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July 23rd, 2008
The first-ever World Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Championship will be held from July 27 to August 3 in Milan, Italy. The event will be hosted at the Tiro a Segno Nazionale di Milano shooting club and the event will be conducted in association with the UK Association of Rimfire Benchrest Shooting International. The match will be administered under the Rules of the European Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Shooting Federation (ERABSF RULES).
This International Match is open to all shooters and organizations that shoot for Score similar to the RBA, IR50/50, UKBR22, .22 Hunter, BR50, or UITS. A standardized common target will be used and the match will be conducted under ERABSF RUles. For more info, visit the European Rimfire & Air Rifle Benchrest Shooting Federation website, www.erabsf.org.
CLICK HERE for Championship SCHEDULE of EVENTS
CLICK HERE for Match Rules
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July 17th, 2008
This 7.5 minute professionally-produced video covers the Olympic Shooting disciplines. Created for Chinese TV, it offers good footage of air pistol and air rifle, 22 LR pistol and rifle competition, and the shotgun sports. You probably won’t understand the Chinese-language voice-over, but the video clips depict the action very well — even without English subtitles. If you’ve ever wanted to see Olympic-caliber shooters in action, this video is worth viewing start to finish. Gun content starts at the 35 second mark.
Click directly on video below to watch VIDEO from this page.
OR CLICK HERE to watch VIDEO on YouTube.
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July 16th, 2008
Ace 600-yard shooter Terry Brady has been testing a box-stock, factory Savage 6BR F-Class rifle for AccurateShooter.com. This gun features a 30″, 8-twist barrel (0.100″ freebore), Savage Target Action, and heavy, laminated stock with 3″-wide fore-end. We know you guys have been eagerly awaiting the accuracy results. We’ll let the targets speak for themselves. Bottom Line: the Savage 6BR shoots… like a house on fire.
Savage Shoots under 1/2″ at 200 Yards
With Terry’s handloads (Norma 203B powder, CCI 450s, Berger 105s loaded .010″ into lands), the Savage produced three-shot groups well under 1/2″ at 200 yards. That’s right, TWO hundred. Measuring off Terry’s photos, using our target measurement software, one of the 200-yard groups was a measured .350″ or 0.167 MOA.
Orange target dots are 1″ diameter. Top row are 3-shot groups, center row (with 90gr factory ammo) are 5-shot groups.
Impressive Bugholes at 100 yards
At 100 yards, Terry had one 5-shot group with the Berger 105gr Match (non-VLD) that measured 0.140″ with our target measurement software. Measuring with calipers, Terry said this group was 0.279″ outside edge to outside edge. It’s interesting that Norma 203B shot tighter in this rifle than did Varget, as you can see.
Orange target dots are 1″ diameter.
Half-MOA or better with Lapua Factory Ammo at 300 Yards
The Savage 6BR also shot exceptionally well with Lapua factory ammo of two types, one loaded with 90gr BT Scenars, the other loaded with 105gr BT Scenars. Because Terry had a limited amount of factory ammo, at 300 yards, he shot three-shot groups. The 90gr ammo shot 1.490″ or about 1/2 MOA, while the 105gr ammo shot .780″, about 1/4 MOA. For comparison sake, Terry’s handloads (Berger 105s, 30.5 RL15) put FIVE shots in 0.650″ at 300 yards.
Complete Report Will Follow
We will provide a complete feature article on this rifle in the weeks ahead. That will include load data, more accuracy testing results, and Terry’s comments about the rifle. If someone in North Carolina can help Terry with a video camera, we’ll add video to the story.
So far Brady has been very impressed with the Savage overall, but he had two minor criticisms. First, he felt the Accutrigger spring weight is a bit too heavy, and second, he noted that the 1″-wide flat on the bottom of the stock at the rear is too wide for most bags: “It didn’t track well with my bag. I had to really hold the gun. Ideally you’ll want a bag with wider ear spacing.”
Overall, Terry gives the Savage an “A” grade: “For an out-of-the-box bench gun, it is well worth the money! I would recommend it to any shooter.”
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July 5th, 2008
If you want to test your long-range shooting skills against some of the best shooters in the country (including our own Jason Baney), head to Pennsylvania next weekend for the Williamsport World Open. Shooters will compete in Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes for a host of prizes including scopes, actions, and barrels. Sponsors include Nightforce Scopes, BAT Machine, and Bartlein, Hart, and Krieger barrel-makers, among many others. In addition, the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Club will give $1000.00 CASH to anyone breaking the match time current Light Class or Heavy Class Ten-Shot Benchrest World Record during this event. (Award limited to person shooting smallest group of the weekend.)
