November 2008 No. 241 $ Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada

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1 November 2008 No. 241 $ Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada

Sporting Firear earms Journal November 2008 Volume 40, Number 7 ISSN 0162-3593 Issue No. 241 Page 38.

308 Winchester Classic Cartridges - John Haviland Ringing True Optics - Ron Spomer 22 BLACKHAWK!

56 66 Smith & Wesson M&P15 PC From the Performance Center Mike Venturino Ruger Model 77 40-Year Evolution of an American Classic Brian Pearce

2 Sporting Firear earms Journal November 2008 Volume 40, Number 7 ISSN Issue No. 241 Page Favorite Rifles & Cartridges Pros & Cons Spotting Scope - Dave Scovill Survey Says Straight Talk - Ron Spomer.308 Winchester Classic Cartridges - John Haviland Ringing True Optics - Ron Spomer 22 BLACKHAWK! Knoxx CompStock Mostly Long Guns - Brian Pearce 28 BPCR Action Types Down Range - Mike Venturino 32 Lubrication Light Gunsmithing - Gil Sengel Smith & Wesson M&P15 PC From the Performance Center Mike Venturino Ruger Model Year Evolution of an American Classic Brian Pearce Winchester SXR Autoloader Miller Offers a Thumbs Up Al Miller The New Model 70 Winchester A New Home in Columbia, South Carolina John Haviland 74 Remington R-25 Rifle From Tactical to Practical Jim Wilson Page Background Photo: 2008 Royal Tine Images Rifle 241

On the cover... The Kimber Model 8400 Tactical rifle is outfitted with a Leupold scope.

80 Kimber Tactical Rifle Latest Upgrade on the Model 8400 Charles E.

Trzoniec What s New in the Marketplace Inside Product News - Clair Rees Page 80.

3 On the cover... The Kimber Model 8400 Tactical rifle is outfitted with a Leupold scope. The Remington Model R-25 and S&W M&P15 PC are two of the latest editions of heretofore tactical rifles directed at the sporter rifle venue. 80 Kimber Tactical Rifle Latest Upgrade on the Model 8400 Charles E. Petty 86 Choosing a Dangerous Game Rifle From the Files of a Professional Hunter Ganyana Marlin XL7: An Economical Surprise Product Tests - Staff Gary Stiles Gunmaker Custom Corner - Stan Trzoniec What s New in the Marketplace Inside Product News - Clair Rees Page Publisher of Rifle is not responsible for mishaps of any nature which might occur from use of published loading data or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. All authors are contracted under work for hire. Publisher retains all copyrights upon payment for all manuscripts. Although all possible care is exercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts. Page 66 Page 38 Page 74 Issue No. 241 November 2008 Sporting Firear earms Journal Publisher/President Don Polacek Associate Publisher Mark Harris Editor in Chief Dave Scovill Managing Editor Roberta Montgomery Art Director Gerald Hudson Production Director Becky Pinkley Contributing Editors Associate Editor Al Miller Brian Pearce Ron Spomer Clair Rees Stan Trzoniec Gil Sengel Mike Venturino Ken Waters Advertising Advertising Director - Stefanie Ramsey stefanie@riflemag.com Advertising Representative - Tom Bowman bowman.t@sbcglobal.net Advertising Information: Circulation Circulation Manager Michele Elfenbein circ@riflemagazine.com Subscription Information: Rifle (ISSN ) is published bimonthly by Polacek Publishing Corporation, dba Wolfe Publishing Company (Don Polacek, President), 2625 Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona (Also publisher of Handloader magazine.) Telephone (928) Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: U.S. possessions single issue, $5.99; 6 issues, $19.97; 12 issues, $36. Foreign and Canada single issue, $5.99; 6 issues $26; 12 issues, $48. Please allow 8-10 weeks for first issue. Advertising rates furnished on request. All rights reserved. Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing label if possible, to Circulation Dept., Rifle Magazine, 2625 Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rifle, 2625 Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona Wolfe Publishing Company 2625 Stearman Rd. Suite A Prescott, AZ Tel: (928) Fax: (928) Polacek Publishing Corporation 6 Background Photo: 2008 Royal Tine Images Rifle 241

BPCR ACTION TYPES DOWN RANGE Mike Venturino Photos by Yvonne Venturino Of all the silliness I ve seen posted on various Internet chat rooms and forums, the worst is the statement that one certain

The basic idea is that a centrally located hammer won t torque a rifle with its impact as much as a side-mounted hammer, such as found on various Sharps-type rifles.

