Free onX Hunt Trial with the Purchase of Federal’s MeatEater Ammunition

From Federal

Begin e-scouting for your next hunt with a free onX Hunt trial with the purchase of Federal Ammunition’s MeatEater line up of ammunition. Buy at least two boxes of Federal Premium MeatEater Trophy Copper rifle, 3rd Degree or Bismuth shotshell ammunition, or CCI MeatEater Copper-22, Mini-Mag or Maxi-Mag rimfire ammunition and get a redemption code for a free 2-month Premium Membership* to onX Hunt. This promotion is for new onX Hunt members only.

“This is an exciting opportunity for fans of MeatEater, Federal, and onX,” said Vice President of Trade Marketing Ryan Krantz at Federal. “There is real value for the hunter in this promotion by knowing where you are, the change in terrain, and property boundaries while pursuing your game with premium ammunition. It is a perfect pairing to increase your odds of success.”

Extract maximum performance from your favorite cartridge with Federal Premium Trophy Copper, the freezer filler rifle ammunition of MeatEater’s Steven Rinella. The loads provide pinpoint accuracy and aggressive expansion, yet the copper, polymer-tipped bullet retains up to 99 percent of its weight for deep penetration on a wide range of medium and big game.

Before the hunt, e-scout with the desktop and phone-based app to make a pre-hunt game plan. Then hunters can use in-app features to make the most of real-time encounters, ensuring they are in the right place at the right time to harvest wild game.

“At MeatEater, we consistently rely on both Federal Ammunition and onX Hunt for premium performance in field,” said Josh Prestin, VP of Business Development at MeatEater. “Accuracy and precision are hallmarks of both brands, so this is a natural partnership that we are excited to be a part of and share with our audience.”

The Hunt Harder promotion started on 6/1/2020 and runs through 7/31/2020. Go to www.federalpremium.com/promotions for all the details on this pairing of premium partners.

Federal ammunition can be found at dealers nationwide or purchased online direct from Federal. For more information on all products from Federal or to shop online, visit www.federalpremium.com.

Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8

Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8

Urban legend has it 3-gun match directors sprouted from Attila the Hun’s branch of Genghis Kahn’s family tree. It’s a sadistic breed that takes pleasure in pain. They pray for rain, and then insist on seeing video from the stage that required engaging steel at 200 yards—from the prone position in knee-deep mud. Long hours are invested in finding barricades more prickly than the desert Southwest’s jumping cactus. They have a direct hotline to Kentucky’s Kevlar clays company.

It makes for a great story line, but the tongue-in-cheek scuttlebutt is wrong. New shooters receive more help than they thought possible and nearly all describe their first experience as an addictive adrenaline rush. The only grain of truth to the rumor is how much delight match directors take in designing safe stages that test guns, gear and shooter every manner possible. Add the fact that there’s often more than one way to shoot each course of fire, and that imaginative, marksman’s version of a chess game has made 3-gun the fastest-growing shooting sport.   

In 3-Gun Nation’s club series, “Run what you brung” is an oft-heard phrase, one validated by the number of people who have fought their way onto the organization’s professional tour with stock guns from their safe. But, once a shooter gets serious about shaving seconds off his or her time (yes, there is a woman’s tour, too), gear takes on an all-new meaning. Springs fail, magazine feed lips bend, scope mounts break and sights disappear. The worst I’ve witnessed, first hand, was last year when a shooter’s AR-15 upper receiver suffered a catastrophic failure. Cartridges, springs, flames and various metal parts screamed from the hole once occupied by a magazine. Guns are run hard, and if you want to be competitive you don’t back off in adverse conditions.

Out of Place?

When Lewis Machine & Tool introduced its new SLK8 for 3-gun, some claimed it was a departure from the norm for the Milan, IL-based company.  Established in 1980, it designs, prototypes and manufactures small arms, their accessories and tooling components for the military, law enforcement and civilian markets.  In 2005, at a time when most shooters didn’t recognize its name, the firm issued a press release labeling itself “The Quiet Gun Maker.” Then it landed a contract with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence in 2009 to supply Britain’s sharpshooters in Afghanistan with its 7.62 NATO-chambered LM308MWS, and people took notice. While the U.S. retrofitted and reissued M14s for long-range, mountaintop engagements, the Brits purchased AR-10s built in the Colonies. The gun first saw combat in April 2010.

