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April 3rd, 2017
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Cabela’s — Winged 1/2″-Padded Shooting Mat, $44.99
This is a very good, thickly-padded mat, with unique features — twin side wings for gear. Sale priced at $44.99 at Cabela’s, this offers great value for the money. With 1/2″-thick padding, this mat is comfortable, and the large side wings keep your gear off damp, mucky, or dusty ground. The left wing has a zippered compartment while the right wing has a large pouch that can hold ammo box, rangefinder, or other gear. Up front is a handy bipod stop. Deployed, the mat is an ample 73-1/2″ long x 35-1/2″ wide. The mat rolls up into a convenient package complete with adjustable shoulder strap. With a Lifetime Guarantee, this mat has earned very positive user reviews — 4.8 out of 5 stars. One owner declared: “This is a great shooting mat … rivals many other mats in a much higher price range. The added wing area has plenty of room for ammo, elbows and miscellaneous gear. It has two sewn-in bipod stops and the padding is just right. It is very well built, love it!” — LHeffy.
2. CDNN Sports –$1.50 Safety Eyewear and $10.00 Muffs
CDNN is selling off all its remaining inventory of Safety Eyewear and Hearing Protection. Accordingly, you can purchase ANSI-Z87.1-Rated Eyewear for $1.50, and a set of NRR25 Muffs for just $10.00. At these prices, you can outfit the whole family, or donate a few sets to your local youth program. We’ve learned it’s always good to have spare eye and ear protection — keep extra sets in your range bags and vehicle glove boxes.
3. Aero Precision — Upper & Lower Kit, FDE Cerakote, $193.49
Thinking of putting together an accurate AR for the new PRS Gas Gun series (or 3-Gun matches)? Here’s a good place to start. Aero Precision now offers a $193.49 kit with stripped Upper and Lower Receivers — both with a durable Flat Dark Earth (Magpul FDE) Cerakote finish. Just add barrel, buttstock, trigger group, controls, and your bolt carrier group. Note: This Kit will work with the .223 Rem and similar-length, larger-caliber cartridges such as the 6mmAR and 6.5 Grendel. If you want to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor, you’ll need an AR10 platform rifle.
4. Midsouth — GECO .22 LR Bolt Action Ammo, $42 for 500 Rds
This a very good deal on quality, European-made GECO .22 LR rimfire ammunition. This is optimized for use in bolt-action rifles. Test lots have proven reliable with much better than average ED and SD and solid accuracy. GECO is a good brand, part of the Swiss RUAG family of companies. The price, $42.00 for a 500-round Brick (10 boxes), is just 8.4 cents per round. Though still very affordable, this GECO .22 LR ammo is way better than typical domestic “bulk pack” rimfire ammo.
5. Grafs.com — Sightron SIIB Scope Clearance Sale, 46-47% Off
As part of its Spring Inventory Clearance Sale, Grafs.com is offering Sightron SIIB scopes at rock-bottom prices. If you are looking for a reliable medium-power zoom optic for a varmint rig or hunting rifle, check out these bargains: Sightron 3-12x42mm Plex and Sightron 4-15x42mm Target AO Plex.
We like the 4-16x42mm Sightron SIIB with adjustable front objective for just $329.99. That’s 47% off the regular price. The 15X is enough power for most prairie dog shooting and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with an adjustable front objective — these systems are very positive and “dead nuts” reliable.
6. CDNN Sports — Ruger 17 HMR American Compact $279.99
With ballistics far superior to a .22 LR, the 17 HMR is ideal for Prairie Dogs and small varmints out to 180 yards or so. Now you can get a reliable, name brand 17 HMR rifle for a very attractive price. That’s right, CDNN Sports is selling the 17 HMR Ruger American Rimfire Compact, with 18″ barrel, for just $279.99. That includes two (2) comb units and a FREE padded carry sling. FFL required.
7. Amazon — Plano Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $113.99
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is under $115.00, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move through airports and parking lots. This is a very tough, roomy case for the money (plus there’s Free Shipping for Prime Members).
8. Amazon — 630 1″-Diameter Target Spots, $9.65 Delivered
We use 1″-diameter Target Spots for sight-in and practice at 100-300 yards. These bright red/orange self-adhesive dots are easy to see. At 100 yards the high-contrast black diamond centers provide precise aiming points. We found this 10-pack of target spots on Amazon at a rock-bottom price. You get 630 total stick-on dots for just $9.65 with FREE Shipping. You can also get 360 Birchwood Casey 1″ dots from Midsouth for just $3.15, but shipping is extra. If you’re already ordering something from Midsouth, you may want to add the dots to your order.
