CMP: Civilian Marksmanship Program – their Mission: Promote marksmanship through firearms training, competitions and youth programs.
CMP awarded 142 scholarships, over $300,000 in value, to Marksmanship athletes for 2024-2025.
The CMP 2024 Talladega D-DAY Events are set for June 6-9, 2024.
By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer
Mark your calendars as the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) hosts the annual Talladega D-Day event, set to be held June 6-9, 2024, at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Registration is currently open, so sign up now to join this commemorative occasion!
This year, the Talladega D-Day event will honor the 80th anniversary of the Allied Forces landing at Normandy Beach in France. Guests will be able to celebrate the heroes of the World War II generation through diverse marksmanship competitions and activities scattered throughout the 500 acres of Talladega Marksmanship Park.
The 2024 Talladega D-Day Match will honor the 80th anniversary of the Allied Forces at Normandy.
New for 2024 – D-Day will include a special shotgun tournament on Talladega’s 15-station Sporting Clays Loop! The competition will take place on Saturday, June 8, and will include 200 clays for two-person teams. Register for the D-Day Shotgun Tournament at https://app.scorechaser.com/tournament-PAKQN0CJWGM0X1.
The 2024 D-Day event will also include the return of contemporary rifle match favorites like the Roosevelt Commemorative and Garand Iron Man EIC Rifle matches, as well as a Rimfire Sporter Rifle Benchrest Match and Benchrest Vintage Match—both ideal for those just beginning rifle competition or those with ailments eager to get back on the range.
Along with a variety of educational courses, CMP’s traditional Games events, such as the GSMM, Carbine, and Vintage Sniper rifle matches and pistol matches like the 1911 As-Issued and Military & Police, will round out the full schedule. Those competing in the John C. Garand Match with As-Issued M1 Rifles will have the chance to earn a GCA (Garand Collectors Association) Master Marksman medal based on their score.
Come be part of the festivities on this special date in U.S. history. For more information on Talladega D-Day, visit https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-d-day-matches/.
Talladega 600 Range Rifle events will be held on Talladega’s outdoor electronic target line.
Talladega D-Day Pistol Competitor Like rifle and pistol events are open to individuals of all competitive experience levels.
About Talladega Marksmanship Park: Talladega Marksmanship Park, “The Home of Marksmanship,” hosts rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery opportunities for guests to enjoy. The park Club House consists of 13,000 square feet of useable space and includes CMP’s Pro Shop, which is loaded with firearms, ammunition, shooting accessories and CMP memorabilia. Don’t forget about the Pro Shop’s Commercial Gun Sales, which will be available beginning June 1, 2024!
The facility is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, all year long. The CMP website has a list of monthly events and other happenings at Talladega Marksmanship Park: https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
Held in Las Vegas, the 46th Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®), owned and operated by NSSF® — The Firearm Industry Trade Association — concludes with resounding success, setting new benchmarks for industry innovation, collaboration and engagement.
The SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and 115 countries. Some 13.9 miles of aisles lead to displays of firearms, ammunition, gun safes, locks and cases, optics, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, hunting accessories, law enforcement gear, hearing and eye protection, tree stands, scents and lures, cutlery, GPS systems and other electronics, holsters, apparel, leather goods, game calls and decoys.
With an expanded show floor, a record-high number of exhibitors, and an array of new features and networking opportunities, the 2024 SHOT Show was the largest to date.
More than 55,400 industry professionals packed the 13.9 miles of aisles over four days at The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, eager to view new, innovative products used for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation and law enforcement.
“The energy on the SHOT Show floor this year was off the charts,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “The feedback we’ve received from our exhibitors and attendees has been amazing, and we can’t thank them all enough for helping us make the show what it is: the greatest trade show in the world.”
This was the largest SHOT Show ever, marking the third year of expanded exhibit space at Caesars Forum, in addition to The Venetian Expo. More than 2,600 companies displayed products and services in booths covering more than 821,000 net square feet and attracting attendees from 117 countries and all 50 states.
Sentiments from the Show Floor
“When we’re here, we’re able to network with our customers; we’re able to see all of our dealers. There really is no better place for us to be during this time,” said Shaundi Campbell of Browning.
“SHOT Show 2024 was filled with tremendous excitement that our industry needs,” stated Kevin Paulson, Founder of Huntinglife.com. “When talking with companies and individuals on the floor, the energy was palpable from the moment the show opened all the way through Friday afternoon. As the publisher for Hunting Life Magazine, it is great to see new companies coming into the show floor and the industry growing together.”
“It’s been a great show with a great return for us,” said Aaron Deckert of Infiray Outdoor. “We keep coming back for the connections and great attendance at SHOT Show.”
“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen that are familiar, but I hadn’t had the chance to connect with yet. So, getting numbers, making those acquaintances, and just driving my business forward, that wouldn’t be there without this venue,” said Risky Chrisky of Leviathan Group.
“This was my first SHOT Show,” said Jordan Zwart, President of RubLine. “It was absolutely awesome, absolutely overwhelming, but in the best way possible. Everything that you can think of, you are going to find here.”
“SHOT is really beneficial to law enforcement. Every year I come back there is new equipment, new optics, new gear to try out,” said Kevin Boyd of C&G Holsters. “It’s great for networking, providing us the opportunity to meet with multiple different departments and agencies.”
“I could not even recap all the amazing people I saw, conversations I had, and relationships that were built. A very productive week for me, and just feeling really motivated and hungry for this next year,” said Marissa LaRen, Staccato Brand Ambassador.
Government Officials and the Outdoor Industry
The 2024 SHOT Show facilitated dialogue and collaboration between government officials and outdoor industry professionals at both the State Attorneys General Forum and the 3rd Annual Governors’ Forum. The first-ever Attorneys General Forum was a resounding success. One of the most well-attended special events, the 3rd Annual Governors’ Forum was standing-room only, where seven governors discussed the importance of firearm businesses to their economies and their efforts to attract firearm- and ammunition-related companies to relocate to their state. Across America, the $80.7 billion firearm industry supports more than 393,000 jobs.
All-new Archery Pavilion
This year, the SHOT Show introduced the all-new Archery Business Pavilion, featuring exhibits from leading manufacturers and suppliers in the archery industry. The new area of the show provided a focused environment for archery retailers and industry professionals to explore the latest trends, products, and business opportunities in the archery sector.
“This is our first year here; the floor traffic has been great,” said Eric Griggs, Owner and President of GAS Bowstrings. “It’s been great to see a lot of crossover folks who are thinking about adding an archery department or already have one. Everybody comes to SHOT, so having an archery-specific section provides a level of convenience. I imagine this section will really take off in years to come.”
Honoring Industry’s Leaders
NSSF announced its 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, honoring three industry leaders who left indelible marks on the industry and shooting sports. The NSSF Hall of Fame was launched at the 2020 SHOT Show to honor industry leaders for their contributions to NSSF, SHOT Show and the heritage of target shooting and hunting in America. This year’s inductees were Don Gobel, Grits Gresham and Bob Morrison.
NSSF presented its highest honor — the Ken Sedlecky Lifetime Achievement Award — to Steve Hornady, President of Hornady Manufacturing Company, for his long-term commitment to the success of the industry and his support of NSSF’s mission to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.
SHOT Week Supplier Showcase
The SHOT WeekSM Supplier Showcase, a two-day event and a key component of the SHOT Show garnered widespread acclaim for its success in connecting suppliers with manufacturers, fostering collaboration, and driving efficiency across the supply chain. This year featured over 560 OEM third-party suppliers meeting with exhibiting manufacturers and exploring their needs for extrusions, fabrication, fabrics, machinery, metal, plastics, software, logistical support and tools.
“Having suppliers available is a big deal because I have different options for the product now that I didn’t have yesterday,” said James Mark Busbee of CSAT Tactical Shooting Supply.
“You need to come to SHOT Show to see the latest and greatest technology, new designs and what people’s needs are so you can provide them a nice solution to get their product launched,” said Ron Natale, Precision Laser Technology.
“We came to find potential new suppliers, meet up with all our current suppliers and get new ideas and insights into industry trends. It’s one of the most important shows for us,” said Petra Polson of Benchmade Knife Co.
Education Sessions
Education sessions for firearm retailers, shooting range operators, exporters and law enforcement professionals continue to be an important segment of the SHOT Show. With SHOT University™, Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) – in partnership with American Cop – and Export Training Sessions offering in-person classes on compliance, marketing, training, exports, operations and much more.
Dedication to Firearm Safety
The topic of suicide prevention had high visibility at this year’s show, with NSSF’s Have a Brave Conversation booth and the announcement of the all-new BraveConversation.org website. NSSF’s Project ChildSafe® also exhibited, along with NSSF’s partners, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Many official show events cluster around the four days of the SHOT Show, creating SHOT Week. Among them was the NSSF/Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Golf Classic in support of HAVA, a firearm industry-run charitable organization that helps the healing of disabled combat veterans through participation in hunting and shooting sports.
Also, Industry Day at the RangeTM on the day before the SHOT Show gives invited media members and buyers a truly exclusive opportunity to preview and test the latest guns, gear and gadgets before anyone else in the industry. This year featured over 120 exhibitors and over 2,300 media and buyers, a record-high attendance.
Expanded Networking Opportunities
Networking took center stage at the show, with the return of the popular SHOT After Dark, All-Star Jam Concert and nightly industry networking receptions. This expanded lineup of events and opportunities facilitated meaningful connections and collaborations among industry stakeholders.
“We are thrilled to see the tremendous success of the All-Star Jam Concert at SHOT Show. The energy and enthusiasm from all who attended was phenomenal, and we’re proud to have been a part of this fantastic experience alongside NSSF,” said Matt Hutchings, President and CEO of Outdoor Sportsman Group.
Recognizing the Show’s Sponsors
Major sponsors of this year’s show were Daniel Defense, USCCA, C&H Precision, Outdoor Sportsman Group, SAR Firearms, Silencer Co., Silencer Shop and TrueTimber.
Preparations have already begun for next year’s 47th SHOT Show, which is slated for January 21-24, 2025 in Las Vegas.
-30- About NSSF
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.
Remington, America’s iconic ammunition manufacturer, recently released a video giving shooters and hunters an update on the company’s Arkansas manufacturing plant. Following the company’s recent “Where’s the Ammo” video, Remington Ammunition President Jason Vanderbrink is back to give another update on Big Green’s increasing output.
In the video, Vanderbrink reaffirms the company’s commitment to quality, safety, and increasing production while showing where Remington ammo has recently been found on-shelf across the country
“Our team knows we’ve got work to do.” said Vanderbrink. “We’re continuing to hire local manufacturing jobs, continuing to produce ammo 24/7, and continuing to revitalize Big Green as more ammo goes out the door daily.”
Interested shooters, hunters and reloaders are encouraged to follow Remington on YouTube for future updates.
To be the first to hear about product availability, exciting new products and everything Remington ammo, visitors to www.remington.com are encouraged to sign up for Remington’s e-newsletter or follow Remington on social media.
Total economic impact for the USA firearm and ammunition industry increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $63.5 billion in 2019.
Some 342,330 full time jobs are supported by the firearm industry, averaging $56,400 each, in wages and benefits in our economy.
Over 100 hundred million law-abiding Americans rely upon the firearms and ammunition industry to to safely enjoy the recreational shooting sports, as they exercise their right to keep and bear arms.
St. Patrick’s Day 2021 brings us stunning data regarding positive economic news from the firearm industry. Just released in a report from the National Shooting Sports Association (NSSF) – the total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $63.5 billion in 2019, a 232 percent increase! The total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to over 342,330, a 106 percent increase. The data is according to a report released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, the industry’s trade association.
On a year-over-year basis, the industry’s economic impact rose from $60 billion in 2019, to $63.5 billion in 2020. Total jobs increased by more than 10,000 in the same period, from nearly 332,000, to over 342,330. The broader impact of the industry throughout the economy, supports and generates business for firms seemingly unrelated to firearms, at a time when every job in America counts. These are real people, with real jobs, working in industries as varied as banking, retail, accounting, metal working and printing among others.
The firearm and ammunition industry paid nearly $7 billion in business taxes, including property, income and sales-based levies.
“The firearm industry has demonstrated amazing resilience and these economic impact figures are the result of every man and woman who comprise our industry,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “These professionals are the reason our industry continues to grow and contribute to our communities, states and nation. These workers and our member companies produce the highest quality firearms and ammunition that over a hundred million law-abiding Americans rely upon to exercise their right to keep and bear arms and safely enjoy the recreational shooting sports. This growth equals more jobs that add to our local economies, averaging $56,400 in wages and benefits. Since 2008 we increased federal tax payments by 170 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 89 percent and state business taxes by 125 percent.”
The Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report provides a state-by-state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output covering direct, supplier and induced employment, as well as federal excise taxes paid. Access the full report here.
About NSSF: Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. For more information, visit nssf.org.
Demands that Congress ban the modern sporting rifle (MSR).
Call to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed with wide bipartisan support.
Reality of crime is that more murders are committed with knives, fists and clubs than all rifles combined.
With a reminder note from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in Newtown, CT – the anniversary of the tragic and senseless murders in Parkland, FL, three years ago remind us why the firearm industry is committed to Real Solutions. Safer Communities®. The loss of innocent lives because of the unthinkable acts of a criminal defies explanation but deserves our efforts to try to prevent them from occurring again.
President Joe Biden’s call for his gun control agenda is not working to address the shared American goal of reducing criminal misuse of firearms. His demand that Congress ban the modern sporting rifle (MSR), which he knowingly mislabels an “assault rifle” and “weapon of war,” denies the reality that more murders are committed with knives, fists and clubs than all rifles combined. Over 20 million MSRs are in circulation today, used daily for lawful purposes.
President Biden’s call to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed with wide bipartisan support, panders to the radical base of his party. Rolling it back would be akin to allowing activist lawyers to sue Ford for the wrongful deaths caused by drunk drivers.
The criminal responsible for the horrors thrust on Parkland, and the nation, must be held accountable for his crimes. Anything less is a whitewash of the failures of local, state and federal authorities to act on any of the 45 instances of warnings, tips and police responses prior to his final terrible crimes.
The firearm industry has been willing to take on this hard work. It has not waited. The firearm industry provides Real Solutions, including partnerships with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement to include:
Partnering with 15,000 law enforcement agencies to distribute 40 million firearm safety kits, including locking devices, for safe firearm storage through Project ChildSafe®.
Fixing the FBI’s background check system by changing the law in 16 states and in Congress to increase reporting of disqualifying adjudicated mental health records, resulting in a 266 percent increase.
Partnering with the ATF to prevent illegal firearm straw purchases and warning it is a crime punishable by 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Improving security at firearm retailers, with ATF, to deter criminals from stealing firearms.
Matching ATF reward offers up to $5,000 to bring criminals to justice that steal firearms.
Preventing firearm suicides with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Department of Veterans Affairs.
The firearm industry is committed to the shared goal of reducing and ending criminal misuse of firearms, as well as accidents and suicides. That is the common ground. These are the proven answers to achieve this goal. Click here to learn more about Real Solutions®.
About NSSF – NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
WAY TOO HEAVY to carry, but this safe assembles in pieces easy to ship and move
21 million NICS checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm in the past 12 months
NSSF estimates that 8.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020
By Forrest Fisher
Anyone that owns a firearm, one or more, is concerned about safe storage of their ammo and guns. Especially now. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Americans have registered record-setting firearms stats earlier this month.
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported that 21 million background checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm in the past 12 months. That’s a 60% increase from 2019 with 13.2 million background checks, and it shatters the previous record of 15.7 million in 2016. NSSF estimates that 8.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020.
Outdoor friend Kim Emery says, “It’s a good time to share gun safety information with new gun owners as well as those increasing their firearm collections. Gun safes are an essential component of this training.” From my perspective, what could be better than protecting your firearms with a fire-insulated safe made in the USA? There is such a company: Steelhead Outdoors.
The best safes are big and hard to move, so Steelhead Outdoors makes their safe products modular. Modular gun safes are easily moved and assembled by two people. You will not need to hire a specialized safe-moving company, which is costly, or enlist your family and friends on a dangerous do-it-yourself heavyweight moving adventure each time you move.
In a recent interview, Steelhead Outdoors co-founder Corey Meyer says, “Don’t wait until you have found your “forever home” to invest in proper protection and security of firearms and valuables. We created Steelhead Outdoors to solve the problem of fitting a safe into your lifestyle and home space. Modular safes can be moved into spaces that a traditional safe cannot. Plus, at Steelhead Outdoors, with our custom-designed options, we can literally create your dream safe.”
The classic Steelhead Outdoors Nomad series offers ceramic fire insulation rated to 2300 degrees and is non-moisture trapping. That means no dehumidifier is required (and will not release steam into the safe in the event of a fire). How cool is that?!
Size: Model 26: 26” x 18” x 54” assembled. The Nomad Model 26 is the perfect safe for smaller gun collections and small spaces. It is perfect for apartments, townhomes, temporary living situations and fits beautifully into most closets. The assembled safe weighs 375lb, every panel is easily moveable and weighs less than 100 lbs. The interior can be configured from 6 to 15 long guns.
The Model 38, size: 38″ x 24″ x 60″ assembled. The Nomad Model 38 is the perfect safe for larger gun collections and can be assembled in places a traditional safe could never get to. The assembled safe weighs 600lb, every panel is easily moveable and weighs less than 150 lbs. The interior can be configured from 10 to 34 long guns.
Both safes are available with a mechanical dial lock or a push-button digital lock. Custom color options and configurations available. To learn more about modular gun safes and the best options, visit SteelheadOutdoors.com. Follow on Instagram.com/SteelheadOutdoors, on Facebook.Com/SteelheadOutdoors, and watch how-to videos on their YouTube channel.
About Steelhead Outdoors: Founded in 2016, Steelhead Outdoors is an innovative safe company offering the only American-made, modular, fire-insulated gun safe available currently on the market. Longtime friends, engineers, and avid outdoorsmen, Charlie Pehrson and Corey Meyer, searched for a gun safe made in the USA, was adaptable, and offered a respectable level of fire and theft protection. Still, they soon realized this product didn’t exist. Since they couldn’t buy it, they decided to build it. Learn more at SteelheadOutdoors.com
Want to have a more successful and safe shooting range trip? Make sure you’ve got the right gear
By Blake Tabb
Do you want to have a more successful and safer shooting range trip? Make sure you’ve got the right gear! Preparation for range day begins with the right range bag and ends with it being filled with all the things you need to have a fun and productive day.
The right range bag is the Ulfhednar UH010 Long Day Range Bag. It’s designed in Norway from ultra-tough Cordura nylon, with best-in-class YKK covered zippers and an ergonomic carrying strap with a non-slip material, so it will stay snugged up against your shoulder no matter how far you have to walk. A large exterior side pocket has a fold flat “table” with a soft pad for small cleaning/repair jobs, and there are even more, well-padded exterior and interior pockets. The Molle system on top and on one side makes attaching and removing extra pockets and accessories quick and easy. The bag measures a generous 23.6 x 15.75 x 9.85 inches, and is Ulfhednar’s signature grey. It’s built Viking tough to last a lifetime.
Being steady is a must for long-range precision rifle shooting, which means you need a support from which you can rest both the rifle’s forend and buttstock. Properly resting the buttstock is best achieved with a squeeze-type pillow, which is placed under the buttstock and slightly squeezed to allow it to expand to fine-tune the elevation position of the rifle on the target. Ulfhednar’s UH105 Squeezy Support Pillow is perfect for the task. Measuring 3 x 4.3 inches and weighing just 12 ounces, it’s made from a soft, yet rugged, neoprene material, and has easy access to customize. It’s the choice of many serious competition shooters around the globe.
How about a sling? The Ulfhednar UH303 sling is so much more than an inexpensive rifle carrier. This sling features PRS non-elastic web and adjustable cam-buckle so you can adjust the sling length quickly; one of the two solid plastic clamps adjusts the total length of the loop, the other locks the loop around the arm. Together they ensure that once an adjustment has been made, it will stay there until you physically change it. The sling is also so light that it is not felt on your arm. It’s been designed to help keep you steady in all shooting positions.
To carry ammunition and stack it next to your shooting position for quick and easy access, the Ulfhednar UH110 Versatile Ammunition Folder is made from water-resistant Cordura nylon. It features a durable carrying strap and holds up to 40 rifle cartridges. It can be set up in a triangle and locked with Velcro. There’s also an exterior waterproof table pocket that can be removed and replaced with the four included cartridge strips, each holding 10 rounds each. Two and two cartridge strips can be mounted together so that you get two cartridge strips with 20 shots in each.
You also need a rifle case. Usually, a rifle case is a rifle case, but how about a gun case that doubles as a top-end shooting mat? That’s what you get with the Ulfhednar UH040 BASE CAMP. Sporting backpack straps on the underside in addition to a top carrying handle. The UH040 is easy to sling on a shoulder and tote to the range or into the field. Once there, the bag folds out to reveal a full-length shooting mat measuring 41 x 79 inches. While an integrated shooting mat is pretty useful on its own, Ulfhednar takes it to another level by utilizing a rubber material (like you’d see in car tires) on certain surfaces of the mat to add friction. The rubber is laid specifically on the mat to give shooters a little resistance while shooting, so shooters’ elbows and/or the firearm itself doesn’t slip when firing. The product also has a lot of storage pockets, Molle web for attaching extra pockets or other equipment, a zippered inner storage pocket, a channel for storing your cleaning/push rod, and a detachable pocket for tables, and it also comes with a two-foot extension lower leg mat and extended bipod mat. It’s made from Cordura nylon and features covered YKK zippers.
About Ulfhernar – Ruggedized Norwegian produced precision shooting gear. Founded and managed by a
40-year champion shooter, Ulfhednar is producing a line of products that are incredibly innovative, durable, and exactly in time with the growing PRS market in the US. Long Range/PRS are the largest shooting sports in Norway boasting 6,000 registered competitors.
The product is proudly made in the USA and gives one percent of all sales to conservation. The company also offers veterans a 15 percent discount on all products.
You see the Buck, the Elk, the Moose…but your bow is somehow unreachable. Now, a proven solution.
Reduce FROM a the game of CHANCE…TO a game of CHOICE.
Mount on your hip, on your treestand, on your backpack while hiking in. The Intuitive design makes bow retrieval fast and easy in any situation.
One of the big hassles of hunting with a compound bow is figuring out how to securely and safely pack and carry it afield, yet keep it handy enough that you can immediately spring into action should an unforeseen opportunity arise. The solution is simple: Bow Spider — the quickest and easiest bow retrieval system on the market. Whether you are a backpack hunter, spend your time up a tree, or need both hands free when crossing a field while carrying decoys, blinds, and other accessories, Bow Spider is the answer you’ve been looking for.
The concept is simple and revolves around a lightweight, roundish bow holder that comes with a sturdy belt and long bolts, allowing for multiple ways to secure your bow. Use the belt to attach your bow to your pack, hip, truck headrest, blind, or tree. Bow Spider can also be easily attached to a binocular harness or backpack. In fact, it can be mounted to any sturdy flat surface for secure and easy storage – even a wall.
Here’s how it works. An aluminum arm attaches to the bow’s riser, and slides into a slot on the lightweight, injection-molded receiver, which can be worn on the included belt or attached via long bolts to other objects. The bow is held securely in place via a gravity-locking system, yet slides out with minimal effort. You have to either pull it out or turn it upside down to get the bow out. With Bow Spider, you can:
Mount on Your Hip: Use the straps provided to mount the Bow Spider to your side using a belt or on your pack frame belt. Or you can attach it to your pack frame waist band. Both of these options provide for easy access while hiking or exploring for game as well as during professional archery shooting competitions.
Mount in Your Tree Stand: Use the Bow Spider to secure your bow when hunting from a tree stand for quick, quiet access. Carry it up securely on your back and cinch to the tree! This eliminates the need for a pull rope to pull your bow up after you are already in the tree stand. Once in the tree stand utilize the provided strap to attach the Bow Spider to the tree for quick access.
Use on Your Pack: You can choose either to temporarily or permanently mount Bow Spider to your pack. By using the provided straps it can be mounted temporarily. For a permanent or semi-permanent mount you can use the provided bolts. This is a true game changer for those long backcountry hikes.
Safe Storage for Home or Travel: Use the provided strap to affix the Bow Spider to your seat while driving. You can also screw the Bow Spider to the wall for long term storage in your home.
The Bow Spider is available in green, tan, or black, and has a MSRP of $84.95. To see how it works, check out this short YouTube video quick access: Click Here
When every second counts, quickly swing your bow into action thanks to the amazing new Bow Spider. For more information, and to order visit www.bowspider.com.
About Recreational Archery Development LLC (RAD, LLC): Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kinnear, WY – RAD, LLC is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative products for the outdoor industry, including the Bow Spider brand of products. Bow Spider’s intuitive design makes bow retrieval fast and easy in any situation. The product is proudly made in the USA and gives one percent of all sales to conservation. The company also offers veterans a 15 percent discount on all products. (To take advantage of this offer, orders need to be called in directly to the company at (307) 438-9290.) For additional information on RAD, LLC and the Bow Spider brand of products write to: RAD, LLC, PO Box 171, Kinnear, WY 82516; call (307) 438-9290; email info@bowspider.com; visit www.bowspider.com.
The answer is obvious – every turkey hunter wants better performance in the field. But the solution to getting better performance may not be as obvious. Usually, hunters try, more or less at random, different shotshells to see if they can find something better than what they are using.
The truth is, pattern density, uniformity, and downrange energy are a product of not just the shell and pellets, but of how the shot interacts with the choke tube as it leaves the barrel.
Trulock, an industry leader in cutting-edge choke tube design and manufacturing, knows that with the right choke tubes, you don’t have to randomly search for a load that works in your shotgun.
The right choke tube starts with the kind of quality in Trulock’s Turkey Choke tubes. Designed in-house at their headquarters in Wigham, Ga., these chokes are manufactured with cutting-edge numerical computer control (CNC) equipment and are tested at the range to assure high-quality performance. Just using one of these high-quality chokes will improve your patterns.
Trulock doesn’t stop there. They also have new lines of chokes designed to achieve maximum performance from specific, popular brands of high-quality turkey loads.
For example, this year Trulock has introduced a new line of chokes engineered to achieve maximum performance with Federal’s new Heavyweight® TSS 7 and TSS 9 turkey shells. The Trulock TSS chokes were designed from the ground up, with the best internal configuration and exit diameter for each Heavyweight TSS load. At 40-yard targets, these shells deliver nominal 100 percent patterns in a 30-inch circle, 90-percent patterns in a 20-inch circle and 60 percent patterns in a 10-inch circle. That means that every time you pull the trigger, hundreds of pellets end up in that 10-inch circle.
