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Spent shotgun shells at Waitemata Clay Target Club.

Where to shoot in NZ: Waitemata Clay Target Club

Geoff 1 Comment

As somebody who spends a fair bit of time behind a scoped rifle, let me say, aiming “without looking at the gun” is a real challenge. As my wife and I set up to try our hand at down the line (DTL) trap shooting, Andy – our supervisor/guide/instructor through this process – informed us that the way to successfully shoot clays moving at 45 kph is to not aim the gun. Yup, don’t aim he said, or you’ll stop moving in line with the target.

The Waitemata Clay Target Club

Firstly, let me put this out there, as far as gun clubs in New Zealand go, this is a sleek organisation. They have a nice website, excellent facilities and a club room that would make you think of a golf course, rather than a shooting club.

There are a few different positions to shoot from, a patterning board and even an Olympic trap facility. What’s the difference with the Olympic version of the sport? More than triple the speed – 140 kph, and a greater variety of directions the clay pigeon could shoot off into.

The impressive Olympic throwers of the Waitemata Clay Target Club.
The impressive Olympic throwers of the Waitemata Clay Target Club.

Back to the club. It’s about 25 or 30 minutes from the centre of Auckland, and took me around three-quarters of an hour from East Auckland. It’s conveniently close to the Hallertau Brewery, if you wanna grab a bite and a beer (after you shoot). If you’re familiar with the NZDA Auckland branch, it’s just round the corner from there.

There’s ample parking and you don’t need to trek through bush or anything. It’s a very accessible club all round.

The Beretta under and over shotguns were a treat to shoot.
The Beretta under and over shotguns were a treat to shoot.

Shooting DTL Trap

As I mentioned before, shotgun shooting apparently just doesn’t come naturally to me. Although, I’ve got to admit, it sure was fun. The five positions you shoot from all have a mic that picks up your command to “pull”, releasing a clay. Aiming at the top of the trap house or just above, you try and move your head (and the shotgun which is welded to your cheek) along with the clay as it appears – not aiming, but simply following the target. Pull the trigger when you’re ready, and that’s all she wrote.

The mic can be set off by the loud ‘clack’ of pump or semi-auto shotgun, or people nattering away about how their last shot went. Because there are a limited number of clays available to shoot, this can be a bit frustrating if some are wasted by chatter and loud actions.

There are five different shooting positions with a shooter on each. After a shooter takes their shot, they break open their gun (or open the action on semis or pumps), and the next person loads, ready to call for their clay. Usually after five rounds, the shooters rotate to the next position, although we didn’t go through all the rotations on our first go.

The Clever Mirage trap loads were light and easy on the shoulder.
The Clever Mirage trap loads were light and easy on the shoulder.

The guns provided to us were very nice looking Beretta under and overs, and they shot like a dream. There were no malfunctions of any kind, and they were smooth and easy to operate. The Clever Mirage trap loads were light and didn’t leave us feeling bruised and battered at the end of the day.

The overall cost was not too much, considering all that is provided. For $52.50 each we got range fees, gun hire, a box of ammo each (25 rounds), 25 clay targets and some ear plugs (we forgot our hearing protection at home – although even with ear plugs, it was absolutely fine). Considering it’s a good afternoon’s entertainment, it’s well worth it – especially if you haven’t tried it before. And, speaking to Andy, it’s apparently much cheaper to shoot once you become a member. However, there is the high cost of trap or skeet shotguns to consider. Although, for the beginner, a cheap semi-auto will get you going.

For those that are interested in a casual shoot, check out the Waitemata Clay Target Club range calendar and call ahead if the weather is foul. The club rooms are easy to find and there’s a nice big sign on the road – you’ll find it easy enough.

At the end of the day, if you’re into your shotguns – this is something you should definitely try. For those that haven’t ventured into other shooting sports, it’s worth giving it a go. You never know, like my wife you may have a natural ability for reactive shooting.

Lyman bullet puller with 6.5x55 round in large collet.

