It’s been a quiet couple of months at The Gun Rack, but not by choice. Unfortunately our website editing application has been on the fritz, only allowing me to publish one article in the last two months. However, we’re now back in the swing of things and raring to go.
Thankfully, in tinkering with the website, we have been able to fix other issues that have been bugging us for a while. We’ve found some of our missing photos, and also increased the speed of the site significantly – hopefully this makes for a much better reading experience for you all!
News of the day
We do have a backlog of articles coming up. Unfortunately I have drafts still sitting here regarding the Select Committee furore, but they seem less relevant as the conversation has progressed and shooters have become more aware of what is going on. Thankfully Nash and Bennett have regressed to more reasonable standpoints, ostensibly distancing themselves from Chris Cahill’s vitriol and flat-out dishonesty.
It’s hard to say what sticks in an election year, but if you need any convincing of what the landscape currently looks like, or if you want some facts on actual gun crime in NZ, check out Kiwi Gun Blog. This blog has recently jumped into the limelight, at a time when many shooters need a voice. Please make sure this doesn’t end up being something that’s only vocally discussed in shooting circles – make your friends and family aware. Also, we’ll all have differing opinions on the extent of the recommendations and whether or not they addressed the goal of the Committee. Don’t let this be a cause of in-fighting in the shooting and hunting community.
In other news
We do also have some exciting developments in the wings on some potential products we could be bringing in for NZ shooters. It’s early days yet, and we are waiting on the OK from the US government, so expect some delays. BUT, suffice it to say, we have not been sitting on our hands while the website has been quiet!
That’s all for now – please check in in the upcoming weeks for the latest hot off the press. Also, make sure to follow TGR on Facebook and Instagram to get your shooting fix.
Chronographs are getting more and more common in shooting circles these days, and you will likely see at least one on your next visit to the range. So what exactly do they do? Well, on a basic level, they tell you how fast the projectile you are firing is traveling once it leaves the rifle.
Why is this important to know? Well, a couple of reasons. Firstly, all things being equal, the more consistent speeds your projectiles travel at, the more consistent you groups should be (ignoring all other factors which contribute to overall accuracy). Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, by knowing how heavy our projectile is, how aerodynamic it is, and how fast it is travelling when it leaves the barrel we can accurately calculate the bullet’s trajectory over any given distance.
Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2 – A light operated chrono by Caldwell Shooting Supplies [image credit: BTI Brands]As a bit of background on me, having worked at several paintball fields over the years using chronographs to check the speeds of every paintball marker each time it entered the field, I can comfortably say I have spent more time using chronographs than most recreational shooters. I have also previously owned a radar chronograph and currently own a magnetic chronograph. That being said, I’m by no means an expert on the topic, and the purpose of this article is really to help those new to the topic understand a little bit more about these instruments.
What types of chronographs are there?
The first thing you need to know is that there are three main types of chronograph available to us as shooters; Light Chronographs, Magnetic Chronographs and Radar Chronographs.
I’ll try and explain a little about each below:
Light Chronographs
Light chronographs use a series of light sensors (usually two, but sometimes more) placed at a controlled distance apart in order to measure how long it takes for a projectile to break each of the light beams and calculate speed based on this. These chronographs are set up at a specific distance in front of the rifle or pistol on a tripod or bench (i.e. in front of the firing line, for those shooting on a range this may be a problem) and shots must be made in a way that breaks both beams.
Light chronographs are considerably cheaper to manufacture than the other types, and so can often be purchased for a reasonable amount. This type of chronograph is however affected by ambient light, so much so that even clouds passing in the sky may have an impact on speed readings. To get around this many manufactures create plastic hoods to help control the light above the sensor with varying degrees of success, but the same round is likely to show a slight variation day to day depending on conditions.
For this reason, light Chronographs are generally considered less accurate by nature than the other types available. This may not be an issue in reality however, as 10 or so feet per second variation between shots when you’re talking about 2800 fps is really quite minimal so may be fine for what many shooters require.