Almost no turkey hunters are getting patterns that effective out of their guns. You can, this season, with Trulock.
If you prefer a shotshell from Winchester’s line of XR Longbeard series, Trulock also produces 12-gauge chokes designed for #4, #5 and #6 Longbeard shells. As with the Heavyweight TSS chokes, Trulock built their Longbeard series specifically to get maximum pattern density and downrange energy from these shells. You can take the guesswork out of finding an effective load in the field with these Trulock chokes and Winchester loads. It really is that easy.
Effective turkey hunting takes a lot of work – scouting, judgment, execution in calling, as well as choosing the right set-up. Making sure that your pattern is extremely effective no longer has to be that much work. Trulock has put in the hours for you.
This turkey season, resolve to step up the effectiveness of your shooting with Trulock choke tubes. When the goal is to improve your shotgun’s performance, Trulock Choke Tubes doesn’t compromise on that goal. In fact, they guarantee it.
Any customer who is not satisfied for any reason can return the tube for their money back or an exchange within 60 days of purchase. And any customer who likes the choke tube knows that the best customer service in the industry stands behind it: all Trulock choke tubes are guaranteed against failure for life.
For more on the full line of Trulock products as well as some technical information on how shotguns and choke tubes work, check out their homepage at WWW.TRULOCKCHOKES.COM.
The staff at Trulock Chokes prides itself on providing excellent service and an excellent line of products. In the event you are not completely satisfied with your purchase you can return it for a refund or exchange within 60 days from the date of purchase – with other firms, the moment you open it, you own it. For more information, please visit WWW.TRULOCKCHOKES.COM or on Facebook.
Firearms & Ammunition Sales BATTLE Sanitizers & Toilet Paper Sales
Records show firearm accidents at their lowest level since record-keeping began in 1903.
Despite increasing numbers of new firearm owners, the downward trend of accidental firearms accidents is welcome by everyone.
By Mike Schoonveld
Barrack Obama won many awards while he was president. I’m sure he was proud of most of them. Probably not so much when the decidedly pro-Obama news network, CNN, named him “Gun Salesman of the Year” multiple times. Never in U.S. history did so many citizens flock to gun stores to exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights in such numbers, all fueled by the perception those rights were under fire.
I’m not going to rehash that or the politics of the situation as existed then. However, if Obama deserved the salesman of the year award, this year’s award is likely to go to the COVID-19 Virus. The only thing selling as fast as sanitizers and toilet paper are guns and ammunition. This time it’s not so much the citizens worried about the government encroaching on their rights as much as the government’s inability to protect them if things go from bad to worse as more and more resources divert to virus-related issues. Is this needless worry or a reasonable approach to self-reliance? Only time will tell.
During the “arming of America” during the Obama years and now, anti-gun activists became hysterical and were quick to predict massive increases in firearms accidents. None of these prognostications have proved true. Firearms crime committed by legal gun owners didn’t spike and neither did accidental firearms accidents. In fact, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) just reported unintentional firearm fatalities have reached their lowest level ever, according to the latest data from the National Safety Council’s just-released Injury Facts Report.
NSSF, as the trade association for the firearm industry and leading proponent of safe gun handling and storage, applauded the report, which shows firearm accidents at their lowest level since record-keeping began in 1903. In part, it proves most firearms owners take owning their guns seriously and do so responsibly. It also proves industry efforts to improve firearms safety are having positive effects.
The industry has provided more than 100 million free firearm locking devices with new firearms sold and distributed through its award-winning Project ChildSafe program—the largest and most comprehensive firearm safety program in the country. The industry’s educational materials are widely distributed to gun owners by firearm manufacturers, retailers, instructors and others nationwide.
With approximately 100 million gun owners in the country, the data demonstrate that firearms can be safely owned and used with no increase in accidental gun statistics when secure storage guidelines are followed. Securely storing firearms when not in use is plainly sensible and has proven to be the number one way to help prevent accidents, thefts, and misuse.
The National Safety Council’s most recent data showed just 458 accidental firearm fatalities in the year, accounting for less than 1 percent of accidental deaths. The leading cause of accidental deaths in homes is falls and poisoning.
This downward trend of accidental firearms accidents is a long term trend, in spite of spikes in new firearms owners. In the last two decades, accidental firearm deaths have declined by 47 percent. That’s great, but even one accidental firearm fatality is one too many.
With reports of many people purchasing their first firearm for personal protection concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important for new gun owners to use the safety devices that came packaged with their new firearm. Also, when a gun is not under a responsible person’s direct control, all gun owners should consider using additional safety devices such as a lockable box or lockable gun case. Also, take advantage of the many gun safety resources at ProjectChildSafe.org – such as the time-tested video on the 10 commandments of firearm safety.
With so many children at home because of COVID-19-related school closures, parents are encouraged to make time to have “the talk” over and again with their kids about gun safety. Convenient, fun and easy to use video tools such as “McGruff” on Gun Safety as well as a video on how parents can talk to their children about gun safety can be found on the Project ChildSafe website.
No matter where you hunt, turkey season is short and bag limits are small.
NOT filling a limit, there is a reward, your time afield is maximized, the hunt is extended.
The important thing is being “out there,” a day or two away from work, the anticipation for another hunt.
By Mike Schoonveld
I have made lots of hunters happy by explaining the best techniques to completely miss the shots they fire at the game they are stalking. The seasons are short and limits are small.
A competent hunter with a fair amount of accuracy with his shooting iron can find himself sidelined by success.
Any hunter will tell you the “kill” is secondary to the hunt. The important things are being afield, day or two away from work, and pitting human skills against animal instincts. Not bagging a deer or not filling a limit of ducks insures your time afield is maximized and the hunt is extended. In short, a good clean miss can be what makes a season a success.
I don’t hunt turkeys, but I do shoot shotguns and can offer plenty of advice at how to fail at what would seem a simple task. The task is to blast a 20-pound plus bird that is standing still or moving slowly with a gun designed to pepper pellets into a duck flying 40 miles per hour.
It can’t be that hard, so when a turkey is fired upon and missed, one of two things happened. There was equipment error or there was shooter error. If the gun went “bang” when the trigger was pulled and a load of pellets flew out the end of the gun’s muzzle, that pretty well eliminates the equipment error. A more certain ploy to insure a full season of fun during turkey season is to rely on yourself to cause the missed shots. Here are some very reliable methods.
You can get overly excited when you first see that gobbler heading your way, responding to your seductive calls. Don’t worry about the distance. Never mind that the bird heading ever closer, thus making the shot easier. Blast away as soon as you see the Tom. Out past 40 yards or so, your pellets will slow to the point that they’ll bounce off the feathers and the rest of the pattern will pepper harmlessly into the forest.
You can take this to the other extreme, as well. Let the bird approach to within 10 or 15 feet and try for a head and neck shot with a pattern that measures about 2.7 inches across. Shotguns are designed to be “pointed” not aimed; but at extremely close range, you better learn to aim.
Then there’s the ol’ shoot through the brush trick. The gobbler is in easy range. You can see it strutting through a screen of the forest understory. Fire away, I guarantee you’ll miss.
Even with an open shot, only a half dozen of the pellets you fire will hit a vital spot on the turkey. So you aren’t really trying to force hundreds of pellets through the brambles. Most were destined to miss, anyway. What you are trying to do is thread those half dozen pellets which are on target through the maze and you only need to have a half dozen sticks or twigs in the way to insure a clean miss. A turkey behind a screen of intervening shrubbery is as safe as Capt. Kirk being attacked by a bevy of Klingon torpedoes when the Enterprise shields are up.
The most acceptable way to miss a turkey is to try to get a better look at your target. Shotguns don’t have a rear sight to use for aiming because, as I said earlier, you don’t aim a shotgun. Your eyes become the rear sight as you look down the barrel and point the gun. Can’t see the turkey real well because you are looking down the barrel? Just raise your head a few inches off the stock and you can see it clearly. Of course, now your “rear sight” has been adjusted to make the gun shoot high. The more clearly you see the bird, the higher you will shoot. Simple, effective and the best part is you get to keep on hunting.
So try one or more of these tricks when you hit the turkey woods in the next few weeks. Want to ensure you get to keep hunting, combine some of these techniques. You’ll thank me and be happy if you don’t get the bird on opening day, the rest of the season is still available for you!
When all things go right, it starts with a clean barrel.
Preventive maintenance allows repeatability in performance
How to remove copper bullet build-up from the rifled barrel
How to maintain the bolt…it’s important!
By Wade Robertson
Well, another deer season has come and gone. You will in all likelihood be putting the rifle in the cabinet for another year where it will sit primarily forgotten. During this time, it’s essential to make sure rust or corrosion isn’t eating away at your rifle, it’s time to clean your rifle properly.
The bore determines the accuracy of your rifle and should have particular attention paid to it to prevent any issues. Even though today’s gunpowders and primers are non-corrosive, it’s wise to treat the barrel with loving care. Let’s call this our preventative maintenance schedule.
You may be wondering why you should pay special attention to the bore of your rifle. Let’s take a second to think about what takes place every time you pull the trigger.
You squeeze and the firing pin falls, striking the primer. The primer is powerful for its size and explodes into the relatively small space of the powder-filled case. The powder is instantly heated to a high temperature and begins to burn very, very rapidly, creating high-temperature gas. The gas pressure builds to around 50,000 pounds per square inch. The only thing movable is the bullet, so the high-pressure gas propels the projectile down the rifled barrel at approximately 3,000 feet per second. The velocity varies depending on the caliber and bullet weight.
The amount of heat and friction generated during those brief milliseconds between pulling the trigger, the powder burning and the bullet exiting the barrel is absolutely tremendous. Everything is perfectly safe of course since the metal composition and chamber/barrel thickness has been explicitly designed to withstand precisely that amount of thermal stress and more. However, as you may have surmised, some things definitely get dirty during this brief spurt of extreme forces.
The high-temperature powder gas leaves a dark residue inside the chamber where small amounts of gas have made their way around the neck of the bullet case. In the bore itself, the bullet has been driven to slide along into the rifling and accelerated down the barrel under the tremendous pressure as mentioned. Some of the copper jacket of the bullet is stripped off onto the lands and grooves of the barrel along with the red hot powder gas residue. Each and every shot adds to these deposits.
Additionally, any tiny irregularities or rough spots in the barrel will strip off more of the copper jacket, the build-up faster can affect the uniformity of your barrel. After several shots, depending on the caliber and the particular firearm, accuracy will begin to drop off. Luckily a wire brush and a suitable powder/copper solvent will help remove this fouling.
However, shooting is only one of the ways we can dirty our rifles. Since we are continually handling or carrying them, sometimes in miserable weather, we can’t ignore what exposing them to heavy rain or wet snow can do. Simply bringing your firearm inside from the cold into your home or camp will cause water vapor to condense on both the inside and outside of the metal. This isn’t any different than being outside in the rain, the end result is that your firearm’s wet. It’s essential to be aware of this and take care of the rifle once it has warmed up, don’t sit the firearm in a corner and forget about it.
Merely handling the metal parts of the forearm leaves fingerprints and the tiny deposits of salt, or whatever else is on our fingers, and unless the metal is well-oiled rust can form. Always wipe your metal parts down with an oily cloth after handling.
In short, always pay attention to your firearms and take the steps necessary to prevent moisture or corrosion from harming them. I have even seen rifles rust in a gun safe that happened to be against a cool outside wall allowing the safe to collect moisture inside it. That is a serious situation that should always be addressed immediately.
At the very least you should always thoroughly clean your firearms before putting them away for the winter. First, remove the bolt from your rifle and inspect it. Clean the bolt face with a toothbrush and wipe the entire bolt body clean with an oily cloth. Do not squirt oil down the firing pin hole or apply it heavily where the oil can make its way inside the bolt. Oil build-up inside the bolt and around the firing pin spring could cause your rifle to misfire during cold temperatures. The excess oil thickens to become like sludge. This is a more common occurrence than you might think and has cost more than 1 person a nice buck!
If your bolt becomes wet or damp inside you need to disassemble, dry, and very lightly oil it. Use a Teflon type, very light lubricant on the firing pin spring to ensure that extreme cold will not cause a misfire. If you have an older firearm from your youth, or dad’s old rifle, and suddenly decide to use it for old times’ sake, you’d be wise to pull the bolt apart and clean it. I can almost guarantee there will be substantial thickened oil and sludge inside the bolt just waiting to cool, harden and prevent the firing pin from falling hard enough to fire the bullet.
Now that you have cleaned up the bolt, it’s time to clear your rifle barrel. I begin by dipping the proper caliber brush in copper and powder solvent and wire brushing the barrel thoroughly. Next, run cloth patches saturated with solvent through the bore to remove the loosened fouling. When the patches come out clean, you’re finished. You may have to wire brush a second time.
Finish by running a patch covered with gun oil down the bore two times, this will protect your bore from rust and oxidation until next year.
A badly fouled barrel may need to be wire-brushed multiple times and require multiple patches to return it to a clean state. Occasionally you may have to purchase a stronger solvent especially designed for stubborn fouling and copper build-up. Keep at it until your patch comes out without turning gray or black.
I seldom remove the barreled action from the stock. However, if your rifle has been soaked in the rain or immersed in water, it may be necessary to do so. Water may collect around the recoil lug, under or around the action, in the trigger assembly and other areas. Water dries very slowly in such tight spaces and severe rusting, even pitting, can occur in these situations.
Composite stocks can simply be dried off and set aside in a warm area to dry before oiling your barreled action and reassembling. Wooden stocks may need to sit for several days if soaked. Examine your wood stocks very carefully once the barreled action has been removed. Many times you’ll find the wood hasn’t been sealed with stock finish around the barrel, action and magazine well. This is very common with older guns. I highly recommend sealing any untreated wood with two coats of varnish or stock finish. It’s also important to remove the recoil pad and seal the end grain with two coats of finish if needed. The end grain of the stock is very absorbent and might even require a third coat if the wood is light and porous. When fully dry, replace the pad. Once the stock is sealed, the wood will become much more stable and is far more likely to hold its zero from one year to another.
Don’t forget to oil your rifle sling swivels as well, they can get squeaky if you don’t keep them lubricated.
Once you have finished cleaning and oiling your firearm you can safely place it in the gun cabinet until next year. When fall rolls around in 2020, you’ll be able to remove it without any nasty surprises. It’ll be in great working condition and that, I may add, is a good thing.
The Hellcat from Springfield Armory® has proven its mettle in a grueling 10,000-round test, showing that the EDC innovator not only has the features to make it the best on the market but also the durability to outlast all the competition.
With support from Federal Ammunition and Action Targets, Off the Reservation’s Clay Martin put the Hellcat through this challenging test over the span of two days. Martin brought a wealth of firearms expertise to bear during the test, from his background as a competitive shooter as well as his time in both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, retiring as a Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant from 3rd SFG (A).
From its release on 9/25/19, the Hellcat has quickly built a reputation for excellent quality and performance, and represents a new direction for Springfield Armory polymer pistols. Being the smallest high-capacity 9mm in the world, the +P-capable pistol packs in 11+1 rounds (13+1 with extended magazine) in a 3″-barreled micro pistol that weighs around 18 ounces empty. And with the OSP version, you gain the ability to direct mount micro-sized red dot optics.
“When we learned of Martin’s test, we were excited about seeing the Hellcat prove what it could do,” says Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing with Springfield Armory. “When a micro-sized pistol designed for concealed carry bests a test more appropriate for full-sized duty pistols, it allows the quality of the product to speak for itself,” he continued.
As with all of Springfield Armory’s products, quality is a priority one with the Hellcat. From its cold hammer-forged barrel down to every last pin and spring, the pistol is built under strict quality control to the highest standards. (To learn more about this, see the “Legacy of Discipline” video here).
“While a test like this is extremely demanding for a micro-sized pistol intended for CCW, we never doubted the Hellcat would come out on top,” says Dennis Reese, CEO of Springfield Armory. “Quality is our number one priority, and it always will be,” he continued.
In 1794, the original Springfield Armory began manufacturing muskets for the defense of our young, free Republic. The Armory functioned as a firearms supplier for every major American conflict until 1968 when the government sadly closed its doors. In 1974, nearly two centuries after its inception, Springfield Armory Inc. in Geneseo, Ill. revived the iconic heritage of the Armory to carry on its legacy.
We strive to honor this responsibility as guardians of the original Springfield Armory legacy by manufacturing the highest quality firearms to enable responsible citizens to preserve their right to keep and bear arms in the defense of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
With an unmatched emphasis on craftsmanship, performance and exceptional customer service, our mission is to forge superior firearms and provide the tools necessary to defend individual freedoms and equality for those who embrace the rights and principles secured by our Founding Fathers. For more information, please visit us at springfield-armory.com.
Sig Sauer temperature-stable propellant provides consistent muzzle velocity in all weather conditions
Early in November (2019), SIG SAUER, Inc. extended its line of Elite Match premium competition ammunition with the addition of 6mm Creedmoor.
“6mm Creedmoor is a popular long-range round that performs well in wind, thanks to its high ballistic coefficient and flat trajectory,” said Brad Criner, Senior Director, Brand Management and Business Development, SIG SAUER Ammunition. “We are pleased to offer this highly accurate round for competition shooters along with 6.5 Creedmoor and numerous other match-grade loads.”
SIG Elite Match ammunition is currently available in the following calibers: 223 Rem, 300BLK, 308 Win, 30-06 Springfield, 300 Win Mag, 6mm Creedmoor, and 6.5 Creedmoor.
SIG SAUER Elite Match ammunition features a temperature-stable propellant that delivers consistent muzzle velocity in all weather conditions. Premium-quality primers ensure minimum velocity variations, and the shell case metallurgy is optimized in the SIG Elite Match OTM cartridge to yield consistent bullet retention round to round. All SIG SAUER rifle ammunition is precision loaded on state-of-the-art equipment that is 100% electromechanically monitored to ensure geometric conformity and charge weight consistency
The SIG SAUER 6mm Creedmoor Elite Match ammunition is now available for purchase at https://www.sigsauer.com/store
All SIG SAUER Elite Ammunition is manufactured by SIG SAUER at its state-of-the-art ammunition manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Arkansas to the same exacting standards as the company’s premium pistols and rifles.
Self-Install pre-fit barrels come in four popular calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor, 7 mm Remington Magnum, 308 Winchester and 300 Winchester Magnum.
The Helix 6 barrels for Savage are 100% manufactured in the USA
Also fitted for easy installation of an aftermarket muzzle brake or suppressor
Changing the barrel on a Savage 10/110-series rifle is quick, easy and only requires a few tools. Helix 6 Precision’s pre-fit Savage barrels allow self-installation-without using a lathe-of four popular long-range and hunting cartridges. Each of our Savage barrels, features a hand lapped button-rifled 416R stainless steel core wrapped in carbon fiber using our proprietary process. The final product is a precision rifle barrel that delivers outstanding accuracy and performance. At Helix 6 Precision, we build the world’s ultimate pre-fit barrels for Savage rifles.
All Helix 6 Precision barrels are proudly 100% made in the USA. Every Savage barrel is built using a match-grade 416R stainless steel core. We then wrap each Savage barrel with our proprietary carbon fiber layup-our design dampens barrel harmonics for outstanding accuracy. Button rifling and hand lapping improve accuracy while minimizing fouling.
Savage pre-fit barrels come in four popular calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor, 7 mm Remington Magnum, 308 Winchester and 300 Winchester Magnum. The 7 mm Rem Mag with and 300 Win Mag with feature a 26-inch barrel and the 6.5 CM and 308 Win use a 24-inch barrel. The 30 caliber barrels use a 1:10 twist and while the 6.5 mm and 7 mm have faster 1:8 twist barrels. Its straight bull contour weighs about 2¾-pounds! We cut industry-standard 5/8-24 muzzle threads on all our Savage pre-fit barrels for easy installation of an aftermarket muzzle brake or suppressor.
Installing a Helix 6 Precision carbon fiber barrel on your Savage rifle is simple. All that’s needed is a Savage barrel nut wrench, a barrel vice with inserts and a cartridge-specific headspace gauge (no-go and go). If this is beyond your comfort level, ask your gunsmith for help.
We use only premium materials and cutting-edge manufacturing technology to create the world’s ultimate carbon fiber barrel. Available now as pre-fit barrels for Savage rifles, it is easy to upgrade to a Helix 6 Precision barrel.
Visit us online at helix6precision.com for complete details on our Savage pre-fit barrels.
About Helix 6: Helix 6 Precision began with the singular goal of producing the world’s finest carbon fiber barrel. For 20 years it has been their passion to build the finest precision rifles available using only premium components. Bad experiences and dissatisfaction with the industry’s carbon fiber barrels led them to seek out the world’s most innovative engineers in carbon fiber design and fabrications.
We continue to push the limits of innovation to improve our process and products. We use only premium materials and cutting edge manufacturing technology, to produce the highest quality, handcrafted, carbon fiber barrel on the market. 100% Made in USA. For more information, please visit helix6precision.com.
Learn HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, the program is free with membership
Membership is as little as $35/yr, right now; half-price Life Memberships right now too
By Forrest Fisher
Perhaps the NRA should be called the Empower Yourself Association. I’m one of those folks that are careful when I travel, cautious when I drive, lock my doors when I leave the house, I’m careful when cutting the turkey at holiday time, I have to cut corners to save money, and I love my family. I also like to hunt in the woods with a bow or a firearm, and I’m upset when I hear the everyday news and learn of so many folks harmed by violence because they could not protect themselves or did not know how to stay safe. We live in surprising times. So what can we do as ordinary people in America? What can we do to learn how to protect ourselves and teach our family how to protect each other?
Whether you’re a parent in search of firearm safety for your home, a first-time gun owner, or an old pro in the outdoors, we all need to know about firearm handling to stay safe. We need to understand and develop firearm handling skills. The NRA is here to keep you and your family safe and it is all part of the NRA membership. Explore how to safely store a gun with kids in the home. We all need this.
The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program teaches young kids in pre-K through third grade the important steps to take IF THEY FIND A GUN. The friendly program cartoon mascot, Eddie Eagle, provides an easy-to-remember format that shares these simple rules: STOP! DON’T TOUCH. LEAVE THE AREA. TELL AN ADULT. Teach your kids to recite it. Save a life.
As kids get older, the NRA has resources, programs, and training to assist youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Royal Rangers, JROTC units, 4-H clubs, commercial summer camps, U.S. Jaycee chapters, and more. American Legion Posts too. The NRA can help with costs to support firearm safety and shooting sports programs where you live. Everyone needs to know more about firearm safety and share what they learn. We are all in this together.
The NRA Family of programs provides ideas for family adventures and tips for hunters and shooters of all skill levels. The offering of safety programs is VAST and the programs build upon skills learned in basic hunter education courses to encourage safer, lifelong hunting habits, wildlife identification, map reading, compass orienteering, and much more.
Every day, the NRA is working to help increase your safety and provide enjoyment of the shooting sports by offering educational shooting programs, providing member benefits, and defending our Second Amendment rights. By becoming an NRA member, you will take a solid step toward helping your family stay safe and send a strong message to those who threaten our American firearm ownership rights.
Today you can gain access to all these NRA Safety and Education Programs for a LIFETIME at half the normal cost. The normal cost is $1500, right now through this special offer, it is $750. Click here. Save $750! If you are a woman, you know it is time to step up to learn about the safe use of firearms. This offer is time-limited.
President signs into law H.R. 1222, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act
All Americans asked to promote a Culture of Safety and Responsibility
Today, August 1, 2019 – on the first day of National Shooting Sports Month®, The White House issued a Presidential message to the nation on the importance and tradition of the shooting sports in America. This annual 31-day celebration, developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) in 2017, reminds people that everyone can enjoy these safe, fun and social activities. It’s also the perfect time for an experienced shooter to mentor a newcomer in a sport that can provide a lifetime of enjoyment at every skill level.
From The White House: Presidential Message on National Shooting Sports Month, 2019
During National Shooting Sports Month, we celebrate the cherished tradition of recreational and sport shooting activities. Shooting sports bring people together and instill comradery among a significant portion of its fellow enthusiasts. The vibrant shooting sports culture is made possible, in large part, by our steadfast protection of one of our bedrock and most-cherished liberties, the right to keep and bear arms.
Americans have a long history of participating in recreational and sport shooting activities. Early sharpshooters participated in matches to entertain family and friends and test their skills for a prize. During the turn of the 18th century, these competitions grew in popularity and legends like Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley began to enthrall audiences around the world. Today, talented Americans rigorously train for worldwide competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympics Games. Whether amateur or professional, shooting sport athletes possess the traits that characterize the best of our Nation — they are disciplined, determined, passionate, and confident.
As President, the safety of the American people is my top priority, and I want to ensure that those participating in shooting sports — one of our Nation’s greatest traditions — have the proper facilities to learn how to operate a firearm responsibly. That is why I was proud, earlier this year, to sign into law H.R. 1222, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act. This important legislation will support State wildlife management agencies as they construct or expand shooting ranges, providing more opportunities for citizens to safely and properly learn marksmanship skills. My Administration has also expanded access to America’s public lands, opening millions of acres for use, including by hunters and recreational shooters. And, in June, my Administration announced a plan to open an additional 1.4 million acres in national wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries to new or expanded hunting, fishing, and recreational opportunities. These actions will help ensure a perpetual investment in wildlife and habitat conservation, foster responsible stewardship, and increase interest in shooting sports for current and future generations.
As we celebrate this National Shooting Sports Month, I encourage all those participating in recreational and sport shooting activities to continue to learn from this tradition and to promote a culture of safety and responsibility.
About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
New Video Urges Families to “Have the Talk” About Gun Safety
Own it. Respect it. Secure it.
Talk with your Kids. Do it TODAY.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) unveiled a new public service announcement (PSA), “Protect the People You Love,” to encourage families to talk about gun safety — regardless of whether they have a gun in the home.
The PSA, which is viewable and downloadable on the Project ChildSafe® website in time for National Safety Month this June, focuses on the false assumptions that children are unaware of firearms in the home or know not to touch them without permission. The 30-second spot emphasizes how families can help prevent firearms accidents by talking about gun safety with children. Further, storing firearms responsibly addresses the issue that many children are often familiar with where and how firearms are stored — much more than parents might think.
“Parents and caregivers talk to kids about big issues like drugs, sex and alcohol; we need to talk to our kids about gun safety as well. Even if you don’t own a gun yourself, having this conversation is vital,” said BJA Director Jon Adler. “If you don’t have this talk with your kids, they’re going to learn about guns from someone else, whether on TV or from friends, and chances are they aren’t going to learn what you’d want to teach them.”
