BarryinIN

Shocker. OK, it will be for some.

The local shop has a .243 and a .308, with $929 on the tags.

Yeah, you are right. Someone could have tied a rifle to a balloon 100 years ago with a pressure switch or timer on the trigger, but this will be a much bigger deal.

That is a lot of Clays! It's been a while since I've loaded any shotgun, but I got a little lax when using bushings since I mostly stuck to one (trap) load. Good warning.

I didn't expect this. I'm not sure what to say. It sounds competitive with the customs like GA Precision, but at half the cost of less. It has what might be a new 3-lug action (or modified American Rifle design?), can use most common .308 magazines, uses an AR-type barrel attachment system and stock system. It sounds like it shoots like crazy. And it retails at $1300. I don't like the caliber/barrel choices, but they will probably change. I also don't like the non-replaceable trigger, but that may change also. http://www.scout.com/military/snipers-hide/story/1564384-ruger-precision-rifle-65-cm http://www.ruger.com/micros/rpr/models.html Update: Per this American Rifleman article, the action is indeed based off the Ruger American Rifle. http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/7/17/ruger-precision-rifle/

With the introduction of the FN 15 "1776" model, this got a little more interesting. Retail on those is $899, so I'd guess street price would be around $799. Figure in that $200 target and you are getting what's probably a great AR for what one of the cheap ones run.

The FNX-9 (external hammer, DA/SA, cocked and locked carry option) has been calling me lately. I don't know why. Now if they would cut the slide for a mini red dot, I might have already fallen. My eyes tell me such a gun is in my future.

A sighter is a shot that's not for record. A "freebie" you can use for sight adjustments to confirm your zero change due to condition changes, etc. Usually in Highpower, you get two sighters before each stage (standing, sitting, prone). Smallbore is often unlimited sighters, with a separate target for that. That's what you see on most smallbore targets with multiple bullseyes, one will be marked with an S on each side. In the 1,000 yard F-Class match we had unlimited sighters but once we declared we were shooting for record, we had to continue without shooting anymore sighters. You might think people would shoot a lot of them, but they don't. For one thing, there is the time limit, but that's not it. The condition changes happen so fast and have enough effect that people want to get done in the shortest time they can. That's something I'm having to get used to. The Mid-range match had "convertible sighters" which is something I'd never had in Highpower. You get two sighters, then you can "convert" either the second or both to scoring shots by telling your scorekeeper. I was pulling targets for someone who shot two Xs with his sighters. I'm sure he converted those. That gave him the additional advantage of finishing sooner with less condition change.

I shot a mid-range (20 rds each at 300, 500, and 600 yards) F-Class match Sunday. That was a lot easier. But not easy. I had actually shot those distances with the rifle before, so didn't have to spend half the match chasing zeroes. I shot a .223 this time, partly on a dare from a friend, and partly because it's what I've shot a lot recently. I used 69 grain Sierras at 300, and 77 grain Sierras at 500 and 600, and Varget powder. I love seeing the equipment at these things, although I probably won the award for cheapest rifle there: Remington 700 SPS Tactical, with a $259 SWFA scope. I knew one guy there, and his brother had a rest that might have cost as much or more than my rifle. He said he'd been through seven barrels since February. Anyway, it was fun. I hope to shoot another next weekend, a 60-rd 600 yarder.

Well, relative cheap. Less than half usual cost. Several variations, cast iron and aluminum. Most are $165. To put it in perspective, that's what the most basic Sinclair will run. I'd order one, but my club bought a few Caldwell Rick rests within the last year. These are a lot nicer, but aren't free. If I needed a rest or shot BR-50 on a regular basis instead of once or twice a year, I'd jump on this. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Rest-Slingshot-Aluminum/BE1005

One year ago today. He is missed by many.

In the last couple of days since this announcement, I read someone quote John Linebaugh as saying the Redhawk was 14% stronger than the Blackhawk. I couldn't find this on Linebaugh's website to substantiate the numbers, but it does ring a bell that he said the Redhawk was stronger as they come from the factory. The Redhawk cylinder walls are thicker. If if that's the case that the Redhawk is at least equal to the Blackhawk, I'd think it should be good to go. People have been loading .45 Colt Blackhawks hot for 40 years. The Redhawk has been made in .45 Colt before, and people were loading them up to "Ruger and Contender" loads from the manuals. Those are usually 30,000 psi or a little more. I don't see why it shouldn't take it in .45 ACP. I'd be curious about that, just to see how much less powder it takes to get to something like a 250 at 1200.

They aren't. They're just hotter than .45 ACP, which got me wondering how far it could be taken in the Redhawk. No good reason other than because.

Oh, I know. But that's been done! Knowing it can chamber 460 Rowland and 451 Detonics got me thinking.