And when it comes to the aluminum used in AR construction, my interview with experts in the field explains a lot.

Frontline deployments are not firearm friendly—one of the main reasons the decision to stick with the time-proven M14 was a good one. Guns get dropped, barrels slammed against doors and optics banged. Add an occasional sandstorm, rain, snow, abuse, neglect, bugs, mud and blood and if the U.K. has already purchased more than 3,000 Lewis Machine & Tool rifles for the Sandbox, the rifle is terrorist-slaying reliable.

The sport of 3-gun isn’t the same 24/7, 365-days-a-year returning-fire marathon as a deployment, but the guns and gear take a beating. With an established track record in the hands of those who go in harm’s way, the company’s entry into the competition market seems a natural evolution, and the same virtue serves shooters well in regard to self-defense.

Monolith

The SLK8 has a monolithic upper machined from a solid aluminum forging. Handguards not integral with the receiver have been known to work their way loose or shift slightly. It might not result in a stoppage, but one bang on a door during an entry could alter point of aim on rail-mounted lasers or backup iron sights. Those hard knocks are reality in combat, inevitable in 3-gun and likely in self-defense—so Lewis Machine & Tool’s stable upper is a welcome advantage.

There are 18 1/2 inches of useable and unjointed rail space atop the receiver/handguard. Numbers on alternating grooves make it easier to index and reposition optics anchored there.

As shipped from the factory, the 6- and 9-O’clock positions on the handguard are smooth and do not have Picatinny rails mounted. However, low-profile and removable polymer covers protect threads underneath that can be used to install rails at desired positions, and there are 9 1/2 inches of fore-and-aft movement possible for anchoring on all sides.

At the 3-O’clock position a small, 1 3/8-inch rail (3 grooves) comes pre-installed at the front. Another textured polymer cover protects those unused threads toward that side’s receiver.

Lewis Machine & Tool provides four other sections of its rail with the gun, which allows shooters to customize their setup the moment they bring it home. They measure 1 3/8, 2 1/8, 3 and 3 3/4 inches. Six different-sized polymer inserts are also included, allowing the protection of unused handguard threads.

Overall, the octagonal-shaped handguard is sleek and fast. Its outside diameter measures 1.52 inch (from 3 to 9 O’clock)and the slight texturing on the polymer covers provides extra purchase, a welcome addition during sweaty range sessions. In testing, there was no perceptible heat, sans the 4 1/4 inches of barrel and flash hider exposed up front. The configuration lends itself to a popular 3-gun technique in which the support hand is far forward, and when the only support available is an ancient barricade, posing as a porcupine, you’ll appreciate the increased real estate.

Quick-detach swivel-mounting points are found at the front of the handguard at the 3-, 6- and 9-O’clock positions. Another is at the back, above the barrel-locking bolts on the left side.   

Floated

That, of course, leads to one of the carbine’s most unusual features. Lewis Machine & Tool was among of the first to develop fast-barrel swaps in its rifles—thanks in part to that massive MRP upper receiver—and it didn’t abandon the feature in this direct-gas-impingement, 5.56 NATO-chambered SLK8. It starts with full free floating.

Removal is crazy easy. The company even provides one of its new torque wrenches with the gun.

Let the rifle cool before you begin, make it safe and take out the bolt-carrier group. Loosen and remove the forward barrel-locking nut using the included T-30 Torx wrench. Then turn the second bolt—the one closest to the receiver—at least three full, counterclockwise rotations. Full removal is not necessary on this bolt.

The barrel and pinned gas block can then be slide out the front of the handguard, slowly. The gas tube remains, so be careful not to bang things around a lot.    

To reinstall, first make sure the gas tube is at the 12 O’clock position, then insert the barrel and attached gas block. Ensure it is solid in the receiver and gas assembly is correct. Tighten the front bolt to 140-inch pounds and do the same to the second bolt. The ease of this operation makes compatible chambering swaps fast and quick—6.8 SPC barrels, for example, are available from Lewis Machine & Tool in 18-, 16- and 12 1/2-inch versions.