As more Americans continue to purchase firearms for personal protection and safety, the importance of storing them responsibly is critical. Although the number of fatal firearms accidents is at historic lows, the fact remains that these accidents are almost always preventable. Proper firearms storage helps prevent thefts, accidents and misuse, such as suicide.
“Protecting your family doesn’t stop with bringing a gun into your home, it also means doing what you need to do so a loaded gun isn’t picked up by a child or someone who may be at risk of harming themselves – or others,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “If you have a gun, be sure your family understands the safety rules, and always store it responsibly when not in use. That’s the best way to protect the people you love.”
To further help parents in having the important conversation about firearms safety, Project ChildSafe also has an instructional video, “Talking to Kids about Gun Safety,” on its website.
Funding for the PSA comes from a $2.4 million grant that BJA awarded NSSF’s Project ChildSafe initiative in 2015. Project ChildSafe provides firearms safety education messaging and free gun locks to communities throughout the country in an effort to help reduce firearms accidents, theft and misuse.
About Project ChildSafe:NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (originally as Project HomeSafe). Since 1999, the program has provided more than 38 million free firearm safety kits and gun locks to firearm owners in all 50 states through partnerships with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s in addition to the more than 70 million free locking devices manufacturers have included, and continue to include, with new firearms sold since 1998. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org. About NSSF:The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org. This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-FG-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Hornady is proud to announce 350 Legend 170 gr. InterLock® American Whitetail® ammunition.
Loaded with legendary Hornady® InterLock® bullets, American Whitetail® ammunition combines generations of ballistics know-how with modern components and the technology you need to take the buck of a lifetime.
InterLock® bullets feature exposed lead tips for controlled expansion and hard-hitting terminal performance. Bullets used in American Whitetail® feature the Hornady exclusive InterLock® ring, a raised ring inside the jacket that is embedded in the bullet’s core that keeps the core and jacket locked together during expansion to retain mass and energy.
For additional information, please visit hornady.com.
Founded in 1949, Hornady® Manufacturing Company is a family owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are made in the USA, Hornady® Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool and accessory design and manufacture.
The “Range Bill” has been a sustained-effort priority for NSSF and is a crucial step forward in promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the firearms industry trade association, celebrates President Donald Trump’s signing of H.R. 1222, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, at The White House. The President signed the NSSF-priority bill May 10, just two weeks after the bill was passed by Congress.
“We deeply appreciate President Trump’s swift enactment of this legislation that will give state fish and game agencies greater flexibility to build new recreational shooting ranges and expand and improve existing ranges,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “This administration understands the value and investment the firearms and ammunition industry makes to safe recreational shooting and to sustained conservation to benefit wildlife and habitat restoration across the United States. Public shooting ranges provide hunters a place to sight in rifles and pattern shotguns before hunting seasons, for people to take firearm safety and hunter education courses and for recreational target shooters to enjoy their sport.”
The “Range Bill” has been a sustained-effort priority for NSSF and is a crucial step forward in promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. In the course of more than a decade, versions of the bipartisan legislation were introduced as 29 different numbered bills and 15 separate legislative packages, starting with the 110th Congress. While it had broad support from both Republicans and Democrats in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, previous attempts to pass the legislation were derailed for reasons unrelated to the actual legislation.
The Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, also known as the “Range Bill,” allows states to use their Pittman-Robertson Fund allocations to begin construction of new ranges, or improve existing state-run public recreational shooting ranges. Prior to this law’s enactment, states were required to put up 25 percent of the cost of range construction projects to access the matching 75 percent of Pittman-Robertson funds. Now, states can access those funds with a 10 percent match and will have five fiscal years to acquire land for range construction or expansion projects.
Pittman-Robertson funds are derived from an excise tax paid by firearms and ammunition manufacturers. Since 1937, the fund has generated more than $12.5 billion funding wildlife conservation and safety education programs in all 50 states. NSSF estimates more than 80 percent of Pittman-Robertson excise tax contributions are generated by sales attributed to recreational shooting. This means today’s recreational target shooter is an overwhelming contributor to conservation through excise tax support.
A recurring concern of recreational shooters, and those considering entering the sport, is proximity and access to a safe range. This new law would make it easier for states to enable recreational target shooters to enter the sport, which in turn would generate continued contributions to Pittman-Robertson funds and the conservation programs which it supports.
NSSF is especially grateful to U.S. Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), as well as U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Boozman, (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). All are original co-sponsors on both the House and Senate versions of the legislation.
About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.
The future of rimfire is here. CCI Clean-22™ uses an exclusive polymer bullet coating to greatly reduce copper and lead fouling in the barrel—without leaving a residue. It also cuts lead buildup in suppressors 60 to 80 percent. Both the Sub-Sonic and High Velocity loads feature a 40-grain round nose lead bullet with geometry that’s been optimized for accuracy. With dependable CCI priming and consistent propellant, Clean-22 provides flawless cycling through semi-automatics and all 22 LR firearms.
FEATURES & BENEFITS • Polymer bullet coating greatly reduces lead fouling in the barrel without leaving residue • Cuts lead buildup in suppressors 60 to 80 percent • 40-grain lead round nose bullets—red for High Velocity, blue for Sub-Sonic • Optimized bullet geometry for improved accuracy • Reliable function in semi-automatic firearms • Great option both casual and competitive shooters
Gobble-Gobble-Gobble, it's turkey time. Jim Monteleone Photo
New Bottomland camo for popular Mossberg Turkey shotguns
Safety and safe firearms handling is everyone’s responsibility
By Forrest Fisher
When it comes to turkey hunting, camo can make the difference between getting “the” shot or not.
If you hunt deep into the bottomlands, Mossberg has added Mossy Oak Bottomland camoflouge to two of their turkey hunting shotgun models: the 500® Turkey Bottomland 410 bore pump-action shotgun and 935™ Magnum Turkey Bottomland 12-gauge auto-loading shotgun.
Both models offer full concealment with Bottomland camo, the original pattern that launched Mossy Oak more than 30 years ago. Driven by the desire to get closer to turkeys in his home state of Mississippi, Mossy Oak Founder, Toxey Haas, turned a handful of bark, sticks and leaves into an extremely life-like hunting pattern. This classic pattern remains every bit as effective three decades later.
If you don’t already know, the Mossberg 500 Turkey Bottomland 410 Bore (50109) is a pump-action designed for reliable, smooth operation with the combination of non-binding twin action bars, dual extractors, a positive steel-to-steel lock-up, anti-jam elevator, anodized aluminum receiver for added durability and universally recognized ambidextrous top-mounted safety. This 500 Turkey 410 bore comes with a 26-inch vent rib, fixed full-choke barrel, fiber optic front sight and is fully-camouflaged with Mossy Oak Bottomland.
The Mossberg 935 Magnum Turkey Bottomland 12 Gauge (81046) is a big boy firearm that can score well at long range. At the core of this smooth-cycling 12-gauge, 3.5-inch auto-loading shotgun is the Mossberg dual vent-gas system for reliable operation and recoil reduction. Additional standard features include a patented Mossberg Stock Drop System that adjusts the vertical angle of the stock (drop at comb) for a custom-like fit, quick-empty magazine release button for convenient unloading of shells, drilled and tapped receiver and top-mounted safety. This magnum autoloader features a 22-inch vent rib, over-bored ACCU-MAG™ choked barrel and comes with an X-FACTOR™ ported Ulti-Full Turkey choke tube, fiber-optic front sight and is fully-camouflaged with Mossy Oak Bottomland.
Rugged, dependable and smooth-operating describes Mossberg’s series of Turkey shotguns. To see the newest members of the family and the complete line of hunting (waterfowl, turkey, deer and all-purpose field) and tactical/home defense models, please visit our web site at www.mossberg.com.
2019 Mossberg 500 and 935 Magnum Turkey Bottomland Shotgun Specifications:
Mossy Oak® and Bottomland® are registered trademarks of Haas Outdoors, Inc.
About Mossberg: Founded in 1919, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., is the oldest family-owned firearms manufacturer in America, and is the largest pump-action shotgun manufacturer in the world. Celebrating 100 years of innovation, Mossberg leads the industry with over 100 design and utility patents to its credit and stands as the first ISO 9001 Certified long-gun manufacturer. Complete information on commercial, special purpose, law enforcement and military shotguns, rifles and accessories are available at mossberg.com or by calling 1-800-363-3555. Mossberg can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Photo courtesy of National Shooting Sports Foundation
Firearms Industry Economic Impact Rises 171% Since 2008
Since 2008, federal tax payments increased by 164 percent
Pittman-Robertson excise taxes to support wildlife conservation increased by 100 percent
State business taxes increased by 120 percent
From the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, the firearm industry trade association in Newtown, Connecticut, we learn that the total economic impact of the firearms and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $52.1 billion in 2018. That’s a 171 percent increase.
The total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to almost 312,000. That’s an 88 percent increase in that same period.
On a more recent year-over-year basis, the firearm industry economic impact rose from $51.4 billion in 2017 to $52.1 billion in 2018, ticking higher even while the industry came off-peak production years. Total jobs increased from nearly 311,000 to almost 312,000 in the same period.
“Our industry is proud to be one of the steady and reliable producers and manufacturers in our economy as Americans continue to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms, and to safely enjoy the shooting sports,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF CEO. “Our workforce is steadily adding good jobs to our local economies averaging $50,000 a year in wages and benefits. In addition, since 2008 we increased federal tax payments by 164 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 100 percent and state business taxes by 120 percent.”
The Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report: 2019 provides a state-by-state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output covering direct, supplier and induced employment, as well as federal excise taxes paid. Access the full report here.
About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.
Last month at SHOT Show, Steyr Arms USA CEO Scott O’Brien unveiled the company’s newest and boldest plan for the American market, the Steyr Elite Experience.
Based on the foundation of four pillars of performance:
Limited lifetime warranty
Sub-minute-of-angle guarantee on all bolt-action rifles
Free world-class training for buyers of almost every Steyr rifle
Host of elite VIP privileges
Steyr Arms USA is proving that the experience of buying a Steyr firearm doesn’t end at the cash register; it is just beginning.
The key takeaway from O’Brien’s presentation to an overflow crowd was the company’s promise to provide world-class two-day training to each and every purchaser of the company’s centerfire rifles with an MSRP of above $1,250 in 2019. This free two-day training course is hosted by world-class trainers as part of the Steyr Arms Academy. There are currently three Precision Rifle Courses, an AUG Carbine Course, a Scout Rifle Course, a Precision Hunter Course, and a course for the HS .50/.460, all of which are being taught at the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park.
“Our limited lifetime warranty and our long-standing sub-MOA guarantee aren’t really anything new to the industry,” said O’Brien. “But our complimentary training is what truly sets us apart. This training gives you the confidence in your abilities and will assure you that you made the best purchase of the most accurate and reliable firearms ever made.”
With the company’s move to a concierge-based status of consumer training and support, Steyr Arms USA has taken a bold new stance to promote its products as well as to prove them with the appropriate training in an educational environment. Everyone who purchases a Steyr rifle will come to “know the Steyr difference.”
Visit www.SteyrDifference.com to find out what else the Steyr Elite Experience has to offer.
About Steyr Arms: Established in 1864, Steyr Arms, GmbH, is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious firearms manufacturers. Steyr’s comprehensive lines of premium hunting rifles and precision sporting and tactical firearms are technically mature, and their subtle elegance also communicates the harmony between appearance and substance. Steyr’s legendary SBS actions and cold-hammer-forged barrels are distinctive and unparalleled. Steyr Arms USA is the subsidiary headquarters in the U.S., and it is also the exclusive importer for Merkel firearms, Corvus Defensio, JAGDHUND and X JAGD apparel. For more information, contact Steyr Arms at 2530 Morgan Rd., Bessemer, AL 35022; call (205) 417-8644; or visit www.steyr-arms.com/us.
1791 Gunleather®, innovative manufacturer of premium hand-crafted leather gun holsters and belts, announces the 1791 Tactical® Kydex® line of premium holsters. New for 2019, 1791 Tactical® IWB Kydex holsters will be on display in the 1791 Gunleather booth during SHOT Show®, at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV, from January 21 through 25 in booth #1817.
“Why would a leather holster company known for handcrafting beautiful steerhide delve into the world of Kydex?” asks 1791 Gunleather CEO Ramiro M. Romani. “Because we don’t think you should carry with a holster that’s less than optimal, and we knew we could offer Kydex fans a better all-around holster. 1791 Tactical IWB holsters solve the performance limitations commonly found in traditional Kydex holsters. Retention, concealability, wear and tear on your gun, and every day comfort are addressed in our thoughtful design and meticulous manufacturing process.”
Handcrafted Kydex Molding
Rather than employing injection molding, or simply thermo-molding Kydex on a blue gun, 1791 utilizes an exact replica of each holster’s firearm model. The proprietary process uses the actual dimensions of the firearm combined with a precise amount of pressure per square inch. Carefully heating the Kydex® 100 to a precise temperature and cooling it properly guarantees manufacturing consistency from holster to holster resulting in a flawless fit. Every holster is then cut and carefully hand buffed and finished.
Trigger Guard Retention
“Retention is crucial to an exceptional holster fit, so we designed the 1791 Tactical IWB Kydex holsters with trigger guard retention for snug inside the waistband (IWB) every day carry (EDC),” stated Romani. “Where most Kydex holsters use a retention system on the slide of the firearm, we wanted to avoid that unsightly wear and tear. Most importantly, with our design there’s no hard contact on the slide and no pressure points where they don’t belong.”
Concealed Carry
The lightweight, streamlined design of 1791 Tactical IWB holsters combine multiple features not found in most Kydex holsters. Cant is adjustable from zero to 15 degrees, and retention is adjustable for a customized fit. Every day carriers have the choice of either appendix or strong-side, inside the waistband (IWB) options.
Comfort
“Our integrated concealment wing is better than the outdated aftermarket claw add-on found with many kydex holsters” Romani said. “It fits behind the belt and pushes the holster into the body while hiding the gun. The concealment wing angles the holster to reduce printing and makes it even more secure and comfortable.”
Convenience
“Today’s concealed carriers love to accessorize their handguns, and ruggedized miniature reflex (RMR) sights are becoming more and more popular,” said Romani. The RMR/optic low-cut design on 1791 Tactical IWB holsters has been refined to accommodate threaded barrels, most pistol optics, and even raised iron sights. “Plus, the enlarged opening of the open muzzle adds no bulk while delivering convenient, safe re-holstering.”
According to Romani, “1791 Tactical IWB Kydex holsters sacrifice nothing and improve on everything.” They’re maintenance-free, there’s no break-in period, they aren’t temperature or moisture sensitive, and the sweat-shield and stainless steel hardware protect against corrosion. These holsters offer the best in comfort and concealment. “When your firearm is your last defense, 1791 Tactical will not fail you,” he added.
1791 Tactical Kydex Features
Integrated concealment wing for deeper and more robust concealment
Adjustable cant ranges from 0 to 15 degrees for greater comfort and concealment
Retention adjusts for customized fit
Multi-position, can be worn at either the appendix or strong-side IWB position
Open muzzle design accommodates threaded barrels
Positive, audible, crisp, and secure Kydex click retention
RMR/optic cut accommodates most pistol optics
Enlarged opening for safer and more convenient re-holstering
Lightweight, slim design
Made from durable and proven 0.080” Kydex® 100
Sweat-shield and stainless steel hardware protect against corrosion
1.75” belt clip included
Easy-on, easy-off design
Made in the USA
Lifetime Warranty and 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
Available for a variety of popular handgun models including CZ, Glock, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, and virtually all 1911s without a Picatinny rail
MSRP: $64.99
To see the newest product innovations for 1791 Gunleather and 1791 Tactical, please visit us at SHOT Show 2019 in booth #1817.
For further details on the 1791 Tactical Kydex holsters, please email info@1791gunleather.com. For information about 1791 Gunleather, please visit www.1791gunleather.com.
Follow 1791 Gunleather on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for social media and corporate news.
About 1791 Gunleather
On December 15, 1791, the United States Supreme Court adopted the Second Amendment as part of the Bill of Rights, promising individuals the right to bear arms. We chose to include the year 1791 in our name to signify our deep respect for those rights.
Every 1791 Gunleather piece is handcrafted one-at-a-time using 100% American-made materials. Four generations of professional leather artisans painstakingly integrate innovative materials with high-quality components, to deliver the versatility found in each piece. From the moment you receive your 1791 Gunleather product, you’ll recognize the uniqueness and perfection that distinguishes us from our competitors. 1791 Gunleather offers a Lifetime Warranty on every single product we craft. 1791 Gunleather is perfect for any condition, and duty-ready for tactical applications as well as everyday carry.
Media Contact: Laura Evans, Email: Laura.SilverBullet@gmail.com
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) and Walker’s have launched a mentor initiative that encourages experienced target shooters and hunters to invite new individuals to the range or field.
The campaign is part of NSSF’s Mentor Pledge initiative developed to facilitate growth of the shooting sports community through education, safety and fun.
As an incentive, NSSF and Walker’s are providing free Razor Ear Muffs (valued at $69.99) to the first 2,000 mentors. Participants must sign a pledge online and share a photo or short video of their experience with a new hunter or shooter in order to claim their reward.
“We are thrilled to play a part in supporting the next generation of hunters and shooters,” said Ben Smith, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Walker’s. “This partnership with NSSF is the perfect opportunity for our company to give back to the shooting sports community.”
“Research shows that 24 million American’s have an interest getting started hunting or target shooting and that Being invited by a friend or family member is by far the best way to get new folks to the range or field,” said Jim Curcuruto, Director of Research & Market Development at NSSF. “This program aligns with NSSF programs such as National Shooting Sports Month and First Shots that provide introductions to the shooting sports.”
Remember to teach the Four Main Rules of Firearm Safety:
Treat all firearms as if they are loaded: By treating every firearm as if it is loaded, a habit of safety is developed.
Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction: A “safe direction” means that the gun is pointed so that even if an accidental discharge occurred, it won’t cause an injury.
Always keep your finger off the trigger: Rest your finger outside the trigger guard or along the side of the gun until you are actually ready to fire.
Always know your target and what is beyond: For outdoor shooting, make sure you have an adequate backstop for your bullets to impact. Know what’s beyond that backstop, too, and keep your shots within the safe shooting zone.
To learn more about this mentoring initiative and to take the pledge, visit the mentor pledge webpage.
About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
About Walker’s: For over 25 years Walker’s has developed innovative solutions for hearing protection and enhancement. The Walker’s line of products is widely considered the industry standard for shooting protection and safety. With the introduction of advanced digital circuitry & nano-tech water repellence, Walker’s continues to raise the bar. For more information, visit www.walkersgameear.com.
Federal Cartridge Company has identified (2) lots of Federal Champion ammunition with boxes labeled 40 S&W that may contain 9mm ammunition. If you have 40 S&W 50-round box with Lot Number A27T3 or A27T4, DO NOT USE.
Use of 9mm ammunition in 40-caliber firearms may result in firearm damage and/or personal injury.
THIS WARNING APPLIES ONLY TO THE LOTS A27T3 AND A27T4. If you possess ammunition from these (2) lots, or have questions concerning this warning, please contact Federal at 1-800-831-0850 or 1-800-322-2342 and ask for Product Service. Federal Premium will provide replacement product and will cover the cost of returning the affected product. Federal apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
4H Shooting Sports help our youth develop LIFE SKILLS, SELF-WORTH and CONSERVATION ETHICS. Click the picture for the story.
Youth Learn Marksmanship
Youth Learn the Safe and Responsible Use of Firearms
Youth Learn the Principles of Hunting and Archery
Youth Develop LIFE SKILLS, SELF-WORTH and CONSERVATION ETHICS
By David Gray
The University of Missouri, located in the city of Columbia, is like many State Universities as it offers a large, sprawling campus complex. I have been on campus many times over the years, but had never noticed the 4-H extension building and offices. It is not small, in fact, it is a large building with a large parking area, but it is surrounded by trees and greenery that almost places the unique site in a world of its own.
The site is so fitting, as so many 4-H youth development programs involve outdoor activities and animals for the youth of our nation in the setting of countryside areas.
Early in June, 2018, I travelled to the University of Missouri to meet with Rachel Augustine, the Director of the Missouri 4-H Foundation, and Jim Sappington, Missouri’s statewide coordinator for 4-H Shooting Sports. We discussed ways to extend support to enable 4-H and 4-H shooting sports to deliver their service of great value to youth, our community and country. 4-H says, “We believe in the power of young people. We see that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us.”
“Share the Outdoors” says, “We agree!” Rachel Augustine is a 4th generation Arizona native. She began working for the Missouri 4-H Foundation when she and her husband relocated to Missouri in 2013. When asked what she likes most about her job, Rachel responded, “Helping kids prepare to succeed by learning life skills, responsibility and ethics.” Rachel added, “I also enjoy meeting so many different people as I travel all over Missouri.”
Thanks to a recent challenge gift from Larry and Brenda Potterfield, the Missouri 4-H Foundation is partnering with the Midway USA Foundation to establish and begin building a Missouri 4-H Shooting Sports Endowment Fund. The Fund will support the long-term growth of 4-H youth shooting programs in Missouri. While the new endowment fund is exciting work, Rachel and her team also raise funds to support more than 70 statewide 4-H programs and initiatives for the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Center for Youth Development.
Jim Sappington has been state-wide coordinator for 4H Missouri Shooting Sports activities for about one year, but he brings so much experience, as he came to the position after 27 years as a 4-H volunteer. Jim says ”The job is a tremendous amount of work, but so much work is beside the point when you watch a youngster succeed at something they thought they could never do.”
To that, we at “Share the Outdoors” say, “Thank you Rachel and Jim!” Now, “How can we help?”
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce the launch of its annual grants partnership with the Boy Scouts of America Councils. Through this partnership, BSA Councils can receive a portion of $100,000 in NSSF-provided grant funds to develop or expand their troop activities in target shooting and marksmanship. Target shooting programs continue to rank among Scouting’s most popular activities, teaching firearms and range safety, teamwork building and fundraising skills.
“This seventh year of supporting the BSA Council Grant Program in this manner brings with it a new level of excitement,” said Zach Snow, NSSF Director, Range Services. “Safety and marksmanship training through the Boy Scouts is a time-honored introduction to the shooting sports. With recreational shooters and hunters alike realizing they’re living in an era of renewed enthusiasm for their sports, we’re looking forward to increased participation from Scouts pursuing badges in these activities and then taking those new skills afield for a lifetime of enjoyment.”
BSA Councils wishing to apply for grants should visit the grant guidelines and application procedures at nssf.org/bsagrant. Councils awarded funds through NSSF’s BSA Grant Program must use those grants to purchase of equipment and supplies for their shooting sports activities from an NSSF Member Retailer. The full list of these retailers is available at nssf.org/retailers/find. Examples of qualifying purchases are ammunition, eye and ear protection, firearms, targets and shooting vests.
Submit according to guidelines. Grant applications will be accepted until all challenge grant funds are exhausted.
Completed applications can be sent via email, fax or mail to:
National Shooting Sports Foundation
Attn: BSA Grant
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470-2359 zsnow@nssf.org (Zach Snow)
Phone: 203-426-1320, ext. 224
Fax: 203-426-1087
About NSSF The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.
Diamondback Firearms, a top-tier, Florida based manufacturer of quality pistols and rifles, has introduced their new DB1065CB AR-15 rifle, chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, to market. The 6.5 Creedmoor is growing rapidly in popularity because of its superior ballistic performance over .308 and other long-range calibers. The 6.5 Creedmoor is the fastest growing caliber for tactical shooters and is a great selection for medium to long range (500 to 1,000 yds.) shooting.
Ballistically speaking, when compared to the .308, the more aerodynamic 6.5 Creedmoor performs exceptionally well, with a very noticeable reduction in recoil.
The Mako Group is excited to partner with Diamondback by featuring the revolutionary FAB Defense GL-Shock Recoil-Reducing Stock and the AGR-43 rubber over-molded pistol grip on this new model rifle. The state-of-the-art GL-Shock has a unique, patented “Anti-Rattle” mechanism with no protruding parts, so as not to get snagged, and comes with a built-in silicone chrome alloy—perfect for your AR15/M4/M16.
The AGR-43 pistol grip comes with multi-textured rubber features for a more secure grip. It provides a better shooting angle, heightened control and less wrist fatigue and hinged floorplate for battery storage.
Other features of the DB1065CB AR-15 rifle include a 20” stainless steel fluted barrel, the 15” Victor M-Lok rail and the Double Side Port Muzzle Break.
The DB 6.5 Creedmoor will be offered in Black (MSRP $1,229.00) and FDE (MSRP $1,259.00), which will make it one of the most affordable in the market.
About Diamondback Firearms: Diamondback is located in Cocoa, FL and has been family operated for over 30 years. Diamondback Firearms was created in 2008 with the DB380 and DB9 pistol series. DB has evolved to now include the DB10 rifle/pistol series with .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor calibers offered. DB15 rifle/pistol series with .223/5.56, 300 BO, and 9mm calibers offered. In January 2017 DB Firearms moved into a brand new 40,000 sq. ft. state of the art facility, which will also include Diamondback Barrels Division and CNC machines. All Diamondback products are manufactured in the USA.
About The Mako Group: The Mako Group is the exclusive U.S. distributor of the finest tactical equipment and weapon accessories that have been proven in combat. Designed for law enforcement agencies and militaries worldwide, Meprolight night sights and optics, FAB Defense weapon and personal defense accessories, Front Line Holsters and RTS Target Systems are available at firearm retailers everywhere. Connect with The Mako Group on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to stay up-to-date on the latest news and products. For more information visit www.themakogroup.com.
Compare ballistic coefficient, velocity, energy and momentum – a Discussion
By Andrew Chamberlain (Creator of “Chamber-It” on Facebook)
The 338 Lapua is a cartridge with a huge fan base.
One almost does not need to introduce or say much about it. I will say this about the 338 Lapua, it is as capable and as impressive as people say it is. There are a lot of other cartridges that do what people say the 338 Lapua does well, but what makes the 338 Lapua so unique? Not necessarily what it does, but what it does uniquely. I believe everyone can appreciate what makes the 338 Lapua so special and also recognize the hype that also causes some of the descending opinions.
The Lapua can push a very high ballistic coefficient (B.C.) bullet at a fairly decent muzzle velocity for a very long distance. That is, in my opinion, the simplified version of much of the hype (that is true), but may not be put in proper context.
