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September 11th, 2022

Sunday GunDay: Big Boomers — Shooting the Legendary .50 BMG

Fifty 50 Caliber Shooters Association FCSA

50 Caliber Shooters AssociationFans of Heavy Artillery should visit Fifty Caliber Shooters Association (FCSA) website. There you’ll find range maps, photo collections and animated slide-shows On the FCSA photo gallery page, you’ll find a map. Click on any gray range link to see images from that venue. There are also a series of articles covering FCSA competition along with the “care and feeding” of the big 50-caliber rifles.

For today’s Sunday GunDay feature we offer a short history of the legendary .50 BMG cartridge, along with some fun photos from FCSA matches in the Western USA.

Fifty 50 Caliber Shooters Association FCSA
Fifty 50 Caliber Shooters Association FCSA

About the .50 BMG Cartridge

The .50 Browning Machine Gun (.50 BMG, aka 12.7×99mm NATO or 50 Browning) is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s, entering official service in 1921. Under STANAG 4383, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries.

.50 Browning Machine Gun 50 BMG Noreen Rifle

John Browning had the idea for this round during World War I in response to a need for an anti-aircraft weapon, based on a scaled-up .30-06 Springfield design, used in a machine gun based on a scaled-up M1919/M1917 design that Browning had initially developed around 1900. According to the American Rifleman: “The Browning .50 originated in the Great War. American interest in an armor-piercing cartridge was influenced by the marginal French 11 mm design, prompting U.S. Army Ordnance officers to consult Browning. They wanted a heavy projectile at 2700 FPS, but the ammunition did not exist. Browning pondered the situation and, according to his son John, replied, ‘Well, the cartridge sounds pretty good to start. You make up some cartridges and we’ll do some shooting’.”

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

Are you a died-in-the-wool .50 BMG fan? Got a hankerin’ for heavy artillery? Then visit the FCSA Photo Gallery page. There you’ll find hundreds of photos from Fifty Caliber Shooting Association (FCSA) matches and 50 Cal fun shoots in eleven states plus Australia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. To access the photos from the Gallery Page, start by selecting a state/country and then click on the colored buttons for the event date (e.g. 2015-04).

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

Photo sets go all the way back to 2002, so you can see the evolution of the hardware over the years. Sample multiple archives to see the differences in terrain from one range to another — from Raton’s alpine setting to the hot, dry Nevada desert. This Gallery is really a treasure-trove of .50-Cal history. Here are a few sample images.

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

FCSA 50 Caliber Photo Gallery

Fifty 50 Caliber Shooters Association FCSA reloading
reloading fifty .40 BMG

Reloading Powder and Special Tools for .50 BMG

Alliant 50 BMG PowderAlliant’s Powder for 50-Caliber Applications
In 2009 Alliant unveiled Reloder 50, a slow-burn-rate powder designed primarily for long-range, .50-caliber rifle shooters. According to Alliant, the burn rate is “a little slower than Winchester 860″ and the powder is showing excellent lot-to-lot consistency. Load density is optimized for the 50 BMG and similar cases. Like Reloder 17, Reloder 50 employs a process which penetrates the kernels with the burn-rate-controlling chemical. This should allow a longer, flatter pressure curve, yielding more velocity than conventional powders can deliver. Alliant says that Reloder 50 offers “superior velocity and the ability to burn cleaner (with less residue)”. Reloder 50 comes in both 1-lb (#150527) and 8-lb (#150528) containers.

Forster and Lyman .50 BMG Trimmers
Big Fifty enthusiasts asked for a dedicated .50 BMG case trimmer, so Forster and Lyman created .50 Cal trimmers specifically for that cartridge. Forster’s cutter tip on its .50 BMG Case Trimmer is much sharper than the cutter on the Lyman 50 Cal AccuTrimmer. However, with the Forster tool you will pay more for that superior cutting ability — the Forster .50 BMG trimmer is $95.53 at Midsouth compared to $75.09 at Midsouth for the Lyman .50 BMG trimmer. Go head and pay the extra money for the Forster — the cutter head is much sharper, and we prefer the Forster’s collet-style case-holder. Bottom line — the Forster gets the job done more quickly, with less effort.

Forster 50 BMG case Trimmer

Giraud .50 BMG Case/Bullet Comparator
Giraud Tool makes a comparator for 50-Cal cartridges. The double-ended comparator is quite versatile. In one orientation you can measure base-to-ogive bullet length and also measure cartridge OAL from rim to bullet ogive. When reversed, you can use the comparator to measure cartridge headspace. The $33.00 Giraud .50 BMG Comparator gauge is constructed of 303 stainless and fits most any vernier, dial, or digital caliper. CLICK HERE for more info.

Giraud Tools 50 BMG comparator gauge

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July 3rd, 2022

Sunday Gunday: M1 Garand for America’s July 4th Weekend

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

Tomorrow is July 4th, our nation’s birthday. To mark this important day in American history, we are featuring a great American military rifle, the M1 Garand, a rifle General George S. Patton called: “the greatest battle implement ever devised”. We think every serious vintage rifle collector should acquire an M1 Garand at some point.

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

The CMP has, in the past couple of years, received over 90,000 Garands from overseas arsenals, so there are plenty to be had currently. This article explains how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.

How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions. CLICK HERE to Start Order.

Garand Turkish Turkey Philippines

CLICK HERE for Garand Ordering Information | CLICK HERE for Eligibility Requirements

CLICK HERE for Garand Grading Information

Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has brick-and-mortar stores where M1 Garands can be inspected and purchased and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama; Talladega, Alabama; and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.

CMP marksmanship program M1 Garand store order rifle vintage .30-06

M1 Garand Barreled Actions and Aftermarket Barrels

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

Along with complete M1 Garand rifles, the CMP also offers barreled actions. This can save you money, and also makes sense if you are looking to create a rifle with high-grade wood, or you want to bed the action for improved accuracy. You can order an M1 Garand barreled action, as well as complete M1 Garand rifles, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The eligibility requirements and ordering process will be the same for a barreled action as for a complete rifle.

If you already have an M1 Garand, but need a new barrel, you can order a pre-chambered Criterion barrel in .30-06 Springfield. Criterion tell us: “This is a direct replacement barrel for the M1 Garand rifle, manufactured to Mil-spec print #6535448. It has the original G.I. contour and Parkerized finish. Receiver threads are timed, all milling cuts are made, and all M1 Garand barrels are hand-lapped.” NOTE: Each barrel is .010 short-chambered and should be headspaced by a qualified gunsmith. These Criterion .30-06 replacement barrels, priced at $295.00, are legal for use in Service Rifle and John C. Garand matches.

How to Maintain the M1 Garand Rifle

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

Once you have an M1 Garand in your collection, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition so it works flawlessly for vintage military matches and fun shooting. Below we’ve linked two good SSUSA articles on M1 Garand maintenance. Following that you’ll find two excellent videos covering M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication. Finally there are links to recommended print manuals for the M1 Garand.

M1 Service and Maintenance
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) published an excellent article on Service and Maintenance of M1 Garand Rifles. This offers some smart tricks, such as using smoke from burning masking tape to darken the front sight post. There is also an older SSUSA article that covers basic cleaning and servicing and also explains how to upgrade the performance of your Garands. READ Article HERE.

M1 Garand maintenance procedures

As a resource for Garand owners, SSUSA recommends GarandGear.com: “[At] Garand Gear you’ll find USGI spec parts, tools, gauges, clips and a few Garand accessories. They also have some interesting freebies, most notably a direct analysis of M1 gas port pressures produced by different brands of commercial .30-06 ammunition, showing which ones exceed M2 Ball pressure, as well as the pressures produced by ammo manufactured specifically for the M1 Garand, such as Hornady’s M1 Garand Match and Federal’s American Eagle M1 Garand. Here you’ll also find free, downloadable and printable PDF copies of War Department M1 Garand maintenance manuals TM9-1275 and TM9-1005.”

m1 Garand Rifle Barrels CMP Criterion

M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication

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March 13th, 2022

Sunday Gunday: SSG Erin McNeill — Lady Champion

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

For today’s Sunday GunDay story, we feature a very talented young lady shooter, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant (SSG) Erin McNeil. Erin, who started shooting as a young teen in a 4H program, is now one of the leading service rifle and high power shooters in the nation. Erin McNeil claimed the 2021 Interservice Individual Rifle Championship with an impressive score of 996-52X, beating out 86 other service members (mostly guys BTW). That score also earned Erin the title of High Woman.

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

The 2021 Interservice Rifle Championships (IRC) continued with other events, including the 1000-yard match. Shown below is SSG McNeil competing in the IRC 1K Match. CLICK HERE for more match photos.

