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Dave Morelli

Playing the Angles

As we master the art of guiding a bullet consistently along its trajectory, we discover that shooting at steep uphill or downhill angles can cause a variance in point of impact.

My first entanglement with shooting at steep angles came when I was deer hunting in Nevada and hadn’t seen a thing in a week of hunting. As I worked along a trail on a steep side hill, I noticed I was being observed from below and could make out the black triangular patch and a nice set of antlers looking up the hill at me. It was a fair piece down the hill and I would say it was about a 55-degree angle. The jist of the story is I knew the rifle would shoot ½ minute groups and I was confident I could make the head shot. The problem is that was on level ground.

I shot and the critter seemed to fall, but I only found a piece of antler when I arrived to the spot. My bullet went high and I decided to calculate inclination into my shooting from that day on.

Shooting at an inclination will always make the bullet impact higher than the point of aim (POA). This is because the time that the bullet is in flight and affected by gravity is shorter than the actual line of sight (LOS). The distance the target is to the shooter on an inclined shot would be the true ballistic range (TBR).

This is easily explained through trigonometry and the formulas of the right triangle. The cosine of the angle between the LOS and the TBR is related to them. By doing some math we find that the TBR is shorter than the LOS. This formula is for both the uphill and downhill shot. The beauty of this formula is it is consistent and repeatable just like the trajectory of the bullet. It can be calculated and adjusted for consistently and precisely.

Once I have worked up a load that gives the ½ or better group I am looking for, it is time to figure the trajectory on level ground. I usually start with chronograph. I have found that the information in loading charts is close but not exact as far as velocities. Also, I like to make up trajectory cards for different temperatures. Temperature will affect the MV (muzzle velocity) enough that groups shot in the summer will have much different point of impact than those fired in the dead of winter. I then look up the trajectory on one of the many charts out there. Using the ballistic coefficient (BC), bullet weight, and velocity a trajectory can be calculated that will keep me on the paper as I increase shooting distances. I dial it in shooting at the various distances, but the charts are a starting point.

One of the better starting points is Holland’s Shooting Supply’s Ultimate Data Card. This program works off of Sierra’s Infinity Ballistic Software and prints out a card that can be laminated or taped to the rifle stock for easy reference. One thing the program also prints on the card is compensation for different degrees of inclination. When the information is being fed in to configure the card, angles can be programmed in and changed to suit the shooter’s needs. The info can be programmed in to be read in MILS, MOA, or inches in drop whichever adjustment you prefer to work with.

Holland’s also produces a variety of products to help the long-range marksman. His ART (Advanced Reticle Technology) can be installed in Leupold Mark 4 riflescopes. This reticle can be easily aimed using the correct hold over cross mark. By looking on the card that has been made at the yardage estimated the shooter can pick the correction and use that crosshair in the ART reticle. If there is a 20-degree incline (up or down), the shooter simply uses the correction in that column and the incline will be figured in. It is really a simple and fast system.

The calculation of inclined shooting is dependent on estimating the correct angle the rifle is pointed at. At shorter ranges and bigger targets, most shooters know the approximate hold to correct for the inclined shot. This estimation gets more accurate with experience, much like judging range.

If you are using the MilDot calculator/slide rule to calculate your distances, it has an angle estimator that is really precise. By attaching a string and a small lead sinker and aiming down the edge of the rule, the hanging string will indicate the angle. The cosine of this angle multiplied by the line of sight is the true ballistic range. The cosine is just a fancy name for the decimal equivalent of the angle.

Fortunately, we don’t have to figure out the cosine in our heads; it can be done with a calculator or looked up on a chart. Most shooting data books have the conversions in them. The table below will show some of the angle/cosine equivalents.

SLOPE ANGLE MULTIPLY BY UP or DOWN RANGE
05 Degrees       .99
10                     .98
20                     .94
30                     .87
40                     .77
50                     .64
60                     .50
70                     .34
80                     .17
90                    .00

So if the LOS is 300 yards and the angle of the shot is 30 degrees, you would multiply 300 x .87 and the TBR of the shot is 261 yards. The yardage correction is a substantial 39 yards. A sniper taking a shot from a roof top on a bad guy holding a hostage could be a disaster. The average police sniper shot is still 77 yards, but in a skyscraper environment, the LOS will be longer and the angles can be steep.

A handy little tool from SniperTool Designs is the cosine indicator. This tool is carried by Brownells and gives the angle the rifle is pointed at in the cosine decimal. The tactician has a quick visual of the angle the rifle is pointed in the cosine equivalent. It can be used to figure the angle compensation or as last minute confirmation of the shot. The optional mount makes it an easy install on the picatinney rail of the rifle. It is a precise little tool and the only complaint I had with it is it needs another type mount for operators that do not have a picatinney mount on the rifle, such as a conventional bolt gun mount.

The picatinney rail has revolutionized mounting things to guns. One fix to the above problem is to mount the scope on the bolt gun with a picatinney rail mount from Holland’s Shooter’s Supply. These mounts are rock-solid mount and the picatinney rail has reputation for holding zero when the scope is removed and replaced on flat-top uppers. They allow for optically center mounting of the crosshairs without using up windage and elevation. This saves optimum travel for shooting correction up and down. This is an important factor when mounting a scope. I have always used mounts that allow for mechanical adjustment and shim the scope as closely to center as possible to save the turret adjustments for fine tuning only. Scopes perform much better when mounted correctly to optical center.

Like all other math calculations in our lives the inclined shooting problem has been made easier with technology. Rangefinder manufacturers realize the importance of the correct TBR and came up with an “everything in the box” solution.

One such product is the RX-IV digital Rangefinder from Leupold. Any tactician knows that all the forces of nature affect the shot: inclination, correct yardage, temperature, and wind (to name a few). The more correctly we measure these forces, the more precise the shot will be. Leupold has everything but wind calculation in its rangefinder. In this easy-to-use one button box is temperature, TBR, LOS, MOA and inches in holdover and the user can select from 13 reticles to range through. It also tells the user what angle the shot is ranged at.

The RX-IV takes all the brainwork out of some of the important calculations for a precise shot. I live in an area that doesn’t have a formal shooting range close by and most of my long-range practice is out in the sagebrush. I constantly depend on a rangefinder just to set up my targets. Sometimes I wish I had a shooting range, but shooting in the natural environment is what we will try to aspire to when we leave the range. In my less-than-perfect shooting condition (really, it is perfect) the Leupold RX-IV helps me keep all the imperfections compensated correctly.

I never was a math type in school but I am glad that I listened enough to have it benefit my shooting. All the teachers had to do was tell me this would improve my shooting and I would have been a better student. Whether you figure out the calculations in your head, let the computer make you a data card, or just take the easy way out and get a laser rangefinder, figuring in the angle of inclination will definitely add some precision to your shooting.

Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator, and a SAR tracker/trainer. He currently lives in Idaho and writes about various topics, including firearms, hunting, tactical gear, and training.

Cowboy Up: Cowboy Action Shooting Primer

A brief primer on cowboy action shooting, partner. The gun writer with no name gives today's gun fighters a run for their money.

Spring is when I get the cowboy shooting stuff in order.

The cowboys around here shoot all year, but the challenges of winter wind and sub-freezing temperatures make me think about more pleasant shooting in spring. Plus, cowboy shoots have more participants as the weather warms, and people are one of the biggest pleasures of cowboy action shooting.

You will have a difficult time finding a better caliber (pun intended) of people than cowboy shooters, and I look forward to shooting with these folks as much as I like levering rounds through my favorite Winchester.

Here’s a brief primer on cowboy action shooting.

The Cowboy Scene

Cowboy action shooting is governed by the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), which has sanctioned shoots divided into many categories. Aside from various shooting styles, there’s a division between black-powder shooters and smokeless-powder participants.

According to the SASS handbook, 12th edition, smokeless categories include Traditional, Modern, Duelist and Gunfighter. Black-powder categories are Frontier Cartridge, Frontiersman and Classic Cowboy/Cowgirl.  The B Western Category is like the open division, with flashy and fancy costumes.

There are also age divisions in cowboy action shooting. Juniors are 16 or younger, and are divided into Young Guns, 14 to 16, and Buckaroos, 13 and younger. Forty-Niners are 49 and older, seniors 60 and older, and Elder Statesmen/Grand Dames are 70 and older. There are also divisions for women.

Costuming is important at a cowboy match, and competitors must wear authentic garb throughout the shoot and ceremonies. It’s unique to the sport and part of the fun. No Cordura or nylon — only natural materials like cotton and lots of leather.

Get Your Six-Guns!

To get started in cowboy action shooting, you need two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun. The pistols must be single-action six shooters, and the type of sights will decide whether you shoot traditional or modern.

According to the rulebook, pistols with adjustable sights place you in the modern category. The Traditional category requires the blade for a front sight and a notch or slit in the frame or hammer for a rear sight.

Revolvers must be centerfire from .32 to .45 caliber and in common revolver calibers. Participants in the Buckaroo Category, for the youngest shooters, can use .22 rimfire calibers.

The rulebook lists the legal revolver for each shooting category, so if you’re just getting into the sport, that can help you decide which gun to choose. I’ve always liked traditional-type revolvers, which have fixed rear sights. I shoot in the Gunfighter category, and a traditional revolver is required for that.

The main revolver emulated in cowboy matches is the Colt Peacemaker Model 1873. Many shooters use Remington or Paterson conversions, but Colts are the one. A new-model Colt will easily cost you $1,300 or more, and you need two to compete.

Most shooters rely on modern replicas for match guns. Ruger remade the single-action-type revolver in the 1950s, and in the mad rush of cowboy shooting, the gun evolved into the Vaquero. The first Vaquero — now classified as the Old Vaquero — was replaced a few years ago by the New Vaquero.

Although it looks like a Colt Single Actions, the New Vaquero is profiled more like the Colt. The biggest difference is the grip size. The New Vaquero has a narrower grip, like the original Colt. The New Vaquero comes from the factory with a smooth trigger and opens to a chamber for reload stages.

The Vaquero differs from Colts in that the flat springs have been redesigned with coil springs, and the hammer is protected with a transfer bar. I have shot two Old Model Vaqueros with 4.625-inch barrels for about 10 years, and they are still going strong.

The transfer bar makes the revolver safe for six-shot carry. SASS rules dictate that only five rounds can be loaded in the revolver, and the hammer must rest on an empty chamber. That is for safety, as some shooters use original Colts and replicas that are not safe with six rounds. You can recognize the transfer bar by the profile of the hammer, because it doesn’t have the firing pin attached. Many modern replica manufacturers are switching to the transfer bar. Examples include Taurus’ Gaucho and Beretta’s Stampede.

The Italians gave us Spaghetti Westerns and excellent-quality old West replica handguns. Uberti and Pedersoli make excellent rifles and handguns, and several companies import these guns and then add special features to them. Cimarron, EMF Co., Taylor and Sons and Navy Arms import several varieties of revolvers that mimic old Colts but are much less expensive.

They also produce Schofield-type revolvers and replicas of some early conversions. Many cap-and-ball revolvers of yesteryear were converted to cartridges so folks could use existing parts and frames to meet the new technology. You might check out replicas of those guns if you wanted to emulate that time period.

Holstering revolvers in period-correct or B-Western style is also important. Leather will make or break your look. You can find leather in all price ranges, and it doesn’t hurt to start with less-expensive stuff until you determine your style and shooting category.

If you shoot Traditional or Duelist, you might want to go with a cross-draw for your second revolver, unless you plan to use a border-shift technique (drawing your weak-hand gun with your weak hand, shifting it to your strong hand to shoot and then returning it in reverse order).

If you shoot Gunfighter events, you will likely want a right-and-left holster, with the top of the gun forward on both. When I shoot a Traditional or Duelist match, I border-shift my weak hand gun.

Rifles at the Ready

The rifle is probably the most romantic weapon of the old West. The lever gun is the symbol of the West and is still a tactically sound defensive rifle. With a little practice, you can fire a lever carbine as quickly as you can line up the next target. Some shooters are so fast that their brass lines up on the side of the rifle just like with a semiautomatic.