The schedule of events will be: Saturday Morning – Light Gun Match One; Saturday Afternoon – Heavy Gun Match One; Sunday Morning – Heavy Gun Match Two; Sunday Afternoon – Light Gun Match Two. Complete Event info, including Course of Fire, Rules, and a list of nearby motels, is found on the World Open Webpage, or contact Matt Dienes, 724-479-0790.
CLICK HERE for World Open APPLICATION
The deadline for entry to the World Open at 7:00 pm Friday night. Rotations will be drawn at this time so please get your entry fees in before that time. NO LATE ENTRIES will be accepted on Match Day. The cost is $60.00 per Class for the two day event ($120 for both Classes both days). The Pig roast held Saturday evening is included in this fee.
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June 13th, 2008
Put the same load in a variety of barrels (with the same length and chamberings) and you’ll see a wide variance in muzzle velocity. In fact, it’s not unusual to see up to 100 fps difference from one barrel to the next. We demonstrated this with a comparison test of Lapua factory ammo.
Chron Testing Lapua Factory Ammo
We recently chronographed Lapua 105gr 6mmBR factory ammo in three different 8-twist barrels of similar length. The results were fascinating. Lapua specs this ammo at 2790 fps, based on Lapua’s testing with its own 26″ test barrel. We observed a speed variance of 67 fps based on tests with three aftermarket barrels.
Brand ‘S’ and Brand ‘PN’ were pre-fit barrels shot on Savage actions. Brand ‘K’ was fitted to a custom action. All test barrels were throated for the 100-108 grain bullets, though there may have been some slight variances in barrel freebore. With a COAL of 2.330″, the rounds were “jumping” to the rifling in all barrels. Among the four barrels, Brand ‘PN’ was the fastest at 2824 fps average — 67 fps faster than the slowest barrel. Roughly 10 fps can be attributed to the slightly longer length (27″ vs. 26″), but otherwise this particular barrel was simply faster than the rest.
Results Are Barrel-Specific, Not Brand-Specific
These tests demonstrate that the exact same load can perform very differently in different barrels. We aren’t publishing the barrel-makers’ names, because it would be wrong to assume that ‘Brand X’ is always going to be faster than ‘Brand Y’ based on test results from a single barrel. In fact, velocities can vary up to 100 fps with two identical-spec barrels from the SAME manufacturer. That’s right, you can have two 8-twist, 26″ barrels, with the same land-groove configuration and contour, from the same manufacturer, and one can be much faster than another.
Don’t Demand More Than Your Barrel Can Deliver
We often hear guys lament, “I don’t get it… how can you guys get 2900 fps with your 6BRs and I can only get 2840?” The answer may simply be that the barrel is slower than average. If you have a slow barrel, you can try using more powder, but there is a good chance it may never run as fast as an inherently fast barrel. You shouldn’t knock yourself out (and over-stress your brass) trying to duplicate the velocities someone else may be getting. You need to work within the limits of your barrel.
 Factory Ammo Provides a Benchmark
If you have a .223 Rem, 6BR, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5×55, .308 Win, 30-06, or 300 WM Rifle, we recommend you buy a box of Lapua factory-loaded ammo. This stuff will shoot great (typically around half-MOA), and it can give you a baseline to determine how your barrel stacks up speedwise. When you complete a new 6BR rifle, it’s wise to get a box of the factory ammo and chronograph it. That will immediately give you a good idea whether you have a slow, average, or fast barrel. Then you can set your velocity goals accordingly. For example, if the factory 6BR ammo runs about 2780-2790 fps in your gun, it has an average barrel. If it runs 2820+ in a 26″ barrel (or 2835 fps in a 28″), you’ve got a fast tube.
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June 9th, 2008
 Successful marksmanship is the product of a complex system, part biological (the shooter), and part mechanical (the rifle). Too often, in our fascination with things mechanical, we forget the human, physical side of the sport. The March edition of the CMP’s “The Mark” newsletter features an excellent article by Amber Darland on physical training for shooters. Darland, a certified Personal Trainer, is also a top-level competitive shooter. A U.S. Olympic Team alternate, she was on the American World Championship Team in 2002, and was a member of the Univ. of Alaska NCAA Rifle Team, which won four National Championships while she was there.
