We have had some t-shirts and high end embroidered hats made for us here at New Hampshire Rifleman Magazine. Now we are offering them to our readers.
The store allows readers to show some pride with a hat or shirt in a New Hampshire Magazine written for Sportsmen and Women and for hunting and shooting families.
Hunting and shooting after all are fun sports and get you out of the house, away from the TV and away from the trappings of electronic gadgets and phones.
Enjoy!
Many of us have experienced the first shot of your rifle prints a little high and the rest settle into a group. Part of it is perhaps a cold shooter too. I have experienced this but I do not believe that I am the cause, all the time. New shooters more than veteran shooters experience lots more variation in shot placement on cold shots. Do you have a flinch? Some do! Do you know on the first shot where your trigger will break? Did you yank the trigger? No!
Some rifle barrels do this high and right thing, again in my 50 years of shooting, particularly thinner barrels. Call it what you want, temperature can change harmonics of a thin barrel more so than a thicker one on the first shot. Further that cleaning and shooting that first shot will go through the barrel faster and differently, hence it is wise to fowl your barrel with a few rounds. An article suggested running a bore snake before shooting or to run an alcohol patch. I don’t think that is necessary and neither do those that depend on the first shot.
Know your rifle on first shots and if necessary and adjust accordingly by adjusting your aim point on that shot. If you are shooting a 600 yard match and you are off by an inch (1 moa) at 100 yards then you are off by 6 inches at 600 yards. adjust the aim point for it without touching your scope. Again, know your rifle and ammo diet. That means putting shots on the target regularly. Every rifle is different…
Dry firing practice helps before shooting for groups! It aids in knowing where your trigger breaks. If your trigger is heavy, think that a new trigger can help!
Good Shooting!
© 2018
This Echo 1 Thermal Sight (1x or 2x only) appears to be more a Camera type sight.
It is very cost effective at $1150 retail vs $3000 or much more for others. This sight is intended for night hunting wild boar, and predators such as coyote and the like. It is good for home defense in a nighttime situation provided you have good batteries.
Specifications:
Below, you are looking at an electronic daylight 50 yard image as I see it on the rifle. There are several image color settings, I chose this orange color as there is good separation of the target.
The bullseye is a hand warmer taped to the center of the target. Since it is warmer than the surrounding surface, the thermal image shows up as a bright spot in a field of black. The front lens ring can be turned either clockwise or counter to focus. Out of the box the sight worked but the PR 123 batteries that came with it were depleted after 30 minutes.
I bought 2 pair of new batteries and they work fine. I had the sight on constantly for 1.5 hours and still left me with 82% of the battery life. You must read the manual to operate this sight correctly.
You can choose a reticle style from a simple cross to an open plex, square dot, no reticle and a user reticle. I like the simple cross. Below image captured at 25 yards.
I found the directions very readable. To the left of the screen is a joystick which operates the sight. Below is 25 yard and 50 yard shots with my AR-15 223. Two shots in the hand warmer and one in the tape were my final shots for that test.
Any rifle with mil-spec Picatinny rail will serve for mounting. The image capture can be 5, 15 or 30 seconds of video.
In nighttime the joystick is tactile (you can feel it) to push it to turn on. I had trouble focusing my eyes so I will experiment with distance from the screen to my eyes.
So far so good. Familiarity helps. Next is nighttime images. This sight can also be used off the rifle as a night camera to capture thermal images.
© 2018
Coming soon: Lets test the 129 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range and see how it shoots in a Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard. My friends at Nosler are sending some for me to write about. See Ed Hale’s NH Rifleman’s Nosler article for 142 grain ABLR’s
The most famous of recent Internet YouTube video’s below show Wayne van Swoll taking a Bull Elk at 603 yards with the “little” 6.5 Creedmoor (low recoil) and got full penetration and an exit wound visible in the video.
