to the third month of this free online shooting magazine for shooters in the UK
Club
Features
Event reports
• Tel Shop: 01905 797060 • Fax: 01905 796620 • Tel Trade: 01905 796610
• Web: www.wildcatrifles.co.uk • Email enquiries@wildcatrifle.co.uk
2 Target Shooter SS06.09/58/a
World Cup Success
- 9/9 Prone Medals
- 11/12 Gold medals in 50m events
- Total of 35 medals won by ELEY
2009 ISSF World Cups 1, 2 & 3
9 Shooters Calendar
96 Club Feature
72 Project Rifle
By Vince Bottomley
85 Rifle Twist
Rates Part 2 by Laurie
Holland
4 Target Shooter
Association Pages
99 UKBRA
It is therefore essential that we keep advertisers on-board if we are to survive and prosper. Please
help by mentioning Target Shooter when responding to advertisements.
With your help, our small team will strive to bring you up-to-date coverage of all target-shooting
sports from small club competitions to international events and we will continue to bring news and
reviews of the latest target-shooting equipment to your computer screen as quickly as possible.
We now need your support more than ever. We have done our best to publicise Target Shooter
but there is only so much we can do and your ‘word of mouth’ is the very best way to maintain and
increase our readership. We thank you sincerely for your continued support and it was a great
pleasure to meet so many of you at the Bisley Phoenix Meeting last month.
The only real complaint we have heard so far is that the magazine is not easy to read on-screen. I agree
with this observation – or at least I did until I read the instructions! If you click on ‘More’ on the SCRIBD
button bar at the top of the page, then click on ‘View mode’ and check ‘Book mode’ you can read Target
Shooter just like a proper magazine! Click on the top right-hand corner to turn the page – amazing!
The other thing is we have updated the software so you can now download this magazine to you
desktop in a similar format - the free subscription provides a link to do this.
Finally, we are extremely fortunate to have the continued support of our writers. We have even
received offers from overseas writers who just want to be part of the Target Shooter phenomenon.
But, one stipulation – all our writers must be active competition shooters, out there on the ranges,
what ever the weather, shooting shoulder to shoulder with you, our readers!
Carl Boswell - carl@targetshooter.co.uk and Vince Bottomley - vinceb@targetshooter.co.uk
Copyright © Target Shooter Magazines
Disclaimer
The website www.targetshooter.co.uk is part of Target Shooter magazine with all contents of both electronic media copyrighted. No reproduction is permitted unless
written authorisation is provided.
Information, prices and data is believed to be correct at the time of posting on the internet which is on or around the 1st of each month. Advertisements that are firearm
related are from companies or individuals that Target Shooter magazine believes are licensed to hold such firearms and accepts no responsibility if companies or
individuals are not so licensed.
Letters and photographs submitted by members of the public to Target Shooter magazine will be accepted on the basis that the writer has agreed to publication unless
otherwise stated. Target Shooter magazine has no control over the content or ownership of photographs submitted.
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers and relate to specific circumstances within each article. These are the opinions
and experiences of writers using specific equipment, firearms, components and data under controlled conditions. Information contained in the online magazine or on the
website is intended to be used as a guide only and in specific circumstances caution should be used. Target Shooter Magazine does not except any responsibility for
individuals attempting to recreate such testing using any information, data or other materials in its electronic pages.Publishers of Target Shooter magazine.
Target Shooter 5
Shooting Sport News
G
U.K
SG 22lr
rifles in the
York Guns Ltd is proud
to announce that they
are the newly appointed
distributor for GSG
22lr rifles in the U.K
and have two new models for 2009.
135mm.
The range will consist of the already popular GSG-5
The new GSG-47
and its new variant the GSG-5SD, the new model
Kalashnikov copy will also be available in two
features a large oversized barrel shroud and tubular
models, black synthetic or wood stock and fore-end.
ribbed fore-end. A full range of accessories
Again a large range of add on accessories will be
including Tactical scopes, mounts, collapsible stocks,
available to customise your rifle.
front grips and spare magazines will be available for
For more information please contact the York
both models.
Guns Ltd Retail Team, details below:
York Guns have also developed a brand new
Marketing: fay.stephenson@yorkguns.com
design sound moderator for the GSG-5 which is
extremely effective and will only cost £79.95; the new
Retail Sales: sales@yorkguns.com
moderator takes the place of the dummy moderator
shroud and extends the length of the gun by only
Target Shooter 7
8 Target Shooter
Calendar of events over the next two months
If your club or association has events you want to publicise here then email us.
5 June to Sunday 7th june - Scottish Open
Thu 02 Jul to Sun 05 Jul Jul NRA Imperial
Championships (Blair Atholl (Scotland). http://www.
Meeting (National Shooting Centre (NSC),
scottishrifleassociation.org.uk Contact Allan Mabon
Bisley)
Sat 6th – 7th June MLAGB National Pistol
Championships, Bisley Sat 4 and Sun 5 MLAGB Pedersoli
Challenge, Wedgnock
6/7th June - GB F Class League Round 2 Bisley
(mik@mikdolphin.demon.co.uk) Thu 09 Jul Ireland v Scotland - Lex Lyons Match
(National Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
6th June NRA Shooting Club Day (National Shooting
Centre (NSC), Bisley) - Multi-discipline NRA Shooting Fri 10 Jul to Thu 16 Jul NRA Imperial
Club Day. Targets have been booked on Melville and at
Meeting - Match Rifle Events (National
100, 200, 300 and 1000 yards. All disciplines welcome.
If you would like to attend you must book in at least a Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
week in advance by contacting Heather Webb at the
NRA. Sat 11 MLAGB DTL Shotgun Training, Sywell
Ranges
12th to 14th - British Intl 50m Championships
Friday, 12 June 2009. The Championships run from 12th July 100 yard benchrest – Bisley Sunday
12th to 14th June. Contact NSRA
Mon 13 Jul to Thu 16 Jul NRA Imperial
12/13/14 June 2009 Cumberland News Rifle Club, Meeting - Schools Meeting (National Shooting
Carlisle Air Gun Championships 60+60 for Air Centre (NSC), Bisley) Competitions for School
Pistol and Rifle contact: Bob Nicholson Combined Cadet Forces affliated to the NRA.
info@cnrc.org.uk or web: www.cnrc.org.uk
Fri 17 Jul Wind Coaching Course (National
Fri 12 June - AGM of National Rifle Association Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley) Short wind
(National Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley) - Annual coaching course.
General Meeting of the NRA. To be held at Bisley at
5.30pm. All members are encouraged to attend. Sat 18 Jul to Fri 24 Jul NRA Imperial Meeting
- F Class Rifle Events (National Shooting Centre
(NSC), Bisley) Individual and team competitions
14th June 100 yard benchrest – Bisley Sunday for F Class Rifle competitors. Starting with
warm-up matches on Friday and Saturday, the
18 June - NRA Shooting Club Day (National Grand Aggregate begins with the Daily Telegraph
Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)Multi-discipline competition on the Saturday afternoon and
NRA Shooting Club Day. Targets have been culminates with the F Class International team
booked on Melville and at 100, 200, 500 and 900 match.
yards. Contact Heather Webb.
Sat 25 MLAGB DTL Shotgun Training,
20 June - Club Instructor Course - NSRA Cost Sywell Ranges
- £75.00. Fees include NSRA registration costs,
course attendance and assessments where Sat 25 Jul NRA Imperial Meeting - HM Queens
necessary. They do not include meals and Prize (National Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
accommodation. Shot at 900 and 1000 yards on the Final
Saturday of the Imperial Meeting.
Sat 20 June - MLAGB Long Range Rifles Branch,
900 yard Champs. (am), 1000 yard practice (pm), Sun 26 MLAGB Rifle Practice, Bisley 100yd -
Bisley. advance booking required
100 yard benchrest – Diggle Saturday 20th
Sun 26 Jul to Thu 30 Jul F Class World
June
Championships (National Shooting Centre
1000 yard benchrest – Diggle Sunday 21st
(NSC), Bisley) In July 2009 Bisley will host the F
June
Class World Championships.
27th June Hampshire Open Prize Meeting
(National Shooting Centre (NSC), Bisley)
Target Shooter 9
44 Harrowby Street
LONDON W1H 5HY
Tel: 020 7262 1881
Fax: 020 7402 0959
Armalon „PR‟ Custom Rem 700s: The truly practical rifle for stalking, foxing, PR, SR,
‘
F’Class, Sporting and Benchrest. Choice of calibre and options, e.g. H-S Precision,
AICS, Bell & Carlson stocks, RH or LH, a premier optical sight, plus our superb Picatinny
20 moa inclined bases and 30/34mm rings. Please call/email for prices and options list.
Armalon‟s 20 moa ‘
PicT‟
Picatinny scope mounts for SA
& LA Rem 700 (inc. LH option)
.Armalon .223 AL42 - similar model in .30M1 (AL30C) also avail- Armalon tapered ali bolt knob &
able POA. Fitted with Armalon No.4 “no gunsmithing “ scope conversion £82.50 (conversion
mount £83.00 + p&p. with 25,30, 32 and 35mm ball
knobs also available £64)
ARMALON HAMMER FORGED BARRELS: Armalon‟s “pukka” .303 Enfield No.4 ham-
mer forged barrels, fitted, finished & proofed from £304. Armalon‟s Remington 700 HV
profile barrels, 1 in 200mm twist .223, 260/6.5, 1 in 12 twist .308/7.62, fitted, finished &
proofed from £304. Our hammer forged premium barrels are available for most actions and
in most calibres and twists POA.
DE-ACTIVATION
HUMANE DISPATCH
Email: sales@sect5.co.uk Web: www.sect5.co.uk Tel: 07549 945 292 Fax: 0845 280 1620
Target Shooter 11
12 Target Shooter
L aunching the brand new airgun marque of Prestige Airguns, the Kub family comes in a trio
of exciting carbine-format models - the SB (side-bolt), RB (rear-bolt) and SL (side-lever) - each
available in .177 or .22 and with ambidextrous thumbhole or sporter woodwork in walnut.
The Kubs weigh-in at just 6.5 lbs., yet are stacked with features - including an adjustable butt pad,
plug-in charging, on-board air gauge, adjustable two-stage trigger, re-settable safety, threaded
muzzle and a 10-shot rotary magazine. Notwithstanding its compact dimensions, a Prestige Kub
also returns upwards of 100 full-power shots per air-fill thanks to its self-regulating firing valve.
Against feather, fur, metal or paper targets, the new Prestige Kubs are the connoisseur’s choice for
handling and performance. A pride born to make your shooting more rewarding.
Target Shooter 13
Support your local gun shop
‘Norman Clarke Gunsmiths Ltd’
expanding) from all the main manufacturers, cases
and more visible through its glass top and front, with
powders, primers and factory ammunition on wall
shelves behind. A complete wall plus is taken up
by 200 or more longarms: air rifles, a few shotguns,
scores of smallbore and fullbore sporting rifles, and
more target rifles than the average gunshop sees
in a decade. While you might find a few die sets
in the average gunshop, there is a whole shelf of
them here, mostly Redding and RCBS, over 100
green boxes – and that’s only part of the stock.
Norman and Andrea Clark stand in front of But don’t think Norman Clark Gunsmith is just
their new showroom rifles and handloading. This is a comprehensively
I’ve visited Norman Clark for 10 years, each trip stocked gunshop with ‘scopes, rests, tools,
memorable, but the most recent particularly so accessories, books, knives (and a new
as it was to his new premises. To anybody ever
shoehorned into its cramped predecessor, the
new showroom is palatial doing the company’s
comprehensive stock justice. How did Norman get
here? He started as an apprentice gunmaker in the
Birmingham shotgun trade, worked there for a while
after qualifying before going independent in Rugby
as a shotgun repairer, then took on rifle work to Mick behind the counter and the display of
become a precision rifle builder par excellence. As handloading components and ammo
business grew, Norman’s wife Andrea joined him
full-time, and today there are seven other people
working for them.
comprehensive range of knife and blade
Norman found that shooters who commission sharpeners from Smith), earmuffs, targets and
custom rifles are handloaders and serial more, geared to field and target rifle shooters.
buyers of tools, accessories and optics. Since The half of the ground floor that customers don’t
he’d end up supplying them with cases, dies, see is taken up by an armoury, warehouse (yet
riflescope and mounts, sound-moderator etc, building more books, presses, bullets, cases, die sets!),
supply chains to source these items, it made sense gunsmithing workshops now seeing additional
to sell them to the wider shooting public too. So the lathes and milling machines being installed.
workshops acquired a shop and Mick and Dean Upstairs, there is more storage, the office, and an
to staff it. Redding tools, Berger bullets, Sierra empty area above the showroom that will be fitted
Bullets, Caldwell rests and bags, Wheeler tools, out as an upstairs retail area if and when growth in
Tipton carbon-fibre cleaning rods and more were that side of the business needs it.
imported too for retail and trade customers.
Let’s move onto the new building. From the With a 24-carat reputation for its rifle work, now
outside it’s an unremarkable two-story former supported by a fantastic new shop, this is one
machine shop surrounded by the mandatory paling shooting outfit you must visit if you’re anywhere
fence – no display windows, or even a front door! near Rugby! Oh, if you’re a Parker-Hale collector,
You park behind and enter it at the side through there’s another one – a set of three development
a high security ‘airlock’ arrangement, visitors models / prototypes of the PH M85 sniper rifle, plus
monitored by CCTV inside and out. On the PH ‘LANO’ .223 prototype target rifle that so
passing through the inner door, you walk into the influenced Australian TR shooters in the 1980s.
showroom, a large brightly lit room with wide aisles
around what seem miles of product displays. The Norman Clark Gunsmiths Ltd.,
counter takes up two thirds of the building’s width e-mail: info@normanclarkgunsmith.com
with vast quantities of cartons of bullets (match and Website: www.normanclarkgunsmith.com
14 Target Shooter
HIGH QUALITY GUN & RIFLE MANUFACTURER
S
website: www.normanclarkgunsmith.com
e-mail: info@normanclarkgunsmith.com
Target Shooter 15
Over 10,200 guns for sale
82,000 visitors per month
Over 115 dealer stock
live online
These patches came out of a 308 after 25 rounds – and it still isn’t copper-free!
2 Scrub the bore with a bronze bore-brush back through the crown – it’s very easy to damage
wetted with cleaning fluid – I use one pass for every the crown when cleaning. A bronze brush will not
round fired as a rough guide. Please do not attempt damage your bore and most benchrest shooters will
to reverse the brush in the bore – take it straight scrub with a bronze brush every 10 to 15 rounds.
out of the muzzle but be careful when you pull it That equates to five or six cleans in a single day.
Reloading Presses
We stock a full range of presses by Lee, Lyman, Hornady and Forster
Reloading Dies
We stock a wide range of die sets and individual dies by Lee, Lyman ,
Hornady and Forster
Scales
We stock both electronic and beam scales from Lee, Lyman , Hornady.
and MTM
Brass Cases
From the most popular to the fairly obscure Manufacturers include
Lapua, Remington, Winchester, Starline and IMI
Smokeless Powders
We carry a wide range of powders from Vihtavouri, Hodgdon, IMR
and Alliant
Bullets
Including Match, Varmint and Target bullets from Lapua, Hornady
Remington and Winchester. We carry a wide range of pistol bullets in
both jacketed and lead.
