The successful Ruger Scout Rifle — originally chambered in the heavier-hitting .308 cartridge — will now be offered in 5.56 NATO, making it both a practical scout-style rifle for tactical use and a sweet varmint hunting rig.
The 5.56 NATO chambered Ruger Scout Rifle in stainless steel.
When Ruger first rolled out its Gunsite Scout Rifle, it did so with an eye toward Jeff Cooper's original vision for the concept, which meant it came in .308 only. But now Ruger is expanding options for the little scout gun, which will be chambered in 5.56 NATO as well.
It'll feature a hybrid chamber that shoots both 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem. accurately and safely, they say. The rifle, which weighs in at about 7.1 lbs., features a 16.1″, 1/2-28 threaded barrel with a 1:8 twist rate, controlled round feed and is shipped with a 10-round detachable box magazine. The rifle does not accept standard AR-15 mags.
“This is a natural extension of the Gunsite Scout Rifle line,” said Gunsite Instructor Ed Head, one of the contributors to the original Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle design. “Being chambered in a lower cost, universally available caliber, and with the Ruger reputation for reliability and accuracy, this is another serious rifle for those serious about rifles,” he added.
The barrel is cold hammer-forged alloy steel with medium contour, while the receiver sports a very practical matte black oxide finish. The 1/2-28 threaded barrel comes with a Ruger flash suppressor, which can be removed in order to attach other threaded barrel accessories.
The rifle's trigger guard and magazine well are formed of glass-reinforced nylon. The magazine release is a push-forward Mini-14 paddle-style located just ahead of the trigger guard.
For southpaws, the Ruger Scout Rifle in the left-handed version.
A Mini-14-style protected, non-glare, post front sight and receiver-mounted, adjustable, ghost ring rear sight offer out-of-the-box usability.
Like its big brother, there's a forward-mounted Picatinny rail so you can mount scout scopes from Burris or Leupold — for “both eyes open” fast target acquisition. However, if the scout gun configuration isn't your cup of tea, the rifle includes Ruger M77 integral scope mounts and comes with Ruger scope rings for conventional scope use.
The weather resistant black laminate stock, with “Gunsite Scout Rifle” engraved on the grip cap, contains sling swivel studs and a checkered grip and forearm.
A soft rubber recoil pad with three 1/2″ spacers allows the length of pull to be adjusted for different shooters or to give you the proper fit with outerwear or defensive gear of varying thickness.
The little 5.56/.223 Ruger Scout Rifle promises to be an excellent multi-use rifle that's loyal to Jeff Cooper's vision for a fighting rifle and yet ideal for predator hunters and recreational shooters alike.
Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle Model Number: 6824 Caliber: 223 Rem / 5.56 NATO Stock: Black Laminate Capacity: 10 Material: Alloy Steel Finish: Matte Black Front Sight: Post Rear Sight: Adjustable Barrel Length: 16.10″ Overall Length: 37.00″ – 38.50″ Weight: 7.10 lbs. Length of Pull: 12.75″ – 14.25″ Twist: 1:8″ RH Grooves: 6 Option: Right-Handed Thread Pattern: 1/2″-28 Suggested Retail: $1039.00
At this point and time, AR-style rifles run the entire gambit when it comes to prices. Really, there is an option for nearly every pocketbook – thick or thin. But what model offers the most bang for the buck? Well, when it comes to tactical rifles in the $1,000 range, the guys at the the Military Arms Channel have a definitive answer – the Colt 6920.
The above video makes a pretty good case for the rifle, especially for value-minded shooters. One of the strongest points is Colt's familiarity with the platform. No company has produced this style of rifle, in greater volume than Colt. As pointed out in the video, the gunmaker has been key in setting the standards for what is Mil-Spec.
While the video is a bit dated, much of what it covers still holds true. That includes the price. A non-exhaustive search on the Internet turned up multiple outlets retailing the 6920 for $1,000 or less. But, there are numerous stores that are now selling the rifle for more than that now, as well.
The entire video is worth a watch, since it gives a thorough – albeit brief – history of one of Colt's most popular AR-style rifles. This includes a little explanation of why the 6920 has two models – the LE and SP – with the exact same features.
Higgenbotham Auctioneers offers approximately 15 gun collections annually, representing more than 1,000 pieces.
A big surprise has been the selling prices for small Iver Johnson and Smith & Wesson top break revolvers in .22 and .32 calibers, manufactured in the early 20th Century.
“Fifteen years ago, those were $12 to $20 handguns at auction,” says owner Marty Higgenbotham. “At recent auctions, we’ve gotten bids of $250, $350 and even $500 for these little revolvers. It’s astounding.”
Higgenbotham believes the high prices are the result of two customer groups vying for these handguns: collectors who want a bargain-priced collectible handgun (compared to the Colts, for example); and people who use them as concealed carry guns.
He credits the “nostalgia factor” for the recent rise in prices for the early 20th Century single-shot Stevens Crackshots in .22 LR selling for $175 to $250, and the single-shot Model 67 Winchesters, also in .22 LR, with bidders offering between $125 and $250 for these 1950s-era plinkers. “People think, I had one of these as a kid, here’s one for sale, and I want it!” says Higgenbotham.
The Internet has been a huge help to business, allowing customers from all over the world to place bids during his live auctions. Currently, 65 percent of Higgenbotham guns are sold to Internet bidders.
This brief originally appeared in the February 13, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Glock 42 in .380 ACP is the firm’s first attempt at a pocket pistol, and it’s also the first American-made Glock. In a category where minimal weight has become the Holy Grail, this 13.76-ounce package could seem chunky to people who like anorexic pistols.
That might be hilarious to those who carry Model 1911s or Beretta 92s on a regular basis, but fractions of inches and single ounces count for much in the pocket pistol game.
Someone who owns a Rottweiler could care less about the difference between a six-pound toy poodle and a 4.7-pound Chihuahua, but dinky-dog specialists would call it an issue. Likewise, a few ounces on a modern .380 can be a big deal.
The G42 Review
The Glock 42 looks like the rest of the family, but it’s the baby of the bunch. Here is how it compares to the Model 22.
First impressions count for much, and the Glock 42’s grip and balance scored high in that department. Those who handled the 42 immediately remarked on how well the gun pointed and especially how well it filled the hand.
Anyone with hands in the small to medium-large range shouldn’t have any problems with getting a comfortable hold – something that can’t be said for many of the currently produced small pistols.
A 10.2-ounce Taurus 738 in an Uncle Mike’s pocket holster slips unobtrusively into my front pocket, but the bulge from a Glock 42 is less discreet. What a difference 3.56 ounces can make. There are definitely lighter options in 6+1 capacity .380 ACPs.
.The Ruger LCP tips the scales at 9.42 ounces, while the Diamondback DB380SC comes in at 8.8 ounces and the Kel-Tec P3AT is even scrawnier at 8.3 ounces. Perhaps the closest thing to a direct comparison is the 12.5-ounce aluminum-frame version of the Colt Mustang.