Rifle selection depends on the category you intend to shoot. In general, a rifle must be a lever- or slide-action manufactured about 1860 to 1899, with a tube magazine and an exposed hammer. The calibers must be a pistol caliber for main-match shooting. The .25-20 and .56-50 are exceptions. It’s wise to have your competition pistol and rifles be the same caliber. That comes in handy when reloading ammo, as all your supplies are the same.

Experienced cowboy competitors have several favorite rifles. Early Winchesters had a toggle-action operation system, which still makes for a smooth, fast lever gun. The 1860, 1866 and 1873 Henry rifles are period correct, and the lever is as fast as on newer models. I like the 1873 iron-frame. Many shooters are putting short-stroke kits in these to decrease the travel of the lever to chamber a round. They are SASS-legal within certain specifications.

The Marlin and Winchester 1894 models are great cowboy guns. Even though the Winchester is out of production, you’ll always see a few at every shoot. It has a smooth action and is a great shooter. The Marlin is still in production, and you can’t go wrong with one of the company’s cowboy series rifles.

My club has an SASS-sanctioned Black-Powder Blow Out every spring. I normally don’t shoot black powder, but I like this match. For this, I prefer toggle models, such as the 1873, because they are simple to take apart.

In black-powder matches, there’s a good chance you will have to hose out the action between stages, as it might foul up and make the lever difficult to work. Also, this makes cleaning the gun after the match easier, as complete disassembly is easy.

I shoot smokeless and black powder in my 1873, but you must not use smokeless loads with pressures that are too high. I shoot the same smokeless load in my rifle as my pistol, which produces about 750 feet per second with Hogdgon TiteGroup.

Shotguns, Too

Shotguns are also category-specific for some shooters. Generally, folks use any side-by-side or single-barrel shotgun from 1860 to 1899 without automatic ejectors. Guns can be box-lock or external-hammer guns with single or double triggers.

Lever-action, single-barrel, tube-feed exposed-hammer guns of the period are OK, but the only slide-action allowed is the 1897 Winchester original or replica. Various categories require that only certain shotguns can be used. For example, the Frontiersman category requires a side-by-side or lever-action shotgun. All guns are shot with black powder.

Until recently, you could find an original shotgun for a good price. I just found a smoking deal on GunBroker.com for an original 1897 from 1905. I had to remove a poly choke and reface the barrel, but it was well worth the time. It’s very cool to shoot matches with an original gun. (That goes for pistols and rifles, too.)

Stoeger is still a good choice for double-barreled shotguns, and the Chinese make 1897 replicas that are a less expensive option than originals. Remington markets some inexpensive doubles that are good for cowboys.

Shotguns can only be loaded with two rounds at a time. That keeps pumps equal with doubles. Also, it’s wise to have a spare shotgun, especially if you travel far to shoot. Some originals are finicky and can break down. The same goes for the newer replicas.

One thing about cowboys is there will always be folks that let you borrow a gun to finish a match, even if you shoot better than they do. It’s the cowboy way.

Cowboy Practice

I have always shot in the Gunfighter class, except when I just wanted to do something different. My mentors always told me to practice with my weak hand, and I stress this to my students, too.

Shooting as a gunfighter has made me do that. Plus, it’s cool to shoot like gunfighters in the movies. The biggest problem I had is lining up the sights. Now, no matter the type of gun I’m shooting, my scores are better with both hands because I’ve trained my eye to go from gun to gun.

I live pretty far from any practice matches, so I don’t get to practice as much as I’d like. However, Action Targets makes some high-quality steel targets suitable for cowboy shooting. Cut them in round or cowboy configurations.

DS Welding also makes targets, including the Original Bird/Can Thrower, which is a shotgun target. I missed a similar pop-up target during a match once. By practicing more, the pop-up is dead meat.

Having a few targets around keeps me in shape when I can’t make it to practice matches.
Action Target also has a new hostage target that’s a silhouette plate with a 4- or 5-inch rotating target that goes back and forth when hit in the disc of the head. That gives a cowboy shooter a big, fast, precision target. It’s a fun, challenging addition to a cowboy shoot.

All cowboy matches require all-lead bullets. You can mold your own, but with companies such as LaserCast and Meister around, I don’t bother. It gives me more time to pour lead for my buffalo gun.

Give it a Try

Cowboy shooting is one of the fastest-growing shooting sports, and it’s easy to see why. It’s more fun than a tree full of young hoot owls. Shooting guns has been a part of my work for years, and to get dressed up like a cowboy, mountain man or B-Western hero and shoot guns in old West scenarios with like-minded grown-up adolescents is just plain fun. In fact, that’s the whole idea behind cowboy shooting — having fun.

Handgun Maintenance for Reliability

A few years ago, I was shooting a basic pistol course at Gunsite with a Sig P 220 ST. The course lasted a week, and instructors recommended that each student bring at least 1,000 rounds of ammo. Some students actually shot more (I fired about 1,100 rounds). The Sig is an extremely reliable pistol, so I figured the course provided a good chance to see how long the gun would last without cleaning before it started to malfunction.

The test wasn’t very scientific, but about halfway through the course, I started to experience failures in extraction and the slide closing. It was nothing major — just enough to make you nervous. Actually, that was perfect, because we worked on clearing jams, and my problems provided good training. That night, a good cleaning solved all the problems.

A dirty gun will eventually start to affect reliability. Because you don’t know when you’ll need your weapon, it’s imperative to keep it cleaned and lubricated after each shooting session.

I once read that Wild Bill Hickok used to shoot the loads out of his Navy revolvers every morning, clean them and reload the guns for the day. That’s a bit paradoxical, because the only reason he had to clean the guns is because he shot them to unload them. Wild Bill believed that his equipment should be ready in case of an unexpected assault.

We must take care of our guns so they can take care of us. With modern products, that’s not a time-consuming process, and it can be done in minutes after shooting.

Break Them Down, Clean Them Up

The first thing I do with my pistols is break them down to the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning condition. That usually means removing the slide, barrel and spring from the frame. With a single-action revolver, the cylinder comes out of the frame. Of course, that’s unnecessary with a double-action revolver. I don’t dismantle the entire frame every cleaning unless something happened to warrant it, like dropping the gun in water or sand. Don’t laugh — it happens. I like the fact that you can take the barrel out of a pistol to clean it. I think that lets me do a better job.

A gun bore is extremely sensitive to mistreatment. I like to clean every bore with the same care as I would a sniper rifle. Many people use bore snakes nowadays, and those do a good job cleaning bores. I’m a bit old-fashioned and like to scrub out the bore with a brush and patches. Also, I shoot lead bullets in my .45 and 10 mm, and even though lead is really hard these days, it usually leaves some fouling you must remove. In my cowboy guns, through which I frequently shoot lead, there comes a point when accuracy goes out the window because of lead build-up. Therefore, those guns get a quality scrub after every shooting session.

My semiautos shoot copper and lead, as I shoot defensive ammo. However, I don’t depend on the copper to push out all the lead because I don’t believe it does. Besides, copper also leaves deposits that must be removed.

I give the barrel a good soaking with Shooter’s Choice, which I have been using for many years. The company makes solvents for lead and copper. Hoppe’s has been around since I can remember, and I still use No. 9 and other products. I like Bench Rest 9 copper solvent when I use jacketed bullets.

Regardless of which solvent I use, I’ll wet a patch, spread it out in the barrel and then set the barrel aside to soak. Then, I work on the frame of a pistol or cylinder of a single-action. While that’s soaking, I spread solvent on other parts that need to soak. I believe solvent works better the longer it’s on fouling.

For many years, I’ve worn surgical gloves when using solvents. These substances are notorious for permeating skin, and as much as I use the stuff, I think gloves are a wise precaution. A box of 100 gloves costs about $6 bucks and lasts a long time. The ones without powder and are a little thicker work great. They are really useful around the shop to keep junk off your hands.

I use brass brushes exclusively, even on my pistols. If fouling won’t come off with brass, it won’t come off with stainless steel. The trick is to be persistent and keep scrubbing. Brass wears easier on the bore, too. I also use brass toothbrush-type brushes on the frame and around the cylinder and forcing cone. Nylon is OK, too, but hammered-on fouling around the forcing cone of a single-action will come off faster with a brass bristle brush.

After a good scrubbing with brass, I send another wet patch down the barrel and around the frame and other areas and then brush it again. Usually, I make 10 to 15 strokes in the barrel and make sure the other spots are visibly clean. Then, I run a few dry patches down the barrel and wipe off the external spots. I look down the barrel with a light. Usually, you can see lead deposits along the edge of the rifling. Copper deposits will show up as green stains on the patches. When the green disappears, the copper is pretty much cleaned up. I repeat these steps the patch comes out of the barrel clean.

After I’m happy with the barrel and other spots, I run some JB Non-Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound down the barrel. I get it from Brownell’s, and it’s amazing stuff. Even if my patches are coming out of the bore clean, I can run some of this through the barrel on a patch, and the patch comes out black.

When selecting a cleaning rod, it’s wise to use a material that is softer than steel. Many are made of aluminum or polymers. The idea is to have something that will yield to the steel of the bore if you accidentally bump the crown. The rod should be relatively stiff so it doesn’t bend and rub the inside of the bore. Brownell’s catalog has too many bore and chamber guides to list here. Most are very inexpensive and should be used during every cleaning job.

Rifles should be cleaned from the chamber side, if possible, and a chamber guide will help you avoid damage to the throat. If you’re cleaning a lever gun or revolver you must enter through the muzzle, a cleaning rod with a guide will keep the rod lined up and protect the crown.

Make sure your other disassembly tools don’t damage gun parts. A good hollow-ground screwdriver set is a must. These sets are so inexpensive nowadays that every gun owner should have one.

The Versa Tool by Wilson Combat is one tool I always keep in my 1911 bag. It’s a pocket-sized tool kit with everything to dismantle a 1911. It’s great for quick repairs on the line or quick cleanings during a hunting trip or other mission. As a 1911 fan, I’m never without one.

Down to Parts

When it’s time to break the gun down to a pile of parts, I still clean the aforementioned parts the same way. I use solvent to clean all the small trigger parts and springs. If you don’t like the smell of solvents, you can also remove dried oil and crud with Simple Green. It does a good job but removes all the oil, so the metal will have to be relubed to avoid rust.

If you’re not familiar with the full disassembly of your pistol, take it to a good gunsmith for this cleaning. Some guns will go back together several ways, but only one will let it function.

When I take an action down completely, I clean each part and lightly oil it with Break Free oil. I rub the oil into each part so it gets into the metal, keeping it slippery and protected. I use Brownell’s Moly Paste on the sear and trigger surfaces because it’s a dry lubricant. It will not collect grime and dust like oil does, and it works its way into the metal and decreases wear to make the trigger feel better.

After I reassemble the gun, I rub a rag impregnated with Break Free over the outer surfaces. This leaves a very light protective coat on the finish of the gun but doesn’t feel oily. This is important to protect the surface of a carry gun, especially one with a blue finish. Sweat from carrying in warm climates will attack a finish like saltwater.

If you plan to store the gun, place it in a case that will protect it. Boyt makes Tactical cases that protect against corrosion. The copper-infused lining was developed to protect vehicles being shipped overseas against salty ocean winds. I have a pistol case that holds my Springfields, six magazines, a Versa Tool and some cleaning supplies. Also, I can carry it in a bigger Tactical Bag. For a SWAT operator, this is a great case for call-outs.

During warmer months, I shoot at least once a week and clean my carry pistols relatively often. Remember to keep an eye on a carry pistol you don’t shoot often. During winter, lint and dust from clothing builds up around the trigger and hammer areas. I’ve even found it in the mechanism during complete cleanings. Usually, I blow lint out with compressed air, and if I have a lot of lint, I’ll pull it down and wipe everything off. If I carry my pistol in dusty conditions in an external holster, I clean it up occasionally, even though I haven’t fired it. I was really fussy with my duty pistol and touched it up often.

There’s a faster way to clean the complex parts of a gun without tearing it apart: gun-blaster-type products. These do not replace full disassembly and cleaning, but they help you in a pinch. Hoppe’s makes one, as do Tetra and Birchwood-Casey. These have cleaning fluids in pressurized spray cans, and melt crud and blow it out of the action. When it dries, it leaves a dry action with no oil, so the action requires some lubrication. The trick is to lubricate action parts lightly, without gobbing on too much oil. Too much of even the best lubricant will attract dirt and grit and cause problems.

