One of the sleeper announcements from the 2013 SHOT Show was the addition of two .338 Lapua loads to the Winchester Ammunition catalog. Â In fact, these are the only two .338 Lapua Magnum loads in the Winchester catalog.
The first .338 load uses an Accubond CT bullet, which is a polymer-tipped, bonded-core hollowpoint. Â The bullet is designed for controlled expansion and is likely to be an excellent choice for hunters engaging large game at long range. Â The polymer tip helps ensure expansion by forcing the bullet to open on impact, and by preventing other debris from clogging the hollow cavity. Â It also improves the ballistic coefficient to 0.720.
There is a new Mosin-Nagant replacement stock being made by Archangel. Â For a variety of reasons, making a detachable magazine for the Mosin-Nagant rifles has been difficult. Â The basic rifle design is more than 120 years old, so adapting it to modern conventions is bound to have a few difficulties.
A quick check of YouTube found this video from mixflip on the new Mosin-Nagant stocks from the ProMag/Archangel booth at the SHOT Show:
Remington HyperSonic rifle ammunition promises to “supercharge” centerfire rifle cartridges and deliver up to 200 fps more velocity from standard pressure loads. Â Remington states the rounds will deliver “laser-flat trajectories” and more energy on target for better performance.
The nine new loads cover seven of the most popular hunting cartridges, both short and long action rounds. Â The rounds are not yet listed on the Remington website, but the details are listed below.
The new Savage B.MAG rifle is a completely new compact rimfire bolt-action gun designed specifically for the new .17 Winchester Super Magnum cartridge. The .17 WSM is a rimfire round that is capable of speeds to an amazing 3,000 fps. Click here for more on this new cartridge.
The B.MAG is an entirely new rifle, not merely a warmed-over existing rimfire gun. According to Bill Dermody of Savage, there are “exactly zero” parts on the B.Mag that interchange with the company’s other rimfire rifles. In fact, Dermody suggested that the features of this new rifle more closely resemble their centerfire cartridge rifle line than the rimfire line.
This rifle uses a short action bolt with rear locking lugs for additional strength to handle the higher pressure .17 WSM. The rifle also has a “cock on close” action and hidden action screws.
Savage B.Mag Specifications
Caliber
17 WSM
Capacity
8 rounds
Barrel Length
22″
Overall Length
40.5″
Rate of Twist
1:9 RH
MSRP at Launch
$349
MSRP (current)
$429
The B.MAG uses a thread-in headspacing system that is very similar to the more expensive centerfire rifles in the Savage catalog. According to Savage reps at the SHOT Show, this headspacing system significantly enhances accuracy.
The B.MAG comes with the extremely popular AccuTrigger, which is a user-adjustable trigger that Savage uses on most of their rifles above the entry-level, budget guns. It does not require special tools for adjustment by the owner.
An eight-round, rotary magazine is standard on this rifle. The magazine is detachable and feeds from the center of the mag. It should be a relatively simple thing to make a larger capacity magazine, but there are no announced plans to do so. An extended magazine might be of some benefit to varmint hunters who are eliminating large numbers of pests at long range. I wouldn’t be surprised to see something like the Hot Lips magazines for the 10/22 from Butler Creek.
[Ed. note: Â This is an introduction to the ElZetta ZRX flashlight mount from our experience with it at the 2013 SHOT Show. Â When we get one to test (on order already), we will have a full review here.]
Over the last couple of years we have come to know ElZetta as an innovative company that offers solutions to fill the voids sometimes left by other manufacturers. Sitting in a smaller booth on the basement floor of the SHOT Show, it would be easy to miss them in the mass of smaller vendors downstairs. Thankfully we picked up on their offerings and have found the reps to be more than helpful in showing off their gear.
This year I stopped by the booth and took a look at one of the newest flashlight mounts ElZetta is offering – the ZRX. ElZetta rep, Dave Barnett walked me through the specifics. This flashlight mount combines hard anodized aluminum clamp rings with a polymer body that makes the ZRX extremely light weight at only 1.1 oz.
