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September 19th, 2015
 Larry Racine is a respected gunsmith based in New Hampshire. He is also a two-time member of the U.S. Palma Team, and a five-time New Hampshire State High Power rifle champion. Larry, who runs LPR Gunsmithing, has developed a brilliantly simple means of switching rifle barrels with an ordinary spanner or open-end wrench. With this set-up you can switch barrels in the field in seconds without the need for a barrel vise.
For most barrels, Larry mills a hex with six flats on the end of the barrel. This allows a shooter to change barrels quickly at home or on the line with a simple box-head wrench or a socket wrench. Larry says: “You don’t even have to take the barreled action out of the gun. Just set the buttstock on the ground, between your feet, put a wrench on it, hit it with the palm of your hand — and off comes the barrel.” For barrels fitted with a muzzle brake, Larry has a slightly different system. He mills two flats behind the brake so you can use an open-end wrench to do the job.
With either a hex on the end, or two flats for a brake-equipped rifle, the system works with any medium- to heavy-contour barrel with a muzzle-diameter of at least 0.700″. This will even work for high-power rigs using clamp-on sights or bloop tubes. Larry explains: “A lot of us here in New England use clamp-on front sights. The barrel will be turned to 0.750 for the sight, with the hex on the end. A bloop tube can go right over the end, no problem.”
Larry has used this system over the past few years to win a number of matches. In one 600-yard 3 by 20 prone match, Larry used three different barrels, with three different chamberings, on the same Savage rifle. Larry changed the barrels on the line.
Larry was able to do this because the system has little to no loss of zero from one installation of a given barrel to the next installation of that barrel. This lets the shooter start the match with confidence that the first sighter will be on paper. Larry reports that the simple system works great: “To date we have used this system on Savage, Remington, Winchester, RPA, and Nesika actions.”
Racine’s system is very affordable. If Larry does the chamber work on your barrel he charges $45.00 extra to mill a hex or two flats on your barrel. If you only want the hex or flats done, Larry charges $55.00. For more info, visit LPRGunsmith.com or call Larry at (603) 357-0055.
September 14th, 2015
 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-Brand .308 Win Brass
| LAPUA .260 Rem Brass |
Winchester .308 Win Brass |
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Average: 172.20 grains
ES: 0.94 grains
SD: 0.259 |
Average: 158.49 grains
ES: 2.64 grains
SD: 0.678
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 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.]
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.
Summary — This Lapua Brass is Impressive
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 will be very happy.
Mike Harpster — Dead Center Sports
105 Sunrise Drive
Spring Mills, PA 16875
phone: 814-571-4655
www.deadcentersports.com
September 11th, 2015
We know you guys like saving money. Here’s a line-up of current money-saving REBATE offers for everything from ammo to optics. You can save as much as $250 off a rifle or $100 off a scope. NOTE: Deadlines vary with the program — some of these rebates are good through the end of 2015, but others expire in a few days! Check rebate/promo details by clicking on the links provided below:
Remington Rebates
Fall 2015 Rebate Programs: 1. Firearms Rifle Rebate (up to $75.00 cash back); 2. Handgun m1911 R1 Rebate ($75.00 cash back); Ammo Rebate (Up to $50.00 cash back on shotshells and rifle ammo.)
ZEISS Rebates
Save up to $150.00 on select scopes and binoculars during Zeiss Field Days (through 11/17/2015).
Browning Rebates and Promotions
Get $25, $50, $75 or $100 rebates on Browning rifles or shotguns. Also $50-$100 off Browning safes.
Bushnell Rebates and Promotions
Get $100 off Elite 6500 scopes, $80 off Elite 4500 or 3500 scopes, and $50 off Legend Ultra HD scopes. Offer expires October 19, 2015.
Thompson/Center Rebates
Get $75 mail-in rebate on T/C Venture Rifles, now through 12/13/2015.
RCBS Rebates
Save $50 on $300 RCBS tools/accessory purchase or save $10 on $50 RCBS purchase.
Taurus Rebates
Get $25 or $50 rebate with purchase of qualifying Taurus pistol or revolver.
Century Arms Rifle Rebate
Get $25 Off TP9SA handgun.