One thing I personally don’t like about light chronographs however is I find them hard to read. This is very much a personal thing and I’m sure 95% of people won’t have this issue, but I find trying to read a small LED screen that is 2-3 m in front of me, with a sun reflection, quite difficult. And because it’s in front of the shooting line I can’t just go up for a closer look. Some units do allow aftermarket screens to be connected which are either larger or sit closer to the shooter to get around this (just something to consider).
Having a screen at the shooter’s position makes life a lot easier.
Magnetic Chronographs
The second type of chronograph is a magnetic chronograph. These types of chronographs use sensors which produce magnetic fields and then measure metal projectiles as they pass through this field. These types of chronographs often mount to the rifle, or have a platform the rifle sits on when firing in order to keep a constant distance from the projectile as it passes.
The types that mount onto the rifle have positives and negatives, the positives are that the measurements are consistent and accurate as the chronograph and rifle move together it eliminates any error created by the shooter’s/rifle’s position repeatability, it also means that a shooter doesn’t have to go in front of the firing line in order to set it up, and this type of chronograph has the ability to register very fast strings of fire (i.e the ability to register and measure every shot on a full-auto AR-15 without skipping a beat).
If you’re going to shoot subs or cast lead bullets, don’t forget to adjust your sensitivity settings.
The negative is that you are strapping something to your rifle which has the potential to affect harmonics and adjust your point of impact. I will say I own a barrel mounted magnetic chronograph and have not had any change in point of impact as a result of using it and neither have many shooters I have spoken to. However, I have heard from some shooters who have had very slight point of impact shifts. This may or may not be a problem for you depending on your setup and requirements.
This type of unit may also be difficult to use on certain pistols, particularly those without rail mounts on their frames. One other negative is that solid lead rounds may be difficult to detect without sensitivity adjustment (jacketed bullets are fine), as lead has a very low magnetic field.
[Editor’s note: As long as you remember to adjust your sensitivity settings, you should be fine. I’ve used this type of chrono on subsonic (~950 fps) cast lead bullets with good success.]
Radar Chronograph
The third type of chronograph is a radar chronograph, and you guessed it – this type uses a radar (Continuous Wave Doppler) signal to project downrange and calculate the speed of the projectile as it travels through the radar wave zone.
The benefits of this type of system are that you set it up parallel to your shooting position, so there is no need to go forward of the shooting line. They also don’t touch your rifle, so have no possibility of impacting harmonics, and unlike an on-barrel magnetic chronograph, you set it up once per session and you don’t need to move it in order to test different rifles.
Some radar chronographs also give you the ability to set a tolerance range and any shots outside that range will be indicated by an audible ‘beep’ so you are getting instant feedback without having to monitor the output screen. The downside to this type is that they often struggle to distinguish between different shooters / projectiles as they pass through the radar waves. If you are at a range with people shooting next to you, it’s potentially not going to know whose shot is whose and may give you readings for the guys next to you, also. Some units have different methods of trying to prevent this, such as microphone triggers / built in software etc.
These units may also struggle to work in some shooting tunnels both due the their need to be set up near the shooter and project forward and also the radar wave “bouncing” off the tunnel walls giving false signals.
Test fire and choosing a chrono
Some recent basic testing we did using a magnetic chronograph and a light chronograph showed 6-7 FPS variation between the two respective readings for the same round, with the light chrono reading faster than the magnetic. With the speeds we were shooting this equates to around a 0.2% variation between the two units which I would suggest is more than accurate enough for most recreational shooters to know what they want to know.
How much you want to spend on a chronograph is up to you, as always there are cheaper and more expensive units out there, and what features you want will also impact price. In general, light chronographs start around $200 NZD for basic models and go to about $500. Magnetic and Radar chronographs start about $400 and go up to about $1000 depending on what functionality you want.
Some of the positives and negatives discussed above may or may not be applicable to you and how you intend to use it. Hence the cheapest light chrono may be fine for your purpose, or you may feel you need to spend $1000 + on a radar unit with all the bells and whistles. I would suggest if you’re looking for your first chronograph that you will probably use a few times a year to develop loads for hunting, then the cheapest light chronograph will likely tell you everything you need to know.
Late last year I had the privilege of being invited along to the first Long Range Shooting course run by Precision Shooter. The event was not only an introduction to long range shooting for many, but also the first event of its kind.