Primers
For both Rifle and Pistol calibers from Remington, Winchester,
CCI and Federal
Target Shooter 21
22 Target Shooter
100 - 104 Lowtown, Pudsey Prvi Partizan Catalogue
Henry West Yorkshire, LS28 9AY
Tel: 01132 569 163 / 565 167
Fax: 01132 574 962
available on request
Visit our new website:
Krank Email: sales@henrykrank.com
Open Mon - Sat, 9am - 5pm
www.henrykrank.com
Available at
all good
gun shops
Prvi Partizan top quality hunting & target ammunition and reloading components
PPU RIFLE PPU HANDGUN PPU PRIMERS
AMMUNITION AMMUNITION Priced per
Priced per pack of 100 Priced per pack of 100 pack of 1000
24 Target Shooter
Osprey Rifles
‘The Savage Specialists’
URL : www.ospreyrifles.com
Email : stuart@ospreyrifles.com
Stanley Shaw
In the last month’s articles we had a look at starter air calculated from the switching time taken by the
rifles and scopes that you can to start up outdoor air pellet whilst fly over both sensors and a known fixed
rifle target shooting spots. Once you get the equipment distance between the two sensors. There are
together the next steps are crucial for you to various types of chronographs on the
understanding the performance of your air rifle and market but a bench type chronograph is
ideal for both PCP and Recoil type air rifles. Set
up the chronograph according to the manufacturer
instructions and observe safety precautions when
doing this job. Make sure that you have a safe back
stop and always wear shooting glasses. Also make
sure to keep the air rifle on level and parallel to the
chronograph during testing as it is very easy to
shoot dead your chronograph. Chronographs must
A chronograph is used for testing be handled with care as the sensors are fragile. If
muzzle velocity of different weight you want to be extra accurate in test weigh in the
pellets pellets that will be used for the test. Heavier or lighter
pellet will affect your muzzle velocity results. Cheap
digital scales that read in grains and grams are
perform a good setup. Being a new or second hand easily available, if you purchase such a scale
air rifle you purchased, the fist thing you need to make sure it can read at least 0.01grams. This
do is to check out its performance right away. With enables you to segregate pellets with up to
second hand air rifles it is always a good idea to start 0.01 gram difference. Then convert grams to
off by cleaning the barrel before performing any tests. grains. If you don’t have a scale then use the
On the other hand new air rifles, need breaking in. manufacture data about the pellet weight for your
Some argue that a spring air rifle will require 2500 calculations. Make sure that the pellet skirts are not
shot to break in. I suggest that a minimum of 500 deformed as the muzzle speed recorded will be
shoots should be sufficient to perform the first tests
and set up. I suggest that these tests should be then An electronic scale is very useful and
carried out every 2500 to 3000 shots to make sure accurate in any testing
that your air rifle characteristics did not change and
if so retune. If your into competition then it becomes
second nature to recheck your air rifle at least a
week before the event. When performing test with
your air rifle be sure you have a clean barrel and
there are no obvious flaws such as leaks. Always
use the same pellet type, weight and skirt
diameter to perform a test, do not mix pellets during
a test keep variables as few as possible. If you want
to test different pellets do this in separate tests.
26 Target Shooter
significantly lower and inaccurate. Personally I 780+789+778+783+785 = 3915/5 = 783 ft/sec
prefer to carry out this muzzle velocity test with
pellets out of the then use weighed in pellets for Now we start the process to identify the SD. Subtract
grouping tests later on. In this test we will shoot a each shot from the average and square the result.
number of pellets through the chronograph and
record the velocities. With an average velocity and an Shot 1: 780 – 783 = -3= -3X-3 = 9
average pellet weight we will be determining our air Shot 2: 789 – 783 = 6 = 6X6 = 36
rifle power. The power measurement is calculated Shot 3: 778 – 783 = -5= -5X-5 = 25
as follows: Shot 4: 783 – 783 = 0 = 0X0 = 0
Shot 4: 785 – 783 = 2 = 2X2 = 4
Energy (ftlbs) = Muzzle Velocity (Ft/s) X Muzzle
Velocity (Ft/s) X Pellet Weight (Grains) The next step is to add all the results obtained and
450240 (constant). divide the total by 5 shots.
For recoil spring type air rifles just record the
muzzle velocity of a 10 shoot string. Ensure that your 9+36+25+0+4 = 74/5 = 14.8
chronograph is reading in ft/s. Some can be switched Now apply the Square Root (need a calculator here
between ft/s or m/s. If m/s can only be measured with the function) to 14.8.
then convert the result by dividing the reading by 14.8 followed by Square Root button on your
0.3048. Add the readings up and divide them by the calculator = 3.84
number of shots (10), this gives you the average speed This is the SD of this typical spring air rifle is 3.84
at which your air rifle is shooting a pellet of a certain ft/sec. If this deviation is less then 10 ft/sec then
weight. Now you can calculate the power of your air rifle consider your equipment as perfect. The change
in the point of impact (POI) is least effected in
Example: Pellet Weight 8.2 grains – Average Speed variations of less then 10ft/sec. If the deviation is
780 ft/sec more then 15 ft/sec then POI is affected and this
you want to eliminate in target shooting. Most
780 X 780 X 8.2 probability you need to service your spring air rifle
450240 when more the 15ft/sec occur. I understand that
this is not fun shooting, but it is an essential part of
Power is 11.08ftlbs. the process if you want to start on the right track.
This process gives you a clear indication of the
Note for conversions: 1 ftlbs = 1.356Joules. performance power of your air rifle. If you decide
and 1 grain = 0.065grams and 1ft = 0.3048m to change service kits, always use factory parts
or commercial tuned custom parts. If you want
However this is only part of the data we are to do it yourself, make sure to follow the safety,
after. We also need to know the consistency for each assembly and lubrication instructions carefully.
shot or better the variation of speeds between each If in doubt or uncertain about the replacement
different shot, known as the Standard Deviation procedures or parts seek professional gunsmith
(SD). To calculate the SD one can use tools like a help. Sometimes when performing chronograph
PC and Microsoft Excel, but in order to understand tests on second hand air rifles the result might show
what is happening, I will explain this with a simple an higher muzzle velocity thus over power. This
example. This can be done by using a simple is certainly the result of previously installed FAC
scientific calculator at your test bench. In this tuning kits or some home made tweaking. Remember,
example we are taking a test with 5 shots. The same always keep and adjust your air rifle power within your
method must be used with more shots. The bigger country’s legal limits and legislations. We are target
your sample the more accurate is your result. shooters and in no way we want to mess with laws.
Example: Test with 5 shots through chronograph of Pre Charged Pneumatic Air Rifles.
a spring air rifle with 8.2grain pellet. The same muzzle velocity and SD calculation
procedure applies to Pre Charged Pneumatic (PCP)
Shot 1: 780 ft/sec Air rifles, but with PCP’s we have to expand further
Shot 2: 789 ft/sec our knowledge. PCP Air Rifles especially starter air
Shot 3: 778 ft/sec rifles are fitted with self regulating valves. To keep
Shot 4: 783 ft/sec things as simple as possible we fill the pressure
Shot 5: 785 ft/sec vessel of a PCP air rifle by hand pump or from
a scuba tank according to the manufacturer
To find the average count all speeds and divide by specification. Let’s take a typical PCP air rifle
the number of shots. that must being filled at 190 Bar of air pressure
Target Shooter 27
according to the manufacturer specification. We released and consumed, the pressure inside the
load a pellet by cocking the bolt (locking the pressure vessel starts to drop. The hammer weight
hammer weight on the sear and compressing the has constant momentum whilst the pressure inside
hammer spring), then we close the bolt to seal off the vessel is constantly decreasing with each shot.
the pellet in the chamber ( leaving a compressed This means that the time the valve is kept open
hammer spring and hammer weight locked on the when hit by the hammer weight changes with each
sear). When we pull the trigger, the sear releases shot. The hammer weight finds it more difficult to
the hammer weight and spring from a compressed open the valve at 190 then at a lower pressure. This
position. The spring transfers the energy to a means that the amount of air released is different,
hammer weight. The momentum of the the result is reflected by the speed of your pellet
hammer weight will open the valve blocking air as it leaves the muzzle. Previously we said that if
pressure in the air rifle pressure vessel your air rifle standard deviation is up to 10ftlsec it
momentarily. The time the valve remains open, is perfect and if more the 15ft/sec seek servicing
depends on the momentum of the hammer weight. your spring air rifle. Spring air rifles generate their
Once the force acting on the valve by the air compressed air when the main piston is
pressure in the pressure vessel overcomes the compressing air between the piston and pellet. This
force of the hammer weight exerted on the valve, is always constant until seals are functioning, and
the valve will be shut closed again. During this brief the friction between piston and cylinder is constant
and the spring is not broken and
correctly guided. In self
regulating PCP’s the scenario
is different, thus a different
approach must be taken when you
chronograph one.
Target Shooter 29
30 Target Shooter
ACCURACY OUR FIRST PRIORITY
The Tikka concept is simple, pure and performance-orientated.
Now, with the introduction of factory-threaded barrels for moderators, in the
most popular right-handed calibres, this excellent rifle just got even better.
The Tikka T3 Hunter is made for the rifle shooter who is looking for top performance and
accuracy with a classic style and feel. The high-grade walnut stock is selected and shaped by
Tikka T3 Hunter Tikka master gunsmiths. The T3 Hunter offers an extensive calibre selection and is available
left handed.
The Tikka T3 Lite features an all-black, sturdy, but lightweight, fibre-glass reinforced polymer
Tikka T3 Lite stock with positive checkering for improved grip and comfort. The cold hammer forged barrel
has a traditional blued finish. Also available left handed.
Shooters facing extreme weather conditions require their rifle to be a trusted, hard-wearing
companion, offering faultless long-term performance. The Tikka T3 Lite Stainless is ideally suited;
made from Tikka’s high-grade stainless steel with a glass fibre reinforced polymer stock, this
Tikka T3 Lite Stainless model gives the double advantage of easy maintenance combined with great looks. Also available
left handed.
All three Varmint models feature a free-floating precision barrel that effectively eliminates
vibration and will not over-heat even in fast-paced shooting. They are produced with a synthetic
stock that has an extra-wide forend for bench resting, and a swivel stud which accommodates
Tikka T3 Super Varmint, either a bipod or a sling. The ergonomically-designed Varmint cheek piece provides comfortable
head positioning with a large scope.
Varmint Stainless & The Varmint Blue features a barrel and action that are made from high-grade blued Cr-Mo steel.
Varmint Blue The T3 Varmint Stainless features a barrel and action made from heat-treated special stainless
steel, which is bead-blasted to a non-glare finish. This model is available left handed.
The T3 Super Varmint is a new model. Like the Stainless model, it features a barrel and action
made from heat-treated special stainless steel, which is bead-blasted to a non-glare finish.
Additionally, the ergonomically-designed cheek piece on the Super Varmint is adjustable, and
this model also features a Picatinny rail and large bolt handle as standard.
When it comes to consistent accuracy, be it on the range or hill, the T3
Varmint models are hard to out-shoot.
For further product information and details of your local Centre of Accuracy
TI0309UD
Carl Boswell
Benchrest scopes are varied and there are a number
of models out there. Operation comes down to taste,
some preferring side parallax controls and others
more used to such controls around the objective lens.
One of the very best scopes that you can get has
been around for a number of years and is the Leupold
Competition series. These are purpose designed and
made for benchrest shooting fraternity and imported
through GMK in the UK. Can I firstly thank GMK A fine matt finish on
for supplying the two scopes I used for this review. the superbly made
This series of scope, which includes a range of competition series
32 Target Shooter
over the years will inevitably get
you started in this sport, they did for
me and the ones I used performed
exceptionally well for the price!
However, as competition gets tougher
and tougher – believe me it does - you
may be considering getting a slightly
better edge over your competitors and
this is what spending that extra money
will do for you, both in rifle and scope.
If you have a rifle that is costing in
excess of £2400 it seems false
economy to put a cheaper scope on
top, as we would all want this rifle
to be able to perform very well. My
original theory when buying this scope Magnification on this scope is very clear obviously
was that I needed to move on due to the new Multicoat4 optics
equipment wise, as I initially started
rimfire benchrest shooting working
with budget rifles and scopes. a few of those recently! The large exit pupil does help
Moving ‘up market’ with equipment is especially with this, as more information is getting to your eye.
appropriate now as we are competing with people So, as we are shooting a quality and expensive
all over the world a lot more and they have similar rifle the scope that sits on top should also be equal
equipment. For this review, I put the scope on my in performance, if we are aiming for reliability and
main rifle which is an Anschutz 2013 custom. top class functionality. I would also say this of the
Usually I use my CZ for tests, which I customised a ammunition, but that is another article all on its own.
few years ago specifically for benchrest. The new As we are talking about putting a .22 bullet in a very
relatively new Anschutz replaces this, as does the small target diagram 25 times, all of the features of
Leupold Competition x45 in replacing the Tasco your set up must work extremely well with every shot
Varmint from the older rifle. This scope has to been you take. Anything that falls short will inevitably keep
seen to be believed, with excellent clarity, brightness you scores lower than they should be. (Remember
and contrast. Often .22 bullet holes are hard to make what we are aiming for is a score of 250 with 25
out and seeing the point of impact is very important X’s on each card at 50 meter and 25 yards. This is
in our sport. With high magnification scopes like this extremely difficult to do! This scope lends itself
a spotting scope is not needed as point of impact can very well to all these objectives and I find little to
be seen clearly, even on dull days; and we have had negatively criticise – apart from possibly getting the
scope to shoot the rifle for
The elevatio and horizontal me!!
turrets are clearly marked, but The Competition series
the parallax adjustment could of scopes replaces the
be marked for 50 meters Leupold 36 BR scope
which like its older cousin is
specifically made for
benchrest activities.
This has meant that the
company has been offering
a number of scopes for
benchrest for quite a
few years. As I have
mentioned before in other
articles a reasonably high
magnification in rimfire
benchrest scope is vital
and sometimes hard to find,
especially when we move
towards x40 magnification
or higher. The scopes
I tested were both x45
Target Shooter 33
meters. I had to guess when adjusting the scope
Scope rear view - easy to adjust and control for the first time. All turrets come with caps as
standard.
I did hear of some initial technical difficulties
with an unstable wire reticule. This put quite a
few off the scope when it was first brought out.
Others have made modifications to older scopes to
compensate. However this issue seems to have
disappeared over the last few years and certainly
Leupold themselves have stated that the problem
has been fixed some time ago. However, even
with these initial teething problems it was and
still is one of the best fixed powered scopes for
benchrest on the market.
At the end of the day we all want a good scope that
will aid excellent shooting time after time after time.