Look at the 300 Win Mag and what it can do with high B.C. projectiles. Then look at the 7mm and even the 6.5mm cartridges. Suddenly the 338 Lapua may not look quite as impressive. Then consider the fact that the projectile can weigh from 250 – 300 grains (not 208, 180, 160 or even 129 grains, but 300). Then consider the momentum this projectile still carries, even when the drop in velocity is so dramatic that the energy has dropped from 5,000 ft-lbs to 590 ft-lbs (this is the approximate energy when a 300 grain projectile transitions to subsonic velocity…less than 1,000 ft/sec). It will still have 43 lbs-ft/sec momentum, which is slightly more than a hot-loaded 357 magnum with a 180 grain slug delivers at the muzzle. Also consider that a 250 – 300 grain 338 caliber bullet is quite long and heavy, which provides great stability in flight through wind, and fog. It even gives a good fight against the rain.
Many look at the 338 Lapua as the ultimate big game and dangerous game cartridge. This may not be a very good argument. Though the 338 Lapua gives a marked improvement over the 338 Win Mag and it gives a slight numerical improvement over the 375 H&H (which initially sounds like something). However, finding a controlled expansion copper or solid flat nose 300 grain 338 caliber slug can be very hard to do (though they do exist). Then comparing the 338 Lapua to the likes of a 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffery, 458 Win Mag or 458 Lott, the comparison starts to be a bit silly.
So in short, don’t just look at the stats. The numerical nature of ballistics or the “hot points” thrown at the consumer can at times only tell half the story. And sometimes tell even less. The 338 Lapua is an impressive cartridge and is very good at doing a handful of things, but it is often touted as the best at something that it may not be intended to be used for at all.
Factory Load vs. Hand Load The 338 Lapua is one of those rare cartridges where Factory Loads and Hand Loads compete very well with each other. However, hand loading does give a slight edge (20-80 ft/sec) over factory loads in common bullet weights. For some, this minimal difference does not merit hand loading, for others, this little extra, as well as the control and consistency they can derive, make it all worth it. One could mention availability and economics as well.
The 338 Lapua is a great cartridge and is highly capable of a lot of things. Keeping it in proper context of usage allows one to see what is truly neat or impressive about this cartridge.
Good Hunting! Be Safe. Visit us at www.chamberit.com.
PRODUCT RECALL for WINCHESTER® 22 Long Rifle RIMFIRE AMMUNITION.
AMMUNITION Olin Corporation, through its Winchester Division, is recalling two (2) lots of M*22™ 22 Long Rifle 40 Grain Black Copper Plated Round Nose rimfire ammunition.
Symbol Number: S22LRT; Lot Numbers: GD42L and GD52L
Winchester has determined the above lots of 22 Long Rifle rimfire ammunition may contain double powder charges. Ammunition with double powder charges may subject the shooter or bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury and/or death, or cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable.
DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® M*22™ 22 Long Rifle RIMFIRE AMMUNITION WITH LOT NUMBERS GD42L or GD52L. The ammunition Lot Number is imprinted (stamped without ink) on the left tuck flap of the 500-round carton as indicated here. The 1000-round intermediate carton does not have a Lot Number.
To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Symbol Number and Lot Number. If it is Symbol Number S22LRT with a Lot Number containing GD42L or GD52L immediately discontinue use and contact Winchester toll-free at 866-423-5224 or visit http://www.winchester.com/Product-Service/Pages/Contact-Us.aspx for free UPS pick-up of the recalled ammunition.
This notice applies only to Symbol Number S22LRT with Lot Numbers GD42L and GD52L. Other Symbol Numbers or Lot Numbers are not subject to this recall.
If you have any questions concerning this 22 Long Rifle rimfire ammunition recall please call toll-free 866-423-5224, write to Winchester (600 Powder Mill Road, East Alton, IL 62024 Attn: S22LRT Recall), or contact Winchester Customer Support online
NRA sponsored course welcomed by the rapidly growing population of new firearm owners in the United States.
The National Rifle Association is excited to announce the NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting Course is now available on-line. Firearms enthusiasts may learn pistol safety, handling and shooting techniques in their own homes, at their own convenience. Moving to an on-line course format allows basics of pistol shooting and firearm safety to reach even more households across the country.
Designed and developed by experts to accommodate busy schedules, the web-based course takes a blended learning approach to firearms training with both on-line and physical components. Students have 90 days to work through 11 on-line lessons at their own pace before registering for an NRA Certified Instructor-led phase at a local range to demonstrate their level of understanding and retention of course material.
“America has more first time gun owners than ever and the NRA remains dedicated to being the number one provider of firearm training,” said Executive Director of NRA General Operations, Kyle Weaver. “Thanks to our online courses and network of more than 125,000 NRA Certified Instructors, it has never been easier to learn basic firearm skills.”
To learn more about buying the right handgun for your protection, the NRA offers multiple references, but this link will share some of the most important points of information that all new gun owners may want to consider: http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/12/14/handgun-buying-guide/.
About the National Rifle Association Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit http://nra.org.
Target shooting programs are among Scouting’s most popular activities, helping scouts of all ages learn safe firearms handling skills while encouraging mentoring and teamwork.
July 3, 2018; NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce the launch of its annual grants partnership with the Boy Scouts of America Councils. Through this partnership, individual BSA Councils can receive a portion of $100,000 in NSSF-provided grant funds for use in developing and expanding their target shooting and marksmanship troop activities. Target shooting programs are among Scouting’s most popular activities, helping scouts of all ages learn safe firearms handling skills while encouraging mentoring and teamwork.
2018 marks NSSF’s eighth year supporting the BSA Council Grant Program in this manner, underscoring the time-honored practices of firearms safety, marksmanship training and shooting sports participation with the Boy Scouts. Additionally, the BSA’s recent decision to allow young females to join its ranks provides a fresh avenue for showcasing the excitement and fun of the shooting sports to an entirely new audience.
BSA Councils wishing to apply for grants should visit the grant guidelines and application procedures found here. Councils awarded funds through NSSF’s BSA Grant Program must use those grants to purchase equipment and supplies for their shooting sports activities from an NSSF Member Retailer. The full list of these retailers is available at nssf.org/retailers/find. Examples of qualifying purchases are ammunition, eye and ear protection, firearms, targets and shooting vests. For more information on this special program and qualifications, contact Ann Gamuf, NSSF Shooting Range Services Coordinator, at agamuf@nssf.org or 203-426-1320 ext. 247.
About NSSF The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
Understanding our outdoor rules, regulations, policies and tendencies is what this group provides to all of us interested to keep our outdoor heritage alive and well. Check out the story.
April 30, 2018; FERNANDINA BEACH, FL. – Sportsmen are spending millions of dollars on hunting and recreational shooting equipment, but which brands are they buying? Southwick Associates surveyed more than 20,000 hunters and recreational shooters in 2017 through their online HunterSurvey and ShooterSurvey consumer panels to identify the top brands in the market.
In 2017, some of the most purchased hunting and shooting brands include:
Top rifle ammunition brand: American Eagle
Top reflex/red dot sight brand: Vortex
Top brand of scope mount: Leupold
Top propellant/powder brand: Pyrodex
Top bow brand: Bear
Top arrow brand: Easton
Top brand of nocks: Nockturnal
Top archery target brand: Hurricane
Top archery sight brand: Tru Glo
10.Top reloading press brand: Lee Precision
Top reloading brass shell case brand: Starline
Top reloading shot brand: Eagle
Top coverall brand: Bass Pro/Redhead
14.Top backpack/waist/duffle brand: Badlands
Top decoy brand: Zink/Avian-X
Top food plot brand: Mossy Oak Biologic
Top trail camera brand: Wildgame Innovations
Top hunting knife brand: Buck
Top holster/ammo belt brand: Blackhawk
Top choke tube brand: Carlson
Top grip/buttstock brand: Magpul
More than one hundred products are examined in the Southwick Associates 2017 Hunting & Shooting Participation and Equipment Purchases Report. This in-depth resource illustrates sportsmen’s participation and shopping behaviors, including the percentage of sales occurring across different retail channels, brand purchased, price paid, and demographics for hunters and shooters buying specific products. Additional information tracked includes total days spent per activity, type of hunting / shooting activity, preferred species and where they hunt.
In addition to the topline reports covering hunting and target shooting, annual reports are also offered for special segments including archery consumers, deer hunters, turkey hunters, and waterfowl hunters. These reports provide the industry with an in-depth profile along with trend insights on the specific market.
Custom, confidential research is also available to help understand brand awareness/perceptions, identify products most desired by consumers, optimal pricing, and more. To purchase a report or discuss custom research, contact Nancy Bacon at Nancy@SouthwickAssociates.com.
Southwick Associates is a market research and economics firm, specializing in the hunting, shooting, sportfishing, and outdoor recreation markets. For more than 25 years, Southwick Associates has established a proven record for delivering comprehensive insights and statistics assisting business and strategic decisions across the entire outdoor industry; from government agencies, industry associations and non-profit organizations, to affiliated businesses and manufacturers. Aside from custom market research, Southwick Associates also provides syndicated participation, media consumption and equipment purchase tracking studies utilizing their proprietary sportsmen panels.
FAIRFAX, Va. – March 12, 2018: The National Rifle Association today announced that it has filed a lawsuit challenging the State of Florida’s newly-enacted ban on the purchase of firearms by young adults between the ages of 18-21.
Florida’s ban is an affront to the Second Amendment, as it totally eviscerates the right of law-abiding adults between the ages of 18 and 21 to keep and bear arms. The ban is particularly offensive with respect to young women, as women between the ages of 18 and 21 are much less likely to engage in violent crime than older members of the general population who are unaffected by the ban. Despite this fact, the State of Florida has enacted a sweeping law banning all young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 from purchasing any firearm from any source. Chris Cox, the Executive Director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, stated, “Swift action is needed to prevent young adults in Florida from being treated as second-class citizens when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms.
We are confident that the courts will vindicate our view that Florida’s ban is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment.” The case is National Rifle Association of America, Inc. v. Bondi, and it has been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
About the NRA: Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at NRA on Facebook and Twitter @NRA.
Not too long ago, I was working with a group of USCCA Instructor candidates, watching them, as they endeavored to pass their shooting qualification. My teammate noticed that one of the students had an image of the Punisher on the base plates of her magazines. Of course, to those who enjoy firearms (and perhaps a bit of gun collecting), this would not be a big deal. What firearms enthusiast or competitive shooter doesn’t enjoy some modification or personalization? It’s kind of a natural progression to go from out-of-the-box to customized and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Whether it’s the addition of an aftermarket Crimson Trace laser or an American flag Cerakote finish, owners can gain a lot of extra usefulness and enjoyment from a firearm that’s been modified beyond its original configuration. But these customized magazines happened to go with her everyday carry gun. Her self-defense gun. And that’s where things can get a bit tricky.
I’m far from an expert on legal issues, but in a litigious society filled with anti-gun nuttery, a firearm that’s been modified can mean trouble, especially if the owner has modified the action (changed the trigger so it’s smoother or lighter). To an eager prosecutor, that can translate to a gun owner who’s looking for a fight, hoping to shoot someone and wanting to kill. Of course, we in the gun community know that’s not true in the slightest. But it is something to consider. While a mass-produced firearm follows designs and specifications that can be replicated and supported, an altered firearm could potentially be labeled “unsafe,” “dangerous” or even “more lethal.”
If you are ever involved in a self-defense shooting, your gun will be seized as evidence. Firearms experts will study the ammunition used and will inspect the gun (along with magazines and accessories) to make sure it functions properly, the safeties work and the trigger pull meets factory specifications. Any distinctive features or anomalies, possibly caused by modifications, will be noted. So … how would it look if your carry gun had a purple Holoflake glitter finish … or had the Punisher (a fictional vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, extortion, coercion and violence in his campaign against crime) emblazoned on the magazines? Would a jury look favorably on that? At this point, you may be wishing your gun was bland, basic, boring and black.
Undoubtedly, whether or not you modify your concealed carry handgun is a very personal decision. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t change the grip on a firearm to fit their hands. But if you can’t articulate exactly why you put that whiz-bang trigger in your Glock 19, then don’t put it in. However, if you can explain it and justify it, go ahead and have it professionally installed by a competent gunsmith (with verifiable credentials) if you don’t have an armorer certification. And be able to explain why the original plastic sights were exchanged for better ones or why that Surefire X300 is on there. If the modifications were done to increase accuracy and reliability, then you’re increasing the safety of yourself and others …which is why we carry a self-defense gun in the first place.
All in all, always be cautious and consider leaving your self-defense gun and magazines exactly the way they came out of the box. When it comes to everyday carry, you don’t want your firearm to look unique, function differently or grab attention. Always keep safety at the forefront. Save those bells and whistles for the competition gun! And when in doubt, just remember to think: bland, basic, boring and black.
About the USCCA: The USCCA (United States Concealed Carry Association) is a membership organization that provides education, training and the insurance-backed Self-Defense SHIELD to responsibly armed Americans like you. Since its inception in 2003, and together with its flagship publication Concealed Carry Magazine, the USCCA has proudly supported a community of hundreds of thousands of patriots from all around the country. It’s our mission to arm our loyal members with the tools they need to safely and confidently protect themselves and their loved ones with the utmost peace of mind.
Our USCCA Team is dedicated to providing you with an unprecedented experience. In an ever-changing, fast-paced world, our team still believes in good, old-fashioned American customer service. When you call our award-winning team, whether in an emergency or even just to say hi, you’ll be graciously greeted by a friendly voice—and a warm, Midwestern accent! You’ll never be passed through an unhelpful phone tree or be put on hold with the insurance company.
Questions? Contact us by phone at: 1-855-388-4077 (Central Time), Monday-Friday 8am-10pm, Saturday 9am-2pm, or online at: https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/contact/.
Train Mental Skill and Subconscious Mind to Excellence with Proper Back Tension
Building Blocks to Solid, Consistent Arrow-Shooting Form
Learn from a Champion
By Forrest Fisher with Larry Wise
When your form is physically complete and practiced so it operates through the subconscious mind, you develop good mental skills to help you score high under all conditions. CORE ARCHERY will train you to be like this. CORE ARCHERY is a systematic set of archery shooting form steps built around the proper use of your skeleton. It is about proper back tension, and much more, on the building blocks of consistent, solid shooting form. It is a proven, simplified approach to consistent shooting form to achieve your desired results.
Throughout each form step of CORE ARCHERY, the governing theme is to maximize skeleton and minimize muscle. If you do this, your form will be energy efficient, fatigue resistant and highly repeatable.
CORE ARCHERY is a complete system of archery shooting form, presented here as the sequence of proper mental and physical actions required to launch an arrow to the target center. It consists of only the necessary and sufficient actions needed, and it has been validated by many archers.
CORE ARCHERY gives you the insight into good archery shooting form that will allow you to find the form you’ve lost or to gain it for the first time. Most important, when you learn core archery, you’ll be able to repeat your form, shot after shot after shot.
The author, Larry Wise, knows his beans…and his archery. He has been a competitive archer since 1979. His professional record shows 38 individual or team 1st Place/Championship titles, 11 2nd place finishes and four 3rd or 4th place.
He has given more than 300 “Tuning Your Compound Bow” seminars in 20 states; written five books on bow set-up and tuning; been a member of several bow manufacturers shooting and advisory staffs, and has done design consulting. He coaches nationally and internationally.
Since 2004, Larry has coached more than 300 individuals privately, written and edited a national archery coaches study course, taught national-level coaches courses, and coached the U.S. archery team at the 2005 World Indoor Championships (winning 13 medals, including seven gold).
In 2016, he co-authored the “Adaptive Archery Manual for Disabled Sports USA”. In 2014, Larry and Coach Linda Beck co-authored the “National Training System for Compound Bows” for the US Archery Association which is used by the Compound Junior Dream Team for which Larry is an assistant coach.
There are nine chapters and a special insert made from a 30-second video of the author making one well-executed shot.
Intro: Core Archery Explained
Your Shooting Objective
Stance & Build Your Form
Drawing the Bow
Aiming & Sighting
Aim & Release
Learning Back Tension
Muscle Activity during Back Tension
The Mental Game of Core Archery
SPECIAL INSERT – The Shot Sequence in Digital Photos. This is a unique chapter utilizing 44 photos of one shot to show you the steps of a good archery shot as that shot is being built. The photos are on 44 consecutive right hand pages and spring to life as you thumb rapidly through them. Study the flow from one image to the next to identify how each of the 12 form steps leads into the next.
Larry notes, a bit tongue-in-cheek, “Archery is a simple two-step sport. Step One is to learn to shoot an arrow in the ten-ring. Step Two is to repeat Step One!”
CORE ARCHERY is paperback, 8-1/2” x 5-1/2”, 140 pages, it retails for $13.95 plus shipping / handling. Published by Target Communications Outdoor Books (TCOB) as part of its “On Target” series. CORE ARCHERY and other archery/bowhunting books, plus deer, bear and turkey hunting books, are available at www.targetcommbooks.com.
Choke Tubes Allow Shooters to Change their Pellet Dispersal Pattern
Choke Tubes Allow for “Quick-Change” Performance
Find the RIGHT CHOKE TUBE for every Shotgun you Own
When it comes to shotgun choke tubes, there is one name that rings true as the go to source of knowledge.
That name is Trulock.
From hunting to tactical, the team over at Trulock knows exactly what is needed to take the best shot possible. With decades of experience in engineering the world’s most efficient chokes, the team over at Trulock is second to none in knowledge as well as experience.
The story behind Trulock Choke Tubes, dates back to 1981 when founder George Trulock first began work engineering and designing his revolutionary new choke and installation system. George identified the need for a system that could be retrofitted into most shotgun barrels without the use of an adaptor or complicated machining tools. His final design accomplished just that.
Since then, George introduced a process and system that has been in continuous production, as well as being adopted by several major shotgun manufacturers as the industry standard. An inventive genius that has contributed to improve the shooting industry for all time.
To date, Trulock has a stock of approximately 2500 different chokes, with more scheduled to hit the market very soon. Trulock chokes are guaranteed to turn heads, they make competitors take notice. Folks that use them know that Trulock choke tubes are “THE brand” that everyone should look to when they need the right choke for their style of shooting fun.
This year, if you are planning to attend the 2018 SHOT Show, Trulock invites you to visit their booth #15855 and learn more about why Trulock Choke Tubes and the “Legend” behind their invention have helped to improve shotgun choke technology.
Follow Trulock for exclusive content and discount deals on Facebook, and check them out on-line at www.trulockchokes.com.
Compact Bows, Imagine Axle-to-Axle lengths of 18.5 to 24 inches
Add, Faster Arrows and High Impact Energy
Ground Blinds for Archers…Plenty of Room NOW
By Forrest Fisher
I’ve never seen anything like these Gearhead bows. They are unique in appearance, are shorter and lighter than most other bows and they offer superior performance too. Gearhead is offering a $30,000 cash prize to the winner of the Bowhunter Division at the 2018 Las Vegas Archery Shoot, set for Feb. 9th – 11th, 2018, with payouts to 5th place. Read up on the rules at this website: https://www.gearheadarchery.com/pages/winwithgearhead.
Gearhead Archery started an archery company based a new concept of compact and powerful bows they call their T-Series because they wanted to build the ultimate hunting bow. Gearhead Archery believes, that once you begin to hunt with and experience the benefits of their compact T-Series bows, you will never want to carry a large bow into the field again. Check ‘em out.
The Gearhead Archery compact line of T-S series bows include the T18, T20, and T24; that is, axle to axle 18.5”, 20.5” and 24.5”. The compact line comes standard with a backpack of your choice, to allow you to take these bows anywhere. The compact line is specifically designed for difficult hunting conditions, whether you are in the confined space of a ground blind or tree stand, or on an extreme backcountry hunt, the compact T-Series bow will be there with you.
All of the compact line of T-Series bows deliver plenty of kinetic energy, speed, and accuracy, despite their deceptive small size. In fact, these bows deliver the same punch as any full size bow with an equivalent draw length, don’t let the size fool you! Size and Accuracy how can that be? The single biggest myth of short ATA bows is accuracy, we can tell you this is NOT true,
Gearhead Archery currently has Pro Staff shooters shooting the T24 and have won and placed at multiple events. The dual riser plate design on all Gearhead bows is more precise and true that any other bow on the market. The simple fact is that the Gearhead Archery dual plate riser design is engineered like a bridge, giving them the repeatability, strength, and rigidity like no other bows built.
Gearhead Archery engineers will tell you that one of the biggest telltale signs of a rigid and well-built bow is shooting very light arrows to induce sound and vibration to draw out any weakness. They have evidence that Gearhead bows eat light arrows and don’t cringe like other bows.
The compact line can accommodate draw lengths from 24″ to 30″ and with the use of a custom FTR release aid that can extend draw lengths up to 34″, simply incredible. The PATENTED FTR release aids can adjust your draw length from 1 to 4 inches with one of the FTR-series releases. Another benefit of the release option is that it allows one bow to fit multiple shooters by simply changing to a different release.
Finally, all Gearhead Archery bows can be converted from a true Right to true Left-handed in minutes, without a bow press. Another incredible feat.
Delivering tough-to-beat accuracy and a crisp, wide field of view, the new Sightmark Element 1×30 (SM26040) is their update to the popular Tactical Red Dot Sight (SM13041). Enhancements include a smaller, more precise 2-MOA red dot, improved brightness settings and two night vision compatibility modes.
Sightmark has integrated improvements based on customer suggestions, and added more of their own, including a longer range of adjustment for both windage and elevation, battery life (up to 15,000 hours) and an improved IP67 waterproof rating. Notably, the Elements’ windage and elevation caps can now be flipped and used as tools for making adjustments.
Shipping with a reliable cantilever mount, the Element 1×30 absolute cowitness height fits all magnifiers set up on the Aimpoint T1 mounting system, allowing shooters to engage targets at further distances. The Sightmark Element 1×30 red dot sight includes flip-up lens covers, a manual and a CR2032 battery in the box.
Sightmark manufactures award-winning products including riflescopes, gun sights, laser sights, night vision, flashlights, bore sights and other cutting edge, premium shooting accessories. Inspired by military and law enforcement technology, Sightmark products are designed for competition, shooting, home defense, personal safety and other tactical applications, as well as hunting. For more information about Sightmark products, visit www.sightmark.com. For media requests related to Sightmark, please email mediarelations@sightmark.com.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced S. 2135, the Fix NICS Act to encourage and incentivize states to enter all applicable disqualifying records into the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and help provide states the resources to do so. S. 2135 would also require federal agencies to properly report relevant records and hold those who fail to do so accountable.
There are currently several states and some federal agencies withholding disqualifying records that would help prevent prohibited persons under current law from possessing firearms. Federal Firearms License holders rely upon the NICS to be accurate in order to prevent the sale and transfer of firearms to prohibited persons.
Please take this opportunity to email or call today to urge your U.S. Senators to cosponsor S. 2135, the Fix NICS Act.
More Women and Minorities are Planning to Purchase Handguns
More Beginners Plan to Purchase a Handgun
Younger Adults are Planning to Purchase a Handgun
Report Helps Explain Needs of the Changing Demographic
FERNANDINA BEACH, FL. –The handgun market has many different types of consumers, each wanting to buy for different reasons and uses. Two of these types, women and minorities, are a significant growth opportunity for handgun sales. They share the same passion to become proficient shooters like more experienced handgun owners and are seeking reliable handguns from reputable brands. When this group is combined with active target shooters and hunters who are looking to buy another handgun, the new handgun consumer is now younger, skews female and is ethnically-diverse (click here to view infographic).
As a supplement to the Customer Segmentation Analysis of the U.S. Commercial Firearms and Accessories Market report, Southwick Associates and NSSF have published a new handgun market report examining the demographics, firearm-related activities, motivations, needs, purchase drivers and shopping habits of those who own a handgun and those looking to buy one. Designed to help companies better understand the different factors that motivate consumers to buy a handgun and why they select specific models, this report identifies the major consumer segments that make up more than half of the U.S. handgun market.
This report is the next in a series based on Southwick Associates and NSSF’s recent consumer segmentation analysis of the U.S. firearms market. “With emerging audiences wanting to purchase a firearm, it’s important to really understand why they want to own a handgun and the specific features they look for in a handgun. The insights from this report will help manufacturers and retailers improve their strategic and tactical marketing decisions,” commented Rob Southwick, President of Southwick Associates.
The report, “Handgun Consumers: An In-depth Exploration,” is now available from Southwick Associates. Custom segmentation research is also available based on the proprietary database containing responses from more than 100,000 detailed consumer surveys.
Ruger has issued a Product Safety Bulletin for certain Ruger Precision Rifles due to the potential for interference between the aluminum bolt shroud and the cocking piece (also known as the firing pin back). Although only a small percentage of rifles appear to be affected and we are not aware of any injuries, Ruger is firmly committed to safety and is offering replacement aluminum bolt shrouds for affected rifles in order to eliminate the possibility of such interference. View Safety Bulletin PDF
Choke tubes frozen in place from expansion is different from rust or residue build up.
Keep in mind, however, that rust, residue build-up and choke expansion CAN ALL OCCUR at the same time.
Without getting to deeply involved in the science of metals you need to know that when a shot charge passes through a choke tube it exerts a force in two different directions. Force is applied to the choke tube when the shot charge strikes the choke forcing cone.
The first direction is longitudinal. The force in this direction simply tries to push the choke out of the barrel. This is prevented from happening by the interlocked threads on both the choke and the internal threads of the barrel. If enough force is exerted then the threads in the barrel and or the threads on the choke shear and out it goes. I have never seen a choke fail from thread shear.
The second direction is at approximately right angles to the bore. In this direction the applied force tries to make the choke expand. As the shot column moves through the choke tube forcing cone, the pellets are in constant movement to rearrange themselves so that the shot column becomes smaller in diameter and elongated. This generates a force that wants to expand the choke tube.
Factors to consider:
* Steel is elastic to some degree.
* If enough force is applied the choke tube will expand by a small amount and when the force is removed it will contract to its original size and shape.
* One of the ways we measure the strength of steel is by “Yield Strength”.
* For our purpose we can define yield strength as the maximum amount of force that is applied that does not cause any permanent deformation of the steel.
* If we increase the level of force past the yield strength of the steel used in that choke, it will expand past its elastic limit and stay in this expanded size.
* If you continue to shoot this load in this choke tube it will expand a small amount each time and at some point it will be solidly locked into the barrel.
* This force reaches its peak nominally at the intersection of the choke forcing cone and the parallel section. This is the area where choke expansion will occur.
* Choke tubes in this condition cannot be removed by normal methods.
The actual force is generated from a number of combined factors:
1. Size of steel shot. The larger the diameter of the shot the more force is created
2. Weight of the shot charge. Heavier payloads cause higher forces
3. Choke constriction. More constriction causes higher forces
4. Velocity. The higher the velocity the more force is created
Very high velocity steel shot shells with large diameter (particularly size B and larger pellets) through tighter (typically full or tighter) constriction chokes are usually the culprit causing choke expansion.
One of the best ways to prevent choke expansion is to follow the choke manufacturer’s recommendations.