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

Staff Sgt. Erin McNeil hails from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has a B.S. in Mathematics from Texas Christian University (TCU), and holds the military occupational specialty of battle management system operator. With the USAMU, SSG McNeil has served on the International Shooting Team and the Service Rifle Team. As a USAMU team member, SSG McNeil has earned the President’s 100 Tab, Rifleman’s EIC Badge, and Bronze Medal at the 2014 World Championship in 3-Position/50m Smallbore Rifle.

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power
USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power
Along with centerfire shooting, Erin enjoys smallbore competition. She won the Bronze Medal competing in 3-Position/50m Smallbore Rifle at the 2014 World Championships.

Erin enjoys shooting competition because “It’s really between you and the gun. It’s a very mental game. I think shooting is a great sport… as long as you are able to compete within yourself.”

McNeil started shooting through a 4-H program while in the 8th grade and then shot in college with the TCU Rifle Team. Now, she serves as a shooter/instructor on the USAMU International Rifle Team. In the video below, SSG McNeil talks about her career in competitive shooting, and what she enjoys most about rifle competition — both smallbore and High Power. She notes she enjoys instructing young high school and collegiate shooters (see video below):

Camp Perry 2021 National Trophy Junior Team Match matches
SSG Erin McNeil of the USAMU (left) competes in NTI match with a young lady shooter.

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

Like Father, Like Daughter — Both Great Shooters
Erin noted: “My father was very influential in my shooting career. As a child, I looked up to him. I knew that he had been a world-class shooter in his youth. He asked me a few times if I would be interested in starting the 4H Rifle program. He was excited when I started showing interest in the program. Although he never coached me for fear of crossing the father/daughter relationship with the athlete/coach relationship, but he was always my biggest supporter and even gave assistance when I asked for it. I had a natural talent for shooting and ended up joining my high school’s Army JROTC. I was given a NCAA scholarship to TCU during my senior year. After completing college, I was accepted into the USAMU. My dad [was] the quiet, proud encourager of my shooting career[.]”

Words of Praise for SSG Erin McNeil from Facebook

“Congrats Sergeant McNeil from an old shooter from the 1964 ARADCOM Interservice Rattle Battle matches at Fort Carson Colorado, Ft. Campbell, Ft Sheridan, et cetera. You make me proud of all you folks who carry on the tradition.” — Walter Colbert

“I’ve watched Erin shoot while I was calling the matches from the Tower at the Camp Perry smallbore championships. [She was] never bothered and never ruffled. Just keeps shooting those Xs.” — Ken Kelley

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power
USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

SSG Erin McNeilSSG Erin McNeil of the USAMU
Staff Sergeant Erin McNeil, an international rifle shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Fort Benning, Georgia, has distinguished herself through her many accomplishments. Erin started shooting in 2001 and has numerous shooting accomplishments.

Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, President’s 100 tab, and Distinguished Excellence in Competition Rifleman’s Badge.

After graduating from Texas Christian University with a B.S. in Mathematics in 2010, Erin enlisted in the Army on February 15, 2011. After she completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training as a battle management system operator at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, she was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, where she has competed in smallbore, service rifle, and long range disciplines, and she also serves as a marksmanship instructor.

SSG McNeil Offers Lessons to Junior Shooters

USAMU SSG sergeant Erin McNeil wins 2021 Interservice Rifle Championship smallbore high power

SSG Erin McNeil, as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Fort Benning junior shooters club, enjoys sharing her skills and knowledge with the next generation. “You cannot come to one of these without learning something.” The photo shows SSG McNeil during the 2014 Montgomery Bell Academy Rifle Classic in Nashville, Tennessee. At that event, Erin and other top USAMU shooters provided instruction/coaching to High School competitors from all over the Southeast. “The kids who know us, and know of us, come to every clinic and benefit from them. You cannot come to one of these [clinics] without learning something.”

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January 9th, 2022

Sunday Gunday: New .17 WSM Savage A17 Rifles for Varminting

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber

The .17 Winchester Super Magnum (aka .17 WSM) is the fastest, flattest-shooting rimfire cartridge ever created. The .17 WSM cartridge, as you can see below, is significantly larger than the .17 HMR, and can deliver a 3000-fps muzzle velocity with a 20gr bullet, compared to about 2375 fps for .17 HMR 20gr ammo. That’s 26% more speed, which translates to a much flatter trajectory — a big deal when you’re shooting small varmints out to 300 yards.

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber
Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber
.17 WSM and .17 HMR Ammo comparison image courtesy Widener’s Reloading & Shooting Supply.

New .17 WSM A17 Semi-Auto Rifles from Savage Arms

The .17 WSM has been around for a while, but there have been limited selections of rifles chambered for this speedy rimfire round. Savage is changing that. Savage just announced that it will offer its A17-series rifles chambered in .17 WSM. Currently choose from two models with laminated wood stocks: the A17 WSM Sporter and A17 WSM Target Thumbhole. Both rifles feature a delayed-blowback, semi-automatic action specifically designed for the 17 HMR and 17 WSM cartridges. And both rifles boast 22″ button-rifled barrels, user-adjustable AccuTriggers, and 10-round rotary-feed internal magazines.

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber

Between the two, the Target Thumbhole model ($709 MSRP) would be our choice for varmint work, as the stock has nice ergonomics and shoots better off the bags, with a thicker, wider forearm. The A17 WSM Target Thumbhole model also has a 22″ fluted heavy target barrel. This is better for high-volume varmint sessions than the standard-contour barrel on the Sporter model ($619 MSRP).

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber

Savage Action Should Work Well with the .17 WSM Cartridge
Savage is proud of its new .17 WSM rifles: “We are launching the A17 chambered for .17 WSM in two of our more popular configurations [with laminate stocks]. Both are designed for target shooting and varmint hunting applications[.] The new A17 WSM Sporter and A17 WSM Target Thumbhole pair the dynamic rimfire cartridge with Savage’s A Series semi-automatic action for exceptional accuracy and fast follow-up shots.”

“Savage has seen outstanding performance from the .17 WSM cartridge and felt it could be optimized in new platforms. The A Series rifles have a delayed blowback design that accommodates this caliber with limited modifications, making it an ideal action for the WSM cartridge.” — Jessica Treglia, Savage Arms Senior Brand Manager.

A17 WSM Target Thumbhole Features

Gray wood-laminate thumbhole stock
Delayed-blowback action
Hard chrome bolt with oversized bolt handle
Case-hardened receiver
Fluted 22″ heavy target button-rifled barrel
8-round rotary magazine
User-adjustable AccuTrigger™
$709.00 MSRP

A17 WSM Sporter Features

Gray wood-laminate stock
Delayed-blowback action
Hard chrome bolt with oversized bolt handle
Case-hardened receiver
22″ button-rifled barrel
8-round rotary magazine
User-adjustable AccuTrigger
$619.00 MSRP

Commentary — This Could be a Great Varmint Option, IF the Ammo Becomes Available
If we were in the market for a new rifle for serious, high-volume ground squirrel and prairie dog varmint safaris, we would seriously consider this new A17 in .17 WSM. With a rimfire cartridge you don’t have to bother with handloading. And you should enjoy significantly better barrel life than a larger centerfire cartridge burning much more powder — provided you don’t shoot too fast and over-heat your barrel. Also, you won’t struggle to find primers. However, unfortunately .17 WSM ammo is hard to find right now, as we explain below. Be aware of the ammo shortage issue.

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber

Related Article Links for More .17 WSM Information

AccurateShooter Forum Thread on .17 WSM and New Savage Rifles
17WSM.com website with Ammo and Ballistics INFO
American Hunter .17 HMR vs. .17 WSM Comparison
Best .17 WSM Ammunition — Widener’s Report
Volquartsen .17 WSM Rifle

.17 Winchester Super Magnum Rimfire

.17 Winchester Super Magnum RimfireNew 3000 FPS Rimfire Round
A few years back Winchester created a high-velocity 17-caliber rimfire cartridge, the .17 Winchester Super Magnum (aka .17 WSM). Winchester has offered .17 WSM ammo with a choice of three bullet types: 20gr plastic tip (Varmint HV), 25gr plastic tip (Varmint HE), and a 20gr JHP (Super-X). The 20-grain varieties boast a 3000 FPS muzzle velocity, earning honors as the fastest Rimfire ammo ever made.

.17 Winchester Super Mag Specifications
Symbol Sub Brand Bullet Weight Muzzle Velocity
S17W20 Varmint HV 20-gr Plastic Tip 3,000 fps
S17W25 Varmint HE 25-gr Plastic Tip 2,600 fps
X17W20 Super-X 20-gr JHP 3,000 fps

Winchester claims that all .17 WSM ammo types shoot much flatter than the .22 Win Mag and .17 HMR, while delivering 150 percent more energy than both. In addition, the .17 WSM “bucks the wind” better than any other rimfire ammo — exhibiting significant less horizontal drift at extended ranges.