The Leupold Competition scopes on review were
first class and I definitely put my money where my
mouth is and bought one, to aid competitiveness
in the forthcoming UK and European
Championships. This comes down to a number of
reasons, some previously stated. This is a versatile
scope that is light enough to go onto a 10.5 pound
and also be used on an unlimited rifle. The optics are
superb with high magnification and the
adjustments are precise and clear. For these
reasons it meets all the needs I have. There are
scopes on the market that come close to the
Leupold, some of which I have reviewed, but it
comes down to the sheer versatility of this scope
magnification and even with this level of
with all of its great features that sells it for me. With the
enlargement, the scope remained bright and clear.
fact that there is a lifetime warranty on this product, and
This may be down to the 9 lens elements that are
not just for the original owner, this has to be a good buy.
used and new coating called Multicoat4. This by all
A few last things you can look at. If you have the
accounts helps with light transmission and stops
money Leupold do have a custom shop which is well
glare….it seems to work. You may notice some
worth a look, as they have a list of options longer
‘shake’ if you move or knock your bench, but this is
than your arm. Here you can obtain a custom
normal with a high powered
scope so not to worry. What
I did find interesting about
this scope was the side focus
parallax adjustment, not
dissimilar to the Nikko
Diamond I looked at a
few years ago. I find this
design of side parallax
pleasing and easy to use. It can
be quite hard if you need to get
up during a match and want
parallax/focus adjustment
and have to do from the front
of the scope. As you would
expect the functionality of the
adjustment turrets were
very good for windage and
elevation. I would like to
see the parallax adjustment Leupold eye bell adjustments
be engraved to 50 and 25
34 Target Shooter
finish (this may need to be decided before purchase) are lens shades. These obviously add weight, but
on the VX-III and Competition range of scopes only; come in both 2.5 and 4 inch versions, so they can be
which is good news for us. That is if you don’t like interchanged, added/ subtracted to each other in
the matt black and another colour would fit your numbers to extend the tube or to make the weight
rifle setup a little better. This will cost you £130 for of the class you are shooting in. These will reduce
a base charge for one solid colour such as silver, the glare by extending a ‘shroud’ in front of the
and then you can add £90.00 for a gloss finish. objective lens. This is a key point for any scope,
Other options are fade one colour to black, as your sight picture will distort if there is too
splatter effect and tie dye, all at £32.00 for each much light hitting the objective lens. Depending on
effect. However this is only aesthetic and will where and the direction you are shooting, the lens
possibly appeal to a few people including myself, if shade will come into its own to alleviate distortion
I had the money!! Inevitably it will not increase the of the sight picture being received. The two shades
accuracy of your scope which is excellent to start with. from Leupold do the job well and can be added
together in brighter conditions. They are worth
There are several other things to consider with this a look and will not burn a whole in your pocket.
scope. One you can buy optical boosters specifically
for it, which I reviewed in the April issue. A boon if So that is it. I just hope I have not made you
you want to bring your level of magnification up to spend even more money. The only other
the same level of a March scope at half the price. product I would look at for use with this or any
The Bulzeye pro boosters work very well with the other scope – mainly for setting it up and testing
Leupold and are easily detachable if you feel that there it – would be the Zero Point Magnetic Illuminated
is too much mirage for higher magnification. (More Boresighter. But that is another review all on its own.
on the optical boosters and mirage at a later date).
The other parts that you can get, via GMK again,
01299 822212
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superb accuracy with the right barrel and stock. do nothing for accuracy. However, when you’ve
What does the factory give us? The two got a one-inch diameter barrel, this is not a
precision rifle ranges share the action and problem. What you don’t get with a Savage
trigger (but with minor variations – see table), but barrel, but will with an Archer, Lilja, Shilen etc, is
differ in other respects – ‘Target Series’ models final lapping to polish out the minute tooling marks
have 30” barrels, the LRPV sporting rifles 26”; left by the barrel boring and rifling processes, so
the former have pillar bedded laminated wood a Savage may take a little longer to run-in and
stocks, the latter H-S Precision Aramid / Kevlar give its best. However, both of my Model 12s
synthetic jobs with a moulded-in aluminium produced little coppering during the running
bedding block. Barrels are stainless steel in period, and performed well from the first few
throughout, large diameter starting at 1.1” rounds.
ahead of the action with gentle straight tapers,
to a shade under the inch at the muzzle with Next month, I’ll describe and evaluate my
the 30-inchers, a bit over on the shorter version. examples of the Target and Long-Range
They are manufactured in-house and unusually, Varmint rifles, especially the former for UK
perhaps uniquely, for a large manufacturer are competitive shooting.
button-rifled (every other large producer using
hammer forging). This sees an incredibly hard Savage ‘Competition’ Action Rifle Variations (all models,
‘button’ machined with a negative form of the ‘target AccuTrigger’)
‘Target Series’ Rifles (all single-shot, right-hand bolt)
lands and grooves on its edges pulled slowly 12 F, 12 F/TR, 12 Palma models: single right-side port.
though the bored barrel blank, turned as goes 12 Benchrest model: twin-port (insert cartridge from the
to provide the rifling twist. Many match barrel left; ejection from the right).
makers use this method – Pac-Nor, Lilja, Shilen,
Douglas, and Border Barrels but only on its lower Long Range Precision Varmint Series Rifles (all models,
right-hand bolt)
priced ‘Archer’ range. It comes into its own with 12 LRPV Single-Shot: single left-side port.
fat barrels – the stresses involved in swaging 12 LRPV Repeater: single right-side port.
the rifling into the bore can see it expand 12 LRPV Dual Port: twin-port (insert cartridge from the
fractionally in a small external diameter barrel left; ejection from the right).
section, usually at the muzzle, and ‘loose bores’
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Target Shooter 41
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Target Shooter 45
Wildcats I have known & loved
The 6.5/284 Shehane – a long range performer
Richard Wild
A myriad of variants have been developed to a number of dedicated fans around the world and a
improve on the performance offered by a parent little searching on the internet, I ordered a reamer
case and this is part of the pleasure of wildcatting in 6.5/284 Shehane and started to build the rifle.
cases. A subtle tweak of shoulder angle from 35
degrees up to 40, increasing the base diameter by 0.01 The 284 Winchester case has a rebated rim. The
of an inch and so on will increase powder capacity - case head is the same size and length as a 308
however the task of experimentation often becomes Winchester case but the case body diameter, and
a case of diminishing returns. But sometimes a therefore capacity, is larger at .475 inch at the
simple improvement will make a good cartridge better. shoulder. This gives the reloader and wildcatter
the ability to put more powder in for a wider range
As the name suggests, the 6.5/284 Shehane is of bullets and calibres. The case also shares
an improved 284 Winchester case necked down the same 35 degree shoulder angle as the super
from 7mm to 6.5mm or .264 calibre. Bill Shehane accurate 6PPC and 6BR cases. The 284
of D & B Supply, located in North Carolina in the Winchester case was poorly marketed in its original
US, designed the Shehane variant. Bill is one of form, being matched with a lever-action rifle but in
the driving forces behind the development and a suitable bolt-action rifle, it can be used in a range
marketing of the 1000 yard benchrest discipline of calibres from .22 through to .375 with good effect.
and loves to experiment with a range of cases.
The 6.5 calibre has long been recognised for its
After several detailed e-mail discussions on the accuracy at all ranges. The only thing that lets it
pros and cons of the 6.5/284 and its variants with down, in comparison with the 30 calibres, was the
lack of a
wide range
of match-
g r a d e
bullets. But
with the
explosion
of
interest in
long (800
- 1000
yards) and
extreme
( 1 0 0 0
yards to a
mile) range
shooting in
the United
States over
the past 10
years,
m a r k e t
A wide assortment of bullets can be used for hunting and targets (1 to (l r) 107 forces have
grain Sierra Match, 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 139 grain Lapua Scenar, 142 produced a
grain Sierra Match, 155 grain Sierra Match range of
precision
46 Target Shooter
projectiles. Australian made Tobler stainless steel barrel
with a 1 in 8.5 twist and a 30 inch Tobler with a
The introduction of the surplus 6.5 Swedish 1 in 8 inch twist. The reamer cuts a tight .288
Mausers into Australia in the 1980s offered neck. The scope is a Nightforce 12-42 x 56
shooters the experience of a calibre that could do on Custom 30mm High Rings. The stock is a
everything a .303 or .308 could do but with less fuss. McMillan Benchrest with 3 inch fore-end. The
rifle’s weight is adjustable and has ranged from
The 6.5/284 does the same. The US experience 16.5lbs (1000 yard benchrest) to 22 lbs (F Class).
has shown that a 6.5/284 using a match
projectile in the 140 grain range has the same The rifle was built for one reason only -
exterior ballistics as a 300 Winchester Magnum, shooting small groups at long ranges. In
except it uses less powder, with less recoil and equal particular, 500 metre Fly shooting and 1000 yard
or better accuracy out to and beyond 1000 yards. benchrest disciplines and F-class style target
shooting from 300 metres back to 800 metres
It is very easy to make a 6.5/284. Simply run a on National Rifle Association (Australia) ranges.
284 Winchester case through a resizing die or
6.5/284 full length sizing die and out pops a new At the risk of starting a war, I would note that all the
case ready to load and use. Better yet, get a couple cartridges in the 6.5 family have one fault - they can
of boxes of Lapua 6.5/284 cases, turn the necks sometimes be finicky to load for using the heavier
and start shooting. If you can’t get Lapua, Norma projectiles. Tuning out vertical groups at long ranges
and Hornady now make dedicated 6.5/284 brass. has been a consistent challenge and this becomes
more noticeable as the barrel reaches the end of its life.
The 6.5/284 Shehane takes one more step to
produce - when it is ‘improved’ by fire-forming Experience has shown that, for a truly competitive
during the first shot. When the case is extracted, cartridge for long range precision shooting, best
the case taper between its base and shoulder results are achieved when you keep velocities
is blown out 0.009 per inch to give a .485 inch between 2800 and 3200 fps with a sweet spot
diameter shoulder. However, the shoulder angle is emerging between 2900 and 3100 fps - regardless
left at 35 degrees. This simple procedure makes of calibre.
for a straighter case and increasing the powder
A long range benchrest rifle set up in 6.5 Shehane for 1000 yard shooting. The
Rem 7 action has performed well over the years but is sadly no match for a custom
action
capacity by about 5 grains from the standard Problems with 6.5mm bullets will occur as a
6.5/284’s 66.6 grains. The leade is best set so that result of the long bearing surfaces and fast twist
the pressure ring on the 139-142 grain projectiles barrels required to stabilise them. If the bullets are
does not intrude into the ‘doughnut’ area at the neck pushed too fast, shooters will see their
and shoulder junction. This particular improved premium projectiles disappear in a puff of lead dust!
version of the 6.5/284 aims for better efficiency,
case extraction and bullet selection options than is The initial 1 in 8.5 inch twist was chosen as a
possible with the ‘base’ cartridge. compromise between the 1 in 9 and 1 in 8 options
The rifle I built to compete with this round is based for heavy bullets. Groups were always tight but
on a trued and sleeved Remington Model 7 something always seemed to be lacking. Changing
stainless steel action with a 2oz Jewell trigger. to the 1 in 8 twist shrank the groups from 142 grain
Two barrels have been used - a 27.5 inch fluted Sierras. The additional length of the 30 inch barrel
Target Shooter 47
also seems to have improved powder combustion. about an inch higher than the Sierras.
As an improved cartridge, the case needs to The CCI 250 loads both had a marked amount
be fire-formed. The loading data for the 6.5/284 of vertical in their groups. The Lapuas ran about
Shehane aims for a ballistic balance of around 3” and the Sierras about 6”. Experimenting and
2900 - 3000fps for the 139 - 142 grain bullet choosing the best components will pay dividends.
range. I used Federal 210 Match primers only.
Like most wildcats, the 6.5/284 Shehane is not
For powder choice, the reloader needs to look the easiest cartridge to set up as it requires a
at moderate to slow burning powders that fill number of custom components but an experienced
up the case to about the bottom of the neck shooter and reloader will find the production and
shoulder junction. Two powders immediately fulfil that ongoing reloading easy. And with results that stay
requirement: AR2209 and AR2213SC. I have within the quarter to half MOA out to 1000 yards,
found that AR2213SC produces good and when the shooter is doing his part, make the effort
consistent results with more than acceptable worthwhile. The offset is that, for this performance
accuracy at all ranges. 2213SC powder is to continue, regular barrel maintenance is essential,
marketed under the Hodgdon label outside Australia. noting that barrels in this chambering tend to have a
For burn rate comparisions with Australian powders 1500 round maximum life for competition shooting.
cited below see: www.reloadbench.com/burn.html.
Being a variant of a wildcat, there are no Bullet Choice and Long Range Performance
reloading manuals that a new shooter can 155 Sierra Matchking: A ballistic dead end. The full
immediately turn to and explore the experiences of diameter bearing surface length of 2.615 calibres
others. As this was the first 6.5/284 Shehane ever and limited velocity at the top of the velocity range
to be used in Australia with Australian powders I removes any advantage the extra weight might offer
was starting from scratch with load development. at distances greater than 300 metres. For example,
Nevertheless, I have found that the specialised the load used above produced promising ¼ inch
message boards on the internet are groups at 100 metres and 300 metres during load
interesting forums for exchanging ideas and but results at 600 metres was very disappointing
contacting people around the world with similar with shot to shot elevation changes of about a metre.
interests in cartridge development and an A finicky projectile that requires a lot of individual
equivalent starting load was soon settled on. development for each range and a faster twist barrel.
Using AR2213SC makes this a very versatile 142 Sierra Matchking: Perhaps the ideal
cartridge to load for. Load down and you will find projectile for this cartridge. The bearing surface to
yourself with a 6.5 Swede. Load to the top and overall length ratio – at 0.53in:1.383in (13:35mm)
you’ll find magnum performances. For the UK or 1:2.692. The full diameter bearing surface is
shooter, Vihtavuori powders in the N165 range two calibres in length. One box of 142 Sierras
would make an ideal starting point.
48 Target Shooter
displayed consistent results in a concentricity work but when conditions picked up a heavier bullet
gauge indicating uniform consistency in the bullets’ was needed.
manufacture – a significant cause of inaccuracy.
Using this bullet in the 6.5/284 Shehane, I can 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip: A good 300 metre
consistently put five shots into a 0.2 inch group at performer and a superb hunting load. The feedback
100 yards. from the butts and in the hunting field suggests that
thin-skinned game would not need a follow-up shot.
140 Sierra Matchking: An alternative for the
above. During load development the bullet 107 Sierra Matchking: This bullet is too short for a
consistantly shot ragged one-hole groups at throat set up for 140 grain projectiles. Furthermore
100 yards. better accuracy is possible with the 142 grain Sierra
Matchkings. Nevertheless, a load was developed for
140 Berger: Another good choice. A bullet with a 1000 yard shooting where it performed well in good
high ballistic co-efficient that shoots flat and fast. conditions but was easily blown off course when
the wind picked up. Also a barrel-burner of a load!
140 Hornady A-Max: Similar good results were
achieved using the A-Max style of bullets. The
polycarbonate tip prevents deformation and
makes for a very slippy bullet at all ranges.
