Remington has produced a fascinating 8-minute video on the history of the M40 Sniper rifle, which is based on Remington’s m700 action. The video features interviews with former Army snipers, USMC Scout Snipers, and Seal Team members. Retired marine Jim Land, USMC Marksmanship Coordinator and O.I.C. (1st Marine Div., Scout Snipers), explains how the M40 came into existence: “Remington was about the only company that took us serious. [Remington] built the rifles in the custom shop. [It took only 16 months] from December of ’65, when we received the first test rifles, until April of ’67, when they were employed in the field. It’s probably one of the quickest turn-arounds on selecting a firearm to be used [by the military]. I’ve got to say that those rifles saved many, many Marines’ lives. The Remington 700 was such an improvement over the other rifles that we had… it was truly a godsend.”
Next month, the Lone Star State hosts the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. From May 2-5, an estimated 550 companies will display their latest products across 445,000 square feet of space in Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center. There will be scores of new guns and firearms accessories on display.
Here are some of the New Products that will be on display at the NRA Meetings in Houston:
BARRETT: MRAD multi-caliber rifle (.338 LM, .300 WM, .308 Win). BENELLI USA: New M2 Field shotgun variants. BERETTA: New competition over/under shotguns, the 692 Sporting and XT, and DT11. BERGARA USA: New line of “semi-custom” hunting and tactical rifles. BROWNING: New AB3 A-Bolt with new bolt, action, trigger. BUSHMASTER: 308 Hunter, Predator, Varminter rifles now have Magpul stocks. CROSMAN: New AR-style air rifle (MSR77 NP), and MK-177 tactical pump pellet rifle. CZ: New 455 rimfire bolt-actions –Tacticool, SST Varmint, and Varmint Thumbhole. FNH USA: New FN SC 1 over/under target shotgun with 30″ barrel. GAMO: New “Bull Whispers”, bull-barrel air rifles with NS-52 dampener to lower noise. MOSSBERG: New pump-action shotguns wiht Harmonic Damper Technology to reduce perceived recoil. NOSLER CUSTOM: New Model 48 Outfitter Rifle with custom action and hand-lapped ss barrel. REMINGTON: New Model 783, low-priced bolt-action rifle with adjustable ‘Crossfire’ trigger. RUGER: New 6-lb, compact American Rifle models in .243 and 7mm-08. SAVAGE: New B-Mag 17 WSM rifle, chambered for the new .17 Win Super Mag rimfire cartridge. SMITH & WESSON: New M&P 10 flat-top .308 Win AR-platform rifle with factory camo finish. STEYR: Mannlicher Pro African rifle with new soft-finish composite stock that is quiet in bush. THOMPSON/CENTER: New Venture Compact, with shorter barrel and composite stock with LOP spacers. WEATHERBY: Upgraded Back Country Vanguard S2 rifle with Cerakote Tactical Grey metalwork. WINCHESTER: “Ultimate Shadow” m70 bolt-action hunting rifles in stocks with rubberized surfaces.
If you have a rifle chambered in .260 Remington, you may be wondering if the Lapua .260 Brass is worth the money compared to domestic-made brass. Well, the answer is “yes” if you demand consistent weight and dimensional uniformity (including neckwall thickness).
Mike Harpster of Dead Center Sports took the time to weigh and measure Lapua .260 Rem brass. His test show this brass to be extremely uniform. Weight variance was less than one (1) grain in a 20-case sample. And case neckwall thickness was very consistent.
Report by Mike Harpster: Lapua .260 Rem Brass Test Results (with Comparisons)
I pulled twenty (20) pieces randomly from one Lapua box to do some measurements. I weighed them on my Mettler-Toledo digital lab scale and here are the individual weights of each case. Remarkably, the Lapua brass had less than one grain total weight variance among all 20 cases!
While checking the Lapua brass I remembered I had just received some Winchester brand .308 brass, so I thought it would be interesting to do a comparison between the two brands. I again pulled 20 cases at random from a bag of 50 and repeated the same measurements. The results are shown in the right half of the table below.
Weight Variance Lapua .260 Rem Brass vs. Winchester .308 Brass
LAPUA .260 Rem Brass
Winchester .308 Win Brass
Average: 172.20 grains
ES: 0.94 grains
SD: 0.259
Average: 158.49 grains
ES: 2.64 grains
SD: 0.678
Lapua Brass Further Inspection
With sample Lapua .260 Rem cases, I also measured the neck wall thickness in four places with calipers, not the most accurate method but I feel confident that the thickness did not vary more than .001″ over the 20 cases (.0145-.0155). The inside diameter of the neck measured .260 which would give .004 of neck tension out of the box. I visually checked the flash holes and I did not find any flakes of brass or burrs inside, the holes were round and centered.