So why tote a Glock 42 when it means more planning (or possibly an inside-the-waistband holster) to carry than the competition? Well, guns are made for shooting and this sample came through on the range. The little Glock was cutting nice groups from its first round out of the box.
Trying different brands of ammunition is an absolute must, as the TulAmmo Brass Maxx .380 ACP that shot flawlessly and accurately in the aforementioned Taurus 738 often jammed in the 42. A switch to Prvi Partizan, CCI aluminum-cased Blazers and Winchester .380s resulted in trouble-free ejection, two-inch groups at 25 feet and punching cardboard with ease.
As one gun-savvy tester put it, “I’m not a Glock guy, but I really like the 42. It’s not something you would want to use at 40 yards, but this is a very accurate pistol. It shoots to point of aim.” A local farmer who dropped in on this test fire session was pounding out the center of the target after taking just a few rounds to sight in.
What about the ultimate test for a small pistol? The Glock 42 never stuttered on Winchester 95-grain PDX1 Defender hollowpoints. Accuracy was comparable to what was obtained with roundnose ammo.
This is the result of the first three shots out of the box with the Glock 42 using Prvi Partizan .380 ACP roundnose. The light recoil made it very easy to handle.
Why was the 42 so accurate? It’s those extra ounces and fractions of inches. The 3.25-inch barrel is longer than most other small .380s. Combine that longer radius with typical Glock sights as compared to what sits on the slides of other pocket pistols, and a person might be willing to tote a bit more weight rather than go for the ultimate in concealability.
Pocket pistols are usually carried for dealing with up close and personal encounters of the dangerous kind. When the goon is only feet or inches away, the idea of a proper two-handed stance and deliberately sighting in becomes ludicrous. In such situations, a quick one-handed draw and fire is often the only option.
Glock’s dual-action recoil springs, combined with the mild-mannered .380 ACP brings the 42’s recoil down to minimal levels. Follow-up shots definitely aren’t a problem.
Is there a more memorable way to describe the 42’s polite handling? I was also playing around with an Italian-made .38 Special single-action revolver after testing the little Glock. A box of cast reloads for Cowboy Action practice was labeled “2.0 grains Bullseye – mouse farts.” The Glock 42 kicks like a mouse fart, and the MSRP of $480 doesn’t stink.
Norma Oryx Soft Point 9.3×62 Muser cartridge cartridges. Photo: Arz.
In the late nineteenth century and well into the twentieth, the continental Europeans and the United Kingdom were busy expanding their spheres of influence around the world. No continent experienced these expansions more than Africa.
The Dutch were busy in South Africa, the Portuguese in Mozambique, the Belgians in Zaire, the English in Kenya and Rhodesia, the French in Central African Republic and the Germans in Namibia and Tanzania as primary conquests. Most had a few other involvements as well.
The English produced heavy caliber rifles as well as ammunition for them, suitable for the largest and most dangerous game the Dark Continent had to offer. Alas, while the UK products were excellent and reliable, they were quite expensive, out of the budget range for the average farmer/colonist.
The German colonists living in German SW Africa and German East Africa were very active in complaining to the home country for their need for affordable rifles and ammunition suitable for use against Africa's big and dangerous game animals.
Germany was already producing what was to become the best bolt-action rifle available with their Mauser Model 98. They just didn't have a powerful enough cartridge to fit in a standard Model 98 length, to do battle against Africa's dangerous fauna.
Early in the twentieth century, a gunsmith by the name of Otto Bock, took on the task of developing such a cartridge. In 1905, he introduced the results of his developmental efforts, the 9.3×62mm cartridge – also known as the 9.3×62 Mauser.
The cartridge featured a 9.3mm bullet diameter (.366”) loaded into a 62mm long rimless case. The cartridge was originally loaded with a 285-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2150 fps. It fit nicely in a Mauser 98 action, and operation and feeding was excellent. Later, the cartridge was juiced up a bit, and loaded primarily with a 286-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of around 2400 fps.
The CIP established a Maximum Average Pressure of 56,500 psi. In modern strong rifles, there is no reason that it could not be safely loaded to 60,000 psi, providing around 2500 fps, if such was deemed desirable. The cartridge became exceeding popular in Europe and in Africa, and still is today.
On this side of the Atlantic though, it scarcely ruffled a feather. Until recently, the last five years or so, no American manufacturer made a rifle for it, no American ammunition company loaded ammo for it, and the major American reloading components folks offered neither bullets nor brass for the 9.3×62. If someone happened to have a rifle so chambered, he was totally dependent upon European sources for loaded ammunition and components.
Things have changed considerably in the past few years. Thanks largely to the efforts of writers like John Barsness, Chub Eastman, Phil Shoemaker, and to a much lesser extent, my modest efforts, the cartridge is gaining popularity by leaps and bounds. And, well it should. It is one hell of a cartridge.
The 9.3x62mm (left) compared to a number of popular rifle cartridges. Next in line from the left: .30-06 Springfield, 8×57 IS, 6.5×55, .308 Winchester. Photo: Kalashnikov
Even old John “Pondoro” Taylor, Anglophil that he was, even had good things to say about the 9.3×62 cartridge. He wrote in African Rifles and Cartridges, “I have never heard any complaints about the 9.3mm. Its penetration is adequate for anything. It has never had the write-up that certain other calibers received from time to time. Men just take it for granted and it goes steadily on its way like some honest old farm horse. In spite of all the more modern magnums and ‘supers,' the 9.3mm still remains the favorite medium bore of many experienced hunters.”
Today, factory loaded ammunition is available from Federal, Barnes, Hornady, Nosler, and I believe that Winchester has been loading it for some time for European consumption, but, to my knowledge, none has been sold in this country. Bullets are available from a variety of bullet makers in weights from 232 grain (Norma) to a whopping 320 grains (Woodleigh) and about every stop in-between those extremes.
I can't imagine a better cartridge for chasing elk in heavy timber, rooting a mad brown bear out of the alders, or laying on the winters meat supply by taking a moose in the willows. There is no whiz-bang about the cartridge.
As Pondoro Taylor put it, it's just a workhorse of cartridges, effective and useful on about anything.
Just over a year ago, Illinois made concealed carry legal. Since, the rush is on at RP Shooting Sports for smaller CCW-type handguns.
One of the most popular options has been one of Glock‘s newest additions to its catalog.
The store this year has enjoyed a run on the petite and potent Glock 42. The retailer literally has not been able to keep .380 Auto on its shelves, selling it for $495.
“People are standing in line for that model,” owner Ron Van Dyke said. “I can’t get enough of them in.”
Smith & Wesson Shields and Bodyguards are also moving well. Almost every new handgun owner leaves the store with a new holster, too. The popular concealed carry models have been Bianchi, SafariLand and Galco.