9. Amazon — Cotton Cleaning Patches, 800 for $9.99 – $17.99
Got patches? Here’s a great deal on 100% cotton flannel patches. There are many sizes available, starting at $9.99 for 800 one-inch “17 Cal” patches. For 6mm rifles, we actually like the 1.25″ round “22/223″ sized patches priced at $11.99 for 800. Choose either round patches or square patches in most sizes. We generally like round patches for use with spire-tip jags, but some shooters prefer to wrap their patches around a jag or brush and square patches work better for wrapping. The large, 2″-square .30 Cal patches cost $17.99 for 800. These prices include FREE Shipping for Prime Members.
10. Amazon — Leight MAX NRR33 Earplugs, $7.45 for 50 Pairs.
These Howard Leight NRR33 Max plugs are your Editor’s favorite foam earplugs. They seal out noise better than any others I’ve tried. Between shooting, motorcycling and mowing lawns, I probably have Max plugs in my ears 2-3 days a week. This is a very good price for a bulk pack of 50 pairs (100 plugs). And if you act soon, you can get free shipping to boot.
August 29th, 2016
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Natchez — Special 5 Reloading Press Kit, $199.99
This is an excellent entry-level reloading kit, which is on sale for $199.99 at Natchez Shooters Supplies. We like the relatively compact Special 5 press for most reloading duties. Eventually you may want to add an additional, large heavy press, but this will get the job done. This kit includes an RCBS Powder Measure, Digital Scale, Powder Trickler, Hand Priming Tool, Load Manual, Loading Tray, and more. It’s hard to beat this combination of tools for under $200.00.
2. Grafs.com — $99.99 Electronic Earbud Headset 31dB NRR
Walker’s new Razor-X and Razor-XV operate like electronic muffs — allowing you to hear commands and conversations while still blocking loud noises. The Razor-X combines a collar unit (containing the electronics) with retractable, foam-tipped ear buds. Unlike conventional earmuffs, the Razor-X system doesn’t interfere with your cheek weld. The patent-pending earbuds provide an impressive 31dB of noise reduction, with the ability to hear commands. To ensure a good fit (for best noise reduction), the Razor-X and Razor-VX come with two styles of noise-reducing foam tips. An AC wall adapter with USB port and a one-meter micro USB cord is provided. READ Razor-X User Reviews.
3. Amazon — AR500 Steel 8″-Diameter Gong, $19.95 Delivered
We like reactive targets. It’s fun to “ring steel” and see a target move instantly when hit. For just twenty bucks (including shipping), it’s hard to go wrong with this 8″ AR500 Steel Gong. The 8″-diameter size is big enough for zeroing at 200 yards, yet offers a nice challenge at 500 yards and beyond. There is also a 6″-diameter model for $16.00.
4. Cabelas — Big Ammo Sale Plus FREE Shipping
Right now, Cabela’s is running a big sale on all types of ammunition from major manufacturers. Save as much as 20% off regular pricing. For example, Winchester 9mm pistol ammo is marked down from $13.99 to $11.99 for 50 rounds. And PMC X-Tac 5.56×45 ammo is reduced from $9.99 to $8.49 for 20 rounds. Plus, you can get FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $99.00 or more. Use Code 86BUY during checkout (code valid through 8/31/2016).
5. Kelbly.com — 15% Off Discount on All Products
Looking for a Panda or Atlas Action, or a complete match rifle? Here’s a great promotion from our friends at Kelbly’s. Now through Tuesday, August 23, 2016 you can get 15% of ANYthing on the Kelblys.com website. That includes rifles, actions, stocks, barrels, scope rings, muzzle brakes, Berger bullets, accessories and more. To save big, use code 15ALL at checkout. Don’t delay — this offer expires at 11:59 pm on September 1, 2016.
6. Midsouth — Complete Case Tumbling Kit, $73.70
This brass tumbling system contains everything you need to clean your cartridge brass: Vibratory Case Tumbler, Rotary Media Separator, 6 lbs. of Corn Cob Media, and 8 oz. of Brass Polish. Right now this whole system is on sale at Midsouth for just $73.70. The case tumbler, which holds 450 .223 Rem cases or 1000 9mm cases, has a three-year motor warranty. This is a good deal for the package. You could pay $65.00 for a good vibratory Tumbler by itself.
7. Natchez Shooters Supply — 325 Rounds .22 LR Ammo, $22.99
This Federal .22 LR ammo is just 7 cents per round — the kind of pricing on bulk rimfire ammo we used to see in the “good old days”. Act quickly, this $22.99 Federal .22 LR Ammo deal won’t last long. Each box contains 325 rounds — enough ammo for many sessions at the range. The bullets are 40 grains, solid lead.