Winchester Brass Further Inspection
The flash holes on the majority of the Winchester brass were not round or centered and they had large burrs inside. The neck wall thickness was pretty consistent, varying only .0015″ (.0125″ – .014″). As you can see in the photo (right) many of the Winchester cases were badly dented while the Lapua brass showed very few minor dents. The annealing on the necks of the Lapua brass was clearly evident while the Winchester showed no signs of being annealed. [Editor’s note: Winchester tumble-polishes its brass before shipping — so you would not notice annealing coloration if annealing had been done.]
I have never done these measurements on any other brass so I don’t know how they compare, but I am very impressed with the overall quality of the Lapua .260 brass. If they prove to hold up to the repeated firings I get from my Lapua 6BR brass I believe .260 shooters wil be very happy.
Mike Harpster — Dead Center Sports
105 Sunrise Drive
Spring Mills, PA 16875
phone: 814-571-4655 www.deadcentersports.com
Remington will introduce a new bolt-action rifle at SHOT Show, the Model 783. Remington positions the new model 783 as a mid-level offering between the Model 770 and Model 700 SPS, according to John Fink, Freedom Group Rifle Product Manager. This new rifle was first revealed in an American Rifleman article by Richard Mann, who tested an early production version in September 2012. Mann reports: “The ‘7’ in the model designation comes from the 700 line of rifles, the ‘8’ is kind of a throwback to the affordable but reliable model 788, which was discontinued 20 years ago, and the ‘3’ is for the three in 2013. The suggested retail price is $451, but you can expect street prices to be closer to $400.”
Remington is claiming sub-MOA accuracy for the Model 783, as demonstrated by the “teaser” photo sent out to Remington customers earlier this week:
Adjustable Trigger with Insert
The rifle features a polymer stock, cylindrical action, and an adjustable trigger with a control insert (as used on the Savage AccuTrigger and Marlin Pro-Fire trigger). Remington’s “CrossFire Trigger System” is pre-set at 3.5 lbs pull weight. According to the reviewer, Remington’s CrossFire Trigger is “similar in appearance to the Savage AccuTrigger and the Marlin Pro-Fire Trigger; it has a center lever that locks the trigger until it is fully depressed.” (We think selecting “CrossFire” as a product title was a dumb move by Rem’s marketing guys.)
Model 783 Has Barrel Nut System
Remington has borrowed a trick from Savage, employing a barrel nut system for fitting barrels to model 783 actions. The model 783’s two-lug bolt features a Sako-style sliding-plate extractor — this is a departure from the system on a Rem 700. Scopes can be mounted with two Model 700-spec front scope bases. However, Remington plans to offer integral scope mounts in the near future.
Designed for game hunters, the model 783 will initially be offered in four chamberings: .308 Winchester (short action), .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, and 7mm Rem. Magnum. Remington says it will roll out more chamberings by the middle of 2013. In addition a compact-stock version with a shorter length of pull will be offered. Barrels are 22″ or 24″ with a “magnum contour”. Model 783 rifles will be produced in the Freedom Group’s Mayfield, Kentucky manufacturing plant.
Remington has announced that it is recalling four (4) lots of Remington .338 Lapua Magnum ‘Express Rifle’ Ammunition. The recalled lots are: L13SA29L, L13SA29R, L13SB29L, and L13SB29R. The reason for the recall is that the listed lots “may have been improperly loaded. Improper loading may cause malfunctions which may result in damage to the firearm, serious personal injury or death.” CLICK HERE for more information, and to download PDF Recall Notice from Remington.
The CMP has recently received a large quantity of Remington-made .22LR ammunition, now ready for immediate sale in 5000-rd cases. This 1990s-vintage ammunition has a 40gr lead round-nose bullet and a Muzzle Velocity of approximately 1135 fps. This stuff is a bargain. Price is $125.00 per 5000-rd case plus $24.95 shipping/handling. (That works out to $1.25 per 50-rd box). Item number is 4S22RSURP-5000. Ammo is now available on the CMP E-store but will not be available in the CMP Stores for another two weeks. CLICK HERE to ORDER.
Ammo Cases Are Sealed in Foil
This is U.S. Military-contract Remington .22LR ammunition. Each 5000-rd case comes in original packaging, consisting of ten (10) 500-rd bricks made up of ten (10) 50-rd boxes each. The 5000-round case is over-wrapped in a sealed foil barrier for long-term storage. For more information visit www.thecmp.org/Sales/ammo.htm. NOTE: Purchasers must provide proof of citizenship and be a member of a CMP-affiliated club. See CMP Eligibility Rules.