Product review: Lyman Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller

Geoff 2 Comments

It’s an unfortunate fact of life for reloaders – at some point, you’ll need to pull bullets and start again. For me,this happened recently when I made a mistake with my mechanical scale while reloading for 6.5×55. I was tossing up between a press mounted bullet pulling die and a ‘hammer type’ inertia puller, when my mind was made up for me.

As often happens when you’re at your local gun store, you see something that you’ve been meaning to get for ages. For me, it was a bullet puller (as well as some dies, a cleaning rod, solvent, shell holders and more, but hey…). My initial leaning towards an inertia bullet puller was (typically) the cost saving. Most hammers are able to handle a huge variety of calibres, while a bullet-pulling die requires a collet for each calibre you’re pulling.

When I saw the Lyman Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller under the glass counter, the decision was made. Most of the impact-type pullers I’d seen did not cater for larger rounds like .416 Rigby or .338 Lapua Magnum, or even Winchester WSMs or Remington Ultra Mags. According to the packaging – the Lyman does! While I didn’t need to pull a big game magnum round any time soon, I liked the idea that I could if I really wanted to.

Putting it to the test

The Lyman Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller has all the instructions you need on the packaging.
The Lyman Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller has all the instructions you need on the packaging.

Well, how did it work? Simply and easily. I did make a simple mistake, which I’d be remiss not to share. I didn’t want to mark the plastic of my brand-new-hammer-looking-thing, so I started rapping it on a piece of timber. No dice. Then on a laminate bench. Damn… That bench top now has a massive bulge in it from being hammered into oblivion with no bullet-pulling success.

Resigned to the fact that I had made a dud purchase, I gave it a few quick raps on the concrete floor, and lo-and-behold – success!

The long and short of it

Using the Lyman bullet puller is extremely easy. It covers just about every calibre you can think of and is a cinch to use. You simply select one of the two collets, depending on the calibre you are dealing with. You slip the loaded round into the collet so the rounded edge is facing the primer end. It will sit nicely in the extractor groove.

The next step is to put the loaded round in the body of the hammer, while the collet keeps it suspended. Screw in the retaining cap and give it a few good whacks on some concrete or something to separate your ammunition into powder, projectile and primed case. I found the end cap could come a bit loose, which may require tightening after a couple blows – not a big deal really.

The instructions are on the packaging, including the size of collet you want for various calibres, so the whole process really is super easy.

I don’t like pouring powder back into the container once it’s been loaded for a while. No particular reason, I just don’t. I prefer to know the powder I’m using is 100% what it’s supposed to be when I’m loading fresh rounds. So, for that reason, powder from pulled rounds gets put straight into the hopper and used for plinking ammo. Or, if I have another jar of powder that is almost empty, I’ll put it in there and use fresh powder from a new bottle for my target loads.

Pulled SMK bullet and PPU brass.
My freshly pulled SMK ready for reloading.

The bullet itself is obviously reusable. The primed brass is too – unless, you are taking your round apart because of an issue with the primer. Now, do not try and decap an unfired primer. I shouldn’t need to explain this, but it’s basically crushing the primer from the anvil end – which will make it go bang. Not fun for your decapping pin. Not fun for you. The best way to get a primer out so you can reuse the brass is to fire the round in your rifle. You can simply load the primed case into your gun and pull the trigger (outdoors, with the muzzle pointed a safe direction – i.e. the same way you would treat it if it were a normal round). Now you can decap.

What you shouldn’t do with an inertia bullet puller

Pulled bullet with powder and case.
A pulled bullet resting in powder.

Lyman recommends on the packaging to not use the product without safety glasses. There’s not much danger in it, but you can guarantee that if anything is ever going to go wrong, it will be the one time you’re not wearing protective gear. So, as with your regular reloading (because you’re working with explosive components), chuck on some safety glasses.

You should never try and pull bullets from rimfire ammunition. It will go bang. You will regret it.

You shouldn’t expect perfect bullets if you’re using projectiles with plastic tips. Kerry from thebloke.co.nz tells how his Nosler Ballistic Tips were damaged when using this exact same puller. Bear in mind, when a bullet is moving at supersonic speeds, there is a cushion of air in front of the projectile, which means slight deformities aren’t the end of the world. This is why hollow points aren’t less accurate than FMJs. They are often more accurate because of the weight distribution.