The SLK8’s stock barrel has 5R rifling, a design that features slightly angular lands. Obermeyer Barrels developed this particular type of rifling, and lists its chief advantage as reduced powder fouling in the grooves. In addition, jacketed bullets exiting tubes with this feature engrave more accurately. The match-grade barrel has five grooves, with a right-hand twist of one rotation every 7.5 inches, ideal for 3-gun according to the company. The tested gun’s version had a stainless finish, but a flat-black option is also available from Lewis Machine & Tool.

Low Down

At the bottom end, the company’s Afghanistan-proven LM308MWS Defender lower receiver completes the carbine. Fire controls are ambidextrous, but the mag release is not. Other features are standard on most AR-15s; forward assist, dust cover and bolt-release.

Things work loose when guns are subjected to the rigors of competition, which makes the decision to go with the company’s LMP2400 trigger—a match-grade, non-adjustable, two-stage version—a wise move. In testing, resets were palpable and audible. Let off weight averaged 7 pounds with slight stacking. It’s great for competition or home-defense, but will take some time to get accustomed to if ringing steel at 350 yards is your thing.

At the rear is Lewis Machine & Tool’s SOPMOD buttstock. The company is the sole provider of these to the U.S. Special Ops Command, as well as the Marine Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force. Both sides of the six-position-adjustable stock have quick-detach swivel mounts. Dual, watertight front-facing battery compartments can hold up to four CR-123s each. The recoil pad made me scratch my head for a while, until I realized it was probably standard equipment on the 7.62 NATO version dispatched to the Sandbox. It’s not tacky enough hang up on gear, though.

The pistol grip is a company exclusive manufactured by Ergo Grips. It’s sticky, grooved at the front to anchor your finger and works well. The LMT logo is at the bottom of the unit.

Leftovers

The gun comes with the company’s LMP103T charging handle, and it was a welcome addition after mounting a trusted Leupold VX2 3-9×40 mm on it testing. I couldn’t get a good grip on the right side once the optic was aboard, but the tactical latch to the left was easy to grasp by simply rolling my finger down. 

A fairly standard A2 flash hider rides the barrel up front. On the test gun its flat black finish provided nice contrast with the barrel’s stainless finish. It’s probably not very functional for 3-gun shooters or home defense, but it does protect those threads nicely until you upgrade to a brake or suppressor. 

Lewis Machine & Tool also includes a lot of spare gear for the end user, and that’s a nice touch. The included sling, well, let’s just say it might not stick around long.

Give Me Three, Please

I chronographed each of the loads the first day with a metal magazine I grabbed off my desk. There were no failures to feed or stoppages of any kind. The bolt always held open on an empty chamber and the mag drops were effortlessly free and clear.

Accuracy testing the next day was a different story. I opened and used the company-provided magazine (also metal). The bolt held open when empty and drops were clean, but the third round in every reload stovepiped—always the third. I tapped, shook and cast an ancient gypsy juju spell, but the results were always the same with each  load, twice. So I reverted back to the other magazine to finish testing. The problems didn’t recur. Magazines fail, but not usually one just removed from its sealed packaging.  

There is some really good news. I had so many four-shot groups touching or going through pretty much the same hole it was hard to put the gun down. Unfortunately, there’s always that one wayward shot. The rifle preferred American Eagle’s budget-conscious 55-grain, .223 Rem. jacketed hollowpoint load. Average group size would trim down to slightly higher than 6/10th of an inch if the editors allowed me a golfing “gimme” every five shots. This SLK8 is capable of much more than I wrung out of it that day, and I’m confident precision shooters who take one home will quickly scoff at my group averages.

The handguard did a great job shielding my hands, and despite not cleaning during testing, groups did not widen appreciably. I ran through a few CQB drills and this rifle is nimble as expected. And all I can say is, what recoil? Follow-up shots were fast and almost intuitive.

Summing it Up

There was a time in 3-Gun when long barrels were thought requisite to connect with long-distance steel. However, most matches don’t have access to ranges with 300- or 400-yard bays, and even when they do they’re rarely used. As a result, many shooters are gravitating toward shorter barrels—the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and a few others now routinely use SBRs.   

The same kind of logic lends itself to self-defense situations. Long barrels are hard to swing around corners—they’re slow, easy to spot and even grab. Nimble, light and reliable carbines are the answer. You’re not going to be engaging bad guys a football field away, but you may be stopping an armed robber at 10 yards, while moving, shooting and taking cover.

The Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8 is pricey, but it’s got the kind of heritage you can trust. It tested extremely well, and whether you find yourself knee deep in muck on a muddy stage, or caught up in the wet work of neutralizing a half dozen home-invading druggies, it’s a rifle upon which you can rely. And that’s the most important attribute of any self-defense gun. Buy an extra Pmag, though, just in case.   

Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8 Shooting Results

Load                                                    Average Five-Shot Group

American Eagle 50-grain JHP                             .95

Federal Match 69-grain Sierra MatchKing    1.13

Hornady 55-grain VMAX                   1.21

Lewis Machine & Tool SLK8 Specs

Manufacturer: Lewis Machine & Tool

Action Type: Direct-gas-impingement, semi-automatic

Caliber: 5.56 NATO

Capacity: 30 rounds

Barrel Length: 16 inches

Rifling: 5 grooves, 1:7.5-inch RH twist

Sights: None, Picatinny rail for mounting optics

Trigger Pull Weight: 7 pounds

Buttstock: Polymer SOPMOD, six-position adjustable

Length: 32 7/8 inches (collapsed), 36 1/4 inches (extended)

Weight: 7.75 pounds

Accessories: Sling, rail segments, rubberized grip panels, two push-button swivels, sling, owner’s manual, torque wrench and Torx head

MSRP: $2,405

Leica presents the new Trinovid Classic binoculars

Leica presents the new Trinovid Classic binoculars

From Leica

Leica Sport Optics has relaunched its observation classic: the Leica Trinovid Classic. Paying tribute to the iconic glass of the 1960s, the new Trinovids are shapely, slim and elegant in a classic binocular design featuring black leather. They are a statement, a timeless accessory and a rugged companion in one.

The precise, powerful premium optics with superior fields of view give an impressive orientation, while intuitive use makes for relaxed viewing. The latest glass types and coatings guarantee brilliant, natural colors and high-contrast, bright images from edge to edge. Protected by an ultra-light aluminum housing and state-of-the-art materials, the new Trinovid binoculars are robust, splash-proof and weatherproof. They are up to any challenge, even under harsh conditions, making them perfect for testing hunting trips.

Iconic design

In the 1960s, the original Leitz Trinovid glass with its classic, slim design was a style icon appreciated worldwide as a reliable companion. The original Leitz Trinovid featured innovations such as a newly developed internal focusing system, an extremely compact design and high imaging performance. It was no coincidence that, in July 1969, NASA opted to send a Trinovid along on the Apollo 11 moon mission.

New Leica Trinovid Classic in three variants

The Leica Trinovid Classic is offered in three magnifications.

  • The compact Leica Trinovid 7×35 mm wins users over with a superior field of view that guarantees the maximum overview. With 7x magnification, scenery can be scanned blur-free while remaining relaxed. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it fits in any pocket.
  • The Leica Trinovid 8×40 mm delivers impressively clear, bright images, best overview and detail recognition. The 8x magnification makes this model the ideal choice for hunters who are frequently outdoors.
  • The Leica Trinovid 10×40 mm with its 10x magnification lets users recognize even the smallest details and get deep insight into what’s going on. The slim, elegant shape keeps the binoculars light in weight.

Comes with a black neoprene carrying strap, calf leather pouch, eyepiece covers, and a lens cleaning cloth.

MSRPs

Leica Trinovid 7×35 mm – $1,425

Leica Trinovid 8×40 mm – $1,525.

Leica Trinovid 10×40 mm – $1,575

Bear & Son Cutlery New Swing Guard Lockbacks

Bear & Son Cutlery New Swing Guard Lockbacks

From Media Direct Creative

Bear & Son Cutlery, manufacturer of premium made-in-the-USA knives, has added a new series of Swing Guard Lockbacks to its American-made knife lines. Available in Rosewood, Genuine India Stag Bone and White Smooth Bone handles, the new pocketknives will make a perfect gift.

The new Bear & Son Cutlery Swing Guard Lockbacks are made proudly in Alabama and feature a 3-inch hollow ground blade made from high carbon stainless steel that is rust resistant, easy to sharpen and holds an edge exceptionally well. Three models are available in this series, offering the choice of a Genuine India Stag Bone handle, rosewood handle or white smooth bone handle. Each handle provides a traditional look yet offers confident control with or without gloves.