Tactical rifles are still selling very well, even if the level is down from last year’s “AR surge.” The Daniel Defense M4 Carbine in .223 Rem is the rifle in demand here, selling for between $1,550 and $1,700, depending on adornments.
“It’s all 16-inch barrels now,” Van Dyke notes. “I can’t sell a tactical rifle with a 20-inch barrel. Everyone wants quad rails, too.”
The top optic for these tactical rifle customers is the AimPoint T1, especially the 2 MOA dot model versus the 4 MOA version, for $700. Trijicon’s ACOG with an RMR reflex red dot sight mounted atop comes in at a strong second place.
Editor's note: This brief originally appeared in the March 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine
Whether your are a first-time handgun owner or an old pro looking to brush up your skills, the Ultimate Handbook of Handgun Training is for you. This digital download taps into the knowledge of some of Gun Digest's top authors, taking you step-by-step through what it takes to handle a handgun with skill. In addition to the technical skills required to hit the mark, the mental aspects of handgun marksmanship are also covered in this comprehensive guide.
When it comes to self defense ammunition, the author has found Hornady's XTP bullets the right medicine for aggressive mammals of every strip. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
It’s a hot topic, rife with debatable points valid and invalid, legal and ethical.
Depending on the laws of your particular state, defending one’s life may pose a legal problem, but that’s not what I’m here to discuss. What I do want to discuss is the loading of ammunition that you must bet your life on.
I’d like to preface this piece with the following piece of information: I wish to live out my days having never pointed a firearm at any human being with the intent to do harm; however I firmly believe that every single one of us has the God-given right to defend ourselves when life and limb are threatened. Ok, politics over.
If you ever have to reach for a pistol or rifle that must be called upon to protect you and your family from threat, be that threat two or four legged, logic dictates that you would want that firearm loaded with best ammunition available. If you believe that factory ammunition is the way to go, so be it; but I feel better knowing that every stage of that ammunition has been hand assembled and inspected by me.
When we go hiking in the mountains of Upstate New York, the presence of bears is always a reality. Most of the time the bruins will flee upon seeing or smelling humans, but if you have the misfortune of getting in between a mother with her cubs, things can get ugly in a hurry.
Monometal bullets are a good choice for personal defense. Given their lighter weight, they can be pushed to high velocities. And they are highly frangible, protecting against pass through. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
I’ve even had coyotes in my yard while out walking our tiny little Shih-Tzu. At a whopping eight pounds, it wouldn’t be hard for her to be taken. In these types of situations, I prefer a heavy for caliber hollowpoint pistol bullet. Hornady’s XTP is a tough bullet that can end an argument with irate mammals quickly.
When it comes to defending your life against human attack, there is an entire market devoted to suitable projectiles. I’m no self-defense instructor, and I’ve never served in the military, but I have a few choices that I feel safe carrying.
Cutting Edge Bullets Raptor bullets make a solid choice. They are lathe turned, highly frangible (to prevent over penetration in an urban situation) and should impart a whole bunch of impact energy should the need arise. I like the way they shoot, and being lighter, due to the all copper construction, they can be driven to a higher velocity in your chosen handgun.
The aforementioned Hornady XTP and Sierra’s hollowpoint jacketed pistol bullets are very reliable, as well. Whichever projectile you choose, be sure you spend ample time at the range to know exactly how they shoot. Practice turns into instinct in the midst of a stressful situation.
Put away the progressive press when reloading for personal defense. Take the time to load your ammunition to the tightest possible tolerances, so it's ready to go bang when it's needed most. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
The loading of this ammunition is where our good techniques will come into play.
I would advise that you abandon the progressive press for this project. When I load the ammunition that I carry in my handguns for defense, I use a single stage press. Every case and projectile is rigorously inspected, the flash holes are reamed and primer pockets well cleaned to ensure ignition. Primer seating is inspected and I hand weigh each and every powder charge. I don’t want any room for error. Bullets are seated to the proper depth, and verified on a micrometer.
In a situation where your life is on the line, a misfire could equal death. Speed of production is irrelevant when it comes to ammunition that you desperately need in a pinch.
Many good volumes have been published on choosing the best projectiles for defense, and I recommend you pick up a couple and educate yourself well, then take those projectiles to the range so you can feel confident in your choice. You’ll sleep much better!
Time and ammo are precious commodities, so when you have the chance to practice shooting you want to maximize your investment.
An afternoon of shooting is fun, but you want to focus on the skills needed to defend against an attack, too. I make a list of the skills I want to practice in advance, with the number of repetitions to perform, which also ensures I don’t get sidetracked once I hit the range.
Pick three skills, like movement, malfunctions and using cover, and combine all three into one drill. Set up malfunctions by mixing some dummy ammo in with live ammo.
To begin the drill move to cover, issuing verbal commands as you draw the pistol and engage the threat, clearing malfunctions as they occur. Although you’re focusing on three primary skills, remember to apply other tactics, such as scanning the environment for other threats.
Keep in mind a high round count has nothing to do with the quality of practice; you can burn through ammo and not learn anything. Even on the range, perform several dry runs of a drill before running it live-fire to ensure when you do press the trigger, your shots are accurate.
When planning your practice sessions make it a point to work on the things that you don’t like, which is normally the stuff we don’t do very well. It may not be much fun, but we should constantly be striving to strengthen our weaknesses.
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Ruger's new Single Seven appear to be a red-hot revolver, chambered in the hard-hitting .327 Federal Magnum.
The .327 Federal Magnum definitely packs a punch and looks to be a dandy in Ruger's new Single Seven revolver.
When it comes to tough-as-nails revolvers, few modern manufacturers can hold a candle to Ruger.
The New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer's name has become synonymous with some of the most rugged wheelguns available today. And when it comes to selling some of the most unique models of Ruger revolvers, Lipsey’s has the market cornered.
From sweet little Bird’s Head .22LRs to salty flattop .45ACPs, the Louisiana distributor get some of the most distinctive revolvers Ruger has to offer. One of the companies most recent partnerships certainly continues this trend.
Lipsey’s is now exclusively offering Ruger’s Single Seven .327 Federal Magnum. It’s a handgun that not only fits the definition of unique, but also flexible.
The .327 Federal Magnum has been around since 2008 and has developed a dedicated following in some corners of the shooting world. Part of the cartridge’s appeal is its snappiness with the ability to push a 100-grain bullet a blistering 1,500 ft/s.
But the .327FM has more going for it than just red-hot ballistics. As pointed out in Cartridges of the World, a gun chambered for the round can fire the full range of .32 cartridges, including: .32 Short, .32 Long and .32 H&R Magnum.
This is a nice perk, for those looking to save a buck through cheaper ammo when punching holes in paper.
Ruger has put together a pretty sweet package to thumb through .32 ammo – no matter what type. Based off the Single Six line, the Single Seven has many of the scintillating features of its cousins, but with room for one more round.