NOTE — The deadline is 9/15/2015. Don’t delay!
CORE Rifle Systems Rebates
Get $100, $150, or $250 off AR15-type rifle systems.
NOTE — the deadline is 9/15/2015. Don’t delay! Rebate Form.
Federal Ammunition Rebates
Two Rebates: Buy a Savage centerfire rifle and get $25.00 rebate on purchase of $50 or more in Federal rifle ammunition. Or, get $10.00 mail-in rebate on Federal Power-Shok or Fusion rifle ammo.
June 10th, 2015
Remington Outdoor Company (“ROC”), is shaking up its leadership — starting at the top. Effective immediately, Jim (“Marco”) Marcotuli has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing George Kollitides II, who served as Chairman and CEO. Board member James P. (“Jim”) Campbell has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Board. Mr. Marcotuli will also serve as interim Chairman of the Board. Additionally, ROC’s Chief Financial Officer Ron Kolka is retiring but will remain with the Company for the next 30 days. Also leaving ROC are former Directors Walter (“Wally”) McLallen and James J. Pike.
Jim Shepherd of the Shooting Wire says the shake-up at Remington stems, at least in part, from ROC’s recent struggles with product recalls and class actions: “Having spoken with several top execs in other gun companies, this latest move is being viewed as the company’s attempt to move past some stormy recent history. That, however, might be easier said than done as two significant class actions still loom on the horizon and the calamitous recall of Model 700 rifles [still eats] into cash flows. Shepherd also suggests that former Chairman and CEO Kollitides was eased out: “In most financial circles, that abrupt departure would be called ‘he got quit’.’
About the New CEO, Jim “Marco” Marcotuli
Mr. Marcotuli has 25 years of management and operations experience, most recently serving as President and CEO of North American Bus Industries (NABI), where he successfully boosted the company’s market share while significantly growing earnings and revenue. Prior to that position, Mr. Marcotuli held senior leadership roles at various companies, predominately in the aerospace and automotive industries. “Over the past nine months Marco has distinguished himself as a visionary operator and remarkably effective change agent who has driven measurable results across our organization,” said Rob McCanna, senior vice president of sales at ROC. Said Mr. Marcotuli: “I am honored to have the opportunity to help write the next chapter for our Company and to work with our entire team to deliver consistently superior quality and excellence across the enterprise.”
April 9th, 2015
Remington has introduced the brand new RM380, an ultra-small DAO .380 ACP carry pistol. This alloy-framed gun weighs just 12.2 ounces (unloaded), and is very compact, measuring 5.25 inches long. Capacity with flush-base magazine is 6+1, and Remington plans to offer a 7-round magazine with a pinky extension. Because it is hammer-fired, the RM380 has second-strike capability. There is no manual safety.
The RM380 is different that many small .380 ACP pistols in using a locking breech rather than a straight blow-back action. Remington claims this reduces perceived recoil. At a media preview hosted at the Arizona Gunsite Academy, pre-production models were tested. Those examples proved reliable, running extended strings (100+ rounds) without failure. However, testers commented on the long, very heavy, 7.9-pound trigger pull.
| Remington RM 380 Specifications |
Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 6+1 rounds
Weight Unloaded: 12.2 Ounces
Sights: Fixed, F/R |
Length: 5.25 inches
Width: 0.94 inches
Height: 3.86 inches
Trigger Pull Weight: 7.9 lbs. |
March 10th, 2015
 How’d you like to run AR-15 Mags in your Rem 700 bolt gun? Sound far-fetched? Well think again. Pacific Tool and Gauge has developed a unique bottom metal system for Rem 700 short actions that works with standard AR-15 mags, providing reliable function with .223 Rem (5.56x45mm) rounds. The AR-mag compatible Rem 700 Bottom Metal costs $129.00 by itself, or $149.00 with a C-Products 10-round magazine.
The system works with straight 5-round, 10-round, and 20-round metal mags as well as larger, angled 30-round metal mags. (Because they are thicker, Magpul mags and other polymer magazines do not work with this PT&G bottom metal system.)