Looking for a cool extended bolt knob to provide extra leverage and more secure grip while working the action of your rifle? Bolt Knobs by Bill offers a wide array of styles and colors, all hand-crafted with great precision. Bill Hawk’s products range in price from $13.50 to $35, with most metal knobs priced at $30 to $32. The O-Ring style provides excellent comfort and grip. The Tactical style knob is slightly longer and has no o-rings. It is available with or without knurling. Bill also offers a conventional oversized ball in plastic or metal. Click images below to see LARGE PHOTOS.
Custom bolt knobs are made from aluminum stock that has been machined, media blasted, and powder coated for a durable and uniform finish. Choose from dozens of powder-coat colors. Knobs are drilled and tapped to fit 5/16 x 24 threaded bolt handles. A round ball style is available in aluminum, steel, or phenolic (hard plastic with threaded brass insert). This configuration still provides plenty of gripping surface but keeps the overall length of the bolt handle shorter compared to the tactical model.
Bill Hawks tells us that all his products can be customized: “I started selling bolt knobs a few years ago when I began to combine my passion for metal working and my passion for shooting. Of course, there were other manufacturers who already made bolt knobs, but I wanted to offer something a little different by allowing the shooter to tell me what they wanted and do my best to produce it. Hence the ‘custom’ part. Most people are happy with the tactical and O-ring knobs that are featured on my website, but I also make them to customer spec. Length, profile, thread size, and material can all be adjusted at no extra charge in most cases. My emphasis is primarily on offering a service to my fellow shooters.” There is a secure shopping cart on Bill’s website, BoltKnobsbyBill.com, so it’s easy to order. Send any questions regarding Bill’s products, or the ordering process, to: info [at] boltknobsbybill.com .
Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI), is the “1000-pound gorilla” in the gun industry, a holding company that owns/operates gun brands Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin, DPMS, H&R, and Dakota Arms. FGI also owns Barnes Bullets, Eotec Optics, and AAC Suppressors.
To help run this large enterprise, FGI recently promoted Scott Blackwell to the position of FGI President. Blackwell previously served as FGI’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Blackwell has worked in the firearms industry for the last 15 years. After leaving Beretta, Blackwell started as President of Bushmaster Firearms in 2006, becoming Remington President of Sales and Marketing in 2007, rising to FGI Chief Sales Officer later that year, and finally becoming the FGI Chief Sales and Marketing Officer two years ago.
“Scott’s leadership, institutional knowledge and strategic thinking make [Blackwell] a natural fit as President,” said George Kollitides, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FGI. As FGI President, Blackwell will oversee all revenue, branding, marketing and communications for FGI.
Blackwell stated: “Since 2006, I’ve been fortunate to have a leading role in the development and expansion of FGI,” said Blackwell. “To become President of FGI, representing the tens of millions of hunters, shooters, gun owners and first responders who use our products every day, is a life’s dream. With a company history almost as old as the Republic itself, I understand the importance of not merely passing along our legacy, but improving it. We are more than a gun company; we are a defining part of American culture. This is our path forward, and as President of FGI I look forward to guiding us there.”
The Remington-Bushmaster 2012 Long Range Regional Championship was held at Reade Range in Fallen Timbers, Pennsylvania on June 1, 2, and 3. We had a great turn out of over 60 shooters. Half of these shooters showed up on Friday to participate in the practice and team match. The weather had other plans for the shooters though and the second half of the team match was rained out.
Saturday started off sunny, but cool and windy, with 62 shooters registering in Sling (43), F-TR (7) and F-Open (12). Pit service was provided by the Boy Scouts, and had a rocky start. With the help of some shooter volunteers, pit operations smoothed out throughout the day and the first three 1000-yard Matches ran without incident. The wind pretty much held a steady 2 MOA left throughout the day, and some high scores were fired.
After the Saturday matches were finished and daily scores posted, Bryan Litz conducted a wind clinic, and then the Reade Range Staff provided a wonderful meal of ca-bobs, salads, fresh fruit and beverages. Then came the prize raffle. Over 50 prizes were raffled off, including a Vortex Spotting Scope, gift certificates, and other merchandise items worth over $6000.
Sunday morning started off overcast and the same wind as the day before. Conditions remained constant and the pits ran smoother than ever with more volunteers helping the scout troops. Rain was forecasted to start at 3:00 pm so the shooters were eager to move through the matches and beat the rain. Mission accomplished, as a cease fire was called just before 3:00 pm, ending the last match. Scores were quickly figured and awards were promptly given. Bryan Litz, of Applied Ballistics LLC, announced the winners of each individual match, Tom Ferraro announced the aggregate match winners, and finally Ken Roxburgh presented the winners with guns on behalf of Remington-Bushmaster. The rain showed up as the final name was announced.