8. CDNN — Browning A-Bolt with Nikon Scope, $639.99 w/Rebate
Right now you can get a nice, wood-stocked Browning A-Bolt III Hunting rifle in .308 Winchester for just $689.99. And, to sweeten that deal, the current “Browning Benjamins” Rebate program knocks $50.00 off, so the price (with rebate) is just $639.99. This package includes a Nikon Buckmaster II 4-12x40mm BDC scope. This same Browning/Nikon special is available in many other chamberings for the same price: .243 Win, .270 Win, .270 WSM, 7mm-08, .30-06 Spr, .300 Win Mag.
9. Browning — Save Up to $100 on Browning Firearms (Rebates)
Now through the end of September, 2016, Browning is offering substantial cash rebates on rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Save $100.00 on a shotgun, $50.00 on a rifle, or $25.00 with this rebate offer, good on firearms purchases made by September 30th. Browning makes some pretty darn good firearms. This Editor owns a Browning Citori Shotgun and it’s a gem. CLICK HERE for details and Rebate Form.
December 7th, 2015
At the request of our readers, we have launched a “Deals of the Week” feature. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain Selections. Here are some of the best deals on hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Optics Planet — Multiple Coupons Plus $15 Off $150+ Order
Right now Optics Planet is running numerous holiday specials, including 35 Seasonal Promotions, 21 Coupon Offers, 27 Mail-In Rebates, and 13 Instant Rebates. Plus you can get $15 off orders of $150.00 or more with Code A1DA0E7. Visit Optics Planet’s DEALS Page for all the offers.
2. CDNN Sports — Maple-Stocked Browning X-Bolt Medallions
CDNN Sports has some of the nicest modern Browning rifles we’ve seen. These X-Bolt Medallion Rifles feature figured Maple stocks with engraved receivers. The barrels, Octagon for the Limited models, are deep polished blue. The actions are glass-bedded and fit a detachable rotary magazine. The .30-06 Maple X-Bolt Medallion is marked down from $1069.99 to $899.99. The X-Bolt Limited Editions, available in a wide variety of chamberings, are on sale for $1199.99. These are very nice rifles that any shooter would be proud to own.
3. Amazon — Complete RCBS Rock Chucker Master Reloading Kit
This RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit contains everything one could need to produce accurate handloads. The Rock Chucker press will last a lifetime and the powder measure is durable and reliable — we know, we’ve used them for years. The RCBS hand-priming tool does the job effectively, and the balance scale can be quite accurate with some tweaking. Overall, at $299.99, this is a great value considering all that you get. RCBS also offers a rebate on this Kit.
4. Midsouth — 500 Rounds of Norma .22 LR for $49.99
If you need good, reliable ammo for plinking or rimfire cross-training, look no further. At ten cents per round, this Norma-brand Tac 22 ammo is very affordable. We’ve used this ammo for tactical rimfire matches and it has proven more than adequate. This is a limited time offer at Midsouth Shooters Supply, so don’t delay.
5. Sportsman’s Guide — Get 20% OFF First Order
Now through the end of Decenmber, Sportsman’s Guide is offering new customers 20% off their first order with a cap of $30.00. Use Coupon Code TAKEOFF20% at Checkout. This will knock 20% off a maximum of $150.00 in merchandise value so the total savings will not exceed $30.00. Still, that’s an attractive offer (as long as you understand the limitations). NOTE: This discount can not be used for firearms or Buyer’s Club Membership fees, and this offer may be only claimed once per customer.
6. Amazon — Lyman Case Prep Xpress $94.99
The Lyman Case Prep Xpress lets you chamfer inside and out, brush your necks, clean/uniform primer pockets, and ream military crimps. This unit sells elsewhere for $120.00 or more. Here is a review from a Verified Purchaser: “The unit is quiet, sturdy, and the attachments do what they are supposed to do. It already has made a difference in my reloading speed, and most importantly, my comfort. I highly recommend this unit.” (Strafer, 4/7/14)
7. Palmetto State Armory — AR-15 Days of Christmas Deals
Looking to assemble an AR platform rifle for gun games, varmint hunting, or other purposes? With its AR-15 Days of Christmas promotion, Palmetto State Armory is continuing some of its best Black Friday deals throughout December. Save on complete Lowers, complete Uppers, and other components. The PSA complete lower with Magpul stock shown above is a very good deal.
