|
|
April 9th, 2010
.223 WSSM and 6mmBR Disaster — Report by Dr. Jim Clary
Under most circumstances, shooters don’t have to worry about chambering the wrong cartridge into the wrong rifle. After all, the cartridges are well marked and we all know which rifle we are shooting on any given day. In many cases, incorrect cartridges cannot be chambered — larger cases will not fit in smaller chambers, for example. No problem! That being said, I can tell you that even an experienced, careful and normally safe shooter can make a mistake.
The following is an account of just such a mistake that could have resulted in death or dismemberment. Fortunately, the shooter was not hurt, but the rifle was completely destroyed.
Last year, a friend purchased a Savage Precision right bolt, left port, single shot bolt action in 6mmBR Norma. It was an incredible prairie dog gun and he spent the summer burning powder and busting dogs. In October, he purchased a stainless steel Browning A-Bolt Varmint in .223 WSSM. The weather in the upper Midwest turned sour by the time he got the brass tuned up and he only got to fire it a few times before he was “socked in” for the winter. Thus, he spent his evenings loading ammo for the spring thaw.
During a break in the weather, he grabbed both rifles and a couple of bags of .223 WSSM and 6mmBR cartridges and headed to the range to check out his new loads. In case you are not familiar, the 6mmBR is smaller in diameter and a mite shorter than the .223 WSSM. Because of this, it will chamber in a .223 WSSM, but the .24 caliber bullet is too big for the .22 caliber bore. That is what happened to my friend.
The rest is history; when he squeezed the trigger, all hell broke loose. The entire bottom of the rifle blew out, including the magazine assembly. The explosion actually cut the stock into two pieces. However, the bolt held and amazing as it may seem, the .243 bullet was “swaged” right out of the .223 barrel.
6mmBR (left) and .223 WSSM (right) cartridges above the remains of Browning A-Bolt rifle.
One Small Mistake Is All It Takes
Now, realize that my friend has been shooting all manner of firearms, safely, for over half a century. He is meticulous, thorough and conscientious in his approach to reloading and shooting. However, he made one mistake. He put some lose 6BR cartridges in a baggie as he packed up from a prairie dog hunt last summer, without noticing that the baggie was marked .223 WSSM in black marker. Then, when the break in his winter weather came, he grabbed the bag, believing it to be the WSSM cartridges and didn’t check the head stamp.
Couldn’t happen to you? How many times have we emptied our pockets of cartridges and dropped them into a plastic container on the shooting bench? How many times have we set down to a marathon reloading session, loading several calibers in a row? How many times have we put the wrong bullets, cases or primers into the incorrect container? My point is that even the safest of us can make a mistake. So, look at the picture above and take a bit more time when you reload your ammunition at home or chamber a round in the field. It might save your life.
Story and photo © Dr. Jim Clary, All Rights Reserved.
COMMENT: In a thread inspired by the above story, the moderator of another gun forum wrote:
“There was a rifle (or what was left of it) mounted above the door of a range I used to go to. The story behind it was of a guy who was shooting a .30-06 and set it aside to shoot his .25-06 instead. He didn’t bother putting the larger cartridges away first and of course one found its way into his gun. The explosion took three fingers off his left hand, two off his right and stuck a piece of the bolt in his face. He recovered but was never the same again. The pieces of the gun were gathered and mounted to show others why it pays to be mindful of what you’re doing. It was effective as there was never another such accident at that range.”
April 7th, 2010
Congratulations to Carl Boswell, Vince Bottomley, Andy Dubreuil, Laurie Holland and all the staff at Target Shooter online magazine. Target Shooter has released its April 2010 First Anniversary issue, and it may be the best yet. The hardware photography is high quality and there is something for everyone — from Benchresters to Tactical shooters. You can view the 110-page April issue for FREE at www.targetshooter.co.uk.
Carl tells us: “Yes, this is our first anniversary issue and we have it packed with articles.” Here are some of the recommended articles in the April Anniversary Edition of Target Shooter:
- Loading for the .308, Part 6 — Laurie Holland continues his informative reloading series.
- SEB Neo Coaxial Rest — Vince Bottomley reviews one of the most impressive rests on the market. This is a very thorough review which compares the old SEB Coax with the SEB NEO side by side.
- Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest — Carl Boswell looks at these rapidly evolving disciplines.
- Gallery Rifle 1500 — Gwyn Roberts continues his course on Gallery Rifle Basics.
- New GBR Custom Action — A New Rem 700-footprint action made in the UK.
- Steyr LG110 Field Test — Tim Finley reviews the Steyr LG110 rifle for Field Target.
Definitely check out the latest edition of Target Shooter magazine. Laurie Holland is one of the best technical gun writers in the business, and when Vince Bottomley reviews a product, he delivers intelligent conclusions you can “take to the bank”. As a special bonus, this April edition includes exclusive reports from the IWA Expo in Germany — the “Euro Shot Show”.