The LRS Level 1 – Fundamentals class was primarily focused around getting shooters of all abilities onto a fairly level playing field, and teaching solid shooting techniques. The course was run by Kerry from The Bloke and Precision Shooter, but most of the content was delivered by Christian Neubauerx – Beretta’s head gunsmith in New Zealand. With 20+ years of experience as a smith, Christian knows his way around a gun better than most.
How’s this for a classroom setting?
The classroom
The first half of the day was a ‘lecture’ of sorts. Essentially a classroom-like setting, undercover and with the use of props (i.e. rifles and gear). If the word lecture puts you off, don’t let it. Think about all those questions you’ve been researching in internet forums and gun sites. Now imagine an authoritative source, giving you the answers direct, without bias and internet-inspired bravado or stupidity.
Even though my rifle was shooting groups like this the day before, I still found the course quite a ‘shake up’ of my technique.
There was plenty of time for questions, and we managed to cover off what kind of rifles make good long range rigs, cartridge choice, shooting equipment and a decent amount of theory (such as MOA vs MIL, etc).
There were plenty of breaks and opportunities for tea/coffee and snacks (all provided). Before heading down to the mound we had a demonstration of shooting technique from Christian, who climbed up onto a long table with his unloaded rifle, and took us through body position and shooting sequence.
The range
Now it was time to put what we learned into practice. Everybody got their gear down to shooting position and racked their rifles. There was a good array of firearms, from utilitarian hunting rifles, through to long range platforms such as the Ruger Precision Rifle, and several in between.
I was shooting my fully supressed Tikka T3 in 6.5×55, residing in an MDT TAC21 chassis, and topped off with a Vortex Viper PST 6-24×50. Having a Tikka, I particularly enjoyed having Christian take the course, as I was able to pick his brain on Tikka-specific issues, such as the trigger creep I was experiencing. As head gunsmith of Beretta NZ, he has forgotten more about these rifles than most could ever hope to know.
The venue for the day was the Swiss Club, north of Auckland. If you’ve ever shot at the ASAR (Any Sights Any Rifle) shoot, you’ll know it’s a pretty sweet set up, and all of your shooting is done from an enclosed shooting position, out of the sun and the wind.
We were shooting at a set distance of 300 m. Hold on you say – “that’s not long range”. Fair comment. Remember this is the fundamentals course. Some of those attending had never shot beyond 100 yards/metres before. Not only was it about bringing these guys up to speed, but it was also about honing fundamental skills, regardless of distance.
The target area and shooting hut.
Even at 300 m, trying to implement the techniques we had just learned, I did notice a lot more spread in my groups than I would have expected. Basically I was having a shake-up of my technique, and trying to focus on new ways to do things meant not shooting as well as I usually would, but building positive habits to shoot better in the future.
There was one frustration on the day, and that was supporting the rear of the rifle. I had just bought a new bag that was the perfect height for my MDT chassis, which sits higher off the ground than the original Tikka stock. However, the Swiss club is most often used for unsupported shooting of target rifles, with slings and jackets. To suit this purpose the club had built their mound on a slight upwards incline, to better aid body position, while the targets were on a downward angle from the mound.
The bag I snagged from Kerry made a huge difference.
For many of us, this meant struggling somewhat to get the right height/angle on our rifles. Thankfully after trying one of the rear support bags that Kerry had on hand, I was able to get shots downrange with greater consistency. This really inspired me to start looking at purchasing a multipurpose bag for field shoots. I’m not always going to have a perfectly level and stable shooting platform, so a more versatile bag is definitely called for. I haven’t decided yet on the bag I’ll use. I like the idea of the Reasor Gamechanger Bag, but I’ll need to have another thorough look at the options provided by the Gearlocker before I make a final decision.
Coaching
The format of the shoot was focused around improving the individual shooter. We had a few sighters, and then Kerry and Christian gave each shooter individual, one-on-one coaching through a series of single shots. We focused on body position, breathing, eye-relief, rifle mounting, bipod loading and more.
At some point we had lunch, which again, was provided. This was a great opportunity to chat with everyone and see how they were doing and what they were learning.
One-on-one coaching was one of the highlights of the day.