17 wsm winchester super magnum rimfire

Click Boxes to View Larger Charts


.17 WSM Ammunition is “Unobtanium” Right Now

Since its introduction, .17 WSM ammo has been sold by multiple companies including Browning, Federal (American Eagle), Hornady, and Winchester. Right now it is very hard to find ANY .17 WSM ammo. You have to look far and wide. On January 9, 2022 we checked with five major online vendors and found no .17 WSM ammunition in stock at Midsouth, MidwayUSA, Natchez, Precision Reloading, and Locked&Loaded. Every variety was listed as “Out of Stock” or “Temporarily Unavailable”. That’s discouraging. Hopefully more .17 WSM ammo will be appearing on dealer’s shelves in the months ahead.

Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber
Savage .17 17 winchester super magnum wsm ammo ammunition A17 varmint thumbhole rifle caliber

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December 12th, 2021

Sunday Gunday: From Russia with Love — Mosin Nagant Reborn


One of the most popular features of our Shooters’ Forum is the Official ‘Pride & Joy’ Rifle thread. There you’ll find dozens of interesting rifles, with photos and descriptions supplied by proud owners. Today we’re spotlighting one of the more interesting ‘Pride & Joy’ rifles unveiled this year, a Mosin Nagant “senior citizen”. This 72-year-old Russian bolt gun is not like any Mosin Nagant you’ve ever seen before. It has been brought into the 21st Century with a handsome target stock and some first-class upgrades, including Lothar Walther barrel and Timney trigger. Here’s a look at a very nice Russian rifle, belonging to Forum member Ben C. (aka “Grimstod”):

Video Shows Rifle Shooting Sub-Half-MOA from Bipod (in the Snow):

Name of rifle: Smyert Mk3 (Modified Mosin Nagant)
Make: Izhmekh/Izhevsk (“Izzy”) High Wall
Model: 91/30 | Year: 1942

Components and Specifications:

Barrel: Lothar Walther 26″
Contour: 1.18″ straight
Chambering: 7.62x54R, .310 bore
Stock: Bluegrass Tactical (Gen 1 & 2)
Trigger: Timney with Bluegrass trigger shoe
Magazine: Finnish No-Jam magazine
Scope mount: Rock Solid (looks like an action sleeve)
Scope: SWFA 20x42mm MRAD
Gunsmith: Sheppard
Bolt handle: Rock Solid with Surgeon tactical handle
Bipod: Versa Pod
Total Weight: 18.6 lbs

Grimstod’s Mosin Nagant Custom Shoots Under 0.5 MOA From Bipod
Even in harsh winter conditions, the rifle shot well. (I guess we should expect that for a Russian gun). The photo below shows a group shot from bipod. (The video shows Grimstod’s snow-bound range session). Grimstod calculated the group at 0.394 MOA measuring from outside edge to edge. Using our On-Target software, which measures center to center of most distant shots, we came up with 0.428 MOA. Still that’s impressive for an ancient action being shot in the dead of winter with snow falling. To learn more about this rifle (and view photos of the build process), visit the SurplusRifleForum.com.

The History and Features of the Mosin Nagant M1891

Now that you’ve seen a modernized Mosin Nagant, we through we’d provide some information about the original rifle, first issued in the late 19th century. It is one of the most mass-produced military bolt-action rifles in history with over 37 million units having been made since 1891.

The is a lengthy Wikipedia article on the Mosin Nagant rifle design and history. The 3-line rifle M1891, known in the West as Mosin Nagant and in former Soviet Union as Mosin’s rifle (Russian: винтовка Мосина), is a five-shot, bolt-action, internal magazine–fed military rifle. It is primarily chambered for its original 7.62×54mmR cartridge. The 3-line rifle, Model 1891, its original official designation, was adopted by the Russian military in 1891. There have been several variations from the original rifle, the most common being the M1891/30, which was a modernized design introduced in 1930.

Here is a test of the Sniper Version of the Mosin Nagant:

mosin nagant bolt action russian rifle
Photo credit: Nemo5576 retouched by Ewan ar born, Copyrighted free use, via Wikimedia Commons.

Like the Gewehr 98, the 1891 Mosin uses two front-locking lugs to lock up the action. However, the Mosin’s lugs lock in the horizontal position, whereas the Mauser locks vertically. The Mosin bolt body is multi-piece whereas the Mauser is one piece. The Mosin uses interchangeable bolt heads like the Lee–Enfield. Unlike the Mauser, which uses a controlled-feed bolt head in which the cartridge base snaps up under the fixed extractor as the cartridge is fed from the magazine, the Mosin has a push-feed recessed bolt head in which the spring-loaded extractor snaps over the cartridge base as the bolt is finally closed similar to the Gewehr 1888 and M91 Carcano or modern sporting rifles like the Remington 700. Like the Mauser, the Mosin uses a blade ejector mounted in the receiver. The Mosin bolt is removed by simply pulling it fully to the rear of the receiver and squeezing the trigger, while the Mauser has a bolt stop lever separate from the trigger.

mosin nagant bolt action russian rifle
Photo courtesy Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum), public domain.

Like the Mauser, the bolt lift arc on the Mosin Nagant is 90 degrees. The Mosin bolt handle is similar to the Mannlicher: it is attached to a protrusion on the middle of the bolt body, which serves as a bolt guide, and it locks protruding out of the ejection/loading port in front of a split rear receiver ring, also serving a similar function to Mauser’s “third” or “safety” lug.

In this video Jerry Miculek tests the carbine version of the Mosin Nagant:

The rifling of the Mosin barrel is right-turning (clockwise looking down the rifle) 4-groove with a twist of 1:9.5″ or 1:10″. The 5-round fixed metallic magazine can either be loaded by inserting the cartridges singly, or more often in military service, by the use of 5-round stripper clips.

mosin nagant bolt action russian rifle
Photo courtesy Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum), public domain.

Wikipedia text courtesy Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC BY-SA).

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December 5th, 2021

Sunday Gunday: Let Santa Bring You a CMP M1 Garand

CMP marksmanship program M1 Garand store order rifle vintage .30-06

We think every serious vintage rifle collector should acquire an M1 Garand at some point. If you ordered from the CMP this fall, perhaps you may find an historic M1 Garand under your Christmas tree this year. The CMP has, in the past couple of years, received over 90,000 Garands from overseas arsenals, so there are plenty to be had currently. This article explains how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.

How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions. CLICK HERE to Start Order.

Garand Turkish Turkey Philippines

CLICK HERE for Garand Ordering Information | CLICK HERE for Eligibility Requirements

CLICK HERE for Garand Grading Information

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle
This handsome M1 Garand was built with a CMP barreled action fitted to an aftermarket figured Walnut stock. That’s not war-worn GI wood.”

Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has brick-and-mortar stores where M1 Garands can be inspected and purchased and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama; Talladega, Alabama; and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.

CMP marksmanship program M1 Garand store order rifle vintage .30-06

M1 Garand Barreled Actions and Aftermarket Barrels

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

Along with complete M1 Garand rifles, the CMP also offers barreled actions. This can save you money, and also makes sense if you are looking to create a rifle with high-grade wood, or you want to bed the action for improved accuracy. You can order an M1 Garand barreled action, as well as complete M1 Garand rifles, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The eligibility requirements and ordering process will be the same for a barreled action as for a complete rifle.

If you already have an M1 Garand, but need a new barrel, you can order a pre-chambered Criterion barrel in .30-06 Springfield. Criterion tell us: “This is a direct replacement barrel for the M1 Garand rifle, manufactured to Mil-spec print #6535448. It has the original G.I. contour and Parkerized finish. Receiver threads are timed, all milling cuts are made, and all M1 Garand barrels are hand-lapped.” NOTE: Each barrel is .010 short-chambered and should be headspaced by a qualified gunsmith. These Criterion .30-06 replacement barrels, priced at $259.95, are legal for use in Service Rifle and John C. Garand matches.

m1 Garand Rifle Barrels CMP Criterion

If you want to re-chamber your M1 Garand to .308 Winchester, the CMP eStore sells brand new Criterion-made barrels in .308 Win for $199.95. These authentic-profile barrels are chambered and headspaced within .010″ of finished size, with final fitting to be done by a competent gunsmith. The barrels are also externally Parkerized to match your vintage M1 Garand.

New Criterion M1 Garand (.308 Win) RIFLE Barrel, 4140 Chrome Moly Steel
Item: 065CRI/308 | Price $199.95

How to Maintain the M1 Garand Rifle

Once you have an M1 Garand in your collection, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition so it works flawlessly for vintage military matches and fun shooting. Below we’ve linked two good SSUSA articles on M1 Garand maintenance. Following that you’ll find two excellent videos covering M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication. Finally there are links to recommended print manuals for the M1 Garand.