* Some choke manufacturers will mark the choke “no steel” if it is not rated for steel.
* Some mark the choke “approved for steel”
* All factory chokes, as a rule, are rated for steel shot loads from cylinder bore through modified constriction, at least all that I have seen.
* If you use a factory choke tighter than modified that is not marked for use with steel, I would check it on a regular basis for choke expansion.
* If you find a choke tube that gets progressively harder to remove and replace each time you do so, examine it carefully as it is probably failing from expansion.
* If in doubt whether a choke is rated for steel, contact the manufacturer.
In my experience with steel shot I have found that if a choke does not expand with a given steel load after 25 shots it will never expand. Don’t take that as a fact as nothing is 100% when it comes to shotguns. However to date, this rule of thumb has never failed me.
While this is certainly not intended to be a true technical paper, hopefully it has given you a basic understanding of why choke tubes can and do freeze in the barrel.
For more information on Trulock Choke Tubes, visit http://www.trulockchokes.com.
Sincerely,
George Trulock
1-800-293-9402 work; 229-762-4050 fax
Email: trulock@trulockchokes.com
Air-Powered Rifles Generate High Shock and Vibration
Special Optical Scopes are Essential
Hawke AIRMAX fixed my Airgun Shooting Accuracy Troubles
By Forrest Fisher
Airguns today are growing in popularity all over the world and they are now offered in many ballistic sizes. Airguns appeal to the other craze in the world too, they offer “green shooting,” with no gunpowder, no catridge casings, no toxic outgas and no garbage in the woods, and more, they are affordable and reusable at little or no cost. The one problem with shooting airguns accurately at long range though, is finding an optical scope that can handle the shock and vibration.
With my GAMO Big Cat 1250 pellet rifle (.177 caliber), I’ve tried two brands of scopes, names unmentioned, to discover that airguns can have a devastating effect on optics when the right products aren’t used. After two years of some shooting frustration – target plinking with constant creep accuracy, I have found a scope that actually works more than three weeks with repeat, same hole accuracy, week after week. My Hawke AIRMAX 3-9×40 offers the right specialized optics for the serious airgun shooter that I am.
Hawke sells this “super airgun scope” in either 30mm or 1 inch chassis design, and has one model (Airmax 30) that offers an illuminated reticle. My Airmax (Model 13-110) uses the non-illuminated AMX reticle in a traditional scope design.
To be absolutely sure of your pellet rifle accuracy, go purchase your 4, 6, 8 or 10 grain pellets, then use a micro-gram archery scale to identify and remove the outliers (the heavy and light pellets) that contribute to shot placement inaccuracy.
We zero the scope to the middle of the paper and it is not unusual for us to place 5 shots within ¼ inch of each other at 50 yards. Our country backyard rodents are no longer a problem and fun of shooting for free (no bullets) is fun again.
Check out this airgun scope they call the Hawke AIRMAX, it’s affordable at about $200 and most important, it holds accuracy shot after shot.
For technical details visit: https://us.hawkeoptics.com/airmax-3-9×40-amx.html.
I’m sure a lot of shotgun shooters have encountered this dreaded problem.
You start to remove the choke from your shotgun and it will not budge.
You increase the pressure on your choke wrench and still get no movement.
You eventually end up putting enough torque on the wrench that it causes your face to turn red and your arms too start to tremble. The choke still does not move.
You then find some sort of tool to give you additional leverage on the wrench and the darn choke tube still refuses to budge.
You start to wonder what you did to cause this problem!!
There are BASICALLY THREE THINGS THAT WILL FREESE UPA SHOTGUN CHOKE IN THE BARREL:
Rust
Residue build up from fired shells (unburned powder, fiber, plastic, etc.)
Choke tube expansion (Creep)
If you want to keep your shotgun chokes functioning as they were intended, then TAKE CARE OF THESE BASIC MAINTENANCE ITEMS ON A REGULAR BASIS:
LOOSEN & RETIGHTEN the choke on occasion. Even better if you REMOVE the choke and REINSTALL in the barrel on a regular basis. This will break any bond that is attempting to form.
CLEAN CHOKE BODY and REMOVE RESIDUE from the threads with a stiff brush and solvent of some kind.
CLEAN INTERNAL THREADS and CHOKE COUNTERBORE in the barrel. USE BRONZE BORE BRUSH and SOLVENT.
WIPE SURFACES DRY, then LUBRICATE them with a few drops of high quality GUN OIL.
Henry Repeating Arms Donates 54 Custom-Designed Octagon Barrel Firearms to Help Cause
Special Edition Bids, Open to Public…Bid on GunBroker.com, item #705771173
BAYONNE, NJ, October 9, 2017– Henry Repeating Arms of Bayonne, NJ, and Rice Lake, WI, designed 54 SPECIAL EDITION custom .22 caliber Henry Lever Action Octagon barrel rifles to help raise funds for 14-year-old Joshua Brennan of New York. Joshua was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left-Heart Syndrome before he was even born.
The first 24 of these rifles were donated directly to the Firemen for Joshua Foundation, a 510(c)(3) organization, the remaining 30 were purchased by Joe Petrucelli of Tri-County Sporting Goods. Petrucelli then organized further fundraising efforts to benefit the charitable foundation formed in Joshua’s name.
For the past few years Joshua has served the emergency service community by volunteering at the Pawling Fire Department in Dutchess County. While he is too young to fight fires, he is a critical member of the Pawling Fire Department.
Washing trucks, keeping the firehouse in good order, lending a helping hand in the kitchen, and attending special events are just some of the tasks that Joshua tends to. Joshua’s efforts all stem from his love for the department and his call to volunteerism instilled in him by his father Tom, who is also a volunteer firefighter.
Joshua Brennan suffered heart failure last year and surgery provided a pacemaker and two valves to keep him alive. Joshua now needs a heart transplant.
In 2014, a similar partnership between Henry Repeating Arms and Tri-County Sporting Goods raised over $60,000 for 4-year-old Grayson Sutton of Sedan, KS, who was battling Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and facing a series of costly surgeries.
President of Henry Repeating Arms, Anthony Imperato explains, “Tri-County Sporting Goods has always stepped up to the plate to help Henry with any of our “Guns for Great Causes” program initiatives. When they told me about this great young man, Joshua…and his battle, we instantly decided to reciprocate.”
The 54 special edition rifles are currently being sold through Tri-County Sporting Goods in Patterson, NY, and all proceeds are going to benefit the Firemen for Joshua Foundation, which goes directly to Joshua and his family.
Petrucelli organized Firemen for Joshua Day at Tri-County Sporting Goods on September 30th where over 200 people from the local community came together to show their support. Joshua was nominated for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and he and his family were presented with a $70,000 check from the proceeds of the rifles sold to date along with donations from local businesses. Proceeds are expected to raise over $100,000 before the end of the year.
Serial number “JOSHUA001,” the first of 54 made is currently up for auction on GunBroker.com, item #705771173.
Tri-County Sporting Goods will continue to sell the Firemen for Joshua rifles while supplies last, as well as custom serial numbered Henry Heirloom rifles. Proceeds from these sales will continue to fund the Firemen for Joshua foundation. To purchase one of these rifles contact Joe Petrucelli at (845) 878-6084. General donations are being accepted here: https://www.gofundme.com/firemen-for-joshua.
From the Real Avid folks and their barrel of innovation, comes the ultra-compact Bore Boss®. It’s the first ever self-storing, easy-feeding, clean-pulling, field-ready, hassle-free, pure-genius bore cleaner that I have ever used, even (and especially) for small calibers like the .22 caliber rifle you like to use for inexpensive plinking and target shooting.
The unit functions by using a single-piece cable with an integrated phosphor-bronze brush and braided mop wraps around the unique Flex-Case Handle to keep the system stowed and organized, and it fits in your pants pocket. Hard to beat that.
To use, simply flip open the small case, feed the cable, clip on the handle and pull. Throw it in your pack or put it in your pocket. It’s the next best thing to a self-cleaning gun. Love this thing and I have provided one for all my grandkids that like to shoot. They also have a pocket copy of “Firearms Safety: 10 Rules for Safe Gun Handling” from the National shooting Sports foundation (NSSF) and they know the rules inside out.
This plinker cleaner is compact, ergonomically adjusted for comfort in your hand during use and it completes the task of cleaning your barrel FAST.
Available in several calibers, the .22 cleaning kit will be most popular with “plinksters” and the cost is under 10 bucks.
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sep. 26, 2017 — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) today is commending U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham’s (R-S.C.) introduction of S.1854, the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2017, which will strengthen the criminal penalties for thefts of firearms from retailers and impose mandatory minimum sentences.
“Thefts from federally licensed firearms retailers represent particularly brazen offenses that hold potential for additional crime when stolen guns are sold on the street,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “The Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act is a significant reinforcement of our federal laws to help deter both first-time and repeat violators and to ensure those convicted of these crimes serve serious time. We thank Senator Graham for his leadership to help make America safer.”
Sen. Graham’s proposed legislation would impose a minimum sentence for a successful conviction of not less than three years for burglary and five years for robbery.
The bill gained the support of Sens. John Boozman, (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jim Risch, (R-Idaho) and Luther Strange (R-Ala.).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reported a 48 percent increase in the number of burglaries and a 175 percent in the number of robberies over the past five years. In 2016, about 7,758 firearms were stolen from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) in burglaries and robberies.
The firearms industry through NSSF is an active partner in helping to reduce thefts and aiding ATF in identifying those involved in these crimes. As part of Operation Secure Store, NSSF helps educate FFLs on steps they can take to reduce theft. NSSF, in cooperation with ATF, also conducts retailer store security seminars, assists retailers with store security audits, and encourages the use of methods and technologies to reduce the likelihood firearms will be stolen. NSSF also continues to match ATF reward offers for information that leads to the arrest of criminals responsible for thefts from FFLs.
About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org/.
NSSF and SAAMI Provide Guidance on Dealing with Submerged Guns and Ammunition
NEWTOWN, Conn., Sep. 7, 2017 — Firearms owners who have seen their guns and stored ammunition submerged by flood waters in storm-wracked areas are probably wondering if their firearms and ammunition can be salvaged and safely used.
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute® (SAAMI®) and National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) point to two helpful documents containing guidelines to assist gun owners in making sound decisions related to safely handling and treating or disposing of these items, emphasizing to always err on the side of caution and safety.
SAAMI, founded in 1926, is an organization that creates and publishes industry standards on firearms and ammunition. NSSF is the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry.
The SAAMI document “Guidance on Firearms That Have Been Submerged or Exposed to Extensive Amounts of Water” points out two major concerns about firearms that have been exposed to water: parts susceptible to moisture and rust damage such as metal parts, wood stocks and grips, and optics; and, secondly, infiltration of the action, barrel and safety systems by grit, silt and other foreign debris.
Always unload firearms before beginning any treatment process.
It’s important to limit moisture and corrosion damage to the component parts of the firearm. This can be accomplished by disassembling the component parts and using up to two coats of a moisture-displacing lubricant such as Hoppes #9 MDL or WD-40 to clean and stabilize the parts while, importantly, following the product’s directions so as not to damage, for instance, plastic or synthetic parts. Another tip is to allow wood stocks and grips to air-dry and not be force dried by exposure to heat.
The document emphasizes that once the firearm has been thoroughly dried, consideration must be given to having the firearm inspected and serviced by the manufacturer, an authorized service center, or a qualified gunsmith before putting the firearm back in service.
Discussed are differences in moisture resistance between centerfire, rimfire and shotshell ammunition, and potential hazards associated with “drying out” cartridges, including possible deterioration and damage to cartridges due to drying methods.
Another serious hazard that could result from using compromised ammunition is the potential for a bore obstruction due to partial ignition of either the priming compound or the propellant powder charge, or both. Firing a subsequent round through an obstructed barrel can result in bodily injury, death and property damage.
SAAMI provides the following cautionary conclusion: “It would be impossible to ascertain for certain the extent of the deteriorating affect, if any, the water may have had on each individual cartridge. Therefore, the safe answer is that no attempt be made to salvage or use submerged ammunition. The ammunition should be disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Contact your local law enforcement agency for disposal instructions in your area.
About NSSF:The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.
The Model 1866 lever-action was the very first rifle to wear the Winchester® brand. This rifle defines the 19th century. Its bright brass receiver was the basis for the nickname of “Yellow Boy.”
For 2017 the legendary Model 1866 rifle is now available from Winchester® Repeating Arms in a Grade I Short Rifle.
This makes the “Yellow Boy” experience readily affordable for cowboy action competitors, hunters, casual shooters and everyone who enjoys spending a day at the range with a genuine Winchester lever-action classic.
The receiver, crescent butt plate and forearm cap, are crafted from solid brass with a full bright polish finish.
The stock and forearm are Grade I American black walnut with a satin oil finish.
The folding ladder rear sight and Marble Arms® gold bead front sight get you on target quickly.
A full-length magazine tube, open top ejection port and blued steel loading gate and action screws are also featured.
Barrel length is 20” and the average weight is 7¼ lbs.
It is available in 44-40 Win. and 38 Special calibers at a suggested retail price of $1,299.99.
Features:
·Grade I American black walnut straight grip stock
·Classic rifle-style forearm
·Full bright polish brass surfaces
·Brass crescent buttplate
·Folding ladder rear sight with Marble Arms® gold bead front sight
New Ulm, Minnesota (July 20, 2017) – Amtrak, which operates more than 300 trains daily across the United States, now allows passengers to transport archery equipment as checked baggage. Amtrak previously prohibited archery gear on its trains, but changed its policy thanks to advocacy by the Archery Trade Association, with support from U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Georgia, USA Archery and the National Field Archery Association.
This change gives America’s estimated 23.8 million archers the opportunity to transport their bows and arrows via Amtrak while traveling to archery and bowhunting activities nationwide.
“This is a significant victory for bowhunters and archers, and a great example of how the ATA advocates for our manufacturing and retail members, and their customers,” said Jay McAninch, ATA president/CEO. “Dan Forster on our team spearheaded this effort. This is a prime example of the initiatives ATA’s director of government relations works on. We’re grateful Amtrak reconsidered its policy, and excited that bowhunters and archers nationwide will be able to ride Amtrak for bowhunts, archery tournaments and vacations while enjoying these family activities.”
The new policy, which took effect July 10, specifies all archery equipment – such as bows, arrows and crossbows – must be transported as checked baggage in a hard- or soft-sided case. Amtrak does not require reservations for archery equipment, as it does for firearms. Bow cases cannot exceed 50 pounds or 75 linear inches. Amtrak does not limit the number of archery equipment cases, but because each case counts as one checked item, normal baggage limits apply. Customers are charged for excess items.
In leading the effort to change Amtrak’s regulations, the ATA’s Forster sought help from Congress while working with USA Archery and the National Field Archery Association to rally support. Amtrak was created by Congress as part of the Federal Railroad Administration, and is overseen by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as well as the Senate’s Commerce Science and Transportation Committee.
Forster said Rep. Woodall – who represents Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, and is a member of the House’s Transportation Oversight Committee – was instrumental in amending Amtrak’s policy. “We’re deeply grateful to Amtrak’s team for their willingness to listen to our appeal, and especially to Congressman Woodall’s office for advocating for this change,” Forster said. “We’re excited to see ATA members and Amtrak’s millions of customers across the country taking advantage of this new avenue of transportation for their bowhunting and archery activities.”
“Solving America’s big challenges takes time, but we can make government work better for Georgia families one issue at a time every single day,” said Rep. Rob Woodall. “This is a great example of one of those opportunities to do better, and it was once again started by someone willing to pick up the phone and give me a call. We have dozens of ATA member companies and retailers in Georgia, not to mention nearly 24 million bowhunters and archers across the country, and I was happy to reach out to the folks at Amtrak. I’m glad to see they found a solution that works for everyone.”
USA Archery welcomes the policy change. “From youth and collegiate archers to Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, many of our members stand to benefit from Amtrak’s new policy,” said Denise Parker, CEO of USA Archery. “Families, clubs and teams can now consider Amtrak as a viable option for tournament travel.”
Bruce Cull, president of the National Field Archery Association, agreed. “The NFAA hosts thousands of archers at events across the country, throughout the year,” Cull said. “Many of them combine family vacations with the fun and camaraderie of archery competition, and they enjoy bowhunting when they aren’t shooting arrows for score. We’re pleased to see more transportation options available to our members.”
Learn more about Amtrak’s archery equipment policy here.
About the Archery Trade Association – The Archery Trade Association is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The ATA has served its members since 1953. It is dedicated to making the industry profitable by decreasing business overhead, reducing taxes and government regulation, and increasing participation in archery and bowhunting. The organization also owns and operates the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest-running trade show worldwide. For more information, like the ATA Trade Show on Facebook, follow @ATATradeShow on Twitter, or learn more about archery and bowhunting at Archery360.com and Bowhunting360.com.
From Newtown, CT., the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce that it has chosen the winners of its 2017 Voting Member Scholarship Essay Contest. Open to the employees and qualifying family members of NSSF’s Voting Member companies, the annual contest awards $60,000 divided between 25 winners, including one grand prize winner who receives $8,000 to apply toward their college costs. NSSF received a total of 66 qualified entries this year.
In refreshing this annual contest, NSSF offered two submission options for the scholarship program. The first option required a written essay, with specific formatting guidelines, on one of the following two topics:
·How important is the U.S. Supreme Court to protecting the rights of American citizens to keep and bear arms?
·Passing the Torch: A personal story of an experienced shooter or hunter passing traditions on to family and friends.
The second submission option required a written script designed to provide voiceover narration for a video (though no actual video submission was required). The three script topic choices were:
·What hunting means to me and to wildlife conservation.
·How learning to target shoot has benefitted me as a person.
·What non-hunters would be surprised to learn about hunting.
Matthew Willey, whose mother is employed by Olin Corp., was chosen as the grand prize winner. Matthew will be a senior at St. Louis University this fall, was selected as the grand prize winner. For his scholarship submission, he chose to tackle the Supreme Court topic in traditional essay format. His essay in part read:
For the majority of the last 70 or so years, the most important Supreme Court ruling pertaining to the right to gun ownership was 1939’s United States v. Miller. In that case, an Arizona district court ruled that two men who had been indicted for transporting a sawed-off shotgun across state lines, should not have been indicted, as the regulations preventing them from legally transporting that firearm were unconstitutional. This decision was appealed to the Supreme Court, which chose to interpret the 2nd amendment as pertaining only to the regulation of a militia … . This ruling was the preeminent ruling concerning the 2nd amendment for the rest of the 20th century, and it set a damaging precedent to gun rights in this country.
Fortunately, things changed relatively recently. In 2008’s landmark case, District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court once again addressed the interpretation of the 2nd amendment. … In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court interpreted the second amendment as providing a right to self-protection. It is important to remember here that in a common law system, a law must be enforced as it is interpreted by the courts. Therefore, whatever questions existed about the legal meaning of the 2nd amendment prior to District of Columbia v. Heller, the meaning is now clear and binding.
This is not to say that the battle for gun rights has emphatically been won. It is perfectly conceivable that in some future case the Supreme Court may revisit the 2nd amendment, and thus open the door to a new interpretation. Moreover, the ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller was not without its ambiguity, meaning that more challenges to gun rights may loom in the future. The one thing that is for certain is that if these challenges reach the Supreme Court, the decisions made by those nine justices will shape the law for the entire nation. Therefore, despite recent victories, it is vital that the Supreme Court be populated by men and women who respect the rights of gun owners. When it comes to the law, a strong Supreme Court is more powerful than any legislator, or any president.
Other winners included the $5,000 first place entrant, Nathan Huelsmann, who will be a senior at Missouri University of Science and Technology in the Fall and whose father also works for Olin, and the $3,000 second place winner Ian Murphy, will be a Junior at the Oregon Institute of Technology in the fall and whose father is employed by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Twenty-two other winners received $2,000 each for their successful entries. See the full list of scholarship recipients and the entire winning essay.
About NSSF The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced (June 07, 2017) that it is recalling all Mark IV™ pistols (including 22/45™ models) manufactured prior to June 1, 2017. Ruger recently discovered that the pistols have the potential to discharge unintentionally if the safety is not utilized correctly.
In particular, if the trigger is pulled while the safety lever is midway between the “safe” and “fire” positions (that is, the safety is not fully engaged or fully disengaged), the pistol may not fire when the trigger is pulled. However, if the trigger is released and the safety lever is then moved from the mid position to the “fire” position, the pistol may fire at that time.
Although only a small percentage of Mark IV pistols appear to be affected and the Company is not aware of any injuries, Ruger is firmly committed to safety and would like to retrofit all potentially affected pistols with an updated safety mechanism.
As a responsible manufacturer, Ruger wants to make its customers aware of this FREE safety upgrade. All Mark IV pistols with serial numbers beginning with “401” (2017 models) or “WBR” (2016 models) are subject to the recall. Mark IV owners should visit the Mark IV Recall website at Ruger.com/MarkIVRecall to look up the serial number of their Mark IV and verify if it is subject to the recall, sign up for the recall, and obtain additional information.
The new parts are being built and Ruger will retrofit Mark IV pistols on a first-come, first-served basis. When Ruger is ready to retrofit a consumer’s pistol, a prepaid USPS box with a shipping label and detailed packaging and shipping instructions will be sent to the consumer.
The consumer should return only the grip frame assembly to Ruger. Ruger will install the updated safety mechanism, and return the grip frame assembly, free of charge. All retrofitted grip frame assemblies will be returned with a free magazine as a “thank you” for consumers’ patience and cooperation. The Company will make every effort to return each pistol within one week of the day it arrives at Ruger.
Ruger strongly recommends that consumers not use their Mark IV pistols until the safety retrofit has been installed.
Super Clean ammunition features zinc-core brass-jacketed bullets and are completely lead-free, both airborne and downrange, for the ultimate in indoor range performance and safety.
With more recreational pistol shooters than ever before and more interest among those shooters in becoming better prepared and more proficient behind the trigger, Winchester Ammunition continues to answer the demand for better performing, yet affordable ammunition options when it comes to training at the range. Enter the brand’s Super Clean line, which in 2017, will add a .45 ACP offering to the lineup.
Offerings now include:
.45 ACP – 160 gr.
9 mm Luger – 90-gr.
.40 S&W – 120-gr.
Super Clean ammunition features zinc-core brass-jacketed bullets and are completely lead-free, both airborne and downrange, for the ultimate in indoor range performance and safety. Super Clean comes 50 rounds per box.
“Winchester is committed to delivering more value-priced lead-free centerfire product options that are ideal for use on indoor ranges as the number of shooters visiting these ranges grows around the country. As one of the most popular rounds among handgun shooters, this latest .45 ACP ammunition is a testament to that commitment,” said Matt Campbell, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing and sales.
View a video about the Super Clean 2017 Handgun Ammunition.
View all of the product details about the new .45 ACP Ammunition.
About Winchester Ammunition: A world leader in delivering innovative products, Winchester is The American Legend, a brand built on integrity, hard work and a deep focus on its loyal customers. Learn more about the history of Winchester by visiting www.winchester.com or connect with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial. Winchester Ammunition is a proud supporter of the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe. For more information on the Own It? Respect It. Secure It. Initiative™, please log on to: www.NSSF.org/ORS.
Serious hunters take note. Nockturnal continues to take all the guesswork out of adding the benefit of lighted nocks to your quiver with the introduction of its new FIT universal-lighted nock designed to fit X, GT, S and H diameter arrows.
The Nockturnal FIT includes Nock Collar adapter sleeves in three different sizes, simplifying equipment selection and making color choice—either Red, Green or a patent-pending Red/Green Strobe—the only real shopping decision.
The Nockturnal FIT features ultra-strong, impact resistant, clear-polycarbonate nock construction encapsulating the super-bright red, green or red/green strobing LEDs that are activated by a patented string-activated, piston-driven contact switch. Like all Nockturnal nocks, the FIT is guaranteed to activate immediately when the string is released, and it can be switched off quickly and easily with the Nockturnal Nock Tool, a small screwdriver or most broadhead tips via an opening in the side of the nock.
With a base nock sized for X arrows, Nocturnal FIT nocks are packaged in a three-pack that also includes three Nock Collars for each nock that fit tightly to GT, S and H arrows. Each Nock Collar is marked with its intended arrow diameter, and once fully seated on the FIT, the adapter sleeve and nock become locked together for absolute reliability.
With well in excess of 20 hours of lithium battery life, each Nockturnal FIT will remain brightly lit for plenty of time for arrow retrieval and can be easily spotted in daylight hours as well as at night. The Red/Green Strobe Fit nock alternates 400 times a minute between the two colors.
Weighing around 25 grains, each Nockturnal FIT is waterproof and shockproof, and a three-pack with adapters retails for $34.99. The FIT nocks are available at retailers nationwide or conveniently online at www.nockturnal.com.
Headquartered in Superior, Wis., Nockturnal is a leading designer and manufacturer of lighted nocks for arrows and crossbow bolts. Nockturnal’s unique, patented, bow-string-activated, piston-driven assembly ensures LED illumination every time. Nockturnal nocks feature super-bright LEDs and long-life lithium batteries for superior illumination that lasts. Nockturnal also manufactures the Predator line of lighted crossbow bolts. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of FeraDyne Outdoors, LLC. For more information on the company or its products, visit www.nockturnal.com; or write to Nockturnal, 101 Main Street, Superior, WI 54880; or call 866-387-9307.
“Punching” the trigger rarely results in an accurate shot in archery. Tru-Fire, archery’s leading release brand, has introduced the new Panic-X release, designed to help eliminate an archer’s tendency to activate the trigger before being absolutely ready.
Target panic is something that plagues thousands of archers daily. Punching the trigger is one of the many symptoms. The new Tru-Fire Panic-X is designed to help eliminate trigger punch. The Panic-X counters target panic with its Anti-Trigger-Punch Technology that actively prevents hook release by punching the trigger in a situation where trigger panic takes over. If the archer tries to slap the trigger, the Panic-X’s internal sear will not release the string, allowing a moment for the archer to reset and resume the proper shooting sequence.
On- or off-selectable, the Anti-Trigger-Punch feature can be used for training or in the field. In the off position, the Panic-X works exactly like a standard Tru-Fire release with a cam-sear design that actuates the crisp string-hook release for extremely reliable accuracy. When turned on, this feature will only allow the trigger to release the Panic-X’s capture-style hook following a smooth, constant trigger squeeze. The Panic-X ‘s trigger travel is adjustable, as is the length of the release, itself.
The Tru-Fire Panic-X also features a premium leather buckle strap with heavy-duty yellow stitching. Its patented Tru-Fire Foldback™ strap allows the release to be folded back 180-degrees. This new release also features the Tru-Fire’s patented TrapTab™ design that allows the archer to secure the release to their wrist with one hand.