Bryan Litz remarked: “We would like to thank everyone who participated in this match and all of those who helped make it a great weekend. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!”
Final Scores:
Sling Class
F-TR
F-Open
1st: Bryan Litz 1194-70
1st: James Crofts 1141-27
1st: Don Nagel 1172-41
2nd: Trevor Hengehold 1190-65
2nd: Brad Sauve 1134-25
2nd: Bob Woodward 1169-49
3rd: Jon Howell 1188-60
3rd: William Litz 1122-19
3rd: Jim Murphy 1159-38
Gun Winners by Gun Class:
High Palma: Bill Bowers 1180-43
Any/Iron: Bryan Litz 598-36
Any/Any: Jon Howell (pictured) 597-35
Jr. Any/Iron: Tommy Ferraro 557-12
Jr. Any/Any: Joe Hendricks Jr. 571-14
High Grand Senior: David Brantner 1164-42
High Senior: Gerry Sanders 1179-47
High F-TR: James Crofts 1141-27
High F-Open: Don Nagel 1172-41
Here’s good news for .221 Fireball and 20 Vartarg Fans — within the next five to eight weeks, Nosler-brand .221 Fireball brass will hit the market. We just got off the phone with Nosler, whose representatives confirmed that Nosler will be selling 100-ct boxes of .221 Rem Fireball brass very soon (item #10078). Product is expected to start shipping “in a month or two”. Nosler’s .221 Fireball brass is crafted by a third-party supplier, and then final-finished by Nosler at its Bend, Oregon factory.
We tried to find out the name of the third-party source without success. However, Nosler did confirm that this brass “is definitely NOT made by Remington“.
Expected retail for the Nosler .221 Fireball brass is $60.00 to $80.00. Online retailer Precision Reloading currently has the Nosler-brand .221 Fireball brass on order, with a stated retail price of $69.39 for a 100-ct box, product # NS10078. You’ll find the Nosler .221 Fireball brass on the Precision Reloading website, but it is currently listed as “out of stock”. Check back in a few weeks to see if the Nosler .221 Fireball brass has started shipping yet. NOTE: In addition to the new .221 Fireball offering, Nosler has announced that it will sell brass in three other new calibers: 17 Remington, .222 Rem, and 270 WSM.
As soon as its new .221 Fireball brass becomes available, Nosler has promised to send us samples. We want to see how the Nosler brass compares to Remington-brand .221 Fireball brass — currently the only type on dealers’ shelves. With Nosler’s reputation for quality, we hope the Nosler .221 Fireball brass will be a step up from Remington’s product. The Remington brass does the job but case weights and neckwall thicknesses are not particularly uniform, and the Rem brass is fairly soft.
Remington has produced a fascinating 8-minute video on the history of the M40 Sniper rifle, which is based on Remington’s m700 action. The video features interviews with former Army snipers, USMC Scout Snipers, and Seal Team members. Retired marine Jim Land, USMC Marksmanship Coordinator and O.I.C. (1st Marine Div., Scout Snipers), explains how the M40 came into existence: “Remington was about the only company that took us serious. [Remington] built the rifles in the custom shop. [It took only 16 months] from December of ’65, when we received the first test rifles, until April of ’67, when they were employed in the field. It’s probably one of the quickest turn-arounds on selecting a firearm to be used [by the military]. I’ve got to say that those rifles saved many, many Marines’ lives. The Remington 700 was such an improvement over the other rifles that we had… it was truly a godsend.”
Next month, the Lone Star State hosts the 
If you have a rifle chambered in .260 Remington, you may be wondering if the Lapua .260 Brass is worth the money compared to domestic-made brass. Well, the answer is “yes” if you demand consistent weight and dimensional uniformity (including neckwall thickness).
Average: 172.20 grains
Average: 158.49 grains
Lapua Brass Further Inspection
Adjustable Trigger with Insert
The 
Saturday started off sunny, but cool and windy, with 62 shooters registering in Sling (43), F-TR (7) and F-Open (12). Pit service was provided by the Boy Scouts, and had a rocky start. With the help of some shooter volunteers, pit operations smoothed out throughout the day and the first three 1000-yard Matches ran without incident. The wind pretty much held a steady 2 MOA left throughout the day, and some high scores were fired.
Here’s good news for .221 Fireball and 20 Vartarg Fans — within the next five to eight weeks, Nosler-brand .221 Fireball brass will hit the market. We just got off the phone with 
Expected retail for the Nosler .221 Fireball brass is $60.00 to $80.00. Online retailer 