Next up was shooting groups of five. However, instead of simply having Christian or Kerry tell you where your shot landed, we had to try and determine where the shot went, based on how the shot felt. After a while you get pretty good at this. Adding this extra link between action and reaction really helped me identify which parts of my technique and environment were affecting my shot placement.
Unfortunately we ran out of time to complete the shoot, as we learned that the resource consent for shooting is limited to 5 pm. However, after a full day of learning and shooting, no one left feeling disappointed. After packing up we headed back to the club house to do a quick debrief and also to talk about cleaning methods and some other bits and pieces. I found this last casual info session extremely useful, as there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there when it comes to proper cleaning technique and which products to use.
Comparing gear and swapping stories with other shooters was a big part of the day.
Being the first event of its kind, there were some timing/teething issues, but nothing that negatively impacted my experience of the day. Having been on another course run by Kerry, I know the next Long Range Shooting course will be running like clockwork.
Speaking of the next course… I’ve heard rumours from Precision Shooter that the Level 2 course could be coming up soon, and at distances up to 850 m. Definitely sign up for the Precision Shooter newsletter and keep an eye on their Facebook page so you don’t miss out on that one.
For those who would prefer to start at Level 1 and get their fundamentals solid, I would highly recommend the course, especially for anyone wanting to get into long range competition, or stretch out their ethical hunting ranges. Beginners will benefit the most from this course, but looking back over the 4 pages of notes I took, even those a bit further along the learning curve will take away significant amounts of useful tips and techniques.
Not the best shooting I’ve done in my life, but a day of serious learning.
One of the things I learned more about was the effect of cant (tilting) on point of impact – especially at longer ranges. It’s something I hadn’t considered too seriously, and you can bet I’m going to do a tall target test to check out my cant in the near future. Another good tip was, when deciding to use MOA or MIL, think about what kind of shooting you’re going to do. For example, I intend on shooting a bit of F-Class, and they mostly use MOA, so that will be easier for me. Also consider what your shooting buddy uses, so you can speak a common language when it comes to wind calls, etc.
You can read more about the past course here, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter to hear about upcoming events.
This particular rifle is a quiet bush monster. Monstrous in appearance, but suppressed and subsonic in its implementation. There’s a lot that’s gone into this particular rifle, so – fittingly – we’ll do an entire article covering the various bits and pieces, and the decisions that led to each of them.
One decision that was, unfortunately, made for us, is that I’m no longer going to have the rifle Cerakoted, as a dear and valued member of the NZ shooting community, Victor Alberts, passed away recently while on holiday overseas. Victor was the applicator and artist behind Cerakote NZ, so necessarily we’ll be looking to sort out some other means of protecting the metal on this bush gun.
The rifle that defended the free world – twice
The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle was featured in both world wars and a host of conflicts all around the world. Its younger brother is only now being phased out of service with the Canadian Rangers, who will have a locally made, licensed version of a Sako product (T3 CTR). Other weapons have been trialled, but none compared to the reliability of the Rifle No 4 Mk 2 (since 1941 – not bad).
Even still, the old Lee-Enfield is a devastating tool in the hands of irregular forces around the world, who do not have access to more modern weaponry, or who perhaps have an abundance of old Commonwealth stock. With ballistics and firepower not too far off the .308 Win, it’s not hard to see why the rifle has kept pace.
Anyway, I digress. So, this stunning piece of history came to my possession in a sorry state. Which is okay, as I was keeping an eye out for an old beater that could be beautified without destroying a battlefield artifact.
My 1943 SMLE (above) was in a sad state when I bought it – compared to my 1942 (below) which will stay unchanged.
One of the problems with using a wartime rifle (1943), that was mass-produced with unique ‘improvements’ and variations across the world, is that you are bound to run into quality issues. In contrast, I do have a 1942 Lithgow rifle which is beautifully symmetrical and well-machined (even if it is left a bit rough in some areas). But this made-in-Britain wartime specimen is a product of its environment, and loose tolerances, rough surfaces, and poor bluing are to be expected.
In hindsight, I really wish I’d done this build off a Rifle No. 4 instead of an SMLE No.1 Mk iii, as the action lends itself to being rebarrelled to higher-power cartridges, but that may have taken this build in another direction altogether.