Loading Data
6.5-284 Shehane
BULLET BALLISTIC LOAD POWDER AV.
COEFFICIENT * VELOCITY
(FPS)
107 Sierra .43 57.5 2209 3370
***For safety reasons start at least 10% below these loads and work up.***
Readers use this information at their own risk. Target Shooter Magazine takes no responsibility for
this use of this loading data.
Target Shooter 49
It’s simple. When you add
up the accuracy, performance
and value of our Match, Hunting
and Varmint bullets, it makes
choosing Sierra easy.
www.sierrabullets.com
Complete Sierra range distributed
to the trade exclusively through highland outdoors
HIGHLAND For Trade enquiries contact Highland Outdoors
Ph: 01858 410 683
OUTDOORS Fax: 01857 341 111 Retail Price List now available
50 Target Shooter
www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk sales@highlandoutdoors.co.uk to download online
be the k
go
a
High Grade Lenses
Premium grade optical coatin
Adjustable objective on most
Finger adjustable windage an
Target Shooter 51
Westlake Engineering
Manufacturer of Target Pistols
Walnut Tree Cottage Camp Cottages
Druids Lodge Salisbury
Wiltshire England
SP3 4UQ
Tel/Fax 01722782432
Email ags.westlake@virgin.net
www.westlakeengineering.com
RFD Wilts. 157
Taurus .357 Muzzle Loading Revolver
The Taurus ML Revolver is converted from a Taurus .357 Magnum Long Barrelled
Revolver. The cylinder is removed and a Yoke extension fitted, this contains the
spring loaded plunger that frees the action when the yoke is closed. As this extension
cannot be removed, it prevents the re-fitting of the original cylinder. The Barrel is
shortened to approximately 5 ¼ inches and the wristbrace is removed.
A new cylinder is made which has pockets for shotgun primers at the rear with a small
flash hole through into the chamber at the front. The chamber is made to accept .357”
lead wadcutter bullets.
Each chamber is charged with Herco powder ( as per .38 S&W Spl data) and then the
bullet is pressed in. Once the chambers are charged the shotgun primers are inserted
into the primer pockets at the rear of the cylinder. The loaded cylinder is slid onto the
yoke from the rear and the yoke closed. The pistol is then ready to fire.
The conversion of your pistol costs £270.00. Extra Cylinders are £150.00 each. If you
do not have a pistol I can order a new pistol from the Importers. A Taurus .357
Magnum LBR costs £675.00
You will need a variation on your FAC for a .357/.38 Muzzle Loading Revolver, and
for each extra Cylinder you want.
52 Target Shooter
Gwyn Roberts
It was nice to see over a dozen ladies shooting at will depend largely on your club rules and although
the recent Spring Action weekend but there was many clubs are accessible for younger people, it can
still only one junior on the line, although admittedly still be quite a task in others! Unfortunately there are
she was a very good one! It seems to me that in still some committees out there that are still of the
order for our sport to grow we certainly need to do “old school” variety and are very reluctant to any
more to get some youngsters involved in our sport or form of change, however small, as they see it as
we’ll have to introduce some zimmer frame matches losing some of their “power” as it were. Some see no
in the not so distant future. Sometimes it’s not place for anyone under the age of 50 in their ranks
always that easy to do, but nothings impossible if a and would consider shooting anything other than a
few of you are willing to put in the time and effort. Martini action rifle or installing something as
Here’s a few ideas along with some of the things futuristic as a set of turning targets to be something
that we have done in my own club over the years to along the lines of treason! If you do belong to one of
get more juniors involved in Gallery Rifle shooting: these clubs I think you only have two possible avenues
Probably the two biggest obstacles that they face to
get into our sport are Access and Cost. The access Is your club an “open house” or “closed
shop”?
Target Shooter 53
late night parties and everything else you’ll
never see them again, unless you are very lucky!
Once the access problem has been sorted out, the
other major obstacle for them to face is the cost.
This will be the deciding factor for many parents as
to whether or not they let them take part. For the last
12 years from our Steel Challenge competitions to
the present Welsh Championships we have always
made sure that the juniors shoot for free and will
continue to do this for as long as is possible to
help them out. If your own club could also do this,
charge them at“cost” or give them a 50% discount
to take part then this would also be a great help for
them. The other area that some of us have been
able to help them out with is their ammunition.
For those wanting to practice more or for
competition purposes, ammunition has been sourced
from various companies or individuals and was
given to them at cost price. This has given them
Whilst in the States I shot everything from considerable savings which were put towards
travelling and accommodation fees, enabling them
AR15’s to 9mm race guns with 10yr old
to shoot at many of the major matches around the
Wyatt Gibson. His gun handling skills and
country.
safety procedures were exemplary and his From the equipment side of things there are a number
age was never an, issue, only a compliment! of county or national grants out there to help your club
to go down if you want to increase participation and purchase some new rifles, scopes or other equipment
develop the various target sports disciplines within it! for your juniors to use, and we have been successful
The first would obviously be trying to educate them on a number of occasions. I’m sure that there
so that they understand that target sports are for would be a few sympathetic members of our gun
everyone, regardless of gender, age and mobility, and trade who would also be willing to help out any
that many positive things can be gained by allowing junior shooters you may have in some way or
individual sections to be opened up. If this approach another so ask them, you have nothing to lose!
fails, then the second option is rather more For those wanting to take juniors to shoot at
obvious…… just all get together and vote them out! Bisley (MOD range) the lower age limit is
This has happened at a number of clubs now and the generally 14yrs but it is possible to get dispensation
additional disciplines and club nights that have been for shooters who are 12 for .22lr so make sure you
introduced, along with the updating and development apply for it if needed! Also remember that “taster”
of the range facilities has been very positive for both sessions for schools, clubs and other groups can
the members and visiting guests! be provided by holding one of the 12 “guest days”
I’m sure there have been many long debates as to allowed under the Home Office Approved Club
what specific age you should let juniors start provision. It’s a great way for them to have a try and
shooting at but my club dealt with it by simply for you to make any initial assessments!
removing our age limits and each application is based
on its own merits, regardless of what they want to shoot.
Some of our current Duke of Edinburgh
This policy over the years has enabled thousands shooters who are already very competent
of members from the Cubs, Brownies, Guides, after only their 3rd session at the club!
Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh groups to take part in
the target shooting courses that we offer at the club!
In one week alone we took nearly 500 Girl Guides
through an air rifle taster session at one of
their international camps in North Wales.
Like most other sports, shooters need to start young
to have any chance of reaching their potential and
the main problem I find is if you get them starting
at around fourteen or fifteen you’ll spend a year
training them, then they’ll join in out on the “circuit”
for another year. Then, when they start going college
and get introduced to boys, girls, alcohol, the
54 Target Shooter
®
Programmer
„AUTO DUEL“
Tim Finley
I set out the problems of parallax when related to
Hunter Field Target shooting with an initial note on
how we use mildots in last month’s issue of Target
Shooter. The nine scopes would be tested side by
side to see just how useable they were for HFT.
Of the first batch of scopes on test, only the Zeiss had a normal 30/30 duplex-type reticle, all the rest
have graduated reticles of some description and
five of them mildots. By looking at the charts and
moving my head I could measure the parallax error
given by each scope when set up for HFT shooting.
Target Shooter 57
Lightstream3-12 Bushnall10- 40
retcile reticle
EB sniper reticle
Lighstream 3 - 12 eyebell
58 Target Shooter
it took me a total of six and a
CHART ONE half hours range time. The
Exit pupil Objective lens Mils on Made
results areshown in table one.
Bushnell 10*40 4mm 40mm 10 Japan
Bushnell 4-12*40 3.8mm 40mm 10.5 Japan
Lightstream 4.5-14*44 4.4 to 3.1mm 44mm ANY Japan The other factor involved in
Lightstream 3-12* 40 4.4mm 40mm 9 Japan getting a good HFT scope
EB Sniper 10*42 4.2mm 42mm 10 Japan
is to see just how clear the
Hawke SR6 3-12*44 4.4mm 44mm 10 China
Viper 10*44 4.4mm 44mm 10 China target or reticle was at each
Zeiss 3-9*36 4mm 36mm 9 Germany range,
as seen in table two.
Schmidt and Bender 10*42 4.2mm 42mm 10 Germany
CHART TWO
15 40 45 YARDS VFM Rangefinding Reticle Optics Overall
Bushnell 10*40 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 5 5 4 4 5
Bushnell 4-12*40 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 3 3 5 4 3
Lightstream 4.5-14*44 10 MAG Both clear (13y ret blurred) Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 4 4 5 4 4
Lightstream 4.5-14*44 14 MAG Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle bit blurred 4 3 4 4 3
Lightstream 3-12* 40 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 3 3 3 4 3
EB Sniper 10*42 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 3 5 4 3 5
Hawke SR6 3-12*44 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 4 5 5 3 4
Viper 10*44 Target clear / Reticle blurred Both clear Target blurred / Reticle clear 5 4 4 3 3
Zeiss 3-9*36 Both clear (10y ret blurred) Both clear Target clear / Reticle blurred 3 3 3 5 3
Schmidt and Bender 10*42 Both clear (10y target blurred) Both clear Target bit blurred / Reticle clear 5 4 4 5 5
Target Shooter 59
the forums when these scopes
first came out was that they
gave more parallax error than
others. This was simply not
true in the tests I carried out.
The downside is the shorter
targets are a bit more blurred
than when set on 10X mag.
60 Target Shooter
Bushnell 10 mag
On value for money alone it’s worth a look. performance and price. I won the ‘Gathering’
The old German built Zeiss was not really with mine in 2005 and a 3rd place in the event in
useable for me, the 30/30 is not versatile enough. 2004. For beginners, I recommend the Hawke as it
The Schmidt & Bender 10x42 is simply superb can be used for hunting too and is P/A adjustable.
in German build quality and optically it’s streets
ahead of the rest and a one off. I will continue to The second batch of scopes will be the Hawke SR12
use this scope for HFT as it has already proved which has the .22 version of the SR6 reticle, the
its worth to me with a string of Gold and Platinum Hawke MAP scope with a simplified reticle, the AGS
level badges at national and local level as well as 3-12 side-wheel P/A scope and the Leupold 3-9x33
a 1st and 3rd at the two ‘Gathering’ shoots it has EFR with a mildot reticle. Another ‘special’ scope
shot and 9th in the 2009 World HFT Championships. made for me by Leupold, just like the Schmidt and
In conclusion for the first part of this mega test, I Bender. CLANG, bit of a name drop there, sorry!
rate the Bushnell 10x40 my choice scope on
Please mention
Target Shooter 61
62 Target Shooter
innovative may09.qxd 3/26/2009 11:03 AM Page 1
Target Shooter 63
RIFLECRAFT LIMITED
Customised rifles,
Sporting and Tactical Training
Factory Rifles
Custom Builds
Barrel Threading
Sound Moderators
Synthetic Bedding
Triggers
Bi-Pods
Eagle Cheek Pieces
Cleaning Equipment
Rifle Cases
Training Courses
Nigel Greenaway
Hopefully it is now evident that Civilian Service the dominant rifle in both these disciplines, I will now
Rifle (CSR) has moved away from Practical Rifle examine the money saving option of using two different
(PR) in some important areas – perhaps enough to uppers (upper receiver and barrel) with only one
even consider using different dedicated rifle/scope lower #(lower receiver/trigger and butt). This offers
an immediate £300-£400 saving, plus £150-£200 if
SGC Speedmaster AR15 CRS rifle with you have an adjustable/match trigger and upwards
Nightforce scope below PR Upper with of £250 for a fancy butt! The savings could easily
Leupold scope. Hensoldt scope on the left total £700-£850.
Hensoldt Ferro-Z 24
showing 1cm/100m click Hensoldt Ferro-Z 24 showing 1cm/100m
adjustments click adjustments and bullet drop
compensated elevation drum
Target Shooter 65
Jewel trigger showing
serrated wheel and spring
wire for trigger weight
adjustment
being designed for bipod supported rapid fire prone to be short for most people so adjustable butts
or weak shoulder PR stages. These receivers can are popular – particularly adjustment for length.
be had as a flat top or with a raised scope rail – both The standard pistol grip also places the trigger
machined to accept Weaver or Piccatinny scope rings. around the lower joint of the finger when the joint
The flat top has the advantage of being able to mount nearest the finger tip would be better. Magpul make
an Iron Sight Carry handle for use in Hi-Power rifle a MIAD Multi Grip which has five different sized
competitions or Any Iron CSR. The photograph front and rear panels which can easily be changed
shows both types of upper, my new CSR rifle having to suit all hand sizes – having tried one on the
a flat top with a Nightforce 2.5-10 x 24 scope. The firing point I shall be ordering one from SGC shortly.
smaller scope in the picture is a military surplus 4 power
Hensoldt on an A.R.M.S. #5 base for mounting on Uppers (upper receiver and barrel)
flat tops. This is the area where the divergent
My original SGC Speedmaster was fitted with an requirements of PR and CSR are most apparent
optional Arnold Jewel 2-Stage adjustable trigger with PR requiring at least a 20 inch long, thick and
which nowadays will not see much change out of preferably fluted barrel whilst CSR is better suited
£200. There are other match triggers available SGC Speedmaster with Nightforce 2.5-10 x 24
and the decision to opt for single or two stage is scope below Hensoldt with A.R.M.S. #5 base
largely down to personal choice. Single stage is
probably a better choice for the standing, kneeling or
sitting stages whilst I prefer two stage for prone. The
important thing is that you will have a much better
trigger pull that you can adjust to a precise 4.5 lbs.