The collet sits in the extractor groove, holding the round in place.
The collet sits in the extractor groove, holding the round in place.

That’s the theory behind Sierra Matchkings anyway, and it seems to be working well so far. So, while I wound’t mind if my lead- or plastic-tipped rounds got a bit of a crumple in them, I wouldn’t use them for target loads. Repeatability leads to accuracy. I would use rounds like this for hunting at normal ranges or general plinking or practice – they’ll still do their job and expand on game.

If you are concerned about the condition of the your match rounds or long-distance projectiles, a press-mounted bullet puller might be what you’re after. However, I have used the Lyman puller for SMKs, and it’s worked out just fine, with no damage to the projectile tip that I can see.

Hoppes No. 9 Synthetic Blend.

Product review: Hoppes No. 9 Synthetic Blend Bore Cleaner

Geoff Leave a comment

Firearm maintenance is different for everybody. For some it’s a sacred ritual after every trip to the range or field, and for others it’s a chore that’s completed as quickly as possible. Either way, the products we use play a big part. I’ve always liked Hoppes No. 9. To be fair it’s not the best cleaner on the market, but it works – and has done so for over a century.

Development of Hoppes Bore Cleaner

However, according to the Hoppes, it’s this very legacy that has resulted in the new synthetic blend. I say new, but it’s been around for a couple years now. Compared to 110 years – it’s still fairly new I guess. While the original No. 9 was developed to deal with the corrosive nature of the, then, new smokeless powders on the market and used by the military. The new synthetic blend is claimed to be an advancement with the modern firearm in mind.

Hoppes’ website says that the new blend is safe on the materials used in modern guns – and let’s be honest, things have changed in the manufacture of firearms. The manufacturer also states that it is biodegradable and non-flamable – not what you’d expect from your average gun cleaner. It’s nice to know that not everything in your garage is harmful to your health and the environment – so that’s a plus.  It even smells the same – and you know you love the smell of old No. 9.

Superior penetration is another claim made by Hoppes, and this is something that you should get excited about. I’m one of those gun owners that likes to run a wet patch through before storing firearms, and a dry patch through when taking them out – given time to work in the bore, you’d be surprised at how much more fouling will come out. So I really appreciate the fact that the new blend is thicker than the old one.

New and improved

The Synthetic Blend says so on the label - so you won't get confused.
The Synthetic Blend says so on the label – so you won’t get confused.

The higher viscosity of the new blend means it’s more cloying – it clings to the inside of your barrel better. A patch will still clean it out, but what I’m talking about is the ability of the cleaner to work it’s way into the grooves and stay there. You’ll notice when you wet a patch that your cleaner on your fingertips is thicker and stays there if not wipe off, whereas you’d barely notice the old No. 9 and it would evaporate or dry fairly quickly. You may also notice reside when you retract your cleaning rod – more proof that the cleaner sticks where you put it.

I do like Hoppes, and will continue to use the new synthetic blend. I’ll have to do another test against some other bore cleaners in the future, but in the meantime, this is one I’ll stick with.

 

Regular target at HSSRC

Where to shoot in NZ: HSSRC

Geoff 5 Comments

If you’re new to shooting – perhaps you’ve never seen a rifle up close – learning more about the sport can be daunting. The best way to go about it is to find a local club where you can develop your knowledge and trial different equipment before buying your own. You can also get a feel for different shooting disciplines and even competition, to see what most piques your interest.

A great place to get started is the shooting range in Howick. If you’re in East Auckland it’s a convenient place to shoot, and it’s fully indoors which is great in winter. There are quite  a few different clubs operating out of this range, including a couple sporting smallbore clubs, a target shooting club, air rifles and a pistol shooting club as well.