Mostly the rifles recommended for avoiding such Custom AR-10s in the WSMs AR-15s up to.

5 BPCR ACTION TYPES DOWN RANGE Mike Venturino Photos by Yvonne Venturino Of all the silliness I ve seen posted on various Internet chat rooms and forums, the worst is the statement that one certain type of BPCR action is necessary to win in the various games, such as NRA BPCR Silhouette or NRA Mid-Range or Long-Range Target shooting. The basic idea is that a centrally located hammer won t torque a rifle with its impact as much as a side-mounted hammer, such as found on various Sharps-type rifles. Furthermore, the idea goes, that a small, light hammer hits with less disturbance than the huge ones on Sharpses or rolling blocks. Mostly the rifles recommended for avoiding such Custom AR-10s in the WSMs AR-15s up to.458 Socom Bolt Guns Brakes Contender Barrels Encore Barrels Revolvers Ruger #1s Scope Mounts All the JDJs, Whispers and 400 other calibers to choose from! SSK Industries 590 Woodvue Ln., Dept. W2 Wintersville, OH Tel: & These three basic types are favorites in the various BPCR competitions (top to bottom): C. Sharps Model 1885 High Wall, Shiloh Rifle Mfg. Sharps Model 1874 and Lone Star Rifle Company No. 1 Rolling Block. know one fellow who altered his High Wall s hammer so it would fall from the half cock notch in order to disturb the rifle even less on ignition. The games we re talking about involve shooting lead alloy bullets only, over charges of black powder either at metallic silhouettes out to 500 meters or at paper targets placed at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. The firing is done out in the open in all sorts of weather and wind conditions with light changing due to clouds. The big bullets, mostly of.40 to.45 caliber, are starting around 1,100 to 1,300 fps from rifles that weigh a maximum of 12 pounds, 2 ounces (silhouette) or 15 pounds (mid and long range.) And, I almost forgot, onefourth of the silhouette game is offhand with the targets being those tiny chickens at 200 mehammer disturbance are Winchester High Walls or one of the many replicas thereof. I even Target and Vintage Scope Repair Parsons Scope Service P.O. Box 192, Ross, OH Cleaning, reticles, complete restoration Please call for information Specialists in vintage scope repair since 1989 Rifle 241

Despite its very large side-mounted hammer, the Sharps Model 1874 (Shiloh version shown here) does very well in the BPCR competitions. Note this one has a single trigger.

com Is the type of action on which a competitor s rifle is based going to be a larger factor than all the others? It is my experience-based opinion that it is not.