The swing guards are attached to the base of the blade rotate out when the blade is deployed to prevent the hand from slipping onto the blade while in use. Each Bear & Son Cutlery knife comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Bear & Son Cutlery New Swing Guard Lockback Specifications:

Model: WSB11 (White Smooth Bone) $92.99

Model: 511 (Genuine India Stag Bone) $92.99

Model: 211R (Rosewood) $79.99

  • Blade Material: High Carbon Stainless Steel
  • Handle Material: Genuine India Stag Bone, White Smooth Bone or Rosewood
  • Overall Length: 7-7/8″
  • Closed Length: 4-3/8”
  • Blade Length: 3″
  • Weight: 3.6 oz.
  • MSRP: $79.99 / $92.99
  • Extras: Nickel Silver Bolsters, Limited Lifetime Warranty

Galco Holsters for the Beretta APX

Galco Holsters for the Beretta APX

From Galco

Galco has introduced a wide range of extremely popular holsters for the Beretta APX, including the belt holster Corvus, Switchback and TacSlide. Premium IWB designs from the company include the bestselling KingTuk series, Paragon, Summer Comfort and the new QuickTuk Cloud.

Popularly-priced Carry Lite IWBs from the firm include the Stow-N-Go and Tuck-N-Go 2.0. Galco also offers women’s holster handbags, the versatile Underwraps 2.0 belly band, day planners and ammo carriers for the Beretta APX.

With holsters in every price range and multiple carry methods, Galco can help outfit owners of the Beretta APX with the highest-quality American-made holsters and accessories. Visit Galco’s website today and see the complete line!

Retailers Report that 40% of Their Customers are First-Time Gun Owners During COVID-19

Retailers Report that 40% of Their Customers are First-Time Gun Owners During COVID-19

By Jim Curcuruto, NSSF Director of Research and Market Development

The early part of 2020 has been unlike any other year for firearm purchases—particularly by first-time buyers—as new National Shooting Sports Foundation research reveals millions of people chose to purchase their first gun during the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 2020 started out with a strong SHOT Show, followed by buzz surrounding background check figures on firearms with NSSF-adjusted NICS data showing year-over-year increases of 19 percent in January and 17 percent in February.

Mid-March brought the COVID-19 pandemic to the front of every news cycle, and firearm sales during this time were a lead story. Thanks in large part to the work done by NSSF’s legislative team, the firearms industry was deemed essential in most states, and firearm retailers were allowed to stay open to conduct business. And conduct business they did, with NSSF-adjusted NICS figures showing year-over-year increases of 80 percent in March and 69 percent in April 2020. These strong increases led to more than 6.5 million NSSF-adjusted background checks in the first four months of 2020, up 48 percent from 4.4 million during the same period in 2019.

NSSF has been the go-to source for information on the firearm industry, providing insights on topics such as women gun owners, first-time gun buyers and shooting sports participation for more than a decade. In May 2020, NSSF surveyed firearm retailers to learn more about what they were seeing pertaining to sales during the first four months of 2020.

Not surprisingly, retailers reported an increased number of first-time gun buyers, estimating that 40 percent of their sales were to this group. This is an increase of 67 percent over the annual average of 24-percent first-time gun buyers that retailers have reported in the past. Semiautomatic handguns were the primary firearm being purchased by first-time buyers, outpacing the second-most purchased firearm, shotguns, by a 2 to 1 margin. Modern sporting rifles, revolvers and traditional rifles rounded out the top five types of firearms purchased by first-time gun buyers.

Retailers noted that these new customers were spending $595 on an average sale and that 40 percent of first-time gun buyers in the first four months of 2020 were female. The main purchase driver among the group was personal protection, followed by target shooting and hunting. Also of note was that 25 percent of first-time buyers had already taken some form of firearms safety course and 63 percent inquired about taking a firearms safety course in the near future.

All this equates to more than 2.5 million new gun owners in a very short period of time. Past NSSF research has shown that in order to keep these new owners active and avoid them becoming lapsed participants, they will need information on topics such as how to safely own, operate and secure their new purchase. Additionally, these new gun owners will need an invitation to go to the range or to the field to learn about firearm safety, personal protection and the recreational side of gun ownership, so be sure to add a +ONESM and invite some of these first-time gun owners with you as the nice weather returns and social distancing requirements are relaxed.

