This year, we attended SHOT for our first time thanks to the kind sponsorship of Dave Manson (Manson Reamers). To say that the event was overwhelming is an understatement. SHOT brought in 65,000 visitors, all crammed under the one roof over the space of four days. The event was so large that I only viewed around one third of the booths while trying to juggle time in our booth versus the time I needed to meet up with other specific booth holders.



Our sponsors Dave and Ann Manson with Steph and Riley. Kids were not allowed at the event so Steph missed much of SHOT.



Tight security as we approached the event.

The general feel of the event was very positive, reaching a climax when the new U.S president was inaugurated to the cheers of attendees that could be heard throughout the convention center.

As many of you know, the subjects and methods I teach are at times at loggerheads with this industry so I was interested to see what kind of a response we would receive and I put a good deal of time into observation of general trends. In talking to attendees, I felt that many hunters / shooters are now beginning to see through some of the gimmicks of the industry. I met people who had been sucked into past rifle and bullet designs, had learned the hard way and wanted to move forwards. This was all good verification on the back of the release of my second edition cartridges book. I also loved the matter of fact style of communication from Texas visitors.



Our booth with Manson reamers. UK gunsmith Mike Norris (multicam pack) and his wife stand to the side watching the foot traffic flow.

As time allowed, I was able to visit several booths of interest to me. To begin with, I met with Sierra Bullet staff who were immensely responsive to the research in my Long Range Cartridges book. I do very much hope to be able to contribute to the work Sierra are doing so that we as hunters can have the very best in bullet designs. I also met up with Dustin Worrell from DRT bullets, another bullet maker who I believe is doing great things. This company very much needs support from customers so that it can grow, expand (new bullet designs / calibers) and flourish long term. I was also able to meet with Hornady Staff members Mitch Middlestaed, Neil Emery (no relation to Dave) and Hornady’s senior ballistician Dave Emary. This was a highlight for me due to the fact that many years ago, though Dave may not remember, he helped me along during my initial learning phase. I could tell that being put on display for fans at SHOT was very hard on Dave (and others) yet he remained willing. When speaking of his past he stated - “I was such a nerd as a kid yet I was completely shit at maths. I just wanted to blow shit up. My father didn’t know what the hell to think”. But with great perseverance, Dave managed to overcome the many challenges of his trade and achieve mastery. It felt good to meet someone I was on the same page with. While speaking of one particular brand of rifle, I was about to mention my expected group sizes (out of the box)  when Dave finished my sentence stating 2.5 MOA. This pleased me no end because I often hear of greatly exaggerated claims with this rifle out of the box. By the same token, I quite like these rifles, they simply need a good work over (bedding, trigger, lugs) before one can really get down to business. Again, Dave was on the same page, an everyday down to earth guy who has walked the walk.  Dave also relayed some of his crazy experiences from earlier years when he did finally get a chance to 'blow shit up'. It was a very interesting chat.



Myself and Dave Emary, senior ballistician for Hornady.

Later in the event I got to talk with folk from Cutting Edge and also Lehigh. In both instances it was interesting to see that these homogenous copper bullet makers have come to understand the need for a bullet that loses some weight and SD as a means to maximize energy transfer. A main factor has been the .300 Blackout which can be a hopeless hunting cartridge if used with the wrong bullet design. This has pushed many bullet makers towards a deeper understanding of terminal performance. Prior to this, I felt that too much emphasis was placed more on getting the bullet to reach its target and generally expand to create a 'nice looking' mushroom. I very much liked the fact that Lehigh utilize a wide meplat for maximum energy transfer across all of their bullet designs. This is about doing what is right rather than doing what is fashionable (e.g maximum BC).



Funky bullet designs from Cutting edge. Note the heavy notches and wide hollow points (including behind Raptor polymer tips).




Cutting Edge Laser.