6 Despite its very large side-mounted hammer, the Sharps Model 1874 (Shiloh version shown here) does very well in the BPCR competitions. Note this one has a single trigger. ters, while the position part of midrange requires one-third of the match to be fired offhand. Those paper targets are at 200 yards Is the type of action on which a competitor s rifle is based going to be a larger factor than all the others? It is my experience-based opinion that it is not. In fact, in my Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West book, I made the statement that the three most important factors with this genre of rifles are: the quality of the barrel, the quality of one s handloaded ammunition and the assistance of a darned good spotter. The type of rifle should be one that pleases your eye. That paragraph was my opinion. Now let s look at some facts. Being avid in the silhouette game, I get to rub shoulders with many of the guys winning state, regional or national championships even if I don t often get that high on the ladder myself. One of Montana s best BPCR shots is Darrell Smithson, my own shooting partner. He won the 2006 and 2007 Montana regional championships with a custom Remington Rolling Block (built by gunsmith John King). A guy who often shoots with us is Dave Gruhler of Pray, Montana. He won the 2000 and 2003 national championships. His rifle was also built by John King a Remington Rolling Block What about those archaic, side-hammer Sharpses? Well, Montana bullet mould and custom knife maker Steve Brooks also has won the national silhouette championship twice (1998 and 2001) and so many state and regional championships I ve lost count. For most, if not all, of those titles he used a Shiloh Model 1874 Sharps Another good friend here in Montana is Ted Tompkins, who won the iron sight state championship in 2006 and the scoped state championship in His rifle for both was a custom Model 1877 Sharps.45-90, again built by John King. Rifles with centrally hung, lightweight hammers do win matches. A.P. Butch Ulsher of Butte has won the national long-range target championship twice and at least three of the Montana state championships. The rifle for all was an original Remington Hepburn with a Krieger barrel. The 2008 Montana regional championship was won by Lee Lewis of Idaho using a Steve Meacham reproduction High Wall The 2006 national championship was won by David Barnes of Texas with another Meacham High Wall, this one a.45-70, and Mike Patterson of Kentucky won the 2007 nationals with a rebarreled original Winchester High Wall. Likewise it was Rifle 241

45-100, and they re all over the map as to actions. New ones, old ones, side hammers, central hammers, light hammers and heavy hammers.

7 The proponents of High Wall actions feel that their lighter, centrally located hammers give them an advantage. The point of this is that the common thread among all these winners is not the rifle s action type or even its caliber. Note that they ranged from the light to the heavy , and they re all over the map as to actions. New ones, old ones, side hammers, central hammers, light hammers and heavy hammers. Double set triggers are favored, but Butch Ulsher s Hepburn has a single trigger. What I do know as a common thread among them is that all those guys cast their own bullets, and all are extremely knowledgeable and meticulous handloaders. But here s what I think is the true kicker of all this: Every one of the above-mentioned gents is a very avid shooter and competitor. I can t speak for the Texas and Kentucky fellows, but the Montana guys attend dozens of matches every season. I know, for I am there too just not shooting as good as them most of the time. Winning competition shooters usually stick with one rifle and mostly shoot with the same partner. The bottom line is that rifle action types don t win matches. What does win them is experience coupled with unbridled enthusiasm. R

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10 Charles E. Petty T The biggest buzzword in all of shooting right now is tactical. For some the word conjures up only images of black-clad ninja warriors, but some see misinformed wannabes who would run screaming for their momma if somebody really took a shot at them. We should be forever grateful that most of the real tactical guys are on our side. Very often tactical and black are synonyms and can be applied to any firearm rifle, shotgun or handgun and the assumption is that their only use is militaristic. I see it very differently. Sure black guns can be, and are, used for both good and evil purpose, but when we speak of the tactical rifle like the one you see here, my first thought is accurate. Color is no longer relevant due to the current popularity of sand. My war-fighter age is long past, but that doesn t mean I cannot have fun reaching out and touching a steel target 500 yards away or perhaps yon distant prairie dog who thinks he s safe. The last time I really concerned myself over the use of any of my tactical firearms was on New Year s Eve While I really didn t expect mobs to run rampant in the streets as the Y2K doomsday prophets said, I m still finding loaded AR-15 magazines I stashed around the house, and my longrange rifle was next to the upstairs window that commanded the best field of fire. Depending on how you score such things, I guess it s fair to say I have a bunch of these black guns, for I ve got ARs in.223 (5.56, for the tactically correct) and 6.8 SPC and a pair of Remington 700Ps in.223 and.308. None has fired a shot in anger, but they don t sit unused either. All get fired because I enjoy shooting them and because they are very useful learning tools for me as I pursue the elusive best ammunition, bullet, scope or widget I can find. When the opportunity came along to play with Kimber s Tactical rifle, I simply couldn t find an excuse not to. It is based on Kimber s new Model 8400 action, which reminds me oh so strongly of the beloved old Winchester Model 70. It has the threeposition safety, controlled-round feed and claw extractor that make the purist s heart flutter. And even though Kimber has modified the extractor a Kim Tacti Rifle 80 Rifle 241

ber Latest Upgrade on the Model 8400 cal Charlie tested the Kimber Tactical rifle with a Leupold 8.

