NEW Product: Borden ‘Tubegun Special’ Action

This gear review is by respected prone shooter German Salazar. German recently received the first production version (Serial No. 0001) of the NEW Borden Action espressly designed for Tubeguns. German reports this is “really a great piece of equipment” and it’s affordable at $800 for the single-shot version or $850.00 for the repeater.

NEW Action for the Tubegun Revolution by German Salazar
If you’re a High Power shooter then you know that the Tubegun Revolution is in full swing both in across-the-course and prone matches. For many reasons, including accuracy, availability, cost, delivery time, ergonomics, familiar feel (for AR15 shooters) and more, the Tubeguns are becoming the norm in High Power. I recently built a 30-06 Tubegun for prone matches and have been extremely satisfied with the results, but I had a desire for a better action for it, now that desire is a reality.

While most Tubegun stocks are made to take Remington 700 actions or clone, it has become difficult to get bare Remington actions and bargain priced 700s are non-existent these days. Buying a complete rifle to strip, then blueprinting the action leaves you with about the cost of a custom action invested in the Remington — not the most economically sensible outcome.

Seeing the need for a custom action to fit the Tubeguns at a moderate price, Jim Borden of Borden Rifles is now making a Tubegun Special (TGS) action –- actually six variants of it. The TGS action is made to fit the Tubegun stocks without alteration and has been designed in cooperation with Gary Eliseo (Competition Shooting Stuff) to ensure compatibility and functionality.

Special Features Optimized for Tubegun Installations
The TGS is a full round action, without the scallops of the Borden Alpine/Timberline series and without the flattened rear bridge of the Remington 700. This full round surface presents a much larger surface area for epoxy if you intend to glue-in the action, and simply a better fit if you intend to bolt the action into the tube. Additionally, the TGS has no scope mounting holes or bolt stop since these are not required in a Tubegun stock and their elimination reduces machining costs, helping to keep the retail price competitive with a blueprinted Remington.

Beyond the action profile, there are a few choices in the TGS. You can order it right-handed or left-handed, long action or short action, single-shot or repeater. The single-shot models have a coned bolt as shown in the photos, which helps feeding from the action trough, whereas the repeaters have a flat-faced bolt like a Remington to ensure reliable feeding from a magazine.

The TGS has the familiar Remington-type plunger ejector and a claw extractor similar to the Sako. I have put over 4,000 rounds through my 6BR Borden Alpine with 100% reliability from the extractor. It’s a solid, reliable design. The bolt is nicely fluted in a spiral pattern and the fit and finish of every bit of the action and bolt are first class. It’s almost a shame to epoxy it into the tube, but that’s what it’s meant for!

Borden Accuracy is now a distributor for the CG triggers (X-tremeshooting.com) and can time the action to the trigger before delivery. Other triggers are available from Borden as well and the action takes any Remington-type trigger. Finally, Gary and Jim have standardized locations for the serial number and manufacturer information and the CSS stocks have small windows in the main sleeve to allow those to be seen at all times.

If you’re planning to build a Tubegun, you should take a close look at the Borden Tubegun Special action, it’s a very practical and cost-effective approach with the single-shot actions priced at $800 and the repeaters at $850 as of this writing.

Inexpensive Noise Filter Helps Reduce Scale Drift Problems

Electronic scales, even expensive lab-grade units, can be influenced by a wide variety of electronic “emissions”. We’ve seen Chargemasters being affected by cordless telephones and older CRT computer monitors. When stray emissions interfere with digital scales, you can get erractic readings, or the scales can drift with time. The smart thing to do, of course, is to physically isolate your digital scale from the sources of interference — keep them away from computer equipment and wireless base units. If you still have problems with drift or unstable read-outs, thankfully there are some inexpensive accessories that can restore your scale’s reliability. Reader Scott G. found a ferrous (magnetic) filter that attaches to the cord of his digital scale. This inexpensive filter cured his scale’s tendency to drift.