I had the idea a few years ago that if I loaded some light .44 Spl loads using the 113 grain wadcutter mold I have, it might be good for the kids to shoot. Very little recoil, but a big, clean hole that helps confidence by catching the next scoring ring. I had to work with it first. Still working. Kids have yet to fire a round of it.

How hot can it go in .45 ACP? T/C has made some .45 ACP Contender barrels over the years. I'm told they can be loaded to interesting velocities. While you couldn't get as much from the Ruger with the b/c gap and under half the barrel length, I bet it could reach the interesting point also. That would be a case where ammunition segregation would be an absolute necessity. Getting an ACP Ruger bomb in another handgun could be nasty. I doubt we will see ".45 ACP For Ruger Only" pages in reloading manuals.

I just caught the barrel length- 4.2". It might have made a nice IDPA gun except the barrel is .2" too long. Because we all know you can conceal a 4" large frame revolver with ease, but another .2" of barrel makes that an impossibility.

The only thing new I see is its now available in .45 Colt/.45ACP. Definitely different, and sort of a head scratcher, but I wouldn't say "all new".http://www.ruger.com/news/2015-06-15.html

But certain models of the FNX or FNS pistol, and get a "free" FNH pistol bag. Now through August. http://www.fnhusa.com/r/promotions/summer-promo/

Buy a SCAR 17 or most models of FN15 (AR-15) and get a "free" MGM steel target. Now through August. http://www.fnhusa.com/r/promotions/summer-promo/

When this talk started a couple of weeks ago, my first thought was Colt has had more lives than ten thousand cats. They've been on the edge of disappearing more times than I can count, so I don't pay much attention to "Colt is in trouble" stories anymore This sounded worse, however, so I watched it a little closer. It was the same, but worse all over it seemed. They'd missed more payments, while valuing the name more than usual. Chapter 11 may be the best possible outcome. People get paid, Colt stays in more or less one piece. I'm not so sure Colt getting to stay in Hartford is a plus, and I notice they only mention Colt Defense in this, but it's stil better than I thought it would be.

Must be. At least one was marked "Saiga". It it took me a couple of days to get all the pictures (phone) but that was interesting. It looks like they make things larger than AKs too. It also looks like the test firer gets bored.

It would be a looooong drive, but it's tempting to show up knocking on your door asking to shoot that.

I didn't realize it was RB. If it was SB I might be able to help you.

It's now mounted to a Colt 6920 (M4-ish) and I've got maybe 150 rounds through it since. BTW- It's mounted in an SWFA "SSALT" mount. They were also on sale when I ordered the scope ($29.95- 1/2 price) so I got one while I was at it. It's nothing fancy, but is a pretty solid looking mount. It lacks any QD feature, so may not be the best choice in some cases, including this one, but it lets me try the scope out. Something that got my attention was upon mounting, bore sighting looked good, and it only took a few clicks to zero. I don't usually get that with AR scopes due to the number of interfaces involved, compounded by the sight to bore height. FWIW, the scope is made in the Phillipines, like many scopes. I haven't found anything to complain about regarding eye relief. I've only shot it from standing and the bench so far. I intend to try other conventional and unconventional positions soon. Some of the unconventional prone positions are near impossible with many scopes, so it should be a tough test. I found the reticle pattern interesting from the start. The reticle center is basically a dot within a diamond. The design intent is to zero the dot at 200, use the top of the diamond for 100, and the bottom of the diamond for 300. It's meant for common 5.56 and 7.62 NATI rounds like the M193, M855, M80, M852, M118, etc. Its close, but not perfect, which should go without saying considering the number of cartridges it's supposed to cover. From what I can tell using M193 (55 gr) and Mk 262 (77 gr) equivalents it is reasonably close using the 100 and 200 points of aim. I haven't tried 300 yet. By "reasonably close" I'd say within 4". That may sound like a lot, but it's better than most can hold without some sort of reference. Of course I'd like better. I've read some have figured out where to hold using the inside edge of the diamond and tip edge of this or that, but my eyes start watering thinking about it. The adjustments are in .1 mil increments. I haven't done any of the tests to check the accuracy or repetitiveness of the adjustments yet. It seems to move like it's supposed to move, and my SWFA 10x scope is particularly good in this area, so I don't expect any trouble. It it is illuminated by a CR2032 battery. There is a spare battey compartment within the illum control knob. Only the center diamond and for are illuminated. They don't claim it to be daylight visible, and it isn't. To put it in perspective, the markings go from 1-10, and I'd estimate it would need a setting of at least 13 to be daylight visible. I will report more as I learn more. So far I'd say it's not a miracle scope, but it is a heck of a deal for the price- even the regular non-sale $399 price. Everyone I've shown it to at the range liked it, and liked it a lot. If they do another Black Friday sale this year with $100 off, I may get another. If so, I'd put it on a hunting rifle, where I think it would work well. Then again, they usually mark down their SS fixed power 6x, 10x, 12x, 16x, and 20x scopes, and I really like those.