MatchGrade Bedding Products are a new range of  products that have been specifically designed, developed and tested by Terminal Ballistics Research in conjunction with a leading New Zealand polymer resin manufacturer.

For optimum accuracy, a rifle should always be bedded at the action and beginning of the barrel. Along with bedding, the barrel should always be free floated (not touching the stock forend). Nevertheless, regardless of efforts to free float the barrel, plastic rifle stocks often suffer forend flexing. In some instances, flexing will cause direct pressure against the rifle barrel, in other cases, the stress is indirect. In either case, these stresses upset barrel harmonics with a drastically negative effect on rifle accuracy.

See the following links for more information:

• Matchgrade Bedding Products
• Matchgrade Synthetic Stock Stabiliser Instructions
• How to Bed a Riflle with MatchGrade Bedding Compound
• Article - What is Rifle Bedding?

To go with the release of our new MatchGrade Bedding Products, I have published a new article - What is Rifle Bedding?

Rifle bedding is fundamental to rifle accuracy. The term bedding refers to the fit and stability of a barreled action within the rifle stock. If the fit and stability of the metal work in relationship to the stock is poor, the rifle will be in-accurate. Bedding a rifle with a polymer resin is the optimum method of obtaining a correct fit, long term stock stability and optimum rifle accuracy.

To find out more about rifle bedding, you can read the full article here.

Have just published another new article - 'The Dummies Guide to Rifle Accuracy'

As a hunting guide, the biggest problem I am faced with (besides locating game) is in-accurate rifles. Before each hunt I advise clients that long shots of around 300 yards are very common on our hunting blocks. I then ask each client to check their rifles carefully to ensure that the rifle is both accurate and zeroed appropriately for the ranges we will encounter.

Unfortunately we are finding that eighty percent of the rifles brought here for hunting aren’t capable of even basic accuracy. Think about that, for every ten rifles you are seeing on the gun store walls, two, at most, will be accurate and these, in my experience have been more of a fluke than good management.

Of the in-accurate rifles that come here, some have been brand new high end several thousand dollar jobs, others have been basic production sporting rifles. Some clients have had to give up after their rifle shot all over the target at the range and use one of our back up rifles for their hunt.

The latest article talks about what is an accurate rifle and how you can know whether your rifle is accurate or not.  You can read the full article here.

Have just published my first website article - 'Bedding the Ruger 10/22'

The .22lr is used for practice, plinking, pest control and varminting throughout the world.  In New Zealand, the .22lr is also heavily relied upon as a working tool for the hunting of possums for profit.

The Brushtail possum is a small omnivorus nocturnal marsupial, about the size of a house cat, that was introduced into NZ from Australia by early settlers. In NZ's temperate climate Possum numbers soon climbed to plague proportions. The possum is currently classed in NZ as a pest however it is also viewed as a valuable export earner. Possum skins are used to make high fashion fur garments while another market uses the plucked fur blended with merino sheep wool to produce extremely fine, smooth textured textiles with incredible thermal properties.

One of the greatest possum hunting rifles introduced to NZ has been the Ruger 10/22. This relatively budget built semi auto has the firepower and ruggedness required for NZ's sometimes wet muddy conditions but its design towards the goal of accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. Various customising kits are available for the 10/22 and do aid in the development of a more accurate firearm. Where money allows, these drop in solutions are very useful however some modifications can be made without, or as part of the customising process with very good results. For the commercial hunter it must be noted that a custom after market heavy barrel is not desirable as he or she will also be carrying the weight of a mounted spotlight and back packed 12 volt battery. That said, the commercial hunter needs a rifle that is accurate with a wide variety of ammunition in order to be able to utilise cheap ammunition deals as well as subsonic and hyper velocity ammunition depending on individual hunting situations. The commercial possum hunter will likely use up to a brick of ammunition per week.

So how do you go about accurising the standard Ruger 10/22 rifle?  You can read all about it here.