8. Widener’s — 1000 Rounds of 9mm HP Ammo for $219.00
If you are looking for first-quality, original production 9mm Luger ammo loaded with hollowpoints (as opposed to FMJ bullets), this deal is hard to beat. The ammo features a quality 115gr JHP (lead core) bullet and the same powder used by the Israeli military. With mil-spec velocity, this IMI 9mm JHP Ammo is hard-hitting, yet extremely accurate. Widener’s tells us that “This ammo has not been offered in the USA for several years”. If you need a stock of 9mm defense ammo, here you go.
October 6th, 2014
In the “good old days”, if you needed rimfire ammo for fun shooting, you could just head over to Walmart (or a local sporting goods store) and find a wide variety of offerings, including low-cost bulk packs from Federal, CCI, and Remington. These days, there are “slim pickings”, even at Wally World. You need to “cast a bigger net” to find rimfire ammo these days.
One of the most efficient ways to locate rimfire ammunition nationwide is to use Ammoseek.com, a specialized search engine. On its home page, Ammoseek has a handy 22LR PAGE link. With just one click you can search dozens of ammo vendors.
If you click the 22LR Page link, Ammoseek instantly calls up current ammo inventories located by Ammoseek’s automated search bots. Then Ammoseek plots ALL the available rimfire ammo, sorted from least expensive to most expensive. Here are search results from this morning, October 6, 2014. We found some CCI Blazer at $4.99 per 50-rd box (40gr LRN). That’s just want we needed for a plinking session at the range.
Click Image to see full-screen version.
April 23rd, 2014
 Have you been struggling to find powder, primers, and .22 LR rimfire ammo? Well, now there’s a free web-based search service that can help you find what you need. The service costs nothing and you don’t have to sign up to run searches. We ran a quick search for .22 LR Ammo and found dozens of sources. We clicked the “in-stock only” option and ranked the results by price-per-round, low to high. Here’s what we found this morning — there were plenty of sources at $0.13-0.15 per round ($6.50-$7.50 per box), and Gander Mountain even had some Remington .22LR at $2.49 per box!
Click Box to ZOOM Image So You Can Read Results More Easily:
GunBot.net employs “search bots” to scour the internet for available inventories of ammo, powder, primers, brass and magazines. GunBot.net checks the inventories of over sixty retailers, including leading vendors AmmoMan, Bass Pro, Brownells, Cabelas, Cheaper Than Dirt, Grizzly, JG Sales, Dan Killough, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Midway USA, Powder Valley, Rainier Arms, Sinclair Int’l, Sportsman’s Guide,, Wholesale Hunter, and Wideners.
Results can be sorted by price or time (most recent results first). You can even get email alerts notifying you when the product you need is available. (To get alerts, you must first log-in and create an account with GunBot.net. There is no charge for this service.) GunBot.net’s search spiders work constantly, so results are normally very current. Pages auto-refresh when new “matching items” are found.
November 21st, 2013
It’s a challenge these days to find affordable, general-purpose .22 LR rimfire ammunition. You can find the high-end, expensive stuff at various vendors, but sourcing quality rimfire ammo in the $4.00 to $6.50 per box price range is difficult. If you’re looking for good rimfire training ammo, here’s a new option. Bullets.com, the new shooting supplies vendor, has obtained quantities of Norma, SK, and Lapua rimfire ammo. Bullets.com is one of the few webstores that has the new Norma Tac-22 ammo. This .22 LR ammunition is loaded with a Lead Round Nose 40-grain bullet. It is rated at 1100 FPS with target energy of 110 foot/pounds.
Norma USA Tac-22, $5.95 per 50-rd box | SKU: BL7819
This is the new rimfire ammunition from Norma. We haven’t tested it yet, but based on Norma’s reputation we expect that it offers good performance for the price. It has a 40gr LRN bullet and is designed for all types of rimfire pistols and rifles.
SK Standard Plus .22 LR, $5.95 per 50-rd box | SKU: BL11113
This is good LRN ammo made in Germany by SK. This “Standard Plus” ammo has shot well for us in Anschutz, H&R, Rem 40X, and Suhl rifles and has fed and functioned well in a variety of other rimfire pistols and rifles. We have found that, in most rifles, SK “Standard Plus” shoots much better than the “bulk box” Federal, Remington, or Winchester ammo.
SK Bulk .22LR Ammo, $44.95 per 500-rd Sealed Can | SKU: BL11115
This is SK-brand ammunition, with 500 rounds packed inside a sealed can. Readers who have purchased this ammo in the past say it is very similar to SK Standard Plus. One purchaser said it performed “as good, if not better, than any other sub-match-grade ammo out there.”
Please note, due to high demand of these products, quantity is limited to 1000 cartridges per customer.
NOTE: If you need match-grade ammo, Bullets.com also has Lapua Center-X at $11.95 per 50-rd box and Lapua Midas+ at $17.95 per 50-rd box.