M1 Service and Maintenance
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) published an excellent article on Service and Maintenance of M1 Garand Rifles. This offers some smart tricks, such as using smoke from burning masking tape to darken the front sight post. There is also an older SSUSA article that covers basic cleaning and servicing and also explains how to upgrade the performance of your Garands. READ Article HERE.

M1 Garand maintenance procedures

As a resource for Garand owners, SSUSA recommends GarandGear.com: “[At] Garand Gear you’ll find USGI spec parts, tools, gauges, clips and a few Garand accessories. They also have some interesting freebies, most notably a direct analysis of M1 gas port pressures produced by different brands of commercial .30-06 ammunition, showing which ones exceed M2 Ball pressure, as well as the pressures produced by ammo manufactured specifically for the M1 Garand, such as Hornady’s M1 Garand Match and Federal’s American Eagle M1 Garand. Here you’ll also find free, downloadable and printable PDF copies of War Department M1 Garand maintenance manuals TM9-1275 and TM9-1005.”

m1 Garand Rifle Barrels CMP Criterion

M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication

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October 10th, 2021

SunDay GunDay: Queen of 2 Miles Lindsey Paul — .375 CheyTac

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Hail to the Queen — the new Queen of 2 Miles, Lindsey Paul. This lady can shoot! The talented Texan beat a large field of top competitors, including many past KO2M Champions, all guys. We congratulate Lindsey on her outstanding performance, including 3 hits in 5 shots at the max distance, 2.0 miles (3520 yards). No other competitor had more than one hit at 3520 yards, and only four other finalists even had one hit at that distance. Lindsey was shooting an Alamo Precision Rifles .375 CheyTac rig loaded with Cutting Edge 400gr solid bullets in Peterson brass.

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Here Lindsey shoots her KO2M-winning .375 CheyTac rifle. You can see it packs a punch even with that big muzzle brake. One side-note — this talented lady won the title with a borrowed bipod! Lindsey told us: “Unfortunately, for this video, I don’t have the Accu-Tac bipod I used in the match because it was borrowed. I’ve got one coming from them, but it hasn’t arrived yet.”

Winning the 2021 King of 2 Miles — My Success Story

Report by Lindsey Paul, 2021 KO2M Champion
Winning the K02M title was big surprise for me. I didn’t go into this match with much confidence. My barrel has been acting strangely, for example, after the last match I cleaned it and once I fouled it back in the barrel seemed to have suddenly lost speed. It went from 2985 fps to around 2955 fps. Unfortunately this is my first ELR gun and I didn’t know how important it was to keep up with my round count. I have no idea when this barrel will die but I’d been thinking for the past couple of months that it would be any day now. So, I panicked, added some powder to get back in the middle of where I’ve determined my node to be, adjusted my seating depth a bit and got it shooting at a moderately good level.

Day One went very well. I was hoping to finish the match in the top third, that was my goal. I wasn’t really even nervous about shooting, I was more apprehensive about spotting for my team-mate, Robert Waggoner. I hit the Cold Bore target at 1572 yards and I had a great run from there on out. I was a little bummed that I didn’t get just one more hit but I was still in 4th place at day’s end.

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Day Two was nerve-racking. I had to spot for Robert and spotting has been something I have historically struggled with. I’ve spent a LOT of time on the spotter this year, working to improve my skills and become proficient at making quick, accurate calls on misses. Robert cleaned Target 1 and I thought we were going to have a great run. For some reason Target 2 really got the best of him but he finally had an impact and we moved to Target 3. This might be the thing I’m most proud of at the whole match. He missed, about six plates high, and I saw it and gave him a good call. It was then that he realized he hadn’t written down his dope for Target 3 and was using the dope for Target 4! He got right back on target and had a first round impact on Target 4. We will be checking each other’s dope from now on, lesson learned!

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Securing Victory with Three Consecutive Hits at 2 Miles
I went into the finals in 9th place, almost 18,000 points behind the leader, Ryan Cheney. My goal was to finish in the Top Ten. Ryan had a solid final round with one impact on the 2-mile target. At that point few believed his score was catchable. I shot 12th in the order and I was concerned about conditions but they turned out to be great. Target 2 finally started to creep out of the shadows and the wind was not doing its normal, switchy stuff. Robert did an absolutely perfect job as my spotter (see photo above). I couldn’t ask for a better set of eyes for spotting misses and calling wind. I had three consecutive impacts on the Two Mile Target to earn enough points to overtake Ryan, and finish with the high point total for the match.

Editor: Lindsey came through spectacularly at the final 3520-yard distance. One observer noted: “Ryan had it in the bag before Lindsay got hot — three out of five at 3520 yards is HOT!”

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Ryan Cheney

Here are Results from the K02M Finals held Wednesday, 9/29/2021:
King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Ryan Cheney

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles
CLICK HERE for full-screen rifle photo.

Equipment Report — Rifle, Optics, Components

The rifle was built by Alamo Precision Rifles in North Richland Hills, Texas. Lindsey’s spotter, Robert Waggoner, is one of the owners. NOTE: The photo above shows the Nightforce Wedge Prism in place. This prism was used only for the two most distant Finals targets, at 3166 and 3520 yards.

Stiller TAC 408 Action
K&P 1:8″-twist 34″ barrel
Chambered for .375 CheyTac
Terminator T5 Muzzle Brake
McMillan Beast Stock
Jewell Trigger

Mirage Extended Picatinny Rail
Nightforce ATACR 7-36x56mm scope
Nightforce Wedge Prism
Spuhr Scope Mount
Accu-Tac HD-50 Bipod
Armageddon Gear Game Changer rear bag

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Personal Drag Model is Important in ELR Game
I must mention the importance of getting a PDM (Personal Drag Model) from Applied Ballistics. They are generous enough to travel the country with their mobile lab and provide PDMs at no cost. Take advantage of this! It’s not completely plug and play, I had to true my velocity but once I did some testing and adjusting the PDM was within half-MOA of accuracy all the way out to the 3520 yard target.

Loading for the Jumbo .375 CheyTac Cartridge — You Need Quality Dies and Components
The loading process is the same with the big caliber as anything else. The trick is having quality components and dies. The Cutting Edge Lazers have proven themselves over and over. They are very consistent. The biggest challenge we’ve found with these big cartridges is finding a load that is both accurate and has good ES/SD numbers. It seems like when it shoots a single hole the SD is over 10 FPS and when the SD is great, it shoots an unacceptable sized group.

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Alamo Precision Rifles

Q & A with Queen of 2 Miles Lindsey Paul

Q: How satisfying was it to win the match, don the KO2M crown, and be carried in the champion’s chair?

Lindsey: I try really hard to stay grounded and humble. That said, we put everything aside and worked really hard to focus on ELR this year. This win is very satisfying because all the hard work paid off. I’m also very happy I’ve improved as a spotter. Nobody wants to be the weak half of a team.

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Ryan Cheney

Q: What are your training methods for Extreme Long Range?

Lindsey: We don’t often have access to long ranges to train. We had a 2000-yard range near us shut down this year so that was devastating. We did have a training day to confirm dope about two weeks before the match and I’m glad we did. I had an impact at 2 miles that day so that helped my confidence.

Q: Do you employ any special “mental prep” before shooting?

Lindsey: I did something different before the final round of KO2M that seemed to help. I sat in the truck, listened to the Rocky theme song and visualized my entire string of shots with transitions and every shot making an impact. This was something my track coach did with us in high school and I felt kind of goofy but think it helped.

Q: How has being in law enforcement made you a better shooter/competitor?

Lindsey: Yes, I think I find it easy to stay calm under pressure. I still have the ability to get rattled when things aren’t going well but for the most part, I stay focused. [Editor: Lindsey is a law enforcement officer in Texas who has worked regular duties as well as mounted (horseback) patrols.]

Q: What tips do you have for other shooters in the ELR game?

Lindsey: Stop chasing speed! These big guns hide pressure very well and you don’t need to be running on the ragged edge of pressure to get results. We learned that the easy way by ruining brass. I fear someone is going to learn it the hard, catastrophic way.

Q: What specific advice do you have for ladies who want to get involved in ELR?

Lindsey: Get a nice .22 LR (such as a Bergara) and stretch that out to 300-400 yards. It’s a great training tool to learn to make wind calls and you can see if you enjoy shooting prone at far targets without such a huge financial investment. Additionally, all you have to do is find the particular lot of factory rimfire ammo that your gun shoots well. That way you can wait to go down the “rabbit hole” that is reloading.