You can also clean handguns with a solvent tank and compressed air. At the police firearms range, we had a huge parts washer filled with Hoppes No. 9. We field-stripped our guns after qualifying and soaked them down. We had to remove the grips from the gun, but the solvent saturated all the parts. Then, we brushed out fouling with brass bore brushes and toothbrush-type brushes. Excess solvent was then blown out with compressed air and dried off with a cloth. We lightly oiled our guns, and they were ready for duty.

A small parts washer is very inexpensive. I use a tabletop model in my shop for cleaning gun parts. These can be used in lieu of spray-can blasters. Be careful where the solvent blows, and make sure there’s adequate ventilation. If vapor odor is a problem, you can fill the parts washer with Simple Green.

Shooters often forget about magazines, but they also require frequent care. Faulty magazines cause most semiauto malfunctions. Wipe mags clean of dust, and remove fouling from the feed ramp. Most magazines can be taken apart and cleaned. It’s amazing how much dust collects inside them. Be careful not to bend the feed lips when taking them apart. Occasionally, I shoot carry ammo in the magazines and replace it with fresh rounds. That gives me practice with my carry stuff and rotates ammo on which I might have to depend.

Keep Them Running

Maintenance is the key to reliability and weapon longevity. Guns are machines that are prone to malfunction. Design has relieved many flaws, but proper maintenance will keep a defensive tool running when you need it most.


Custom-1911

The Custom 1911

Learn how to ask the right questions when purchasing your 1911 pistol, and make an informed, intelligent decision with the wealth of information provided in The Custom 1911 by Bill Loëb. Because this ever-popular pistol has been produced by more companies than any other firearm in history, the available options may at first seem intimidating. Wade through the vast availability of the 1911 pistol, and grow in your understanding of the main differences between the abundance of custom shops.

The Great Remington Rolling Block Buffalo Gun Project, Part 2

Inspired by the great Remington Rolling Block design, the author decided to build a buffalo gun for hunting and shooting cowboy action single-shot long-range events. He chose a No. 5 carbine in 7mm and went to work.

After I fitted the barrel, I wanted to shape and taper it for looks and to reduce the weight.

After setting up the mill, I used a facing tool to remove a great deal of material — about 1 pound of metal was shaved off — and to give the barrel a more streamlined shape. I still had to draw-file and sand the barrel, but I liked the resulting look much more than when it had a slight taper from the box. It also took off some of the front weight.

I cut off about 4 inches — giving me a 30-inch barrel — and dialed it up in the lathe to face and crown the muzzle. A flat face was machined and it was crowned with a deep 45-degree taper. Brownell's sells crowning tools that can be used without a lathe, but the lathe was handy, so I used it for the crowning job. Whichever method you use, the crowning job is critical for accuracy. The face of the rifle must be perfectly perpendicular to the bore so the bullet exits the pipe evenly. The crown recesses this edge to protect it from damage.

Proof Testing

With the barrel chambered and installed, I wanted to proof-test my work. Headspace depends on the base of the case sitting against the rolling block and how tight the block fits against the hammer surface. This is the base of the action’s strength. I was happy with the way everything fit, but I still wanted to proof it, so I put the old stock on the rifle.

My proof-tester is simple: I use a spare tire as a base and strap the action to it with ratchet tie-downs. Then, I point the muzzle into a safe backstop and fire the action from a distance with a string. I had to load some new cases because the cartridges I had for my Sharps were not full-sized, and apparently, its chamber is a bit larger than the new chamber in my Rolling Block.

I loaded four of my pet smokeless loads and carefully measured the cases for a comparison after firing. The proof-test went well, and the cases measured out, showing no signs of headspace problems or excessive pressure.

Stock Work

It was time to stock the rifle. TreeBone Carving has some of the prettiest wood I’ve seen for rolling blocks. I told George Peterson, owner of TreeBone, I was trying to duplicate a Rolling Block Sporting Rifle but also wanted to shoot cowboy long-range events and possibly hunt with it. He recommended a walnut stock with a shotgun-shaped butt.

I could inlet the original buttplate or put a plain metal buttplate on the rifle to be historically correct. I ended up putting a rubber recoil pad on the rifle to protect it (and me) and will probably have to make a hard, more authentic buttplate for shooting cowboy events.

Brownell’s carries TreeBone’s walnut version of that stock, so I figured I could always fit a prettier piece of wood on the gun later. I didn’t really want a high-gloss finish.

TreeBone stocks require about 90 percent fitting to the action, and almost anybody with some tools should be able to do the job. Rolling block actions differ a bit in stock fit, and this one was more difficult. I have a Danish action with a flat-angled fit, in which the action meets the gripped part of the stock. The Remington No. 5 has two angles that must be negotiated.

The stock slipped up almost to home position before I did anything. My most important tools were a triangle file, flat file with one blank edge, fordum or dremel tool, and a variety of sandpaper matched to a sanding block. You can’t see some surfaces when fitting the stock, and candle soot helped me find where the high spots had to be relieved. I put soot on the action and filed a bit off where the stock rubbed it. With a lot of fitting and filing, the stock will eventually slide up tight and right. After it’s in place, you can drill the receiver tang-screw hole in the right spot.

The forearm grip comes cut to fit an octagonal barrel. It was very close to the barrel I shaped but needed some minor fitting. The forearm was not drilled for an attaching screw, and I had to position and drill it. A brass escutcheon was then bedded in the stock where I planned to put the screw — and a hole was threaded into the barrel.

It’s critical that you make the threaded hole in the exact spot, or it won’t fit correctly. I used a drill press to create the hole. Be careful not to go too deep; there’s enough meat in the barrel, but it’s very easy to make it too thin. You can set up a drill press or mill to stop at the correct depth.

Find the center of the barrel flat more precisely by using the calibrated table on a mill. After I found the hole and drilled, I used a bottom tap to tap the hole to the correct thread right in the mill vise. The bottom tap allowed me to cut as many threads as possible into the shallow hole.

After the hole was completed and the forearm screwed to the barrel, I wanted to strengthen the stock on both pieces by glass-bedding it where it fit to the metal. The glass fills voids in the wood from carving and provides a stronger, tighter fit. The finished fit of a glass-bedded stock gives a rifle a professional look. Acraglas with a bit of coloring for the finished stock shade was the ticket.

I knew I would shoot the rifle before I did the finish bluing, and I didn’t want to stain the stock with dirt, sweat and cleaning solvents, so I put a couple coats of Tru-Oil on it for protection. That also gave me an idea of what shade to tint the Acraglas. I also fit the stock with the recoil pad so it would protect the butt and my shoulder in pre-finish shooting sessions. The rifle was really starting to take shape, and I liked the look of the stock.

Sighting Up

A set of sights was the only thing I still needed. Most cowboy long-range rifle side matches are 500 yards or closer. Still, I needed some drop compensation for longer work.

I studied sporting rifles in Remington Rolling Block Firearms by Konrad F. Schreier Jr.. This book features vintage Remington rifle ads, including options. The rear sight common to the guns was the Rough and Ready sight on the rear, which was an open-notched sight with a flip-up peep that can be adjusted 1.5 to 2 inches for elevation.

A blade front sight was common in the day, and Remington also made a Beech sight, which was a blade with a flip-up hooded post that could be used with the peep rear.

Montana Vintage Arms makes many quality sights, but its Rough and Ready replica seemed to be the right choice. I complimented it with the company’s version of the Beech front sight.

The front sight comes with a dovetail fit, and the Rough and Ready can be dovetailed or screwed in place. I used the screw-down model for my rifle, but if I had it to do again, I’d go with the dovetail model because it gives you some windage adjustment on the rear sight. The front sight is dovetailed, so I adjusted my windage there. Montana Vintage Arms also makes high-quality long-range Soule sights and old-time scope sights it calls MVA scopes.

You can easily cut dovetails on a mill with a dovetail cutter. I measured the dovetail on the combination Beech front sight, and then took a couple of passes with the mill to cut the slot slightly smaller than the base.

The fit was finished by hand with a file, and it was perfectly tight. I have fitted dovetails without a mill by cutting the slot in the barrel with a hacksaw. Then, I’ve roughed the slot out with a file and finish-fitted it with a triangular file to create the dovetail. It takes longer, but if done carefully, it’s just as precise

With the sights on, it was time to put the gun together and see how it shot. The rifle still needed to be final polished and blued, and the stock had to be sanded and stained, but I figured a range session would tell me if I chambered and muzzled it correctly. If figured it would be better to redo metal work before the final finish.

The first session was a rough sight-in affair using a proven smokeless load. I discovered that the bullet I had cast was long enough to touch the rifling, as evidenced by marks on the lead when I took a live round out of the chamber. At 100 yards, the gun required just a small sight adjustment to make fist-sized rocks disappear. It was time to develop a pet load for the rifle and put it on paper. It had a good start.

For the second session, I loaded some of the LaserCast 500-grain bullets with a semi-wadcutter nose. I loaded them to the same length as the cast round-nose bullet, but the taper nose of the wadcutter was narrower and did not quite touch the rifling. The bullets showed promise in the rifle. The combo was tried on the 200-yard gong after a cowboy practice match.

After figuring the adjustment for the drop, hitting the gong consistently was just a matter of pulling the trigger. I’m really looking forward to developing a load, because the gun is accurate enough to make it work.

Finishing Touches

I planned on finishing the rifle so it looked like something from the rolling block’s heyday. I went with a plain walnut stock, which would have been standard on hunting guns. Some engraved custom guns had nice wood on them, but those were more common at uppity gun clubs or target matches. The original stock on my gun had a very dark stain, which seems common for firearms from that time.

I sanded the Tru-Oil off of the stock and darkened the wood with Mini Wax Dark Walnut Stain. Tru-Oil is a great finish, and I use it often. However, it would not darken the wood as much as I wanted. After the first coat of Mini Wax, I saw many scratches and tool marks I couldn’t see when the wood was plain sanded. It took several coats and some sanding to get all the scratches out, and the multiple coatings filled the wood grain with the stain and protectants.

The Mini Wax retained the dull look I was seeking, and some light work with steel wool gave me the finish I wanted. Taking the time to apply several coats alternated with fine sanding did the job.

I really had a dilemma with finishing the metal. Many of the original rolling blocks came with a case-colored hardening on the receiver. I could send the action to a shop for that finish. However, I had recently seen a rifle with a shiny blue receiver and a less shiny finish on the barrel, and I liked how that looked. A dull blue finish and glare-free barrel would be practical for hunting and sighting, but the shiny finish really stuck in my mind.

Finishing metal is easy and can be done with emery cloth and steel wool. I view polishing as gradually putting finer scratches in the metal until they have a mirror finish. I started with 80-grit sandpaper to remove tool marks on the barrel and some bad pits on the receiver.

Actually, I removed three really bad pits with a file and then formed the metal back with sandpaper. I was careful not to change the lines of the receiver or wear any writing. The only factory writing on this action was on the tang, which had no huge pits, so I got away with some minor polishing there. It’s easy to round off corners that should remain sharp to keep the original look of the receiver. I then went to 120- , 220- and 320-grit paper.

I took the flats of the barrel down to a 400-grit polish so it blued out shiny, but less so than the receiver. It also will produce less glare on the top flat when sighting. I used a polishing wheel and compound on the receiver to get a very shiny finish that will blue out like a deluxe finish on a custom gun. It’s easy to vaporize a number, letter or lines on the gun with even the finest polishing compounds, so take care.

Polishing is the most important part of the finishing process. Pits left in the metal will appear as white dots, and scratches will make you wish you had taken more time.

The screws on my gun were boogered up a bit, so I carefully filed and sanded the damaged areas and polished them to the same gloss finish as the receiver. I also sanded and blued the rolling block and hammer.

I use hot blue for everything but touch-up efforts. Brownell’s and DuLite Corp. salts provide good results. Hot bluing is a book in itself, but it’s the most durable bluing finish I’ve used.

Worth the Effort

When building your own firearm from an antique — whether sporterizing an old military Mauser or rebuilding a buffalo gun — you take pride in shooting an animal or winning a competition with the finished product.