He used a 129 grain Hornady bullet. A look at the Hornady site and found a bonded bullet with a .485 G1 Ballistic Coefficient. Assuming a 24 inch barrel and a hot load he was likely able to achieve a muzzle of around 2900 to 3000 fps with Superformance Powder if he used that. We can guess that he did but don’t know for sure.
A look at the JBM ballistics site of such a round looks like this at 600 yards; This Elk got hit with Deer killing energy of around 1000 ft-lbs and still got an exit wound. Why is that?
The reason there is great penetration is largely due to this bullets sectional density, which is in the .260 class for this bullet. I thought it was .280 but was in error. The Hornady 143 grain ELD-Xspanding is higher as is the Nosler ABLR 142 grain both of these SD’s are above .290 and would have been perhaps slightly better choices for this game animal. That said; the 129 grain bullet did punch an exit wound as well. The bullets small diameter vs its mass makes it penetrate far better, placing this high in the CXP3 game killing class. And with low recoil this cartridge is easy to shoot, thus increasing accuracy at long range, “less recoil than the .270 Winchester, more accurate, and holds its energy better and longer”!!
A look at a 129 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at the same speed arrives at 1200 ft-lbs, 200 more ft-lbs of energy with a G1 BC of .561 traveling at over 2000 fps. But the load data for Nosler max’s out at 2810 fps making each round nearly identical with just over 1000 ft-lbs of delivered energy.
Preferred energy published for Elk size game is around 1500 ft-lbs. But the .264 diameter and sectional density made it a game changer as others are able to do the same with ethical results putting Elk down with one broadside clean killing shot.
In hind sight I would have chosen a heavier 6.5 bullet with high BC and a .290 class sectional density such as the Hornady ELD-X Precision Hunter 143 grain or the Nosler ABLR in 142 grain as they would arrive with a bit more energy and buck the wind a bit better too. I do have to say the 129 grain did its job magnificently regardless.
Taking a Moose with the Creedmoor can be done with heavier bullets in the 140 grain class but the shooter should opt for broadside shots. The Swedish hunters use the 6.5×55 with great success.
Having said all that; The “little” 6.5 Creedmoor is the talk of the gun world in Target as well as Hunting.
© 2018
I have been recreational shooting all my life so I felt comfortable defending my home as many like me have.
However, that said;
“You and I can do better”… and go to the next level and beyond by taking Defensive Pistol Training and other classes like I am about to do in three weeks at the SIG SAUER Academy in Epping, NH, which is just up the street for me.
This is serious training my shooting friends. Should be great fun too…
In preparation I need a new rugged belt 1.5 inches wide to “properly and securely” hold holster and the magazine pouch they can provide if you don’t have them. Even the gun can be loaned for the class.
Go to the above website for all the details…
SIG will provide New Hampshire Rifleman with a SIG P320 for Test and Evaluation and for class use.
Next is to buy my 300 rounds of 9mm non-toxic, non-jacketed frangible ammo at the Academy before training begins.
I am reading up on Tactical drills.
Should be a terrific learning experience.
Good Shooting!
When you sign up tell them New Hampshire Rifleman Magazine sent you!
M&P® Announces Addition to M&P Bodyguard® 38 Revolver Series M&P Bodyguard 38 series expanded to include gray grip, non-laser version
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (April 3, 2018) – Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced that it has expanded its popular line of small-frame revolvers to include a new, non-laser M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver. The new M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver features a gray, polymer grip; updated styling; and, a serrated ambidextrous cylinder release that is easily operated by left handed shooters. With an MSRP of $385, the new M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver delivers a feature-rich personal protection option at an excellent value.
Jan Mladek, General Manager of Smith & Wesson and M&P brands, said, “For 2018, we’ve introduced a new, non-laser version of the M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver. With a new, gray polymer grip and updated styling, the M&P Bodyguard 38 provides a great value to our customers. This new model has a gray polymer grip and updated styling to provide our customers with a new revolver option for personal protection.”