How Lindsey Paul Became a Champion — Talent and Dedication

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Ryan Cheney
Lindsey holding K02M trophy, with her Alamo Precision Rifles K02M team-mates.

I got involved with the shooting sports as a kid. My dad was a Sheriff’s Deputy so he taught me to shoot at a young age. I grew up shooting handguns a bit. My true passion is hunting so I decided to start shooting competitively to improve my rifle skills and make me a better hunter. We also shoot some .22 LR matches, a local 500-yard prone centerfire match, and I hope to make it to a few NRL Hunter matches next year. The Nightforce Steel Challenge is definitely on the calendar as well.

I initially built my ELR gun hoping to take it out to a big ranch and shoot rocks on cliff faces but after I competed with it once I was hooked. I think my police training helps me to remain calm. I’ve faced enough real-life chaos and serious situations that it’s easy for me to remember that a match is just a competition and if I have a bad day there will be another match to redeem myself.

This has been a wild year for me. We started at Clark’s Knob match and found our equipment had some flaws at the extreme distances. We regrouped, made some changes and things improved. I broke the FCSA Cold Bore world record with three consecutive shots at 2464 yards at the Spring Canyon match in August 2021 and I’ve had some solid finishes at the matches we’ve attended.

Lindsey Set a FCSA Cold Bore World Record in August 2021
Lindsey is definitely a top talent in the ELR game. Back in August 2021 she set a new FCSA Cold Bore World record at 1.5 miles (2464 yards).

King of 2 Miles Queen Lindsey Paul Raton ELR Ryan Cheney

If I were to start over I wouldn’t change much other than investing in a better-quality scope sooner. I am stubborn and I used an Athlon Ares ETR scope for the first couple of years, insisting that it was fine because it fit in my budget. Robert convinced me to borrow a Nightforce ATACR before the Spring Canyon match and I broke the world record so clearly the higher-quality scope with a more reliable erector system has made a difference. Lesson learned — don’t compromise on quality.

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September 5th, 2021

Sunday GunDay: Fall Multi-Discipline Rimfire Rifle Showcase

rimfire .22 LR showcase sunday gunday anschutz CA 457 benchrest prone
Top is a CZ 457 MTR; middle Anschutz with BR stock; bottom is Bergara B14R in DPT Chassis.

With the variety of rimfire disciplines, from cowboy action to Olympic three-position smallbore, there are countless different rimfire designs on the market — bolt guns, lever guns, single-shots, toggle-links and more. These may shoot the same ammo, but they certainly vary in looks and ergonomics. This is testimony to human creativity.

In our Shooters’ Forum, you’ll find a long-running thread showcasing rimfire rifles for plinking, hunting, 3P Target Shooting, Silhouette, Rimfire F-Class, NRL22 and more. Here are some of the notable recently-posted rifles in that Forum thread, with brief build/component details.

ARA Benchrest Rifle with Stiller Action, Shilen Ratchet Barrel

penrod precisions stiller 2500X shilen barrel snow Lapua testing center midas+

penrod precisions stiller 2500X shilen barrel snow Lapua testing center midas+Forum member Peebles24 showcased his cool flame-paint-job .22 LR benchrest rifle against a scenic, snowy background (never too cold to shoot right?). “I had a new rifle built this past fall by Mark Penrod at Penrod Precision. Stiller 2500X action, Shilen ratchet barrel, Jewell trigger, McMillan stock, Harrell’s tuner, Sightron SIII 10-50×60mm glass. I’m shooting it off my Arnold Machine one-piece rest made locally by Cliff Arnold. I visited the Lapua Testing Center East and got a case of Midas+.” For ammo testing results, click photo at right.

In late April the gun competed in its first ARA benchrest match in Wabash, Indiana.

Beautiful MasterClass-Stocked Rifle for Rimfire F-Class

Masterclass rimfire F-class stiller 2500X action wood stock
Masterclass rimfire F-class stiller 2500X action wood stock

Here is a handsome rifle belonging to Forum member Redd. Set up for prone Rimfire F-Class-style competition, this rig features a Shilen Ratchet barrel with Erik Cortina Tuner fitted to a Stiller 2500X action. It boasts a beautiful MasterClass figured Walnut stock and rides on a SEB Joy-Pod bipod up front. The optic is a Nightforce 40x45mm Competition.

CZ 457 .22 Magnum Transformed with KRG Bravo Stock

CZ 527 Rimfire .22 Magnum KRG Bravo stock

CZ 527 Rimfire .22 Magnum KRG Bravo stockForum member JAS-AS purchased a .22 Magnum CZ which he revived as a training rig with a new stock. He posted: “I use a CZ457 in .22 Magnum mainly as a trainer — bipod and rear bag kind of stuff. It has evolved over the last year or so. Next change will be a Lilja barrel. This because it can shoot brilliantly (at times) but not consistently. And accuracy degrades as it gets minimally dirty. Also, it doesn’t like 40gr rounds — the groups open up to 1.5 MOA. It’s at its best with 30 and 35 grain rounds running at up to 2250 fps. I believe that to be a twist-rate issue.”

The “Before” photo shows the rifle “as purchased” with a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42mm mildot scope. The “After” image shows the CZ 457 as modified. JAS-AS notes: “I added a bunch of stuff: KRG Bravo stock, Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56mm FFP scope, new bipod and Precision Underground bag, trigger spring. With this setup I shoot at 100 yards+ exclusively.” Show at right is a 9-shot group with the rifle at 100 yards. Three-shot groups at 100 have been below half-MOA.

Savage Mark II Squirrel/Field Rifle

Savage hunting squirrel rimfire

This Savage Mark II rifle isn’t fancy, but it has brought much satisfaction to its owner, Forum member “Ohio Varmint Shooter”. He posted: “Just a nice field gun. Less than $200 (without scope). Cheap wooden stock, thin pencil barrel. My squirrel/field gun. There is absolutely nothing special about this… except it’s lefthanded. It shoots fine, preferring CCI standard velocity rounds. I did splurge and put a more-than-needed scope on it. Most scopes with fixed parallax (in this category), have it fixed at 50 yards. I wanted variable parallax so I could set it at 35 yards. I don’t know if it really makes any difference, but I do try to go for accurate head shots. The scope is also a little overkill in magnification, but it does help with the head shots and my aging eyes.”

“As a youth in the 70s, I always dreamed of a left-handed bolt. So getting back into shooting/hunting about 8 years ago, I was delighted to discover this gun. Growing up I had a semi-auto 22, but being a lefty … it would spit powder on my face.” — Ohio Varmint Shooter

Tikka T1x Action in Eliseo Competition Machine Chassis

Gary Eliseo tikka T1x chassis competition machine .22 LR
Gary Eliseo tikka T1x chassis competition machine .22 LR

Here is Gary Eliseo’s personal Rimfire Match Target Rifle with Tikka T1x action. The T1x action is carried in Competition Machine Rimfire Chassis. Gary also posted some recent 100-yard groups, using SK rifle match ammo in this rifle. Gary runs Competition Machine LLC and produces the chassis system for this cool rig, along with outstanding Across-the-Course, High Power, and F-Class chassis systems for rimfire and centerfire rifles.

Vudoo Action Benchrest Rifle with Benchmark 3-Groove Barrel

vudoo benchmark doan trevor mcmillan stock benchrest .22 LR

Here is a classy benchrest rig belonging to Forum member FCJIM. It features a Vudoo LBRP action, Benchmark 3-groove barrel, Harrell’s Precision tuner, NightForce Benchrest scope, and McMillan Edge stock. The stock work was done by Doan Trevor, while FCJIM did the metal work himself, using a Nevius reamer. This rig likes to shoot ELEY Black and Lapua Midas+ ammo.

Classic CPA Rifles Lever-Action Single-Shot Rimfire Rifle

CPA Stevens rimfire lever action set trigger .22 LR
CPA Stevens rimfire lever action set trigger .22 LR
CPA Stevens rimfire lever action set trigger .22 LR

Last but not least, here is a “blast from the past”. This classic lever-action single shot is crafted by CPS Rifles (Paul Shuttleworth), a boutique gun-maker specializing in single-shot rifles, particularly reproductions of the Stevens 44 1/2. Note the richly-figured wood and the lovely color case-hardening on the receiver. There is a dual Set Trigger system. You pull one trigger through a relatively long stroke until it clicks. The the second trigger breaks the shot (and drops the hammer) with just a few ounces of pull weight. This rig, fitted with MPA Vernier-type tang sights, belongs to Forum member “Mills” from Texas.