Opt for the standard military trigger and you will end
up paying someone to tune it and altering the weight
of the trigger pull is largely down to using trial and
error to bend a piece of wire! Adjustable or
match type triggers are not eligible for Hi-Power
competitions. On the Jewel trigger the weight
of the trigger pull is adjusted by moving the
spring wire around the serrated wheel – this and
other adjustments can be done whilst the trigger
unit is mounted in the receiver. AR15 butts tend
66 Target Shooter
Nightforce NXS 2.5-10 x 24 scope
showing left hand side, illuminated
reticule knob and Unimount
to a thinner, possibly shorter and consequently For PR you might want to buy a forend with rails
lighter barrel. Both disciplines benefit from muzzle so that you can attach accessories like bipods and
brakes to help with faster target acquisition, less forward vertical handgrips but these are not allowed in
recoil and the ability to stay on aim and observe Service Optics so a simple Hogue over moulded free
bullet strike (splash) in the sand at all ranges. floating forend, available in different lengths was my
I never believed that a muzzle brake was required choice. I also think that the same style of forend
for the lightweight .223 round so I didn’t have one will help with consistency when swapping the uppers
fitted to my PR barrel. It wasn’t a big drawback, between disciplines. I had previously used a simple
especially when shooting prone supported DPMS Alloy Forend but this lacked the grip and heat
because the heavy Parker Hale bipod I use helped insulating properties of the rubber on the Hogue forend.
add weight at the forend. However, when the CSR
rules changed, effectively eliminating bipods in the Scopes
Service Optic class, I noticed two things when When the rules changed for CSR the maximum
using the magazine resting technique. First was the magnification allowed became 4.5 power for
noticeable barrel flip that made it hard to spot Service Optic. Whilst my Leupold Long Range Tactical
splash at ranges of 300 yards or less and secondly, 4.5-14x50 was eligible on my AR15 I felt it was
the 1 in 8 tight rifling twist and the use of 77 grain bigger and heavier (22 ozs not including mounts)
bullets created a twisting affect on the whole than required for CSR. As a PR scope it is ideal
rifle. A quick search on the internet revealed the because you want at least 10 power for 600 yards
Primary Weapons Systems DNTC compensator so 14 power is great whilst the ability to power
(www.primaryweapons.com) which is designed to down to 4.5 is crucial for shooting at one hundred
solve both problems. It really works so I had SGC yards. It also has quarter minute click adjustments
fit one to the 20 inch H-Bar profile stainless steel which is useful at the longer ranges. A great scope
barrel with 1 in 8 twist that I chose for my CSR for PR but I knew I would need a lighter and more
rifle. Both barrels are cut with a Wylde chamber as compact scope for my CSR rifle. The 4-power
I had specified to SGC that I wanted to shoot both Hensoldt Ferro-Z 24 ticks both of these boxes.
standard NATO 62 grain ball and 77 grain Sierra About a year ago the Germans were selling these as
MatchKing home loads. Wylde chambers are match military surplus and they were often seen on eBay,
chambers but with a slightly longer throat than selling for about £300 (the current strength of the
commercial chambers, optimised for longer Euro would push this figure closer to £400). Hensoldt
bullets to enable safe use of NATO specification is the military brand of the Zeiss group so the quality
ammunition. There are a multitude of different is great (visit www.mg-42.net/G3_hensoldt.htm for
AR15 forends that you can use but weight and a more information). The optics are very clear and you
comfortable grip are important considerations. can purchase an accessory that attaches to the side
Target Shooter 67
different speeds – the slow pace
requires you to aim at the leading edge
(the fist of the figure) whilst the fast
target needs an aiming point in front (which
happens to be in line with the forward
knee of the figure). It is possible to adjust
the magnification of the scope so that a
Mil-Dot can be used to hold the necessary
forward lead at the knee and thus gain
the correct lead and height for the fast
mover). The more I thought about this
scope’s features and magnification range
the more I concluded what a great CSR
and PR scope this would be, 4 power for
the former and up to 10 power for the
5 shot group Sierra latter. Nightforce also supply their own
77 grain handloads Unimount with a built in 20 MOAtaper to help
you regain precious clicks for long range
of the scope and acts as a reticule illuminator. The shooting. These mounts fit Picatinny and
see-through reticule is a post with interrupted cross Weaver rails and is touted as being good enough to
hair – not to everyone’s taste but I like post reticules maintain zero when taken off and replaced on the
for fast shooting - having used them on an Enfield rifle. In theory you could swap this scope between
Enforcer, No.4(T), L42A1 and Swedish Mauser two different AR15 uppers, particularly where the
M41B sniper rifles. The elevation and windage same calibre, barrel length and rifling twist are
drums give very positive clicks of 1cm per 100 used. I’m sure there would be a minor zero change
metre. One inch is 2.54cm so these clicks are not between uppers but this could be allowed for by
quite half a minute of angle (MOA) which is a bit slipping the scale on the drums, as long as you
awkward if you are used to Imperial measurements! make a note of the difference. I have not put this to
The elevation drums are bullet drop compensated the test but it certainly would save at least another
from 100-600 metres (can be had in either 7.62mm £800-£1,000 by sharing one scope between two
or 5.56mm). Generally I felt this scope might prove rifles. I like the Nightforce scope – the only
ideal for CSR where the vast majority of shooting is criticism being that the Mil-Dot reticule is very fine
at 300 yards or below and it put up some half MOA for short range rapid style shooting but I believe
groups at 100 metres. However, the metric clicks that the illuminated reticule will overcome this. The
would need some getting used to and swapping results speak for themselves with a 3/8 inch or 11mm
back to my Leupold with its quarter MOA clicks would five shot group, shot prone at 100 metres with hand
inevitably lead to mistakes. I decided I would need to loaded ammunition from the new CSR rifle.
find another compact scope and, in order to match
up to my Leupold, it should have a
mil-dot reticule and quarter MOA Typical group
clicks. from issue
5.56mm Ball
Nightforce NXS 2.5-10 x 24
Luckily such a scope exists - the
relatively new Nightforce NXS
2.5-10 x 24, the UK wholesale
importer is RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd.
Nightforce has a great reputation and
this scope shaves 5ozs off the weight
of my Leupold, has a 30mm tube
plus an illuminated Mil-Dot reticule.
Other reticule patterns are available
but I wanted to have the consistency
of using one reticule pattern on both
rifles. An additional factor was
that one of the CSR stages is
the running man target at 100
metres. This target runs at two
68 Target Shooter
Box of 5.56mm L2A2 ball, RG’03 on left brass (one of the lightest cases with
and Sierra 77 grain on right maximum powder capacity),
Remington No.7 1/2 Small Rifle Bench
Rest primers, 24.4 grains Reloder 15
and 77 grain Sierra MatchKing heads
which reach 2,600 feet per sec (fps).
This is a top end load so I suggest
starting at a tad under 24 grains of
Reloder 15. Other popular powders are
Vit140 and Varget which are similar to
Reloder 15.
Target Shooter 69
70 Target Shooter
Target Shooter 71
Project Rifle
Vince Bottomley
Target Shooter is now three issues old so I think it’s Above - Our AI stock comes with one
time we built our first rifle. magazine and includes ‘bottom-metal’ which
would cost extra with an A5
A couple of tactical-style rifles which have come
out of the South Yorkshire Shooting Supply stable much closer tolerances than the Howa or Remmy
have impressed me recently. One is owned by Tim but not so close as the Barnard. In other words, it’s
Finley and he wrote a little about it in Target Sports accurate but not too tight to be practical in the field.
magazine. The other is owned by Ross Burrough This is also aided to some extent by the fluted bolt.
and I’ve seen Ross shoot some pretty impressive This is not for decoration – the flutes will hold any
groups even at 1000 yards with his rifle. dust or grit which might otherwise find their way into
72 Target Shooter
the way out to 1000 yards – especially if you are
using a 30-32 inch barrel like the F/TR guys. If
you are using a 24-26 inch ‘tactical’barrel then
the 308 suffers at longer ranges and will lose out
to the 260 Rem. and 243 Improved. Both these
cartridges require some case-forming however and
with a tactical rifle, this takes away some of the
practicality as factory ammunition will not be available.
The McMillan A5 is a great
tactical stock I can see that I’m slowly talking my way into
another 6.5x47 – just as Ross and Tim did.
the action, possibly locking-up the bolt as it could It’s hard to beat this little round, for although
do with a ‘benchrest fit’ action like the Barnard. cartridges like the 260 Rem will outshoot the 6.5x47 in the
ballistic programmes, it just doesn’t seem to happen
As always, it’s ‘horses for courses’ – if you are on the range. I currently have rifles chambered for the
building an F Class rifle choose the Barnard, or 6.5x47 and the 6-6.5x47 and of the two, I’ve got to
maybe a BAT if you are building a benchrest rifle but admit that the 6.5 version appears to have the edge,
if it’s a tactical rifle, the Surgeon is a great choice. though initially, I favoured the 6mm as it appeared
to be a 6BR on steroids! The 6.5x47 has turned out
So, that’s sort of set the tone for our project – a to be a superb cartridge however and it makes you
tactical rifle based on the Surgeon action with wonder why it took so long for someone to invent it!
something other than an A5 stock! Chambering? We
have several to chose from, ranging from the little OK, we’re a bit closer. Surgeon action, 6.5x47
6BR Rem. up to the 308 but remember, we need it to chambering but we need a barrel. Heard about the
feed from a 308 size magazine. My shooting buddy, new ‘gain-twist’ barrels from Bartlein? A gimmick?
Rob Hunter is currently playing with the 260 Rem Maybe but we won’t know unless we try one and
– a necked-up and improved 6.5mm version of the fortunately Fox Firearms have just received delivery
243 Win. and I’m doing a similar thing with the 243 of a batch which includes a 6.5mm with a gain-twist
Win. Improved. Both these would make fine tactical going from 9.25 to 8.5.
cartridges but what would they offer over the 308?
Let’s not get too excited about gain-twist barrels.
Like many of the F/TR guys, I’ve recently found Yes, the theory is there and for extreme accuracy
new life in the 308 Win. It’s a great cartridge, all disciplines like short-range benchrest, there may be
a minute benefit
but for a tactical
rifle, I can’t really
see that it will
offer anything
but it will be
interesting to
work with one
and see if we
can detect any
difference.
Target Shooter 73
these is the price! I can remember when
the AI’s were horrendously expensive
but now they seem quite reasonable
compared to the A5 and better still, this
one is second-hand, so a bit of a bargain.
It’s also a ‘folder’ which tend to command
a higher price but for me, it’s just heavier.
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Target Shooter 75
Shooting Website of the Month
‘The wind is not your friend’ is run by Doug shooting long range rifle, charts, etc, etc.
Weeter in the US. It is a website that has Another good page to look at is the
a great deal to offer any shooter that deals description of the ‘Bernoulli Effect’ and the
with accuracy as their game of choice. way the wind causes a rimfire round to ‘shift’.
There is a lot of information about shooting I do know that Doug is in the process of
in the wind and a variety of wind flag designs rebuilding this site to make it even better. I
that will keep any part time craftsmen cannot wait.
going for a number of months. Within this
website there is on offer some DIY knowledge
that may stand you in good stead in
developing your own. Doug truly believes that
making your own wind flags will really teach
you more about what the wind is doing, as you
are designing then specifically for yourself.
These ‘flags’ have been developed over years,
with even some recognisable designs on the
site. All of these can be made easily, even
with spare parts lying around a garage. They
are very useful designs and can be made at a
fraction of the price that some would pay for them.
There are also articles on wind doping,
76 Target Shooter
Target Shooter 77
Practical Shotgun - Harlow’s Very Close
Shave!
By Tommy Burford
The first match in the UK’s 2009 Practical Shotgun ago. A large British contingent turned up, confident of
Championship gave the tightest results seen for many victory at the multi-day match, after all they felt that
years in the biggest divisions. Being a European they had invented the sport all those years back. The
Championship year, with competitors vying for national dragon bit back and Terni proved to be a wake up call.
team places at the ‘big one’ in the Czech Republic in International Practical Shotgun was heading in a
September, we always knew that no quarter would be different direction, the matches held on sandy bermed
given, but the results at Harlow were very, very close indeed. and banked pistol ranges, with open targets and very few
‘load-one, shoot-one’ stages or empty gun starts. Not a
First a little background. When we lost handguns wood or stream to be seen; it was almost continuous run
back in the late 1990s the then Cinderella discipline and gun handgunning with a shotgun and most of the UK
of the UKPSA, Practical Shotgun with high capacity contingent came home with their tails firmly between
Section1 self-loading and pump action shotguns, sashayed their legs.
into the limelight as many of the previously dominant Since then the sport has evolved at both the world and
pistoleers tinkered first with mini-rifle and then airsoft the UK level, with the UK having a considerable input into
matches before drifting off to find other shooting styles the updated world rules through the hard work of Neil
that suited them. Shotgun then needed a considerably Beverley. At the second, and better attended, European
different approach to range craft, often needing Championship held in Greece in 2006 the older and
physical stamina not required for pistol, and usually involved wiser UK shooters put in one the largest international
getting quite wet and muddy. Whilst a few die-hard entries and came away with decent placing’s in the
handgunners stayed with the Association and carried on popular UK divisions of ‘Standard Auto’, ‘Modified’ and
taking part in matches overseas using borrowed kit, as ‘Standard Manual’.
the millennium turned over the shotgunners provided the
bulk of the membership and focus of the UK Association. And so to 2009 and the run up to the 3rd Europeans.
Whilst the majority of UK shotgun matches still take
At a world level within IPSC, handgunning was (and place in woods using birdshot, some can run buckshot
still is) the largest competitive discipline, but shotgun and slug stages on adjacent approved ranges. Even
was starting to build up a small but influential band of the NRA at Bisley are encouraging a form of Practical
followers around the planet. The international competition branded ‘Target Shotgun’ based around the renamed
calendar won it’s first true European Championship in Police and Service Pistol competitions shot
2003 at Terni in Italy, a small town with a legend of dragon with rifled slug. Along with a new one,
that had been defeated by a local nobleman many years the Embassy Cup, these take place at the
Gallery RifleAction Weekends, plus two smaller
UKPSA style birdshot, buckshot and slug
‘Shotgun Festivals’ held in February and
October.
The Southern Area Championships at
Harlow on the 9th of May was birdshot only,
with targets being knockdown steel plates
at varying distances along with static and
moving clay pigeons. The current IPSC
rules and guidelines suggest that there
should be a ratio of roughly three ‘short’
course stages, to two ‘medium’ stages and
one ‘long’ course stage, only one unloaded
start per six stages, and no ‘load-one,
shoot-one’ in matches graded Level 3 (such
as the Harlow match) and above. Three
competitors entered from Serbia, and
they were known to be good, with another
Practical veteran UK competitor driving up from his
shotgun in action retirement home in France, so the scene was
set for a grand International day. The range
78 Target Shooter
crew shot the match on the Friday along with a small vision barrier), you needed to visit one of them twice.
number of competitors who could not take part on the
Saturday, and they had the pleasure of the cold drizzle Stage 8 was a 15 plater, a medium course that
and wind (some things never change). The weather included some big poppers that needed to fall
cheered up on the Saturday, and the remaining 40 odd before smaller plates were exposed. Again, there
competitors in four squads ripped through the nine were a variety of ways to tackle the stage depending
stages with everything done by late afternoon. on your loading skill and distance shooting confidence.
As usual with true practical shooting, all of the
stages were ‘new’ to the competitors and virtually all The final stage 9 started with a three position
of them could be approached in a number of ways. traverse on three clays and up to eight steels before a
sprint downrange for the final, well hidden six steels.
Stage 1 had four simple plates in a wide arc, but one
released a high scoring, oscillating clay on a swinging When the results came out, the Serbs proved
pole that would eventually disappear from view and triumphant with Branislav Raketic beating our own
therefore did not incur a miss penalty. Since this was James Harris in Modified Division by almost 15%.
only the empty gun start, you needed to work out It was far tighter in Standard Auto however, with
whether the bonus points were worth the time taken to the Serbian Igor Jankovic beating the UK’s Mike
load an additional round and also risk missing. The stage Darby by less than one match point out of 470. Hard on
winners did, but they were closely followed by a few Mike’s heels was Barry Sullivan, less than three points
who only loaded four rounds and ignored the swinger. behind, and under nine points behind him was the
final Serb, Dimitrije Simic. In sixth place was a junior
Stage 2 had four, long distance, heavy plates shooter, Jim Starley with almost 93% - he’s definitely
that were visible through a slot in cover that was going to be one to watch. Further down the order was
almost at a normal shooting height, but also had the first placed lady and UKPSA Chairman Vanessa
four close clays that could only be seen from under a Duffy, with a slender thirty point lead over the next three
very low barricade that made it almost impossible to ladies who were separated in total by less than ten points.
use the common ‘rollover prone’ shooting position. It was just as tight in Standard Manual, with Neil Smith
beating Martin Davies by less than half a point, and he
Stage 3 saw the ‘Harlow Horse’ dragged out from was pursued by Iain Guy, less than five points behind.
retirement and give a coat or two of garish paint. This The next two Level 3 matches are before the Europeans
was essentially a shooting platform where you could and take place at Carlisle and on the Welsh border during
take difficult but fast shots, or slower easier shots at the July, with the final round of the championship returning to
eight steel targets spaced between red penalty targets. Harlow at the end of October after returning from the
Europeans.