The revolver is constructed from rugged stainless steel, giving the single-action a modern look. Enhancing this, is the revolver's unfluted cylinder, that gives the gun overall clean lines front to back.
The revolver, however, has not cut its roots. The Single Seven’s hardwood grips give the gun a timeless appearance. The gun would look pretty ornery holstered in a Buscadero, Mexican Loop or any number of Western rigs.
Lipsey’s is offering the revolver with three different barrel lengths: 4 5/8”, 5 ½” and 7 ½”. The smallest model tips the scales at 34 ounces, the medium-size model at 36 ounces and the largest at 43 ounces.
All the models come standard with a full adjustable rear sight – for both windage and elevation – and ramp front sight. And the Single Seven is outfitted with Ruger’s patented transfer bar mechanism, which guards against accidental discharge if dropped or if the hammer is banged around.
Perhaps one of the Single Seven’s top selling points is it won’t break the bank to add it to a gun safe. Lipsey has .327 Federal Magnum listed with an MSRP of $659.
When it comes to 9mm pistols, few guns have reached the heights of the Glock 19. Check out this video to see how the 4th generation of this pistol — which has been available long enough now to pass the test of time — performs on the range.
The Austrian-made Glock 19 has become one of the most popular handguns ever produced, giving shooters a dependable, accurate pistol in a sleek package.
And the futuristic handgun has continued to evolve as the years have gone on. Like the rest of Glock's firearms, the 19 now has a Generation 4 model, with a few tweaks that make it more useful and flexible.
The video by TyFromMD doesn't go into the minutia of the handgun, but it gives a pretty good idea about what a shooter will get when they buy a Glock 19 Gen 4.
A bit of a spoiler: Perhaps the most striking new feature is the gun's adjustable back straps. As an added bonus, TyFromMD gives us a sneak peek at his first shots with his new 19. Given the ease at which he is able to double tap, the pistol appears to have a pretty snappy trigger reset.
The ability to read the wind in long range is probably more important than shooting ability. At 1,000 yards the slightest change of wind speed or value will put you out of the 10 ring. Photo: Dick Jones.
Dick Jones won the North State Regional 1,000 Yard Championship at Camp Butner, N.C., two consecutive years. The competitive shooter relays some of the tricks, tips and considerations of high-performance long-range shooting.
Going Long I’ve been encouraged by the recent interest in long-range shooting. I enjoy almost every form of shooting, but precision position shooting has always appealed to me.
While I like the precision of benchrest competition because it involves extremely accurate rifles and ammunition, I prefer a broader kind of long-range shooting, where the skill of the shooter is more emphasized. Most of my competitive shooting career was in the field of NRA High Power, and my definition of long range might be different from someone from a different background.
In High Power, long-range shooting begins at 800 yards as part of the Palma course of fire. Mid-range shooting is done at 600 yards, and 200 and 300 yards are considered short range.
For most hunters and recreational shooters, any range beyond 300 yards is often considered long range, and this comes with good reason. Any shot at a game animal beyond 300 yards should only be attempted if the shooter has a good working knowledge of the trajectory of his rifle, and some idea of the effects of wind.
The primary reason for this is that a properly sighted-in rifle can stay within 4 inches of point of aim out to about 300 yards. In most situations, staying within 4 inches of point of aim is a reasonable goal and will suffice in most situations.
Knowing Your Zero Beyond 300 yards, almost all rifles begin to require holdover or elevation adjustment, and the effects of the wind become much more critical. The ability to consistently make good shots at long range doesn’t require any special talent. It only requires preparation and judgment based on that preparation.
Once you’ve put the work in, there’s no excuse for not getting the elevation right. We now have range finders, ballistic calculators and even scopes with the elevation knob calibrated to the drop numbers of a specific load.
Even though all this information is quite good, there’s no substitute for actually checking the point of impact at different distances for assurances the numbers are correct. It’s been my experience that the numbers are almost always off a minute of angle or so, in most instances due to weather conditions, barrel length and other factors.
The bull’s-eye on the conventional 1,000-yard target is 48” across and looks like the period at the end of a sentence at 1,000 yards. The 10 ring is 20” with a 10” X ring. Photo: Dick Jones.
Windage All the elevation information in the world won’t get you on target unless you can figure out what the wind is going to do to your bullet in the time it takes to get to the target.
At 1,000 yards, it takes a 180-grain Matchking from a 22-inch M1A barrel about two seconds to get to the target. By the time it gets there, my match loads were no longer supersonic, and dropped through the target with no supersonic snap. During this time, the bullet is high above the range.
Remember, to hit a target at 1,000 yards, I had to bring the sights up 38 minutes or about 34 feet. The trajectory takes the bullet even higher than this, so the wind the bullet is traveling through is not just a few feet off the ground.
When scoring and coaching at 1,000 yards, a good coach can pick up the trace of the bullet as it drops through the tree line behind the berm at Camp Butner and follow it into the target. This is a lot of exposure to wind. Miss the wind by 2 mph and you’re going to shoot an eight or seven. Miss the wind by 5 mph, and you’re off the paper with little chance of getting back on.
This all means the little wind meter you hold in your hand may not help. It only measures the wind where you’re standing, and that may be substantially different from the wind where your bullet has to pass.
On KD, or Known Distance ranges, there are normally wind flags, but the apparent angle of the flag can fool you based on your position on the range and these can be confusing. Probably the most reliable wind indicator is mirage, the refraction of light waves by heat.
Mirage indicates wind direction, speed in frequency and amplitude. I find it on average to be the most reliable way to gauge wind. Under certain conditions of low light, there can be an absence of mirage, so it can’t always be counted on.
To properly read the amplitude and frequency of the mirage, you need some sort of horizontal line to compare. I like to read the top edge of the target, provided that’s a straight edge, as it is on a KD range. At 600 yards, this is a good representation of the space where the bullet spends the most time.
Remember to read an area above the target because it will give you a more realistic reading. Ground speeds tend to be lower than higher elevations where the bullet travels. When you read mirage through a scope, do so with the scope focused at mid-range to give a better representation of strength and direction.
The common theory is that deflection at short range has more affect because it’s exaggerated by the distance, but it’s been my experience that wind deflection has about the same effect through all the bullet’s flight because when the bullet is further down range, it’s going slower and therefore more affected. In competitive shooting situations, most long-range shooters fire their shots in a very short length of time, reducing the opportunity for wind changes.
Learning to reliably read wind is time consuming, and I don’t think there’s any other way to do it but to shoot in the wind in situations where you know within seconds where your last bullet went. Until recently, the only way to do this was to shoot on a range with pit targets where someone pulls and marks your target on every shot.
Now, there are several companies who make cameras that will transmit your group to your IPad, computer screen, or Smart Phone. Most of these devices even flash or mark the last shot. This is going to make learning to read wind a lot easier for those dedicated enough to actually shoot and pay attention.