Garland says shooters should be involved in three kinds of exercise to improve their physical conditioning: 1) Aerobic Exercise to strengthen the cardiovascular system; 2) Anaerobic Exercise (such as weight lifting) to build muscle strength and stamina; and 3) Flexibility exercises.
 Strength Training
Garland notes that strength training helps in many ways: “Weight training also increases your kinesthetic connections and awareness (your ability to notice internal changes in muscle position and
tension). The more you utilize your brain-to-muscle connections, the more you will be able to tap into them to correct positional errors and normal, day-to-day changes in muscle tension.”
Improving Flexibility is Key
Garland stresses that flexibility training can be very helpful, even for older, F-Class or Benchrest shooters: “Of all aspects of fitness, [flexibility] is probably the most utilized by shooting athletes, though not consistently in most cases. Flexibility is important for several reasons including injury prevention and positional consistency. The more pliable and flexible your joint capsules, the more readily they will handle unanticipated stress. An athlete who performs flexibility work on a regular basis will have pliable, supple, relaxed muscles that are not bound by constant tensions and immobility.”
CLICK HERE to Read Full Article (.pdf Download, p. 17)
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May 28th, 2008
 Increasing the numbers of women involved in the shooting sports is vital. We need to bring in more women shooters to grow our gun clubs’ membership rolls and expand the consumer base for firearms products. From a political standpoint, getting women involved in shooting strengthens the gun rights movement, and helps counter efforts to close gun ranges and shooting facilities. Anti-gun advocacy groups and “liberal” politicians bank on the fact that most women are either opposed to firearms or are apathetic about gun rights. As more females get involved with shooting, it becomes more difficult for gun opponents to claim support from the “silent majority” of Americans. Also, women are important decision-makers at the family level. Wives often decide if there will be a gun in the house and if children in the family are allowed to participate in shooting sports.
This week’s ShootingUSA television episode features the NRA’s Women On Target program. This unique program offers firearms training and hunting excursions exclusively for women. The Women On Target program offers new lady shooters the chance to receive handgun, rifle, and shotgun instruction by other women, in a low-stress situation.
CLICK HERE to Find a Women on Target Instructional Clinic
The popular Women-Only Hunt Program allows women to enjoy the outdoors with experienced outfitters guiding all female clients. A wide variety of hunts are offered in the second half of 2008 including duck/goose hunts, pheasant hunts, turkey hunts, whitetail deer hunts, and even a Rocky Mountain Elk hunt. This program has been operating successfully since 1999.
CLICK HERE for Hunt Dates and Outfitter List
Photos courtesy National Rifle Assn., All Rights Reserved.
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May 1st, 2008
Now through May 31, 2008, MidwayUSA has the Howard Leight Impact Sport Earmuffs on sale for $49.99, $10.00 off the regular price. That’s a heck of a deal. These electronic muffs (item 671923) perform as well as some other noise-cancelling muffs that cost two or three times the price.
Because the Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs only carry a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 22 db, we recommend you use these OVER foam ear plugs. When you do that, the electronic noise circuit still allows you to hear range commands. Forum member Danny Reever has a pair of the Leight Impacts. He reports: “Off the firing line, while others are shooting, you can easily carry on a conversation while the electronics cancel out the gunfire. Amplification is crisp and clear even at the highest setting. On the firing line, the slim profile of the muffs does not interfere with cheek weld and are comfortable.
The 22-decibel noise reduction rating (NRR) is a bit low for my liking, but I have found using 29-db plugs coupled with a slight gain in the electronics allows me to get maximum protection and still hear range commands. In fact, by increasing the volume further I could still hear conversations up and down the firing line.”
Assistant Editor Jason Baney also has a pair of the Howard Leight electronic muffs. He says: “They are comfortable and work great if you wear plugs underneath. You can even plug an iPod into them.”
Both Cabela’s buyers and MidwayUSA customers have praised these units:
“I am a firearms instructor/SWAT instructor, active on two SWAT teams. [I] have burned through too many pairs of Peltors due to their poor battery set up. These are cheaper price-wise, but [have] better controls and battery storage. Amazing sound quality. In reality to beat the performance you need to spend four to five times the money. If I could give ten stars I would…” ZM, Cabelas customer.
“I have a set of Peltors that I paid triple the price for and they aren’t half as good. These [Leights] have nice smooth attenuation unlike the Peltor that snap on and off in a very annoying fashion. These fit tight, have good noise reduction and good sound quality. The low profile works well with rifles and shotguns. Don’t bother spending more, these are great!” Paul D., MidwayUSA Customer.