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April 11th, 2021

Sunday GunDay: Home-Built Heavy Gun with Coaxial Rear Rest

Rear coaxial Rest Heavy gun

If you’re a fan of “Heavy Artillery” here’s an impressive rifle that Forum member “Straightpipes” crafted himself nearly a decade ago. Even today, it remains a state-of-the-art engineering Tour De Force, complete with a custom-built, joy-stick REAR rest. We’re mightily impressed by the innovative design and superb metal-work displayed by this “home-built special”. ‘Straightpipes’ certainly proved that American “know-how” and creativity is still alive….

Coaxial (joy-stick) rests allow both vertical and horizontal movement with a single control. If you want to make a diagonal shift in point of aim, you can do this with one, smooth, continuous movement. Until now, this advantage has been limited to front rests. Well there’s some new technology in the benchrest world. Forum member ‘Straightpipes’ has created a coaxial rear joystick rest. He built this simple, compact rear rest in his home workshop for use with his 40-lb Heavy Gun. In combination with a vertically adjustable front rest, this innovative rear joystick rest allows aiming to be controlled from the rear, with your left hand in a comfortable position. Yes this kind of adjustable rear rest is legal in NBRSA HG and LG classes, and in IBS Heavy Gun class.

Rear coaxial Rest Heavy gun

Straightpipes Rear Coaxial Rest — Design and Features
The rear rest is crafted from aluminum with a stainless steel forward-pointing joystick. Total weight, including the long, stabilizing base foot, is about 10 pounds. Though the rear rest doesn’t seem to have a large movement range, the system offers plenty of “on-target” travel. At 100 yards, the rest offers 10 MOA left, 10 MOA right, 5 MOA up, and 5 MOA down adjustment. That’s plenty of range for most targets, once you center the Point of Aim vertically using the captain’s wheel on the front rest, which Straightpipes also crafted himself. Click Square Photos Below to see Large Images.

Inside the rear cradle sits a Protektor rear sandbag, with Cordura fabric filled with ordinary sand. This fits the 3″-wide bottom of Straightpipes’ 40-lb heavy gun. There are some sophisticated components you can’t see in the photos. The rear rest can pivot (right or left slightly) to stay aligned with the front rest (as adjusted to level the cant of the rifle). Straightpipes says: “With the pivot, whatever I do to the front, the rear follows.” The basket (cradle) also employs a 20-lb bias spring system to handle the weight of the Heavy Gun. This prevents the co-axial system from binding, so it is fluid and easy to operate. Even with 20 pounds of gun weight on the rear, the joystick can be easily manipulated with a light touch of thumb and fore-finger.

Video Shows Rear Coaxial Rest in Action

Watch the video below to see how the joystick controls the rear rest. Total joystick movement is about a 2.5″ sweep. This gives 20 MOA total windage adjustment at 100 yards, and about 10 MOA vertical.

About the Straightpipes Front Rest
The coaxial rear rest is designed to work with the massive front rest as a system, though they are NOT connected, so as to comply with IBS Heavy Gun rules. The 30-lb front rest supports exactly half the weight of the rifle and is used to set gross elevation. Windage and fine elevation is controlled in the rear. Straightpipes also designed and built his beefy front rest himself. As with his rear coaxial unit, the front rest pieces were all shaped by hand on a belt sander after being milled out. Straitpipes even “finish-sculpted some pieces with hand files the old craftsmen way.” The main center support column was milled with extremely fine threads. This allows the captain’s wheel to turn with little effort and no locking mechanism is required. Straightpipes does not need to fuss with locking knobs when he sets gross elevation. To help keep the unit from binding, there are stainless guide shafts on the left and right. These shafts slide in oil-impregnated bronze bushings.

Rear coaxial Rest Heavy gun

40-lb Barrel Block Heavy Gun with Savage Action
Straightpipes built this beautiful set of rests to work with his 40-lb Heavy Gun. Chambered in 7mm WSM, the gun features a Savage Target Action, and a Brux 32″, 1.300″ straight-diameter barrel fitted with a custom barrel nut. The barrel is clamped forward of the action in a 9″-long barrel block. This allows the Savage action to free-float. The block, also built by Straightpipes, looks fairly standard, but it has some clever design features. Between the barrel and the block there is sleeve that is slightly compressed when the block’s bolts are tensioned. This sleeve, made of a proprietary material, eliminates metal to metal contact between barrel and block. Straightpipes believes this enhances accuracy and provides some damping. Other shooters with barrel-block guns have used epoxy between block and barrel, but that makes disassembly difficult. The sleeve system on Straightpipes’ gun allows the barreled action to be easily removed from the stock. In addition, the compressed sleeve system is very stable — Straightpipes doesn’t have to fiddle with the bolt torques on his block.

Rear coaxial Rest Heavy gun

‘Black Beauty’ Stock Made from Resin-Soaked Laminated Wood, with Rust-Oleum Finish
Straightpipes built the beefy stock himself. It is made from “red oak” wood soaked in resin and then laminated together with JB Weld. The rear section features a polished aluminum buttplate and twin metal “runners” on the underside, where the stock rides the Protektor Cordura bag. Straightpipes says the stock is very stable: “it absolutely does not flex or warp with changes in temp or humidity”. We asked Straightpipes about the stock finish. To our surprise, “Pipes” revealed he used inexpensive Rust-Oleum fine texture outdoor furniture paint. “Pipes” told us: “I’ve been using this stuff for years. It’s abrasion proof and tough as nails — the bags won’t wear it off. It’s solvent-proof, won’t get soft or bubble up. It cleans up with a damp cloth, just rub it down and it looks like new.”

Rear coaxial Rest Heavy gun

As designed and crafted by Straightpipes, this Heavy Gun rest system is impressive. The rear rest is brilliantly simple, and beautifully finished. But the important question is: “how does it shoot?”. Straightpipes reports that the whole system exceeds his expectations: “The rear rest actuation is smooth and positive. It works smoothly in conjunction with the front rest. Everything is working together — there’s nothing that’s fighting another element of the system. The gun tracks straight. When it returns to battery, the thing is pretty much waiting for you shot after shot.” The rear rest’s small footprint allows the “driver” to sit comfortably behind the rig. Straightpipes reports: “Shooters can ‘address the rifle’ just like a Light Gun — you’re not straining to wrap your arm around something overly massive. Anybody can shoot this, it’s a very easy gun to shoot.”

Is it accurate? In a word, “Yes”. Straightpipes doesn’t want to make claims before the rig has been tested in competition, but he says it has “shot groups at 600 and 1000 yards that would be very competitive.” We promised not to publish group sizes yet, but we can tell you that at 600 yards in good conditions it drilled some “scary small” 5-shot groups, well, well under 1/4 MOA.

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January 3rd, 2021

Sunday GunDay: The M1 Garand That Came for Christmas

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle
We think everyone should have a Garand in their gun collection…

In our AccurateShooter Forum, you’ll find a popular thread: “Anybody Get Gun Stuff for Christmas?”. One notable post featured a very special Christmas-week arrival — an M1 Garand barreled action. A Forum member received this CMP-sourced barreled action from a friend and then transformed it with a stunning wood stock and other components. We’d say this is a very successful and handsome holiday project. And get this — the skilled owner, who works as a volunteer armorer, assembled his new M1 Garand in record time: “Well, it took three weeks in-transit for my [Christmas] gift to myself to arrive, but I picked her up at 1400 hours yesterday. Had her built into a complete rifle by 1530….”

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

CMP Civilian Marksmanship Program M1 Garand Christmas Rifle

If you would like to put together a handsome M1 Garand like the Christmas rifle shown above, you’ll need to start with a barreled action. You can order these, as well as complete M1 Garand rifles, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). Below we explain how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.

If you have questions about assembling a Garand, contact us and we will put you in touch with the builder of the Christmas M1 Garand rifle. He is a CMP-trained armorer who works to maintain ceremonial rifles for VFW, American Legion, and Disabled Veterans Posts throughout Kentucky.

Ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP — Qualifications

Garand Turkish Turkey Philippines

How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. M1 Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions.

CLICK HERE for Garand Ordering Information | CLICK HERE for Eligibility Requirements

CLICK HERE for Garand Grading Information

Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has two stores where M1 Garands can be ordered over the counter and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama, Talladega, Alabama, and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.

Ordering a Barrel — If you already have an M1 Garand, but the barrel has seen better days, you can order a pre-chambered Criterion barrel in .30-06 Springfield. Criterion tell us: “This is a direct replacement barrel for the M1 Garand rifle, manufactured to mil-spec print #6535448. It has the original G.I. contour and Parkerized finish. Receiver threads are timed, all milling cuts are made, and all M1 Garand barrels are hand-lapped.” NOTE: Each barrel is .010 short-chambered and should be properly headspaced by a qualified gunsmith. These Criterion .30-06 replacement barrels, priced at $259.95, are legal for use in Service Rifle and John C. Garand matches.

m1 Garand Rifle Barrels CMP Criterion

If you want to re-chamber your M1 Garand to .308 Winchester, the CMP eStore sells brand new Criterion-made barrels in .308 Win for $199.95. These authentic-profile barrels are chambered and headspaced within .010″ of finished size, with final fitting to be done by a competent gunsmith. The barrels are also externally Parkerized to match your vintage M1 Garand.