Cutting Edge are also using wide meplats but with polymer tips to boost BC’s, the Raptor line is for general hunting, the Laser line for long ranges. Cutting Edge also produce an extreme range bullet, but I am dubious as to its killing prowess on lean bodied deer at very low velocities due to the very small meplat on this bullet deign. I really need to test all of these for myself (as opposed to studying gel blocks and photos) to make further comments. The one factor I loved about both companies is that when I asked if it would be possible to order enhanced designs, both companies offered me custom options provided bullets are ordered in a decent quantity to justify CNC set up time. In plain terms, a distributor can ask for an extra deep hollow point bullet design. I cannot really go into more detail within this space but those who have read my books will understand the potential of this and how any loss in SD / penetration can be overcome via other factors. Please remember this as it is there for the taking. If you are a distributor wanting something with an edge to it, you may wish to consider an extra deep HP design and you are most welcome to put my name on it as a Foster style optimum long range killing bullet.



Justin Evans from Lehigh defense. I am holding the latest Blackout bullet from Lehigh, showing performance at 1400fps.



Close up of the Lehigh .300 Blackout bullet. The meplat is unashamedly large and deliberately weakened to maximize performance. It is no good being able to hit a live target if you can't kill it and to this end, the BC of a bullet must always be considered secondary regardless of what others may have you believe.

Further within the labyrinth of SHOT, I came across the NZ made Annealing Made Perfect case annealing machine http://www.ampannealing.com/. This really is an amazing little machine and it is no wonder that the manufacturer is fully booked with orders. I had been aware of this company for some time but it was not until SHOT that I was finally able to meet with Co-owner Matt Findlay.

I was also fortunate enough to meet Karl Lewis of Lewis Machine and Tool. The NZ army recently adopted LMT rifles as a replacement for the Steyr. LMT are a highly respected maker of reliable and accurate weaponry and it is very good to know that our soldiers are now being issued with this kit. While visiting, Karl could not help but show off the Compressor rifle, an extremely short AR-15 platform rifle coming in at just 24.5”. The system is such that our NZ rifles can be changed over to this configuration should various situations demand it. There was of course the duller side of SHOT which involved black rifles in just about every aisle. Many passers by complained to me that they were utterly sick of seeing hand guards and add-ons from booth to booth. Tactical bolt action rifles were also the rage. The hardest to find was a rifle that was neither welter weight with a piddly thin barrel or extremely heavy and cumbersome, such are the current extremes.

I also managed a visit to Bell & Carlson which proved fruitful. Those of you who are into bedding rifles for optimum accuracy will be glad to know that B&C are open to the idea of a floating lug in the B&C Tikka T3 stock if customers want it. This may however require you as readers to email B&C as a show of hands. Those of you who are into Tikka rifles may want to get onto this now while my conversations with B&C are still fresh. Howa shooters will be pleased to know that B&C now (finally) make a straight recoiling stock for the Howa action as a deviation from the basic Weatherby Vanguard stock shape. Per chance I bumped into the Weatherby stand and popped the question as to “when are you guys going to ditch your recoil increasing stock design” to which the salesman replied, “yeah, it kicks like hell but it’s our trademark look and we won’t be changing it any time soon”. I find this very odd considering that these companies blow vast amounts of money trying to find new ways to sell rifles, yet overlook the basics. Getting back to B&C - I really appreciated the no-bullshit response I got when I said that many rifles need epoxy bedding no matter how hard the stock maker tries for a perfect fit. I appreciated not being been given a pile of fantastical magical fit drivel.

Across at Shilen I discovered that this company are now making a rifle action (M700 clone) with a Savage type barrel nut, allowing end users to swap out barrels provided they have appropriate head spacing tools. This is certainly a clever way to deliver products to customers while at the same time, empowering the end user.



There were many tactical rifles at SHOT as one might expect. Here we see the Accuracy International for fans of Lego. These are the latest weapon from AI after a successful run of the Bob the Builder "fits like a rough sawn 2x4" stock design.  More shit to get your pack straps caught up in. The posters were pretty cool.

