and away the most used, is the patented Gamechanger Bag from Reasor Precision Solutions and Armageddon Gear.

2. MUZZLE BRAKE — To Make Your Follow-Up Faster
You’ll notice that in the video the rifle is very steady through firing, even though he is not applying a lot of pressure to the rifle. Dave is using a Hellfire Muzzle Brake from Area 419. Combined with the soft-recoiling 6mmBR cartridge he is able to spot his impacts and make adjustments, and can also make very fast follow-up shots as his rifle hasn’t bounced way off target.

This TECH TIP brought to you by Area 419

Tech Tip by Craig Arnzen of Area419.com
As wet-tumbling brass has become more popular in recent years, guys have tried a LOT of ways to get their brass dry — towels, hair dryers, and even food dehydrators. (See Top Ten Brass Drying Methods). Another common method — albeit with some potential issues — is putting your wet brass in the oven to dry. Provided you monitor TEMP and TIME, this method is fast, effective, and easy (as long don’t use the wife’s favorite cooking pans — that’ll get you in trouble.)

With oven-drying, however, unexpected issues can arise, as illustrated by this worrisome story: “I put my brass in for an hour at 200° F and turned it off. Next thing I know I realize my wife has the oven pre-heating to 350° F. Is my brass ruined?”

If you search the AccurateShooter.com Shooters’ Forum, you’ll find at least three threads with stories like that (i.e. higher-than-expected oven temps when drying brass), and answers on both sides of the line. I know this, because it happened to me — I had some 6XC brass drying and the wife pre-heated the oven. Concerned about my cases, I consulted a genuine annealing expert, Andrew Rixon.

Andrew is the Director of Engineering and Manufacturing at Alpha Munitions, makers of premium-grade rifle brass. I had baked a batch of Alpha’s new 6XC brass, which is exceptionally consistent and well-made.

Before Andrew would answer my question though, he gave me a little lesson on what really happens during annealing:

“Annealing is performed by heating the brass to specific temperatures. There are three phases of annealing: recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth. All of which have specific temperatures and or exposure times related to them. It is key for cartridge brass annealing processes to hit the recrystallization phase which allows for strain-free grains to grow. The growth of strain-free grains eliminate dislocations, drastically decreasing hardness and increasing ductility. For recrystallization to occur the material temperature must be within 600-1000 degrees Fahrenheit (F).”

He then got into really answering the question, and was (fortunately) definitive in his answer: “If the temps do not exceed 450 degrees F then there is nothing to worry about as it did not exceed the critical temperature for annealing to occur.” Editor: Caution — do NOT assume that the temperature marked on the oven knob is the actual temperature INSIDE the oven, particularly near the back. Some older ovens can be off as much as 75 degrees F. Be conservative!

Well, there you have it. If you’ve baked your brass, you’re probably OK. If you got it hotter than 450° F then there can start to be some changes to the metal.

This TECH TIP brought to you by Area 419

Want to learn more about Alpha Munitions? Visit AlphaMunitions.com.

Happy Thanksgiving folks. Many major manufacturers and online vendors are offering great bargains tomorrow, Black Friday. And many of the sales have already started and last through Cyber Monday. In fact, some of the best deals at leading vendors EuroOptic and Grafs.com continue well into December.

We are spotlighting vendors worth visiting because they offer a wide range of discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 25% even 40%. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified some of the best deals. In addition to these deals Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings. Get $45 OFF a $225+ order with Code BF45OFF or 15% OFF a $600+ order with Code BFSAVE15.

Come back tomorrow, as we will add some additional Black Friday promotions not yet announced.

21st Century Innovation 20% Off 4-Day Sale

21st Century Innovation makes some of the very best tools and hardware for precision handloaders. 21st Century’s Arbor Presses, Neck-turning lathes, Concentricity Gauges, and other tools rank at the very top. And now you can get these superb products at a huge 20% discount. Virtually all 21st Century hardware (except the Hybrid Shooting Rest) will be 20% OFF for four days, November 25 through November 29. Use Code BLKFRI during check-out to save 20%.

EuroOptic — Black Friday + December Extended Nightforce Sale

Now through December 31, 2022, EuroOptic is running a major sale on Nightforce Optics. Save 10% on most regularly priced Nightforce NXS and SHV riflescopes November 18th through December 31st, 2022. CLICK HERE to access Nightforce optics on sale.

Midsouth Shooters Supply Black Friday Sale

Midsouth is one of our favorite vendors. This company respects its customers and has maintained fair pricing even during the shortages. We will update this listing with specific hot deals as soon as they are posted. Special sale items with discounted prices should be revealed at 12:01 am ET 11/25/2022.