With the availability of tools and products to make the job easier, anyone can complete a project like this. Even if you farm out some of the work to a pro, there will still be part of you in every hunting trip or shooting expedition with your project gun.

Click here to read Part 1

The Great Remington Rolling Block Buffalo Gun Project, Part 1

Inspired by the great Remington Rolling Block design, the author decided to build a buffalo gun for hunting and shooting cowboy single-shot long-range events.

Founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington, Remington Arms Co. is the oldest arms manufacturing company in America. Before that, most arms were produced by small gunmaking operations.Remington might have marked the beginning of the industrial revolution in the gun business, I guess. It’s interesting that one of the company’s most popular products pulled it from almost certain ruin near the end of the Civil War.

Leonard Geiger brought the idea of the rolling block rifle to Remington Arms Co., which agreed to manufacture it. First, the idea had to be developed into the production stage by Remington designer Joseph Rider.

The initial gun was a split-breech carbine that saw little duty toward the end of the war. The design needed improvements, and it was eventually turned into the rolling-block action we know and love today.

The design came along at the right time, as arms manufacturers typically experience tough times when wars end. The rolling block was acknowledged as the best arm of its time, and its acceptance overseas brought Remington back into the black. Even today, the action is a popular single-shot for hunters and target shooters.

In its 70 years of production, the rolling block had so many versions it would take a book to decipher them. (For a great text, check out “The Military Remington Rolling Block Rifle” by George Layman.)

Although many sporting versions were produced, the rolling block was primarily a military weapon. Sustained fire with the rolling block was full auto compared to other options of the time, and the action was sturdy and reliable for military use.

Modern Applications

Inspired by the great design, I decided to build a buffalo gun with a rolling-block action for shooting cowboy single-shot long-range events.

Layman’s book helped me distinguish what type of action I started with. I had shot many Sharps-type rifles but wanted a different gun of the time. Plus, it seemed pretty cool to start with an action that was 100 years old.
The actions are still available at pawn shops and estate sales. www.gunbroker.com usually has a good selection of rolling-block actions, rifles and miscellaneous parts on auction. That’s where I got my last one. Gun Digest Classifieds also features these rifles.

The first actions were built of steel in the late 1860s. They were used with black-powder cartridges, most of which are obsolete. These actions were called No. 1s. The sporting rolling-block rifles were produced in .50-70 caliber.

Some were involved in skirmishes with American Indians, in which men held off attackers that outnumbered them five to one. As rifles were produced for overseas markets, they were chambered in calibers such as .43 Spanish, 43 Egyptian and metric calibers from Danish contracts in 11.7 x 51. Rifles usually have markings to identify where they saw service.

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, when smokeless powder started to rule ammunition, better steels were developed and used to produce these actions.

They were stronger and withstood the pressures developed by new propellants and cartridges. The rifles were chambered for 7 mm Mauser, .303, .30-40 and other cartridges produced for new-fangled repeating rifles.

These were No. 5 actions, and although the rifles differed in many details — such as the type of sights or length — the action was essentially the same as the No. 1, except it was made with the stronger “smokeless” steel. The parts are interchangeable.

The rolling block came in various other models, but the one I found for my project was a No. 5 in 7 mm. It was a carbine and made circa 1902 to 1905. The rifle was functional, but as I disassembled it to start the project, my desire to shoot it waned. The action was in excellent shape, however, and would be an great base for my project. I began the search for the parts I’d need to rechamber it into a .45-90 “buffler” gun.

The question of caliber was my first decision. I wanted to build a sporting-type rifle, so the .50-70 might have been a period-correct caliber. It was a No. 5 action made of stronger steel, so I could shoot smokeless or black powder.

However, I wanted it in a more common buffalo caliber. I also wanted something for which it was easy to find loading components for making cartridges.

The .45-70 fit that description and is certainly a period-correct caliber. I went with the .45 Sharps, which is more commonly known today as the .45-90. My spaghetti Sharps is a .45-90, and I figured I could easily get parts right at my loading bench.

I have found most of the time it’s better to shoot the .45-90 instead of the .45-70 when you’re using black powder. The extra black powder that fits in the .45-90 case will increase the velocity a bit.

The most accurate smokeless loads in either rifle travel at about the same speed. Some of the new big-case powders will make the pill travel faster, but slowing them from 1,600 to 1,300 feet per second yields better results.

The .45-70 can be loaded faster, but that’s only recommended in the Ruger No. 1 action. I’ve never used that rifle and don’t have information about accuracy when pushing the .45-70 that far. The .45-90 will stay in the safe pressure zone at higher velocities, but accuracy suffers.

Getting Down to Business

After I decided on the caliber, I could start rounding up stuff. I needed a barrel, sights, a stock, a forearm and a .45-90 chambering reamer.

I went to the Brownell’s catalog and found about everything I needed. It carries Green Mountain black-powder cartridge barrel blanks in an octagonal stock. The barrel would have to be sized, threaded, chambered and crowned to the desired length.

It was plenty oversized enough for anything I wanted to do. I could have made it half-octagonal, half-round, or swamped it down to reduce the weight. I liked the full octagonal barrel but ended up tapering it down from breech to muzzle to decrease the weight. I also ended up shortening it to 30 inches before crowning it. The Green Mountain barrel blank was a .458 bore with a 1-in-18 twist.

When I pulled the 7 mm barrel off of the No.5, I saw something new. The barrel threads were square. I knew such threads existed, but I’ve never had to cut them. I had to grind a tool to cut square threads, which turned out to be an easy project. I counted how many threads were inside an inch: 12 tpi.

Next, I measured between and across the threads, and they were around .041 inch. I say “around” because they varied a bit, but only by a few thousandths. I then ground a square tool to those dimensions out of high-speed steel. I gave it a trial run on a piece of aluminum and made a plug that had a Class 3 fit to the receiver. A Class 3 fit has very little wobble.

The machining to fit a barrel blank requires access to a lathe. I have seen barrels on the Internet that were already machined and chambered. If you keep an eye open, you might find barrel that suits your needs.

Some companies offer barreling and chambering with their products, or most local gunsmiths can do that. If you have machining skills but need coaching, Brownell’s tech support guys are always there to help. I’ve found them to be extremely knowledgeable and will point do-it-yourself folks in the right direction.

I turned the barrel stub down to the right diameter and found that the round stub was a bit short for the rolling-block action.

It wasn’t a problem to use the lathe and lengthen the stub and round out some of the octagonal barrel. I like putting my own shoulder on the barrel so everything in the chambering and threading process is on the same plane. I used the old barrel to get it close enough for a hand fit.

When I was ready for threading, I kept the stripped receiver nearby, as the threads were getting close. This is the only way to get a precise fit, and it takes some time to try the threads, take off a few more thousandths and try again until it screws down tight. After the fit is good, you can adjust the receiver to the right position by taking off a few thousandths at the shoulder until it stops level. The breech face will also have to be trimmed to be flush with the back of the receiver to headspace correctly.

After the receiver fit to the barrel, it needed to be chambered. Brownell’s carries a good selection of Dave Manson reamers, which I like. When picking out a reamer for the .45-90, you can choose between lead bullets and copper jackets.

I knew I was going to shoot buffalo matches in cowboy games and would have to use lead bullets. I also planned on doing some elk hunting with the finished rifle and have been happy with the performance of lead bullets in such situations. Those big, slow bullets do not destroy meat from velocity shock; you can eat right up to the hole.

The .458 bore was big enough that I didn’t have to drill out the hole before starting the reamer. You could use a roughing reamer to get closer and then finalize things with a finish reamer.

You won’t finish this part of the job in a few minutes. The process is slow, and you have to remove the reamer often to clear off chips. You’ll also need lots of good-quality cutting oil. I kept the blank in the lathe, lined up the reamer with the tail stock and turned it by hand with a wrench. That kept the reamer lined up precisely with the bore, which is paramount for accuracy.

I was careful not to turn the reamer backward or counter-clockwise, because the chips binding against the cutting edges will dull the reamer.

After the chamber was reamed to the desired length, I fired up the lathe and slightly chamfered the edges to knock off the sharpness and keep bullets from snagging when loading. Then, I polished the chamber to a high finish with 600-grit emery and steel wool. I wrapped the abrasive on a properly sized wooden dowel and inserted it into the chamber when spinning it in the lathe. You can also polish it in a vise, spinning the abrasive with a drill motor.

With the barrel chambered, I had to form the breech face to fit the rolling block part of the action and cut the extractor slot. The First No. 1 actions had a straight-eject extractor on the bottom of the chamber.

Later, however, they were redesigned with a rotary extractor. My No. 5 was fitted with the rotary, and I only had to duplicate the position using the old barrel as a guide. I bought a new extractor and it was easy to fit to the rim of the .45-90. Having the old barrel made positioning the cut easy.

While doing the metal work, I tried to decide how to stock the gun and what type of sights I would use.

I wanted to duplicate a sporting rifle and really didn’t want verneer sights because I also planned to hunt with the gun. Montana Vintage Arms makes a period-correct Rough and Ready rear sight that combines an open sight and flip-up peep for distance shooting. For the front sight, I chose the company’s Beech-type combination, which has a blade for open sighting and a flip-up hooded pin for the peep rear sight.

I figured the gunstock would depend on my needs. I would shoot cowboy long-range events and hunt with the gun.

If I just shot competitions with it, the gun would remain in pristine condition. However, hunting would nick a custom-finished stock.

Brownell’s carries a Treebark Carving plain walnut stock for the rolling block action. It is 90 percent fitted and would be correct and practical for the rifle. It has a flat butt and can be fitted with a recoil pad or inletted to a period buttplate. Treebark Carving also offers various woods to fit any level of look.

What’s Next?

After the receiver is barreled and chambered, I usually proof-test guns before I proceed. In the second part of this article, I’ll do that, and shape the barrel, fit the stock and sights, and decide on a final finish. Click Here for Part 2 of this article to see the results of the great rolling block project.

Optics Necessities

Good optics are important no matter what shooting discipline you’re involved with. After all, you have to see something before you can shoot it, and binoculars, scopes and spotting scopes make that possible.

Now that my eyes have aged, I don’t know where I’d be without modern optics. Thankfully, there’s a large assortment of glass available for specific needs.

Binocular Basics
I usually carry some sort of binocular, because you never know when you might need to see something at a distance.

The binocular is the most useful tool for hunting, nature watching or the work of a professional operator. The variety of this tool makes it easy — or difficult — to pick one for your purpose.

I have three pairs, which differ mostly in size: a pair of Nikon minis, which I like for pocket glass. They are 10x40s, but are clear and get the job done without the weight of larger models. During shorter jaunts, I carry Shepherd 12x50s. Sometimes, I’ll carry them regardless because their clarity is much better. My midsize Leupold Wind River binos have been taken over by my wife, Lu.

Swarovski and Steiner also produce great products. A friend has a pair of Swarovski’s 8×30 compacts, which provide great clarity for a compact bino.

Binoculars are categorized by their magnification and size of the objective lens. The objective lens is the farthest from the user, and it facilitates focus and light transmission. The rear lens provides magnification.

So, 10×50 binoculars have 10X magnification and a 50 mm objective lens. Unless I’m looking for something compact enough to carry in my pocket, I like to have at least a 50 mm objective. The bigger the lens, the better and more light transmission.

The ability to gather light makes optics so useful at dawn and dusk. That's why the other important factor in optics quality is the glass and how precisely it’s ground and shaped in the optical piece. That’s what determines cost. High-quality glass demands a higher price. Recently, competition and technology have made good-quality glass available to about everybody. You can purchase a pretty good piece for a reasonable price.

The focus-free or one-knob focus is one of the best technological advancements. The Leupold 10x50s I carry are of this type. That makes them easier to refocus after loaning them out. The only thing you must adjust is the interpupillary distance, which is the setting on the hinge that aligns the lens with the pupil. I usually mark this on my binoculars so it’s easier to return them to my setting.

A steady hold greatly improves the use of an optic afield. Lightly pressing the eyepieces to the bottom of your eyelid helps when viewing an object. I wear glasses, so steadying my upper body against something — a tree or vehicle — helps.

Some companies, such as Shepherd, make an attachment that lets you place binos on a tripod, like a spotting scope.

You can improve clarity by using your fingers to block light around the eyepieces when holding binoculars to your face.