At SHOT Show, Dave Kiff showed us the AR-Mag compatible bottom metal. “It took a lot of time to get the geometry just right, but we’re proud of this product”, Dave said. A PT&G exclusive, this special bottom metal as been designed to fit in all Remington 700 standard factory stocks right off the shelf with minimal inletting. This bottom metal features a handy mag release button incorporated into the side of the bottom metal (this is more reliable and secure than a mag release in the trigger guard).
Slight Modification Required During Installation
Customers purchasing this bottom metal will need to modify their Rem 700 actions very slightly, to create a little extra clearance. The Feed Bevel (left photo) needs to be opened to 0.660″, while the mag well needs to be opened to 0.900″.
Product tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
January 24th, 2015
Our friends Ed and Steve, AKA the 6.5 Guys were in Las Vegas this week, checking out new products at SHOT Show. Ed and Steve visited some of our favorite gear-makers, including Nightforce Optics, Manners Composite Stocks, David Tubb, and G.A. Precision. Here are Ed and Steve’s Show reports for these important vendors. You can see more SHOT Show videos by Ed and Steve at 6.5Guys.com.
Nightforce Optics
Highlights include Nightforce’s new F1 First Focal Plane scopes. Our readers will probably be most interested in the new ATACR™ 5-25x56mm F1™ riflescope. With a beefy 34mm maintube, the new 5-25x56mm F1 boasts an impressive 30 MOA (or 12 Mil-Rads) of elevation per revolution, with 120 MOA (or 35 mils) of total elevation adjustment.
Manners Composite Stocks
There are about a half-dozen new stocks from Manners for 2015, both for precision long-range shooters as well as hunters. In the video Tom Manners shows a new tactical folder and the T7 Hybrid, an older design that Tom brought back by popular demand.
David Tubb
11-Time National High Power Champion David Tubb displayed his new T7T 2-stage trigger for Remington 700 actions. This is an impressive new component that is a major upgrade over the factory trigger. First stage and second stage are separately adjustable. Price is $350.00 for right- or left-hand versions at DavidTubb.com.
G.A. Precision
George Gardner, founder of G.A. Precision shows off the impressive new Tempest Action, and talks about trends in the world of tactical competition. Shown below is a black-finish Tempest in a rifle at G.A.P.’s booth.
January 15th, 2015
Story by T. Logan Metesh for NRABlog.com
Since beginning in 1979, SHOT Show has become one of the premier firearms industry event of the year. As I was packing up amazing and historic guns from the NRA Museums for SHOT Show, I was led down a path of historical whimsy — what would SHOT Show have been like 160 years ago in 1855?
 All of the today’s household names in firearms would have been in attendance: Remington, Colt, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, and others. Some of them were already well established; others were on the edge of greatness. Eliphalet Remington (right) would have been there. Already a well-known and respected businessman, he would have been representing the company he founded 39 years before in 1816.
Samuel Colt would have been in very good spirits. He had just renamed his company — Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company — and had broken ground on a new factory that would open the following year in 1856. His revolver patent was also set to expire in 1856. Colt had recently fired Rollin White, a trivial matter at the time, but it would come back to haunt him.
Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson would have been there, too. At this point, the now-venerable firearms company had only been a partnership for three years. They would likely have been joined by one of their investors, Oliver Winchester, and showcasing their lever-action “Volcanic” arms.
Very shortly, Winchester would buy Volcanic, Rollin White would patent a bored-through cylinder that Colt had rejected, and Smith and Wesson would form Smith & Wesson Revolver Company utilizing White’s new patent.
As you can see, many of the technologies we consider antiquated were, at the time, revolutionary. Some of the designs we take for granted today were in their infancy in 1855.
Other lesser-known (and less successful) gunmakers hoping to capitalize on their new products would have been there as well. After all, there’s no better place to unveil new designs than at SHOT Show!
Thomas Wright Gardener Treeby (often known as T.W. Treeby) would likely have been at SHOT Show displaying his new 14-shot, .54 caliber chain rifle. Designed in 1854 and patented in 1855, these rifles were made in an attempt to create a successful repeating rifle design. The British military tested the gun with a 30-round chain, but the idea never caught on.