New Criterion M1 Garand (.308 Win) RIFLE Barrel, 4140 Chrome Moly Steel
Item: 065CRI/308 | Price $199.95

How to Maintain the M1 Garand

Once you have an M1 Garand in your collection, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition so it works flawlessly for vintage military matches and fun shoooting. Below we’ve linked two good SSUSA articles on M1 Garand maintenance. Following that you’ll find two excellent videos covering M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication. Finally there are links to recommended print manuals for the M1 Garand.

M1 Service and Maintenance
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) published an excellent article on Service and Maintenance of M1 Garand Rifles. This offers some smart tricks, such as using smoke from burning masking tape to darken the front sight post. There is also an older SSUSA article that covers basic cleaning and servicing and also explains how to upgrade the performance of your Garands. READ Article HERE.

M1 Garand maintenance procedures

M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication

Recommended M1 Garand Service Manuals

Among the many M1 Garand manuals available, we recommend the CMP’s U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1: ‘Read This First’ Manual. This booklet covers take-down, reassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and operation. The manual comes with CMP rifles or can be purchased for $3.25 from the CMP eStore. The author of Garand Tips & Tricks says: “It’s one of the best firearms manuals I’ve seen and I highly recommend it.” The CMP also offers many other M1 Garand print resources including:

M1 Garand Owner’s Guide (125 pages, Scott Duff)
M1 Garand Complete Assembly Guide (155 pages, Walt Kuleck & Scott McKee)
Complete Guide to M1 Garand and M1 Carbine (296 pages, Bruce Canfield)

M1 Garand match instruction video War Department

Jim thompson m1 garand essential practical historical guide book

Do you own an M1 Garand, or have you always wanted to acquire one of these legendary semi-auto battle rifles? Well then here is a valuable new resource: The Essential M1 Garand: A Practical and Historical Guide for Shooters and Collectors. This new book by Jim Thompson covers the history of the M1 Garand, and offers practical advice for Garand owners, along with complete parts lists. The book includes annotated military and National Match manuals, a troubleshooting chart, and a section on hand-loading for the Garand. The final Section addresses common questions about the rifle and offers detailed instructions for maintaining this wartime classic. First published in February, 2020, The Essential M1 Garand is available in Print Paperback and Kindle eBook versions. View Table of Contents.

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December 20th, 2020

Sunday GunDay: Precision Rifles — PRS/NRL Rig Showcase

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks
PRS/NRL precision rifle of Forum member D.Stone.

This Sunday GunDay article showcases multiple PRS/NRL tactical-type precision rifles. All these impressive rigs are featured in a long-running thread in our AccurateShooter Forum. In that thread, titled Post Pics of your PRS Match Rifles, you’ll find dozens of current PRS/NRL competition rigs. These feature a wide variety of actions, stocks, optics, muzzle devices, and support bags.

Many guys who posted photos of their PRS/NRL rifles also listed the rifles’ components, optics, triggers, and other accessories. If you are thinking about building a rifle for PRS/NRL competitions, or just for fun field-style shooting and varmint hunting, definitely delve into today’s Sunday GunDay story. You’ll find good suggestions about chambering, barrel contours, and optics choices. In addition, many of the photos feature bipods, tripods, and various support bags. This is a quick way to compare accessory components.

Matt’s Duo at the Range

Forum member “Matt_3479″ posted two of his tactical rifles during load development at the range. These two rigs are quite different. The upper rifle features a Defiance Deviant action with TriggerTech special in a Manners T5A Elite stock with Mini Chassis. The barrel is a 27″ Hell’s Canyon 1:9.5″-twist chambered for the .300 Norma. Matt says he is still working on his load tune, but the cartridge is able to drive 215gr bullets at 3150-3200 FPS.

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance MPA Chassis stocks

The second rifle (below) boasts a Terminus Zeus action with TriggerTech Diamond trigger. The chassis is a Kinetic Research Group (KRG) Whiskey 3–Gen 6. The barrel is a 26″ K.S. Arms Ltd. 1:7″-twist chambered for the 25 Creedmoor cartridge. Matt says this 25 Creedmoor cartridge will drive 131gr bullets at 2890 FPS.

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance MPA Chassis stocks

Wooley’s Wicked Accurate 6mm Creedmoor

This tack-driving 6mm Creedmoor from Forum member “Wooley” shows how accurate that cartridge can be with in a good rifle with a great barrel. This Nightforce-equipped rifle produced a 0.217″ 5-shot group with Hodgdon H4350 powder. Impressive!

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance MPA Chassis stocks

Tactical .223 Ackley in Accuracy Int’l Chassis

This handsome tripod-mounted rig belongs to Forum member “Hoser”. This now features a Terminus action with barrel chambered for the .223 Ackley. Hoser is happy with his new 3-lug action: “Very happy with the switch to a 3-lug Terminus action, it feeds like butter. I have about 500-600 rounds on the action and it keeps getting smoother. I finally threw my Bighorn TL2 and 3 in the trash [due to crappy feeding] — a good call. Bighorn used to be such a top-shelf company too.”

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance MPA Chassis stocks

MPA Comp Duo — Upgrades in Progress

These two rifles belong to Forum member “GoLong”. While they both feature MPA Comp chassis systems, if you look carefully, you’ll note that each has a different butt pad and grip. Owner Golong tells us he is planning some upgrades: “I am moving the gray chassis to a different action and going with an Accuracy Int’l AI AX chassis. I also ordered up a lateral-adjustable cheek piece and … a thinner butt pad from MPA. I am also moving from the MPA mounts for both of these and replacing them with SPUHR 4002s.”

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance MPA Chassis stocks

Tactical Trio — 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, .223 Rem

Here are three rifles all belonging to Forum member “300 Whisper”. They are all fitted in Manners stocks. At left is a 6.5 Creedmoor with Defiance action. In the middle is a 6mm Creedmoor with Defiance action. And on the right is a .223 Rem with factory Tikka tactical barreled action. For middle rifle optics, 300 Whisper notes: “I am debating on putting on a DMRII or another SWFA HD on the 6CM.”

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks

6.5 Creedmoor (left) — GAP built Defiance Deviant, Bartlein 24″ med Palma 1:8″-twist barrel, Manners T4A stock (mini chassis), Timney Calvin Elite trigger, metal cerakoted matte brown. Scope: SWFA HD Mil FFP.

6mm Creedmoor (middle) — Alpha Omega build Defiance Tenacity, Bartlein heavy Palma 26″ 1:8″-twist barrel, Manner T2A with Mini Chassis, TriggerTech trigger, Area 419 brake, metal Cerakoted matte black. Scope: Bushnell DMRII with G2 reticle Mil FFP.

.223 Rem — (right) Tikka Tac3 barreled action, varmint contour, 1:8″-twist, Timney trigger, Manners PRS1 stock with Mini Chassis and ARCA rail, Metal Cerakoted matte black, Surefire brake, Atlas bipod. Scope: Bushnell DMR mildot Mil FFP.

Pair of Rifles in Accuracy Int’l Stocks

Here is a nice pair of rifles belonging to Forum member “M16_4_Real”. The top rifle, in an AI AE MKII folding stock, has multiple barrel/chambering options: Gradous 6 Dasher, A-Team Precision 6 Dasher, Accurate Ordinance 6.5×47 Lapua, and Accurate Ordinance 6XC. The optic is a Premier Heritage 5-25x56mm Gen2 XR in Nigtforce UL Ti Rings. There are Area 419 Hellfire brakes on two of the barreld. The owner runs a Samb300 thumbrest plus 3D-printed data card mount. Ammo is held with a MDT 12-rd Dasher mag. The sandbag is a Waxed Canvas OG Game Changer Git Lite.

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocksThe lower rifle, in an AI AX chassis with Kelbly Atlas action, also has multiple variants: Kelbly 6 Dasher, Kelbly 6.5×47 Lapua, and PBB 6GT (new GAP cartridge). The Steiner T5Xi 5-25x56mm SCR optic rides in Nightforce UL TI rings. The 6.5 barrel has a PVA Jet Blast brake, while the 6mm barrels can use Area 419 Hellfires.

Other accessories include: MHA ARCA rail, Samb300 thumbrest, Hoptic USA 2-rd Quiver, Yow-Tech data card mount, and RDS E-Dope Card. The bags show are a SAP Lightweight rear bag, plus a Sticky Pint Size Game Changer Git Lite.

