Gun Digest Long Range Shooting SIP #3

I fell in love with archery long before I was old enough to fall in love with a woman (yes, I know this is a gun magazine, but hold on just a minute … ). Ted Nugent is notorious for citing the “mystical flight of the arrow” as the source of attraction that drew him to bowhunting, and there is certainly something to that. Watching an arrow take flight, rise and drop into a desired target many yards away stirs up some pretty wild emotions. In a way, it’s like watching time stop: Once that arrow is released, you’ve done all you can do as a shooter. There’s nothing left but to watch the journey unfold. But more than simply watching the flight of each arrow mature, I was drawn…

Historical Notes: Hornady now produces cases and will produce ammunition (depending upon rifle manufacturing) for this long-popular wildcat chambering. Originally, this version of the .284 Winchester was designed to offer a shorter hunting cartridge that approximates 6.5-06 ballistics; the long-range accuracy potential was recognized much later. This chambering has been used extensively in NRA High Power and elsewhere, where accuracy and barrel life are important. Peak pressure specification for this thoroughly modern cartridge is comparatively high. General Comments: A 28-inch barrel loaded with any of the better VLD (very low drag), moly-plated bullets between 130 and 155 grains in this cartridge easily achieves sufficient velocities for accurate 1,000-yard benchrest shooting. These combinations generate much less recoil than any effective .30- or .33-caliber 1,000-yard match combination. This contributes to precise shooting.…

What is ‘Standing Support’? I enjoyed Patrick Sweeney’s great article on the .375 H&H Magnum Mauser in the June 2019 issue. It did raise a few questions, however. On page 33, he says, “Only later did I discover the trick of a standing support for test-firing magnums.” My question: What the heck is a standing support, and where can I get one? Thanks for the great article! John Barnett III Jackson, MS A standing support is simple: Hunters call it “African sticks” or crossed sticks. The simplest method is three sticks, long enough to be a tripod you can use while standing. A more substantial one would be a 4x4 post with a firm base, along with a sandbag or shooting rest on top. You stand behind it, rest your…

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BADROCK SOUTH FORK RIFLE The South Fork 6.5 Creedmoor rifle teeters on custom-made performance. At the heart of the South Fork is a modified Remington Model 700 action, upgraded with a coned bolt nose, fixed ejector and modified controlled-round feed. Badrock mates its action with a 26-inch, match-grade, stainless-steel barrel and fits them into a Modular Driven Technology LSS-XL Gen2 chassis. Meant to meet production rifle standards for competition, the system does make sacrifices to achieve its price point. The scope base and muzzle device are extras. Nevertheless, for what you get on the South Fork as is, that’s not much to complain about. MSRP: $1,995 BERGER 95-GRAIN HYBRID CLASSIC HUNTER Most think of the 6mm Creedmoor primarily as a competition cartridge. Loaded correctly, however, the 6.5’s little brother is…

Today’s shooters like to go long—that is, they enjoy the challenge of reaching out and touching targets at advanced ranges. Sometimes, the ability to fire accurately at 600-plus yards costs a lot of money; sometimes, it costs less. But the basics of enjoyable long-distance riflery don’t change: a good, straight barrel sitting in front of a durable, precise action, and a good trigger. Here are a few rifles that contain those basic elements and more—with the “more” meaning those extra dollars that bring bling to the targets you seek to ring. BERGARA PREMIER HMR PRO The Premier Series from Bergara has Custom Series features that are standardized for greater efficiencies in parts production and assembly. The Premier Pro upgrades the 2017 HMR (Hunting and Match Rifle) line, including a Cerakote…