Stage 4 introduced the competitors to another of Harlow’s It’s going to be an interesting year. For more
new bits of range equipment – high poles for clays. Four information on the UKPSA, the match calendar, club
of these along with four low clays either side of a short finder and details of how to join, visit: http://www.ukpsa.
corridor were a good test of fast gun handling and accuracy. co.uk
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The sheer amount of ranges needed to accommodate all They don’t come much more chilled out
of these different disciplines means that over 100 R.O’s than Declan Byrne or Mike Doherty!
are needed to run things safely and smoothly on the day.
For most, this means being on the range first thing on the
Wednesday morning to set up the ranges and iron out any 0521 America Match Graham Trimmer 258 & 3X Ph
problems that they may have with the equipment. Then, 0901 T&P2 GRSB David Hackett 595 & 32X B&Ph
when they are all tired and stressed out they have to go 0921 T&P2 LBP Clive Ferguson 591 & 26X B&Ph
and shoot their own matches over the Wednesday and 1104 Multi Target SG Rob Adam 107 Ph
Thursday so that they are ready to start running all of the 1121 Multi-Target LBP Graham Trimmer 112 Ph
competitors through from Friday morning onwards. With 1321 Phoenix A LBP Patrick Pritchett 179 B& Ph
this in mind we all owe them a huge thank you for giving 1322 Phoenix A LBR - Graham Trimmer 189 Ph
up their time to keep our ranges safe, and for doing such a 1521 1500 LBP Clive Ferguson 1486 & 91X Ph
good job under the weather conditions that we had at the 1701 Bianchi GRSB Gwyn Roberts 1918 & 155X B&Ph
time. It was pretty hot for the entire weekend and being on 1721 Bianchi LBP Clive Ferguson 1891 & 140X B&Ph
the range for up to 9 hours a day over 5 days is certainly 1722 Bianchi LBR Mel Beard 1903 & 147X B&Ph
not an easy task for anyone to do, so thanks again guys! 1942 Advancing Target MLR Dave Berry 71 Ph
Target Shooter 81
the Range Officers were treated to an evening of
musical entertainment including a free hot a cold
buffet with wine and beer to help wash things down.
Jane Shields and Sally Agnew are to be thanked and
congratulated for their hard work and effort that went
into making this event a success. Thanks must also go
to Andy Duffy and the generosity of the shooters who
together raised over £500 on the night with various
raffles. This money is now on its way to the Disabled Police
Officers Association in Ireland which is a very worthwhile
Dave Emery in action on the Bianchi Mover cause indeed, so well done to all of the people involved!
To round off the very enjoyable and successful
weekends shooting the new NRA Chairman Dr
4302 Granet GRCF Darren Digby 299 & 17x Ph Robin Pizer kindly attended the prize giving in the
5986 4,5,600yd F Class Horst Mitera 268 & 43V Ph packed MLAGB club house, to hand out the trophies
5989 4,5,600yd non .303 Millitary Rifle Steven Voak and awards for those lucky enough to win something.
145 & 9V Ph
6168 8,9,1000yd Free Pistol 18.5in barrel Trevor Alford For some of us the weekend still wasn’t over as we still
210 & 19V Ph had the annual International 1500 match to shoot on Bank
6189 8,9,1000yd non.303 Military Rifle Steven Voak Holiday Monday. This would be a shoulder to shoulder
211 & 15V Ph match with two teams of 5 shooters from each country
shooting for gold. This is always an enjoyable match
The winners of the Phoenix Aggregate matches were: to shoot, and despite some gun breakages on the line
The John Rolfe Trophy T&P2 John Robinson 1191 78x, during the match 5 warm up some very good personal
The Sue Mansbridge Rosebowl 1500 John Robinson best scores were achieved. Once the stats team had done
2986 229X, The Target Sports Bianchi Gwyn Roberts
3826 312x and Phoenix Trophy Keith Cox 6714 442x.
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LaserScope
In Ballistic Plex and now
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The LaserScope is a technologically
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The new Burris Fullfield II Quad Scope is the ultimate
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up to four interchangeable barrels; in .22LR, 17 Mach II,
17 HMR and .22 Magnum. The new Quad 3-9 x 40mm
riflescope has four resettable adjustment dials, colour
coded to match the colour coding on the Sako barrels.
Once all four barrels have been sighted in, the scope
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84 Target Shooter
Burris Laserscope/quad advert.indd 1 4/2/09 10:49:14
The HANDLOADING BENCH
RIFLING TWIST RATES (Part 2)
Laurie Holland
Last month, I introduced Don Miller’s twist rate
formula, an easily used spreadsheet that uses
calibre, bullet weight and length, rifling twist
rate and muzzle velocity to give you the Sg or
coefficient of gyroscopic stability. The recommended
minimum value is 1.4, although any combination that
produces a value above 1.0 has stabilised the
bullet, in theory anyway. I say it’s easy to use,
but getting hold of the bullet length may be a
problem if you don’t have examples on hand
to measure and don’t know anybody who
does. Since manufacturers don’t publish this
information, you may need to do a bit of research
on the Web, or post a ‘please help’ query on one
of the specialist shooting website forums such as
Benchrest Central or Long-Range Target Shooting.
Weight (Again)
Let’s return to the bullet weight versus length
issue. I said last month that bullet length (in
calibres) has far more influence on the required
twist rate than weight, so .223 Remington sees
the long (0.915”) 62gn military FMJBT need 9 or
10T, while the Berger 64gn flat-base HP Match
(0.824”, or 3.7 calibres v 4.1) manages with 12T.
However, weight does affect stability, but not in the
way you think. Let’s take our 0.224” 62gn military
FMJBT again, which is long for its weight through
the use of steel as well as lead inside, plus a void
in its tip. Miller calculates 1.46 Sg at the 3,081 fps
average MV I got recently with some RG fodder out
of a 9T Remington 700 SPS Tactical rifle. I can’t
find an equivalent 0.224” match bullet right on that
0.915” length, but Sierra’s shorter (0.892”) HPBT
MatchKing weighs 69gn, so 70gn will be easily ‘on’
with this length in conventional lead-core HPBT
form, heavier still with a lead-to-the-tip FMJBT, let’s
say 75gn. Keep everything except weight (bullet
length, barrel twist rate and MV) the same, and Sg
Sierra 0.224” bullets: 65gn GameKing BTSP rises to 1.65 at 70gn, and 1.77 at 75gn, which are
(left) and 69gn MatchKing HPBT. The significant increases. This tells us that increasing
expanding sporting bullet has lead all the the weight in a given bullet length actually sees
way to the tip, while the HP match design less stabilisation needed, not more. A clever bullet
has a void ahead of the core. This feature designer can take advantage of this, as happened
allied to a slightly shorter length means the 50 years ago when the .222 Remington in 14T
Game King will need less stabilisation than barrelled rifles was king of the small-bore
its match sibling. centrefires. The manufacturers gave sporting
shooters heavy expanding bullets that worked in
and the Miller twist formula calculates 1.44 Sg at
3,000 fps MV from an 8T barrel for the longest
example found, while the recommended 7.5T rate
produces 1.65. I use 3,000 fps in this example as
the DTAC was designed for the Tubb 6XC cartridge
that gives this bullet up to 3,050 fps, and it’s a
popular choice for other 6mm numbers that can
push it along at 3,000 fps or more. We know that MV
doesn’t affect Sg all that much, so the little 6mm BR
Norma cartridge at 2,675 fps still produces a just
acceptable 1.39 Sg from its ‘standard’ 8T twist rate.
Where does this pedantically precise 2,675 fps MV
come from? We know 2,800 fps is achievable with a
105gn bullet from this cartridge and 28” barrel and that
produces 1,827 ft / lbs of muzzle energy. You will
usually achieve the same ME in the same rifle from
a different weight bullet without needing higher
chamber pressures, and 1,827 ft/lbs equates to
HP match bullets marked to show the top of
2,675 fps MV with 115gn bullets. However, note
that while Miller says we have enough latitude at
the core inside the jacket. Left to right: 53gn
both MVs in an 8T barrel, some recent posts on 0.224” Hornady HPM, 52gn 0.224” SMK, 69gn
a long-range shooting forum about using this 0.224” SMK, 107gn 6mm SMK, and the very
bullet in the 6X47mm Lapua cartridge (6.5X47 long for weight 0.308” 155gn Lapua Scenar.
necked down to 6mm) with this twist rate advised This feature sees these bullets produce a
that it is on the ragged edge of stability and doesn’t higher Sg than is indicated by their lengths.
86 Target Shooter
this slow twist by designing blunt, flat-base, and
thin-jacketed (less light gilding metal = more heavy
lead core within a given size) projectiles that
minimized bullet length while maximising
weight. Sierra’s 0.224” 63gn ‘SMP’ (semi-point)
bullet is a survivor from this period, and
still works at modest .222 Rem MVs in 14T
barrels. The downside of the blunt shape is a
lower BC, so its external ballistics performance is
inferior to an equivalent weight or 55gn ‘Spitzer’.
Uncertainties
We like certainties, everything black or white,
which is hard luck in this subject as bullet
stability is full of apparent exceptions to the rule,
not to mention shades of grey. Firstly, a basic
question. How much trust can we place in the
Miller Twist formula? Ballisticians tell us it’s a very The 52gn Hornady A-MAX (centre) is even
clever bit of work, and generally pretty reliable. longer than equivalent HP match models
Nevertheless, it simplifies a complex process that because of the plastic tip but is fully
requires several sets of mathematical exercises stabilised by barrel twist rates that the Miller
when done rigorously. So it should be treated as formula says will be over-slow.
a guide, not an infallible oracle that says that a changed that pushes it in the unstable direction.
combination producing 0.999 Sg sees bullets all On the other hand, in some conditions the yawing
over the shop, while another with 1.001 shoots may diminish down-range and accuracy is fine at
quarter-MOAgroups. This is why the formula’s creator medium and longer ranges. As we saw last month,
and other ballisticians advise choosing a twist rate differences in air temperature and barometric
that produces at least 1.4 to provide a ‘safety margin’. pressure could affect such a combination either
way, perhaps even during the course of a single day.
Even if the formula’s results were stunningly
accurate for every combination, there is no sharp Another question is whether you can trust the
line in the sand at 1.000 Sg. We have shades of grey manufacturer’s specification sheet. If you buy
between the black and white situations of complete a Bartlein barrel you get the specified twist –
and obvious instability, and full stability identified precisely, down to two decimal places. If the
through good accuracy. For instance, a marginally Savremchester catalogue says a model has
stabilised bullet may appear to be alright cutting
clean round holes in the target, but produces below
par accuracy as it suffers some ‘yaw’ on leaving The Barnard / Eliseo .308W F/TR tube gun
the barrel. Worse, such a combination might give with 30” Bartlein 13.5T barrel. Worries about
excellent results during load development but later it failing to stabilise 155gn Lapua Scenars
disappoint during a match because something has proved unfounded.
Target Shooter 87
Hornady even lists loads data for the A-MAX in the
14T .222 Rem in its reloading manual. So, what’s
going on here? The answer is that most hollow-point
bullets see the front end of the lead core positioned
well back from the bullet tip leaving empty space
inside the front of the jacket. Hornady’s A-MAX
and V-MAX, and similar bullets from other makers,
are HP designs with the ugly hole up front plugged
with a sharply pointed lightweight insert, and make
the bullet even longer but still with little weight up
front. From a gyroscopic stability viewpoint, such
bullets are effectively ‘shorter’ than they measure, so
produce higher real Sg values than the formula
calculates. Likewise, the 0.224” 68gn Hornady
Match and 69gn Sierra MatchKing are obviously not
that far apart in their designs, but the former’s extra
The view down Diggle ‘C’ Range from the
tenth of an inch overall length comes from a longer
range-house webcam on 11th February. The
jacket. The resulting shape does require more stabi-
13.5T twist barrel stabilised 155gn Scenars lisation than the Sierra, but not as much as the 0.991”
fully at 1,000 yards a few days later in barely overall length apparently dictates. This doesn’t
warmer conditions. apply to FMJBTs or soft-point sporting bullets of
course which have the lead core going right to the tip.
a 9T barrel say, 9.0 may be what you get, or
then again the actual rate may be somewhere
Too Fast?
between 8.75T and 9.25T. This can make a big
If the results of over-slow spin are disastrous and
difference when the twist is marginal for the bullet, so
usually obvious to the shooter, what about going
something that shouldn’t work does, or vice versa,
in the other direction with a much higher spin rate
and also means that when your mate tells you a
than needed to stabilise the bullet? There are three
marginally ‘unsuitable’ bullet shoots a storm in his
issues here. Will the bullet stand up to the stresses
Remy 700, you cannot be sure it’ll do likewise in your
imparted by a very high rotational speed? Does an
allegedly same twist Savage. Incidentally, there
excessively high Sg cause accuracy to deteriorate
is a view that a really well made and chambered
by accentuating minor flaws in the bullet that put it
barrel in a precision rifle gives you a little more
out of balance? Does it affect the long-range flight
leeway at the margins. This is because
behaviour of the bullet through ‘over-stabilising’ it
everything is concentric, so the bullet enters the
so its nose doesn’t want to turn over at the top of
rifling absolutely straight, or as near so as is
possible. If a bullet isn’t spun fast enough to be
stable, the rifle’s component and build quality Benchrest shooters use the slowest twist
cannot put that right, ever, but it might produce rates that stabilise their bullets.
superb results with a combination that produces an
Sg barely above 1.0, while a sloppily chambered
factory or military rifle struggles.