A view from the 1,000-yard line at Camp Butner, in North Carolina, the tiny targets and number boards are six feet square. Photo: Dick Jones
Ammunition Ammunition choices for long-range shooting are different from hunting or short-range shooting. The aerodynamic characteristics of the bullet become an issue of paramount importance, since the bullet stays in the air for such a long time.
Up to about 300 yards, the shape of the bullet has little effect on trajectory. This is because the trajectory at short ranges is based on the bullet at velocities very near muzzle velocity. Once you get past 600 yards, velocity falls off drastically and the falling rate of the bullet remains the same. As an example, the 600 yard zero on my M1A .308 was just 13 minutes higher from 200 yards to 600 yards but I had to add another 28 minutes to be on at 1,000 yards.
Of course, the effects of wind are similar but quite a bit more linear. Obviously, the faster the bullet travels, the less the effect of both wind and gravity because the time of flight to the target is shorter. This is why high velocity rounds are more popular with long-range shooters.
The problem with the extreme end of high velocity cartridges is throat erosion. Most of the hyper-velocity cartridges suffer will burn the accuracy out of a good barrel in under 1,000 rounds while rounds like .308 Winchester might get as much a 5,000 rounds.
Relating to barrel life is the practice among most conventional long-range shooters of not tailoring loads to a specific barrel/rifle. With a practical barrel life of no more than 1,000 rounds, load testing in lots large enough for statistical relevance to find the best load, could possibly use up the entire life of the rifle’s barrel. The normal practice is to find a load that works well and use it without spending time on load development for a specific rifle/barrel combination.
Putting It All Together As complicated as all this sounds, long-range shooting is still simply a matter of learning how to accomplish a task, and using that knowledge to accomplish it. No two shots are ever quite the same, and successful long-range shooting requires good skills and equipment, but it’s one of the most rewarding of all the aspects of shooting. Once you’ve put a shot exactly where you want at 1,000 yards, you’ll always remember the feeling, and if you’re like me, you’ll want to do it more than one time.
Editor's note, this article original appeared in the March 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
This video really doesn't require any introduction, it just needs to be watched. The shooter, who goes by the handle “Big Toe” on his YouTube Channel, does a bang-up job manipulating his 1911, all without the use of his hands. This is pretty inspiring marksmanship, to say the least.
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??) The author’s 1943 M1, about 1986, by which time the barrel had been replaced, displayed and photographed here with vintage ammo and U.S.M.C. militaria, on a World War II vintage camouflaged shelter half.
The M1 Garand's rich history continues to grow as this rifle remains a popular option among collectors and competitors.
The rifle taking shape on John Cantius Garand’s drawing board in the 1920’s, even to 1932, was a very radical departure from its predecessors, not merely because it was a semi-automatic.
Garand conceived and designed the rifle and the tools and machines that would produce it. For the first time, it was a truly unique U.S. design. The Springfield single shots had been mundane but reliable, nothing that startled anyone. The Krag-Jorgenson rifles, from 1892, were beautifully made, the work of Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jorgenson, but genuinely obsolete from their inception. The ’03 Springfield was a fine rifle, based purely on the Model 1898 Mauser, license arrangements resulting in the payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the originating firm in Oberndorf.
Any new military firearm stirs up the “old guard.” This wild new thing, controversial from the very first announcements, stirred up imaginations and resentments far and wide.
Using the “gas trap” system, involving a false muzzle, handling a huge volume of hot, still expanding gases, was radical enough with the then-new .276 Pedersen Center Fire cartridge. There was considerable use of stainless steel in the gas cylinder and the piston of the operating rod. Using new, faster powders, it seemed the new cartridge would obviate the issues of sludge, residue and secondary ignition that plagued other such contraptions in the U.S., Great Britain, Belgium, Germany and Russia.
For the first time in a modern infantry rifle, simple snap-apart field strip for ordinary cleaning was built into the design, and even detailed stripping was possible with only a bullet as a tool, albeit often when finished such a projectile often wound up distorted beyond normal parameters.
About 1932, Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur determined that the new cartridge was uneconomical and ordered that the new rifle had to be redesigned to utilize the millions of rounds of .30/06 ammunition still extant, produced for World War I. This was the second major change, as the original design had been primer actuated. Garand was resourceful, and by 1936, the rifle was adopted and in production.
Talk concerning ammunition wastage and safety issues began immediately in the popular press. Digging out old newspaper articles can be fascinating; some refer to the firearms blowing up, others spontaneously disassembling. Rumors about excessive cost and other “boondoggle” whispers got rolling. Many firearms writers of the times jumped on this bandwagon. During the Great Depression, it seemed extravagant. And firearms companies who had (or more often, simply claimed they had!) competing designs were not at all averse to planting tales about weapons allegedly cheaper and better in every way.
They weren’t. They weren’t even close. Some, especially the Johnson variants, could boast a tiny advantage here and there, but over the long term, none were close in terms of overall durability, accuracy and reliability.
The M1 in this 1942 photo is less than two years old. The early finish on gas cylinders was paint, supposedly high-heat enamel, but not very durable.
Telltale Rifle That the rifle is still discussed, analyzed in detail and shot in competition well over a decade into the 21st century, and the names of many of the competitors are barely remembered, all by itself, pretty much tells the tale.
Had the Garand had all or most of the maladies ascribed to it, there’d be no way, eight decades later, the descendants of the prototypes, specially prepared, would even be prepared for high-power completion, or discussed with reverence. Nor would it still be winning matches once in a while against competitors designed by Gene Stone over 30 years later.
Still, a great deal of its legend is the sheer joy of shooting the rifle. My late brother-in-law, Lyman Pollock, half track driver with 2nd Armored Division in World War II, remarked, it was “fun, even for kids, and they all shot it well and fast once they got used to it.” And they did, constantly.
The valid early critiques were being diagnosed in the field. The gas trap system and seventh round stoppages were annoying enough that the company modified production techniques and also modified earlier rifles. By July of 1940, the gas port, a much older propulsion setup, was standardized, and older rifles were modified to the new gas system. Only slightly later the drawing misinterpretations that had caused the jamming issues were addressed, older receivers being precision welded and machined to the new standard.
By late summer of 1940, the M1 rifle was getting very close to the reliable, accurate, comfortable machine we know today.
By the end of World War II, Springfield Armory and Winchester Repeating Arms had produced around 3.6-3.8 million rifles. Receiver production ceased somewhere beyond 3.8 million, winding down in 1945.
No other combatant had a standard semi-automatic rifle in general service. The Soviet Tokarev and German G.41/G.43 series rifles were nowhere near as reliable or rugged, nor did they see common infantry duty.
Even the Marine Corps had, before the end of the Guadalcanal campaign, changed their minds about the rifle. They had landed in August of 1942 with M1903 Springfield bolt-action rifles, but by early 1943, had acquired M1’s and found them superior in all respects, repealing their earlier rejection and adopting the M1 as their baby.