March 13th, 2010
The NCAA Rifle Championships are being broadcast LIVE right now on the NCAA.com Broadband channel for college sports. There will also be live broadcasts on March 14th and 15th. To access the future broadcasts, go to the NCAA TV website, click the “Event Guide” tab and search for “Coed Rifling”. Note: To view streaming video you may need to install the Microsoft “Silverlight” plug-in for your web browser. CLICK HERE for Live NCAA Rifle Championships Coverage.
February 23rd, 2010
We are pleased to see shooting featured in the Winter Olympics — as part of the biathlon competition. But for those accustomed to Hollywood action movies, biathlon events may seem a little slow… even boring. In the spoof video below, one TV producer shows how Biathlon events could be “spiced up”, Hollywood-style, to generate higher audience ratings:
Credit goes to Steve of The Firearm Blog for finding this YouTube gem. And folks, we know that shooting sports should always be taken very seriously… but we couldn’t resist passing this video along… everyone needs a chuckle now and then. Remember it is satire, designed to mock Hollywood’s fascination with violence. (Definition of satire: “trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly.”)
January 22nd, 2010
At the 2010 SHOT Show we had the unique opportunity to corner three “superstars” of High Power shooting, and solicit their wind-reading secrets. In the three videos below (in alphabetical order), Carl Bernosky (8-Time Nat’l High Power Champion), David Tubb (11-time Nat’l High Power Champion), and John Whidden (2-Time Nat’l High Power Long-Range Champion) shared some of the wind-doping strategies that have carried them to victory in the nation’s most competitive shooting matches. This is GOLD folks… no matter what your discipline — be it short-range Benchrest or Long-Range High Power — watch these videos for valuable insights that can help you shoot more accurately, and post higher scores, in all wind conditions.
We were very fortunate to have these three extraordinarily gifted champions reveal their “winning ways”. After recording the interviews, both Jason and I stood there in stunned silence…with jaws dropped. These guys REALLY know their stuff. I thought to myself “Wow, this is how a baseball fan might feel if he could assemble Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ted Williams in the same room, and have them each reveal their hitting secrets.” Watch the videos and soak up the wisdom of some truly legendary shooters….
By the way, the above clips are only part of longer interviews with Carl, David, and John. Stay tuned for other videos where these three champions talk about specific skills and techniques they’ve developed for the high power and long-range prone game.
December 28th, 2009
 The NSSF, through its “Step Outside” program, suggests you invite someone to go hunting or shooting this Holiday season. An outdoor shooting adventure can be more memorable than any gift that arrives in a box.
Through NSSF’s StepOutside.org web page, you can send a customized invitation to go hunting or shooting. Your e-mail invitation will feature an outdoor photograph with a personalized message from you.
CLICK HERE to Send a Hunting/Shooting Invitation to Friends or Family.
If you go on a shooting excursion before the end of the year (Dec. 31, 2009), you can enter the Step Outside Sweepstakes, and get a chance to win one of five $1,000 gift certificates to Bass Pro Shops. To be eligible, you must “mentor” a new shooter and complete a survey describing your experiences. Submission Deadline is January 1, 2010.
CLICK HERE to enter STEP OUTSIDE Sweepstakes
December 10th, 2009
 Our recent post about Norway’s annual Landsskytterstevnet (Rifle Country Fair) marksmanship competition was very popular. American sling-shooters noticed how Norway’s marksmen used a different sling set-up and how the Norwegians were using their middle finger or ring finger to pull the trigger. This allows faster cycling of the bolt in rapid-fire competition.
CLICK HERE for more Landsskytterstevnet streaming videos
Unfortunately, some of our readers with slower internet connections were not able to stream the video from the Norwegian server. Here are two YouTube videos posted by reader ICECOOL from Norway. The first shows John O. Ågotnes shooting rapidfire in the Stangskyting discipline (25-second time limit). The gun is a Sauer 200 STR (Scandinavian Target Rifle) chambered in 6.5×55.
The second video, below, shows competitors in a 3-position (standing, kneeling, prone) shooting competition at the 2008 Samlagsskyting Finals. This provides good closeups of the Norsk sling arrangement. Note also the electronic scoring technology which instantly plots the shots on the target. This makes it exciting to watch the match… tension builds until the final shot. American clubs could benefit from electronic scoring which allows the crowd to follow the action.
 ICECOOL has posted more links to Norway shooting match videos on the Firing Line Forum. Many of these matches are actually broadcast live, in prime-time, by Norwegian Television.
One interesting fact about Norway’s shooting matches is that they are partly funded by the Norwegian government. On the Firing Line Forum, member UltimaThule noted that: “The National Rifle Assn. of Norway receives financial support from the Department of Defence — 1/10 of one per cent of the National defence budget. What would your anti-gun people say if the American NRA got $560 million dollars a year from the government?”