Away from the booth, I tried my best to gather information, study recovered bullets and photos provided by companies. I spoke to several other companies including a fast feedback session with Sightron and a quick trip to Leica. Within the booth, I sat with my own readers and peers, discussing all manner of subjects. None of this would have happened for us without the kindness of Dave and Ann Manson. Dave is highly respected within the industry, has a quick wit and is as sharp as a tack. It was interesting to watch him as customers asked questions about reamer dimensions. Dave is the type to retain numbers in his head and could answer tech questions on the fly, whether the punter was asking about standard cartridge dimensions or potential wildcat creations. Dave also introduced Riley to Silly Putty which I had heard of but never seen. Talk about hours of entertainment for kids. Ann is yet another brave woman who makes such businesses happen. Like Steph, her work load over the years has been immense, yet she holds fast at the helm no matter the weather. 

The event was extremely exhausting and with the poor quality of food in Las Vegas combined with thousands of punters in the one air conditioned space, one feels generally ill and in need of a bathroom at any given (most of the) time. At night, the foot traffic and taxi ques were of epic proportions, making for very long days. As I write this blog, I feel immensely ill and it is all I can do to type and distract myself from whatever has most recently ailed me.

On the back side of SHOT we took a trip to a local Gun show (guns for sale). I have never seen so many Holland and Holland rifles under the one roof. The value of the rifles and shotguns within the show would perhaps been high enough to purchase a good portion of my home district. But of all of these, one rifle that interested me was an original Griffin & Howe .400 Whelen. The picture below says it all.



Griffin & Howe .400 Whelen on a k98 action. A rare gem. For those unfamiliar with this - this is what a rifle looks like without an extra 10lbs of railing and other crap attached to it - and yes, these can shoot just as accurately.



H&H were well represented at the Las Vegas Gun Show.

We also visited the Gun Garage while waiting to check in to our next hotel after SHOT.  We had a couple of hours to kill. The Gun Garage is a indoor gun range located just behind the Luxor hotel. We got busy with a Glock, an S&W M29 .44 Mag, an Uzi, an AK and an M4. But while I was busy trying to shoot a nice group with the .44 as far away as we could string out the target, a woman screamed out "50 cal" which was followed by a horrendous bone deep boom beside us. I don't know who the hell thinks its fun to fire a 50bmg at an indoor range with a rear gilled brake but there you go - only in Vegas. Following that, I backed off shooting until others were done playing with the 50. The Gun garage staff were very friendly and helpful but with a taste for rock music played at deafening levels, making any form of communication very difficult. I can see how this (and the .50) combined with the minimal lighting which managed to reflect more off our safety glasses than our sights would be highly distracting to the new shooter. Still, it was a chance to get away from the strip and I am sure most visitors would enjoy it.

A few hours later it was time to check into the Luxor, we arrived liberally coated with and smelling of powder residues. The Gun Garage is to shooting what Burger King is to fine dining was  Steph's description of the place. Having said this, it was in its own way a good proof research facility considering the volume of rounds fired each day (800-1000 rounds per gun per day). The guns were caked with carbon by 11am. The AK would not reassemble after we stripped it for inspection at my request, so heavy was the carbon fouling. After we finally got it back together, it carried on in its usual manner, rattling when fired and shooting all over the show as these do once the bores wear and when fired in bursts. The Rock River M4 was simply excellent, remaining accurate whether fired semi or full auto when combined with disciplined technique. The trigger on this rifle was standard and yet much better than other stock AR rifles I have come across with no creep. No doubt the barrels were stuffed on any given weapon at any given time considering the daily volume of fire, their lives extended only via the use of chrome lining. The Gun Garage has two full time armorers cleaning and checking weapons and replacing fatigued parts as needed. The armorers do their best to make sure the weapons are accurate and this was certainly the case when shooting the likes of the M4 and Smith and Wesson. 



Only in Vegas...

Vegas is hard to put into words. The strip is bold and bright, the mega resorts being incredible to behold. It is sexy yet ugly, it can be fun, yet makes most folk ill. The people are wonderful, yet the businesses and franchises are ruthlessly mercenary. Away from the strip, life in the suburbs is more or less the same as it is in any western corner of the globe. Beyond the city, the Nevada mountains rise like fortresses, dwarfing the city in the basin below.