The Tipo 2 and standard length .308 M1 Garand rifles, due to the more efficient and, therefore, consistent cartridge, seem to maintain accuracy longer and easier than the older, longer .30/06 cartridge and, ironically, the loading is far closer to the one for which the rifle was originally designed.
Sold From the Beginning How good had it been in its early form?
In the 1946 match season, using ordinary military ball ammunition, the M1’s shot scores higher than the old M1903 had before the war with some of the finest match-quality ammunition ever to leave Frankford Arsenal. Some of those scores were shot again with the older bolt rifle, and again, aggregates scores with the M1 were higher, and the bolt guns didn’t win many. The M1’s fired were “accuracy selected,” by the way, not modified, and were most often shooting against match-prepared but military-configuration ’03 specimens. N.R.A. publications noted the scores and the results. This trend continued for years until the “aught three” pretty much disappeared from military-style/open competition.
Postwar, the safety-modified operating rods were supposed to be installed on extant rifles, and all new replacements featured the inbuilt relief. The T105E1 sights replaced all earlier sights, proving so sturdy with their internal springs that even current M16/AR15/M4 receiver sights use the same principles and function identically.
Quality and strength had improved consistently at the Armory throughout the war, and even while the rifle was out of production, further progress was made.
Winchester had not kept up with quality and revision requirements during the war, but when production resumed in the ’50s, two private U.S. firms were included in planning, Harrington and Richardson and International Harvester. Having never before produced a precision product, IHC had great difficulty, resulting in several bailouts, but H&R easily adapted to production of the big military rifle. In Europe, Breda and Beretta were sent worn-out tooling, drawings and a considerable supply of parts, and began producing rifles circa-1954. The Italians continued longer than anyone else, delivering the very last Berettas as late as the 1980’s, according to some reports. The BM.59 in fact used an intact M1 receiver, slightly refashioned.
U.S. military production of the M1 Garand ended in 1956, replaced by the M14, which is a direct descendant of Garand’s rifle. Indeed, in those years when I was doing production articles, it was at Smith Enterprises International I was advised of the actual production processes, out of 1930’s machine technology. Ron Smith stated unequivocally that the production processes were such that the operating rod raceways on both rifles simply could not be formed completely by computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. When I asked for illustrative details, Smith rattled off the names of several failed businesses that tried, already then, around 2003. The companies were entirely out of business. Reconfiguring the operating rod raceways of many aftermarket cast non-issue receivers is, in fact, still one of the recurring nightmares of shooters who purchase them thinking they are saving time and/or trouble.
Generally, the later an M1 is, the better made it is, and the higher overall quality will be. As a bonus, such a rifle has likely missed a lot of combat as well, and is likely to be in far better condition, having also missed the brutal attentions of generations of raw recruits.
The rifles have been on the civilian market since not long after World War II, albeit always priced higher than all its ordinary bolt-action contemporaries. They’re the last general-issue U.S. military service rifles that civilians can own without a nightmare of paperwork or nosebleed prices, usually both, because they are not selective fire.
A 5.6 million Harrington and Richardson rifle, import marked, acquired in almost unused condition, all collector correct except for the operating rod, photographed here while the stock was being degreased.
Alive and Well There are some easy rules to keeping the M1 alive and well, most of them applicable to other firearms, too.
Barrel life is greatly extended if kept clean and if rate of fire is kept moderate. A service M1 barrel can last far longer than the old 6,000-round military accuracy estimate. Commercial barrels last longer, but again, keeping them clean is prudent and economical. Commercial barrels, especially heavies, are generally more accurate than service barrels, and those in .308 even more so. The newer caliber is recommended for shooters, and even more enthusiastically for reloaders. It is decidedly more accurate, easier on the rifles, and in the years to come, high quality surplus will still be available. The shorter round is also fairly close in configuration to .276 Pedersen Center Fire, the original cartridge for the M1 Garand.
The correct lubricant for heavy moving parts on the M1 and related rifles is panthermic (tolerant and usable in a wide range of temperature parameters) grease. “Lubriplate,” in fact, was invented for the M1 rifle. But newer wheel bearing greases are even better performers. I buy them in large tubs at auto parts stores for a few dollars. There are more expensive lubricants, including synthetic machine assembly greases, but they won’t work any better. Don’t use oil. It won’t work. No manual has mentioned oil for a very long time, except for the admonition not to use it. In fact, I haven’t used thin gun oils on firearms for almost 40 years, and haven’t had lubrication-induced malfunctions or heavy wood damage from oil since.
The troubleshooting charts in the detailed manuals need to be kept on hand and regarded with respect. Internet twaddle not so much. And of course one has to remember that substandard, non-issue parts, especially clips, are changing certain equations. The premature dumping of the clip along with several live rounds is correctly solved by replacement of the bullet guide and/or operating rod catch. However, if one has an out-of-specification operating rod catch, a chronically defective third-rate bootleg civilian clip, and so on, well, this difficulty can prove unsolvable. In fact, it’s smart to avoid clips that look new unless one can affirm they are G.I. marked.
Shooting unmodified wartime or prewar operating rods with the square corners illustrated here is unwise and can be expensive. Not too many years ago, a competition shooter at Rio Salado in Mesa, Ariz., told me something odd was happening with his rifle. It was binding, he said. It bore an expensive heavy barrel, was securely glass bedded, someone had done a lovely trigger job, but it bore a circa-1938 unmodified operating rod that was already showing stress cracks. I advised him the rod, even fatigued, was probably worth several hundred dollars to a collector, and that he might want to replace it with a later unit. Advising him to go some other way seemed to annoy him. He said it was original to his “DCM rifle.” He seemed to think someone was conspiring to cheat him. A few weeks later, at a high-power match, it distorted, jumped its track and partly separated. A more suitable “77” series National Match operating rod in new condition could’ve saved the match, and those could be had for about a third what his now mangled unit was worth.
The author ordered his first M1 Garand, a remilitarized, welded specimen, in 1963, for $77.85 from P&S sales. It was a wonderful, accurate rifle.
An Enduring Rifle The literature of the M1 is vast. Duff’s industrial histories cover parts appropriateness/correctness in detail. Harrison’s books contain many errors, but the illustrations are still some of the best. Hatcher’s Book of the Garand covers the rifle’s development but is by no means complete. My two volumes are for shooters, collectors, reloaders and enthusiasts, but are not intended for the kind of minute parts detail information needed to restore rifles, and are marketed as practical histories, written in an inverted-pyramid journalistic form that would be inappropriate to industrial histories. It was important to me to include the Italian rifles, since I have used and enjoyed them since the early ’70s or so, and when I initiated by projects, there was very little information on them at all. Other than the gas traps, the Italian rifles are probably the most rare of the Garand rifles. Some enthusiasts doubt there are 1,200 in the entire United States, almost all Danish-marked.