Scott explains: “I had an issue with a drifting zero on my PACT, which made it unusable. It was happening at my house, but not at other locations, such as my office. The fix for my issue was a ferrous noise filter on the scale’s power supply cord. It is basically a hinged barrel-shaped plastic tube that contains two magnets. Near the scale end of the cord, lay the cord into the slot, wrap it back through, then close the filter around the cord. Before installing the ferrous filters, my scale would drift off as much as 2.9 grains, which was being caused by some type of electronic ‘noise’ in the environment. The PACT is absolutely stable now.”

Finding and Installing Magnetic Noise Filters
Scott tells us: “You’ll see a lot of these type filters on the cords for computer acessories. You may have to experiment to find one that works for you. Some have different magnets that have different filtering abilities. My filter cost about $3.00. I purchased it at Randolph and Rice Industrial Electronics in Nashville, TN, item #SF.065.” You should also be able to find these kind of filters at Fry’s, Radio Shack, or other electronics supply stores.

While some magnetic filters require the power cord to run straight through, other designs allow you to loop the cord once around the filter (see photos). Looping the cord actually enhances the performance of the filter. You can also get improved filtration of electronic interference by putting a magnetic ‘noise’ filter on BOTH ends of your scale’s power cord.

GUNPAL Provides Online Payment Option for Firearms Sales

If you purchase a firearm, or many kinds of firearm components, you can’t pay the seller using PayPal™. That’s because eBay-owned PayPal is “gun-phobic” and its “Acceptable Use Policy” forbids purchasing guns and many gun accessories. If you do try to use PayPal for a gun transaction you risk having your account cancelled and your funds embargoed.

Increasingly, gun purchasers are turning to a new electronic payment service, GUNPAL.net. According to GUNPAL Founder/CEO Ben Cannon, “GUNPAL is the first serious competitor to PayPal [for gun buyers]. An estimated one hundred million firearm owners nationwide now have a platform with which they can trade ammunition, scopes, and other accessories securely and hassle-free.” Cannon predicts that as his company grows, the $3 billion firearms and accessories industry will adopt GUNPAL as the electronic payment platform of choice. To use GUNPAL, you first sign up with an email address, password and contact info. To send money, you must have at least one linked bank account or credit card account.

What does it cost? Purchasers sending money through GUNPAL pay no fees to GUNPAL (although their bank and/or credit card company might impose electronic transaction charges). Vendors receiving payments via GUNPAL pay 2.8% + $0.30 for all transactions over $10.00, or 4.8% + $0.30 for transactions under $10.00. CLICK HERE for Fee Schedule.

Founded in 2004, GUNPAL is a transaction-neutral online payment system that allows easy transfer of funds to anyone with an email address. You can use GUNPAL to buy or sell any types of firearms or gun components, provided that the sale(s) comply with all federal, state, and local laws. GUNPAL requires that the merchandise or services you buy and sell be legal. GUNPAL also donates a portion of the proceeds from every transaction to a Non-Profit Organization of your choice.

The creators of GUNPAL know that users are concerned about security. Funds stored in your GUNPAL account are covered by FDIC Pass-Thru insurance up to $100,000. Both the NRA and Calguns Foundation employ GUNPAL to handle Charitable Donations. WBTactical is one of many vendors now taking payments via GUNPAL. According to WBTactical’s Mitchell Chapman: “GUNPAL is more convenient than other forms of payment as its comprehensive transaction tracking system is secure and reliable for our audits.”

New “Outside-In” Flash Hole Reamer for Large Flash Holes

For years, Sinclair Int’l has offered a reamer for small, BR-sized flash-holes, product #07-3000. This popular tool features an 0.0625″ cutting tip to uniform the .059″ flash-holes on Lapua 220 Russian, 6mmBR, 6.5 Grendel, and 6.5×47 brass. Sinclair’s tool works from the outside, indexing off the primer pocket. For those people who believe in the utility of reaming small flash-holes (an open question), the Sinclair “outside-in” design may be the best. But until now, there has been no equivalent “outside-in” reamer for cases with large flash-holes.

