Hi everyone, we need your help. And to kick things off, we are offering an Easter special:

Easter book special- 15% off the Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting
The best book you will ever read if you want to become a better hunter and long range shooter.
We need your help

These are our goals for this year:

• Upload more cartridge research to the Knowledge base.
• Purchase and test new bullet / cartridge designs.
• Youtube uploads.
• Continue to provide email support where possible.
• Continue to fund the website and forums.

To be able to perform these activities we need your support. It took eight years to complete the first half of the knowledge base, pouring personal funds into making our research available to the public. We do not want to take another eight years to give you what you want! Instead, we would like to be able to put all of our efforts towards completing the Knowledge base. We cannot do this alone and this is a critical time for us. In plain terms, decisions made now will affect the rest of our year.
I am a great fan of the medium bores and to be honest, the Knowledge base is unbalanced without the addition of these cartridges - there is a great deal we wish to share with you.

If you have been thinking about buying any of the books or products, now is the time. If you have not already read the books and need a push, we can state in all honesty that the books will help you immensely while your purchase helps us to continue to provide our services. The books are easy to read and will get you on track. They are utilized by both amateurs and professionals.

If you already have the books, we would also be very grateful for any plugs via social media or whatever avenue you can think of. Please spread the word! The books are packed full of useful information that can save a shooter hundreds and often thousands of dollars long term.

If you are in a position to donate, we would be immensely grateful for this. I have been donating a good 1500 hours per year helping folk with their projects.  Now we need your help. As stated, this is a critical time for us and all funds donated will be put towards the cause.

As an incentive, we will be offering the Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting with a 15% discount over Easter. This book is the clincher in the series, an ideal gift for a shooting buddy. Other discounts will remain over Easter including our Entire Collection 25% off deal along with the 10 and 15% reductions on bundles.

To view  book deals, please visit:
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/shop.html

To help us by making a donation, please visit this page:
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/product/x_sku/Donation.html

For those who have not seen my latest Youtube uploads, please visit my channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ3UtxnxSjYVpyKuN3HMIcQ

Videos of interest include the Kapiti talks, bullet talk and long range shooting interview (and the stinging nettle video for those who have aching joints). The Kapiti talk in particular covers a variety of topics from bedding to suppressor usage through to shooting technique. Please spread the word.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to all for your ongoing support. As I mentioned earlier, you have made a difference in our lives. I very much hope that we have made an equally positive impact on your lives.

All the best, Steph and Nathan.

PS: A quick Review of the Sierra TMK:
Recently I have been testing Sierra’s Polymer tipped Matchking (don’t worry, I’ll be into the new ELD-X range soon enough). This is a relatively new high BC bullet design from Sierra boasting a massive hollow point behind its big green tip. As a quick summary - it works extremely well as a long range hunting projectile. The 168gr .308 in particular has been a great bullet. As a testimony to its performance I made up a batch of downloads for Riley (now 9) with a hefty load of Trail Boss and a magnum primer yielding 1650fps. I zeroed at 120 yards and the load shot fairly flat in between and beyond, again thanks to its very high BC. Riley was able to shoot accurately at the range (as if I would let her get away with anything less) and also use the load in the field to bag two feral goats. Both went down immediately (one shot at exactly 120 yards and the other around 30 yards). Wounding was thorough and penetration excellent. Recoil was near nonexistent for the wee lass yet the pay load was emphatic for close range work.

The 168gr TMK works equally well at full velocities and can tackle reasonable body weights at close ranges without issues. Wounds are devastating.

This is a very long projectile and takes up good deal of magazine space with a COAL of around 2.815” / 71.5mm working effectively. I you are looking for something a little different to try in your .308 or .30-06, give this a go.
 

 

Hi everyone, the final book in our series is now here. If you have ever wondered what it is like to shoot with me, then here is your chance to learn through this step by step tutorial book.

Step out of the flock, learn how to shoot straight and learn how to shoot long.
 
The Practical Guide To Long range shooting starts with the very basics. And while some may see the basics as boring, if you will allow me (by following the methods), I will break your current methods, then rebuild your form so that you are a much better shooter all around. Once this has been achieved, we can then step out to long ranges and engage in more advanced topics. Having said this, the approach I have taken is the same as with all of what I do and teach – we find a simple approach.
 
This book is also a complete manual in that it includes chapters on hunting kit (back packing) and game field dressing. These are aspects that I felt were important as a means to avoid having a one dimensional approach to long range hunting and shooting.
 
This is perhaps the most controversial of the series as I turn everything upside down relative to the current status quo.  If you are willing to work with me by following each step, we will break new ground together. We will reclaim what has been lost in a world where shooting skills have deteriorated and we will set new standards. I firmly believe that this book is and will be the standard reference for those who seek to be the best in precision shooting in years to come. But in truth, I also believe that there may be a difficult path ahead. Such is the way when a person decides not to follow the herd. And yet, results will speak for themselves.  
Whether you are a civilian, police or military shooter this book can help you.
 