Bruno Shooters Supply — 10% Off Sitewide, with FREE Shipping

Bruno’s Black Friday Sale is underway already and runs through November 28. Bruno’s is offering “At Least 10% Off or more” for the vast majority of Bruno’s listed products. This includes optics, Kelbly actions, powder, primers, bullets, brass, dies, presses, tumblers, and more. There are extra big discounts on Norma brass. Plus you get FREE Shipping with most orders of $100 or more. These discounts are good now through Monday, November 28, 2022 at 8:00 am. NOTE: HazMat fees still apply.

Graf & Sons — Major Sale November 23 through December 9

Graf & Sons is running Extended Black Friday sale with discounts and special offers now through Friday December 9, 2022. For example, save 26% on a Lyman Case Prep Express, or get FREE shipping on your entire order when you buy a Forster Co-Ax press. CLICK HERE for featured deals.

Palmetto State Armory Black Friday Sale

If you’re in the market for an AR-type rifle or a handgun, head straight over to Palmetto State Armory (PSA). You’ll find incredibly low prices on stripped AR lowers, as well as fully assembled uppers and complete Black Rifles. In addition, PSA has a wide selection of quality pistols at very attractive prices, plus dozens of Black Friday Ammo Deals. You can CLICK HERE for all the Black Friday Specials.

Bullet Central Black Friday Sale

Bullet Central is a leading vendor for rifle accuracy fans. And right now you can get significant savings on prefit barrels (Krieger and other), airgun packages, triggers, and other products. CLICK HERE for Bullet Central Black Friday Sale items.

Area 419 — Black Nitride Friday Sale Through 11/29/2022

Area 419 is running a “Black Nitride Friday” promotion. There are major savings on a variety of great products including Hellfire muzzle brakes, Sidewinder muzzle brakes, suppressor mounts, thread protectors, and more. In addition, the outstanding Area 419 Zero Turret Reloading press is $100.00 off, marked down to $1175.00. CLICK HERE for all Area 419 sale items.

Bass Pro & Cabela’s Black Friday Sale Through November 27

You’ll find plenty of great deals at Bass Pro and Cabela’s stores and their respective web sites. Save big on firearms, ammo, and targets now through Sunday, November 27, 2022. There are also discounts on outdoor clothing, camping gear, optics and more. This Black Friday promotion also celebrates Bass Pro’s 50th year in business.

Tractor Supply Co. Black Friday Sale — Gun Safes

Tractor Supply Co. is a respected vendor with stores around the country. Right now Tractor Supply has dozens of Black Friday specials, but the deeply discounted gun safes caught our attention. You can save $200-$300 on Cannon, Liberty, and Winchester safes now through Saturday, November 26, 2022.

Springfield Armory Black Friday Sale

Springfield Armory has a storewide “Black Friday” 20% discount, running from Thursday, November 24th (Thanksgiving) through Monday, November 28th. This discount does not require a Promo Code and is automatically applied at checkout to make the purchasing process as simple and easy as possible. Recently updated, the online Springfield Armory Store has as a broad selection of products. If you want a new M1 air rifle, optic, holster, knife or other accessory, you’ll find it here. The 20% off does NOT apply to FFL sales of Springfield Armory centerfire rifles and pistols.

5.11 Tactical Store Black Friday Sale

Respected outdoor gear/clothing supplier 5.11 Tactical is running a major Black Friday Sale through Tuesday, 11/29/2022. Save 20-40% on backpacks, jackets, pants, and footwear. Other outdoor gear, including gun cases, belts, gloves, watches, and multi-tools are also on sale.

Report by Craig Arnzen, Area419.com
It’s easy to think about shooting your first precision rifle match and worry about all of the gear and trinkets that you may need to make it through. In reality, the old rules apply — keep it simple.

We wanted to put together for you a no-nonsense list of the Top Five Gear Items you need for your first match. This list focuses on the “must-have” items you’ll need for PRS-Style competitions.

1. A Rifle (That is Reliable and Sub-MOA Accurate)

Your rifle is the most obvious piece of kit, but we can give you a little more information. Most of the guys you’ll find out there are shooting 6.5 Creedmoor. Yeah, there are guys using .308 Wins and 6mm Dashers, but the 6.5 Creedmoor makes up more than half of the rounds shot in PRS competition, when looking at both national and club matches. Your comp rig needs to be mag-fed and shoot better than 1 MOA. It DOESN’T need to be better than 0.5 MOA (half-MOA). With most targets being 2-3 MOA in size, a half-MOA gun will do just fine. More accuracy is better of course, but you don’t need an exotic quarter-MOA rig to win.

[Editor’s NOTE: PRS does offer a Gas Gun division, but most guys start out with a bolt-action rifle, which will be less maintenance-intensive than an AR-platform rig.]

Muzzle brakes, like our Area 419 Hellfire, are also very popular as much of the PRS game is recoil management. If you can’t see your misses, you’re sure to have more of them.