Rare, Antique Firearms on ForgottenWeapons.com
See the Treeby Chain Gun and other rare firearms on ForgottenWeapons.com. It is believed that only two Treeby Chain rifles were ever made. The 14 chain-linked “chambers” rotated into place via a sprocket (like on a bicycle), and each had a separate percussion cap. Watch this ForgottenWeapons.com video to see how it worked.
December 21st, 2014
 Want to watch some very cool super-slow-motion videos of projectiles drilling bugholes and blasting through stuff? Then check out these videos from Remington’s R&D Center. We guarantee you’ll be entertained. You’ll find some truly amazing high-speed videography. Many video sequences are captured with ultra-high-speed cameras running hundreds of thousands of frames per second. This allows stunning slow-motion playback.
You’ve no doubt heard the term “tack-driver”. Are there rifles that really drive tacks? Well Remington has given us something just as good — a “nail driver”. In the video below, you can see a bullet “hit the nail on the head”, driving a nail into the target. Very cool indeed…
Driving Tacks — Hitting Nailheads with Bullets (Slow Motion)
Remarkable High-Speed Photography Shows Bullet Performance
You can see some amazing things — bullets busting concrete blocks, smashing through wood, drilling ballistic gelatin, and tearing through skin and gel (so you can see how bullets would perform in game animals). Our favorite sequence shows five shots forming a nice, clustered group — you can actually see the bullets fly into the paper target one after another. Here are some of the video highlights.
Five Shots with .30-06 into Paper (Slow Motion)
Busting Concrete Blocks with Bullets (Slow Motion)
Bullets Penetrate through Skin and Gelatin (Slow Motion)
Dances with Gel (Slow Motion)
Story tip from EdLongRange. We welcome reader submissions.
December 16th, 2014
 Ernie Paull from California was an active competition shooter for many years. However, his eyesight has declined so he has turned his attention to providing components for shooters and gunsmiths. Through his Ernie the Gunsmith website, Paull sells a variety of useful products including gun trigger springs, pillar-bedding kits, Accu-Risers, and pillar installation tools. This Bulletin post focuses on Ernie’s trigger springs. Ernie offers springs for a wide variety of rifles: Browning (A-Bolt, A-Bolt 22), CZ (m452), Kimber, Remington (XR100, XCR, 7, 700, 722, 788, 7600 and more), Ruger (77, 77-22, LC6), Tikka (T-3), Weatherby (MK-V), and Winchester (M-70).
Springs start at just $6.95. Ernie also sells springs for the Rem-compatible Shilen Benchrest trigger, as well as Rem 700 ejector springs and trigger alignment springs. For Rem 700 rifles, Paull makes a spring that fits all Remington M-7 and M-700 triggers including the 2007-vintage X Mark-PRO trigger (but not the newer X Mark-PRO trigger introduced in 2009). Ernie says: “on average, installation of his Model-700 spring will reduce factory triggers’ weight of pull by 1½ to 2½ lbs with no other changes. The exact amount of creep, over-travel, and weight of pull are dependent upon the type and amount of tuning accomplished by your gunsmith.”
 We often hear requests from Tikka T-3 owners asking how they can reduce their trigger pull weight. Paull offers a Tikka T-3 varmint trigger spring which can reduce the pull weight significantly. The photo at left shows the Tikka T-3 trigger assembly.
While there is more to a good trigger job (in most cases) than just a spring swap, you need to have the proper rate spring when adjusting trigger pull weight downwards. NOTE: For safety reasons, we recommend you consult a competent gunsmith before modifying factory triggers. We stress the word competent…
Ernie has observed that some gunsmiths try to lighten trigger pulls by modifying factory springs in questionable ways: “I have worked with gunsmiths in the past who, when the subject turned to trigger springs, preferred to clip them, grind them, heat them, bend them, smash them, or simply back out the weight of pull screw until there was no or almost no pressure on the spring. With any of these methods, you get a spring whose rate is rapidly rising as the trigger is pulled. As the trigger is released, the spring rate rapidly decreases as it approaches full or near-full extension. A more uniform weight of pull will be achieved when the trigger spring is compressed within its normal working range throughout the entire movement of the trigger. In the long run, the benefits of saved time, plus more uniform and reliable results, will more than offset the cost of these [replacement] springs. If you want a lighter trigger pull, you need a lighter trigger spring.”
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