If you are a military instructor, this book is an invaluable resource. Why? Because there is a big difference between being a good shot and actually being able to recognize why Billy Bob is a good shot while Frank just ain’t cutting it. One of my core skills is the ability to recognize where folk go wrong when shooting. Further to this, tutors need to be aware of how they can inadvertently put students wrong.
   
This book will teach you traditional shooting methods that are now for the most part a lost art. But further to this, I bring in my own experience such as that relayed in the chapter regarding recoil pad positioning. We will also look at modern methods and how and when these are best employed. This will help to make you a more rounded shooter with a key focus for this book being ‘transferable skills’.
 
Please note that on our shopping page, there is a link to download a PDF of the table of contents for The Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting. This will give you a good summary of the many subjects covered within the book.

This launch also sees the release of the 2nd edition of my book, the Practical Guide To Bolt Action Rifle Accurizing And Maintenance. This book has become immensely popular and is now loaded with even more information on how to get the very best out of your rifle. 
 
All the best,
Nathan.
 
Ebook pre-check:
If ordering the ebook, please make sure that you check for the incoming mail after your purchase with your ebook link and download the book within 24 hours. If the link does not work, check to make sure that your email service has not broken the link in half and separated it over two lines. If so, cust and paste the link back together and you will be good to go.
If you are one of those crazy people who owns an ipad (dark side of the force), please check to make sure your system can handle “zip files”. In some instances, you may need a free program such as iunarchive lite to help extract compressed files. Google offers several work arounds should you come across any problems.

 

Hi all, just a heads up for Kiwis, I will be at Reloaders Supplies on the 10th (next Friday) for a meet and greet, book signing etc. Will be there from noon till knock off.

Not a great deal of other news at the moment sorry. Just working through the final book in the series on field work. Have started with the very basics of range work and technique, moving into field work, then how to make drop charts and use apps etc. Then into more advanced topics, building spin drift and compounded Coriolis into the picture (this is not such a big deal for southern hemisphere shooters but the further you go north in the northern hemisphere, the more each take effect as we push through the walls discussed in book 2). I will most likely finish with some long range hunting strategies of a universal nature.

This will be the book that brings everything together. Its not going to be a technical monotone. I want to get readers up to speed as though they were right beside me at the range. So this book has to cut through a lot of BS and drive home major points. It has to be more that "just another theory book". I really need to make a strong connection with readers and get past theory and into practice. As you can imagine, this is absorbing a great deal of my energy as I work hard to make this connection in print.

Anyway, if you want to drop by for a visit and shoot the breeze, come see me at Reloaders. Don't be shy. Funds from any spot book sales on the day will be spent at Reloaders so Steph and I can continue research.

Hi all, I hope this email finds you and your families well.

The Practical Guide To Reloading is finally here! Yes, it took me long enough but writing books is certainly not a fast process.
Being the fourth book in the series, The Practical Guide To Reloading ties in the other books of this series to help us achieve our goals of an accurate rifle. I decided to set about this book in such a way as to start with the very basics, then work through to advanced hand loading techniques. In this way, I hope that the book can be used by all shooters regardless of their experience levels.
 
But there is a bit of a twist to this. You see, I do not believe there is a clear distinction between basic hand loading operations and advanced procedures as far as extreme accuracy goes. To my mind, it is a process of problem solving as opposed to two different processes. Generally speaking, we do what works and there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple- especially for beginners. To this end, I have structured the book in a way that has possibly never before been utilized in the world of handloading. We start with good basic practices, observe accuracy, then work through steps to improve accuracy.
For those who are just starting out, the book starts with a shopping list and what to look out for and / or avoid, then a breakdown of how each item works. The step by step methods I have outlined are useful in that the beginner can work up a load that will (if the rifle is up to the task) be comfortably accurate at close to moderate ranges without any great deal of fuss. When the reader is ready, further steps can be taken to improve accuracy.

Those who have prior handloading experience may wish to delve straight into advanced techniques from the outset. These sections of the book can utilized in an immediate manner however I would strongly urge experienced handloaders to take a walk back through the basics and investigate initial procedures. Sometimes it is the little things that count and when faced with accuracy issues, we need to remind ourselves that as with many things in life, the solution to a problem is often very simple. But to find that simple fix (which may be easier said than done), we may have to shift our perspective from the belief that we need advanced handloading techniques to more of a troubleshooting mindset which may include investigation of our most basic procedures. Basic procedures are in my experience, the crux of accuracy issues. I am sure this will make sense to you.  