It’s imprudent, at least, to not pursue the literature of any firearm with both a shooter’s and a collector’s value. If nothing else, a late-issue manual is absolutely imperative.
My first M1, a re-milled rifle, welded together from condemned receivers, front and rear, was ordered in May of 1963 from P&S Sales. My second came some months later. I first fired an M1 about 1957.
Hitting the target is not as easy as it was a couple decades ago, but I have learned some tricks—pulling the eye back to reduce conceptual size of the peep aperture to aid discrimination, for example, when the natural tendency is to get closer and hunker down. Eyesight deterioration has taught me to shoot almost by feel, and I can sometimes equal the groups of three decades ago in very short times just from familiarity with Garand’s great instrument.
And why has the entertainment value of the rifle lasted so long?
It’s fun.
Sources for Collectors To find out more about obtaining your own M1 Garand, the U.S. Government source for qualified individuals is: Civilian Marksmanship Program—United States Army 1401 Commerce Blvd., Anniston, AL 36207 www.odcmp.com/sales.htm Phone: (256) 835-8455 As of this writing, the CMP is the only predictable source of M1 Garand rifles in the United States. Their stock of rifles includes U.S.-produced return donations from foreign countries.
The primary source of up-to-date collector-centered data on the M1 Garand is: Garand Collector’s Association POB 7498 N. Kansas City, MO 64116 www.thegca.org Phone: (816) 471-2005
While the Garand has been out of production for decades, new data about production and sometimes quality controls pops up periodically, and is often seen first in The GCA Journal. The marketplace in that publication is also an excellent source for parts.
This article appeared in the June 12, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The .270 Winchester has become one of the most celebrated hunting cartridges 90 or so years. Famed outdoor writer Jack O'Connor could say enough good things about the cartridge.
One of my favorite cartridges, and the one I've personally used more than any other in a lifetime of hunting, is the .270 Winchester.
I was turned on to the cartridge by reading Jack O'Connor's magazine articles and books. I grew up reading O'Connor's prose when he was the Arms & Ammunition Editor of Outdoor Life magazine, and arguably the most influential outdoor writer ever.
Winchester engineers developed the cartridge in 1923, and introduced it to the shooting public in their new Model 54 rifle in 1925. The hype accompanying the introduction advertised it as delivering a velocity of 3,160 feet-per-second using a 130-grain bullet. That got O'Connor's attention and he ordered one with a Lyman 48 receiver sight. It proved to be a lifelong partnership between O'Connor and the cartridge.
In the December 1943 issue of Outdoor Life, he wrote, “Assuming that a cartridge can make its way on merit alone, that cartridge is the .270 W.C.F. In its early years it sat in the corner, dressed in sackcloth and covered with ashes, while few riflemen suspected that underneath it had a figger like Miss America, a disposition like an angel, and that it could bake pies like Mother used to make.”
O'Connor used the cartridge all over the world and wrote reams of material about how well it performed in the hunting fields.
I got my first .270 chambered rifle in about 1963 or so. I've not been without at least one rifle in that chambering since. I presently have five in my battery. Several others have passed through my safe during that time.
All together, I've probably owned fifteen or twenty rifles, perhaps more, chambered for the .270, and all I've owned, except one, were superbly accurate. That one rifle had a nagging problem of putting the first shot through a cold barrel some 12 inches higher that the second and subsequent shots. After that first shot, it too placed the rest of its shots in very tiny groups.
The rifle was a very lightweight Husqvarna Mauser with a pencil thin 22” barrel, and stocked to the muzzle `ala Mannlicher. I sold it to a fellow that was going to have it custom stocked and he was sure that would solve the problem. I never found out if it did or not. All the rest that have come my way have been trouble free and deadly accurate.
My favorite and the one that I've used the most by far, is my old David Miller Co. custom that I've owned since the mid-1980s. David started with a Mauser actioned Browning factory Safari Grade rifle. Before starting on the project, he took it to the range and found it was very accurate, shooting under MOA groups, so he retained the factory barrel. He went through the action inside and out, built a fine custom stock from English walnut, and sent it on its way to a client. Whether he cut the factory barrel or not I can't say and I never asked.
When I got the rifle, the barrel was 22”. I suspect that in its factory guise, it was probably 24” but can't say for sure.
A couple years later, the owner of the rifle got seriously into competitive shotgun shooting, and traded the rifle in on a high-grade shotgun. David found out about it, and bought the rifle from the dealer and offered it to me for a reasonable price (for a Miller rifle).
I've used it for most of my hunting since. My handload for it consists of 59.5 grains of H4831 pushing any good 130-grain bullet. That gives me 3130 fps through the 22” barrel, and that load has taken everything from a 50-60 pound roe deer up to and including a 1500 pound Alaska-Yukon moose, and about everything in between those extremes. If there is a better killer of animals in those ranges, I've yet to find it.
The .270 Winchester (right) compared to the .32-40 Ballard (center) and .223 Remington (left).
O'Connor wrote of loading his .270s a bit hotter than I do. His load was 62 grains of H4831 pushing a 130-grain bullet at about 3,200 fps. He must have used a super drop tube for those loads as that has to be a really compressed load.
I loaded a few rounds at 60 grains, but they weren't as accurate as my 59.5-grain loads, so I standardized on that load. It has worked exceedingly well in all of my .270 rifles except one. I have a Heym SR-20 rifle that must have a tighter chamber or tighter bore as my load is a bit warm in that rifle. I dropped back to 58.0 grains in that rifle, which works just fine, and I lose very little velocity for some reason.
As an aside that some might find interesting, the parent case for the .270 is most often thought to be the .30-06 case. However, Winchester, when developing the cartridge, did not use the .30-06 as the parent case, but rather the earlier, and slightly longer, .30-03 case. Why they did so is a mystery to me. Whatever the reason, the .270 has worked very nicely for almost nine decades now, and is still going strong.
At my age, I'm sure I could keep one of my .270s, and get rid of everything else, and use but that one rifle for the remainder of my hunting that I have ahead of me. That, and my AYA Nr. 2 28 bore, would cover the waterfront. Hmmm, that's a thought!
The Mk4 V (above) and V2 are CMMG's newest additions to its catalog. The AR-style rifles are decked out with features that are sure to set varmint hunters' hearts aflutter.
It’s been a busy year in Fayette, Mo.
The crew at CMMG have come out with a slew of new products and refined versions of existing rifles this year. And though 2014 is beginning to draw to a close, the well-respected AR-style rifle manufacture keeps churning out new goodies.
The company's latest editions to its catalog are coming out at the right time. The cool evenings that are becoming ever more common means that coyotes will soon be in full pelt. And CMMG is ready to help harvest them with its new Mk4 V and Mk4 V2.
The rifles are based off the manufacturer’s popular line, but include a number of features making it perfect for popping ‘yotes, varmints or other long-distance targets.
