Bret Heidkamp

Awesome idea Shred! I'm going to have to try that one. Beats wondering if an old Dremel bit is dull enough.

I have to chime in here. The pack that Mystery Ranch made for me is hopefully going into production. It is based around the NICE frame, has a 3 panel deployment that whips open instantly with full access to all gear and a shooting platform with bipod rail, hydration, drop chart window, hydration, everything. It rocks. (well, it was designed by me and Henning - so I guess I'm biased) Reviews are on Henning's website and mine. http://henningshootsguns.com/pages/2006_itrc.html http://henningshootsguns.com/pages/2006_mysteryranch.html http://henningshootsguns.com/pages/2006_montana.html http://precisionrifle.org/content/view/17/43/ Last I heard it wasn't in production yet, but if enough people bug Dana (that would be Dana from Dana Designs fame, one of the world's best pack designers) he might put it into production. It won't be cheap, but it will be worth every penny. Please tell him Henning and I sent you. I'm going to post a 12-month review on precisionrifle.org shortly, because I've shot probably 6 matches with it now, and practice with it all the time. It's had some mileage and it is holding up really well. The NICE frame is a great platform to build from. Mystery Ranch link: http://www.mysteryranch.com

Agreed on the 6.5 Grendel - it's too weak for a bolt gun, you'll need to shoot 120's. 142's won't go fast enough with that case. The 260AI is my current favorite. It plain works. 142's at 2900 to 3100 depending on how hard you want to punish your brass. Bret Do the m maybe I may just try a 260AI .I just looking for a tack driver other than my 260 REM.700 Ilove 6.5

TexasHK, you said it best. After thinking about that video link I posted for a bit, I'm headed over to signup at YouTube and ask that it be removed. It is clearly (in my mind) going to get some other teenagers killed. I just don't think we need that kind of gun video around to influence others to try it.

The only thing I can say is: Check this one out!!!

Hey everyone, If you live in or around Montana you may want to attend the long range rifle matches at Augustus Precision Arms Academy. This is a private ranch near Shawmut, MT. These are single day events about 60 rounds or so. There will be a two-day event later this year with a night shoot. Also talk of a two man team match with carbine later in the year. We are also planning a larger match to follow the Nationals in Missoula. Details at www.precisionrifle.org on past matches. Sign-up for the match will be live online this weekend, and limited to 40 participants. Hope to see some of you there! Bret Heidkamp

Me as RO to new competitor: Load and make ready! New competitor: I already am! I am happy to read in this forum everyone sees it as really the fault of the experienced hands to not inform a new competitor. I would never DQ someone for this, although we all have known people that would. Those personalities have done more to drive away new competitors than anything. Slight thread drift - when I ran our local club we changed the clinic name from "new shooter" to "new competitor" here. That seemed appropriate as most had shooting experience, many a lifetime of it! It somehow came across as a bit derogatory to call them new shooters...

Cheapest thing you can find is pulled bullets. Check hi-tech ammo, stock is intermittent. They work fine for 100 yds and under. They shoot about 1 1/4" at 100 for me. They are FMJ and have a cannalure, though. Is there a particular reason you don't want a cannalure? Site is hi-techammo.com I just checked and they are indeed out of stock on a lot of their stuff. They have pulled tracer bullets, and the "20% will light category" is only $25 / K :-) I can see the explanations to the RO now... when every 5th bullet ignites on the way out to 300 yds. Of course the brush fire might be frowned upon...

1) Let your friend do donuts in the dirt with his beater car while you're riding on the hood...holding on to nothing but the windshield wipers. 2) Tell your son you'll show him to jump his new XR50, not remembering the 1/2" plywood ramp you made for him will flex like a banana. The ramp is built for a 50 pound kid and not 200 lbs + new bike. This sends you vertical, long enough to realize the error in your ways. The landing bottoms the suspension and you land on the footpeg with the funnybone spot in your knee, ripping open your skin and removing a large chunk of flesh. Then as you writhe on the ground in pain, not wanting to move your knee until the pain subsides, your son bounces on top of your chest laughing hysterically. Do it again, Dad, do it again !!!

bigbrowndog: The extreme powders seem to give good results, but I've switched all my long range loads to single based V V powders (VV165, 170, etc.) the reason being: lower flame temp than double based powders = longer barrel life since I tend to shoot a LOT, and less temperature sensitivity with single base vs. double based powders. They are still stick powders and need to be weighed, though. I believe all powders vary a little, the VV I am using if I remember correct is only about 25-50 fps from 0 degrees to 105 degrees. That is fine for me! to answer the thread drift: Practically none of the stick powders meter well straight out of a meter. They simply need to be weighed. Check out my powder measure shootout for a quick reality check. It sucked to do, because it cost me several hours of hideous detail, but gave some interesting results. that is at www.precisionrifle.org and under "recent articles" I think.

