DCLW Rifle Support System with Standard Tripod

Last month we featured a new shooting platform from Alamo Four-Star in Texas. Alamo’s DCLW (for “Deros Compact Light Weight”) system featured an innovative, gimballed rifle cradle mounted to a special tripod. This cradle was attached with rocker arms to a rotary head, allowing the rifle to traverse 360 degrees and move up and down up to 75 degrees from horizontal. (READ Dec. 22 DCLW Report).

Equipped with its own dedicated ultralight tripod, the original DCLW system weighs just 4.1 pounds and can be used in all shooting positions: prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. The DCLW was built ultra-light because that’s what the military requested for its troops.

Today we feature a version of the DCLW designed to mount to commercial tripods. Called the “DCLW Head”, this unit can be mounted to virtually any tripod that has a quick-release or screw-on optic mount. The makers of the DCLW Head even offer a machined mounting piece that fits directly into Manfrotto-style tripod quick-attachment mounts. Below you can see the DCLW Head fitted to a photo tripod.

CLICK HERE for FLASH VIDEO showing DCLW Head.

One of the best features of the DCLW gun support system is that it allows a spotting scope or laser rangefinder to be mounted close to the bore axis, inline with the barrel. So, when you elevate or traverse the rifle your scope or LRF moves right with it–following the movement of your muzzle. Put your crosshairs on a new target and your spotting scope or rangefinder will be centered on the target as well. That’s a great feature for varminters–or anyone shooting targets at unknown distances.

Shown below is the DCLW Head mounted on a Manfrotto tripod. You can also see that a spotting scope is clamped on a Picatinny Rail just to the left of the rifle, in line with the barrel.

CLICK HERE for FLASH VIDEO showing DCLW Head.

CLICK HERE for SECOND VIDEO showing DCLW with original lightweight tripod.

Wind Wizardry for Varminters

When you’re on a varmint expedition in the Western states you can bet, sooner or later, you’ll encounter serious winds. Here’s some advice on how to minimize the effects of cross-winds on your shooting, and easily improve your percentage of hits. In essence, you want to use your ability to change shooting positions and angles to put the wind behind you.

A benchrest or High Power shooter must operate from a designated shooting position. He must stay put and deal with the wind as it moves across the course, from whatever direction it blows. By contrast, a varmint hunter can move around and choose the spot that provides the most favorable wind direction. In most cases you’ll get the best results by moving your shooting position so the wind is at your back. This will minimize horizontal wind drift. Once you’re in position, use wind flags to direct your fire in line with the prevailing winds. Forum member Catshooter explains:

“I remember the first time I was on a dog town in the Conata Basin, in the Badlands area of southwestern South Dakota. Along with two other guys, I drove out for 21 days of shooting, and I never saw wind like that before. If all four tires of our vehicle were on the ground, the weather man said these were ‘mild wind conditions.’

After the first four or five days, we got smart. We would park the truck on the up-wind side of the town so the wind was at our back. Then we took a piece of string on a 3-foot stick, and set it in front of the shooters, and let the string point at the mounds that we were going to shoot.

For the rest of the trip, we didn’t have to deal with wind drift at all. We just shot the dogs that the string pointed to. we started calling our simple wind pointer the “String of Death”.

We were hitting dogs at distances that I would not repeat here (with benchrest grade rifles). After the first time out, I always took a wind rig like that.”

Photos by Chris Long, taken during Chris’ Wyoming Varmint Hunt with Trophy Ridge Outfitters.

Hunting Moving Game DVD from Blaser

Blaser, maker of the innovative R93 straight-pull rifles, has created a new DVD, “Hunting in Motion — Shooting at Moving Game”, that will interest all game hunters. It provides helpful hints on aiming (showing how to “lead” your prey), with strategies for various species, including deer and wild boar. There’s good close-up footage showing the fast Blaser bolt in action on Driven Hunts. The DVD also includes important safety tips. In the sample video, Blaser demonstrates the hazards of ricochets and shows what happens to your bullet if it strikes a branch or obstruction between muzzle and target.

CLICK HERE (or on image) to watch INTRO VIDEO.

The DVD is available from select Blaser dealers, or contact:

Blaser USA
220-G Log Canoe Circle
Stevensville, MD 21666
Phone: (410) 604-1495
Email: info (at) blaser-usa.com

We noted one serious flaw in the Blaser Video. Many of the shooters in the video are not wearing eye protection. Big mistake. Shooters should ALWAYS use safety glasses, even when hunting.

20 VarTarg Performs, But Brass in Short Supply

The 20 VarTarg is a popular wildcat based on the .221 Fireball case necked down to 20-caliber. Amazingly efficient, the little VarTarg will drive 32gr bullets at 3700 fps with just 18-19 grains of powder. This is an inherently accurate round that delivers impressive velocities with small powder charges. Burning less powder (compared to a .204 Ruger for example), translates to cooler barrels and longer barrel life.

In this FORUM THREAD, 20 VarTarg shooters list pet loads and praise the VarTarg’s performance:

“I’m using Hornady dies with Rem brass. 18.2 grains of H4198 gets me 3550 fps with a 32 V-Max. My rifle is a trued 700 with a Hart SS barrel and a Jewel trigger. This is one of the best shooting rifles I own. Less than 1/2-MOA is easy for my setup.” — BHodges

“The 20VT is a winner! I am now up to three Coopers in 20 VarTarg and they are all shooters. With 32gr V-Maxs and AA1680 I am getting great results. I am trying H4198 in one rifle. 20 VTs on Prairie Dogs are awesome!” — Claimbuster

“One of my buddies has a Cooper Phoenix in 20 VarTarg and he is shooting 32gr V-Max bullets using H4198 and N-120. He is getting consistant 3/8″ groups at 100 yards. Very easy to load for and I believe one of those inherently accurate cartridges.” — Phasor

“I’ve gotta a 20 VT…cannot put it away…it’s a recycled 204 Pac-Nor barrel with 1:12″ twist and finished length of 24″ screwed into a single-shot Savage AccuTrigger action. [I get] 3636 fps with 40gr V-Max. I’ve tested the new 32 NBT, but the 40-grainer has more downrange effect. This little cartridge will pick p-dogs off the ground and flip them in the air, even at 400+ yards. I’ve run 500+ rounds down the VarTarg tube, so now this barrel is pushing 3000+ rounds. Load development using H4198 and H322 both produced .50″ or better for 5 shots @ 100 yards. But the weak link is the Rem 221 Fireball brass.” — Dogbuster (Rifle shown below).

Fireball Brass in Short Supply
Our Forum members report that .221 Fireball brass is very hard to find right now. This is related to Remington’s introduction of the 17 Fireball loaded ammunition. If you can find a stash of .221 Fireball brass, grab it while you can. It may be many more months before ample supplies of .221 Fireball brass make it to the retailers.

Trappst reports: “A quick look through the normal places to order (MidwayUSA, Cabelas, Bruno’s, Grafs etc.) shows everyone to be out of stock.” Claimshooter concurs: “221 brass is a problem. I’ve had 2000 pieces on back order at MidSouth since July. I had 1000 pieces on back order for 3 months at Cabela’s and they cancelled the order.”

To learn more about the 20 VarTarg, read our 20 Caliber Cartridge Guide.