My favourite organisation at this range (and I’ve tried almost all of the options on offer), is the Howick Smallbore Sporting Rifle Club (HSSRC). It’s an extremely friendly environment and has a wealth of experienced shooters willing to lend a hand. The range is great and the club equipment is very good – the shooting fees are cheap too. You can hire a rifle, pay your range fee and pay for your ammo for less than a movie ticket – not a bad way to spend a Friday evening. You’ll also be fully supervised (if you’re unlicensed) throughout the shoot with full instruction – easy as!

Moving on in the club, you can participate as a range officer or assistant range officer, or help new shooters as well. You can also participate in the inter-club tournament and the club fun shoots and end-of-year prize shoot. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved, which you’ll find out as you go along. You’ll also find most shooters here engage in a couple different disciplines, and can not only help you with your shooting technique, but can also point you towards other clubs and competitions you might enjoy.

If you’re looking for a good place to learn, or you’re new to the area and already a competent shooter, this could be the place for you.

The club shoots on Friday evenings from around 7 pm onwards, and has plenty of gear available. You can also purchase ammo at very reasonable rates. Once you become a member (which doesn’t cost much at all), your weekly shoots and ammo will be even cheaper. If you’d like more info, leave a question in the comments below, or head on over to the HSSRC facebook page.

 

SW990 Tanto-style, black-oxide finshed knife.

Smith & Wesson SW990 review

Geoff Leave a comment

Smith & Wesson is well known for their popular sporting rifles and innovative firearm designs. They also make many hunting and shooting accessories, including the SW990 knife. It’s a tactical-style knife at a CB price-point, what’s not to love? Here’s my review of this offering from S&W.

The purpose of the knife

As long as you buy this knife for the purpose for which it was designed, you should be happy. This is not your main skinning knife or an 18th birthday present – it’s a functional backup knife with some pretty cool features.

Firstly, this knife comes in two designs. There’s the drop point blade in a bead-blasted, stainless finish. There’s also the modified Tanto-style, which has more of a tactical look, and a black oxide finish. The blade itself is 440C stainless steel. This type of stainless steel is very common in knife-making and features a very high carbon content and corrosion resistance.

It’s a full-tang design, which means optimal strength. The blade and zytel handle are both skeletonised, which may be to reduce weight, etc, but realistically I think is just because it looks cool. The thumb ramp and finger guard are both notched for better grip. The overall length of the knife is 170 mm, with a 75 mm blade. Including the sheath, the length comes to 195 mm – it’s a pretty compact unit.

This knife comes with a plastic sheath that is meant to be hung around the neck or attached to a backpack. My particular knife didn’t come with the ball chain I see advertised on other sites, but I didn’t pay much for it, so I can’t really complain. The sheath has two small holes to loop the chain through so that you can attach it to your pack, or as mentioned before, hang it from your neck.

The nearly indestructible plastic sheath also features an emergency whistle, which is a great thing to have if you’re hunting or climbing and the darkness or weather rolls in quicker than expected. The sheath also has a very positive lock, keeping the knife in place, even when it’s hanging upside down.

Although designed and marketed by S&W, the knife is produced in China. Worried about quality? Well, there’s not much that could go wrong with this simple, no-frills design. The only negative thing I have to say about this cheap and well-made knife is that it is not as sharp as I would have expected. Of course, this is easily remedied with a bit of sharpening – which is not unusual with a new knife.

Overall, for the $10.50 it cost me on Trademe, plus the $5 overnight courier  to my work, I’m very pleased with this knife, and it will be going on my backpack before the next time I head out.

If you’d like to know where you can get one of these (aside from a quick Google search), leave a comment and I’ll give you the name of the Trademe trader I bought mine off – he (or she) seems to have plenty more.

Ejected .223 brass

Starting out in 3-gun competition: Affordable AR-15 options

Geoff 1 Comment

One of my goals over the next couple years is to get into 3-gun competition. I say the next couple years because this will necessitate qualifying for and buying a pistol, with all the hefty club fees and added security that goes with that. Not to mention it’s a lengthy process.

On top of that I will, at some stage, need to get an E-Cat licence, as it’s hard to be competitive in these games with a 7-round magazine. This is starting to get expensive. And then there’s the shotgun which, when all is considered, is the least of my concerns.

