Berger Bullets

Twist Rate Stability Calculator Updated

By Bryan Litz, Chief Ballistician We’re happy to announce a major upgrade to our Twist Rate Stability Calculator which is free to use on the Berger Bullets webpage. The old stability calculator was pretty basic, and would simply return a gyroscopic stability number based on your bullet, twist rate and atmospheric conditions. This was used to determine if your barrels twist rate was fast enough to stabilize a particular bullet or not, based on the Gyroscopic Stability Factor (SG) being greater than 1.4. The bullet parameters on the left can be auto populated by selecting a bullet from the list above. You can then [...]

2014 Heat Stroke Open

By Rick Jensen Heat Stroke Open participant and current U.S. F-Open Team Captain The morning of July 12th, 2014 dawned very warm and windy near Camargo, Oklahoma for the kickoff of the 2014 Heat Stroke Open. This was my very first PRS match and the 11th match of the year for the Precision Rifle Series. The day began with competitors and range staff gathering around the flag pole to recite the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The first stage was a cold bore shot from the prone position. Shooters had to choose between a 1 or 2 MOA target [...]

Firecracker 4800

By Michelle Gallagher Nancy Tompkins shooting. Smallbore shooters use personal windmills (top right corner) to help determine wind speed and direction. *Photo courtesy of Katelyn Hensley. My first rifle was a .22 Chipmunk when I was 7 years old. My mom believed that smallbore is the best way to learn the basic techniques of shooting – sight alignment, trigger control, natural point of aim, etc. I think she’s right. So my sister and I shot smallbore for years before we ever picked up high power rifles. Fast forward to 2014. I’m a high power shooter through and through, and haven’t shot a .22 [...]

Len Backus – My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear

My 8,000 Foot Wyoming Black Bear By Len Backus of LongRangeHunting.com As soon as the big boar turned slightly to his right the 180 grain Berger bullet was on its way along the 574 yard arcing route across the steep canyon. Hit hard, the bear buckled, spun, and then sprinted downhill about 50 yards toward us and then to its left, finally collapsing on the ground. Through my 25 power Nightforce ATACR rifle scope I watched his head move ever so slightly waiting to see if he'd need a second shot. Soon there was no movement and it was time for high fives. I had [...]

Bryan Litz’s New Book – Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting

I've recently finished a new book titled: “Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting”. This is actually the first book in a series which is planned to document the ongoing R&D taking place in my ballistic testing laboratory. The series covers specific tests and projects designed to answer the important questions being asked by modern long range shooters. In the first volume, we take a close look at twist rate effects and stability. Ever wonder how much twist rate affects your muzzle velocity? How much stability affects BC from the muzzle and far down range? How do you measure spin rate decay, and which rifling profiles [...]

Sling Shooter Tries F-TR

I felt very prepared and confident with the rifle John Pierce built for me going into this match. By Bryan Litz, Chief Ballistician I’ve been coaching the Michigan F-TR team for a while and finally decided to participate in the competition. F-TR is more rifle-centric than Palma, meaning the precision demands are greater due to the smaller scoring rings. After seeing Eric Stecker’s results with his Pierce rifle at the 2014 Berger Southwest Nationals, I asked my good friend and Michigan team-mate John Pierce to “build me one like Eric’s.” This is the same basic set up as John’s own F-TR rifle as [...]

One-Of-A-Kind AR-15 Type Carbine To Use Berger Bullets

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead takes aim with his new rifle. Wyoming Arms LLC, manufacturer of the highly accurate and reliable WY-15, has announced the commission by Wyoming Governor Matt Mead to produce a special AR-15 type carbine for his personal collection. The Governor's carbine will be based on the WY-15 with custom engraving including the Great Seal of Wyoming and his signature. With the billet upper and lower receivers anodized in Type III Matte Sand and the black furniture, not only will the finished firearm have a striking appearance but will also be suitable for use in the harsh environment of the Wyoming [...]

NRA Ireland 2014 Nationals

Midlands range - 1000 yd line A few weeks ago, I traveled to Tullamore, Ireland for the NRAI 2014 Nationals. I’ve shot at the Midlands National Shooting Centre of Ireland several times now, and it has quickly become one of my favorite places to train. I believe the best way to improve your shooting skills is to challenge yourself, and the Midlands range is definitely a challenge. Some days, just hitting the paper at 1000 yards is an accomplishment, and a shot in the black is cause for celebration. Combine those challenging conditions with the beautiful scenery, tough competition and some of the [...]

Sinclair International East Coast Fullbore Nationals

1000 yd line. Looking back at the 1000 yard line. A few weeks ago, I packed up my rifle and flew to North Carolina to compete in the second annual Sinclair International East Coast Fullbore Nationals. The match was held on April 3-6, 2014 at Camp Butner. Camp Butner is a National Guard base close to Raleigh, and is always an interesting place to shoot. East coast humidity is typically high, and the range is surrounded by trees. They even have a little pond in front of the 1000 yd line. Needless to say, the mirage is very thick. As a [...]

Bryan Litz’s First eBook Now Available

Our Ballistician, Bryan Litz, is proud to announce the release of Applied Ballistics' first eBook; Accuracy and Precision for Long Range Shooting. This means that iPad, Kindle, and Nook users now have access to one of the best resources for improving long distance accuracy in electronic format. Since its release in 2012, the hardcopy of Accuracy and Precision for Long Range Shooting has sold over 5000 copies. The book introduces the concept of Weapon Employment Zone (WEZ) analysis. This statistical approach is used to assess how hit percentage is calculated and how it’s affected by uncertainties involved in long range shooting. Many illuminating studies are presented [...]