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April 29th, 2008
Forum member Ron Tilley finished fourth overall at the recent NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals. This was an impressive performance for a relative newcomer to the 600-yard game without “local knowledge” of the Sacramento range. The top 3 finishers, Jerry Tierney, Peter White, and Craig St. Claire, all have extensive experience shooting at Sacramento.
While many of the top shooters were using a 6mm in Light Gun (such as a 6 Dasher or 6-6.5×47), Ron campaigned a 260 Ackley Improved. This is based on a 260 Rem case, with the shoulder blown forward to 40 degrees. Improving the 260 Rem case adds just enough extra capacity to get the 140gr-class bullets into the 2900+ fps velocity window where they seem to perform best.
Ron starts with Lapua 243 cases, necked up to 6.5 mm. He was shooting 140gr Berger VLD bullets, pushed by Hodgdon H4831sc powder and Russian primers. Ron says this combination has been “very accurate right out of the gate.” Ron’s 2920 fps load delivers 5-shot groups in the high teens and low twos, with very low ES and SD. In the video interview below, Ron explains the merits of the 260 AI cartridge, and offers tips on case prep and loading for accuracy.
CLICK HERE to WATCH TILLEY VIDEO
Ron was shooting an eye-catching rifle. It featured a carbon fiber and wood Terry Leonard stock, BAT Action, and Nightforce scope. With all-premium components, Terry’s 260AI is a beautiful rig that shoots as good as it looks.
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March 12th, 2008
 “What trigger would you like us to build next?” That’s the question Timney Triggers is asking shooters. Timney wants customer input on what type(s) of new triggers it should develop, and the reasons why. Just log on to the Timney Triggers website, and share your ideas on the Trigger Survey Page.
Timney tells us: “Since its inception in 1946, Timney has always looked for ways to improve their products by listening to the customer. After all who knows better about the product than the end user? Timney would like to pose the question to all shooters and hunters. What trigger would you like us to build next? Perhaps a new bolt action, semi-auto pistol, shotgun, or tactical rifle? The sky is the limit so be creative.”
Arizona-based Timney Triggers currently offers a line of 75 replacement triggers, including a popular set of drop-in, modular AR-15 triggers. For more info, call 866-484-6639 or visit TimneyTriggers.com.
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March 7th, 2008
Now through March 31, 2008, MidwayUSA has Ramshot X-Terminator powder on sale for just $10.49 per pound, marked WAY down from the $20.49 regular price. X-Terminator is a double-based, high-energy ball powder that is designed for the varmint hunters who demand a clean burning powder. X-Terminator’s small, spherical kernels meter easily and precisely, so this is a good choice if you plan to load a large quantity of ammo on a progressive press. X-Terminator has a burn rate similar to Accurate 2230, Hodgdon H322, and Win 748. X-Terminator is well-suited for the 222 Remington, 223 Remington and 22 BR cartridges.
Note, the sale price does NOT includes a $20.00 hazmat charges and $9.99 special handling fee. You may want to combine your order with fellow shooters to “amortize” the hazmat fee over a larger quantity of powder.
Powder Burn Rate Chart from The Reload Bench.
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February 26th, 2008
Recent visitors to the AccurateShooter.com site may not know that we have an entire set of FREE TARGETS. There are sight-in targets, load development targets, Benchrest Targets, NRA Highpower targets, Scope Testing Targets, even a special set of Fun Targets.
Most of the targets come bundled in .zip archives, so you can easily download multiple targets with one click. The targets are saved in .pdf format, so they are easy to print and the scale is correct no matter what your screen resolution.
Here Forum member FireMedic shows some fine shootin’ with our basic Accuracy Target. With small, red diamonds and extended black lines, this target allows very precise aiming at 100 and 200 yards. The gray dot on top provides a reference point for a 200-yard zero. FireMedic reports: “My 30″, 12 twist, 3 groove does pretty good for an old Savage chambered in .308 Win.” With an average group size of 0.208 inches we’d have to agree. Great Shootin’ FireMedic!
Here are two fun targets you might enjoy. The Atomic Target was originally created as a contest for our readers. The design is by Michael Forester of Auckland, New Zealand. Hit the bigger green and red neutrons, then try your luck with the smaller electrons. In the center, go for true “bug-holes” with our Fly Shoot Target. Watch out for the bio-hazard rings!
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