Chambered in .38 S&W Special +P, the new M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver is double action only and features a 1.875” stainless steel barrel with a lightweight, one-piece aluminum alloy upper frame, making it an ideal choice for concealed carry and personal protection. The revolver also features a pinned, black ramp front sight, ambidextrous cylinder release, and a smooth trigger pull with a 5 round stainless steel cylinder.
To stay up-to-date on the latest news from M&P, be sure to follow Smith & Wesson Corp. on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
To learn more about M&P products, please click here.
About Smith & Wesson® Smith & Wesson Corp. is a provider of quality firearms for personal protection, target shooting and hunting in the global consumer and professional markets. Smith & Wesson is world famous for its handguns and long guns sold under the Smith & Wesson®, Performance Center®, M&P®, Thompson/Center Arms™, and Gemtech® brands. Through its Manufacturing Services Division, Smith & Wesson Corp. also provides forging, machining, and precision plastic injection molding services to a wide variety of consumer goods companies. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com. |
I don’t think this is just a thermal scope, it is a “camera” too that can take thermal image photos in the forest or field, near or far they say so we shall see.
More soon… as tests progress.
Here is the latest NH Fish and Game Report 2017.
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/documents/2017-harvest-summary.pdf
Just be aware the deer tick has made home in much of New Hampshire and 50% of these ticks carry Lime Disease. Wear boots and spray clothing with permethrin. Ticks hate the stuff. and does not stink. Get it!!
Shot size usually #4, #5 or #6 but the NHFG eRegulations below provide specifics
May 3rd 2018 is opening day for Spring Season but more data in eRegulations below.
http://www.eregulations.com/newhampshire/hunting/turkey-hunting/
Sight in your shotgun! Buy a turkey target to see your shot pattern.
Adult Toms are over 20 lbs. Nice!
© 2018 photos.
See end of Article for Update.
Watching the snow fall in mid-morning March 13, 2108, UPS was out making deliveries like Santa at Christmas time and at my doorstep was a package I was expecting. It was the LabRadar Chronograph which uses Doppler radar to determine the speed of your bullet. Instead of watching the snow I could check out the LabRadar unit and install new firmware off the web. It was easy.
With a special adapter trigger, it can read arrow speed too. Error rate is 0.1%. It can read incremental speed at some yardages as your bullet travels down range. I purchased the bench mount base ($40) so it is stable.
I purchased the carry case for another ($40) the total cost puts folks over $600 but some folks can share it and split the cost of ownership. Since I do lots of testing it made sense.
The archery trigger cost is $45 dollars.
Upon validating package contents, I read the user manual and went on “youtube labradar channel” and saw the many video’s.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWLcaC5zBL-ZcdLZS9BRmKg
This unit is a great “easy to set up” tool for those of us who reload our own ammo or desire to know which powder/bullet combo is better for either hunting or competitive target shooting and calculates Standard Deviation of your string.
Soon as the snow lets us we can get to the range and see the LabRadar in action.
I called them to say we received it. The carry case was on back order but informed that it just shipped.
UPDATE
Test Day 1 March 16, 2018 Temperature 30 degrees. Used AA batteries. Shooting 6.5 Creedmoor with 142 grain Sierra HPBT with 45 grains Superformance powder.
First thing I did was to turn on so I could see the blue LED and select a new string, arm the unit so LED is Amber and fire a shot. It said that the Doppler could not find my bullet. Ok, got to be sure that the unit is pointing at your target. Must have been off a bit. I selected a new string and adjusted and fired. Vel; was 192 meters/sec. Oh my, must change that to fps so I went into the menu and made changes. Accordingly added a string 3 and ARMED unit and fired my rifle three times. Vο= 2570 fps V=2540, V=2535 fps and gave me some down range velocities and energies that I did not set yet.
The unit worked nicely. The book says to use a tube or straw to point the unit for best results. See new image below.