If you’re considering a build on a No. 4 or even No. 5 action, Boyds thankfully caters to those, too.
Taking apart the two-piece stock
The Lee-Enfield is everything a modern precision rifle is not. It’s not free floated, the stock is not a single piece and and the ergonomics are all wrong. However it was well-suited to winter clothing and putting a lot of lead downrange, so we can’t really judge the designers for that.
The two piece stock is easily taken apart with some screwdrivers, and potentially a socket driver if you don’t have a really long flat head screwdriver. Check out the easy tutorial here (with lots of pictures!).
Not many rifles will have the trigger come out with the floor metal.
Fitting the Boyds Field Stock Design
Final fitting will be needed.
One thing I love about Boyds stocks is seeing the precision lines in the inletting. Now. Take a look at your naked Lee-Enfield. There is not a single square section on that thing. Because the action has so much inconsistency in shape and finish, I spent a fair bit of time sanding and filing around the top of the action and inside and around the sear and trigger slot.
The area around the mag well also needed some relieving of material to get the floor plate sitting properly again, which allowed the barrel channel to move into the appropriate position.
I found it really useful to mark the action with engineer’s blue (a permanent marker will do), to find the high spots on your action that necessitate removing some more wood.
Please be careful removing material, as it’s a lot easier to take off than it is to put on! While I say I spent a lot of time on this, that doesn’t mean I shaved off a lot of the laminate. Rather, I spent a lot of time making sure I didn’t take off too much, so I could still have a snug fit.
When fitting the butt stock, shaving off a small bit of wood off the top of the donut-shaped insert allowed the laminate stock to snug up nicely when I tightened the bolt. However, on the forend side I found there was a bit of a gap between the wood and the characteristic steel band which forms the rear of the receiver and separates the forend and butt stock. I had a shooting buddy of mine machine up a shim to bridge the gap. He put in some counter sunk holes so that I could screw it into the stock once I had all of the metalwork (including the shim) coated, however it’s so far been held in place by friction and is doing just fine.
The shim held in place by friction fills a small gap between action and stock. Once coated with the rest of the metal work it will blend in well.
The gap between the forend and steel band I’ll put down to variance between manufacturers of rifles over time. I measured this strip of metal on my two SMLE rifles (one year apart, but one from Australia and one from the UK), and found a 1 mm – 2 mm difference in broadness.
You will definitely need to take out some wood where the rear ring of the receiver interrupts the line of the stock, and also where the safety lever goes in the forward position.
A radius and a square cut will make room for the safety lever and the rear action ring.
Positives of the Boyds Field Stock Design
If you’re looking to improve your Lee-Enfield Rifle or SMLE, you have three options:
Restore the wood with new old stock or modern replicas (on a No 4 this is feasible, on a No 3, near impossible)
Put it in a plastic stock, which will reduce weight, but will deliver more recoil, and increase your noise in the bush with its hollow construction
Choose a hardwood/laminate solution
I’m assuming you landed on option 3, which is why you’re here. The hardwood solution is not only inline with the character of the gun, but also just feels right. I have a couple battle rifles in modern plastic stocks, and I’m too embarrassed to take them to the range, and too put off by the handling and feel to really enjoy them.
The Boyds Field Stock Design (and any of their stocks, really) is a re-imagining of the stock design based around the action and the shooter, not simply a replacement of the existing furniture. This means you can expect an increase in accuracy, stemming from various feature improvements, such as a better inletting, length of pull, cheek weld, positive grip characteristics and also added rigidity when compared to plastic aftermarket (or even original manufacture) stocks.
Line of sight
I found that the Boyds stock in particular raised the eye-line perfectly for the old rifle. With the original stock, if you try and get a positive cheek weld, you’ll be looking at the top of the action. You have to raise your head a bit and compromise your repeatable position on the rifle in order to see the iron sights.
Lining the two up by the rear of the bolt, the difference in drop is quite evident, as is the angle of the butt pad – both changing the handling characteristics of the gun.