Hey Chills, That link is a modification of the original ladder test developed by Creighton Audette. I don't like the setup the link is advocating, personally. Changing targets (which makes you reset your NPA) for each shot...not good. I'll try to summarize the original version. The original version is shot at 200 yards minimum (you cannot, despite what anyone tells you, infer much from shooting at 100 yds - for several reasons). The process is basically: determine your safe starting and your max charge weights, based on your reloading books. Then divide this into 20 charge weights striving for about 20 rounds in a .308 sized case with .3 grain divisions. Bigger cases can use .5 grain divisions. Marking your cartridges with a sharpie is a good idea. Weigh each load exactly. For most rifles with SMK's about .010 to .015" off the lands seems to work generally well in my experience. As Matt B. said, don't mash the bullet into the lands or you will regret it when you unload at a match and pull a bullet out of the unfired case. Get a GOOD spotting scope, a vertically large target, and head to the range. Fire each shot, in order, on the same target and keep track of what hits where by using your spotting scope. At these short ranges, 200 or 300 yards, once your barrel is warm you shouldn't see much change in impact (the first CCB shot is generally the only one that deviates). So run the string probably 5 shots at a time depending on the ambient temps (colder = shoot more, hotter = shoot less). Just pay attention not to cook your barrel, as this is a really fun way to test loads. You are looking for a cluster of successive shots that group all together. You will see the holes climbing as the charge weight increases, then 3 or 4 will be in the same hole, then they will climb again... it is pretty amazing. For each cluster, the center load is right in the middle of a node. Based on pressures and your goals in reloading, select one of the groups. Voila, done. Note you are not loading 3 of each charge weight, as that link would have you do, just ONE and seeking to identify nodes. Believe me, this test gets the job done. Try shooting groups after you have identified the node(s) you want to use. Now when you load that middle charge weight from a group, you're working with a load that is also insensitive to slight powder weight charge deviations. More than a nice benefit ! Please post how it works out, this system has worked well for me ! Then come and shoot our long range matches this year (http://www.precisionrifle.org)

Try the Badger brake. I've got an older style, and modded it by milling ports in the top. It works much better now, but it pretty much mimics the Holland design. The Badger brake at first didn't comp much, the milling fixed it. Make sure George de-horns that bottom metal for ya, or you'll be bleeding all over the place at your first match!

Well, David Tubb loads on a 550 - there are pics of his setup with the 550 in his books. I load my LR ammo on a 650, but I don't let the plate index, float the dies, weigh the powder charges, measure the lengths, etc. My runout is .001" or less using a Sinclair indicator for my tactical match rifle, and around .004" for my factory hunting rifles - which of course don't have perfect chambers.

Well, it's the same as the previous matches - same course of fire this time for expediency. Cross-canyon wind doping. Most targets are MOA or thereabouts. No known distances, you have to range everything. Wind doping and knowing your load is everything, but having an accurate rifle is necessary (even in hunter class - that stops at 500 yds and most targets are generous, but you don't get to use target knobs). You don't need 1/4 MOA accuracy, but minute of bucket won't cut it either. Course difficulty is greatly dependent on the conditions of the day. We will get more complex in format on these matches as time passes, last year was the second season. The website is going to be rebuilt, but it has the info - look under Rifle Match FAQs and then the forums have lots of comments. The photo gallery has pictures of the matches. All steel is reactive (belted or otherwise suspended), and there is 0 paper at this match. The ranch is planning on putting in a known distance range out past 1K this spring. This will be used for training courses, etc. Match-wise, it will likely have a 2-man team event this coming summer. We've even discussed adding an overnight bivy to the match, shoot your way there the first day, overnight / BBQ / camp out, and then in the morning shoot your way back to the start. The ranch is focusing on training & realistic terrain matches. This is going to be a great facility with unique opportunity for matches.

Hey everyone, we're running the Augustus Ranch long range rifle course again, this time possibly with snow on the ground! It will be Saturday December 2, and it's over by Shawmut, Montana. This is a great course if you are in or near Montana... if you want a major match course with prize table we're working on that for later this coming spring/summer - so stay tuned. This coming match is more "informal" steel spanking. Details and signup at www.precisionrifle.org If this is something you are interested in, make sure to sign up on the website as I don't always remember to post over here, but I do mass email everyone that is signed up at the site. There is a support forum over there too, but focused on long range rifle & the matches. Bret Heidkamp

I've used them on rough factory barrels and they will reduce the copper fouling a factory barrel will grab. You can actually feel the difference with the cleaning rod after the process is complete. I have not run them into any of my match barrels when new as they haven't needed them (for the reasons already stated above). They have benefited from the standard break-in process, which is a royal pain for a day, but when done they simply don't foul very much. However, I see where running the two finest Tubb grits would help speed the process. Now, for throat maintenance with the finest grits I have to say I haven't bothered trying it. Not to say it's a bad idea because 100% of what Tubb has said I've found to be true. I think it would smooth the leading edges of the eroded rifling so it wouldn't be as aggressive on the bullet. (Throat erosion looks like alligator skin all broken open.) My barrels (except AR's) aren't that bad yet. I do own a borescope, so I'm not stating conjecture, I'm actually looking at the barrel. Find someone with a borescope you can use and put an end to your guessing would be my strong recommendation.