Remember, the objective lens will reveal your presence to critters or an enemy when the sun reflects off it. Anti-reflective shields can help, and these are necessities for military and police personnel. >>>More Binoculars

Spotters
For long-distance observation, spotting scopes pick up where binoculars leave off. They are the most powerful device for scouts, hunters or snipers, and help detect and observe a quarry from great distances.

They have a very narrow field of view, so you often use them in tandem with binos, looking through the latter to detect something and then observing it more carefully with the spotter.

One big discrepancy with spotting scopes is the differences between zoom and fixed power.

I started with a 25X fixed-power spotter years ago and really like it. However, I had to have a 25-60X zoom by Bausch and Laumb a few years ago. It’s a great scope, with a 60 mm objective that gathers more light in 60X mode.

If you need that kind of magnification, get the biggest objective you can. I’ve seen high-magnification spotters with objectives that were insufficient for transmitting light — unless you were looking at the sun.

Usually, I use 30X and like the compact size and weight of a fixed-power scope.

With a spotting scope, a steady rest is paramount. It’s very difficult — if not impossible — to use a spotter without a tripod. Good tripods are inexpensive and come in various forms. Shepherd makes a magnetic base that can be used on a shooting table or bench or the hood of a truck. It’s a versatile tool that can be used at the range or for spotting critters from the pickup. I like it because it’s compact enough to keep in the truck yet sufficiently handy for long-distance observation from a good rest. It also has a rifle-rest attachment, which comes in handy when sighting off the hood or resting a squirrel rifle. I also use it to steady my Shepherd 12×50 binos.

I also use another steadying device that attaches to a partially rolled-down window. It has all the adjustments of a tripod head and features clamp-type attachment that holds on the glass.

It’s compact and can be applied quickly without getting out of the truck and setting up a conventional tripod. I keep a small tripod in my pack for other conditions. It folds to less than a foot long but can be opened to work from a prone position or set on a rock for a sitting position.

I’ve been looking at Leupold’s 30x60X fixed-power spotter. It’s a light, sleek scope with straight-through view, not a prism type. I don’t have anything against prisms, but they usually are heavier. Prism models are shorter and might fit into a pack better.

Most spotting-scope manufacturers provide an additional feature: armor. This ribbed rubber coating makes the scope more resistant to shock.

Riflescopes
Hunters, shooters or professional operators must have quality scopes on their rifles. A scope allows a more precise look at a long-distance target, and nowadays, they can help you estimate range and compensate for bullet drop.

Years ago, when rifles were first produced to shoot targets at longer ranges, guiding a bullet to its mark was a problem. The most famous example was the mighty Sharps rifle, which was advertised as “The Rifle You Shoot Today and Kills Tomorrow.”

Before glass, these guns were fitted with sights that were extremely precise despite not having magnifying qualities. Later, these rifles were fitted with scopes.

Smokeless powder and new bullet designs flattened trajectory, and inventors kept up with optics to complement them.

Today, shooters have about everything we could want in rifle optics. That technology is great for professionals, provided they remember optics do not replace proper training. Sport shooters and hunters can use the same criteria.

Most modern scopes have variable magnification or power. Unless you have a specific purpose for a scope, that’s usually a good option.

Fixed-power scopes are usually a bit more rugged than variable models because of the design of the zooming apparatus. Also, they have fewer parts, so they experience fewer failures.

Still, most variable scopes are sufficiently rugged for hard hunting situations and most law-enforcement uses. Maybe the need for varied magnifications outweighs the need for more reliability.

The first scope I ever put on a rifle was a used fixed 6X Weaver I bought from a gunsmith. I mounted it on a .308 and shot many critters with it.

Being barely 16 years old, that’s what I could afford. Later, when I could buy a variable, I found I didn’t have time to change the power in close situations and had a blurry sight picture, anyway.

Now that my eyes are tuckered by age, everything is blurry. Even so, I like a variable scope. When I was a SWAT sniper, we had 3-9X variable Leupolds on our rifles, which were adequate for police situations.

Today, I rely on quality variable scopes. Many advancements help, the biggest of which are quality glass, range estimation and drop compensation.

Although a coyote is a medium-sized target, its kill area is about 4 inches. When calling, I can usually get a coyote close enough so nothing matters except a lower magnification from the variable scope to keeps the dog in focus.

However, when I have a long shot, I need the extra magnification and a quick way to estimate range and where the bullet will pass. Nobody is as good at estimating range past 300 yards as we think. Leica proved that to me.

Range-estimation and drop-compensation reticles are a great improvement. I learned mil-dot years ago, and it served me well. It’s still a great nonbattery system, but you must practice it to master it.

In hunting situations, there are better options, such as the Shepherd System. This reticle uses circle-size comparison to a target of known size to simultaneously range and compensate for drop. It also has scales that can estimate range and windage adjustments after you estimate wind speed.

All reticle range estimations depend on you to know the size of the target or something at the same range. Burris’ LaserScope has a laser range-finder that instantly provides range of an object and has range-holdover slashes on the cross-hairs to compensate for drop, as estimated by a table of varying calibers and bullet weights.

I have used the LaserScope on coyotes and long-distance squirrels, and the instant range feature helps place longer shots more precisely and, just as important, quickly. As with other Burris products, the glass is great quality.

Conclusion
Despite all the wonderful technology available, shooters must practice and shoot to perfect their accuracy. While doing so, you might realize that technology helps you make longer shots and can also advise you when a shot is too long.

— Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator and a SAR tracker/trainer. He currently lives in Idaho and writes about various topics, including firearms, hunting, tactical gear and training.

To read more about the latest optics, read Awesome Optics, by Kevin Michalowski, for a review of the latest 2008 offerings.

Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now!

 

Loading the .50 BMG: Fun and Penny-Wise

Save time and get more bang for your buck by handloading the big .50 BMG.

Morelli_50BMG_1.jpgUnlike a musician, whose practice involves only time after the initial investment of an instrument, a tactician must invest in ammo. That can greatly affect how much practice you can afford.

I’ve reloaded ammo since I started shooting. My first rifle was a .308 Winchester, and my first loading outfit was a Lee Loader. Even with the primitive Lee system, I got better results from the rifle at a lower cost than with relatively cheap factory ammo. As I shot more and got into pistols, reloading became an important part of my shooting. It still is, because my hobbies and professional career have centered around shooting.

Loading the Big Gun

Anyone into long-range shooting, whether as a professional sniper or target shooter, will shoot the .50 BMG. In this arena, reloading seems to be necessary to create affordable loads. Further, you can tailor it to the type of shooting you’re doing. A lot of military surplus ammo is available at lower cost, but most rifle makers recommend not using this ammo.

However, current factory ammo can be quite expensive, and it’s not always available everywhere. I’ve also found that like every other cartridge I’ve reloaded, I get better results by developing a load for a specific rifle.

Morelli_50BMG2.jpgThere really isn’t much difference in loading the .50 than other stuff. It’s a blown-up version of the .30-06. Everything is bigger. Designed from .30-06 specifications, it even duplicates .30-06 velocities — only with a bullet that’s 10 times heavier. Be prepared to have a larger supply of components, especially powder. Charges are quite large, even in reduced loads. The press you’ll need is larger and must be firmly attached to a loading bench to size the big case. Otherwise, the process is similar. Depending on the components you use, reloading will lower your costs and produce a load that will complement the .50’s long-range capabilities.

I started with RCBS, which has a .50 BMG package deal. It comes with a press, dies, a primer, a case trimmer, a huge powder-dump measurer and a bunch of the little do-dads that make the job easier. The press will handle the larger die size. It also comes with a reducer that can screw into the die threads and a 7/8 thread die can be used in the press. All you need for smaller calibers is an adapter that will facilitate various smaller shell-base holders. That makes the press a dual-function unit.

I started by bolting the press to a sturdy table. I then mounted the powder measure next to it but toward the back of the table. After the priming was complete, the powder could be dispensed into the case and put in the press for seating the bullet.

One Large Recipe

I loaded some Barnes’ Banded 750-grain solids, which come 20 to a box. They are pointy-nose bullets designed to cut a clean path through the atmosphere, and they proved to be accurate for the loads I was making.

Morelli50BMG3.jpgI used Hodgdon H50BMG powder, which is made for the big case. Hodgdon also makes US 869, which can be loaded in the .50. Then, I gleaned some loading data from the Hodgdon website.

The powder and bullets were easy to find, but I had trouble rounding up primers. The BMG takes a CCI 35 primer, and most places sell them in lots of 500. Most outlets I checked were out of stock, but I got some from a friend who owns a gun shop in Post Falls, Idaho, called Going Ballistic. The brass came from rounds I'd previously shot from The Hunting Shack and Extreme Shock. Both outfits assemble great ammo, and I found it to be accurate. The Hunting Shack’s A-Max bullet disintegrated on contact with the backstop, as did Extreme Shock’s soft tip.

The loads on the Hodgdon Web site had the 750-grain bullet splitting the air at 2,800 to 2,900 feet per second. According to the Hodgdon info, 250 grains of US 869 will push the 750-grain bullet around 2,944 fps, and 233 grains of H50BMG will get the same bullet out at 2,800 fps. With those big loads, I don’t think 1/10 of a grain would be noticeable, but increments of .5 grains of even full grains would be small enough.

Believing those were maximum loads, I started a little lighter. Really, I was looking for an accurate load that was a little lighter to shoot. I was using the Bushmaster BA-50 with the loads. Like all quality .50s, it isn’t really unpleasant to shoot, but I wanted to use less powder and get good results. That would lower the cost of reloading, which, as mentioned, is kind of the point of reloading. At 250 grains a pop, it doesn’t take long to go through a pound of powder.

The loading sequence is really not much different than with other rounds. I started by making sure the case length was acceptable. Long cases got a turn in the length sizer that came with the RCBS 50 BMG kit. The priming attachment goes into place easily, and the primer is pressed in after full-length sizing in the RCBS dies. With a bit of lubrication, the big press made the job effortless. I was amazed at how easily the case slipped through the die, as I’ve had regular rifle rounds give me trouble.

I used the RCBS powder dump to charge the cases, and after checking a few loads with RCBS’ Charge Master 1500, I got almost perfect consistency. I could have used the 1500 to dole out the load, but the dump was faster with the big charges, and I didn’t notice decreased accuracy at the range. The Barnes Banded Solid was seated to an overall length of 5.45 inches to top off the cartridge.

The reloads performed great out of the Bushmaster BA-50. I shot them next to The Hunting Shack ammo and Extreme Shock from Mullins Ammunition. The reloads were plenty accurate and mild enough for practice. The Barnes Solids did not disintegrate on the backstop like the factory ammo, but it flew well. I placed the horse pill on an 18-inch rock at 1,400 yards.

Dual Purpose

The .50 BMG is an awesome rifle capable of accuracy at unbelievable ranges, but it’s like any other tool: The operator is the biggest part of that capability. Even though the rifle is capable of long-range accuracy, you must practice with the tool to reach its potential.

Reloading will help you tune the cartridge to the rifle — and give you a break in the wallet to allow for more time on the range.

Zeiss Clarity Comes Through with Conquest

After 160 years, Zeiss remains one of the top optics makers in the world.

My first experience comparing Zeiss to other glass occurred at the end of my high-school career. My friend and I spent a lot of time taking wildlife pictures, probably dreaming of being great photographers some day. He had acquired a Zeiss camera, and its optical quality was far superior to anything a couple of high-schoolers could afford.

Although my hopes of becoming the next swimsuit photographer — as I got older, my priorities changed — vanished with time, my respect for the quality of Zeiss glass didn’t. I’ve checked out many types of scopes, binoculars and spotters, but every time I look through a Zeiss product, its clarity sticks out.

Quality Exemplified
The Zeiss Conquest series scopes feature the company’s quality at an affordable price. They offer more than 90 percent clarity through multi-coated lenses. When light passes through glass, some of it is lost, decreasing clarity to the shooter’s eye. The multi-coatings of magnesium fluoride reduce that loss to the bare minimum and transmit more light to your eye. The application and amount of layers improve the quality of the glass.