December 8th, 2009
 In April 2010, Purdue University will host the expanded NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship. This event will be open, for the first time, to ALL levels of collegiate shooters. This new championship format will include NRA College Rifle Clubs, Varsity Rifle Teams, ROTC Teams, and independent shooters, for which there is currently no national championship. The 2010 NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship will be held April 8-11 at the Purdue University Armory.
The championship will feature smallbore and air rifle competitions, plus training summits for participants and coaches. Both individual and team champions will be named for NRA College Rifle Clubs, Varsity Rifle Teams, and ROTC Teams. Shooting in the NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Sectionals is required to qualify for the championship. Additionally, the top three teams and top five individuals from sectionals earn free entry to the championship. The official NRA Collegiate Smallbore target is the NRA/USAS 50 target, which must be used for Intercollegiate Sectionals.
NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship
April 8-11, 2010
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
2010 Rifle Championships Program
July 9th, 2009
 The July, 2009 edition of Shooting Sports USA is now available online (for free). Click this link to access the current issue. This should launch a special browser that displays Shooting Sports USA in a familiar page-turning format, just like a print magazine. Of course, using the navigation buttons, you can also flip forward or back.
On pages 16-19 of the July issue, you’ll find an excellent article on the “Mental Game”. For this story, Shooting Sports’ Managing Editor Chip Lohman interviewed seven of America’s top competitive shooters, each of whom offers insights into the psychology of winning.
This “must-read” article leads off with 5-time Olympian Lones Wigger, who explains: “Many inexperienced shooters use different techniques in training than they do during matches…. Their scores are usuallly acceptable during training, but when they shoot under match conditions, they completely change their technique. In a match, they shoot much slower and labor on each shot. As a result, they tire quickly and score much lower than in training. [But] as shooters progress, they learn how to train smart and utilize their training to combat match pressure, which leads to improved performance in competition.”
Shooting Sports USA also interviewed Julie Golob, a past U.S. Army Athlete of the Year. Julie has won 9 world titles and 16 National championships in action shooting. Julie offers this advice: “Ideally, you want to eliminate the distractions that you can control. I make checklists so I don’t forget any important equipment. Good preparation helps set the stage for peak performance. I [also] try to focus on the positive aspects of what I’ve doing. It’s amazing how easy it is to dwell on a bad shot…. I find I am able to recover much more quickly by beiing proactive. I move forward and apply what I know (from my training) will correct the issue. Don’t dwell on the negative. It only increases the odds of performing poorly.”
Other top shooters interviewed for the “Mental Game” story are:
Larry Carter: Four-time National pistol champion Carter holds many records, and has won titles both individually and as a team member shooting both rimfire and centerfire pistols.
Cory Cogdell: Trap-shooter Cogdell won the Bronze Medale at both the 2008 Olympics and the 2006 World Cup.
Launi Meili: Winner of 8 gold medals in UIT/ISS air rifle and smallbore disciplines, Launi is the only American woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal in smallbore.
.
Jason Parker: Air rifle and 3-position shooter, Parker is a two-time U.S. Olympian who has earmed 10 medals in national and international competitions.
Brian Zins: Former USMC team member “Gunny” Zins is a nine-time National Pistol Champion who holds 26 national records in conventional pistol competition.
May 3rd, 2009
Many shooting instructors will tell you that women are better “natural learners” than men when it comes to shooting. We certainly know that ladies can compete at the highest level with men, when given the opportunity. To promote female participation in the shooting sports, the NRA offers a series of Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics. These introductory classes demonstrate safe firearms handling, teach basic shooting skills, and introduce lady shooters to a variety of shooting disciplines — from trap shooting to bullseye pistol.
In 2009, the NRA will conduct Women On Target® Clinics throughout the nation. CLICK HERE to find a clinic near your location. Below is a list of clinics scheduled for the next two weeks:
5/6/09 Anchorage, AK
5/9/09 Washington, MI
5/9/09 Randolph, KS
5/9/09 Chino, CA
5/9/09 Milton Freewater, OR
5/9/09 Coplay, PA
5/9/09 Valdez, AK
5/9/09 Williston, FL
5/14/09 Phoenix, AZ
5/16/09 Logan, MT |
5/16/09 Columbus, NC
5/16/09 Keene, NH
5/16/09 Pelham, NH
5/16/09 Hiawassee, GA
5/16/09 Greensburg, PA
5/16/09 Salem, WV
5/16/09 Richmond, CA
5/16/09 Midvale, OH
5/17/09 Charleston, SC
5/17/09 Jackson, WI |
For more information, visit the NRA’s Women On Target webpage or contact Beth Hellmann in the NRA Women’s Programs Department at (703) 267-1398 or ehellmann@nrahq.org.
|