Sinclair recently introduced its NEW .081″ large flash-hole reamer, item #07-3081. This $37.50 tool is designed to ream standard flash holes (.080″) to exactly .081 inch, both for small primer pockets and large primer pockets. This tool will remove most burrs left in manufacturing and will uniform the flash-hole diameter of all your brass to ensure consistent ignition.

Double-Ended Design Works with Both Small and Large Primer Pockets
Sinclair’s all-stainless three-piece tool features a double-ended reamer guide for both large and small primer pockets, a knurled handle for easy turning and a straight fluted .081″ reamer. It is designed for all cartridges (with either small OR large primer pockets) with standard .080″ flash holes.

As one Sinclair customer noted: “This is a tool that has been needed for a long time.” As a result, the .081″ flash-hole reamers have been back-ordered through 12/1/2009. But if you order now you should have yours within 5-6 weeks.

IMPORTANT: We recommend, if you order this tool, that you mic the actual diameter of the cutter tip. We have found that some flash-hole reamers, of ALL brands, arrive with slightly oversized cutter tips. Indeed we’ve seen tip diameters of other brands (not Sinclair) vary by as much as .006″ (six-thousandths). You want to make sure you don’t have an oversize cutter before you ream hundreds of cases.

Redesigned “Gen-4″ Glocks Slated for 2010 Release

Glock has announced that it will introduce a new “Fourth Generation” Glock handgun with an interchangeable grip back-straps and improved ergonomics. The new “GEN-4″ Glock will probably be unveiled at the January 2010 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, though Glock hasn’t commited to a SHOT Show release. According to the Guns, Holsters & Gear Blog, “[GEN-4] Glocks are rumored to have a textured finish that is not nearly as aggressive as the RTF2 introduced at the 2009 SHOT Show. The new finish is said to be rougher than the prior generations, but easier on the hands and clothes than the RTF2.”

Glock has been hugely successful selling polymer-framed handguns to the law enforcement, military, and civilian markets. While Glocks enjoy an enviable reputation for durability and reliability, for many handgunners, Glock ergonomics are second rate. This editor has personally trained novice shooters with both a Glock 17 and Sig p226 9mm. More often than not, when the novices switch from the Glock to the Sig, their 10-yard groups shrink from basketball size to softball size — primarily because of the superior Sig grip size and shape. That’s not to say that Glocks are not accurate — they can be very accurate — it’s just that the Glock grip is far from ideal for many shooters.

For decades Glock has stubbornly refused to redesign or improve the grip on Glock handguns (other than adding finger grooves of questionable utility). Meanwhile, Beretta, Smith & Wesson, and Walther have offered polymer-framed handguns with more comfortable, ergonomic grips fitted with interchangeable grip back-straps. These “swappable” back-straps come in different sizes to provide a better, more custom fit for the shooter. Women with small hands, in particular, benefit from a thinner back-strap.

The success of Smith & Wesson in securing large police contracts for its adjustable-gripped, S&W M&P pistol has finally prompted Glock to come up with a major grip redesign. Glock has been losing market share as police departments nationwide have traded in their Glocks in favor of the more ergonomic Smith M&Ps.

Milled T-6 Aluminum 40mm Salt & Pepper Shakers

The Xmas holiday buying season is right around the corner. If you’re looking for an unusual gift for a firearms enthusiast or military veteran, check out the 40mm Grenade Salt & Pepper shakers from GG&G. Available with either silver or gold anodized top sections, these measure 4″ tall by 1 5/8″ in diameter. GG&G’s matched salt and pepper shakers are milled from solid billet 6061 T-6 aluminum, and closely replicate the dimensions of the original 40mm grenade. The tip of the projectiles are engraved with “S” or “P” to easily identify the contents. The top halves (gold or silver sections) unscrew for easy filling. Cost for either gold (GGG-1315) or silver (GGG-1316) versions is $45.00. These would also be a great “conversation pieces” for your Thanksgiving family get-together.