Recently, I mounted Zeiss’ 4.5-14×44 MC (with the Rapid-Z reticle) on my flat-top AR rifle. The scope’s 1-inch tube keeps plenty of light coming through during low-light operations. I was particularly interested in the Rapid-Z reticle for quick range estimation in the field. This reticle is a second-plane image, and the scope features 1/4 minute-of-angle adjustments and side-focus parallax adjustment. This side adjustment has become mandatory on any scope I use for important shots — and to me, all shots are important. I can get a cleaner sight picture more easily, as the side focus is more accessible when looking through the scope.

I used the Rapid-Z 600 reticle, which is marked to 600 yards with drop compensators. Zeiss also produces the 800, 1000 and Varmint. All have varying features for their intended purposes and provide hold-over points for the most popular rounds. The 600 and 800 are for standard hunting, with the 800 being more for magnum and ultra-magnum rounds. The 1000 is a tactical riflescope for the .308 Winchester. The Varmint is designed for just that.

Zeiss’ Web site has an extensive section on using the Rapid-Z reticle, and tips on ammo and other ballistic information pertinent to the reticle. You can download and print this info to have it nearby. The reticle is uncluttered and easy to use, and the holdover points are labeled for quick reference. The Web site also has full-screen images of each reticle. Check them out at www.zeiss.com.

I figured the .223 AR varmint rifle I built would be a perfect match for the Conquest and its Rapid-Z 600 reticle. I mounted the scope on the flat-top upper and was surprised to find that it shot an inch high at 100 yards without any adjustment. That usually never happens to me.

I zeroed it to the specifications and found the reticle to be accurate to 300 yards for drop compensation. (The area where I shot only had a level 300-yard area.) I also liked the 4.5 magnification of the reticle because it focused at close range.

The clear, long eye relief let me use the scope around the vehicle in combat shooting positions. The versatility was welcome. The image remained crystal clear as magnification was increased — the true test of quality optics.

As the magnification and refraction increase, the ability to transmit light decreases, and this optic passes the test. It made my old eyes a little bit better.

Varmint Action
I wanted to check out the scope on some squirrels, so I headed to my favorite infestation and set up some sandbags for long-range action. Squirrel hunting is really the test of the long-range rifle setup. It lets you know if you need a scope that’s clearer or more powerful. It won’t take you long to determine if the rifle/scope combination is accurate or really accurate. Some guys shoot squirrels at really long ranges, but if you can consistently take them out to 200 yards, you have a more-than-adequate rifle.

The 14X Conquest had the magnification necessary to shoot squirrels that far. Using a 3-9X scope, there isn’t enough squirrel where cross-hairs meet to keep the sight on target past 100 yards. The extra magnification lets the hairs center on the critter.

The glass in the Conquest was exceptionally clear. With small targets, it’s difficult to get a clear picture at high magnifications. The Conquest passed the test, providing clear focus with the side-adjust parallax knob.

When I shot the first magazine, the squirrels were at about 100 yards. The rifle was sighted on zero at 100, and the flat .223 36-grain Barnes Varmint Grenade took out the targets a little closer and farther than that without compensation. Using the holdover lines, the rifle/scope combination nailed squirrels out to 200 yards. The reloaded 40-grain Barnes ballistics I computed must have been pretty precise, and even misses weren’t off by much. As the distance increased, the percent of hits decreased.Funny how that formula works, but I’m sure it wasn’t the equipment. I was really impressed with the scope.

I also tested the Barnes Varmint Grenade that day, and it’s really an accurate varmint bullet. I loaded it at around 3,600 fps to use in open hayfields, pivots and other farming equipment. Don’t forget about safety, of course, but these bullets fragment on impact and lessen the danger of a secondary impact from ricochet. Barnes has picture of one fragmenting as it passes through a grape. The powdery inner mass opens up as the copper jacket peels back. Its lead-free construction also gives enviro-weenies less to whine about.

Conclusion
My shop-built AR, the Zeiss Conquest and .223 ammo topped with the Barnes bullet turned out to be a great combination for long-range shooting. The rifle guided the bullet precisely, and the Conquest kept a clear, sharp image. That’s all you need.

— Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator and a SAR tracker/trainer. He currently lives in Idaho and writes about various topics, including firearms, hunting, tactical gear and training.

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Leupold Tactical Spotting and Rifle Scopes

Aside from superior marksmanship, extraordinary fieldcraft and mastering tactics, one thing that sets a sniper apart is his high-quality optics.

A sniper might have to protect his unit or entry team as they set up, or he might be assigned to take out a bad guy holding hostages. Often, he will be assigned surveillance or recon missions that require good optics.

I conducted surveillance much of the time when I was in a SWAT unit, and I relied on high-resolution spotting scopes so I could remain undetected but accurately see what was happening. If there was a rash of robberies or burglaries in an area, we would try to be in a position of advantage when the next crime occurred. Accurate observation from a distance was paramount to success.

Sniper Considerations
Selecting a spotting scope for a sniper team can be a challenge. There are as many spotting scopes on the market as there are rifles, and they range from excellent to less than useful. It’s almost impossible to find a fixed-power spotter of acceptable quality. Everybody is stuck on zoom spotters. Fixed-power spotters have fewer lenses, thereby providing more light transmission. With less glass, it’s also lighter to carry. And with simpler construction, less can go wrong with it.

Adjustable-power spotters let you adjust the power, and if the objective is large enough, you can see clearly see for great distances. Numerous companies make exceptional spotting scopes, and many are small enough to carry in a small pack.

I have a friend who was bragging about a 60-power scope of unknown make, which he claimed to be able to see a hair on a gnat’s butt. He might have bought a scope with an objective the size of the moon, but I doubt it. High-power spotters usually have a small objective and will not gather enough light to get a clear picture on the highest setting.

I like to have an objective lens at least one-half again as large as the highest magnification — or more. Better-quality glass will provide better clarity, but physics will prevail. If the power is so high the objective can’t gather enough light, it will not provide a sharp image at the highest setting. Another thing that gets in the way is mirage. It starts to goof up the operation around 25X.

The Leupold Spotter
The Leupold Mark 4 Tactical is a 12-40X with a 60 mm objective. In my opinion, that’s about perfect. The 12X is low enough to focus on close stuff, and teaming the 40X eyepiece with the 60 mm objective makes for bright, clear long-range clarity. Mirage will affect the best spotting scope on high power, but the Leupold Mark 4 cuts through it better than anything else.

The other thing I like about the Leupold system is the huge eyepiece. It’s one element I always seek in a spotter. The tiny eyepieces on most scopes restrict how well I can see through them. Recently, a friend and I were checking out spotters at a big sporting-goods store. The tiny eyepieces worked well enough for average viewing, but there was a difference with the bigger eyepiece. He ended up with a Bushnell, which also had a big eyepiece. It was a great scope, through which I could see very well. However, it was quite a bit larger than the Mark 4. But my friend planned to pack it in his pickup, and it was an extremely clear, good-quality spotter.

The Mark 4 Tactical Spotting Scope also is available with mil-dot or TMR reticules, which can be matched with Leupold’s tactical binoculars and high-quality riflescopes. This is a great advantage for a sniper team — whether on duty or in competition — because everyone sees the same thing. If you are using the mil-dot or TMR slashes for hold-over, you can pick it in the binoculars or spotting scope while observing the target. The ranging operation is the same as any mil-dot scope. Another thing I really like is that Leupold built the case for the spotter, so it can be used on the tripod without taking it from the case. That goes a long way with me to help protect the spotter.

Binoculars
I have always been a great fan of Leupold’s products because they make a wide range of scopes and binoculars to fit every budget. When replacing my binoculars, I again went with Leupold, mostly because good experience with its warranty. The company give its products a lifetime warranty. Of course, other manufacturers do, too, but I’ve put Leupold’s warranty to the test. I purchased a pair of 8×32 miniature binoculars about 20 years ago and really liked the clarity in such a compact piece. But recently, after dropping them, falling on them and whatever else for the past 20 years, they went out of alignment. I was impressed they lasted that long. I sent them back to be repaired and was surprised to see the company replaced them with a recent version of that binocular.

The Mark 4 Binocular is just like the spotting scope in that it has high-quality glass. The binocular is probably the most-used observation optic on a sniper team, and a pair of 10×50 glasses and a smaller pair for short recons are necessary equipment. I liked having my binos with me all the time when we were on callouts, and the quality pair of compacts did the trick. In a hide or during longer surveillances, I liked the 10x50s. At the beginning of every watch, the 10x50s were on the seat next to me.

The Mark 4 binoculars are a great match to the Mark 4 spotting scope because they can be purchased with the mil-dot or TMR reticule installed. They come with a rubberized coating that makes them sound-proof when bumped and protects them from rugged use. They are sealed tight for guaranteed moisture and fog resistance. That’s important where I live. Winter trap-line temperatures regularly hit minus 20 — and sometimes get colder. Good-quality optics are required to keep working through extreme temperature changes.

Up to the Test
I had the Mark 4 binoculars while hunting elk with friends this year. We traded binoculars, as guys do when looking for game, and the Mark 4s stood out compared to others. The other binos were high-quality competitors, but I immediately noticed the ability of the Leupolds to see in the shadows of the willows we were glassing. The clarity in shadowy spots really stood out, and one of my friends mentioned that. That could be important during surveillance or a recon stakeout when deciphering important information, such as the presence of a gun or other weapon. (Most of the surveillance or recon I did was at night, and the ability to gather light in such conditions makes or breaks a surveillance tool.)

Whether setting up optics for a sniper team or picking out glass for a competition, Leupold provides great quality and will survive the toughest mission. With long-range shooting and .50 BMG shooting becoming so popular, good glass is necessary to score targets without having to walk downrange. Most of my long-range (800 to 1,000 yards) shooting is done in the hills because I don’t have a range nearby. Leupold glass helps my wife spot for me accurately without spending excessive time going down range to check the impact.

— Dave Morelli is an all-around gun nut from Idaho.

Want to learn more about basic scope selection for your rifle? Click Here to Read the Primer

Check Out These Cool AR-15 Accessories

Part of the allure of the AR platform is its versatility.
Part of the allure of the AR platform is its versatility.

Starting as a military arm, the AR’s popularity has increased at such a rate it seems there’s now an attachment that will do just about anything, even wash your car. AR-15 accessories abound in today's aftermarket.

One of the great things about the AR-15 is the versatility built into the system.

Starting as a military arm, the AR’s popularity has increased at such a rate it seems there’s now an attachment that will wash your car. The gun can be transformed to handle any duty.

Further, improvements in the trigger and floating the front end have enhanced the accuracy and versatility of the weapon. And nowadays, it seems like you can attach almost anything to the picatinny rails on an AR (I like the Daniel Defense oval-shaped four-rail grip I got from Wilson Combat).

AR-15 Stock Options

One item I’ve added to my AR that really makes it fit better is Magpul Industry’s PRS stock, which lets you change the length of pull and cheek height via two small wheels. The wheels are ergonomically located so you can make adjustments with your non-trigger hand, as it’s held back on the stock when bench-shooting. The cheek-piece adjustment has made it easier for me to get my face onto the stock and get on target faster. Also, with my cheek in the same place every time, I get greater consistency from shot to shot.

The stock is easily installed with a screwdriver and a 1/8-inch hex key. The extended length of the length-of-pull adjustment is 11.45 inches, but you can also add an optional extended butt pad if you want more length The newer Generation II stock added some length and reduced the weight. That’s always a good thing. The older I get, the heavier everything gets.

I really like the ease with which the stock can be adjusted. It would be great for a police department, in which officers of varying size could adjust the weapon for individual fit. Although no one else will shoot my AR, the adjustments are still useful. Adjusting the settings to my stature gives me a great initial fit. However, I find that when I get into different shooting positions, a slight adjustment helps the rifle fit more precisely. Also, I might be shooting in cold conditions while wearing heavier clothing, so I’ll want to make subtle changes to adjust the length of pull. The Magpul stock lets me do that easily.

Magpul makes the stocks for the AR-10 and AR/M-16. Armalite puts the stocks on its SASS (Semiauto Sniper System) .308 rifles.

