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Season 1
- S1 – 01 – About Us
Gives an overview of who we are and what we are trying to accomplish.
- S1 – 02 – Match Debrief: Sage Flats Shooter & The Team RV
Our first match debrief. While we drove 1,000 miles to get our heads handed to us, we sure learned a lot and met some terrifc folks. Get an inside look at our Match RV and hear how we almost wrecked it.
- S1 – 03 – Sunrise Tactical Gear – Arm boards / Wrist Coach, A Closer Look
We’ve come to learn that a good arm board is a critical piece of gear and we explain why. Take a look at our customized boards from a vendor who will bend over backwards for you.
- S1 – 04 – Match Debrief: 2014 JC Steel Summer Shootout
We were very pleased with our performance in this match where Ed took 2nd place and Steve took 3rd. It became clear that our practice was paying off. We provide a stage by stage debrief of a challenging match.
- S1 – 05 – Practice Barricades, A Closer Look
The best thing we ever did was construct a set of barricades and a rooftop segment to simulate what we were seeing in matches. Take a look at what we built and how we practice.
- S1 – 06 – At The Range with Thunder Beast Arms
This is our first industry insights video with Ray Sanchez of Thunder Beast Arms. Hear how the chance meeting of three individuals created a company that has become a household name in the precision shooting community.
- S1 – 07 – A Visit to John M Browning Museum
No need to visit the John M Browning Museum as Steve will make you feel that you’ve been there.
- S1 – 08 – Practice Barricades (part 2), Another Look
Here we investigate some low cost options, with little assembly required, to give you everything you need to practice for matches.
- S1 – 09 – A visit with American Rifle Company
The 6.5 Guys visit with Ted Karagias, President of American Rifle Company. We learn more about the company, its innovative products, and take a close up look at the recently launched Mausenfield action.
- S1 – 10 – Gearing Up for the Range
We taped a brief video to take a look at what we usually bring along in our gear bags when we head out the range for a weekly practice session.
- S1 – 11 – Match-Eve Preparations
We’re on the road to compete in another long range tactical precision match and take a look at preparations we go through the night before to make sure we’re all set and ready to compete the next day. We discuss chronographing loads to confirm muzzle velocity, confirming zeros, and development of stage-DOPE cards for the environmental conditions in the area we’re at.
- S1 – 12 – Match Debrief: 2014 Oregon Tactical Rifle Championship
After action report (AAR) and analysis of our experience participating in the 2014 Oregon Tactical Rifle Championship at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association (COSSA) Range, near Bend, Oregon. This was a fun match that we look forward to attending again next year.
- S1 – 13 – A Quick Look: Our Match Rifles
A quick look and walk through tour of our match rifles we are currently using this season. We talk about the rifles we used before our current match rigs and also discuss some of the drivers behind the decisions that led to the selection of the components in each of our competition rifles.
- S1 – 14 – Match Debrief: NW Precision Steel Series Challenge
Steve attended the 2014 Northwest Precision Steel Series Match. This video is the match After Action Review (AAR) that presents a stage by stage debrief and analysis of this two day event. This is a relatively new venue in Western Washington for long range tactical precision matches and our assessment is this a fantastic place to come out and shoot. If you are in the Northwest and looking for a great place to attend a LR precision tactical match, you should definitely plan to check this out.
- S1 – 15 – A Look At The Bench Source Annealing Machine
The 6.5 Guys discuss annealing brass cartridges and provide an overview of the Bench Source annealing machine. We cover why this particular unit was
purchased based on our needs versus similar products or annealing practices. We review items needed for setup and walk through fine tuning the adjustments to prepare for running a batch of cases through the annealing process.
- S1 – 16 – Dry Fire Practice & The Indoor Optical Training Aid (IOTA)
We discuss the importance of dry fire practice for augmenting regular training sessions at the range. We look at an interesting product to help with
dry fire practice, the Indoor Optical Training Aid (IOTA). Steve shows how he uses the IOTA device and how to setup an indoor simulated “virtual range” to perform dry fire practice.
- S1 – 17 – A Visit with Jake Vibbert of JC Steel Targets
The 6.5 Guys are on the road again to visit and go shooting with Jake Vibbert, President and Owner of JC Steel Targets. We use JC Steel targets exclusively because they represent a great product that offers tremendous value and each purchase supports a worthwhile cause. In this video you’ll get an inside look at JC Steel Targets and learn more about Jake who has established himself as one of the top competitors in the sport of tactical long range precision shooting.
- S1 – 18 – Long Range Field Training Exercise
Every other month the 6.5 Guys hit the road to do a full day of field training exercises (FTX) to shoot at steel targets from 200 to 1000+ yards. This supplements our regular weekly practice sessions at our local 200 yard range, and it gives us more opportunities to train in field conditions that we would normally counter in a typical tactical long range match, such as spotting and making wind call corrections. We share insights into key takeaways from the FTX and share great visual footage from this road trip adventure.