Hodgdon’s 2010 Reloading Manual Coming Soon

The 2010 edition of the Hodgdon® Annual Manual has just been announced, and should be at newstands in January 2010. Now in its 7th year, the Hodgdon Annual Manual includes over 5,000 rifle and pistol loads, with information on 56 Hodgdon, IMR® and Winchester® powders. The new 2010 Manual features 44 cartridge updates, brand new data for the 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmoor, and updated propellant burn rate and usage charts.

Extensive reloading information is provided for popular cartridges such as the 17 Remington, 223 Remington, 204 Ruger, 6PPC, 308 Winchester, 338 Federal and more. In addition, the 2010 Manual includes articles by top gun writers like Layne Simpson and Jim Carmichael plus many other resources for shooters and reloaders.

Articles in the 2010 Hodgdon Annual Manual spotlight the new varmint/match powder, IMR 8208 XBR. Test lots of this new powder have shown truly exceptional temperature stability. In addition, IMR 8208 XBR should deliver excellent accuracy in cartridges such as the 6mm PPC, 6BR, 22BR, and .308 Winchester. Lou Murdica and Jim Carmichael have already recorded impressive benchrest wins with prototype IMR 8208 XBR.

The 2010 Hodgdon Annual Manual costs $8.99 and should be available at newsstands and gun dealers by January 2010. For more on the manual contact Hodgdon at 913-362-9455, visit Hodgdon.com, or write to 6231 Robinson, Shawnee Mission, KS 66202.

New Scope Zoom Lever from MGM

Here’s a new product for shooters who need to make rapid zoom changes with their optics. The MGM Switchview is a small, lightweight lever that clamps around the power adjustment ring of variable power scopes. Made from anodized 6061/T6 aluminum, the Switchview allows the user to quickly adjust the scope’s power setting with a push or pull of the lever, without taking your head off the gun. That should help 3-gun competitors who must rapidly switch from near to far targets and back again.

The MGM Switchview works with short, tactical optics as well as high-magnification long-range scopes. Only slightly taller than most target style turrets, the lever is easy to use, even while wearing gloves or in slippery or wet conditions. The manufacturer says that: “Whether you are glassing a large area for a target and then zooming in to make the shot without loosing your sight picture, or you need to transition from far targets to [close] targets in a hurry, the MGM Switchview will get to the magnification setting you need quickly and easily.”

The MGM Switchview is now available for a variety scopes, including the Burris XTR, Leupold CQT, Leupold Mark IV (illum. reticle), Millet 1-4×24DMS, and Nightforce NXS. And soon MGM plans to build Switchviews for the IOR Valdada 1-4 and 1.4-8, Leupold VXII and VXIII, and Nightforce NXS Compact.

MGM Switchview zoom levers cost $59.95 and come standard in anodized black. However, the levers can be special ordered in custom colors for an extra $12. (Add 3 weeks delivery time for custom color orders.)

For more info, visit MGMswitchview.com. To order, call 208-454-0555 or 888-767-7371 (toll free), or email travis [at] mgmtargets.com. You can also contact Mike Gibson Manufacturing, 17891 Karcher Rd., Caldwell, ID 83607 .

Greatest Hits: Revolutionary March Eyepiece Zoom Scope

LINK: March 33-55×52mm ‘Eyepiece Zoom’ Scope
This is a revolutionary new high-magnification scope, with the zoom in the eyepiece. It provides all a BR shooter could want… from 100 to 1000 yards.

Greatest Hits: Hydro-Dip Stock Graphics

LINK: Water Transfer Printing for Stocks
Using a water-dipping process, the folks at Hydro-Dip LLC in Idaho produce stunning photo-realistic graphic coverings for gun stocks. And it costs less than a custom paint job.

Krieger Barrels Now Offers 5R Rifling Option

Krieger Barrels, respected maker of cut-rifled match and hunting barrels, announced it will offer 5R rifling for 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and .308 caliber barrels. This kind of rifling features 5 lands and 5 grooves, but the lands are angled (slanted) on the sides (rather than 90°) for a gentler transition between land and groove. Krieger’s 5R rifling slants BOTH the leading and trailing edge of the lands (unlike “ratchet” rifling which is angled on one side only). 5R rifling also places each land opposite a groove. Having lands opposing grooves, along with slanted sides on the lands, is thought to give a better gas seal and reduced fouling. Additionally, some folks believe 5R rifling reduces jacket deformation by displacing less jacket metal. Overall, proponents of 5R rifling say it helps a barrel foul less and deliver more velocity than conventional rifling.

5R rifling will add $30 to the cost of a Krieger barrel. Krieger will NOT offer 5R rifling for gas gun barrels. Additionally, 5R rifling is offered only for constant twist-rate barrels. So, you can NOT get a gain twist barrel with 5R rifling. At this time 5R rifling is limited to 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and 30 caliber bores, as listed in Krieger’s official announcement:

“Thanks to approval by Boots Obermeyer, Krieger Barrels, Inc. is now offering the true Obermeyer 5-R rifling pattern as an option on limited calibers with our barrels. We are very proud of the fact that Krieger Barrels was chosen as the only Obermeyer-approved maker of his style of 5-R rifling in North America. At this time we are limiting the 5-R option to the calibers listed below, but may offer others in the future as greater demand arises. There is a $30.00 up-charge to the base cost of the barrel for 5-R rifling. Currently available calibers:

- 6mm (.236″ & .237″ bore diameters, .243″ groove)
- 6.5mm (.256″ bore, .264″ groove)
- 7mm (.277″ bore, .284″ groove)
- .30T Palma (.3065″, .3070″ & .3075″ groove diameters)
- .308 cal (.300″ bore, .308″ groove)

5-R rifling is ONLY available in standard bore/groove dimensions listed and standard twist rates at this time. Please call if you have questions about availability of a certain caliber/twist combination. Please note, we are not, and have no plans to offer 5-R rifling in our finished ‘Gas Gun’ lines of M14, M1 Garand, AR-15, and AR-10 variants.”

5R Rifling in Production Guns
In the past, limited runs of Remington 700 tactical rifles, including some LE and SS (stainless special) models, have been offered with factory hammer-forged 5R barrels. These rifles have a reputation for shooting faster and more accurately than Rem 700s with conventional factory barrels. The Remington 5R barrels, though based on Obermeyer designs and similar to Mike Rock 5R barrels produced for the Army’s M24 sniper rifles, are NOT cut-rifled, but are produced in-house using the hammer-forging process.

Thompson/Center (T/C) Icon and Venture rifles currently feature 5R factory barrels. On T/C 5R barrels, the sides of each land are cut at a 65° angle vs. a 90° angle for standard rifling. See diagram. T/C claims that “because the edges of each land do not cut into and deform the bullet jacket… there will be less jacket fouling in the grooves”. T/C says this produces “greater bullet stability over multiple shots, and ultimately a rifle that’s easier to clean[.]“

Gun Jewelry from Todd Clark Designs

What do you give the dedicated shooter/gun collector who has everything? How about hand-made “gun jewelry” from Todd Clark Designs? The gentleman shooter might want a set of cartridge-shell cuff-links, or maybe a sterling silver money clip with cartridge-head stud. For ladies, Todd Clark offers earrings, bracelets, and even necklaces.

Todd Clark Designs offers a variety of other products including tie tacks, key-fobs, bubble-level necklaces, cartridge head bracelets, and circular level cuff links. Todd Clark items range in price from $30.00 for a tie-tack to $600.00 for a sterling silver, cartridge-studded bracelet. But, most items are in the $50.00 – $80.00 range. This may give our readers some pre-Christmas gift-giving ideas.