The Tru-Fire Panic-X is available at retailers nationwide or conveniently online at www.trufire.com for suggested retail price of $149.99.
About Tru-Fire
Tru-Fire is the world’s largest manufacturer of bowhunting releases, and all of its products are proudly made in the U.S.A. Every Tru-Fire release is designed to provide years of trouble-free use and dependability. Before any new design can wear the Tru-Fire logo, it is tested extensively on the company’s exclusively designed pneumatic release tester that can automatically load the release to 100 lbs. for 5,000 consecutive pulls, then an additional 100 pulls at a staggering 200 pounds. The release is then live fired 2,000 times to evaluate component fatigue and string loop wear. All of this testing proves that your Tru-Fire release will be absolutely reliable the moment you need it most. For more information on the company or its products, write to: Tru-Fire, 101 Main Street, Superior, WI 54880; call 800-282-4868 or visit www.trufire.com.
Pittman-Robertson excise taxes for wildlife conservation UP 138%
State Business Tax Support UP 107%
The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that the total economic impact of the firearms and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $51.3 billion in 2016, a 168 percent increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to more than 300,000, an 81 percent increase in that period, according to a report released April 10, 2017, by the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the industry’s trade association.
On a year over year basis, the industry’s economic impact rose from $49.3 billion in 2015 to $51.3 billion in 2016, a nearly 15 percent increase.
“Our industry is proud of its strong contribution to our economy as a growing number of Americans have chosen to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms and to safely enjoy the shooting sports,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF President and Chief Executive Officer. “In response to that growing market, we have increased our direct workforce dramatically over the last decade, adding jobs that pay an average of more than $50,000 in wages and benefits.
In addition, since 2008 we increased federal tax payments by 156 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 138 percent and state business taxes by 107 percent.”
Can Detect Heat Signatures more than 1,000 Yards Away
Works Both Day and Night
Picture-in-Picture Digital Zoom
By Forrest Fisher
If you attended the SHOT Show earlier this year and you are a long-distance varmit shooter, the popular Apex line of thermal riflescopes from Pulsar was impressive. Here is the lowdown on this new line of heat-detection zoom scopes.
From Mansfield, Texas, Apex now offers four, all new, upgraded models for 2017: Apex XQ38 (PL76417), Apex LRF XQ38 (PL76419), Apex XQ50 (PL76427) and Apex LRF XQ50 (PL76429). Featuring improved high-resolution displays and new LRF models, the Apex series continues to deliver quality thermal imaging at down-to-earth pricing for the masses.
Detecting heat signatures up to 1,420 yards away at both day and night, the Apex XQ38 displays thermal images from its 384×288 resolution, 17µm pixel pitch core on a high-quality 640×480 AMOLED display. Continuous and stepped zoom allow shooters to zoom in on targets at .1x increments or use quick 2x, 3x or 4x stepped zoom.
After listening to feedback from users in the field, a new LRF XQ38 model was added to the Apex lineup, enabling shooters to acquire precise target distances with a built-in laser rangefinder up to over 1,000 yards away. Both XQ38 models feature variable 2.2-8.8x magnification and 32mm objective lenses.
Perfect for long-distance shooters, new Apex XQ50 2.8-11.2×42 models boast an impressive heat detection range of up to 1,750 yards. The LRF XQ50 includes the same, accurate built-in laser rangefinder for gauging precise distances.
All Apex riflescopes feature proprietary Picture-in-Picture digital zoom, letting shooters maintain a wild FOV while placing precise shots with confidence, 10 electronic reticles and 3 rifle profiles with 3 zeros per profile. Two CR123A batteries help the Apex achieve a 4.5 hour battery life (with video out off). Included with all Apex thermals are: 2x CR123A, video/power cable, wireless remote control, weaver/picatinny mount, cleaning cloth, carrying case and hex wrench.
About Pulsar : Every Pulsar device is designed, manufactured and tested to ensure demanding professionals receive the most reliable, most advanced thermal and digital night vision performance the industry has to offer. The result of Pulsar’s commitment to industry-leading excellence is consistent world-class quality, precision engineering, seamless device operation and cutting-edge proprietary software. Pulsar produces an array of advanced optical devices designed for law enforcement, security, home defense and hunting applications, including thermal imaging and digital night vision monoculars and riflescopes, night vision binoculars and goggles, rangefinders, IR flashlights and related accessories. To learn more about Pulsar, visit www.pulsarnv.com or call 817-225-0310.
Leo’s Archer’s Dominate Accuracy Competition in NY
Michelle Zeller, Victoria Ruda win State Championships
Paul Calleri Inducted to NYFAB Hall of Fame
By Forrest Fisher
The green light, the red light, the archer draws the bow string, heart pounding a bit, muscles straining a bit, remembering all the fine points to shooting an arrow that has an intended landing point.
Breath in. Focus. Breath out. Hold. Release. THWACK!
About 60 feet away, the soaring arrow ends flight, fletching’s wiggle in the distance. It stops on a target spot that has significance for measuring accuracy skill of the shooter.
The target center dot, the aiming point, is a mere one-inch or so in diameter, centered with a tiny “X”.
A tiny place for an arrow to find when it starts flight from a hand-held bow and arrow, especially in the setting of competition with other archers that share the same passion for shooting an arrow to find that same “X”.It is a time for courage, a time for sharing and a time for humble thanks, win or lose.
In New York State, the competitive archery season just ended with the New York Field Archers and Bowhunters (NYFAB) State Championships in Oneonta, NY. For individual archers that hail from Leo’s Archery Club in Western New York, observers might have to wonder what the secret is to training so well, as this group of individuals earned several titles and medals amidst heavy and stiff competition. The group holds practice sessions at the indoor archery range located at West Falls Conservation Society in West Falls, NY, where members help each other fine tune their skills, and share learning sessions with others in the community that range in age from 5-years to 75 years old.
NYFAB State Championships in their particular style were earned by Anthony Berti, Denton Lowe, Kiersten Mucha and Victoria Ruda. Six other members won medals for placing in their divisions.
In the NYFAB Classic, first-place finishes were won by Denton Lowe, Kiersten Mucha, Victoria Ruda, Jon Zurek and Jim Ralston, in their respective categories. Five other members also won medals with high rankings.
In NYFAB’s Superbowl Shoot (state-wide mail in shoot), some 20 Leo’s members competed. Michelle Zeller and Victoria Ruda won championship footballs in their divisions. Four other members brought home medals for placing.
In Western New York Championships held at Doc’s Archery Range, Leo’s Archer members brought home six first-place finishes in various divisions.
Also, there was a most notable lifetime achievement at Oneonta, as white-beard trainer and archery mentor for so many, Paul Calleri was inducted into the NYFAB Hall of Fame.His friendly style and humble contributions were recognized by fellow archers for his many contributions to the organization of youth and adult archery, rules and regulations, meetings, competitive and fun shoots. He is pictured with fellow Hall-of-Famer, Mark “doc” Irlbacher.
Bryan Zeller and his team of trainers have mentored kids and adults alike to discover and share in the fun of archery.Zeller says, “Some of our students just enjoy a once-a-week shoot with us, some continue to want more and step up from simply shooting the bow for fun to try their hand at some of these competitions, a truly significant test of their developing skills.Win or lose, they are all winners in my eyes.”
With a warm-hearted training approach like that, maybe the reason for the success of this group under the pressure of competition is not difficult to understand.
Hats off to all of Leo’s Archery Team from Western New York.
Firearm Safety Remains Remington Number One Priority
Remington Distressed Much Information Not Presented
With Firearm Safety their number one priority, Remington Arms Company, LLC (“Remington”) is voluntarily recalling Remington Model 700™ and Model Seven™ rifles which were manufactured from May 1, 2006 through April 9, 2014 and which have a X-Mark Pro® (“XMP®”) trigger. Rifles manufactured after April 9, 2014 are not subject to recall. Visit this link for more info: http://xmprecall.remington.com/.
On February 19, 2017, the 60 Minutes television program broadcast a segment about Remington Arms Company, LLC and two tragic incidents which occurred in 2011. In narrating the details related to each incident, 60 Minutes omitted and misrepresented key facts which would have allowed the viewer to have an accurate and complete understanding about each. For example, 60 Minutes knew but did not disclose that both of the rifles in question were examined and tested by forensic scientists employed by each state’s crime lab and were found to be in proper working order. Remington provides this response to offer a more complete record of the relevant facts and a comprehensive overview of the incidents described in the story, and the recall which was at the center of the story.
The 60 Minutes segment showcased two separate incidents which it alleged stemmed from issues related to the rifles’ trigger mechanisms. Although Remington shared voluminous information and spent hours providing background information to 60 Minutes related to the recall and the two incidents, 60 Minutes failed to offer its viewers critical facts and content core to each incident. It is imperative that 60 Minutes viewers, our customers and the public, have accurate and complete information related to these two incidents as well as to the recall of Model 700 rifles with X-Mark Pro (“XMP”) triggers and the settlement of the Pollard v. Remington class action lawsuit.
Remington stands behind the safety and reliability of its products and vehemently denies allegations by 60 Minutes and others that there is any design defect in another trigger mechanism, the Walker trigger mechanism. Remington made a commercial decision to put an end to the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation, and agreed to settle the Pollard class action on terms which are in the best interests of Remington and its valued customers.
Separately, after Remington’s own investigation determined that there was a possible assembly error affecting some XMP triggers, in April 2014 the company immediately and voluntarily issued an international recall on all Remington products with XMP trigger mechanisms manufactured from May 1, 2006 to April 9, 2014 and broadly promoted and advertised the recall. Under the recall program, over 350,000 XMP trigger mechanisms have been replaced. Firearm safety remains our number one priority.
Remington was first contacted by a 60 Minutes producer in October 2016 advising that CBS was “working on a [60 Minutes segment] in regards to the XMP recall and the pending Pollard Class Action Settlement.” The 60 Minutes producers, representing that CBS was interested in airing “a complete, well-rounded, and accurate report,” asked Remington to provide background information about Model 700 rifles and about two independent incidents involving Model 700 rifles. Given this representation and with the hope that 60 Minutes was truly interested in producing a balanced and accurate report, Remington sent 60 Minutes numerous records and information on those topics, and it also directed CBS to specific, readily available public records related to the topics chosen as the focus by 60 Minutes.
It is distressing that most of the information Remington provided to 60 Minutes was not included or ever referenced in its February 19, 2017 Remington segment. To set the record straight and to provide Remington’s valued customers and viewers of the 60 Minutes segment with a complete and accurate understanding of several of the matters presented in the segment, Remington provides below a listing of information either in 60 Minutes’ possession or readily available to it in public records before it aired its segment. This material puts the 60 Minutes’ segment in context and exposes 60 Minutes’ pre-determined viewpoint and intentional omission of key facts that would have reflected balanced reporting of the circumstances of those tragic incidents.
Topic 1: The Stringer Incident
60 Minutes presented the tragic story from Mississippi of then 15-year-old Zachary Stringer shooting and killing his 11-year-old brother with a Model 700 rifle in June of 2011. 60 Minutes represented that Zachary was convicted in the shooting death of his brother with a Remington rifle even though Zachary “insisted it went off by itself.” Leslie Stahl then suggested that the rifle fired because of a potential manufacturing defect (excess bonding agent) which prompted Remington in April of 2014 to voluntarily recall all Model 700 rifles with XMP trigger mechanisms. Remington had previously explained to the 60 Minutes producers that to be subject to the recall condition of a potential unintentional discharge caused by excess bonding agent on the blocker screw, the excess bonding agent had to be of a certain consistency and the rifle had to be being used in certain cold weather conditions. The rifle was indisputably not being used in cold weather conditions when it was being handled by Zachary Stringer inside his home in Mississippi in June of 2011.
When 60 Minutes told Remington before the segment aired that it intended to address the Stringer tragedy, Remington sent 60 Minutes the following materials: (1) the Mississippi Supreme Court decision affirming the manslaughter conviction of Zachary Stringer; and (2) the transcript of the trial testimony of the forensic scientist from the Mississippi Crime Lab who had examined and tested the rifle. The Supreme Court decision set out in great detail the facts of the incident and the trial transcript of the forensic scientist’s testimony detailed her examination and testing of the rifle conducted after the shooting. CBS withheld the following facts from these materials in its possession:
·According to the Supreme Court decision, Zachary gave law enforcement officers three conflicting and inconsistent accounts of how the shooting occurred. In his initial handwritten statement given to officers in the presence of his parents two days after the shooting, Zachary claimed his brother had shot himself while the two of them were home alone. Zachary later admitted that immediately after he shot his brother, he put his Remington rifle back in his closet. He then retrieved his brother’s shotgun, “fired a round into the woods, and placed the shotgun between [his brother’s] legs” in an effort “to make it look like an accident.”
·In Zachary’s second statement, given almost two months after the first statement and in the presence of his attorney, he claimed that after his brother shot the family dog with a dart gun, Zachary retrieved his Remington rifle from his bedroom. Without checking the rifle’s action, Zachary claimed the rifle fired as he got up from the couch in the living room.
·In Zachary’s third statement (given a week after his second statement), he claimed his brother was pestering him and pretending to shoot him with the dart gun. At that point, Zachary said he threatened to shoot his brother if he continued to pester him, and he loaded a round in the chamber of his Remington rifle. Zachary claimed the shooting that followed was accidental.
·As shown by Mississippi Supreme Court decision and the trial transcript provided to 60 Minutes, the rifle was examined and tested after the incident by a forensic scientist from the Mississippi Crime Laboratory. As the transcript of testimony from the trial shows, the forensic scientist performed functional-reliability tests on the rifle, including drop and impact tests, and the rifle did not accidentally discharge and was determined to be “in good working order.”
60 Minutes also reported on a shooting incident occurring on December 23, 2011, in Columbus County, North Carolina. One woman was killed and two others injured by a single bullet discharged from the bedroom inside a neighbor’s house across the street. The 23-year-old neighbor and owner of the Remington rifle claimed he was retrieving the rifle (which was in a gun case) from his bedroom closet. Thinking the rifle was unloaded, the neighbor pulled the rifle from the case with his right hand while holding a cell phone in his left hand. As he pulled the rifle out of the case, it discharged. The bullet traveled through his bedroom window and across the street where it struck the three women as they were walking to their car.
60 Minutes suggested that the rifle fired without the trigger being pulled because of the potential manufacturing defect which prompted the April 2014 XMP trigger recall. When 60 Minutes told Remington that the segment might include the North Carolina incident, Remington sent the 60 Minutes producers the following materials (none of which were referenced or acknowledged by 60 Minutes in the segment): (1) the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s report on its examination and testing of the rifle in question; (2) the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s report on its separate examination of the rifle; (3) the initial report and the subsequent deposition transcript of the firearms expert hired by the attorneys for the women’s families in their subsequent lawsuit against Remington; (4) the transcript of the recorded statement given to local law enforcement on the day of the incident by the neighbor who was handling the rifle; and (5) an e-mail string between the attorneys representing the families of the women regarding their expert’s findings on examining the rifle. In addition, 60 Minutes had knowledge of, and access to, the Mecklenburg County court file which included the complete transcript of the deposition of the neighbor. In airing the portion of its segment concerning the North Carolina incident, 60 Minutes withheld and omitted the following facts:
·On the day of the incident, the neighbor told law enforcement that the rifle fired because “I must have bumped the trigger.”
·The neighbor testified at his deposition that he thought the rifle was unloaded at the time of the incident.
·The NCSBI examined the rifle and found it to be functioning properly.
·The FBI examined the rifle at its Quantico, VA laboratory and found it to be functioning normally.
·In his initial report of March 31, 2014, the firearms expert hired by the family’s attorneys stated that, based on his examination and testing of the rifle, it “displayed no conditional nor configurational defects that would cause it to fire in the absence of a depressed trigger.”
·In an e-mail string between the family’s attorneys, they reported that their firearms expert found the rifle to be “within factory specs with no visible defects.”
·In his deposition of May 14, 2015, the expert hired by the family’s attorneys testified to the following: (A) his opinion that at the time of the shooting the man handling the rifle did not know it was loaded; (B) the rifle’s safety was in the “OFF” or “FIRE” position at the time of the incident; (C) if the safety had been engaged in the “ON” or “SAFE” position, the rifle would not have fired under any circumstances; (D) during his inspection of the rifle, he never found any excess bonding agent (Loctite) to be in any way interfering with the safe operation of the rifle; and (E) that in the usage of the rifle before the incident and in the multitude of tests performed on the rifle after the incident, the only way the rifle could be made to discharge was by pulling the trigger.
60 Minutes also made reference to a 1994 verdict against Remington in a case involving a Model 700 rifle with a Walker trigger mechanism (the Collins case). 60 Minutes did not disclose that in the only two injury cases tried to verdict since the Collins case involving Remington trigger mechanisms containing the connector component, both juries returned verdicts in Remington’s favor finding that the Remington trigger mechanisms were not defective. Both of these verdicts were provided to 60 Minutes before the segment aired, and 60 Minutes intentionally failed to disclose these verdicts to its viewers. The verdicts provided to 60 Minutes are linked herein: (1) the 2008 jury verdict in Williams v. Remington; and (2) the 2011 jury verdict in Hull v. Remington.
Conclusion
For decades, Remington bolt-action rifles have been a favorite of millions of American hunters, target shooters, law enforcement and military personnel. Remington continues to stand behind the safety and reliability of its firearms. That is certainly true for its bolt-action centerfire rifles, including the Model 700, which has earned its reputation among millions of satisfied users as America’s most popular, reliable and trusted bolt-action rifle.
When I first used this creative new invention from Otis to clean one of my favorite firearms at a shooting club, I squinted down the fouled barrel to verify my 30-06 needed to be de-fouled. It was ugly in there.
While my buddies were fiddling with much more complicated cleaning systems, I needed to get this done quickly and assure I could deliver my grandson to his soccer game on time in the next 15 minutes. Dropping the barrel of the cleaning cord down the rifle, I grabbed the end and pulled the cord through from breech to barrel exit. Peering down the barrel one more time, I was amazed to find a glistening, shiny, internal bore surface. Wow.
I coiled up my 10-second cleaning kit (literally, 10 seconds), that is, I coiled up my Otis Ripcord and was on my way. See ‘ya guys!
Easy, fast, effective and inexpensive. When something like this fits my budget and my timetable for budgeted time, it needs to be in my collection of outdoor tools. Some of the options offered for caliber sizes are shown below and listed on the Otis website at http://www.otistec.com/.
There is target ammo, self-defense ammo, hunting ammo, plinking ammo, commercial ammo and a few other categories of ammo, but when you understand ammo, the literal meaning of the ammo type is well defined.
If you are a shooter that likes to practice safety and reload your own, you know there are times you just want to go plink and plink and plink with something more than your .22, but the cost is too high. I love to shoot my 6mm-Remington, but bullets are hard to find, when you find them, they are expensive, but not during this sale we found. They have them, I’m excited.
Thanks to a special we found on-line, there is a sale in progress at Midsouth Shooters Supply where you can buy nearly perfect Nosler bullets with simple cosmetic imperfections for more than half-off the original cost.
Nosler Factory Seconds are now available at Midsouth Shooters Supply. The bullets are completely functional, with only minor cosmetic blemishes. You’ll find slight tip discolorations, water spots, and little else. Nosler’s criteria for their bullets is of the highest standards and tolerances. When one of their bullets doesn’t meet their nearly impossible standards, it becomes a factory second. Nearly perfect bullets look pretty great to the supplier folks at Midsouth Shooters Supply and they’re excited to pass the savings on to their valued customers.
Pricing reflects what the 1st quality bullets sell at Midsouth’s everyday low prices, and then the discounted 2nd’s price. Quantities are limited and our blemished or 2nd’s sales always go fast! Check out the selection at this link:
The Tula Cartridge Works, was founded way back in 1880 by Emperor Alexander II, that makes it one of the oldest and perhaps, most significant, producers of small-arms ammunition in the world today.
Leveraging the production experience of nearly 140 years and applying ever-evolving technologies with research knowledge, Tula Ammo continues to push the envelope on behalf of the American shooter.
The history of the Tula Cartridge Works includes a defining role during World War II, when the facility turned out millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to be used against Nazi Germany. Since that time, Tula has continued to introduce new products, increase production capacities and open new markets for military and civilian shooters alike.
TulAmmo USA represents the Tula Cartridge Works here in the United States. We recognize that the American shooting and hunting enthusiast demands a cleaner and more accurate option in economy cartridges against other foreign-produced brands. We are proud to offer that option in a variety of popular handgun and rifle calibers, as well as a selection of primers for the hand reloader.
For a better, first-hand look from the 2017 SHOT SHOW, visit with Dominic Grasso at the SHOT SHOW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAqxoKi09Ts&feature=youtu.be
Jalise (13) and Justine (12) Williams make grand entrance to Team Springfield™ and Action Pistol Shooting
Young Girls May Dominate in Competition
Learning About Quickness and Fun
Posted by Forrest Fisher, managing editor
What has bright-green, red or blue fingernails and can, on occasion, outdraw Team Springfield™ Captain Rob Leatham? That would be one of the Williams sisters – either Jalise (pronounced jay-lease) or Justine, depending on who’s faster that particular day.
After taking the NRA 2016 Annual Meeting by storm, the newest members of Team Springfield™ sat down for a video interview so the shooting community could learn a bit more about these preteen wonders.
https://youtu.be/tRuW2GaLlwA
Just 16 months apart in age, Jalise (13) and Justine (12) Williams have been shooting since age three or four, depending on which sister one asks. Under Coach Glenn Wong, they’ve been hitting the competitive circuit, primarily in United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), since December 2013. Who’s the better competitive shooter? When asked, both immediately replied, “I am! No! I am!”
That about sums up the friendly, family rivalry.
Demonstrating that respect and discipline go hand in hand with safe and responsible shooting, both girls have already earned black belts in karate, play piano and achieve (mostly) straight A’s in school.
When asked about joining Team Springfield™, Jalise replied, “Our first guns were Springfield Armory® XD(M)®s. I didn’t even think or dream that we would be on Team Springfield™ one day. I am just stoked! I can’t wait to put the shirts on for the next match!”
While Jalise prefers a little more quiet and spends her time reading, writing and shooting paper targets, sister Justine is all about commotion, taking part in motocross sports and dance. She also prefers the ring of steel targets to the calm precision of paper target shooting.
While both girls compete in Three Gun, USPSA and Steel Challenge, they have slightly different preferences for favorite division within the sport. Jalise prefers to shoot single-stack with her Springfield Armory® 1911 Range Officer® 9mm, while Justine chooses Production using her Springfield Armory® XD(M)® 5.25” Competition Model.
Regardless of division, the sisters share the same philosophy when asked about speed versus slow and easy shooting: “Fast!”
While Coach Wong assumes the lead for training and practices, the duo has a comfortable working relationship with Team Springfield™ Captain Rob Leatham, who observed, “The Williams sisters are the next generation of Springfield Armory® shooters. Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder if they’re my replacements. Maybe I should have considered that earlier.”
After meeting anyone and everyone in the shooting industry at the recent 2016 NRA Annual Meeting, the sisters were off to film an episode of GunVenture with Tom Gresham, scheduled to appear on Sportsman Channel in the third quarter of 2016.
Already, the girls have racked up an impressive list of corporate sponsors. In addition to Springfield Armory®, the sisters represent Berry’s Manufacturing, Robinson Armament®, ISCOPE, Tac-Tech-Cal Holsters, TPC, Weapon Shield, Dillon Precision, PK Realty and Mountain River LLC.
What’s in their futures? Both strive to become the youngest female Grand Masters first, then gain acceptance to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit after completing school.
Rob Leatham sums up the corporate relationship noting, “It’s been an enlightening experience to be around them. I wish I could get everyone I trained with to have the same drive, passion and joy that these girls have. They’re the future of our sport.”
About Springfield Armory® “The First Name in American Firearms,” Springfield Armory® was founded in 1777, when George Washington ordered the creation of an armory to store ammunition and gun carriages during the American Revolution. In 1794, the armory began to manufacture muskets and spent the next 150 years supplying firearms for every major American conflict. The original armory closed in 1968. In 1974, the Reese family took ownership of the Springfield Armory® name and began making the M1A™ rifle. Today, Springfield Armory® develops many products loyal to the company’s heritage, like the 1911 pistol, while ensuring its future with innovative products, including the XD®, XD® Mod.2™ XD(M)® and XD-S® polymer pistols.
Kids are curious. They are smart too. They see guns on TV, in stores, at a friend’s house, and maybe at many other places. How can they know about gun safety if parents never have a conversation about their fundamental well-being if they should see or find a gun? Even if you as parent do not own a gun, you need to have this conversation with your kids.
They really need to know what to do, but understand that they need a conversation, not a lecture. The question is, how can parents do this the right way? There is one way to start, click on this link to join Julie Golob, a U.S. Army Veteran and Shooting Sports Champion, a hunter and a mom: https://youtu.be/M86QxNZF3AE.
Gun safety starts with an understanding of safety. Repeat the conversation every month or two.
As a parent with young children, you can start with this:
When you see a gun, STOP, don’t touch it.
Leave it alone.
Call an adult.
As a parent with older children, pick a time and place when you can focus on details and have an open conversation about staying safe with firearms.
Don’t touch, pick up, or use a gun without permission from an adult.
Never ever point a gun at anyone.
Always assume a gun is loaded and can fire.
Get on the same page with your adult partner. Eliminate their confusion. Set an example with safe gun handling and storage of your own guns.
Reinforce firearm safety with your growing children often. It’s really up to parents to do all they can to maintain firearm safety and to help educate their children about guns and staying.
Smith & Wesson Corp. is now offering versions of its popular M&P Shield pistol in both 9mm and .40 S&W with front and rear tritium night sights. Whether deployed as a backup sidearm for police personnel, a deep concealment pistol for plain-clothes officers or an every-day firearm for concealed carry permit holders, the new night sights on the M&P Shield enhance sight acquisition in all low-light situations.
At the core of the M&P Shield resides its slim, lightweight, high-strength polymer frame, measuring .95inches in width, coupled with an unloaded weight of less than 19 ounces. The M&P Shield is standard with a 3.1 inch barrel that contributes to its compact overall length of 6.1 inches. On the left side of the frame, the M&P Shield is fitted with familiar operational controls including a simple takedown lever, flat profile slide stop and magazine release. For optimal firearm control, the M&P Shield is standard with an 18-degree grip angle and a fixed textured backstrap with additional texturing at the forward portion of the grip. An extended trigger guard allows for operation of the pistol with or without gloves.