Yeah, you're right we did. I'll be in Orlando with IST Designs at booth 4007 for yet another 5 days of fun. Glad to see you're on board with the match we chatted about! It should be good this year. I spoke with Dave a couple of times through the last few months and gave him another request for the gully course, and more time on each course (which is a function of how many entrants there are). He said 16 teams got called up to active duty so there will be somewhere around 35 teams - He said we might have 45 minutes between teams instead of 30 (I didn't think 30 was an issue, personally, unless the team behind you tries to take you out like what happened to us one year - they didn't succeed but it rushed us and we ended up 7th - they finished 35th) Also after reading Zak's description last year I did ask Dave not to have 50 rounds of PR all at one sitting. Hope nobody minds me asking that. I think that's just ridiculous torture on a nice rifle (I'm a match director for PR matches here and I would never do that). He said that was in response to a request for more PR shooting. Uh... I don't think that is what everyone had in mind Dave.... :-) You guys taking Lauck's class? I decided to do it primarily for the range time at that altitude / temp combo. For what it's worth I found a portable bench mounted single stage press that rocks. It's from harrell precision and was $150 bucks, but clamps to a table and weighs about 5 pounds. Very precise with no perceptible runout on the shaft either radial or axial. Nice unit. Check out harrellsprecision.com So I'm going to reload, if necessary, in my hotel room.

Thank you SO MUCH John!!

Thanks John - Wow, 800 rounds of AR. My money says there's less targets there - imagine cramming 800 targets (heck even 400) back there. I don't think it would physically possible - but I've been wrong before!! I usually bring 500 for the AR - I'm setting up to pack only a dozen 30 rounders. Now I've got to load another 300 ... thanks John... I'll be shooting the GAP 260AI - although I just rebedded it into an A5 stock last week and I'm seeing problems with the construction of the A5 stock. It's not stiff enough in the forend. So, I'll likely be back to the AICS stock unless I can find a cure. John, you gotta get me lined out for restaurants... we had trouble finding anything at all for dinner in Gillette.

I think Dave WAY overestimates round count, or he's used to people missing alot. I have always had to repeatedly ask "just tell me how many targets, I'll adjust my loadout from there" and then you'll get a reasonable answer. No slam to Dave, it's just that when he says 500 rounds of precision rifle, it's only 75 per course plus the shootoff, for a total of 250. So, cut his estimates in half, and you'll be close. I'd expect 500 MAX for the gully, I've shot that course twice and finished the thing both times - with about 350 rounds. Are you guys staying at the range? How did you like the hotel rates in Gillette for that weekend? Holy cr*p!! We ended up in the Clarion for $99 a night. Heck, the motel 6 was 125 bucks! Talk about gouging. Sturgis weekend. Rich R - I'll have to work on him.

BTT Nobody else? Is everyone going to the Raton match instead? C'mon it's only going to be 105 degrees in Gillette during August.

Cool, thanks for the info!

I don't know if I'd want to go the 243 and DTAC route. I've been very pleased with George's work on my 260. The 260 handily beats a 308 also, with more down range punch. I would be interested in hearing if 243's are taking down LaRue targets at 1K... not that I'll ever get a chance to shoot any... just curious, because that was the argument against the 243 previously (what changed?). My fire forming loads shoot under an MOA anyway - great for practice, I have different dope sheets for them, so no real "barrel life" issues there, in my opinion. If that's a concern, get a cheap barrel chambered for it and use it for fireforming. Also, at the same time get a second match barrel made so you can just change them and keep shooting. I've got close to 1K through the 260AI right now, and no throat erosion yet (I have a borescope, so this isn't a guess). I'm getting 3" groups at 800 yards easily, and if I get sloppy they open up to about 5" Best ever out of this rifle was 1 3/8" at 700. But I don't shoot for groups very much, mostly bang steel. I really can't think of a drawback to this caliber. FYI Terry Cross is still using it, he's pretty much the one that convinced me to go with it, and I've not been dissapointed with his recommendation or GA's workmanship.

As a 260AI shooter, I would not want to go any smaller. The 6.5 is tougher to spot a hit on steel at 1K that doesn't react vs. a 300 class. I can't imaging shooting my 6 - that's such a little poof of grey that some inexperienced RO's are going to call a miss regardless. (and I shoot 105's in the 243). The 6.5 is a joy to shoot. The .6+ actual BC on the bullets have significantly less wind drift than anything I've ever shot before. I don't have any LaRue targets, but Burkett has mentioned before that a 6.5 is the minimum to reliably take over a LaRue at 1K. Too bad we don't get to see more of those expensive targets. Check out: http://henningshootsguns.com/pages/2006_montana.html for a little more info on what we're up to...and come to one of our matches to shoot this course. Next one is July 23rd. Check out: http://www.precisionrifle.org for a site I am working on specifically to cover this type of shooting.

Just wondering who else from the IPSC world is going to be at the ITRC match this year.