11 ber Latest Upgrade on the Model 8400 cal Charlie tested the Kimber Tactical rifle with a Leupold x 50mm Long Range scope Photos by Bob Maddox November-December

Kimber Tactical Rifle little, so it will pop over a cartridge rim without harm, I could not break the habit of snapping the round into the magazine even when shooting single shots.

It has been my sad lot in life to work extensively with an assortment of.

12 Kimber Tactical Rifle little, so it will pop over a cartridge rim without harm, I could not break the habit of snapping the round into the magazine even when shooting single shots. And they fed so smoothly anyway. The Kimber came dressed just the way a cool rifle should these days with an adjustable McMillan stock and appropriate desert camouflage paint job. It has been my sad lot in life to work extensively with an assortment of.308 sniper rifles, so I ve got a pretty good idea what to expect from one, but just for grins I asked a question on one of the Internet forums I read and was frankly amazed at some of the replies. One guy suggested that anything over.10 minute of angle (MOA) was simply too pedestrian for consideration. Of course, I also know a bunch of benchrest shooters who would kill for that kind of accuracy, but then I learned he was using a totally custom, race-ready rifle from an ivory tower gunsmith. Then came an answer from somebody with more earthly experience who allowed as how.5 MOA was realistic, which agrees with my results from factory stock guns. Even though most hunters want sub-moa rifles, it is rarely true The claw extractor holds the cartridge against the bolt face for controlled feed. The Kimber came dressed with an adjustable McMillan stock and appropriate desert camouflage paint job. that they need them. If we consider that the vital area of most big game animals is a 6- to 8-inch circle, our expectations may be a bit too high, but without doubt it is more fun to shoot guns that do better. We also need to remember that not all ammunition is capable of spectacular groups. Good game bullets usually don t compare with match stuff. Tactical rifles are almost always shot with match ammunition or handloads. It is rare for shooters to use typical hunting bullets, al- The McMillan stock can be adjusted any way you want. though in some actual situations specialty bullets might be used to penetrate glass or other barriers. I generally limit my shooting of rifles like this to match ammunition or comparable handloads, usually with 168- or 175-grain bullets. For years the Sierra 168-grain MatchKing was the bullet of choice, but lately the heavier style is finding lots of favor. The funny thing is that this seems to be very rifle dependent. I have two other.308s and one shows a decided preference for the 168s, but the other one likes the heavier bullet. As a practical matter, though, the recreational shooter doesn t have to just shoot match grade bullets, and there certainly are others that are capable of completely acceptable accuracy. All it takes is a little trial and error. Specifications Kimber Advanced Tactical Mechanism type: bolt action Caliber:.308 Winchester Barrel length: 24 inches Rifling: 4 grooves, one-in-12-inch twist Weight: 9 pounds, 13 ounces Magazine capacity: 5 Stock: McMillan A-5 Trigger: 3.0 pounds Sights: none, Picatinny rail Price: $2,497 Manufacturer: Kimber Manufacturing 1 Lawton St. Yonkers NY Rifle 241

Kimber offers three grades of tactical rifles: Advanced Tactical, Tactical and Light Police Tactical that differ primarily in the stock configuration.

It is topped with a Leupold 10x Tactical scope with 30mm Mark IV rings.