With the Boyds stock, the decreased drop on the comb means you are looking straight at the iron sights. If you had a low mounted scope, you could use this quite easily with little compromise in cheek weld. I have a Vortex Razor HD red dot sight mounted on mine, which, unfortunately, means added height to the optic. However, this doesn’t bother me because, with its unlimited eye relief, I can have my head just about anywhere on the stock and still have an accurate sight picture.
Solid construction
The Boyds stock is not only solidly made with highly advanced resins, but it feels more substantial when you’re shouldering or handling the rifle. The forend fits an adult male hand well, unlike many skinny stocks, where your fingers will wrap around onto the barrel if you’re not careful. It’s also beefier at the butt end. This is in contrast to the original skinny grip that would have been perfect for gloved hands in the trenches, but not user friendly for acquiring a positive grip in the hot bush and forest we often hunt in.
The slight increases in length, width and girth, add up to a much better length of pull and trigger/bolt manipulation characteristics, without increasing the overall length by much at all.
Choice
If you’re pulling apart an old rifle like this to do something special, why not make it truly one-of-a-kind? From the standard colours offered by Boyds, the Pepper laminate is a sexy rendition. Black and charcoal – it modernises any firearm, while still retaining the warmth of wood. There is also a straight walnut stock if that’s your preference.
The ‘Scale’ laser engraved chequering adds aesthetic appeal, visual depth, and enhanced grip characteristics.
I chose a Zombie Hunter custom colour for an extra US$16.50, and my rifle stands out like no other. It’s an attention grabber at the range, and it just looks freaking cool. It’s one of those guns you want to take out and shoot, regardless of whether you’re actually working on a load or hunting or just plinking. I might burn through a lot more ammo just because she looks ‘cool’, but that’s okay. Not to mention, everyone else wants a go at it, too!
I also asked for some chequering on the stock, specifically the ‘Scale’ pattern. It’s laser engraved, and absolutely perfect. It adds some extra grip (of course), but also adds depth to the appearance of the rifle. There are a couple other options to choose from as well.
While you’re at it, you could also look at a custom finish, or a different butt pad option to tame your heavy-hitting wildcat magnums.
Negatives
Hey, nothing’s perfect, and there always have to be some negatives.
My only regret on this build (regarding the stock) is not having sling swivel studs, as a sling will be essential for crashing through some of our heavy NZ bush. However, I’m sure Boyds would have included some had I actually thought to ask. Not to worry, I do have some spare, but that’s definitely something I’ll think about next time. More a mistake on my part than a negative with the stock.
There is one negative, and again, it’s not actually a fault of the Boyds Field Design Stock: It’s the rifle. There is no way on God’s green earth that you will have a perfect fit. Unless you own the Boyds’ house action that they model their stocks off.
There is so much variation in fit, quality and manufacturing tolerances between these old war time rifles, that I can almost guarantee some work for you with sandpaper and a file or two, no matter what brand of gun stock you choose. However, if you’re restoring or upgrading any milsurp rifle, this should be something you expect along the way, so don’t let this put you off.
If hard work is not your cup of tea, there are plenty of modern actions that are very uniform and require little-to-no work to customise. Thankfully, Boyds makes stocks for those rifles, too!
Conclusion
At the end of the day, I’ve found (once again) that the Boyds product is a substantial improvement on the original stock that came on the gun. Not only this, but dollar for dollar, I can’t imagine another aftermarket stock coming close.
The customisation options offered by Boyds are a real bonus for anyone looking to increase the appeal of their old shooter, and the standard options are plenty for those who don’t like drawing too much attention to themselves or those who are watching their budget.
Would I buy it again? Yes. And I guess that’s the highest recommendation someone can give after thoroughly testing a product.
We truly live in the golden age of civilian firearm innovation. As various shooting sports gain popularity around the world for their challenging formats and supportive communities, manufacturers have been given the feedback and audience required to push their product lines ever-further.
While shooting sports and hunting have always benefited from advances in military tech, we’ve now reached (and well passed) the tipping point where armed forces personnel look to the likes of PRS and 3Gun competitions to evaluate equipment they would not otherwise have come across. In this recent interview with Kerry from The Gearlocker, the 6.5 guys describe how the lack of gear restrictions in PRS-style shoots becomes a wealth of knowledge for military and LE types.
Here are 3 very recent new product announcements from some of my favourite manufacturers.