Stephs idea of a good time, mule riding with Cowboy Trails at red Rock canyon.

I hope that some of this information is useful to our readers. There were many more questions I would have liked to have asked while we were at the event however time simply did not allow.

I cannot thank Dave, Ann and the team at Manson reamers enough for their wonderful support. Dave has such a hard working and extremely loyal team. I would also like to extend my thanks to those of you who came to sit and shoot the breeze at the booth. Dave Manson had some extremely cool kit at our booth and the string of gunsmiths that came to say thanks for past orders and offer success stories was high praise for the team. Besides chamber reamers, the Accurizing kit has proven extremely popular along with the book (again sold through Manson Reamers)- A Complete Guide To Precision Rifle Barrel Fitting by John L Hinnant.  To view the full catalogue, readers can click on this link: https://mansonreamers.com/catalog/

End users will appreciate the fully match accurate muzzle recrowning hand tool kit. Yes, a hand (or cordless drill) tool that can be used to recrown barrels (also mentioned in my Accurizing book) yet produce optimum accuracy. This is extremely well designed and immensely useful when dealing with all manner of rifles, especially modern factory rifles with crowning swath burrs (again see Accurizing book). To see the kit in use on youtube, please click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xpzv1Spsnk



Rick, Dara, Ann and Scott (at rear) setting up the booth at the beginning of Shot.

All told this has been a wonderful experience for us (between dashes to the bathroom). Over time, I hope that we can put some of the products we saw into use and offer both our readers and the bullet makers some useful information.

Here I come to the end of my blog. I am sorry for myself that I do not have more to say as the action of typing is helping to prevent me slipping into a fully nauseated state. At least I have stopped trembling. Riley is dying to see the Tournament of Kings at the Excaliber, I do not know if I can brave another meal that Steph or I have not ourselves shot or killed. I tried the vegetarian route for a few days but this had equally dire results. It seems the only thing safe to eat here on the strip is coffee, though even the water will not agree with rural NZ folk. I am just glad it has to be boiled to make coffee. 

Hello all, I hope this blog post finds you well. I am just writing this short note to let customers and industry peers know that we will be attending SHOT in Las Vegas, January 2017.

We would not have considered going to this event were it not for the kindness of Dave Manson from Manson Reamers. For the past (seems like forever) years we have been committed to research for the global hunting / shooting community. Dave in turn felt that it was time we came up for air and let folk meet the people behind the research. To this end, he sponsored our visit to SHOT. This is such a kind, warm and supportive gesture.  

We will be in booth 2308 if anybody wishes to stop by for a chat.

I have little else to report for now. As usual, we have been very busy with cartridge and bullet research. It seems that we are either hunting or compiling data which I hope to be able to pass on in the near future. There are many new bullets on the market now and it has taken a great deal of time to investigate their full strengths and limitations. Although I have posted my initial impressions of some of these new bullet designs on our site, it has taken a great deal more field time to truly understand them.  

The website is nearing its typical quarter million hits for thirty days as happens at this time of the year as readers far and wide utilize the online knowledge base. It is good to see this being put to use however this has also put a huge strain on our mail. I simply cannot do the field work and answer this volume of technical questions. Please understand that I am of better service to you if I am in the field gathering data and can then take time to compile and publish this data. As the saying goes, the needs of the many… Having said this, I will always endeavor to make myself available to each of you as and when I can. 

All the best, Nathan.








 

Just a quick heads up for our readers, the .35 Whelen article is finally live!

Please click here to view.

Alternate link:

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/35+Whelen.html

All the best, Nathan.

 

Mid June book special - Hunting Rifles and Accurizing - sold for the first time together as a bundle for a limited time. Offer Ends Sunday 26^th.