- S1 – 19 – A Look at Tripods
In this episode the 6.5 Guys take a look at a small selection of tripod gear shooters typically employ. They discuss the tripod gear they are currently using and talk about the rationale behind their choices. Ed and Steve also provide a brief overview of some of the techniques they are currently using to shoot off a tripod support from different positions (kneeling, seated, standing).
- S1 – 20 – A Visit with 30 Cal Gal, Anette Wachter
The 6.5 Guys take time out at the shooting range while attending a precision rifle clinic to visit with Anette Wachter. Many of you may be familiar with Anette through her popular Blog and online screen name as the “30 Cal Gal”. Anette has proven her prowess in the shooting sports through her achievements including: Member of the US Long Range Rifle Team, NRA High Master Class, 3 National Records, 6 National Team Championships, and 24 international shooting trophies. She also competes in 3 Gun and more recently in the discipline of Precision [tactical] Rifle. Steve and Ed learn about Anette’s approach to training and competing in precision rifle.
- S1 – 21 – Pre-Match Intelligence Preparation and Analysis
How do you plan and prepare for the potential challenges of a new shooting location? Ed and Steve discuss and provide an overview for gathering and analyzing intelligence to prepare for an out of town match or hunting trip to a new location. They review techniques for analyzing map data, travel routes, weather, and converting weather atmospheric data to density altitude values to calculate external ballistics and prepare backup DOPE cards.
- S1 – 22 – Tech Tip, Brass Case Resizing Lube
Is the time you spend resizing brass significantly slowing down your reloading process and turning it into a tedious chore? Come along as the 6.5 Guys explore a technique to significantly speed up resizing, improve the overall consistency of resized brass, and save money. While this approach utilizing a DIY lanolin based spray lubricant is hardly new, it just seemed too good to be true so we never tried it until now. We are certainly glad we gave it a try and can share our results with you.
- S1 – 23 – A Look At Brass Case Cleaning
What methods do you use to clean your brass cases prior to reloading? If you do a lot of shooting you are looking at realizing efficiencies in cost, effort, and time while achieving effective and consistent results in processing your brass prior to reloading. Steve and Ed discuss their observations in using different brass cleaning systems and a few insights learned over the years. Particular focus is paid to vibratory tumblers and stainless steel media cleaning techniques, with acknowledgement that ultrasonic cleaning methods are effective but the 6.5 Guys don’t have direct experience with this method to share at this point in their journey. In other words, audience members are invited to share their experience with ultrasonic cleaning.
- S1 – 24 – Tips & Techniques, Bench Source Annealing Machine
Our viewers have provided helpful feedback for saving time and improving the consistency of setting up the Bench Source annealing machine. Ed and Steve share these tips and techniques in this brief video that we are sure others will find valuable in quickly getting their machines setup for annealing their brass cases.
- S1 – 25 – 2014 Winter Field Training Exercise (FTX)
Right after the Christmas holiday, the 6.5 Guys hit the road in the Match RV for a full day of field training exercises (FTX) in the cold winter weather at Rock Lake rifle range. This site in Eastern Washington state is a tactical precision shooters playground and offers an amazing variety of steel targets from 200+ yards to well past 1000 yards. Additionally, there are number of natural terrain features and a variety of barricade positions to shoot from. The FTX adventures we take every 2 to 3 months supplement our regular weekly practice sessions at our local 200 yard range, and it gives us more opportunities to train in field conditions that we would normally encounter in a typical tactical long range match. Through actual video shot on location, we share our key takeaways from the winter FTX and and offer our perspectives on how to better prepare for shooting in cold, wet, and windy conditions.
- S1 – 26 – A Visit with Northwest Precision Customs
In this episode the 6.5 Guys take the opportunity to visit with Doug Glorfield of Northwest Precision Customs. Doug also is the owner of Rock Lake Rifle Range and runs the Northwest Precision Steel Series Challenge matches. Steve and Ed learn learn more about the founding of NW Precision Customs and also take an in depth look at an exciting and innovative new product Doug just introduced a few months ago.
Information Links Discussed in This Video:
- S1 – 27 – Tips & Techniques: Bullet Seating
In this episode, the 6.5 Guys are back at the reloading bench to discuss bullet seating for compressed loads and how it can present challenges for maintaining consistent concentricity and cartridge overall all length (OAL). Steve and Ed review some of the current techniques they are using to help address these challenges.
- S1 – 28 – Season One Wrap Up: Highlights & Bloopers
The 6.5 Guys take a look back over the 27 videos that cover the matches, places, gear, people, and shooting adventures we had over the past seven months during season one. We also discuss some of the things you can look forward to in season two. We’ve searched the cutting room floor to bring you a small collection of the out-takes and bloopers that make creating our YouTube videos so much fun.