The rifle also needs an optic with repeatable clicks and a reticle with Mil- or MOA-based hashmarks. The clicks can be either Mil system or MOA system (Mil is more common), so long as the click values match the reticle (i.e. you don’t want 1/4-moa clicks with a Mil-marked reticle). How much power do you need? Anything that zooms in the mid-teens will suffice. I could shoot a match with a fixed 12X scope and not feel disadvantaged. We love the Kahles K624i, if you’re looking for a suggestion.

Oh, and you’ll want a bipod — but the choice in bipod deserves a whole separate article by itself. Nothing wrong with starting out with a Harris swivel. Then you might look at different bipods on other competitors’ rifles for comparison.

2. Ammunition — Factory Ammo and Hand-loads

Good ammo is important, but as we discuss above, 0.5 MOA is good enough. Also, speed is great but it matters FAR less than you’d think. Drop can be calculated with precision, and distances are normally known, so a slightly flatter trajectory doesn’t really matter. Wind matters, but the difference you’ll find when eeking out that last 50 fps is very, very small.

Federal, Hornady, and Prime all make quality ammo that is widely used by shooters from local to national matches. Facebook photo by CReece.

Precision Handloads
If you want to run down the rabbit hole of finding that perfect ammo that shoots in the “twos” (0.2 MOA), get yourself an AutoTrickler and some of our billet aluminum accessories — you’ll love the setup.

3. A Versatile Support Bag

There are countless bag options. But there is ONE bag you’ll see everywhere, and for good reason. The Game-Changer from Armageddon Gear is aptly named. Many shooters use it as a barricade bag as well as a rear bag, meaning a guy could get away with using only this bag for an entire match. If you need another bag when you get there, ask someone in your squad, they’ll share. I promise.

4. Ballistics Calculator APP

All PRS/NRL shooters need reliable and accurate ballistic solutions. The software-enabled Kestrel is a very common item on the range, but you’ll also see lots of guys using mobile Apps such as Shooter or Applied Ballistics Mobile, and they have great results.

It’s also handy to have an armband or an item like the Hawk Hill data card holder for stages with various targets at differing ranges. Once the RO says “engage” and your mind stops working, you’ll appreciate having it written down.

5. Hearing Protection

PRS Competitors shoot with brakes and sometimes in enclosed spaces. That’s why you need serious hearing protection. We recommend NRR 33 earplugs, doubled up with Electronic Muffs to hear range commands. I have used the 33 dB NRR Mack’s foamies at matches for most of the last year, and the Howard Leight NRR 33 Max-1s are also very effective. The budget-priced (under $50) Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic muffs work well, but premium electronic muffs may be more comfortable.

Growing in popularity are high-tech, in-ear digital units like the ESP Stealth. I have a set of linked ESP Steaths on the way and hope to evaluate them soon. These are supposed to be very good, but the ESP Stealths cost $2100.00 per pair!

Think we missed something? Have more questions? Let us know.

Contact: Team@Area419.com

Traditionally, a host of major sales commence on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. However, we’ve found some major Black Friday promotions that are already underway today, November 26th, 2016. We’ve also showcased some very special bargains on sale now. You’ll find super deals on firearms, reloading tools, optics, shooting accessories, and more. Most of the offers are active right now, Thanksgiving day. However some of these special offers are for Friday only, November 27, 2020. Other promotions extend all weekend, all the way through Cyber-Monday, December 1, 2020. Find other sales at Gun.Deals.

Cabela’s Black Friday Sale All Week

Cabela’s has been running a Black Friday Sale all week. You’ll find discounts up to 40%, with some exceptional deals for hunters. Rifles, optics, gps units, hunting gear, and more are on sale. There are also excellent deals on gun safes. Here are just a few of the best deals we found at Cabelas.com

Midsouth — Black Friday Extravangaza with Good Deals

You’ll find some great deals at Midsouth for the next five days. There are big discounts on the RCBS Chargemaster, Hornady reloading products, Triggertech triggers, and Inline Fabrication products. Along with these special deals, Midsouth has put its popular logo hoodies and hats on sale.

Stocky’s Stocks — 10% Off Plus Additional Code Savings

As a Black Friday promotion, Stocky’s Stocks has knocked 10% off the price of virtually all its rifle stock inventory. Use Coupon Code 10OFF to get 10% off the price. That amounts to great savings on great stocks that fit a wide variety of barreled actions. For example, a Long Range Accublock Stock is discounted from $219.99 to just $197.99 with the 10% savings.

Sportsman’s Warehouse — Great Deals on Rifles and Gun Safes

The Black Friday Sale at Sportsman’s Warehouse is underway right now, and runs through Wednesday December 3, 2020. We saw some great deals on Savage rifles, as well as gun safes. You may also want to pick up those Walker Electronic muffs for just $39.99.