Please follow this link to view this special: http://www.ballisticstudies.com/shop/Book+Bundles.html



This special offer differs from our normal bundles, so please check to see which package is right for you. We have noticed that all ‘dabblers and toe dippers’ have become diehard fans of the entire series, so please make sure that you have checked and double checked each package deal and selected the one that is right for you. Some of you may prefer to start with the currently discounted Tools bundle and then buy the currently discounted Skills bundle which will then give you the full collection. Others may prefer the fully discounted Entire Collection bundle.  If you buy this bundle, you will need to purchase other titles separately or wait for a unique Cartridges / Reloading book deal, purchasing the shooting book as a final addition. That said, this package deal offers great savings.

This package deal is for those who have wanted to buy these two books together. It also makes for an excellent gift package. The rifles book teaches the reader the fundamentals while serving as a buyer beware (what rifles not to buy) while the Accurizing and Maintenance book teaches the reader how to make use of their (wisely) selected rifle in a DIY setting. It does not matter whether you shoot to 300 yards or want to shoot to and beyond 1000 yards; these books will help you make the right decisions while saving you money.
 

Youtube stuff

Our latest uploads include:

Pig hunt and pork prep (5 minute vid specifically made after seeing poor meat handling):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZrChxEGLL4
DRT bullet hunting / autopsies (12 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvge3tA5bX
 
Kapiti Lecture, part one of the epic saga:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-_2RiJhltU

Long range talk (9 minutes of your life you will never get back):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvNXYj3eJEk

Radio interview from 2014 which is 'about us' (27 minutes. Some of you may have already heard this. I added a photo slide show for kicks):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY28_gX5vAs
 
Short fun vid for True-Flite to promote .358 caliber barrel making capabilities (1 minute):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc0bsmwUN84

All the best, Nathan.

Hi everyone, we need your help. And to kick things off, we are offering an Easter special:

Easter book special- 15% off the Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting
The best book you will ever read if you want to become a better hunter and long range shooter.
We need your help

These are our goals for this year:

• Upload more cartridge research to the Knowledge base.
• Purchase and test new bullet / cartridge designs.
• Youtube uploads.
• Continue to provide email support where possible.
• Continue to fund the website and forums.

To be able to perform these activities we need your support. It took eight years to complete the first half of the knowledge base, pouring personal funds into making our research available to the public. We do not want to take another eight years to give you what you want! Instead, we would like to be able to put all of our efforts towards completing the Knowledge base. We cannot do this alone and this is a critical time for us. In plain terms, decisions made now will affect the rest of our year.
I am a great fan of the medium bores and to be honest, the Knowledge base is unbalanced without the addition of these cartridges - there is a great deal we wish to share with you.

If you have been thinking about buying any of the books or products, now is the time. If you have not already read the books and need a push, we can state in all honesty that the books will help you immensely while your purchase helps us to continue to provide our services. The books are easy to read and will get you on track. They are utilized by both amateurs and professionals.

If you already have the books, we would also be very grateful for any plugs via social media or whatever avenue you can think of. Please spread the word! The books are packed full of useful information that can save a shooter hundreds and often thousands of dollars long term.

If you are in a position to donate, we would be immensely grateful for this. I have been donating a good 1500 hours per year helping folk with their projects.  Now we need your help. As stated, this is a critical time for us and all funds donated will be put towards the cause.

As an incentive, we will be offering the Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting with a 15% discount over Easter. This book is the clincher in the series, an ideal gift for a shooting buddy. Other discounts will remain over Easter including our Entire Collection 25% off deal along with the 10 and 15% reductions on bundles.

To view  book deals, please visit:
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/shop.html

To help us by making a donation, please visit this page:
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/product/x_sku/Donation.html

For those who have not seen my latest Youtube uploads, please visit my channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ3UtxnxSjYVpyKuN3HMIcQ

Videos of interest include the Kapiti talks, bullet talk and long range shooting interview (and the stinging nettle video for those who have aching joints). The Kapiti talk in particular covers a variety of topics from bedding to suppressor usage through to shooting technique. Please spread the word.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to all for your ongoing support. As I mentioned earlier, you have made a difference in our lives. I very much hope that we have made an equally positive impact on your lives.