Vortex “Huey”
Vortex Optics has recently announced the UH-1, which they’ve affectionately nicknamed the Huey. It’s a holographic optic in its own class. The release in their VIP newsletter describes the UH-11 as having fewer moving parts than your average holo sight, increasing reliability, as well as a near elimination of forward signature of the illuminated reticle – a first for this type of sight.
Loving that camo look? One of the Vortex staffers performed a spray can overhaul on this optic. Image credit: Vortex Optics.
The reticle itself is the new EBR-CQB. The term CQB and the feature of being near invisible to anyone/anything forward of the shooter hints that this sight is more suited to military and LE applications. This is one of those situations where battlefield considerations lead to the development of an optic that many civvy shooters would love to own for multigun style competitions, or even just for fun.
I also love the fact that it can use rechargeable batteries and has an onboard charger port. These are the kinds of user-focused features that most manufacturers would put in the ‘too hard basket’.
If you want to read more about this product, or any new announcements from Vortex, make sure to subscribe to their newsletter.
Boyds stocks for the Howa 1500 Mini
Earlier this year Howa released a ‘mini’ action, for shorter-than-short-action calibres. While this is limiting for some who might want to rebarrel down the line, it’s a boon for those who want to save weight, decrease bolt throw and action length, and increase reliability for their smaller cartridges in a dedicated platform. To those who think a rebarrel may be in the cards – get yourself a standard short action or long action!
Which would you pick? The Varmint Thumbhole in Pepper laminate would be my choice. Image credit: Boyds Gunstocks
The problem with introducing a brand new, and very unique, action length and profile, is that even though shooters may be familiar with the 1500 platform, aftermarket manufacturers have nothing to support the product any longer.
Thankfully, Boyds Gunstocks is forever expanding their range of stocks to upgrade your favourite hunting or competition rifle. The latest announcement concerns the Howa 1500 Mini;
“The Howa 1500 Mini was released in March 2016. Boyds now makes gunstocks for this hot little beauty in all three of its barrel configurations: The Lightweight barrel, which is a #1 contour; the Heavy barrel, which is a #6 contour; both at 20 inches; and the Standard barrel, which is a #2 hunting contour at 22 inches in length.”
Boyds has made sure that all of our favourite stock designs are available; Classic, Featherweight Thumbhole, Heritage, Platinum, Prairie Hunter, Pro Varmint, and Varmint Thumbhole designs. And for those of you that always get left behind with new product development (yes, I’m talking about left-handed shooters), don’t worry, Boyds has you covered too with many LH options as well.
If you’re reading this, wishing Boyds made something for your obscure rifle, check out their website, it’s all there. And if you can’t find it, use the product request form to ask them to consider your action for their next product development.
To keep up-to-date with the latest happenings from Boyds, make sure to subscribe to their mailing list using the form on their website, or hop onto their Facebook page.
Lapua brass for 6.5 Creedmoor
Last, but not least, the 6.5 Creedmoor has gained enough ground swell for Lapua to consider it as a worthy cartridge for their premium brass.
Small primers and flash holes FTW. Image credit: Nammo Lapua
This doesn’t just mean high quality brass for those riding the Creemoor train, but also brass with precision shooting in mind. Lapua has developed its Creedmoor brass in line with its other target brass, including their popular .308 Win. Palma brass, in that it has a small rifle primer and a non-standard smaller flash hole of 1.5mm as opposed to the standard 2mm. Lapua claims this aids in consistent ignition of powder and more accurate down-range performance.
All you 6.5 Creed fans can expect to get your mitts on some shiny new Lapua brass early in 2017. You can read more about this latest Lapua product release here.
If you own a firearm, you’re considered a fit and proper person by your local Arms Officer. You’ve also got safety measures in place, such as a safe bolted into the ground and/or a wall. But there are some simple steps you can take to increase your security at no extra cost.
Thieves have their eyes on you
A big concern around firearm safety is ensuring that children or stupid adults can’t access your bang sticks. Not only do you keep these under lock and key, but your bolts, mags and ammo are all locked up separately.
So that’s that problem solved.