Perhaps the most striking features of the 5.56x45mm rifles are their 24-inch fluted 416 stainless steel barrels. The barrels are longer than most found on AR platforms nowadays, but there is a reason why CMMG went big.
The lengthier barrels are designed to extract better ballistic performance from the 5.56, in velocity in particular. In turn, the rifles are ideal for reaching out and touching even the most distant whistle pig or prairie dog.
The longer barrels also tend to aid in accuracy, with the added weight providing more stability to the platform. The fluting on the barrel is a solid addition for those days shooters pull the trigger a ton. The feature helps keep the rifle on target by exposing more surface area to dissipate heat more quickly, thus keeping the stiffness of the barrel.
The barrel has a 1:8 twist rate, making it highly versatile. The twist rate has been reported to stabilize bullets up to 80 grains, but still can shoot the lighter, more accessible rounds, as well.
While the Mk4 varmint models feature a heavier barrel, the rifles have been engineered to remain somewhat svelte. The guns tip the scales at 7.5 pounds unloaded, making it practical to hump it out a few miles to a stand.
CMMG, however, did not strip the rifles to mitigate weight. Instead, much of this is achieved by the addition of KeyMod hand guards. The material removed to make the slots makes the rifles lighter and slimmer than ones with traditional quad-rail handguards.
At the same tick, the handguards do not lose any function. The KeyMod slots are found at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions allowing the quick addition of accessories compatible with the system.
Accessories that do not marre with KeyMod slots can be easily attached by using one of CMMG’s 5-slot accessory rails – 1913 Picatinny compatible. The rifles also have a Picatinny rail running atop the rifle, from charging handle to the fore end, making the addition of optics a snap.
There are a few superficial differences between the V and V2 models of the Mk4. But the main distinction between the two is in fire control. The V model comes outfitted with a single-stage Mil Spec Trigger, the V2 a Geissele Automatics SSA two-state trigger.
The rifles’ price tags aren’t through the roof, but are more than entry-level ARs. The MK4 V has an MSRP of $1,249.5 and the V2 $1,499.95.
CMMG Mk4 V Specifications: Caliber: 5.56x45mm Barrel: 24″ fluted medium contour, 1:8” twist Hand Guard: CMMG RKM14 KeyMod hand guard Receiver: Forged 7075-T6 AL Trigger: Single Stage Mil Spec Trigger Furniture: A2 Pistol Grip and A1 Butt Stock Weight: 7.5 lbs unloaded Length: 41.5” Magazine: 30-round PMAG MSRP: $1,249.95
CMMG Mk4 V2 Specifications: Caliber: 5.56x45mm Barrel: 24″ fluted medium contour, 1:8” twist Hand Guard: CMMG RKM14 KeyMod hand guard Receiver: Forged 7075-T6 AL Trigger: Geissele Automatics SSA two-stage Furniture: Magpul MOE Pistol Grip and Butt Stock Weight: 7.5 lbs unloaded Length: 41.5” Magazine: 30-round PMAG MSRP: $1,499.95
Perhaps one of the most important reloading habits to get into is keeping a diligent records of your loads. This is vital data is as important as any tool on your reloading bench. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
Keeping your reloading bench clean and organized is paramount to safe and effective handloading.
We all form habits, be they good or bad.
I’d like to give some advice that you may already adhere to, but I’ll sleep better having shared it with those of you who are new to reloading. Let’s form good habits, and stick to them, please.
Keeping a clean and tidy reloading bench is a must. Owning a custom ammunition shop, I have the privilege of loading many different cartridges in a number of configurations for my customers, which is awesome. So come safari season and the North American fall hunting seasons, things get rather hectic around here. I do my best to keep the Laboratory as neat and organized as I can, but it isn’t easy.
When you’re dealing with multiple calibers and cartridges that require different primers, powders and bullets, confusion lurks around every corner. As a self-imposed rule, I only keep the items I’m using for the particular load at hand on the bench: one box of primers, one canister of powder, one set of dies and one type of bullet at a time. This prevents any possible mix up, and the resulting dangerous load. It requires digging out new stuff for each project, which gets to be a pain in the butt, but in the name of safety I’ll deal with that.
Keeping your tools clean is a must also. Dirty, gummed up reloading dies can produce inaccurate ammunition. I keep a good supply of cotton swabs and a bottle of solvent – like Hoppe’s No. 9 – on hand for a quick cleanup of my dies.
As things start to slow down, I actually give my dies a nice warm bath in the ultrasonic cleaner to remove all of the gunk that builds up from the flakes of brass, nickel, copper and lead as it mixes with the case lubricant. You’ll be surprised what comes out of them!
Storing components can become a nightmare if you let it get out of hand. I keep my projectiles organized by caliber, and within each caliber by bullet weight. By keeping things well organized, I know just where to look for whatever I’m after.
Brass cases are organized in the same manner. If they’re once fired, I clearly mark the bag or container with the cartridge name so I can find them at a glance. Heavy duty freezer bags or empty coffee canisters (especially the newer plastic ones) make a great storage method for brass cases.
Keep your powder in a dry, dark place, safe from any possibility of sparks or open flame. And please, don’t ever store powder in a gun safe. God forbid it were to ignite, you’ve just created a half-ton bomb, a rather insalubrious notion! I keep my primers well organized and separated to avoid grabbing the wrong size or type of primer. And I keep them well away from the powder canisters.
When I store my reloading dies in their handy plastic boxes, I save the little silica gel packets you find in bags of beef jerky and put them in the die box. This draws all the moisture away from the dies and helps prevent rust. I also keep the presses well lubricated with gun oil so they don’t rust. You’d be surprised at how quick things can get rusty in the humid summer months here in Upstate New York.
I screwed a narrow strip of plywood to the wall and drove little finishing nails about 1.5” apart to store all my different shell holders. They are clearly labeled in permanent marker by number, and I even jotted down which cartridge they are appropriate for. Saves an awful lot of time, and is much easier than digging through a pile of shell holders.
Tricks, such as organizing case holders by number and appropriate case, can save time and create a safer reloading environment. Photo courtesy Massaro Media Group and JNJphotographics.
Not everyone can have a loading area that is removed from the comings and goings of daily life, but do your best. What you want is a well lit space, as distraction-free as possible. Turn the cell phone off (you’ll live, trust me!), and keep the children at bay. “Oops” is a word that can lead to disaster in the reloading world.
Keep diligent records, please. After all the hard work that we reloaders go through, if you were to lose your load data, well, I’m getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. My notebook is invaluable to me, and I even keep things backed up on my computer.
One last point, and this may be the most important of all: Never mix alcohol with reloading. It just doesn’t work.
You all know the guy who likes to crack a beer or sip whiskey while reloading. Don’t do it, please. It can be tough enough get things right while sober; reloading while under the influence of your particular form of recreation can lead to trouble. Save it for when the powder and dies are all put away!
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