Area 419 Black Friday Sale — Underway NOW

Area 419, maker of ultra-high-quality reloading accessories, as well as muzzle brakes and suppressor mounts, is running a Black Nitride Friday Sale on barrel hardware. This kicked off last night and will be effective through December 1st. Save up to 26% on a wide variety of products. For example, Hellfire Muzzle Brakes are reduced from $165 to $140, and the Hellfire thread protector is discounted from $30 to $22, a 26.6% savings.

Graf & Sons Big Sightron Sale

The entire Sightron line-up is on sale now at Grafs.com. Save 25% on all riflescopes and spotting scopes, including the poplar 10-50x60mm SIII scopes which have won major benchrest and F-Class matches. In addition, some great spotting scopes are 25% off. There are also significant discounts on red dot optics and binoculars.

XLR Chassis Systems — Save up to $300 with Codes

Yesterday we linked to the MDT Chassis system sale. Today we’ve located another popular Chassis System being offered with HUGE discounts. Now through November 29, 2020, you can save hundreds on an XLR Industries rifle chassis. These are popular with the PRS/NRL crowd as well as varmint hunters who like the ability to easily attach bipods, bag-riders, and other accessories. Coupon code must be entered online at checkout.

X-Caliber Barrels — 20% Off Steel Barrels, 10% Off Carbon

Save 20% on barrels during X-Caliber Barrel’s Thanksgiving Sale. This 20% savings applies to X-Caliber steel AR Barrels, Bolt-Action Pre-Fit Barrels, Unturned Barrel Blanks, Contoured Barrel Blanks, and In-Stock Barrels. In addition, X-Caliber Barrel’s Carbon Fiber Pre-fit Barrels and Contoured Blanks are 10% OFF. Sales prices are good through 11:59 pm MST on Monday, November 30, 2020. NOTE: Prices displayed on website are SALE prices (after discount). Savings vs. regular prices will be displayed in cart.

Veridian — Huge 50% Off Discounts on Scopes and Lasers

Veridian is a relatively new scope producer, but this company’s optics employ some good technology and are VERY affordable. Right now, with Verdian’s Black Friday Sale you can get huge 50% OFF savings on Veridian riflescopes. Veridian offers a 7-year warranty on scopes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So here is a chance to pick up a good optic for half normal retail. For example, the SERAC SFP 3.5-10x40mm scope is discounted 50% from $399.00 to $199.50, while the VENTA SFP Scope 4-16x40mm scope is just $109.50 — 50% off the original $219.00 price.

Report by Craig Arnzen, Area 419
As the PRS and other tactical/practical competitions continue to grow, a guy tends to wonder, just how good are the top competitors? And what are they actually doing (and viewing) as they complete a stage? Well, a great video from the new Long Range Precision Shooters YouTube Channel let us see what the best in the sport see through their scopes when they shoot.

This video features Dave Preston, 2015 National Champion and perennial powerhouse, shooting the PRS Skills barricade. Dave Preston is widely considered the best in the nation running this PRS stage. Dave nearly always shoots 100% with the fastest recorded time. In this video you’ll see him successfully engage all eight shots in under 43 seconds — that’s crazy fast. This includes a POV sequence (4:35 time-mark) showing the actual view through Dave’s scope as he completes the stage.

Watch this video! Dave offers excellent advice on gun-handling and body positioning for barricades. Listen to what he says and you WILL shoot better.

This video features the PRS Skills Barricade, an 8-round, 4-position stage featured at the majority of PRS matches throughout country. It’s called a “Skills Stage” as it is run the same way at every national match and gives shooters the ability to compare skill levels based on hit percentage and speed.

The target is a 10″ plate at 400 yards. There are four different positions, with two shots each. Most people run this stage in about 70 seconds, some in the mid-60s, the greats in the high 50s, and Dave does it in the low 40s… mighty impressive!

The Right Gear Aids Stability and Lets You Shoot Faster
Let’s also take a look at two pieces of gear that really helped Dave Preston get stable and shoot fast.

1. BARRICADE BAG — To Get Stable, Really Stable
In the video Dave is using a Solo Sac from Short Action Precision This bag was designed by USMC Solomon Mansalala, and $5 of every purchase goes to help the Marine Scout Snipers buy gear. It’s a very soft/dense bag and is popular at matches.

The other bag that sees a LOT of use, and is far and away the most used, is the patented Gamechanger Bag from Reasor Precision Solutions and Armageddon Gear.

2. MUZZLE BRAKE — To Make Your Follow-Up Faster
You’ll notice that in the video the rifle is very steady through firing, even though he is not applying a lot of pressure to the rifle. Dave is using a Hellfire Muzzle Brake from Area 419. Combined with the soft-recoiling 6mmBR cartridge he is able to spot his impacts and make adjustments, and can also make very fast follow-up shots as his rifle hasn’t bounced way off target.

This TECH TIP brought to you by Area 419