Tripod Details — Behind the two rifles is a high-tech Innorel RT90C Carbon Fiber Bowl Tripod equipped with Innorel BH-55 ball head, Bushnell Bino Mount, Kydex Timer Mount, Raush Tripod Hammock, and 6″x9″ clipboard. Gear on the tripod includes: German Precision Optics 10x50HD Binoculars, Kestrel 5700 Sportsman, and Amazon touch screen timer.

Rock Solid Chassis with Defiance Alpha 11 Action

This rig belongs to Forum member “Eric 32″. That chassis may not be familiar to many readers. It is a Rock Solid brand chassis, featuring MST vertical grip. As built by GA Precision, this rifle boasts a Defiance Alpha 11 action from Short Action Customs (SAC) with Huber 2-stage trigger. The barrel is a Bartlein 1:8″-twist chambered for 6XC and fitted with SPR barrel “bugnut” and Area 419 Hellfire brake. The Schmidt & Bender 5-26x56mm P4F scope rides in a Spuhr 4003 mount.

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks
PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks

6mm Dasher in Manners TCS Stock

We don’t know much about this cool rifle, except that it is chambered for the ultra-accurate 6mm Dasher and the action sits in a Manners TCS Stock. Maybe the proud owner, Forum member “jsimonh”, can provide some details in the comments. We just like the camo paint scheme, great ergonomics/adjustability, and suppressor with matching camo cover.

PRS NRL precision rifle showcase GAP Defiance 6mm Creedmoor Manners stocks

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November 22nd, 2020

Sunday GunDay: Jonathan Ocab’s Vudoo/MPA .22 LR for NRL22

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

Today we feature a top-flight tactical .22 LR rig belonging to Jonathan Ocab. A talented Highpower marksman with the Distinguished Rifleman Badge, Jonathan also enjoys rimfire tactical disciplines which he features on his Youtube Channel. Jonathan now runs a monthly NRL22 match in California. His interest in the NRL22 game started with a CZ 455, but soon he stepped up to the impressive rig you see here. This boasts all top-tier components: Vudoo V-22 mag-fed action, Bartlein barrel, MPA Chassis, and Kahles K525i scope. Jonathan carefully selected all this hardware and assembled the rifle himself.

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

My Vudoo/MPA Rifle for NRL22 and Long Range Rimfire
Report by Jonathan Ocab, Ocabj.net.
I became interested in rimfire shooting due to not having as much access to longer distance ranges, and the emergence of NRL22 matches. Back in 2017 I had acquired a CZ 455 and ran it in NRL22 club matches. It worked well, but as I started spending most of my time on my club’s rimfire range, I focused on getting a Vudoo Gun Works V-22. The Vudoo V-22 appeared to offer a true repeater that had the feel of a full-sized centerfire rifle along with high accuracy/precision potential.

After a lot of research, I decided to put in an order for a barreled action and acquired a Vudoo Gun Works V-22 action with a 20″ Bartlein barrel, 1-16″ twist, and MTU contour, all in Flat Dark Earth Cerakote (along with a +30 MOA base). I then acquired the TriggerTech Diamond Trigger Pro Curved, Masterpiece Arms BA Comp chassis (in Flat Dark Earth), American Rifle Company M10 34mm rings (28mm height), and Kahles K525i 5-25x56mm SKMR3 LSW scope.

CZ as a Starter NRL22 Option — The CZ 450-series is a solid family of .22 LR rifles, but I wanted to see what existed beyond the CZ level of rimfire rifles. One of my complaints with the CZ 455 is that the trigger leaves much to be desired even with the trigger kits available. Since the Vudoo V-22 action has a Remington 700 footprint and can accept most Rem 700-compatible triggers, I can actually run a top-tier trigger that would exceed anything available for the CZ.

Component Selection for the Ultimate NRL22 Competition Rifle
My choices in components were biased due to my prior experience — I went with quality hardware I knew and trusted…

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

Barrel Choice — I chose the Bartlein barrel over Vudoo’s in-house Ace barrels because I run a Bartlein barrel on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle and I have become a big Bartlein fan. Secondly, I chose the Masterpiece Arms BA Competition chassis because I also run the MPA BA Comp on my 6mm Creedmoor rifle. You can see the two rifles side-by-side below:

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS
You are not seeing double. There are two rifles, both with an MPA Comp BA chassis, and both weighing about 15 pounds. In front is the featured Vudoo-action .22 LR rimfire rig with 20″ barrel, while behind is Ocab’s ARC Mausingfield 6mm Creedmoor PRS/NRL centerfire rig with 24″ barrel.

After running this rifle build for over a year now, I can say that I am more than happy with this platform as I have it configured. Having a .22 LR rifle in the same chassis as my 6mm Creedmoor rifle makes me feel right at home behind either rimfire or centerfire platform. My Vudoo V-22 weighs 15.2 lbs with Atlas CAL bipod while my 6mm Creedmoor rifle build weighs right at 15.0 lbs with the same Atlas CAL bipod. The “feel” and handling of my Vudoo V-22 MPA is as close to a centerfire gun as you can get.

Scope and Rings — I chose the 5-25x56mm Kahles K525i SKMR3 LSW because I was interested in running the Kahles after handling a few K624i and K525i scopes and hearing about how great they tracked. I run ARC M10 rings on several rifles because I think they are superbly designed.

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

Trigger Choice — I chose the TriggerTech Diamond because I already have a TriggerTech on one of my centerfire platforms and I wanted to try their Diamond trigger on a gun.

Outstanding Accuracy with Multiple .22 LR Ammo Types — Lapua and SK
My .22 LR ammo of choice is Lapua Center-X. This is the most commonly-chosen ammunition among Vudoo V-22 shooters. I also had good results with SK Rifle Match and Lapua Midas+ in casual 50-yard and 100-yard testing but have stayed with Lapua Center-X because my rifle shot all the lots of Center-X I put into it equally well out to 200 yards.

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

SUMMARY — The Vudoo V-22 and MPA Package Is Outstanding
I can hands down recommend the Vudoo Gun Works V-22 for anyone who is interested in getting one. The “full-sized” rimfire rifle segment is not a one-horse race anymore and there are other options out there, but I feel very few will regret going with a Vudoo V-22 over another alternative. If you do not have a centerfire rifle designed for NRL/PRS style of shooting, you could probably just opt to go with a CZ 457 or Tikka T1x and have a lot of room to modify and tailor those rifles to your own tastes and still have an accurate rifle for NRL22. But if you also run a precision centerfire rifle, you should seriously consider a Vudoo V-22 or other 700-pattern rimfire action if purchasing a new .22 LR rimfire rig.

My Vudoo Gun Works V-22 build is an all-purpose gun for me. It is setup for NRL22-style matches but can be utilized for (extreme) long range .22 LR shooting (300 yards and beyond). For that rimfire ELR Game, I am seriously considering getting a Vudoo V-22S (single-shot) action to put in an F-Class stock to have a dedicated ELR .22 LR gun. While I built my Vudoo Gun Works V-22 with NRL22 in mind, I realized this gun could do more so I took it out to shoot 300 yards. After that, I stretched it out to 400 yards and then 500 yards in subsequent range visits. Now I am intrigued by extreme long range .22 LR shooting and often shoot 400 yards and beyond with the Vudoo V-22 when I can.

Long Range .22 LR Rimfire — Out to 500 Yards

Jonathan shoots his competition rifle in Long Range Rimfire matches with targets out to 500 yards. That’s definitely Extreme Long Range for the little .22 LR cartridge, requiring 27.8 MILs of up elevation! Jonathan notes: “I originally had a +30 MOA base on my rifle and it worked fine to 400 yards, but I ran out of adjustment on the K525i to get to 500 and had to hold over. I ended up getting a +40 MOA base.”

NRL22 Competition — Tactical Rimfire Matches
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

Tips for NRL22 Competitors
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.

1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.

2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS
The author at NRL22 Match at West End Gun Club in San Bernardino, CA.

3. Support Side Shooting — NRL22 matches often include support-side shooting stages. This requires you to shoot with your opposite (non-dominant) hand and eye. I often hear people complain about shooting support-side. My only real tip for this is to actually spend time at the range shooting this way. Practice makes perfect. It’s all a question of learning how to shoot again and using fundamentals. Learn to get a consistent cheek weld and consistent eye relief. If necessary, figure out if you need to set your scope’s diopter for your opposite eye and mark it on the scope.

4. Tripod Practice — Even though tripods are not used in the NRL22 courses of fire, I practice shooting off of a tripod often. I will often setup targets at various distances and spaced far apart to run drills firing shots on each target with the goal of speeding up transitions and target acquisitions. Target acquisition after transition from target to target is where time is lost, so it is good to become efficient in this area.

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

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