The stainless-steel slide and barrel on this new M&P Shield is standard with a 5.3-inch sight radius and front and rear tritium night sights. For consistent and accurate shot placement, the pistol features a short, consistent trigger pull that has been further enhanced with a quick and audible reset made possible by the striker-fired action. Internal features of the M&P Shield mirror the standard M&P pistol series. Its stainless-steel internal chassis reduces flex while providing a stable shooting platform and its low-bore axis helps maintain ease of-use and a comfortable feel. A passive trigger safety prevents the pistol from firing if dropped and a sear release lever eliminates the need to press the trigger in order to disassemble the firearm. A loaded chamber indicator is located on top of the barrel. The M&P Shield is shipped with both an extended and flat magazine offering consumers the ability to customize the length of the grip.
Depending on the magazine used, the capacity of the 9mm M&P Shield is either 8+1 or 7+1, while the capacity of the .40 S&W M&P Shield is either 7+1 or 6+1.
For more information on Smith & Wesson’s M&P family of products, including the complete line of M&P Shield pistols, please visit www.smith-wesson.com.
Sometimes we meet people and we meet new truth, the kind that can change the direction of our lives. It’s not often, but when we do, there is a stirring among the roots that anchor our mind. Those immovable links to common things we trust and about how we feel. There are new questions. There is a mixture of knowledge and reflection that evolve. We might question ourselves about fate and courage and destiny. We might pull back from the potential precipice of public communication or we might find a new expression for the bounds of constraint we accept about certain things as right or wrong. When we meet someone that helps us reconsider all of what we thought was honed in place for a lifetime, we have met someone with true leadership.
Jim Zumbo is that kind guy.
On social media the other day, Mr. Zumbo stepped inside the new bounds of his humble view and shared something very close to his soul. It goes like this:
“I had a life-changing experience this morning, and I’d like to share it. I’ll never forget it. I hope you’ll take the time to read it. It might make you think twice about life as well.
Most of you know about my blog. I call it my “crucifixion.” In 2006 I created what was called the biggest firestorm in the gun industry. I parted company with Outdoor Life after almost 30 years, almost all my TV sponsors left me and my show was temporarily suspended. I was written up in editorials around the country, even making the front page of the New York Times. Stephen Colbert did a nasty satire about me on the Comedy Channel, and on and on. Thousands of people hated me. I received death threats, and countless, violent, vulgar comments.
As the years passed, I perceived a black cloud over my head, everywhere I went. Even when gun company CEO’s, industry leaders, and friends and strangers told me it was water under the bridge and I was accepted back in the industry, I didn’t believe it.
Kristine KJ Houtman, a novelist I have a great deal of respect for, suggested she write my biography. I resisted, because I didn’t want to relive the emotions I’d suffered years ago. The black cloud was still there.
Then, three years ago, totally unexpected, I was told I’d be receiving the Grits Gresham Award at the SHOT Show, which is produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Not to blow my horn, but this is an important factor in the story here. The award, the highest honor given by the NSSF, is presented at the annual State of the Industry Banquet at SHOT, attended by some 3,000 people. I was thrilled beyond words, but then I began to worry. How would the crowd react? Would they boo, throw things on the stage? I asked Tom Gresham who would present the award, and he honestly didn’t know how the audience would react.
I was admittedly nervous and a little terrified when Tom introduced me. He wound up his intro by saying the only person who sold more guns than me was Obama. The crowd roared, and as I approached the podium I received a standing ovation. I was so overwhelmed I could hardly speak. When I stumbled through with my speech, I again received a standing ovation. Again, this is not ego talking–those ovations to me, as well as the award, were a total vindication. The black cloud was gone.
The next morning I talked to Kristine, who was also attending SHOT, and she asked if I was ready to work on the biography. I grinned ear to ear, and told her to go for it.
The book is now done, and Kristine handled the marketing. Last week she put an ad on my fan page, Jim Zumbo’s Everything Outdoors. There were about a dozen comments, half of them supportive, and the others nasty and vile. I’m fully aware that plenty of people still don’t like me, and I’ve learned to shrug off the comments. But one person commented twice, attacking me with outright lies. That upset me. Well, actually, it really pissed off. It bothered me big time.
I don’t know why, but I was compelled to write him privately. But how do I find him? I went through the slow process of looking at all the names in the Facebook world. He and I weren’t FB friends, and he had a very common name. I felt like a detective looking at hundreds of names and photos. My only hope of finding him was to match up his picture next to his comment on my fan page, with the one on the seemingly endless list. Incredibly, I found the match.
I wrote him a private FB message, politely explaining my position and telling him he had information that wasn’t true. I ended by saying Merry Christmas. Afterward I cussed myself for being so nice and for writing at all. Days went by, and I imagined him laughing his fool head off and telling his shooting buddies what a big jerk I was. I never expected to hear from him again
This morning I received a response. To me, it was a bombshell. This man, who obviously was full of hate and despised me, said, “Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and your family.” I was overwhelmed to the point of being emotional.
And that’s my life lesson. If you reach out with an olive branch to your enemies, you may be in for a shock at their positive reaction. I will never, ever forget this.”
From my view, is there any better way to say thank you and Merry Christmas? We know when honest men meet adversity, their character is in question and one of two things will happen. We will lose all respect or we will gain all respect for this person and his position. If you want to read the whole story, Zumbo’s life story, just hop on-line and order a copy of the book you’ll find here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Zumbo- K-J-Houtman/dp/0991111656/).
Rifle shooters preparing for opening day of big game firearm seasons all around the country always take the time to verify their firearms are shooting accurately at a gun range.
Shooters using stable firearm platforms test their loads and if the resulting target spread is formidable, they wonder if the dispersal is caused by their own shooting ability (trigger pull, aim, scope problem, etc.), the cartridge, the bullet size, bullet maker, and other factors like the wind and the weather.
Shooters that load their own cartridges accept that most of the variables are precisely controlled since they are loading their own. They also accept that the bullets (projectiles) are “the same”. Bullets are usually purchased by custom hand loaders and they are usually close to being exact duplicates of each other, though most bullets are not precisely exact.
There is a relatively new Berger Bullet that intends to eliminate bullet weight, size and shape variation. According to Walt Berger, “Every bullet Berger makes is match grade.”
Since the key to accuracy is being consistent, each bullet is formed using one set of match grade dies. They hold their jacket thickness to a concentricity of .0003” or less on every lot of bullets produced.
The Berger hunting bullet designs incorporate a sharp nose and slightly thinner jacket that allows the bullet to penetrate 2” to 3” before it starts to expand. The Berger bullets don’t poke through like an arrow (high weight retention, deep penetration), but instead dump energy where it is most effective, inside the animal. Using the Berger VLD bullet will result in an animal that goes down fast without having to track the wounded animal after the shot.
To order a free 30 minute video that provides more detail on the bullets, cartridge and velocity used to take several animals at a variety of ranges call 714-441-7200.
– Innovative Idea for Simplicity
– Ruger Mark IV Offers Enhanced Safety
My wife loves her Ruger .22 caliber rimfire handgun, she was excited to hear about the new Mark IV improvements becaue she has a Ruger Mark III right now. She says, “The Mark Series of Ruger handguns are real firearms. Made from solid metal, my Ruger is durable, it shoots where you aim and it is not costly to have hours of fun at the practice range.”
Just a few weeks ago, Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced the latest development in the Mark Series line of pistols – the Ruger® Mark IV™. Ruger has long set the standard for reliable, affordable and accurate .22 LR handguns, beginning with the introduction of the Standard Pistol in 1949. Since then, the Standard Pistol has undergone a series of enhancements with the development of the Mark I, Mark II™ and then the Mark III™ in 2005.
While the heavily redesigned Mark IV maintains the same classic outward appearance as the Mark III, it incorporates a significant improvement customers will love – a simple, one-button take-down for quick and easy field-stripping. A recessed button in the back of the frame allows the upper receiver to tilt up and off of the grip frame without the use of tools. The bolt simply slides out of the receiver and the barrel can be properly cleaned from chamber to muzzle.
“We are thrilled to be introducing what we consider to be a monumental improvement to this iconic pistol that has been with Ruger from the start,” said Ruger President and COO Chris Killoy. “This one-button takedown alleviates the headache that our Mark III owners are all too familiar with and we anticipate the Mark IV pistols being some of the cleanest rimfire’s at the range,” Killoy concluded.
Other significant improvements include a one-piece grip frame that is precision CNC-machined from a solid piece of stainless steel or aluminum; an ambidextrous manual safety and a redesigned bolt stop for more ergonomic operation. The magazine drops free on release for faster reloads and a redesigned magazine disconnect safety prevents discharge when the magazine has been removed. Internal improvements include changes to the hammer, sear, bolt and firing pin for smoother, more reliable feeding.
Specific features vary by model, but the legendary, one-piece barreled receiver and internal cylindrical bolt construction remain the same. The robust design ensures permanent sight-to-barrel alignment and higher accuracy potential than conventional moving-slide designs. The Mark IV is compatible with a variety of Mark III aftermarket accessories including sights, scope bases and magazines.
The American-made Mark IV pistol ships with two 10-round magazines.
For more information on the Ruger Mark IV or to learn more about the extensive line of award-winning Ruger firearms, visit Ruger.com or Facebook.com/Ruger. To find accessories for the Ruger Mark IV, visit ShopRuger.com or your local independent retailer of Ruger firearms.
Hornady® Recalls 7 Lots of 500 S&W 300 grain FTX® Custom™ Pistol Ammo
Hornady® Manufacturing announced the recall of seven lots of 500 S&W 300 gr. FTX® Custom™ pistol ammunition. Hornady ballisticians have determined that some cartridges from Lot numbers 3101327, 3110256, 3110683, 3110695, 3110945, 3111388, 3111885, may exhibit excessive chamber pressures. Use of this product may result in firearm damage and/or personal injury.
Product Recall Details:
500 S&W 300 grain FTX® Custom™ Pistol Ammunition. These lots were shipped between September 9, 2010, and October 17, 2011.
Included Lot Numbers:
Item Number 9249-
3101327
3110256
3110683
3110695
3110945
3111388
3111885
The lot number can be found printed on the lower portion of the box label.
If you own any of these Lot numbers or have any questions regarding this recall, please call 800-338-1242. Hornady Manufacturing Company will make all arrangements associated with the return and replacement of this product.
Any other lot numbers or item numbers are not subject to this recall and require no action.
PRODUCT SAFETY WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE
REMINGTON MODEL 700™ AND MODEL SEVEN™ RIFLES
PRODUCTS: Remington Arms Company, LLC (“Remington”) is voluntarily recalling Remington Model 700™ and Model Seven™ rifles with X-Mark Pro® (“XMP®”) triggers, manufactured from May 1, 2006 to April 9, 2014.
DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD: Remington has determined that some Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with XMP triggers could, under certain circumstances, unintentionally discharge. A Remington investigation has determined that some XMP triggers might have excess bonding agent used in the assembly process. While Remington has the utmost confidence in the design of the XMP trigger, it is undertaking this recall in the interest of consumer safety to remove any potential excess bonding agent applied in the assembly process.
HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOUR RIFLE IS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL: Only Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with XMP triggers are being recalled. To determine if your rifle is subject to this recall, you should take the following steps:
Find the rifle’s serial number where the barrel meets the receiver. SEE GRAPHIC A
For a right-handed rifle, the serial number is located on a user’s left.
For a left-handed rifle, the serial number is located on a user’s right.
GRAPHIC A: HOW TO FIND YOUR SERIAL NUMBER.
Identify the serial number and provide it to Remington’s recall support team, either by entering it at xmprecall.remington.com or call 1-800-243-9700 (Prompt #3 then Prompt #1) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. You will be informed if your rifle is affected by this recall and supported with free resources to return the rifle for inspection and specialized cleaning.
You may also determine if your rifle is subject to the recall by a visual inspection.
If the face of the trigger is ribbed (see Photo (1) below), your rifle does not have an XMP trigger and is NOT subject to this recall.
If the face of the trigger is smooth (see Photo (2) below), your rifle has an XMP trigger and IS subject to this recall – in which case you should immediately seek further assistance at xmprecall.remington.com or by calling 1-800-243-9700 (Prompt #3 then Prompt #1) Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT.
REMEDY/ACTION TO BE TAKEN:
STOP USING YOUR RIFLE. Any unintended discharge has the potential to cause injury or death. Immediately cease use of recalled rifles and return them to Remington free of charge. Rifles will be inspected, specialty cleaned, tested, and returned as soon as possible, at no cost to you. DO NOT attempt to diagnose or repair recalled rifles.
TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RECALL PROGRAM:
For your safety, STOP USING YOUR RIFLE and immediately contact Remington.
To participate in the recall, please follow the instructions below:
STEP 1: Visit xmprecall.remington.com or call 1-800-243-9700 (Prompt #3 then Prompt #1) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. You will be asked to provide your name, address, telephone number, and rifle(s) serial number.
STEP 2: Upon receipt of the information requested in Step 1, Remington will send you pre-paid shipping tags, boxes and written instructions. Remington will cover all related shipping, inspection, and cleaning charges. Please ONLY return your rifle with the designated shipping tags and boxes, as they are marked to expedite the rifle to a dedicated Remington facility.
VERIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION: Upon return of your rifle, you will note a punch mark on the bolt release (see Photo 3 below). This mark confirms your rifle has been inspected and specialty cleaned under this recall program.
Remington has also corrected the XMP trigger assembly process to eliminate this problem in rifles made after April 9, 2014. Rifles made after April 9, 2014 will also have a punch mark on the bolt release.
Even after your rifle has been inspected and repaired under this recall program, always follow the Ten Commandments of Firearm safety, printed below, whenever you handle any firearm.
The Ten Commandments of Firearms Safety:
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use.
Don’t rely on your gun’s safety.
Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it.
Use proper ammunition.
If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care.
Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.
Don’t alter or modify your gun and have it serviced regularly.
Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using.
Practical hunters seek freezer-filling performance at an affordable price no matter where they are and quite a few have learned to trust Federal Power-Shok rifle ammunition. Officials say that the new Power-Shok Copper delivers the same devastating dependability in a non-lead bullet. As of August 2016, shipments of this new product are now being delivered to dealers.
The hollow-point copper projectile provides deadly downrange accuracy and creates large wound channels. Its design also ensures consistent expansion and efficient energy transfer, while the all-new Catalyst lead-free primer fuels the most efficient and reliable ignition possible.
New Power-Shok Copper loads also feature Federal brass and are available in a variety of the most popular hunting calibers.
Features & Benefits
• Copper bullet construction
• Hollow-point design expands consistently
• Accurate, reliable performance
• Large wound channels and efficient energy transfer to the target
• Lead-free bullet
• Federal brass
• Catalyst lead-free primer provides the most efficient ignition
Federal Premium is a brand of Vista Outdoor Inc., an outdoor sports and recreation company. For more information on Federal Premium, go to www.federalpremium.com.
Ear Protection is Important! How to be “Ear Safe” in Moments Hear more When Not Shooting
A group of us outdoor hunting friends from all around the Midwest get together every year and this time we went on a turkey hunting trip to Parsons, Kansas, this past spring. I’m not sure it was not the most important trip of my short six-decade long hunting career. I learned how to protect my ears and at the same time, learned how to hear game coming from an even longer distance away.
It happened at a friendly local shooting range.
There I met up with a humble, technically oriented guy, Lance Kraemer, from Starkey Hearing Technologies. He was demonstrating a new hearing protection device by SoundGear for hunters and shooters, so I just had to try one, especially since he had an extra unit in his truck. It came in a protective case and was an easy, instant fit for my ear canal.
The fit was nearly perfect, though it is adjustable with other provided components in the case and it was so small. One cool thing about these, literally, is that I was able to dump my earmuffs and that ring of earmuff sweat all around my head and face was gone. Another cool thing is that they actually amplify sound when no shooting is going on. You can hear game walking in from a distance a bit better. How about that?
The device that fits into your ear is battery bowered by tiny cells that last about 5-6 hours. They’re cheap, so no matter there. The devices are quite discreet, it’s almost hard to tell you have them on and above all, I can hear those guys down at the other end of the range when they think I’m not hitting enough targets. Good for the clubhouse!
They work for handgun, rifle or shotgun sounds, and I even wear them archery hunting now that I have my own pair, just for the amplification. They make me more aware that way and I’m totally protected from the loud, explosive sounds of shooting a firearm. Cooler than cool.
The technical jargon for them is formidable: They suppress noise at 93dB (25dB NRR), also allowing 15dB of sound gain. Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is a unit of measurement used to determine the effectiveness of hearing protection devices to decrease sound exposure, classified by their potential to reduce noise in decibels (dB). As such, after looking into it, they have been tested and approved by the American National Standards (ANSI) in accordance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
I started to feel like a certified cartridge discharge expert.
Another thing I really like about their parent company and design folks is that Starkey Hearing Technologies is the only privately held, American-owned company in the hearing industry. Go USA! Been feeling a little Olympic these days.
The little protective case holds a lot of things and they are convenient to retrieve while they are all safely shielded from carrying damage or from loss in your pocket. What’s in there is quite a lot, including: one (1) pair of SoundGear electronic hearing protection devices, two (2) pairs of orange silicone sleeves – (1) small (1) large; two pairs of black silicone sleeves – (1) small (1) large; two (2) packs of batteries (Size 10); one (1) cleaning brush; and a 30-day risk free trial, backed above hat with a 1-year worry-free repair warranty.
After my friends have tried these, they will never shoot without them again. I think that says it all.
After that day hunting gobblers in Kansas, we could not call in a turkey close enough to take a shot, but one thing for sure is that me and my nationally famous hunting partner, Thayne Smith, could really hear each other very well. You know, we were in the confines of a “gotta-be-quiet” blind in southeastern Kansas, whispering all day long. Was fun.
We had a great time because we didn’t miss a word that either of us shared. Including those little “Zzzzzz” sounds that happened up once in a while.
History, Politics, Facts and the Changing Public View
By Budd Schroeder
As the investigation of the Orlando terrorist attack continues, many gun owners get nervous about how legislators may attempt to use this atrocity as an excuse to infringe on Second Amendment rights. They use the line that this is the worst mass shooting in American history. However, they neglect to mention the massacres that occurred at Sand Creek or Wounded Knee. That is understandable because the US Army massacred unarmed Indians and that was a government action.
It is a matter of perception and perspective and of course, the government would like those actions forgotten, but they do continue to tell stories about the Little Big Horn where the Indians fought back and annihilated the Seventh Calvary.
Many of the media and politicians are also deceiving the public by calling the gun used in Orlando an “assault weapon.” This is a misnomer. An assault weapon is a rifle that is capable of full automatic fire by the use of a selector switch. That is a truly “military weapon” like a machine gun and is not allowed to be possessed by civilians except under very strict and limited conditions. They are totally illegal in most states.
Yet, the politicians and liberal media are calling for a ban on their definition of the “assault weapon” and universal background checks. Most honest gun owners object to these laws because they don’t work and it is further infringements on the Second Amendment.
When those guns were banned in the 90’s there was no significant difference in the gun deaths. When the law was repealed with the sunset law, there was still a decrease in the number of gun deaths. What really confuses the anti-gun crowd is that gun sales have skyrocketed, the number of states passing concealed carry permits increased, and what is formally defined as “gun violence” continues to drop.
That is also an emotional label. Guns are not violent. The term should be “criminal misuse of firearms.” That is accurate. People don’t blame alcohol or the car if a drunk driver kills people. They blame the person who deliberately drinks until he or she becomes too impaired to make rational decisions and their motor skills are diminished.
Nobody in the media suggests that the real problem is the easy access to alcohol. In fact, the New York legislators just passed a bill that makes it possible for drunks to start drinking at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays; earlier in some establishments with a special permit. The drinking laws are strange in other ways. If a person gets a felony DWI they can never own a gun, although a gun was not involved in the felony. Wouldn’t it make more sense for a serious charge like a felony involving a car to forbid him from having a driver’s license or owning a car for the rest of his life?
It is a good bet that would never be the law because that could involve politicians, law enforcement officers and people who have power and influence. That is the way the system appears to work.
On another proposal, the call is for people who are on the “no fly list” to be denied the right to purchase a gun. Nobody wants a terrorist, criminal, drug addict or a person with mental difficulties, to have a gun. However, before a person is put on the NICS list for a background check he should be afforded due process as provided by the Fourteenth Amendment.
Since the SAFE act was passed in New York this has become an issue. A person can be denied his or her gun rights on a report. There is no due process. It is grossly unfair and unconstitutional, but what can we expect from a law that was passed literally in the middle of the night by a majority of corrupt politicians? Two of the architects of the debacle, Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos were convicted of corruption and have since been sentenced to prison.
When a politician wants to deprive the citizenry of their constitutional rights, it should be the big red flag that they want to destroy the principles upon which the country was founded. The Second Amendment was placed in such a high place in the Bill of Rights was because the Founding Fathers wanted the people to be more powerful than the government. We have politicians who appear to not agree with that balance of power and it seems that every time the legislatures end for the year, we lose a right or even a privilege.
Since the Founding Fathers wanted to protect the people against the possibility of despotic government they wanted an armed citizenry. Since the government controls the military, doesn’t it seem strange that some legislators want to ban military style weapons for civilians? One former legislator running for office wants to take on the National Rifle Association.
That seems strange since with the criminal misuse of guns that none of the people involved in the shootings were accused of being NRA members. Maybe that’s because the NRA has a reputation for having responsible, patriotic members. They are held in higher regard by citizens than members of Congress.
From the National Rifle Association continuing episode news program, NRA News Commentator, Dom Raso, a U.S. Navy SEAL veteran, says there are not many things that can compare to serving your country and defending your freedom. That freedom applies to firearms, too.
“As long as humans exist, there will be weapons in this world. We’re better off knowing how to use them and apply them for the right reasons—than not knowing how to use them.”
Raso is also the founder of Dynamis Alliance, an organization that offers specially designed gear and customized training programs for all levels of experience.
Hear what Dom has to share with American citizens to better understand his experience and training regarding the potential dangers that may be applicable to many nations of the world.
In the video, Raso says, “We need leaders who will get rid of useless gun-free zone laws that give killers a clear advantage over the law-abiding.”
With a record 585 competitors from more than 90 nations, the World Archery World Championship in Copenhagen last fall saw Team Easton shooters, exclusively armed with Easton X10 and X10 Pro Tour shafts, sweep the vast majority of the World Titles contested.
Adding a second World Recurve Champion title to his resume, Korea’s Kim Woo Jin dominated his match after a tough qualifier in heavy wind, with his final taking place in front of a screaming, sold-out crowd.
Shooting a perfect 10-10-10 in his final set, Kim took the championship against Netherlands standout and fellow Team Easton shooter Rick Van der Ven, while Team Easton’s Takaharu Furukawa shot his X10’s and Easton Contour stabilizers to take the bronze.
Earlier in the day, Kim led his Korean teammates Oh Jin Hyek and Ku Bonchan to victory in the Gold Medal Team match, defeating Italy decisively, despite a standout effort by Easton shooter David Pasqualucci.
In the race for the women’s recurve title, Korean 2012 Olympic Champion, Ki Bo Bae, took the gold medal in a clutch match against her opponent and fellow Team Easton shooter Lin Shia-Chia of Chinese Taipei. Korea’s Choi Miyun won the bronze medal. All the recurve finalists chose the invincible Easton X10 for their title bids, including the Russian Federation women, taking their first world title in 28 years.
In the hotly contested compound title matches, X10 Pro Tour shooters took a majority of the individual medals awarded, including a historic women’s Gold Medal title for Korea’s Kim Yun Hee, defeating fellow Team Easton shooter Crystal Gauvin in the gold medal final. Bronze was taken by Easton shooter Sara Lopez of Colombia.
Easton congratulates all competitors for their inspirational performances in Copenhagen.
If you are a recreational or precision shooter and you hand-load your own ammunition, this is a call to action to inspect your powder inventory and lot numbers.
IMR recently (September, 2015) announced a product safety warning and recall notice for IMR 4007SSC powder sold in 1-pound and 8-pound containers.
IMR received reports that this particular powder may have become unstable due to possible rapid deterioration that could possible result in spontaneous combustion, fire damage or possible personal injury.
The lot numbers of concern are as follows: 10130139, 10131139, 10429139, 10430139, 80425139 and 80426139. If the number on your container matches one of these lot numbers, stop using the product immediately.
IMR recommends that you fill the container with water immediately to render the product inert and safe for disposal. Mail, email or fax a copy of the powder label showing the lot number to the contact information below and include your name, address and email.
Replacement product of any other IMR smokeless powder product will be shipped to you for no charge.
If you have already loaded the powder subject to this recall into ammunition, IMR recommends that you pull the bullets, remove the powder and wet the powder with water for safe disposal.
IMR Powder Company deeply regrets any inconvenience this recall may cause, but they always believe in safety first.
Competitive marksmanship is a big part of CMP’s mission. It reinforces firearms safety and enables competitors to further develop their marksmanship skills and in many cases, earn recognition for doing so.
If you’re new to competitive shooting, CMP and its affiliated clubs and organizations continually sponsor clinics and workshops to help everyone get up to speed. Experts extend high recommendations to participate in the CMP – USAMU Small Arms Firing School for pistol and/or rifle during the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. By completing the one or two-day schools, interested individuals will learn the fundamentals of firearms safety and marksmanship.
Remember, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a national organization dedicated to training and educating U. S. citizens in responsible uses of firearms and air guns through gun safety training, marksmanship training and competitions. The CMP is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and build life skills. Visit the website noted below for more links that will lead you to more information on ammunition and competition.
The MAIN MESSAGE is SAFETY. A gun accident prevention program that seeks to help parents, law enforcement, community groups and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety is often ignored by schools for reasons unknown. But the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is on a mission to help parents and educators teach Pre-K through 4th graders what to do if they ever come across a gun. The program is documented in cartoon fashion and kids soon learn that Eddie and his Wing Team are all about safety and protecting them from a gun mishap.
Kids learn and remember these four things:
STOP!
This first step is crucial. Stopping first allows your child the time he or she needs to remember the rest of the safety instructions.
Don’t Touch
A firearm that is not touched or disturbed is unlikely to be fired and otherwise endanger your child or other people.
Run Away
This removes the temptation to touch the firearm as well as the danger that another person may negligently cause it to fire.
Tell A Grown-up
Children should seek a trustworthy adult, neighbor, relative or teacher – if a parent or guardian is not available.
Kids Should Watch the Eddie Eagle Video
Eddie and the Wing Team deliver this important message in this 8-minute long video, newly released in spring 2015. In the video, the Wing Team encounters a gun in a place they didn’t expect. Eddie helps his friends remember how to stay safe by singing his favorite song. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho36vonT3Rw.
The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program doesn’t teach parents about guns, but it does teach parents about gun safety and how to relay that information to their kids correctly in a method that’s really memorable to kids. It’s the gun equivalent of stop, drop and roll. Be sure your kids know it well enough to recite it.