I have also have a carbine with a collapsible stock. Long-range shooting isn’t an issue with this gun, but quick sighting is. DPMS makes sights that clamp on the rail — front and rear — of a flat-top model. They flip up when needed and down when they are not. I like the carry-top model for a close-quarters weapon and use the peep sights that come with it. Most close-quarters battles don’t require sights anyway, but you have them if needed.

sightsA Long-Range Look

Flat-top uppers also help you take advantage of the already-accurate AR. These help you mount long-range scopes — and not so high that it’s nearly impossible to get a good cheek weld when sighting the rifle. I have a Leupold VX-III 4.5-14×40 mm scope on one of my ARs. The gun is capable of minute-of-angle accuracy and has routinely killed coyotes at 400 yards. Having a long-range scope that lines up well really make those shots easier.

Leupold’s new Indexed Matched Lens System and Varminter Ranging and Drop Compensator Reticule make a perfect top for an accurate varmint or tactical rifle. The clarity and light transmission is excellent in dim light. It’s important to have quality light-gathering lenses, because I’ve never been on a SWAT callout that didn’t start or end during evening, and the light-gathering quality of Leupold glass will carry you until night-vision equipment is needed.

Sights and Lights

I also like to have a red-dot-type sight for close-quarters duty. My favorites are the Aimpoint and EO Tech holographic type.

I grew up on Aimpoint and carried one on my M-16 when doing entries. I liked being able to keep both eyes open and focus on the red dot and my surroundings. It’s a quick way to get on target. Although my eyes are suffering from looking downrange too many years, the red dot still remains in sharp focus when iron sights do not.

The same goes for the EO Tech holographic sight. I ran one of these through the Morelli grinder, and I could not get it to malfunction. They are really tough.

Another thing I like on a defensive carbine is some sort of white light. From from my earliest days on patrol, I’ve always used Streamlights. They were one of the brighter lights years ago, and although they were huge by today’s standards, they made things visible.

One of my favorite lights from Streamlight is the Strion. It’s a xenon light with a rechargeable battery pack. It also comes with a mount that attaches to the rail of my carbine and can be operated with my thumb via a button. It’s small enough to keep in my pocket and can be used with my pistol in the Harries position or affixed to my carbine for bright light to 50 yards.

Streamlight also makes the TLR-1, which is actually a pistol-mounted light that comes with an interchangeable rear cap that can be plugged into a pressure switch. The light can pull double duty. It has a comfortable pressure switch that can be left on the carbine when the light is on the pistol. The light is really small and not a hindrance on the carbine. The pressure switch also comes in handy so the light can be operated using a vertical grip or some other configuration. It’s plenty bright for close-quarters protection.
Surefire also builds a great xenon light for a rifle. It has a built-in mount that attaches to a picatinny rail and is plenty bright for spotting a distant adversary or blinding a close attacker.
lights
Some attachments combine close-quarters combat advantages and help for longer shots. The Mono-Grip from CTK Precision is such a tool.

This well-crafted vertical grip can be attached to the bottom rail of a four-rail grip for better control and retention. The grip has a rubber bottom and extends to support the rifle as a mono pod if it must be steadied on a vehicle hood or wall for a longer shot.
This pod helps steady critical shots with no extra inconvenience. Better, the thumb-operated light is easy to engage with the vertical grip positioned properly.

AR-15 Accessories for Everyone

No matter the purpose, someone is making an accessory for the AR that will help you complete your mission. That’s why the AR is so popular.

Bushnell and Choate Team to Make Rifle Deadly Accurate

When putting together a tactical precision rifle or a varmint/target rifle, two of the most important considerations are the scope and stock. A rifleman must be able to clearly see distant targets and hold the rifle steady until after the bullet has left the barrel. A quality scope from Bushnell’s Elite Series and the Ultimate Varmint/Sniper Stock from Choate Machine and Tool are great complements to a precisely tuned barreled action.

The Glass
Bushnell products have been around for as long as I can remember. I own several. Recently, I was putting together a precision .308-caliber rifle and wanted to top it with good scope. The Bushnell Elite Series 4200 had all the options I wanted.

The scope’s glass is impressive. With 95 percent light transmission, it is extremely bright and clear, even during reduced light conditions. The 50 mm objective grabs light even at the 24X setting. The 6X eyepiece has a field of view of 16.5 feet at 100 yards, and the parallax focal point is 25 yards to infinity, so you won’t have a blurry close shot.

It also has target turrets with clear, easy-to-read numbering; a sun shade; and a side parallax adjustment. I really like the side focus knob, as it’s easier to reach from an aiming position. From a tactical standpoint, it lets you keep the hairs on the bad guy while adjusting parallax. The Bushnell Rainguard-coated lenses combine with the Firefly reticule to provide a fogproof view in damp conditions. The Elite scope is built on a 30 mm tube. That’s standard for long-range scopes, as a 30 mm tube assists in light transmission and also give more minute-of-angle “clicks” for elevation. It’s nice to have extra clicks, especially if you use a few for initial sighting. Finished with flip-up lens covers from Butler Creek, the scope was ready to mount on the receiver.

I really like the twist-in scope mounts. They are a sturdy way to mount a scope, and the rear mount has windage adjustment that can be made mechanically when sighting in. This saves the windage adjustment in the scope, keeping it at zero. When I mount a scope I like to shim the elevation so the scope adjustment starts at zero. Then, the only adjustment is the fine zeroing and elevation compensation for longer ranges. I use Millet rings and mounts, and the rings needed to be medium height to account for the 50 mm objective. After final adjustments, the turret scales can be put back to zero.

I also liked the ease with which the dials turned. Some dials are really hard to turn, making it a royal pain to adjust the magnification. This feature, combined with the rugged compactness of the scope, makes it a great long-range or tactical scope.

Stock Options
The stock is the bond between the action and shooter. One model really stands out: The Ultimate Sniper Stock was designed by Maj. John Plaster, USAR (retired), for Choate Machine & Tool Co. It has a great design, everything you want on a stock.
A varmint or sniper-type stock should have some weight, more so on the sniper stock because it adds strength and stability to the rifle. A hunting gun is usually lighter because most folks don’t want to pack it around all day. In the sniper’s world, that convenience takes a back seat to ruggedness and accuracy. The USS is relatively heavy, with enlarged areas in the forearm and pistol grip to facilitate resting on sandbags. There are hollow areas in the pistol grip and rear buttstock that can be filled with lead shot mixed with epoxy to add weight.

One of the most important features of the custom sniper stock is how the action is bedded to it. The USS has an aluminum block molded into it and machined to fit the action you want to install. This makes for a rock-solid repeatable bed to which the action can be returned.

The forearm of the grip is fitted with a T-rail to facilitate accessories such as a bipod. It is a quick-detach feature, so you can switch from a prone bipod to sitting bipod quickly. The front of the forearm is flat, wide and heavily serrated for shooting from a rest, and the forward area is tapered out to the barrel so the front of the rifle can be elevated by sliding it forward on the rest. Also, when the bipod is collapsed, the legs will point up to the barrel and are less likely to snag on something. The buttstock is flat on the bottom and heavily serrated, and has a screw-type rear elevation adjustment. The length of pull is adjustable from 13.25 inches out. The buttplate is also adjustable up and down. The stock also comes with two cheek pieces; one for low-mount scopes and a higher one for a scope with a bigger objective. The position of the cheek piece is adjustable front-to-back on the stock.

The stippling around the grip sections of the rifle is aggressive and rough and will not slip. Most sniper stocks are wide in the forearm to provide a stabile hold, and the USS is no different, but there is a narrowed portion for easier one-handed balanced carry. The barrel channel is wide and will facilitate a bull barrel of up to 1.25 inches. It includes slots cut in the side to aid in cooling and attaching ghillie material. Sling-swivel studs are attached on both sides of the stock near the buttplate and the center of the forearm so your can choose which side you want to carry the rifle.

I put the barreled action in the stock to shoot it. I hadn’t rebarreled the action with the bull barrel yet, but I wanted to shoot the rifle to compare groups later with the new barrel. When shooting from a bench to sight it in, I liked the skeleton aspect of the stock. The stock performed nicely with the factory barrel, although it looked odd in such a wide barrel channel.

The tough DuPont Rynite SST-35 is less expensive to produce than layered Kevlar and fiberglass, making the stock very inexpensive. The stock I started with was OD green, and with a little imagination and Aluma-Hyde II spray-on finish from Brownell’s, the stock won’t be seen.

Conclusion
Bushnell Elite Series scopes and the Ultimate Varmint/Sniper Stock provide a great combination for putting together a precision rifle. Combined with a finely tuned Remington action fitted with a barrel built for Brownell’s by Shilen, they will produce a winning rifle every time.

— Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator and a SAR tracker/trainer. He now writes about guns, hunting, tactical gear and training.

Slick Up Your Lever Gun for Self-Defense

lever actionLever actions are still great defensive weapons. Here are some ways one gunsmith slicks up the lever action for improved performance.

It’s amazing how gun technology took off when folks got away from the rocklock.

The flintlock had reigned for more than 100 years when the caplock hit the scene. The caplock was around for about 50 years when the cartridge idea came to the drawing board. First came the single-shot, and then the revolver, the Henry, and the Winchester 1866 and 1873 lever-guns — the list goes on. By the time the lever-gun was the hot new item, technology was moving so fast that new ideas were appearing before old ones were perfected.

I think that’s what happened with the 1873 Winchester lever-gun. With the increased popularity of cowboy action shooting nowadays and the 1873 Winchester’s already-smooth action, it didn’t take long for shooters to figure out how to reduce the rifle’s long lever throw.

No matter your thoughts about altering a cowboy gun for competition, the result is a defensive carbine that’s a bit quicker to operate.

Smoothing Up

The 1866 and 1873 have always been known for smoothness, mostly because the cartridge elevator lifts the round straight up while it rests level in the action. There is no angled ramp to force the cartridge through. That, coupled with a simplistic action, made the gun reliable and smooth. The lever throw made you pass 90 degrees when levering a new round. Shooters soon realized that by altering the physics of the internal components, you could make the lever rotate less, and the rifle would be faster.

One of these shooters was Joe Alves, owner of Pioneer Gun Works. His Short Stroke Kit reduces the stroke by at least the width of the lever, bringing it on the butt side of 90 degrees. That gives the 1873 the advantages of later lever-guns, such as the Marlin 1894, without the angled feeding ramp. Alves found that by changing the toggles and lifter arm using a computer program, he could reduce the rotation needed to function the 1873 and ’66. The rifles have similar internal parts. After the parts are designed on the computer, a program is loaded into the CNC machine, and the part is cut to exact specifications. Alves then inspects each part, and they can be dropped into your gun with minor fitting of the lifter arm. He said if you can take apart your gun, you can install the short-stroke kit.

One reason I like the 1873 — besides romance — is the simple design of the action. When shooting black-powder cartridge matches, I like to clean the guns after every shoot. It’s even necessary sometimes before the shoot is finished. Black powder is extremely corrosive, and the fouling is thick and can jam the action. Yet the 1873 also seems to resist the jamming effects of black-powder fouling longer than other actions. The simple action is much easier to take down and hose out after each shooting.

The more I shot the ’73, the more I wanted to slick up the action, so I figured I should install the short-stroke kit.

Easy Installation

When the short-stroke kit arrived, I noticed the machining was very professional. The parts came with complete instructions, and the only tool needed — other than for disassembly — was a small file to mill the contact surface of the lifter arm where it meets the lever. I also used a stone to polish the surface after it was timed. The toggle links dropped right in, and I used a dummy round to time the lifter to the rest of the action. The elevator will only rise when the bolt is closed or open all the way. If the lifter arm isn’t timed with the bolt, it will jam.

I had one problem. The factory springs that came with the rifle were so massive and hardened they would wear on the bumps that made them operate on the lifter arm. I talked to Alves, and he recommended lighter springs. The springs are like leaf springs on a car, and they aren’t needed to cause the lift and return to operate the gun. However, my Uberti is a replica of the original 1873, and manufacturers made everything stronger then.

Solutions include reducing the tension of the original spring by grinding it thinner or replacing the springs with a Whisper Spring Kit from the Smith Shop (www.thesmithshop.com) in Rhode Island. These springs are wire versions of the originals. I would consider getting Whisper Springs when ordering a kit from Alves. They are cheap enough that it isn’t worth grinding the original springs.

Alves also offers an aluminum version of the elevator. It’s anodized to a brass color, so it looks like the original and is unbelievably lighter than the brass elevator that comes with the gun. The idea behind the lighter elevator is simple: A lighter part is easier to lift.