Which means when we’re talking security, we’re talking about keeping your firearms out of the hands of those who would do evil with them (and no, we’re not talking about your partner selling them so you can get rid of the second mortgage you took out to buy them in the first place).
Maybe it’s my South African upbringing, or maybe I’m just super-cautious with my guns, but I feel the eyes of potential thieves on me all the time. No, I’m not being paranoid, but at any given time I’m aware that someone nearby could be keeping an eye out for someone to target for a robbery.
Online security
Thieves are not all opportunistic, desperate nogoodniks. Some of them are savvy operators who will find you online. So, what can you do to avoid the gaze of these degenerates?
Don’t give identifying details online
We all like to hop onto forums, Facebook groups or Instagram accounts that discuss the particular types of firearms or shooting that we do. If it’s a Facebook group, make sure you only join ones that are private, so people can’t see what your posting unless they’re members too. On social media or in forums, make sure you don’t leave personally identifying information, such as an address, a licence plate in a photo, your workplace, etc.
Sure, you’ll meet some people you trust online – chat to them privately if you want to set up a hunt or something and need to meet at someone’s house.
Also, if you’re going to post pictures of hunts, ‘like’ Facebook or Instagram pages to do with guns, etc, make sure your settings are set to ‘private’ or ‘friends only’.
Don’t give your home address to Trademe traders
If you bought or sold a gun or related items on Trademe, don’t invite people around to your house to pick it up or drop it off. If you can, get things posted to your work, or collect from the courier depot. I also prefer these options, because then I know my stuff won’t be sitting in the driveway all day.
Physical security
Again, we’re still not talking about anything you have to spend money on – just practical ways you can keep eyes off your gear and feel safer in the knowledge that you’re not making your home a target.
Sight lines
I’ve recently moved house and when I was installing my safes, the first thing I noticed was that I could see straight out the garage window and across the road from where my safes and reloading bench would be. That means anyone on the street could see in. You might have same consideration when you open your garage door – what’s visible to the street?
These are not the kind of sight lines we’re talking about. But here’s a picture of a gun to keep you interested.
While most people wouldn’t see this, someone scouting the property would certainly be paying more attention to detail. So, as a stop gap, I hung a sheet over the garage windows, until I can arrange to get the windows tinted. And there’s another point, cover up your gear when service people come around.
That’s not passing judgement on anyone in a trade that involves home installs, but seriously, it’s a person you don’t know that you are inviting into your home. You don’t know them from a bar of soap. I don’t even get house movers, I pack my own stuff.
If I had a flash TV and expensive booze, I wouldn’t really care, but these are firearms, and they require extra attention.
Number plates
Did you know anyone can trace your number plate to where you live? It costs them $15 and a few clicks of their mouse.
Now, the NZTA won’t hand your details over to any old Joe Bloggs, but if that person was determined enough to get your address, I’m sure they could create a fraudulent and convincing reason for the NZTA to release it.
If you’d like to opt out of having your info available without NZTA’s specific approval of the information request, you can follow this link.
This may mean it takes a couple days extra next time you apply for vehicle insurance, but at least you don’t have to worry about someone staking out your gun club and walking away with your licence plate number, and essentially the location of your home.
When you pack up after a day at the range, make sure you’re conscious of what anyone else might see.
Keep it under wraps
It’s in the law – we all know we need to cover our firearms up when we travel. But just think about it a little bit more. Also, remember you can’t park up somewhere with firearms in your car. The only exception I know of is stopping at a petrol station.
When you’re transporting firearms or leaving the gun store, be aware of your surroundings and don’t give criminals the opportunity to spot a potential prize.
When you do get your new rifle or whatever safely home, make sure you take note of the serial number and take a photo of the gun so that in the event of an insurance claim for fire, or a police investigation for theft, you can supply useful information that may result in getting your firearm (or its value) back.
Now, I hope this hasn’t made you feel unsafe or get the impression that you have to be a paranoid recluse to keep firearms. However, a little extra thought and care will mean you, your family and your community are safer.
Plus, I’d be bloody gutted if someone emptied out my safe!
![Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2 - A light operated chrony by Caldwell Shooting Supplies [image credit: BTI Brands]](http://www.gunrack.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/caldwell.jpg)