The SureFire SOCOM50-SPS

The SureFire SOCOM50-SPS

From SureFire

 

SureFire is proud to announce the SOCOM50-SPS suppressor. This innovative suppressor tames the violent recoil, flash and sound of.50-cal. precision rifles resulting in immense tactical and health benefits for the shooter.

The SOCOM50-SPS utilizes an integrated muzzle brake which decreases recoil by 66 percent to greatly reduce impact on the shooter and allow faster follow-up shots. This reduction in recoil occurs all while maintaining muzzle flash reduction by an amazing 99 percent to conceal the shooter’s location. 
 
The violence of the .50-caliber rifle platform isn’t confined forward of the muzzle. Blast overpressure and acoustic exposure from unsuppressed .50-cal rifles have a substantial negative impact on the end user. Recent testing by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) has shown the SOCOM50-SPS to virtually eliminate blast overpressure. Additionally, the sound from unsuppressed .50-cal rifles is typically so high that most hearing protection does not provide enough noise reduction to sufficiently protect the shooter from hearing damage. The SureFire SOCOM50-SPS reduces sound at the shooter’s ear by approximately 30 dB, preserving the shooters hearing, aiding their ability to communicate, and increasing their operational performance overall.

SPS suppressor. This innovative suppressor tames the violent recoil, flash and sound of .50-cal precision rifles resulting in immense tactical and health benefits for the shooter.

Long-distance shooting isn’t the exclusive realm of .50-calibers rifles, either. Here are more civilized cartridge picks, as recommended by the experts.  

And, believe it or not, here’s a company that will help finance that suppressor purchase.

   

How to Choose the Best Long-Range Cartridge

How to Choose the Best Long-Range Cartridge

There’s a whole new generation of high-performance and flat-shooting ammo available and it’s more confusing than ever. So I asked the experts how to choose the best long-range cartridge.  

Some of the answers were surprising, making is obvious that improved powders and projectile design has created the kind of downrange predictability that have bumped up the game.

“Recently, I’ve seen more shooters using 6.5 Creedmoor,” said Buck Doyle, founder and owner of Follow Through Consulting. He served in the Marine Corps for 21 years—as a sniper, team leader, ops chief, part of MARSAC and saw multiple deployments— and draws on that expertise in teaching precision shooting. He adheres to a different terminology, however, because most factory loads in that cartridge are still traveling faster than sound at 1,000 yards. “People will see my Scoped Carbine courses, which focus on the tenets of gunfighting and maximizing the capability of their rifle, and think I’m teaching long-range, precision shooting. We may be shooting out to 1,000 plus meters, but we’re staying in the supersonic realm. My definition of long range, personally, is shooting beyond transonic flight.”

Nomenclature aside, he’s not the only instructor witnessing changes at the firing line. William “Bart” Bartholomew is the lead instructor/coordinator for Bergara Academy. The former Marine Corps long-rifle instructor, sniper team leader and sniper for the Baltimore County Police Department, said, “6.5 Creedmoor seems to be the caliber of choice today with long-range shooters because of its impressive ballistic trajectory and ballistic coefficient.”

Walt Wilkinson, precision instructor at Gunsite Academy, has a slightly different take. “The primary long-range cartridge for distances out to 1,200 yards varies. In competition, it would be the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5×284 [Norma]. Outside competition it tends to be the .300 Norma and .338 Lapua [Mag.].

The former Army Special Forces Sergeant Major and four-time 1,000-Yard World Champion noted a long-term trend, though, one particularly on display in the past few year. “As with all aspects of the rifle shooting world, as new calibers come out, people drift to them,” Wilkonson said.

The 6.5 Creedmoor was originally introduced by Hornady back in 2007, and it’s extremely popular right now. The company’s never been much about resting on its laurels, though, so it wasn’t a shock when it introduced the heir apparent.

The Hornady 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) arrived late last year. “You get a 200 plus FPS improvement over the 6.5 Creedmoor,” said Neal Emery, company communications manager. Based on the .300 RCM cartridge, its bullet remains supersonic past 1,300 yards. Despite its soft-shooting demeanor, projectile impact at 1,000 yards takes only 1.4 seconds—easing those tough wind DOPE calls.