88 Target Shooter
restricted to a modest 3,400 fps. That
produces a spin-rate just under
175,000 rpm in a 14T barrel, so the
maximum MVs that should be used
with this bullet from 12, 9, and 8T
rate .223 Rem barrels are around
2,920, 2,190, and a mere 1,950 fps
respectively! This problem can arise
with any lightweight bullet at high
velocities in a fast-twist rifle –
my 8T Lilja barrelled .223 Rem
Southern Gun SSR-15 sometimes
destroys 52gn Hornady A-MAX
match bullets. The problem has
also arisen with some 140gn
Target Rifle shooters used 14T barrels in the 6.5mm and 175gn 7mm bullets
bad old days of Radway Green 146gn ‘Green with the ‘hotter’ cartridges used in long-range
Spot’ ammo in a not always successful target shooting. It has been mostly
associated with Berger Match VLDs with their
attempt to reduce the number of points lost
superbly consistent but thin J4 jackets, but I’ve seen
to ammunition related ‘fliers’.
it happen to heavy 6.5mm Hornady A-MAX bullets
ballistician who chided me over my assertion too. Sierra bullets which have thicker jackets are
that a 13T barrel might over-stabilise the 155gn immune, and Berger was concerned enough
Sierra Palma bullet at the Raton, New Mexico about its bullets’ reputation to research and
ranges in high summer, the combination of short introduce thick-jacketed versions of the two
bullet, high altitude and 80ºF temperatures potentially problem bullet calibre/weight combinations in both
producing Sg values around 2.2. Although the ‘Match BT’ and VLD form in a remarkably short time
Miller Twist spreadsheet says that if the Sg is above last year. It should be noted that this phenomenon
2, a move to a combination that reduces it might often requires aggravating factors in addition to the
improve accuracy, Bryan says that in this sort of high spin-rate – barrel wear or roughness, high air
extreme scenario the 13T barrelled rifle will / barrel temperatures, heavy fouling and suchlike,
produce no less accurate results at high altitudes / and the exact mechanism(s) that causes bullets to
temperatures, than when used in different conditions break up is the subject of much learned speculation.
which reduce the Sg below 2.0. In the other corner,
we have my good friend and unpaid gunsmith Vince Balance
Bottomley who as an avid (and very successful) BR When Vince Bottomley and I were deciding on
competitor takes a different view – make the twist as the barrel make and specifications for my Barnard
slow as possible. Let’s examine each issue in turn. / Eliseo .308Win GB-F/TR tube-gun described
in the Aril issue, not to forget Vince’s identically
Extreme Stress barrelled BAT action rifle, he talked me into
The over-stressed bullet is easy to understand. joining him in using a 13.5T rate in our Bartlein
Any bullet fired in a modern high-power rifle barrels, the intended bullet being the 155gn Lapua
undergoes enormous temperature and pressure Scenar, a very long design for its weight. Vince,
stresses particularly inside the barrel where it with his benchrest shooting background, always
becomes almost plastic as it is forced into the goes for the slowest twist that will work, but I
rifling grooves and spun up to maybe a quarter of a began to worry after the order had been placed
million rpm in a few inches of travel / milliseconds. as to whether 13.5T was right for the Scenar.
Overdo it and the bullet may not reach the target, The Miller formula gives the 1.291” long bullet an
disintegrating en route in a small cloud of Sg of only 1.07 at my target 3,000 fps MV under
grey smoke. This particularly applies to some standard environmental conditions! I was concerned
exceptionally thin-jacketed ‘varmint’ bullets. For I’d end up restricted to the shorter, much lower BC
instance, Hornady 0.224” ‘SPSX’ (Soft-Point 155gn Sierra Palma MK. Anyway, no problems –
Super-Explosive) bullets were designed with 100 yard accuracy was superb even from starting
jackets that gave rapid and massive expansion loads with low MVs, and the rifle’s first 1,000yd club
at .222 Remington terminal velocities, and the competition saw reasonable results despite it being
company advises that if its 50gn SPSX is a bitterly cold early spring day – the car’s external
used in a .22-250 Rem rifle – same 14T twist thermometer read 3ºC on arrival at the range and
rate but higher velocities – the MV should be still read 3ºC on the way out seven hours later!
Target Shooter 89
Using 155gn Scenars from our 13.5T Bartleins, noticeably more and worse ‘fliers’ at 1,000 yards
Vince took 4th F/TR place in the first national F-Class with the poorer ammunition lots. Now, I know that
League round of the season in April and I was 5th airing this will elicit another email from Mr. Litz
two points behind, the matches shot over 800, 900, whose view is that today’s match bullets are so well
and 1,000 yards, so no accuracy problems there. made that the effects of faster barrel twist / bullet
spin rates are non existent to marginal and having
Why take this risk, and not specify the a stability safety margin is more important.
widely used 13T, or even 12T (the manufacturer’s However, there are valid arguments on both sides
of the issue. As always, you pays your money and
makes your choice, but there is one disadvantage
to the minimum-twist approach you should be
aware of – it limits your choice of bullet. If this year’s
F-Class league results were to demonstrate that
F/TR competitors using 210gn bullets have an
advantage over us 155gn shooters, we’re stuck
with the lighter bullets unless we rebarrel. If it’s
the other way round, the 210gn users can switch
to 155s, and probably not see any noticeable
accuracy loss despite using a 10T twist rate –
in fact, that’s just what successful F/TR
shooter Steve Donaldson does, using 210s at 800-
1,100 yards and switching to 155s for 300-600yd
matches to reduce recoil and barrel throat wear.
Trajectory
Our third possible ‘over-stabilised problem’ is that
some people theorise that a bullet that is spun
overly fast adopts a slightly nose-up attitude in
Berger Bullets now manufactures its 140gn the second half of the trajectory as it drops down
6.5mm Match VLD and Match BT bullets with towards the target, affecting stability and
the regular J4 jacket thickness and a special increasing air resistance. The alleged cause is
thick version. that a bullet that is stabilised ‘too much’ tries to
maintain its initial angle of departure through the
recommended twist rate for this bullet)? An gyroscopic steering effect, and this angle will
article of faith for top benchrest shooters is that the be noticeably upwards in long-range shooting
perfect bullet doesn’t exist, or at least not 100 of because of the elevation required. This theory
them together in one carton. Even expensive was much discussed in the 1980s when 1,000yd
handmade 62-68gn 6mm BR jobs are likely to
suffer the occasional hidden flaw that puts a
bullet out of balance (to be precise, moves its
centre of gravity off the axis fractionally), say the
jacket ever so slightly thicker on one side than the
other. In such top quality bullets, and even the mass
produced MatchKings, Scenars, and Match BT or
VLD bullets that most of us use, manufacturing and
component quality is very good nowadays, so any
‘fault’ will be tiny. However, if it does exist, the faster
you spin the bullet, the more it will deviate from its
intended path, especially at ultra long-ranges. So,
benchresters and many long-range precision
shooters adopt rifling twist rates that spin the
bullet as slowly as possible while still stabilising
it. If you shot Target Rifle some years back you’ll It was alleged that the 155gn Sierra Palma
be familiar with this issue as the ‘standard’ TR rifle MK adopted a nose-up attitude as it curved
in pre-155gn ammunition days used a tight-bore down towards the target at long range if ‘over
14T barrel to cope with abysmally poor quality stabilised’, rather like the NASA Space
146gn FMJBT bullets in RG ‘Green Spot’ 7.62mm Shuttle landing, although with a less acute
ammunition. TR rifles with 10T or 12T rates produced angle.
90 Target Shooter
Service Rifle competition became popular in solution eventually came in the form of the 175gn
the USA and .308W M1A shooters had trouble SMK used in the US Army’s M118LR 7.62mm
getting a bullet that would perform. Popular 600yd target / sniper cartridge and handloaded too by
loads with the 168gn Sierra MatchKing (SMK) went many American F/TR shooters.
through the target sideways – if they hit it at all – the
180gn SMK suffering similar problems. The 190gn Long-Range
SMK was a proven 1,000yd performer in bolt-action The M1A problem brings me neatly to the final
rifles, but couldn’t be used in the M1A as it produced issue I’d like to air on bullet stability and
excessive gas port pressures and overstressed the barrel twist rates – does stability deteriorate with
action. When Sierra introduced the 155gn Palma distance? It’s known that some bullets simply don’t
MK, it seemed logical that if it worked at 1,200yd perform at 1,000yd unless they are driven really
from a single-shot rifle, it would too at 1,000 in the fast – the 168 and 180gn SMKs for instance won’t
M1A even if MVs were considerably lower – but perform in .308W at this range, but will at .300
it didn’t cut the mustard either. It was speculated Magnum velocities. It was alleged that early 14T
that the M1A’s 10T barrel twist was the reason 5.56mm / AR15 accuracy was adequate at short
for this conundrum through ‘over-stabilisation’. range but not at 500 metres due to inadequate
Ballisticians are now much less convinced stabilisation, and so on. Taking the two SMKs first,
about this, and many would say that inadequate the problem is ‘dynamic stability’, mostly due to the
velocities were probably the main problem here, boat-tail angle. Even if spun sufficiently fast, they
become unstable when their speed drops into the
transonic zone somewhere around 1,200-1,300
fps which happens at 800-900 yards with a .308W
depending on barrel length / MV. The AR15
problem was probably inadequate initial stability
that had bullets yawing about a bit as they left the
barrel, but not enough to give really bad accuracy at
100 metres, but saw the yaw increase with range.
The good news, completely counter-intuitive given
that every other ballistic problem appears to get
seriously worse in 1,000yd shooting, is that if a bullet
is adequately stabilised at the muzzle so it groups
well at 100 yards, its stability actually increases
with distance. How so? Let’s go back to basics –
we need to spin a bullet because air resistance
acts on a point towards its front end and tries to
overturn it, the strength of that ‘push’determined by the
bullet’s velocity. As it slows during its flight, the
overturning force reduces accordingly so a
slower rate of spin is needed to stabilise the
bullet. While a typical high-BC match bullet will lose
over half its initial velocity over a 1,000 yard trip,
it only loses around 10% of its spin rate as this is
much less affected by air resistance than forward
speed. So the 155gn Scenar that starts off with a
nominal Sg of 1.07 from my Barnard /
Eliseo F/TR rifle (it will be somewhat higher in
A handloaded .308W cartridge with 168gn
reality because of the void ahead of the core
and 180gn Sierra MatchKing bullets to its
in this hollow-point design) might have an Sg
left, and a 175gn long-range bullet to its right. of 3 or even 4 when it reaches the target. So, a
(The bullet in the handload is a 155gn Lapua comforting message to take away from this brief
Scenar that has been ‘pointed’ in a Whidden look at stability is that if a cartridge / bullet / barrel
Gunworks special die.) combination performs really well at short range, and
continues to do so in the coldest, highest atmospheric
.308W having marginal performance at these pressure conditions you’re likely to shoot in, then it is
ranges unless the bullet is pushed really hard. adequately stabilised not only at that range, but
(With a 20” barrel and finicky gas operated at all ranges. That’s not so say that it will perform
mechanism, you cannot use really hot loads or well in long-range competition of course, because
slower burning powders in M1A / M14 rifles.) The there are lots of other potential pitfalls in that game.
Target Shooter 91
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Target Shooter 93
Gun of the Month
I came across this rifle at a McQueen anodising in various colours, right through to
competition at my local range recently. If you custom paint finishes like this one.
aren’t familiar with the McQueen competition, The rifle was put together by North West
it’s basically a sniper type comp. shot at 200 and Custom Parts in Manchester (www.nw-
300 yards with a little built-in stress element. customparts.com) and they are also
responsible for the eye-catching Duracote
The comp. always attracts some nice looking cammo paint-job. You can of course take your
tactical rigs and if you want to do well in the own rifle along for a Duracoat face-lift and
McQueen, you need a rifle capable shooting painting is done on the premises so a quick
around half MOA and a trigger-puller who can turn-round is guaranteed. Check out www.dura-
pick up a randomly displayed target and coat-finishes.com
release an accurate shot in under three seconds.
Other details include the 20MOA Picatinny rail,
The action is a Remington 700 which is standard one of North West Custom Parts own
except for the tactical bolt-knob. The Lilja muzzle-brakes and the butt-mounted mono-pod.
stainless-steel button-rifled barrel is chambered How does it shoot? As good as it looks!
for the 6.5x47 Lapua cartridge, which is quickly
becoming the ‘must have’ tactical cartridge.
The stock is an American McRees Precision Please mention
www.mcreesprecision.net and if you aren’t
familiar, they are machined from billet
aluminium, in several
configurations from benchrest through to tactical. when using advertising in
The action sits in a custom-inlet and therefore
bedding is not required. Inlets are available for the magazine
most popular actions and the stocks can be had
in a variety of finishes, from polished aluminium,
94 Target Shooter
Target Shooter 95
Club Feature
Some Members shoot fullbore rifle at Bisley, while others
arrange to go up as a group a few times a year. Most
enjoy the wide range of shooting disciplines that can be
shot throughout the year at the Club, although it gets pretty
cold at Rumble Range in the winter months! The disciplines
shot at various ranges the Club has are:
• Prone small-bore rifle at25 yards and 50 metres
• Rapid Fire and Precision Centre Fire Gallery at
25 yards and 50 metres
• .22 Benchrest Rifle at 25 and 50 metres
• Air Rifle Benchrest Rifle at 25 metres
• 22 Sporting Rifle at 20 yards
Novio club room • Muzzle Loading Rifle at 50 metres
• Muzzle Loading Pistol and Revolver at 25 metres
Target shooting is a sport for all; men, women, the young • Air pistol - 6 yards/ 10 yards/ 20 yards and rapid fire
and the old. You will see a good group of people from all • Target Air Rifle
walks of life shooting at the ranges at weekends and during • Fullbore Centerfire Rifle - (Shot at Bisley 100-1200
the week. Novio Magnum Pistol Club is in the heart of the yards)
Sussex countryside not far from Chichester. Being a ‘self There are approximately seventy Members shooting a
made’ Club, Novio Magnum outdoor ranges were built by variety of disciplines including prone small-bore, rapid and
its Members during the seventies, gaining MoD approval. precision gallery rifle, rimfire benchrest, rimfire sporting rifle,
The Club has good facilities, with two outdoor ranges muzzle loading rifle and pistol; and air rifle and pistol to name
and one indoor range. Rumble Range (named after its a few. We take part in a variety of competitions; taking it
creator John Rumble) is based in an ancient chalk-pit in the seriously but having fun at the same time.
middle of the South Downs just North of Chichester. It is The Club Members participate in inter-club, county, national
designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because and international competitions, as well as running internal
of the rare insect and plant life found there and the Club competitions and fun shoots. The fun shoots take part at
Members are proud to be doing their bit in looking after various times during the year, with some ‘range maintenance
an important part of rural England. It houses a 50-metre days’ helping to keep the place tidy.
outdoor range where we can use rifles and pistols up to a The Club opens on four days of the week, but any day can
maximum calibre of .577” and a maximum muzzle velocity be booked by full Members throughout the week, as long as
of 2150 ft/sec and muzzle energy of 1496 ft lbs. This range two Members are present at all times for safety reasons.
has six covered firing points. New applicants are coming in all the time, but we welcome
By the Summer of 2009 we will have a full-size Running new Members of any age. These will be given a ‘Sponsor’
Boar moving target on the 50 metre range. This was who will provide training and mentoring throughout their
originally housed at Bisley and was purchased by a few Probationary period. As the Club has both 50 metre and 25
Members for the Club. We are the only private Club to have metre ranges (indoor and outdoor) we consider ourselves
this facility outside of Bisley and this makes Membership of lucky to have some of the best facilities in the South. We feel
Novio Magnum very desirable. that the Club has a lot to offer the committed sports person
The second range of 25-metres in length can also use rifles – both adult and junior – so feel free to roam around our
and pistols to a maximum calibre of .577” and muzzle website and we look forward to hearing from you;
energy of 1496 ft lbs, but with a lower maximum muzzle http://www.novio.co.uk
velocity limit of 1675 ft/sec. This range also has six covered
firing points.
