#Accuracy

In examining the future of infantry capability, we must not only be aware of potential technological solutions, but of the need to re-think and re-work what it means to train and prepare troops for future battlefields. At the core of this is the simple matter of man and rifle, of marksmanship.

TriggerTech has introduced a new trigger for Remington 700 rifles. It is called “Diamond” and features their Variable Rate Adjustment Technology and Pro Curved trigger lever. The new trigger is designed for competition shooters. It can be adjusted from 4 oz to 32 oz.

Federal Premium has released a video explaining the AccuChannel Groove technology seen on the bullets of their Edge TLR ammunition. Based on the conducted tests, they’ve found out that if placed in a specific location, a single groove on the projectile will have the advantages of multiple grooves. They also have a different groove geometry which according to Federal Premium reduces the pressure on the groove as well as decreases the drag of the bullet thus improving its performance.

Does pointing your gun up or down affect its accuracy? The answer is “maybe” according to a recent US Army Armament Development, Research and Engineering Center (ARDEC) presentation released at the 2017 National Defense Industry Association small arms conference. The presentation covers a study conducted by ARDEC which examined the effect of ullage (free space in a loaded round) and orientation on the consistency and velocity of small arms ammunition.

In the ongoing controversy about the G36 assault rifle, German gunmaker Heckler & Koch have won a major victory against the German federal government, as the Koblenz court where the company’s lawsuit against the government was tried ruled that the company was at no fault for the G36’s design. Reuters reports:

While ballistic calculators have largely removed much of the math skills that were required to shoot long range, they have become quite the handy tool making long-range shooting accessible (and enjoyable) for those not steeped in ballistic mysticisms. Stepping up to take more mystery out of long-range shooting is Hornady, with the latest update to their ballistic calculator program dubbed “4DOF” for “Four Degrees of Freedom.”

If there’s one thing you find you really do need a part of your kit if you’re a dedicated rifle shooter, it’s a shooting mat. Although there’s nothing wrong with getting down on the grass, in the dirt, and over the admittedly jagged edges of rocks, there are reasons beyond comfort for having a well-made mat. For example, some guns – especially those of greater weight – have bipods that will sink right into the dirt. It’s hard – no, impossible – to stay on target when your bipod is constantly behaving as though it’s resting atop quicksand. Now there’s a new shooting mat out from MidwayUSA designed to meet a variety of needs.

Let’s talk about the importance of words, a little terminology 101. After all, you never know when you might learn something new – or find something worth passing on to a newbie (or even if it isn’t exactly new, it might serve as a gentle reminder of its value). And if you love guns like I do (passionately, ridiculously, and possibly obsessively), you’ll probably be nodding your head in agreement as you go, even as you roll your eyes. Yes, we love guns, so please, let’s get a few things straight.

The X95 was released to the market with much fanfare. Focusing on streamlining the operations of the rifle, IWI had a veritable second “home run” on its hands after the original Tavor, but the weapon has been criticized for poor accuracy. Our Nathaniel F caught the first wind of the X95 having issues and again reported on it after Tim from Military Arms Channel put it through some respectable testing.

The question – raised by AR15.com poster AJBello – of whether the X95 has an issue with wider-than-expected dispersion from a rest with match ammo, has hit the next note. Tim of the Military Arms Channel, a long time Tavor and new X95 owner, put the X95 to the test at the 100 yard line with few different brands of ammunition:

The X95 has just hit the US market after a firestorm of buzz surrounding the rifle’s launch in January at the 2016 SHOT Show. However, reports from AR15.com indicate that the initial batch of rifles may be experiencing some accuracy-related issues. User AJBello on the popular gun forum posted pictures of groups his new rifle shot with a variety of ammunition, including many match-grade brands, compared with groups shot with the same ammunition from his SBR’ed Bravo Company Machine AR-15. The groups showed a great deal of variation in the groups, from over 2.5″ minimum extreme spread to almost 5″ with IWI M855:

Reticle preferences tend to be just that: preferences. Even when shooting and hunting at longer ranges different shooters lean towards varying reticles, which doesn’t make one or the other right (or wrong). In response to those varied preferences, Leupold is now offering more reticle options to their existing line of optics.

While .50BMG can carve a pumpkin in a single shot, it seems the .22LR is better suited for actually attempting to “carve” a pumpkin. Poised as a shooting came (I agree it would be), Kirsten Joy Weiss starts carving using a custom 10/22.

Now here is a shooting event I would love to see emulated in the US, especially with the locally-sourced teams. At the Stickledown Range in Bisley (Surrey, outside the M25 loop around London), shooters competed at up to 1000 yards with teams of 10, all from local shooting matches. There are 8 shooters and 2 coaches (which act as spotter, shot-caller, and wind-caller).

VSO (Vigilant Spectre Operations) gun channel tests Wolf Gold a common “cheap” ammo loading typically from Asia to M-193 specifications. To give viewers some perspective, they also test PMC Bronze (also loaded in Asia, typically South Korea), which shoots roughly similar out of the test rifle.