February 10th, 2013
 Gerry Gereg makes two precision tools that let rimfire shooters pre-sort their ammo for improved accuracy. The first tool, the G3 Rimfire Thickness Gauge, lets you sort rimfire ammo by rim thickness. This tool clamps to the jaws of your calipers and is very simple to use. Just slide a cartridge into the gauge and slide the jaws closed. With mid-grade rimfire ammo you’ll see variances of up to .006″ in rim thickness. High-end ammo, such as Eley Tenex, shows much tighter tolerances. With no moving parts (other than the thumb screw), this simple gauge is easy-to-use and very repeatable. It also has a convenient lanyard you can loop around your wrist. You can learn more about this tool in a full RifleMagazine.com review.
Gereg’s second tool is a very nicely-crafted gauge that measures rimfire rounds from base of rim to the bullet ogive. The G3 MK II Pro tool fits comfortably in the hand while inserting a cartridge in the measuring chamber at the bottom of the tool. This G3 MK II Pro tool features a built-in dial indicator making read-outs quick and easy. Just slide a rimfire cartridge in the base of the unit and gently yet firmly push the round into the measuring chamber until the dial indicator comes to rest. The dial indicator on the gauge gives you a number which you can use to compare base to ogive lengths. Note: The piston is indexed to assure its return to the original setting. When we used the gauge with inexpensive ammo, we saw variances in rim base-to-ogive lengths of up to .025″. The high-end ammo, such as Eley Tenex, is much more consistent, with 80% of rounds falling within .008″ rim base-to-ogive length spread.
To purchase either tool, email Gerry Gereg, gerry.gereg@snet.net, or call 860-354-7500.
Texas Testing: Sorted vs. Unsorted Rimfire Ammo
Texas rimfire shooter Ben Peal ran a series of tests to determine how rimfire ammo sorted with the G3 tools performs vs. “out of the box”, unsorted ammo. Ben shot a series of 5-shot groups at 50 yards, after sorting the ammo for rim thickness and then rim base-to-ogive lengths. Ben tested four (4) types of ammo: Eley Target, Federal Champion, Remington Target, and SK Standard Plus. Ben’s tests, conducted with a CZ 452 rifle shot from the bench, produced some interesting results. Ben’s tests showed that sorting resulted in a meaningful reduction in average group size for all ammo types. In each case, the sorted ammo shot smaller than unsorted ammo (biggest improvement was with the SK Standard). Admittedly these tests are far from definitive because only one factory rifle was used. We certainly don’t claim that sorted ammo will shoot better in every rimfire rifle — and the benefits of sorting high-end ammo may be hard to quantify. But Ben’s tests do suggest that sorting may be worthwhile with low- and mid-priced rimfire ammo. Here is a chart showing Ben’s results:
Ben writes: “Using the ogive gauge, cartridges may be sorted into those of similar measurements, or a narrow range of measurements, allowing us to select cartridges to be chambered with the ogive at or near the same distance from the lands. Cartridges were to be grouped into two categories for test firing. Group one of each brand were cartridges ‘as received’ with no sorting, measuring, or weighing. This represents an accuracy baseline for each particular brand. Group two were cartridges first sorted by rim thickness and then separated into sub-groups based on rim base-to-ogive measurements. I included rim thickness to eliminate a controllable variable that could possibly affect accuracy. I wanted the groups from test firing to reflect the influence of rim base to ogive measurements only.”
I found a considerable difference between brands as I measured and sorted cartridges. Eley Target and Remington Target had the least variance in rim base-to-ogive measurements and very little difference in rim thickness. Federal Champion and Standard Plus had the largest percentage of cartridges longer or shorter than the norm and a wider range of rim thickness. Standard Plus turned in the largest average groups before sorting, Eley turned in the smallest. These two brands had near equal small groups after rim to ogive sorting.
The groups below were shot by tool-maker Gerry Gereg with his Winchester Model 52 and a 20-power scope. In that rifle the rounds with shorter rim base-to-ogive lengths shot best, as you can see:
You can learn more about the G3 rimfire gauges and Ben Peal’s testing by reading Ben’s full, 2940-word report. CLICK HERE to read Ben Peal TEST REPORT (PDF file).
Editor’s Note: Along with rim thickness, and rim base-to-ogive length, we have found that rimfire cartridge run-out (measured on the bullet) can have a dramatic effect on accuracy. In fact, in some of our barrels, we have noted that rounds with very high run-out (poor concentricity) often result in “flyers” that ruin a group. For this reason, we believe that concentricity checking is another procedure that can potentially benefit rimfire shooters.
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