Our 25-metre indoor facility is in Wellington Road in
Chichester itself. It is a purpose built construction next to
the Rugby Club and is for .22LR rimfire and air pistol or
rifle. We also have a smaller version of the Rumble Range
moving target mechanism for air pistol rapid-fire. This
range has six firing points and hosts the main Clubroom,
kitchen, offices and club notices and displays. The indoor
range is brand new, built in the last two years and is shared
with Chichester Rifle Club. This new facility is superbly lit,
ventilated and heated and is used extensively throughout Indoor 25 meter range
the year.
96 Target Shooter
Chris Potter
Country Sports
98 Target Shooter
VINCE’S REGULAR COLUMN WHEREBY
ACCURACY NUTS CAN KEEP UP TO
DATE WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UKBRA
Results:
Light Gun
1st Ian Dixon 7WSM Walker Stolle 11.265
2nd Steve Dunn 7mm Dunn BAT 11.267
3rd Mal Roberts 6.5mm BAT 11.853
Small group
Ian Dixon 5.91 inches
Ian Kellett on his way to winning Factory
Sporter with his 6.5-284 Savage1000 yards.
Factory Sporter
1st Ian Kellet 6.5-284 Savage 15.46
2nd Adrian Evans 308 Remington 19.687
Small group 3rd Alan Seagrave 308 Steyr 24.468
Tony Lenton 6PPC Stolle 0.131 inches
Small group
Factory Sporter 1st Laurie Holland Ian Kellet 10.179 inches
204 LRPV Savage 0.3084 inches
Target Shooter 99
New Stuff - Bags
For those of you who are interested
in back-bags – and what benchrest
shooter isn’t – here’s a pic of
something new from Seb Lambang
who makes the joystick front rests.
Seb has always been a lateral thinker
and his new bag design is so obvious
you can’t believe no one has thought
of it before. Ace BR shooter Brian
Walker is currently testing it so we’ll
see if it works as well as it looks.
Scopes
When I go to the IWA show with
Brian Fox of Fox Firearms, we are
always on a mission to find you
the best value in rifle optics. Brian Seb Lambang’s
already imports spotting-scopes from new back bag.
Nikula and believe me, they are very
good - on a par with my Kowa for
about half the cost. Brian picked up a magazine if you are interested.
sample Nikula rifle-scope at IWA and he lent it to me Aimfield Sports are great supporters of shooting
for a quick look. OK, no proper test yet but on first and will be providing prizes for the World F Class
glance it looks very good. Contact Fox Firearms if Championships at Bisley in July. Let’s support the
you are interested. They should sell for well under dealers who support us.
£300.
More scopes
I tested an 8-32 Sightron scope last
year for Target Sports magazine
and I was blown away by the
quality of the glass and the
accuracy of adjustment. The
Sightrons are not cheap but they
are no where near the cost of say
a Nightforce so they represent
excellent value. The 8-32 will make
a great F Class scope and at 17
ounces their 36X is light enough
to interest the centrefire and
rimfire benchrest shooters.
Aimfield Sports, who do the superb
shooting-mat and drag-bags are
the new UK Sightron importer so TThe 4-16 Nikula scope from Fox Firearms
contact them through their ad. in this
Shoot to win
but weTarget
We are happy to give advice and information to retail customers, Shooter
only supply the trade 101
Jackson Rifles is a division of Forge Consulting Ltd, RFD 108 (Dumfries & Galloway) ts0904
102 Target Shooter
In association with
Jim Kelby is well known in centerfire benchrest circles the licence already. Kelbys work with Brian a lot
for making excellent quality actions, rifles and other so this is where I would personally go to. Even
equipment. He is also known for the manufacture of better is that Jim Kelby will actually make a complete
the swindlehurst rimfire action, which unfortunately rifle for you, the earnest UK shooter, based on the
no longer seems to be produced. (The last one I saw specification noted above. Barrel selelction is up to you
for sale was in Italy last year). These products were and can be reamed for the ammunition you tend to use.
all available a few years ago via Litts. Since then For those in the know, the Turbo action is
people could get Kelby actions and parts through synonymous with benchrest accuracy in the states
Brain Fox at Fox Firearms. Brian has been and is used in a lot of rifles that win many matches
bringing in benchrest equipment for a good few years, over there. I have only ever heard of one Turbo action
including the SEB rest that I reviewed last month. in this country and it would be nice to see us
The good news is that I have just heard that Kelby’s diversify a little in this sport instead of finding the
is making rimfire barrelled actions, using the Turbo number of Anschutz actions we use. (Let’s face it that
action as the base, fitted with a Lilja rimfire barrel. what we have access to). With this news and the fact
These are also being imported into Europe by that we can also have access to the number of Lilja
Cicognani of Italy. With just a bit of further research I rimfire barrels available, its bringing the UK rimfire
have also found out that Jim Kelby will also produce benchrest shooter closer to the kind of equipment
these actions for individuals in the UK. Now he will that is winning matches in the USA. (Lilja remember
deal with individuals, but getting things from the USA make the barrels for the Bleiker rifle and are used by a
is very expensive going it alone, as you will have to number of top shooters including Matt Emmons). I have
get your own import/ export licence agreement and one of these on order myself, but for a 2013 action.
still have to find an RFD that will bring this The cost of the barrelled action is $1555 plus
equipment in for you. Better to go with shipping at $100. There will be other importation
someone that can do all of this for you and has charges on top of this and I quote US prices as
currencies fluctuate at the moment – as we all know
too well!
Enquiries should be made through;
Brian Fox; www.foxfirearmsuk.com/mainpagefront.
htm
The Kelby website can be viewed at; www.kelbly.
The US made com/
turbo action - The Lilja website can be viewed at; www.riflebarrels.
Synonomous com
with accuracy
So ended another GB
training weekend and what
a valuable exercise it had
proved to be – if our teams
can cope with those howling
Conditions proved challenging for everyone winds and driving rain, they
but as Team Captain Des Parr says – “train can cope with anything. It was noticeable how the
hard – fight easy”. squad has become quicker and more efficient in
their firing-point procedures. It has been said that
By late afternoon, the coaches strengthened their a good team is a quiet team, and it was obvious
understanding of our ballistics, the squad had that the GB squad was simply getting on with
become considerably more efficient and doing the business in a quiet and methodical
everyone had developed a greater appreciation of manner.
the total concentration required to coach and plot
throughout strong and fastchanging wind Both pictures courtesy of Alan Keating.
conditions.
Sunday morning dawned bright but, just as we
Henry
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Tel: 01132 569 163 / 565 167 100’s of
Fax: 01132 574 962
Krank
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www.henrykrank.com for sale
Open Mon - Sat, 9am - 5pm online
Socket Bayonets Bright all steel construction. Overall length approx 52cm dependant on model. Socket fitting varies
depending in model. (Brown Bess Socket Bayonet pictured).
Brown Bess Socket Bayonet £29.95 Charleville Socket Bayonet £29.95
Enfield Socket Bayonet £29.95 Prussian / Potsdam Socket Bayonet £29.95
RESULTS:
Average Best Group
The
Rapid Range
The hunters choice for
accuracy and power
THE ULTIMATE
PACKAGE
Rapid MFR
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Theoben produce and export quality air rifles and shooting accessories.
We also undertake custom work, centre fire/rim fire rifles – including
screw cutting for moderators and barrel shortening.
The weekend of May 22-25 saw the 13th the end of August will be out soon so don’t forget to
Phoenix Meeting take place at the National Shooting enter early to avoid disappointment.
Centre, Bisley, in pretty good weather. Turnout was
much the same as last year but lots more events COMPETITION CALENDAR
were shot. There is a full report in this issue.
June 27-28 GR&P Derby 1500
During the Phoenix, teams from five Derby R&PC
countries competed in short event aggregates with
England coming out on top this time. The July 12 Jim Brown Memorial Steel
European GRCF Championship Match and Challenge
Phoenix International was shot on the Mattersey R&PC
Monday with the UK winning the Championship.
Congratulations to all who took part and July 12 Shield GR&P Practical
especially to the winning Team Captains – Shield Shooting Centre
Norman Brown for England and Sharon Bowden for (Either contact the
the United Kingdom. organisers direct or go to
Another piece of good news on the Internation- www.galleryrifle.com for
al front – South Africa is joining the European GR entry forms.)
Federation and hopes to have teams competing GR&P = Gallery Rifle Centre Fire (GRCF),
here in 2010. Gallery Rifle Small Bore (GRSB), Long Barrelled
Pistol (LBP) and Long Barrelled Revolver (LBR)
This month you have the Derby 1500. A great range RESULTS
with good facilities and plenty of events to enter. The Basildon, Mattersey Ten, Western Winner,
1500 match and also a selection of “short” events. Aberdeen (all on www.galleryrifle.com or the club
Next month there are two meetings on the 12th sites)
– one at Mattersey (between Worksop and Phoenix Meeting available in full on the NRA/NSC
Doncaster) and the other at Shield in Dorset. One website or at www.galleryrifle.com.
or the other must be within reach wherever you live. Please go to the Gallery Rifle website
www.galleryrifle.com for more news and
The Mattersey shoot is the Jim Brown information.
Memorial Steel Challenge in aid of Cancer
Charities and Help for Heroes. It has events ......and Finally.......
for Gallery Rifles, Long Barrelled Pistols and The following match which is in memory of one of
Revolvers and Shotguns. Jim worked tirelessly for our best pistol shooters ever Jim Brown who sadly
the club and for shooting as long as he was died of cancer last year.
able and a good turnout would be a way of There are no prizes as we have decided that all of
saying “thank you” as well as supporting these the proceeds will go to charity.
deserving causes. MATTERSEY
The Shield shoot is a GR and LBR/LBP The Jim Brown Memorial
practical match put on by that master of course STEEL CHALLENGE
design, Steve Pike. He is known for putting on
Sun 12th July
matches that are best described as challenging
entry forms are available from either
although there are other names for them! Check the
Shield website for entry details or give Steve a ring. www.matterseyrapc.org.uk or
Entry forms for the GR National Championships at www.galleryrifle.com websites
TwoÊnew,ÊinnovativeÊPardiniÊSectionÊ1ÊFreeÊPistols.ÊSingleÊshotÊ.22LRÊMatchÊPistolÊcompliantÊwithÊprevail-
ing firearms legislation. Choice of 3 grip sizes in left or right hand. Supplied complete with custom clean-
ing kit. Pistol supplied in hard case. The Pardini is available through our specialist retailers,
including Check-Mate Guns, Surrey Guns and NSRA.
The IPSC European Shotgun Championships from Midway UK has generously donated these
(ESC 09) take place in the Czech Republic in medals. The medals will be awarded at all
September. Thirty UK shooters have been Championship matches in all divisions and
awarded slots to the match. The UKPSA hope to qualifying categories such as Senior and Ladies.
enter a number of teams in the Championships. The
National Squad Director, Ken Trail, will select teams, Leicester Shooting Club have been awarded the
based on performance from both last year and this British Open LBR Championships. These will
year’s Championship matches. take place on Saturday 13th December 2009 at
Leicester. Other confirmed Level 2 LBR matches
The first round of the UKPSA Shotgun include Carlisle on 15th August. Any UKPSA
Championships got under way in May with the affiliated club is welcome to apply to run L2
Southern Areas Championships. These were held matches.
at Harlow, Essex. The Standard Auto and Standard
Manual Divisions were keenly contested. See the Over the weekend of 23 and 24th May, two
full article in this edition to see just how close. shotgun basic safety courses were held at both
Further rounds include the Northern Areas Shield Shooting Centre and Border Guns Club.
Championships at Carlisle in July. The British Open All students successfully gained a pass certificate.
Championships at Borders in early August and More courses are planned in both shotgun and LBR
finally back to Harlow for the Home Countries later in the year.
Championships in October. It is hopped that there Members are reminded that they must renew their
will be a number of new venues putting on both annual membership by the end of June, otherwise
Level 2 and Championship matches in 2010. they will incur a £10 rejoining fee. Membership
renewal forms are available on the web site www.
UKPSA Medals were awarded at the Southern ukpsa.co.uk.
Championships for the first time. Pate Starley
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Happy reading and we hope you enjoy the magazine. The team at Target Shooter.
If you have any letters or news that you would like to air on a national basis then please contact us
at the magazine. This could be for those budding writers out there that would like to submit a full
article on specific firearms, competitions, shooting sports, etc.
The aim of the magazine is to include you the shooters in the United Kingdom. So having a regular
letters page or even a question and answer section would be really useful for a lot of people out
there. Let us know what you think!?
We would also like to have a gun of the month section - so send us your pic and spec and we’ll
include it in ‘gun of the month’.
Any news that your club or association thinks is worth viewing can also be sent in for selection.
What we would like is to get a letters page started with your views, news and perceptions about
all all the aspects of target shooting. So lets see those letters coming in and we will read your
thoughts in these pages.
Advertisers Index
Air Arms 57 Intershoot 42
Allcocks Outdoors 35 Jackson Rifles 101
A Macleod and Son 93 Low Mill Range 70
AIM Field Sports 8 Midway UK Lyd 30
Armalon 10 Minsterley Ranges 70
Auto Target 55 North West Custom 71
Bassetts 63 Norman Clark Gunsmiths Ltd 15
Benchrest Directoryy 107 NRA 95
Border Barrrels 44 NSRA 84
Bromyard Sports and Leisure 105 Osprey Rifles 25
Check-Mate Guns 92 Rhino Rifles 22
Chris Potter Country Sports ltd 97 Riflecraft 64
Continental Shooting Supplies 98 RPA International 42
Countrymen of Derby 74 RUAG Ammotec 12
D
Daystate LTD
t t LTD 43 R
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d F tD 11
Diverse Trading ltd 112 Prestige Air Guns Ltd 13
Dragon Field Sports 114 Section 5 11
Eley LTD 3 Shooting Supplies 115
BulzeyePro 36 South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies 29
Essex Guns 62 Sportman Gun Centre 80
Fox Firearms 45 Steyr 102
Frederick Beesley 70 Surrey Guns 95
G T Shooting 41 Targets Direct 93
GMK 0 Theoben 110
Green Leopard 37 Tim Hannam 21
Gun Trader 16 UKBR22 104
GunSeeker 114 UK Custom Shop p 2
Henry Krank 0 Uttings 56
Highland Outdoors 50 Webley 75
HPS Target Rifles Ltd 83 Westlake Engineering 52
Innovative Systems 63 York Guns 77
Welcome to the fourth month of this free online shooting magazine for shooters in the UK
On test
Regular Reviews
Columns
Features … and lots
FT Scope Review • Classic Rifle• New Products • and lots more…..
Target Shooter 117
World Cup Success
- 9/9 Prone Medals
- 11/12 Gold medals in 50m events
- Total of 35 medals won by ELEY
2009 ISSF World Cups 1, 2 & 3
118 www.eleyammunition.com
Target Shooter ELEY - the home of Tenex