Dr. Lisa Monroe, early childhood education specialist, says, “A teacher knows their students best. And they can look at the curriculum and decide what activities would best fit their group of students. So it’s not necessarily a canned curriculum that you must do X, Y and Z. It gives the teachers the autonomy and flexibility to choose what they know to be best for their particular group of students.”
Message for Educators:
Dr. Lisa Monroe believes in the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program and its message and offers some advice to educators who may have any reservations or uncertainties about introducing Eddie to their schools. “I would say to a superintendent or school administrator that this program is absolutely appropriate for their schools and their children because it’s about safety,” says Dr. Monroe. Instructors and administrators can review her message direct at: https://eddieeagle.nra.org/testimonials/about-eddie-eagle-gunsafe/a-message-for-educators/.
Parents agree that the most important priority when teaching gun safety is really knowing your kids, having an open dialogue with them and knowing where they are –emotionally, in their friends and what their interests are.
FREE Eddie Eagle Program Materials:
Program curriculum materials and retail items are designed for children in Pre-K through Fourth grade. Eddie Eagle staff recommends one Activity Book, Sticker, and Parent’s Guide To Gun Safety per student as well as a Parent/Instructor Guide, Safety Poster and DVD for every instructor, school or home. Note that law enforcement agencies, schools, hospitals, daycare centers, or libraries that wish to utilize our grant funding program can receive FREE program materials. At this link:
Grant funding is available for schools, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, daycare centers and libraries interested in bringing Eddie Eagle to children in their area. Obtaining these funds is easy and hassle free – there is no application or paperwork to complete. Funding can provide FREE Kids Activity Books, Instructor Guides, DVDs, parent’s brochures, reward stickers and posters. Additionally, law enforcement agencies may be eligible to receive grant funding for the Eddie Eagle Mascot Costume.
If you are with one of these groups and wish to place an order please email eddie@nrahq.org or call 1-800-231-0752.
These grants are made possible by the generosity of donations from the Friends of NRA program. Friends of NRA includes dedicated volunteers who work with NRA field representatives in their respective states to organize fundraising events that support NRA vital programs.
Tips to Remember
Funding is provided on a first come, first serve basis.
Determine which materials are needed and the quantities you would like to order before contacting.
Orders must be placed with a street shipping address, no PO Boxes please.
Allow at least three weeks (15 business days) for ordered materials to arrive.
Grant funding does not cover the cost of retail items.
Eddie Eagle staff reviews all orders before shipment, and reserves the right to limit the quantity of items ordered.
The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program is a gun accident prevention program developed by a task force made up of educators, school administrators, curriculum specialists, urban housing safety officials, clinical psychologists, law enforcement officials and National Rifle Association firearm safety experts. It began in 1988 with one mission: teach children four simple, easy to remember steps so they know what to do if they ever come across a gun. In 2015 the NRA introduced a fresh, new Eddie and added some friends—his Wing Team. Though Eddie has evolved, his mission has not. In the brand new video, Eddie and his friends remind children that if they see a gun, they need to Stop! Don’t touch. Run away. Tell a grown-up.
Schools and parents talk about stranger danger, internet safety, fire drills and more with children…so why not include gun safety? The program makes no value judgments about firearms, no firearms are ever used, and it covers an important topic that needs to be addressed with kids. Like swimming pools, electrical outlets and matchbooks, firearms are simply treated as a part of everyday life. With firearms found in about half of all American households, it’s a stance that makes sense.
Eddie Eagle GunSafe® is the number one gun accident prevention program for children and has taught over 28 million children how to stay safe if they ever find a gun.
All photographs and illustrations, including all programs and referenced program details, are credit to the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Where is there a better place to learn about firearms than from a government-mandated program that is comprised of certified instructors proficient and familiar with safety, competition and clear communication? Hard to match that. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a national organization dedicated to training and educating United States citizens for responsible use of firearms and air guns through gun safety training, marksmanship training and certified competitions.
The CMP is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and building life skills.
The program was created when a federal law was enacted in 1996 (Title 36 U. S. Code, 40701-40733) that created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS, the formal legal name of the CMP), that mandates these key “functions for the corporation:
To instruct citizens of the United States in marksmanship
To promote practice and safety in the use of firearms
To conduct competitions in the use of firearms and to award trophies, prizes, badges, and other insignia to competitors.
The law specifically states: “In carrying out the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the corporation shall give priority to activities that benefit firearms safety, training, and competition for youth and that reach as many youth participants as possible.”
Competitive marksmanship is a big part of CMP mission to reinforce firearms safety and enable competitors to further develop their marksmanship skills and in many cases, earn recognition for doing so. In the information that follows you’ll find news and descriptions of upcoming matches, how to enter them and more information on course of fire and what you can expect from your participation.
If you’re new to competitive shooting, CMP and its affiliated clubs and organizations continually sponsor clinics and workshops to help get you up to speed. We highly recommend participating in the CMP – USAMU Small Arms Firing School for pistol and/or rifle during the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. By completing our one or two-day schools, you will learn the fundamentals of firearms safety and marksmanship.
Anyone interested in learning more about this great program may feel free to contact CMP with questions by email at competitions@thecmp.org, on the web at: http://thecmp.org/ or by phone at (419) 635-2141 ext. 706 or 714.
The National Rifle Association applauds the passage of HR2406, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act last week, on Friday, February 26, 2016. Introduced by Congressional Representative Robert Wittman, the SHARE Act provides enhanced access to public lands and will strengthen America’s hunting, fishing, and sport shooting heritage now and in the future,” said Chris Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “There will be more resources available for public ranges, more hunter access to public lands, and more opportunities for Americans to enjoy the great outdoors.”
In addition to allowing law-abiding gun owners increased access to carry firearms on land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the SHARE Act also protects the use of traditional ammunition and requires that U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management plans to facilitate hunting, fishing, and shooting. Finally, the bill would more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition for hunters and law-abiding gun owners.
The bill also would authorize the appropriation of $5 million a year to enforce laws related to the illegal trading of ivory. Based on information provided by the affected agencies, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $24 million over the 2016-2020 period and $1 million after 2020, assuming appropriation of the authorized and necessary amounts.
Because CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply, however, CBO estimates that the net effect on direct spending would be negligible over the 2016-2025 period. Enacting H.R. 2406 would not affect revenues. CBO also estimates that enacting H.R. 2406 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.
HR2406 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would benefit state agencies by lowering the matching requirement for federal grants that support public shooting ranges. Any costs incurred by those entities would be incurred voluntarily.
HR2406 would impose a private-sector mandate, as defined in UMRA, by eliminating an individual’s existing right to seek compensation for damages occurring at some public target ranges. Based on information from the Department of the Interior, CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate would be small and fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($154 million in 2015, adjusted annually for inflation).
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, where a similar package (the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015) has already advanced from the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Environment and Public Works.
~NRA~
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Follow the NRA on social at Facebook.com/National Rifle Association and Twitter @NRA
New M-22 Subsonic™ Ideal for Suppressed, Unsuppressed Semi-Autos
Winchester Ammunition delivered one of the most significant innovations to hit the rimfire world in 2013 with the introduction of the 17 Winchester Super Magnum, but where new rimfire loads are concerned, the company is far from over.
In 2016, Winchester Ammunition continues to invest in its rimfire product line with the development of a new M-22 Subsonic .22 LR round.
The M-22 is designed specifically to function in semi-automatic firearms, while remaining subsonic from both pistol and rifle length barrels. The new M-22 Subsonic features a 45-grain black-plated lead round nose bullet that has the equivalent energy of full velocity 36-grain rimfire products. In addition, the M-22 Subsonic utilizes non-corrosive priming and clean burning powder for reduced muzzle flash.
The M-22 Subsonic was also created with suppressed firearms in mind, but performs just as well in unsuppressed rifles and handguns. During Winchester testing, M-22 Subsonic rounds measured 129 dB from an unsuppressed rifle. That is significantly quieter than a full velocity .22 LR fired from a suppressed rifle, which typically measures around 138 db. With the addition of a suppressor, M-22 Subsonic achieves a remarkably quiet 116 db. M-22 Subsonic will be available in 100-round plastic packs and 800-round bulk packs.
“Suppressed firearms are growing in popularity. This is the perfect round for shooters looking to reduce the noise of each shot even more,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing, sales and strategy.
The projectile is travelling at 966 fps at 100yards, with 93 foot lbs of energy. Good for plinking too.
About Winchester Ammunition
The iconic Winchester brand celebrates 150 years of legendary excellence in 2016—a historic milestone representing a steadfast commitment to the hunting and shooting sports traditions and future generations of sportsmen. A world leader in delivering innovative products, Winchester is The American Legend, a brand built on integrity, hard work and a deep focus on its loyal customers. Learn more about the history of Winchester by visiting www.winchester.com or connect on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial. Winchester Ammunition is a proud supporter of the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe. For more information on the Own It? Respect It. Secure It.SM Initiative, please log on to: www.NSSF.org/ORS.
America is changing. For many sportsmen, the reasons are more obvious than for many folks not associated with the outdoors, hunting, shooting and conservation. The lifestyle and demands of daily life do not allow many citizens to learn about safe use of firearms, especially when they are living in countries where personal freedom is taken for granted.
Many big city resident folks are not able to learn more about firearms because they are limited by laws where they live. Different types of firearms are simply not allowed in some cities, it is illegal. Reasons why are varied and many. As we all know after the last six or seven years in the United States, firearm laws are written for many reasons, as was the Constitution of the United States. Therein lies the occasional great divide.
There are among us, courageous men and women working to lessen that divide and to provide a clear understanding of American freedom and the responsibility of firearm ownership for lawful Americans. Tim Schmidt, founder of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), the first and largest, member-owned association designed to educate, train, and insure responsibly armed Americans, who has released his first book, an autobiography entitled “Guns, Freedom & the American Dream,” is one of those men.
Schmidt shares his trials and tribulations behind the formation of the United States Concealed Carry Association and Delta Defense. The inspirational book he wrote, many agree, has helped change the way America views responsibly armed citizens. As of November 2015, copies of “Guns, Freedom & the American Dream are available for $22 on the USCCA web site:https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/offers/?id=Nov2015BookPromo&sid=PR. Consumers who order the book on-line will also receive a free copy of the Emmy nominated DVD: “It’s Up To Me,” where Tim shares his personal and professional journey to form an organization that backs those who believe enough to take on the responsibility of defending their loved ones.
More about the USCCA: The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) is the first and largest, member-owned association designed to educate, train, and insure responsibly armed Americans. USCCA members receive access to a wealth of industry information and insurance protection through its Self-Defense SHIELD program. The USCCA also provides expert advice, product information, and the latest news centered around the concealed carry lifestyle via email, social media, Concealed Carry Magazine, and their nationally syndicated radio program Armed American Radio.
America is changing. For many sportsmen, the reasons are more obvious than for many folks not associated with the outdoors, hunting, shooting and conservation. The lifestyle and demands of daily life do not allow many citizens to learn about safe use of firearms, especially when they are living in countries where personal freedom is taken for granted.
Many big city resident folks are not able to learn more about firearms because they are limited by laws where they live. Different types of firearms are simply not allowed in some cities, it is illegal. Reasons why are varied and many. As we all know after the last six or seven years in the United States, firearm laws are written for many reasons, as was the Constitution of the United States. Therein lies the occasional great divide.
There are among us, courageous men and women working to lessen that divide and to provide a clear understanding of American freedom and the responsibility of firearm ownership for lawful Americans. Tim Schmidt, founder of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), the first and largest, member-owned association designed to educate, train, and insure responsibly armed Americans, who has released his first book, an autobiography entitled “Guns, Freedom & the American Dream,” is one of those men.
Schmidt shares his trials and tribulations behind the formation of the United States Concealed Carry Association and Delta Defense. The inspirational book he wrote, many agree, has helped change the way America views responsibly armed citizens. As of November 2015, copies of “Guns, Freedom & the American Dream are available for $22 on the USCCA web site:https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/offers/?id=Nov2015BookPromo&sid=PR. Consumers who order the book on-line will also receive a free copy of the Emmy nominated DVD: “It’s Up To Me,” where Tim shares his personal and professional journey to form an organization that backs those who believe enough to take on the responsibility of defending their loved ones.
More about the USCCA: The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) is the first and largest, member-owned association designed to educate, train, and insure responsibly armed Americans. USCCA members receive access to a wealth of industry information and insurance protection through its Self-Defense SHIELD program. The USCCA also provides expert advice, product information, and the latest news centered around the concealed carry lifestyle via email, social media, Concealed Carry Magazine, and their nationally syndicated radio program Armed American Radio.
Over the past two decades, Savage Arms has achieved an impressive stronghold in dominating niche markets. “Whether it’s a bigger gun, faster gun or one that fulfills a specific customer need, Savage strives be the leader in specialty guns,” said Firearms Marketing Director Bill Dermody. “Because when you add up small chunks of a pie, you quickly get a big slice.”
An excellent example how Savage fulfills a special need in a niche market is its broad variety of left-handed firearms. A recent interview with Dermody reveals why Savage is the leader in producing left-handed firearms.
Why does Savage offer so many left-handed options?
DERMODY: Specialty guns are our bread and butter, and they’re great business for us. All of our product offerings made it in our catalog because they fulfill a special need. For example, lightweight predator rifles, F-Class Target rifles, a firearm that properly fits a woman—those are all special customer needs. A bolt-gun that has the bolt on the other side of the gun is a special need. It’s as simple as that.
How many left-handed firearms do you offer?
DERMODY: More than 18. We have left-handed options available throughout our product line including big game, law enforcement, target competition and predator hunting. We also offer left-handed slug shotguns and bolt-action and semi-auto rimfire rifles. To quickly see all our left-handed options, open the “Gun Finder” tool on our website (savagearms.com) and select “left” in the search function.
Do you have plans to offer more in the future?
DERMODY: “Yes, definitely. When we release a new firearm it’s usually only in a right-handed model, but oftentimes we introduce the left-handed version in the years that follow. However, if you are a dealer looking to stock a left-handed Savage firearm, or order one for a specific customer who is looking for a left-handed model not listed in the catalog or website, just call us. Many times our special order department can build left-hand versions of any our rifles. The only limitation to this is the availability of left-handed stocks for particular rifles. Some of our right-handed rifles are built with stocks our vendor simply doesn’t have a left-handed version for. But the majority of the time, we can special build a lefty for you.”
How big is the left-handed firearms market?
DERMODY: “Research reports more than 10 percent of Americans are left-handed. Then there are those who are right-handed, but left-eye dominant. These hunters and shooters greatly benefit from a left-handed firearm. Sum them up and the number of potential customers spikes up significantly. Simply put, if dealers want to sell more guns, they can’t ignore this niche. That’s why we’re here to supply dependable, accurate and popular left-handed choices.”
How big is the right-handed, left-eye dominant segment of the market?
DERMODY: “I haven’t seen any official numbers, but we know quite well these people exist. It is not uncommon for people to tell us at sports shows and through social media channels that they are right-handed yet shoot lefty. Several of our employees, plus a few outdoor writers we work with, are like this.”
“The right-handed, left-eye-dominant customer is interesting. When a right-handed person switches the gun to their left shoulder and uses their dominant eye to aim, they are often more accurate. Most brand new shooters test their eyes to see which shoulder they should learn to shoot from, which is great. However, it’s not uncommon for us to hear about shooters and hunters—those with years of shooting experience—deciding to sell their right-handed guns and buy a left-handed one, especially bolt-action firearms. These folks are shooting more accurately and getting more satisfaction at the range and on their hunts when using a left-handed gun.”
How do left-handed shooters benefit from a left-handed gun?
DERMODY: “For lefties, having a left-handed bolt gun is extremely important because it allows a fast follow-up shot. A shooter’s support hand never has to leave the forend—or their cheek leave the stock—while their trigger hand operates the bolt. Also, having the action open on the left side makes for easier loading with your left hand, and hot spent cases never fly across your face.”
From the manufacturing standpoint, what makes Savage Arms the leader?
DERMODY: “Becoming the left-handed leader is not an accident. Part of the genius behind our long-standing, time-proven action designs is versatility. Quite simply, our actions are easier to convert to left-handed. Many of our competitors need a completely different receiver design to convert their right-handed rifles to the left. This is time-consuming and expensive, so they often decide to opt out of the left-handed market. Not us. Both our Model 10/110 receivers and AXIS receivers have a fairly symmetrical design. Our top-tang safety is symmetrical as are bolt releases on several models. So basically it just comes down to changing the bolt assembly and machining the ejection port on the other side.”
How difficult is it to make left-handed firearms in your factory?
DERMODY: “We greatly benefit from operational agility at our factories. We are set up to changeover our machines to efficiently to build left-handed parts for our rifles. This allows us to manufacture small batches of left-handed guns whenever we need them—without labor-intensive and time-consuming expenses—and without messing up our planned production schedule. It’s just one of those things we are better equipped to do than most of our competitors.”
Why should more dealer’s stock left-handed firearms?
DERMODY: “For the same reason we manufacture so many: If you don’t neglect other niche segments, then why neglect this one? We love catering to left-handed shooters. And once they try a Savage rifle, we know the feeling will be mutual. Many left-handed shooters buy one gun from us and they come back for more. We sell great guns and we have an impressive variety of options left-handers are looking for. We are not going to ignore this niche and neither should our dealers.”
Is there anything else you want readers to know about Savage’s left-handed guns?
DERMODY: “We make specialty guns. Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes: Would you rather have a general purpose gun or one made to do exactly what you want? Just look at the many TV personalities we sponsor—they can shoot any Savage they want and we will give it to them, but they all gravitate to our specialty guns. Jackie Bushman chooses left-handed guns. Some of our other sponsored hunters choose the Compact Hunter and Long Range Hunter rifles.
Whether it is a left-handed gun or a different specialized gun—it’s the same idea: It’s a gun that fits the shooter’s needs. It’s just one of the things that keep them and all our customers happy. When they’re happy, we’re happy.”
To review more about Savage Firearms and review the large assortment of left-handed firearms available for sportsmen, check out their link and go to the search block, type in “left-hand” and hit enter: http://www.savagearms.com/. Savage is saving their best day of new discovery at the range and afield for many hunters.
Here’s a look at a muzzleloader rifle that will excel in any season.
Rain had fallen for most the night and the steady downpour was projected to last the next full day. Generally, wet weather and blackpowder hunting or shooting exploits don’t play well together, yet the persistent downpour would be a great test of a new rifle.
A friend and I headed for a thick creek bottom where we hoped to find a good buck, tucked into a tight pocket of cover like many sane hunters were on this day. After several attempts, we crossed the swollen stream and climbed through a dense patch of cedars on the far side. Suddenly, two bucks jumped from a small depression. One bounded away, yet the second deer – which may have been asleep, took a few jumps and stopped. My red dot centered on its chest and the air filled with dense smoke, downing the 10-point buck in seconds.
Special muzzleloading seasons often occur during inclement weather and you need the confidence that your rifle will fire every time and strike with sufficient force and accuracy to down game quickly. I’ve found the Traditions LDR is up to that challenge and more. Here’s a quick look at the features:
Going the Distance- This rifle has a 30-inch barrel that’s designed for accuracy and a complete powder burn. You’ll get consistent down range accuracy and buck-bagging ability out to 200 yards.
The internal striker fire system helps seal the breech and makes the rifle safer to shoot. The hammerless design makes it easier to mount a scope.
Slide the striker button forward until it locks and the rifle is cocked. The striker fire system allows for quicker and quieter cocking of the rifle, faster lock time, and gives you recessed de‐cocking button allows for quick and quiet de‐cocking of the firearm.
De‐cocking the firearm is simple. The recessed de‐cocking button allows for quick and quiet de‐cocking. Also, when you break open the gun an automatic de‐cocking occurs.
The rifle is also equipped with a 1‐piece stainless steel Accelerator Breech Plug™ that allows you to fire both loose and palletized powder without changing the breech plug and
Stow‐N‐Go Removable Butt Pad for storage just to name a few in the long list of feature.
This rifle is equipped with a TAC2™ Trigger System that is a 2‐stage, competition‐style trigger set at two pounds.
I often use a muzzleloading rifle in traditional rifle or shotgun seasons. Although I’m limited to one shot, with this rifle, I’m confident that one is all I will need. Check it out at www.traditionsfirearms.com.
Hunting and shooting are closely related to the adventure and success of hunting. Deer hunting is a lifelong journey for many sportsmen, a journey of excitement and adventure that cannot be replaced, yet I almost stopped hunting for all time.
For about 20 years after the returning from military duty during the Vietnam conflict, I gave up hunting. The reason was simple, I went hunting twice after getting back and I was shot at twice! Both times by elderly gentlemen who loved to hunt. It turned out, both admitted being color blind (I was wearing hunter orange!) and both thought my face was the white tail of a deer running or walking away from them. I navigated my shaky finger to the safety on my shotgun, clicked it off and returned a shot fired into the air. I waved, hollered and went to talk with them, that’s how I discovered the details, praying and asking for thanks from the Almighty that I was still alive.
While I’m usually a semi-cool cucumber during stressful times, to say that I was shaken up would be an understatement. Those that know me might be surprised to learn that I was trembling and scared. I went hunting to share in that special Shangri-La of sunrise at daybreak, hunting for big game, savoring the heritage that we find in the woods on opening day. I was filled with anticipation and the hope of bringing home some protein-filled, fat-free venison to share with my bride and new baby girl.
That day changed my outdoor life in the hunting woods. I came to feel there was a traffic jam of hunters in the number of woods that were too few for public use and I wanted to be there for my family into future years. Old men with loose fingers and poor eyesight was my excuse for seeking the safety of virtual survival by not hunting. In hindsight, maybe I was hasty, maybe I was short-sighted, and maybe it was too soon to succumb to all possibilities to avoid risk.
It was nearly 25 years later that I met up with an old friend from high school and he asked, “Do you hunt or fish?” I explained that I loved to fish, tournaments too, but I shared the hunting story about why I no longer hunted. He got out his wallet and started flipping through pictures of his friends at deer camp, offering me a safe hunting spot to return to hunting big game with a firearm at a deer camp in Belfast. The year was 1988.
The memory of my last two deer hunting experiences were still like yesterday, fresh in mind. The owner of the cabin had 70 acres of posted land and explained that everyone knew where everyone else was on opening morning. He was convincing and I bought the story. He gave me his personal hunting stand to sit in and with a gentle grin he said, “The deer usually walk out over there and all you gotta do is aim and squeeze the trigger son.”
Easy for him to say, I thought, what about if someone is behind the deer I’m shooting at? I was concerned for another hunter now, reflecting on my harrowing personal experience two decades prior. That morning I allowed seven deer to cross that trail where I was told they would be, I could not shoot. I was that worried about someone else being back there.
After sharing the story and getting chewed out big time by everyone else at deer camp, especially the elderly owner, I went back the next morning with renewed enthusiasm and a feeling of safety for all. At 7:30 a.m. that next day, I killed a big doe, filling the freezer with venison for the first time since before Vietnam. It was a happy day, the guys at camp all kidding me even more about not doing this for the previous 25 years. Since then, I am humbled to share that I have been blessed to take more than 40 deer, no monster trophy deer, but we love venison! We don’t eat much beef.
I learned to love hunting from a deer camp that year and while I am more of an archery hunter that firearm hunter, I still hunt in the same deer camp today with many of the same friends, new friends too, though some have since passed on.
Each time you hunt, please look beyond your target before you squeeze the trigger. Good luck out there!
Late muzzleloading seasons are among the most underutilized in the country, one of the reasons that big bucks are taken each year while the center-fire crowd is sipping eggnog and watching football. A prime example is a hunt I took with Seth McGinn, owner of the Can Cooker, in South Dakota during the worst weather imaginable. A foot of snow had just fallen and the wind howled at 30 miles per hour closing roads and knocking out power.
Our camp was snuggled in a shallow river basin with plenty of cover and I knew of a high point that would be sheltered from the Northwest wind. “Hunting in this weather is probably crazy, but I know of a good spot where deer may be moving to get out of the wind,” I said to my partner, a native of Nebraska, he wasn’t going to be intimidated by a little snow and wind.
We had barely left camp when we began jumping deer, an indication that the weather may be pushing them into tight cover. Half an hour later, we peeked over my ridge top and saw an 8-point watching its back trail, apparently a deer we had jumped on the way in. McGinn settled his rifle on a small tree, fire flew from his muzzle and the buck dropped right there. Imagine our amazement. Hunting in a blizzard and one peek over the ridge bagged a buck. As we watched the buck with binoculars to be sure it was dead, a second buck suddenly appeared on a path that also crossed below us. Apparently the howling wind had confused the deer and it ran toward us. I steadied my rifle, squeezed and the buck went down 20 yards from McGinn’s. This was insane! Two bucks in 10 minutes in a roaring blizzard with muzzleloading rifles.
Family Fun
Late muzzleloading seasons often occurs over the Christmas break when youngsters are out of schools and college kids are home for the holidays- an ideal time to spend quality time with them. Most young boys and girls are interested in firearms and the ability to develop a load appropriate for them is a huge benefit. If you are shooting for fun, load one pellet or about 50 grains of powder which will result in very moderate recoil, yet an accurate bullet and plenty of smoke. Eye and ear protection are important as are safety rules which are easy to teach and reinforce.
Once youngsters are dialed into loading and shooting safely, bump up the powder to 80-100 grains which is plenty for most deer hunts. Personally, I love an Aimpoint red dot scope because it allows me to put that red dot exactly where I want to hit.
Deer by the Bunch
McGinn and I were certainly lucky to take our two bucks so quickly, yet high winds and storms will force deer into tight cover, especially along creeks and streambeds. In general, deer tend to “herd up” in December and January and you may see groups of deer bedding together or focusing on a food source.
Snow is often a crystal ball that can’t guarantee where deer will travel yet shows you where they’ve been. Winter wheat fields, picked corn fields, and any leftover crop is bound to be a magnet.
Hunting early morning stands in very cold weather can be brutal and it may make more sense to try small deer drives during mid day or hunt the afternoon at likely food sources. Yearling does may come into estrous in late season and don’t be surprised to hear a buck grunt or see one sniffing the ground. Be sure to carry a grunt and bleat call and sometimes rattling will work.
Gearing Up
In-line muzzleloaders continue to dominate the hunting market due to their consistent performance with the break-open models the most popular. I used a Traditions Vortek that shot very accurately at 200 yards and beyond. www.traditionsfirearms.com
Hodgdon Triple Seven pelletized power is also a huge benefit and makes measuring a load safe and consistent. www.hodgdon.com
Finally, new bullet designs make loading easier, even after the first shot. Federal Premium’s B.O.R. