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, optics, 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. Palmetto State Armory — Complete AR Lowers $120-$150
Guys, this is the lowest price we’ve seen for non-blem, name-brand AR-15 platform complete lowers. If you are building an AR for varminting, 3-Gun, or home defense, check out Palmetto’s Going Overboard Sale. Get the MOE FDE Edition for just $119.99. Or for $30 more choose the STR Edition or ACS-L edition, both offered for $149.99. All these models have quality Magpul stocks and grips and include full trigger groups. Use the money you save with these bargain lowers to buy a top-grade barrel for your upper.
2. Brownells — Lapua Scenar-L Bullets
Lapua Scenar-L match bullets are extremely consistent in weight and base to ogive length. In our experience they shoot great, and they definitely deserve a try-out along with Bergers and Sierras. We’ve seen success in various calibers and even found some barrels prefer them over anything else. If you want to try these excellent Lapua projectiles, right now Brownells is selling Lapua Scenar-L bullets at up to 28% off! These discounted Scenar-Ls are offered in .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm and .308 (30 Caliber) — all the most popular match calibers.
3. Amazon — Tipton Ultra Gun Vise, $125.99
Cleaning and working on your guns requires a solid platform. Most gun cleaning stands aren’t adjustable enough, or are too flimsy. Not so the Tipton Ultra Gun Vise. Weighing-in at about 10 pounds, this beefy gun vise provides a steady base. The frame is metal for strength. It features stout adjustable jaws, specialized AR holder, and several accessory trays. Threaded feet allow the vise to be leveled on your bench (or the ground). With this system you can work on just about anything including bolt-action rifles, AR-platform rifles, shotguns, pistols, and even compound bows and crossbows. To fit 3″-wide forearms you may have to remove or modify the front pad(s). Our Deals Editor, who owns this gun vise, reports: “this is a phenomenal vise — the best anybody makes — it is well worth the $125.99″.
As optics technology advances, scope performance-for-the-price improves too. A good example is Vortex Optics, which offers fine scopes at very reasonable prices. The Vortex 3-9x40mm Tactical has good features and a rock-solid warranty. It’s a lot of scope for $279.99 but now you can grab this versatile Vortex for the crazy low price of $189.49 at Natchez.
5. Bruno Shooters Supply — Berger Bullets at Great Prices
Match season is in full swing — so make sure you don’t run short on bullets. One of our go-to sources for reloading components is Bruno Shooters Supply. Bruno’s just recently updated its website, so you should check out the new features. While you’re there, look at Bruno’s selection of Berger bullets advertised at “lowest prices on the internet”. Berger match bullets are in high demand, but Bruno’s is offering great prices on many popular calibers and bullet weights.
6. EuroOptic — 50% Off Minox with Mauser Rifle Purchase
The Mauser M18 is a proven hunting rifle offered in many popular hunting calibers/cartridge types. If you’re looking for a fine, affordable hunting rifle definitely consider the M18. And for added incentive, right now you can get 50% off a Minox scope with the purchase of a Mauser M18 rifle from EuroOptic.com. CLICK HERE to get the Mauser coupon which you can redeem with Minox USA after your purchase. This is a great promo that can save you a ton of money.
7. Grizzly — 60″ Padded Rifle Case, $40.97
Do you cringe every time you place expensive rifles into old cases that are dirty or damaged? Here’s a great case for long match rifles at a great price. Grizzly is now selling excellent 60″ Bald Eagle rifle cases for just $40.97. These cases are well made, heavily-padded with lots of pockets. They compare favorably to other soft cases costing $65 or more. It can be hard to find quality cases that hold very long rifles. NOTE: Grizzly has other case colors and sizes on sale for a few bucks more.
8. Midsouth — Nosler 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr Ammo, $24.99 per box
Nosler 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition features top-of-the-line 140gr ballistic tip bullets (0.509 G1 BC). These B-Tips feature tapered jackets to control expansion and allow good penetration and a deep wound cavity. These are excellent hunting bullets for deer, antelope, and hogs. Nosler used top-quality brass, powders, and primers for its 6.5 Creedmoor B-Tip ammo. These cartridges have a 2550 FPS Muzzle Velocity.
9. Amazon — Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler Lite, $99.99
Lots of people love wet-tumbling their brass in stainless pins but not everyone want to do it in a giant unit. We found a sweet deal on the Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler Lite. Amazon has this unit on sale for $99.99. This tumbler is small enough to fit on a counter but still big enough to hold 300 pieces of .223 Rem brass. For folks on a limited budget who want to get started with wet tumbling, this is a solid choice.
10. Amazon – Proster Wind Meter, $16.99
This Proster wind meter is a great bargain. The previous model had a very impressive 4.2 star overall rating (with 300+ reviews), and the latest version has some improvements (including a square base so it can stand). Now on sale for just $16.99, this is a very useful tool for a bargain basement price. To provide reliable wind inputs for ballistics calculations, you really do need a Wind Meter. And unlike a costly Kestrel, with this budget wind meter, you won’t feel too bad if it gets lost or misplaced.
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This is just one example. This deal works with ANY Lapua bullets purchased from Grafs.com. You can mix and match, as long as you buy at least $100 worth of Lapua bullets.
Lapua makes great bullets. Bryan Litz writes great books. And now you can get both with this special promotion from Graf & Sons. Here’s the deal — if you buy at least $100.00 worth of Lapua bullets at Grafs.com, you’ll get a free Applied Ballistics book authored by Bryan Litz.
You can mix and match any types of Lapua bullets — as long as the bullet order totals $100.00 or more. The book may be one of various Litz titles, such as Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting or Ballistic Performance of Rifle Bullets. NOTE: You do NOT get to pick the book title — you get what’s available. You want to move quickly on this deal — books are limited to supply on hand.
If you order now, you can get the bullets to shoot, and give the book to Dad for a late Father’s Day gift.
Lapua Bullets — Accuracy & Consistency If you haven’t tried Lapua bullets yet you should. The Scenar-L bullets we have tested have proven extremely consistent in weight and base-to-ogive measurement.
And they shoot. We have a couple rifles that prefer Scenars over all other match bullets we have tried. We have won club matches with the 6mm Scenar-L 105s in a 6mmBR, while the 6.5mm 123gr Scenar and 136gr Scenar-L work superbly in our 6.5 Creedmoors.
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PRS and NRL shooters, as well as game hunters, now have new ultra-accurate Berger and Lapua factory ammo for the popular 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor chamberings. For shooters who do not have the time or equipment to hand-load, these new factory ammo options promise outstanding performance. We fully expect that these new offerings from Berger and Lapua will set new standards for accuracy and ballistic uniformity among commercial ammunition for the 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor. Lapua’s match ammo for the similar 6.5×47 Lapua cartridge has shown outstanding accuracy with ES/SD numbers rivaling high-quality hand-loads. (SEE 6.5x47L Test Results).
New Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Target and Lead-Free Hunting Ammunition
Lapua has added the popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge to its line of Scenar-L Target ammo and its Naturalis Hunting ammunition offerings. The 6.5m Creedmoor 136 grain Scenar-L offers a high ballistic coefficient (BC) for long-range competitive target shooting, yet maintains SAAMI configuration for flawless function through all factory or custom rifle magazines. Lapua ammo will also be loaded with the excellent 123 grain OTM Scenar. One of our favorite bullets, the 123-grainer offers faster velocities (and less recoil) than its bigger brother, and may be the best choice for many PRS stages.
6.5 Creedmoor ammo loaded with the 140 grain Lapua Naturalis provides hunters a lead-free option for hunting in areas that ban lead bullets. Designed and manufactured from pure copper, Naturalis bullets will reliably retain 90-100% of their original weight. Lapua’s Naturalis projectiles produce consistent, controlled expansion at the widest velocity range on the market.
New Berger 6mm Creedmoor Target and Hunting Ammo
New 6mm Creedmoor Target Ammunition is loaded with Berger 105 grain Hybrid Target bullets, the “go-to” for PRS shooters and long-range accuracy enthusiasts alike. Built using premium-grade Lapua cartridge cases, Berger’s 6mm Creedmoor Target Ammunition provides the discriminating shooter the highest quality components and sub-MOA accuracy “off-the-shelf”, unequaled by the competition.
New Berger 6mm Creedmoor Hunting Ammunition is loaded with 95 grain Hybrid Classic Hunter bullets in premium Lapua brass. These top-flight components deliver lethal precision and sub-MOA accuracy — impressive for hunting ammo. The hybrid ogive design of the Classic Hunter projectile is the same as Berger Hybrid Target bullets, while allowing for SAAMI length configurations for efficiency in the field and reliable functioning through magazines.
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Lapua Scenar-L bullets are superb. We have found these bullets to be extremely consistent in weight and base to ogive measurement. In fact some of the first 6mm Scenar Ls were probably the most consistent factory bullets we’ve ever measured. Scenar-L bullets also shoot great. We have a couple 6mm barrels that prefer Scenars over any other bullet type, including custom projectiles. We think serious shooters owe it to themselves to try a box of Scenar-Ls for their favorite match rifle. And now .224, 7mm (.284), and .308 caliber shooters have the opportunity to grab some great Scenar-Ls for an amazingly low price. Right now Grafs.com is running a SALE on select Scenar-Ls in .224, .284, and .308 calibers. These are priced 46% Off, saving you up to $26.00 per 100-count box!
You better act soon, quantities are limited. We expect the 180gr 7mm Scenar-Ls will sell out right away, followed by the 220gr .308 Scenar-Ls shortly thereafter. These are both outstanding choices for F-class and long-range competition.
Report by Des Parr
With every new season, standards in the F-Class game are climbing ever higher. Shooter are improving their skills set while equipment and loading techniques are improving (thanks in part to websites such as this). Evidence of the level of improvement in F-Class shooting comes from the UK, where a talented shooter drilled a new GBFCA record score. One of our rising stars on this side of the pond is F-Open shooter Paul Hill. He hails from England’s wide-open flat lands where the wind blows strongly in from the North Sea and where a shooter must soon learn to read the wind.
At the European Championships held in September at the Bisley ranges, Paul set a new record score at 900 yards — a 100-17V! That’s 17 shots placed in a five-inch circle the size of a CD (compact disc) at over half a mile. [NOTE: At Bisley, the maximum score is FIVE points, not ten points. So the maximum score for 20 shots is 100. Also what Americans call an “X” is called a “V” at Bisley.]
Record Set with Slower Pair Firing Method
Bear in mind the style of shooting here in Great Britain is pair-firing. Under this procedure, each of two competitors shoots alternately, taking turns from shot to shot. Each shooter has 45 seconds to get his shot off. Allowing for the target pullers to do their jobs, this means that each shot can take up to one minute. As Paul was pair firing, he had to concentrate for up to 40 minutes to get all 20 shots off! You can imagine how many times the wind changed course in those 40 minutes — pick-ups, let-offs, changes of angle and direction. Paul had to counter each change and still managed to keep 17 shots in that 5-inch circle!
Paul Hill Sets Record with His First-Ever DIY-Chambered Barrel
What makes this new GBFCA record all the more significant is that Paul did it by barreling his own rifle — and for the first time! By simply taking great care and attention he has chambered and fitted a barrel himself to the very highest standards. Paul chambered the Krieger 1:9″-twist barrel for the .284 Winchester cartridge. His action was a Barnard. The stock is by Joe West.
Record Shot with Lapua 180gr Scenars and Russian Primers
We should note that Paul Hill is a very keen fan of Lapua’s 180gr Scenar-L bullet. It has to be said that this bullet doesn’t have the highest BC, yet whatever it lacks in that department it more than makes up for by being remarkably consistent — and consistency counts for a lot. Paul is also a fan of the Russian KVB-7 primers. His achievement is proof that Lapua Scenars and KVB-7 primers are every bit as good as the premium-priced alternatives. The powder was Vihtavuori N160. [Editor: For its 180gr Scenar-L, Lapua lists a 0.661 G1 BC, and a 0.332 G7 BC. Those numbers may not top the charts, but they are still very impressive.]
Records are made to be broken, but we think it will be quite a while before Paul’s 200-17X is surpassed in European competition. If you feel up to that challenge, consider competing in next year’s European Championships in late September 2017.
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Lapua’s Scenar-L bullets are extremely consistent in weight and dimensions. In our tests, the 6mm 105gr Scenar-L proved to be as uniform in weight and base-to-ogive length as any factory bullet we’ve ever measured. Scary consistent. Now there is a full line-up of Scenar-L bullets in .224, 6mm, 6.5 mm, 7mm, and .308 calibers. Yes, that’s right, Lapua now makes a 7mm match bullet. In fact, Lapua makes two: a 150-grainer and a big, high-BC, 180-grainer.
All these Scenar-L bullets are carried by Grafs.com. There are good supplies in most calibers, but the 7mm 180s (item LU4PL7401) are nearly sold out, and the 6mm 105-grainers are sold out. More of these popular 6mm and 7mm projectiles should arrive later this summer.
FREE HAT with Lapua Purchase
For a limited time, if you purchase Lapua bullets, brass, or loaded ammo from Grafs.com, you can get a FREE Lapua cap. NOTE: Quantities are limited, and this offer is restricted to one per customer.
In the above video, Peder Mørch Pedersen demonstrates the accuracy of Scenar-L bullets in a Blaser R8 GRS rifle chambered in 6mmBR Norma. Peder was shooting from bipod at 300 meters on a sunny day in Vingsted, Denmark.
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Lapua just dropped a bombshell — multiple bombshells, in fact. Lapua just announced that it will be producing .221 Fireball brass and .50 BMG brass starting early 2014. This will be the first truly match-grade brass ever offered for the .221 Fireball. That’s great news for varminters, who can use Lapua’s new .221 Fireball brass “as is” or neck it down to .20 Vartarg or 17 Fireball. Tactical shooters can also use the .221 Fireball brass to make the .300 Whisper and 300 Blackout sub-sonic cartridges. At the other end of the spectrum, ultra-long-range shooters now have a new ultra-premium brass source for the mighty .50 BMG. This is potentially a “game-changer” for fifty-cal shooters who have had to “make do” with military surplus brass for the most part. Lapua says the new brass, both .50 BMG and .221 Fireball, should be in the USA by early April, 2014. Sorry, no pricing info is yet available.
Here is the Lapua Product Announcement for .221 Fireball and .50 BMG Brass:
New 180-Grain and 150-Grain 7mm Scenar-L Bullets
The other big news from Lapua is the release of two new 7mm (.284 caliber) Scenar-L target bullets. Recognizing the popularity of 7mm cartridges among F-Class Open Division shooters, Lapua will offer a high-BC, 180-grain bullet. As part of the “L” series, this new 180-grainer bullet should exhibit extreme consistency in base-to-ogive measurements and bullet weight. We expect this new 180gr projectile to be extremely accurate in the .284 Winchester, .284 Shehane, 7mm WSM, and 7mm RSAUM — popular chamberings for F-Class and long-range benchrest shooters. No BC information has been released yet, but we expect the BC number to be quite high, giving this bullet great wind-bucking capability. In addition to the new 180gr 7mm Scenar-L, Lapua will offer a new 150gr 7mm bullet. This is optimized for medium range competition in Silhouette and Across-the-Course competition. It should offer great accuracy, but with less felt recoil than its 180-grain bigger brother.
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At SHOT Show 2013, Lapua announced it was expanding its line-up of Scenar L projectiles to include two new 6.5mm bullets and three new .30-caliber Scenar Ls. We applaud this news. This Editor has tested 6mm Scenar L bullets in his own rifles, and they have proven to be some of the most consistent bullets we have ever measured. The Scenar Ls also shot great in 8-twist barrels from Brux, Krieger, and PacNor.
Two New 6.5mm Scenar Ls
Guys with .260 Rem, 6.5×47, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5-284 rifles have been eagerly awaiting the new 6.5mm Scenar Ls. These will be offered in two weights: 120 grains and 136 grains.
Scenar Ls in .30 Caliber
Lapua will release three new .30-Caliber Scenar L bullets. Along with a new 155gr Palma bullet (GB 552), Lapua will offer a 175gr Scenar L (GB 550), plus a 220gr heavy-weight Scenar L (GB 551). In magnum and short magnum chamberings, the 220-grainers should prove very effective in Long Range comps.
What Makes the Scenar Ls So Good
While all Lapua Scenar bullets are made to exacting standards, Lapua “raised the bar” with its Scanar L series. Scenar L bullets feature closer weight tolerances, tighter jacket wall concentricity standards, and greater uniformity in every dimension. Building bullets this good isn’t easy — you have to get everything right — from the gilding metal cup, to the lead wire and jacket forming, core-jacket assembly, and finally boat-tail pressing and nose-tipping. To build L-series bullets to such high standards, Lapua had to adopt new manufacturing procedures, and install proprietary new machines and advanced instrumentation never seen before in bullet production. Lapua also took its already high quality control standards and kicked them up a notch.
New 6.5mm Scenar Ls — First Look
At SHOT Show, Lapua unveiled its much-awaited new 6.5mm (.264 caliber) Lapua Scenar L bullets. There are two (2) new 6.5mm Scenar Ls: a 120gr tangent ogive design and a 136gr multi-ogive design. These are both all-new bullets, though the new 120gr Scenar L bears a “family resemblance” to the current (and very accurate) 123gr standard Scenar. One look at the new 136-grainer, and you can see that this is NOT just a “tweak” of the popular 139gr standard Scenar. The new 136gr Scenar L has a streamlined secant-ogive shape that blends into a more conventional tangent ogive as the bullet approaches full diameter. This dual-ogive design enhances the bullet’s BC, making it more slippery. That should translate to less drop and less drift at long range.
These new 6.5-caliber Scenar Ls should hit the market very soon. Check with Grafs.com for availability. As soon as we can get our hands on Lapua’s new 120s and 136s we will test them in a 6.5×47 Lapua bench gun and see how they perform. The .30-Cal 175gr and 220gr Scenar-Ls should arrive by late spring according to Kevin Thomas of Lapua. Kevin is a member of our Forum and he can answer your questions about the entire line-up of Lapua projectiles, along with Lapua cartridge brass.
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You’ve probably heard by now, but this is big news, so it bears repeating. Lapua has started production of .260 Remington cartridge brass. Lapua hopes to deliver the first shipments to the USA by late March, 2011. This is a very positive development for hunters, high power shooters, and tactical shooters. With the latest generation of powders (including Reloder 17), the .260 Remington is a potent cartridge with the 140gr-class bullets, and it hammers with the Lapua Scenar 123s or Berger 130s, and H4350-speed powders. In the video below, Kevin Thomas, Lapua’s USA Marketing Manager, provides more specifics about the .260 brass, and Lapua’s other new-for-2011 products.
On the bullet front, Lapua is proudly rolling out its new “L” series of projectiles, starting with the 6mm 105gr Scenar and then expanding to the whole Scenar match bullet line. NOTE: These are NOT new bullet designs — Lapua is not changing the bullet shapes, weights, or internal construction. So you’ll be getting the same bullets, only with tighter tolerances, and improved quality control.
Lapua has tightened its production tolerances for the L series of bullets. Lapua claims that the L series of bullets will be more uniform in weight, with improved concentricity. Length from base of bullet to ogive will be held to very tight tolerances. Apart from the notations on the box, the new Lapua L bullets will be marked with an “L” crest stamped on the bullet heel. Lapua claims this tiny stamp will not affect accuracy nor reduce the bullet’s ballistic coefficient.
Lapua explains: “We have set out to tighten all measures and requirements, including our already famous quality control standards.” Scenar L bullets will exhibit: “closer weight tolerances, tighter jacket wall concentricity standards, and greater uniformity in every dimension, starting from the gilding metal cup, lead wire and jacket forming, ending up to core-jacket assembly, boat tail pressing and tipping.”
Testing the Scenar Ls for Uniformity
Are the new Scenar “L” series bullets actually more uniform than previous Scenars (which were really very, very good)? Based on my quick test of 20 sample bullets pulled at random from a box, I would say the 105gr Scenar Ls are some of the most uniform factory bullets ever. Adam Braverman gave me a box of the new 105gr Scenar “L” bullets. I randomly chose twenty (20) bullets, and measured them base to ogive using a Hornady comparator. With the exception of one bullet, everything was pretty much “dead on”. I listed two at 0.7125″, but they were awfully close to the others. Basically, except for the one bullet measuring 0.711″, they were all the same within the practical resolution of my calipers. Very impressive indeed.
All Bullets within One-Tenth of Grain
Next I checked for weight uniformity. I weighed each of the 20 bullets twice, using a calibrated RCBS ChargeMaster scale. NOTE: This is NOT a lab quality scale. The 0.1 grain total spread among the bullets is within the scale’s range of error. But I did weigh each bullet at least twice, and the ones that were one-tenth of a grain light I weighed four times. Three bullets out of the twenty measured 105.2 grains. All the rest were 105.3 grains. Remarkable.
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If you haven’t tried Lapua bullets yet you should. The Scenar-L bullets we have tested have proven extremely consistent in weight and base-to-ogive measurement.
At SHOT Show 2013, 
New 6.5mm Scenar Ls — First Look
On the bullet front, Lapua is proudly rolling out its new “L” series of projectiles, starting with the 6mm 105gr Scenar and then expanding to the whole Scenar match bullet line. NOTE: These are NOT new bullet designs — Lapua is not changing the bullet shapes, weights, or internal construction. So you’ll be getting the same bullets, only with tighter tolerances, and improved quality control.
Testing the Scenar Ls for Uniformity