There are times when the goal of extreme accuracy seems overly frustrating. As mentioned, the solution to a problem may be simple, but finding it may be easier said than done. To this end, I have addressed the realities of problem solving. It can be very disconcerting when a book gives very basic instructions with the inference that within a few simple steps, you will have a tack driving rifle. The trouble with this attitude is that it can knock a hole in a person’s confidence when they are faced with a challenging rifle and it is taking more than 20 shots to get the rifle sorted like the book said. There are also times when we are faced with a dud rifle barrel and nothing is going to help. Through my other books, I have talked about the realities of rifle accuracy and the same goes here. I want you to feel supported, not inadequate. I want you to be able to keep going when the going gets tough.

I hope this helps paint a picture of the approach I have taken with this book. I have also included check lists at the rear of the book and as much other information as I felt was relevant towards helping you achieve your goals.
 
Aside from the book launch, Steph, Riley and I are well. Steph has been working alongside me in her usual manner. She does the work, I seem to get the attention which in reality can be quite unfair. We are to be very grateful for this woman who has quietly helped make all of this possible, whether working on a rifle of interest, at the load bench or in the field. I remember once, as Steph was climbing through terribly thick scrub with a carcass on her back, covered in sweat and blood, she turned to me grinning and said- “Last time I go shopping with you”.  She is a hard shot for sure.

Miss Riley is well, she is eight years old now- about level with my arm pit. Bright, happy, sensitive to others needs and with a good sense of humor. Can’t ask for more than that huh. She has just started hunting small game with a .22. Riley is no tom boy but she lives a balanced life, tap dancing one day, shooting the next.

The site is very busy which is good but unfortunately our email load has been very high and in some instances, I have not been able to answer all of our mail- even though Steph and I still answer mail seven days per week. We also need to take some time out soon, such has been the toll of work. I therefore wish to convey my advanced apologies if I am unable to answer mail at certain times. The truth is, when we answer mail on Sunday’s or holidays for several hours at a time, we miss out on family time. So I would like to try and find some balance in this regard, without offending our customers.
 
I will start writing the final book of this series in February. The final book will cover field work including shooting technique, making drop charts and so forth. I have often thought that this book is the most critical in the book series and that we should have perhaps started with a book focused on shooting technique however the series will soon be complete and with all five books, readers should be well equipped with information to achieve excellent results. I will probably have to go slightly ‘drill sergeant’ in style with this book. However I understand that our readers very much like this clear cut approach when I have need to take it. The truth is, the final book will be very much like a personal tutorial with me- and I don’t like to send clients home without established skills. So I really need to drum information home.

Once the book series is finished, I will be primarily focused on completing the site knowledge base which is still missing almost a third of my gathered research.

All the best, Nathan.


 

The NZ Army came to little old Urenui for a visit this weekend. The lads did some great PR work here in Taranaki and let folk have a play with their kit. It was a great time for us and I hope the soldiers enjoyed themselves equally.

I got to have a play with the Lewis L129A1 rifle with its Leupold 3-18 FFP Mil Rad scope. hard to see in the picture but there is a peep site set at 30 degrees (just below my hand). The set up is not too dissimilar to the offset sights of the old Bren but in this instance, the rifle is tilted when using the peep (close range work). Note also the pump action door knocker carried by this strapping bloke.



Below- A last Hoorah for the Steyr, soon to be replaced with an M4 also made by Lewis Machine and Tool.



Riley was certainly not backwards in coming forwards. Again, great PR, taking time out to chat to a little girl (the kids loved the Mimi school visit). Note the new Ghostex digital camo. Still a few teething problems here with material fading far too quickly, the material and stitching both less than desirable. The rips, tears and thread bare material were obvious. Can't have our guys humping it in sub standard kit.



Close up of the Ghostex camo






Well, I better get back to work, books don't finish themselves.
 

Hi Guys, here is a link to a radio interview I did at the request of forum member:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thehuntingshow/2014/10/13/ep29--interview-with-nathan-from-terminal-ballistics-research

Am in the finishing stages of the next book (reloading)- editing, photos etc. This is a very busy time and it has become difficult for me to answer mail and forum posts with any depth sorry. We really need to get the book launched by December for Santa because I know you have all been good and deserve a visit from the jolly red man- so its all hands on deck at the moment.


Thanks guys.

Hi all- another one chalked off the list, the .338-06 A-Square is now uploaded to the knowledge base.


Not a lot else to report guys. Just trucking along.  I hope you all enjoy the latest article. Will hopefully have the reloading book finished for Christmas.
 

HI all, just a quick note to let you all know that my .338 Win Mag article is now live. This article serves as the base article for the .338's with other .338 research to be uploaded in due course.

All the best.

 

Hi, just a quick not to say the .325WSM article is up. So ends the 8mm section, .338 data to come next.

All the best,  Nathan.

 

Hi all, just a quick heads up, 8x68 S data has been uploaded to the knowledge base.

Cheers, Nathan.

 

Hi all, just a quick one.  I have revised the 7mm Practical article in the KB to bring it more in line with the rest of the Knowledge Base, though there are still differences.

Hopefully the new article is more succinct and user friendly. If you think I have missed anything of importance, please let me know.