All the best, Steph and Nathan.

PS: A quick Review of the Sierra TMK:
Recently I have been testing Sierra’s Polymer tipped Matchking (don’t worry, I’ll be into the new ELD-X range soon enough). This is a relatively new high BC bullet design from Sierra boasting a massive hollow point behind its big green tip. As a quick summary - it works extremely well as a long range hunting projectile. The 168gr .308 in particular has been a great bullet. As a testimony to its performance I made up a batch of downloads for Riley (now 9) with a hefty load of Trail Boss and a magnum primer yielding 1650fps. I zeroed at 120 yards and the load shot fairly flat in between and beyond, again thanks to its very high BC. Riley was able to shoot accurately at the range (as if I would let her get away with anything less) and also use the load in the field to bag two feral goats. Both went down immediately (one shot at exactly 120 yards and the other around 30 yards). Wounding was thorough and penetration excellent. Recoil was near nonexistent for the wee lass yet the pay load was emphatic for close range work.

The 168gr TMK works equally well at full velocities and can tackle reasonable body weights at close ranges without issues. Wounds are devastating.

This is a very long projectile and takes up good deal of magazine space with a COAL of around 2.815” / 71.5mm working effectively. I you are looking for something a little different to try in your .308 or .30-06, give this a go.
 

 

Hi everyone, the final book in our series is now here. If you have ever wondered what it is like to shoot with me, then here is your chance to learn through this step by step tutorial book.

Step out of the flock, learn how to shoot straight and learn how to shoot long.
 
The Practical Guide To Long range shooting starts with the very basics. And while some may see the basics as boring, if you will allow me (by following the methods), I will break your current methods, then rebuild your form so that you are a much better shooter all around. Once this has been achieved, we can then step out to long ranges and engage in more advanced topics. Having said this, the approach I have taken is the same as with all of what I do and teach – we find a simple approach.
 
This book is also a complete manual in that it includes chapters on hunting kit (back packing) and game field dressing. These are aspects that I felt were important as a means to avoid having a one dimensional approach to long range hunting and shooting.
 
This is perhaps the most controversial of the series as I turn everything upside down relative to the current status quo.  If you are willing to work with me by following each step, we will break new ground together. We will reclaim what has been lost in a world where shooting skills have deteriorated and we will set new standards. I firmly believe that this book is and will be the standard reference for those who seek to be the best in precision shooting in years to come. But in truth, I also believe that there may be a difficult path ahead. Such is the way when a person decides not to follow the herd. And yet, results will speak for themselves.  
Whether you are a civilian, police or military shooter this book can help you.
 
If you are a military instructor, this book is an invaluable resource. Why? Because there is a big difference between being a good shot and actually being able to recognize why Billy Bob is a good shot while Frank just ain’t cutting it. One of my core skills is the ability to recognize where folk go wrong when shooting. Further to this, tutors need to be aware of how they can inadvertently put students wrong.
   
This book will teach you traditional shooting methods that are now for the most part a lost art. But further to this, I bring in my own experience such as that relayed in the chapter regarding recoil pad positioning. We will also look at modern methods and how and when these are best employed. This will help to make you a more rounded shooter with a key focus for this book being ‘transferable skills’.
 
Please note that on our shopping page, there is a link to download a PDF of the table of contents for The Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting. This will give you a good summary of the many subjects covered within the book.

This launch also sees the release of the 2nd edition of my book, the Practical Guide To Bolt Action Rifle Accurizing And Maintenance. This book has become immensely popular and is now loaded with even more information on how to get the very best out of your rifle. 
 
All the best,
Nathan.
 
Ebook pre-check:
If ordering the ebook, please make sure that you check for the incoming mail after your purchase with your ebook link and download the book within 24 hours. If the link does not work, check to make sure that your email service has not broken the link in half and separated it over two lines. If so, cust and paste the link back together and you will be good to go.
If you are one of those crazy people who owns an ipad (dark side of the force), please check to make sure your system can handle “zip files”. In some instances, you may need a free program such as iunarchive lite to help extract compressed files. Google offers several work arounds should you come across any problems.

 

Hi all, just a heads up for Kiwis, I will be at Reloaders Supplies on the 10th (next Friday) for a meet and greet, book signing etc. Will be there from noon till knock off.

Not a great deal of other news at the moment sorry. Just working through the final book in the series on field work. Have started with the very basics of range work and technique, moving into field work, then how to make drop charts and use apps etc. Then into more advanced topics, building spin drift and compounded Coriolis into the picture (this is not such a big deal for southern hemisphere shooters but the further you go north in the northern hemisphere, the more each take effect as we push through the walls discussed in book 2). I will most likely finish with some long range hunting strategies of a universal nature.

This will be the book that brings everything together. Its not going to be a technical monotone. I want to get readers up to speed as though they were right beside me at the range. So this book has to cut through a lot of BS and drive home major points. It has to be more that "just another theory book". I really need to make a strong connection with readers and get past theory and into practice. As you can imagine, this is absorbing a great deal of my energy as I work hard to make this connection in print.

Anyway, if you want to drop by for a visit and shoot the breeze, come see me at Reloaders. Don't be shy. Funds from any spot book sales on the day will be spent at Reloaders so Steph and I can continue research.

Hi all, I hope this email finds you and your families well.

The Practical Guide To Reloading is finally here! Yes, it took me long enough but writing books is certainly not a fast process.
Being the fourth book in the series, The Practical Guide To Reloading ties in the other books of this series to help us achieve our goals of an accurate rifle. I decided to set about this book in such a way as to start with the very basics, then work through to advanced hand loading techniques. In this way, I hope that the book can be used by all shooters regardless of their experience levels.
 
But there is a bit of a twist to this. You see, I do not believe there is a clear distinction between basic hand loading operations and advanced procedures as far as extreme accuracy goes. To my mind, it is a process of problem solving as opposed to two different processes. Generally speaking, we do what works and there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple- especially for beginners. To this end, I have structured the book in a way that has possibly never before been utilized in the world of handloading. We start with good basic practices, observe accuracy, then work through steps to improve accuracy.
For those who are just starting out, the book starts with a shopping list and what to look out for and / or avoid, then a breakdown of how each item works. The step by step methods I have outlined are useful in that the beginner can work up a load that will (if the rifle is up to the task) be comfortably accurate at close to moderate ranges without any great deal of fuss. When the reader is ready, further steps can be taken to improve accuracy.

Those who have prior handloading experience may wish to delve straight into advanced techniques from the outset. These sections of the book can utilized in an immediate manner however I would strongly urge experienced handloaders to take a walk back through the basics and investigate initial procedures. Sometimes it is the little things that count and when faced with accuracy issues, we need to remind ourselves that as with many things in life, the solution to a problem is often very simple. But to find that simple fix (which may be easier said than done), we may have to shift our perspective from the belief that we need advanced handloading techniques to more of a troubleshooting mindset which may include investigation of our most basic procedures. Basic procedures are in my experience, the crux of accuracy issues. I am sure this will make sense to you.  

There are times when the goal of extreme accuracy seems overly frustrating. As mentioned, the solution to a problem may be simple, but finding it may be easier said than done. To this end, I have addressed the realities of problem solving. It can be very disconcerting when a book gives very basic instructions with the inference that within a few simple steps, you will have a tack driving rifle. The trouble with this attitude is that it can knock a hole in a person’s confidence when they are faced with a challenging rifle and it is taking more than 20 shots to get the rifle sorted like the book said. There are also times when we are faced with a dud rifle barrel and nothing is going to help. Through my other books, I have talked about the realities of rifle accuracy and the same goes here. I want you to feel supported, not inadequate. I want you to be able to keep going when the going gets tough.