A few weeks later a new player entered the game. “The .224 Valkyrie is based on a .30 Rem./6.8 SPC case necked down to .224 caliber,” explained Mike Holm, Federal Premium Centerfire Ammunition global product lane director.  “It beats the ballistics of all other MSR 15 cartridges, including the .22 Nosler, .223 Rem. and 6.5 Grendel. Plus, it offers comparable performance to larger rounds like the 6.5 Creedmoor, with roughly half the felt recoil…” It’s also remains supersonic at 1,300 yards.

Cartridge potential is one aspect, but the rifle must deliver. Every major company has introduced firearms to wring the most out of a chambering, including Mossberg with its MVP-LR (Long Range), Weatherby’s AccuMark, Savage’s Long Range, Ruger’s Precision Rifle and many others.

And the advanced instruction available today has never been better. Gunsite is the granddaddy of them all, but companies like Follow Through Consulting and newcomer Bergara Academy—more like higher education with bed and breakfast—offer different training camp flavors. Each teach the basics needed to connect at long-distance.

And regardless of the cartridge you select, it’s important you care for the ammo while afield. Here are some tips from other experts in the industry on how it needs to be done, and why.

Leupold Adds Burnt Bronze Model to VX-3i CDS-ZL Riflescope Line

Leupold Adds Burnt Bronze Model to VX-3i CDS-ZL Riflescope Line

From Leupold

Leupold & Stevens has announced the addition of a burnt bronze model to its award-winning VX-3i line of riflescopes. The VX-3i CDS-ZL 4.5-14×40 mm will feature a 1-inch maintube and the company’s ZeroLock CDS dial.

Built for performance, the VX-3i line appeals to hunters and shooters alike. Earlier this year, the line was upgraded with one of Leupold’s most popular attributes—the ZeroLock dial. The ZeroLock feature prevents unintended adjustments and ensures an accurate return to zero. Fast and easy to use with a low-profile, one revolution, and CDS-ready dial. It marks the first time Leupold has made ZeroLock technology available at a price point below that of the popular VX-5HD.

“The VX-3i is already one of the most versatile and successful Gold Ring riflescopes we’ve ever built,” said Vici Peters, product line manager for Leupold & Stevens. “But we wanted to give our consumers more value. That’s why we added the ZeroLock dial, and why we’re adding a burnt bronze finish to the production line—more factory rifles are being made available in bronze, and we want hunters and shooters to be able to match those rifles with the very best optics.”

Should you insist on an etched reticle in your scope, or go with wire? I interviewed experts in the field and the answers were surprising.

Also included is Leupold’s proprietary CDS (Custom Dial System) feature. One free dial is included with the purchase of each CDS-compatible scope. Leupold will customize an elevation dial to match an exact load, velocity and average atmospheric conditions. The resulting dial allows shooters to easily compensate for bullet drop and make ultra-quick adjustments on the fly.

Like all VX-3i riflescopes, the new VX-3i CDS-ZL in burnt bronze features the Twilight Max Light Management System, which intensifies ambient light in low-light environments, offers excellent glare management, and delivers premium edge-to-edge clarity. An ultra-lightweight construction disperses recoil energy for unrivaled durability.

Waterproof, fogproof, and guaranteed to perform for life, all VX-3i riflescopes are backed by Leupold’s legendary Lifetime Guarantee.

And don’t forget, the company’s popular DeltaPoint is  now night-vision capable.

TacSol Offering .22 Charger Takedown Pistol Barrel

TacSol Offering .22 Charger Takedown Pistol Barrel

From TacSol

Tactical Solutions (TacSol), the market leader in quality rimfire firearms, upgrades and accessories, is offering its lightweight, highly accurate XRP 9-inch 22 Charger Takedown Pistol barrel for order from June 1st thru June 30th. The lightweight .22 LR XRP barrel weighs in at 9.9 ounces and comes standard with all takedown locking hardware needed for easy click-and-shoot installation. These barrels are highly accurate and have a threaded end allowing easy installation of a compensator or suppressor.

“The 22 Charger Takedown has been a popular firearm the past few years”, said Keith Feeley, TacSol director of brand. “We are excited to offer this great lightweight upgrade for all those 22 Charger owners.” The barrels are offered in a variety of colors including Matte Black, Quicksand, Gun Metal Gray, Matte Olive Drab, and Silver.