13 Kimber offers three grades of tactical rifles: Advanced Tactical, Tactical and Light Police Tactical that differ primarily in the stock configuration. The one received for testing was Kimber s top-ofthe-line Advanced Tactical, along with an accessory package with everything you need but ammunition, and maybe a little skill. It is topped with a Leupold 10x Tactical scope with 30mm Mark IV rings. There s a bipod, sling, cleaning kit and a spiffy torque wrench to be sure the action screws remain at the proper 60- inch/pound tightness. The case is one of those indestructible things that fortunately comes with wheels. The most notable difference among the models is the stock, and this one has a McMillan that is adjustable for everything that can be adjusted. Length of pull and drop are adjustable by moving the recoil pad and adding The bipod is almost as good as shooting from the bench. or removing spacers, and the position of the comb is controlled by a pair of setscrews on the right side. I m sort of average in Kimber offers three grades of tactical rifles. the stock dimensions that work for me, so there was no need to change those but being able to raise the comb a bit for a better cheek weld was convenient. One question everyone asks about this type of rifle is, Who made the barrel? So I asked and the Kimber spokesman assured me it was made in-house. I have visited the factory and seen complete facilities for button rifling, so that s that. As is often the case with loaner guns, I did not get to play with this one as much as I would have liked. But I was able to shoot it November-December

Kimber Tactical Rifle The complete kit, which includes the scope, bipod, cleaning kit and torque wrench, is available at extra cost. several times over a two-week period.

The trigger broke crisply at just over 3 pounds, and the action was slick and smooth. The next trip to the range was a glorified plinking session. We have an Kimber promises.5 MOA accuracy.

I was able to hit those at will using the mildot reticle, although the largest target really did not require any holdover for solid hits.

During the course of that afternoon, I shot about 40 rounds with one clean- ing in the middle. Any misses were simply my fault.

14 Kimber Tactical Rifle The complete kit, which includes the scope, bipod, cleaning kit and torque wrench, is available at extra cost. several times over a two-week period. The first effort was a limited barrel break-in, since the rifle s history was unknown to me. This also served to establish a good 100-yard zero with the 10x Leupold. The trigger broke crisply at just over 3 pounds, and the action was slick and smooth. The next trip to the range was a glorified plinking session. We have an Kimber promises.5 MOA accuracy. assortment of steel targets at 300 yards that range from about 6 to 14 inches in diameter. I was able to hit those at will using the mildot reticle, although the largest target really did not require any holdover for solid hits. To me this is just as informative as shooting paper groups, and when you hear that loud swack noise, you know all is well. During the course of that afternoon, I shot about 40 rounds with one clean- ing in the middle. Any misses were simply my fault. For a more serious accuracy test, I chose to replace the 10x scope with Leupold s new x 50mm Long Range scope to bolster my confidence in the results. Accuracy Results extreme standard group load velocity spread deviation average (grains) (fps) (fps) (inch) 168 Black Hills Match 2, Black Hills Match 2, Federal Match 2, Federal Match 2, Winchester Match 2, Notes: Accuracy results are five-shot groups from benchrest. Velocity is the instrumental average of 15 rounds taken 15 feet from the muzzle. Ammunition was restricted to match loads from major manufacturers with both 168- and 175- grain bullets. The results are listed in the table. Kimber promises.5 MOA accuracy, and I got it with the Federal Gold Medal, which is a virtual standard in the industry for accuracy testing. Unfortunately time did not permit any handload workups, but I am sure the potential is there for greater accuracy. When all was done, there really wasn t anything to criticize. It was a handsome rifle decked out in desert colors that fed rounds from the magazine without a hitch. The claw extractor provided controlled feed without interference, and the oversize bolt handle made it easy to slam them home. It was a joy to shoot. R 84 Rifle 241

May 2008 No. 237 $ Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada

May 2008 No. 237 $ Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada May 2008 No. 237 $5.99 05 7 25274 01240 4 Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada Sporting Firear earms Journal May-June 2008 Volume 40, Number 3 ISSN 0162-3593 Issue No. 237 Page 44.. 14 16 22 8 Africa Spotting