I also used some molybdenum disulfide from Brownell’s on the friction areas of the action when reassembling it. That prevented any galling until the parts broke in.

I was amazed how easily I could lever a round after installing the kit. It was like the rifle was transformed into a semiauto. The 1873 felt a little like my Marlin because the stroke was shorter.

The kit — or any other part that must be fitted in a gun — rarely works after the first fitting. Be patient, file a little at a time, and then reassemble the gun and try it. It might take many tries to get a perfect fit and timing.

The Defensive Carbine

Most folks think of AR-15s or other semiautos as tactical or defensive weapons. However, the lever-gun is still a great defensive rifle. With a pistol-caliber rifle, overpenetration is lessened from that of, say, a .223. Further, lever-guns are short and maneuverable in close quarters. The .45 Colt, .44-40, .44 Mag. or .357 Mag. have plenty of stopping power. The speed with which cowboy action shooters can operate a lever-gun is phenomenal.

As with any defensive tool, routine practice sessions will make the operation of a lever-gun second nature. And after modifying any defensive firearm, don’t shoot it until you’re satisfied it’s safe and have confidence in it.

Conclusion

Whether you want to get an edge at the next cowboy match or have an 1873 standing sentry at home, the Short Stroke Kit from Pioneer Gun Works will make your action smoother and faster to operate. Give Alves a call at (541) 521-9684, or check out www.pioneergunworks.com.

Gun Review: Armalite AR-50

Armalite chambers the .50 caliber in a 34-pound rifle that really impressed me with its comfort, accuracy and ease of operation. Morelli looks at the Armalite AR-50.

When I look at development of firearms, one thing stands out. Designers spent lots of time working to cartridges powerful and capable of precisely hitting targets at great distances.

The .50 BMG cartridge seems to be the culmination of those aspirations. It was designed for the Browning M-2 Machine Gun in the first decade of the 20th century. It first saw service in 1921. Also called the 12.7×99 NATO, it was based on an upscaled version of the .30-06 case. It has always been known for accuracy. In fact, I found a picture of World War II soldiers scoping a machine gun. It’s a great long-range and sniper round, and the only round capable of consistent shot placement at more than 1,000 yards.

The .50 caliber is not listed as a destructive device, so it’s popular with long-range shooters. To illustrate the power of this cartridge, let’s compare it with the .30-06 Springfield. The .30-06 produces 2,000 to 3,000 foot pounds of energy. The .50 can produce 10,000 to 13,000 foot pounds. More recently, the .50 has served our troops well in Afghanistan, as evidenced in clips showing its performance on small targets at incredible distances.

There’s also much controversy about the .50. Some folks claim it will be used by criminals and terrorists. But in truth, the .50 is too massive and heavy to conceal for criminal use. Further, we should focus more on catching terrorists and keeping them out of the country rather than worrying about what weapon they might use.

One Big Gun

Armalite chambers the .50 caliber in a 34-pound rifle that really impressed me with its comfort, accuracy and ease of operation. I wouldn’t want to pack the gun around much, but I could shoot it all day.

The gun comes with a package of Tylenol, which made me chuckle but then made me think. Was this some kind of warning? Armalite has gone to great lengths to make this rifle comfortable to shoot. As my wife, Lu, and I found out, one of the recoil reducers makes the rifle very loud. I didn’t notice as much behind the gun, but Lu was taking pictures while I shot and said she could feel the concussion, even though she was behind me and to the side. We were wearing double ear protection.

The AR-50 is a solid, well-built rifle. The massive receiver is octagonal and houses a huge bolt with a triple-locking lug. It’s equipped with a Sako-style extractor and Schillen standard single-stage trigger. The massive, tapered barrel is 31 inches long. Inside the pipe are eight grooves with an right-hand 1-15 twist. The muzzle is fitted with a cylindrical multi-flute brake (thus the Tylenol). I have never been a fan of brakes on rifles such as .338 or .300magnums, but I believe it’s necessary on this caliber.

The adjustable buttplate and stock brings the rifle to 59.5 inches long, and the AR-style hand grip really gives the gun a familiar feel. It’s attached to an aluminum stock, and the barrel is floated from the receiver out. There’s a lot of space between the barrel and forend of the stock. The buttplate is fitted with a robust recoil pad that’s adjustable, making it easier to repeat a solid shouldering.

Armalite recommends shooting high-quality ammo in the AR-50, so I went to The Hunting Shack and got some match-grade ammo. The Hunting Shack is one of the largest ammo manufacturers in the country, and it loads .50-caliber ammo one cartridge at a time. Its quality ammo matches the rifle’s capability for accuracy. The Hunting Shack sent me some 750-grain bullets that leave the muzzle at about 2,650 feet per second.

The bullet has an aluminum V-max-type tip that causes massive fragmentation when it hits the backstop. That was right where I wanted that bullet to terminate. I collected some of the fragments from the backstop, and the bullet terminated as it was designed to.

There are many loads for the long-range .50, and trajectories will vary with each. In general, the .50 sends a big pill very fast, flat and accurately at long range.

At the (Long) Range

I shot the rifle with two scopes: a Shepherd V1 6-18X, which has drop compensator for the BMG round, and a Leupold Vari-X 2-10X. I sighted in a 500-yard zero. The scopes held up to the big .50’s recoil without a hitch. We only shot the rifle at about 500 yards, but at longer ranges, the 18X Shepherd would be an asset. With the expense of ammo for these guns, the one-shot zero of the Shepherd was also appreciated. After the gun was sighted in, it made softball-sized rocks on the 500-yard hillside disappear.

The weight and massive muzzle brake do their jobs, reducing recoil to a pleasant push. I shot a couple of boxes of ammo comfortably, with no black shoulder. I didn’t shoot the rifle in the prone position, but even though the prone transfers a bit more recoil to the shooter, I don’t believe it will be a concern. It didn’t beat me up. Armalite’s manual said it’s best for onlookers to be directly behind the rifle when it’s fired, and I agree. The bark is truly worse than the bite.

Before going afield with the gun, I checked the trigger so I had no surprises in live fire. The Schillen single-stage was crisp and clean with no creep. It weighed just less than 5 pounds with my scale. The trigger is very precise, as you’d expect with a rifle capable of such long-range accuracy. It felt lighter than 5 pounds, which usually indicates a well-tuned trigger.

This rifle must be shot from a rest — not because of recoil but because of weight. I could not shoulder the rifle long enough for Lu to snap a picture. Armalite offers a Prince bipod option, which is a strong, well-made support designed for the rifle. Not having one, I used a Harris Bipod I borrowed from my .300 Win. Mag. The one I used with the .50 had a tilt feature, and it kept the 34-pound rifle on target.

Since my experience as a SWAT sniper, I’ve been addicted to precision long-range shooting. The .50 BMG opens up a new experience with long-range shooting. Just because the rifle can send a projectile past 1,000 yards doesn’t mean anyone can make it fulfill its potential. However, I think it’s possible to develop the skills to make one-mile hits with the Armalite AR-50, and I think that’s a much better addiction than the tobacco habit I recently kicked.

Dave Morelli is an all-around gun nut from Idaho.

Gun Review: Nighthawk Custom 1911 Dominator

The Nighthawk Custom 1911 Dominator is a professionally made custom pistol that would satisfy professionals and serious shooters.

Typically, I like shooting almost anything that goes boom. I have opportunities to shoot many types and styles of firearms, but when a 1911 comes along, it finds a soft spot in my heart.

The Nighthawk Custom 1911 Dominator is a great example of such guns.

Loaded with Features

When I removed the 1911 Dominator from its case, I was immediately struck by the laser-engraved cocobolo grips. They are beautifully done. Matched with a Black Perma-Coat slide on a hard-chromed frame, they give the pistol a great look and tough finish that will resist the normal wear of a carry gun.

The gun also has Nighthawk Custom fully adjustable sights that fit a Bo-Mar dovetail, with yellow tritium inserts in the rear and green in front. All the inserts have white rings for daytime gunfights. The 5-inch match-grade barrel is crowned and beveled flush with the bushing.

There are 25-lines-per-inch serrations on the slide-stop, rear of the slide and checkered on the front and backstrap. They give the pistol a firm, comfortable grip. The serrations on the slide keep glare from being a problem in critical sighting situations. The checkering grabs your hand, but the pistol does not grab your clothing because it’s dehorned for concealed carry.

When I get smooth frames in my shop, I always recommend checkering, and most folks love the difference in feel. When buying a custom gun, I look for this feature because it’s so important for a good grip. This is especially true in damp conditions or quick-presentation drills. During the stress of a defensive situation, the feel of checkering adds confidence you need to survive.

The front-sight blade is pyramid-shaped so it doesn’t grab on the way out of a concealed holster. The slidehas front and rear cocking serrations. I don’t know why everybody doesn’t put front cocking serrations on 1911s. I do a press check every time the pistol goes in my holster for sentry duty, and although that can be done without front serrations, they make it much easier. (A press check involves inspecting the chamber for a live round by pushing the slide back a bit to get a visual on the round and then letting it close.)

On older Colts that didn’t have front serrations, the thumb or edge of your second finger pushed back below the barrel on the guide rod. Those guns didn’t have a full-length guide rod — as most do now — and putting the thumb or any body part in front of the muzzle isn’t safe. The serrations let you grip the frame from underneath and pull the slide back. The Dominator I shot did not have one-piece guide rod, so it could be done either way. However, I prefer to grab the slide from behind the muzzle.

The magazine well on the 1911 Dominator is deep and extended. It’s easily hit with a fresh magazine when recharging the gun in quick-load fashion. The gun comes with quality eight-round magazines. Some folks think the extended magazine well is too large for concealed carry. I don’t have much of a problem with that, as a full-sized 1911 is easily concealed under a vest or coat in the strong-side position, and the half-inch of the magazine well that sticks out doesn’t present a problem. I would rather have the right tool for the job when I need it, even if it violates fashion rules.

Like all 1911s, my Dominator feels great in the hand, and its lines and slimness look great. My pistol had a strong-side thumb safety that was slightly extended but rounded off at the corners to make it snag-free. It’s extended enough so my thumb easily engages it.

NightHawk Custom offers an optional ambidextrous safety. Some folks differ about these, but I prefer them on a carry gun. I often shoot weak-handed. The safety doesn’t weigh much, and I like having it there.

At the Range

As always, I did some dry-fire drills before hitting the range, and I was pleased with the way the gun felt in my hand. There’s no substitute for a custom feel. I replaced my normal carry gun with the Dominator and went to work.

The sights lined up and were easy to see, even with my blurry close-range vision. The magazines fed easily and dropped out like they knew where they were going. The magazine release has serrations for positive thumb contact. The slide frame fit was excellent. The trigger was everything I would expect in a custom gun: crisp, clean and no creep. The trigger pull was slightly more than 3 pounds, and it fires right after a brief takeup. The grip safety has a well-defined beavertail and disengages nicely when gripped properly.

The gun fired flawlessly with ball and hollow-point bullets. It was a pleasure to shoot a group right at the point of aim out of the box. The gun comes in .45 Auto, which fits the criteria of a defensive pistol. (That is, the caliber starts with four and ends with five.) I shot MagTech ball ammo and Speer Gold Dot carry stuff, each in 230-grain weights. They shot accurately and reliably. Drawing and firing the gun felt familiar, but the checkered front strap and mainspring housing gave it a positive feel at the range.

My wife, Lu, took a break from picture-taking to give the Dominator a lash. She isn’t a 1911 fan — yet — but she really liked the feel of the pistol and kept a group together on the target. She always has been a good pistol shot, but she told me the Dominator is easy to shoot.

Conclusion

The Nighthawk Custom comes in a convenient soft case that holds the included spare magazine and many more. It has room for other possibles you might need, such as the Wilson Combat Versa-Tool or other maintenance stuff. The case is adequately padded to protect the pistol’s exquisite finish.

The Dominator is a professionally made custom pistol that would satisfy professionals or serious shooters. It’s definitely a beauty-and-the-beast thing: very pretty, but when the beast comes out, it’s a rhino.

If you’re seeking a custom 1911, I’d recommend a visit to www.nighthawkcustom.com.

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