I hope this helps paint a picture of the approach I have taken with this book. I have also included check lists at the rear of the book and as much other information as I felt was relevant towards helping you achieve your goals.
 
Aside from the book launch, Steph, Riley and I are well. Steph has been working alongside me in her usual manner. She does the work, I seem to get the attention which in reality can be quite unfair. We are to be very grateful for this woman who has quietly helped make all of this possible, whether working on a rifle of interest, at the load bench or in the field. I remember once, as Steph was climbing through terribly thick scrub with a carcass on her back, covered in sweat and blood, she turned to me grinning and said- “Last time I go shopping with you”.  She is a hard shot for sure.

Miss Riley is well, she is eight years old now- about level with my arm pit. Bright, happy, sensitive to others needs and with a good sense of humor. Can’t ask for more than that huh. She has just started hunting small game with a .22. Riley is no tom boy but she lives a balanced life, tap dancing one day, shooting the next.

The site is very busy which is good but unfortunately our email load has been very high and in some instances, I have not been able to answer all of our mail- even though Steph and I still answer mail seven days per week. We also need to take some time out soon, such has been the toll of work. I therefore wish to convey my advanced apologies if I am unable to answer mail at certain times. The truth is, when we answer mail on Sunday’s or holidays for several hours at a time, we miss out on family time. So I would like to try and find some balance in this regard, without offending our customers.
 
I will start writing the final book of this series in February. The final book will cover field work including shooting technique, making drop charts and so forth. I have often thought that this book is the most critical in the book series and that we should have perhaps started with a book focused on shooting technique however the series will soon be complete and with all five books, readers should be well equipped with information to achieve excellent results. I will probably have to go slightly ‘drill sergeant’ in style with this book. However I understand that our readers very much like this clear cut approach when I have need to take it. The truth is, the final book will be very much like a personal tutorial with me- and I don’t like to send clients home without established skills. So I really need to drum information home.

Once the book series is finished, I will be primarily focused on completing the site knowledge base which is still missing almost a third of my gathered research.

All the best, Nathan.


 

The NZ Army came to little old Urenui for a visit this weekend. The lads did some great PR work here in Taranaki and let folk have a play with their kit. It was a great time for us and I hope the soldiers enjoyed themselves equally.

I got to have a play with the Lewis L129A1 rifle with its Leupold 3-18 FFP Mil Rad scope. hard to see in the picture but there is a peep site set at 30 degrees (just below my hand). The set up is not too dissimilar to the offset sights of the old Bren but in this instance, the rifle is tilted when using the peep (close range work). Note also the pump action door knocker carried by this strapping bloke.



Below- A last Hoorah for the Steyr, soon to be replaced with an M4 also made by Lewis Machine and Tool.



Riley was certainly not backwards in coming forwards. Again, great PR, taking time out to chat to a little girl (the kids loved the Mimi school visit). Note the new Ghostex digital camo. Still a few teething problems here with material fading far too quickly, the material and stitching both less than desirable. The rips, tears and thread bare material were obvious. Can't have our guys humping it in sub standard kit.



Close up of the Ghostex camo






Well, I better get back to work, books don't finish themselves.
 

Hi Guys, here is a link to a radio interview I did at the request of forum member:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thehuntingshow/2014/10/13/ep29--interview-with-nathan-from-terminal-ballistics-research

Am in the finishing stages of the next book (reloading)- editing, photos etc. This is a very busy time and it has become difficult for me to answer mail and forum posts with any depth sorry. We really need to get the book launched by December for Santa because I know you have all been good and deserve a visit from the jolly red man- so its all hands on deck at the moment.


Thanks guys.

Hi all- another one chalked off the list, the .338-06 A-Square is now uploaded to the knowledge base.


Not a lot else to report guys. Just trucking along.  I hope you all enjoy the latest article. Will hopefully have the reloading book finished for Christmas.
 

HI all, just a quick note to let you all know that my .338 Win Mag article is now live. This article serves as the base article for the .338's with other .338 research to be uploaded in due course.

All the best.