So, before I’m elbow-deep in debt and fired casings, I’ll probably want to get an A-Cat AR-15 which I can practice with in the meantime. While I’d love a $3000 AR-15 variant chambered in .223 Webley, I’ll settle for a more run-of-the-mill offering for now. Fortunately, getting into black rifles isn’t nearly as expensive as it used to be, even just a few short years ago.

Here are my top picks for affordable AR-15s to help get you into your desired shooting sport. Remember, if you’re going to do service rifle shooting, you may need to modify these to comply with your club’s rules.

NEA-15 Carbine

You can spend a couple hundred more to get these in a fuller-length version, but the point of this blog post is to find the most cheap and cheerful AR variants out there.

The NEA-15 is a Canadian export which is on the cheaper side of things when it comes to North American firearms. As with any AR, they are highly accessorisbale, and have many interchangable parts which will help you customise your new rifle.

You can pick these up for $1799 from NZAR15.com, and they come in a variety of configurations. At the time of writing they have chamberings of 5.56 mm and 300BLK available, colour options of Flat Dark Earth (FDE) or black, and barrel lengths of 12.5 or 14.5 inches.

The barrel twist is 1:7 – perfect for those long, heavy bullets that dominate sport competitions. However, the extremely short barrel will make practising at longer ranges a bit more difficult. Most serious 3Gun competitors use 18 – 20 inch barrels. Bear in mind that some shots can be up to 500 yards in a 3Gun match.

S&W M&P-15 Sport

Smith & Wesson has some great offerings in their M&P (Military and Police) range. The Sport variant is an AR-type rifle that compromises on some features and gives more in other areas. The S&W M&P-15 Sport is a well-balanced offering.

The 16-inch barrel is a pretty good all-rounder, as is the 1 in 9 inch twist rate. The large trigger guard is great for those with larger hands and/or gloves in winter. It comes with adjustable sights already fitted as well, which is a bit of a saving – unless you’re going for magnified optics anyway. On the downside, the foregrip doesn’t have the wealth of rails found on the NEA-15 or most other modern AR-variants. And the forward assist. There isn’t one.

How many times have you seen an AR user engage the forward assist to re-chamber a round? Never? Me neither. And realistically, if you did have a reclacitrant round that wouldn’t chamber in the middle of a match or fast-paced shooting situation, you’d simply rack the bolt and chamber a fresh round. I personally don’t like it, because that means there’s a live round on the deck – but it’s not exactly dangerous. I’ve shot with many ex-military types who advise to simply rack the bolt in a high-pressure or high-speed scenario, regardless of whether you have a forward assist or not. Get the offender out of there and chamber a fresh round is the most common response.

Some ups, some downs, but the most attractive thing about this AR is it’s price point. You can pick one up from gunsnz.com for a mere $1595.

Chinese AR-15 copies

There are an abundance of AR clones out there, and just about everyone is making them. There are a couple Chinese-made versions floating around, including the Ranger offerings. realistically, these are probably made using the same tooling as many other more “up-market” brands. Most manufacturers purchase their parts from each other anyway, and simply assemble to varying specifications. Why pay an extra grand for a fancy rollmark?

I haven’t fired a Chinese AR yet, but have handled one and found the finish to be as good as any other budget-minded AR-15 clone. The Chinese weapons that I have owned have all had varying levels of fit and finish, but were pretty damn accurate with a little coaxing. My cheapest rifle regularly outscores guns that are 4 or 5 times the price, even 10 times the price I paid for mine. But then again, I did spend the better part of 6 months getting it that way.

A great bonus with the Chinese guns is that they are most likely pretty close to milspec – ideal for service rifle competitors. Other than that, I would personally opt for one of the other rifles mentioned here, especially seeing that they are a little cheaper in general than what is being asked for Norinco or Ranger weapons at the moment.

The most important thing is fit, finish and feel when you personally inspect and handle the rifle. It also helps if it’s milspec or pretty close, so that you can change uppers and lowers later down the line.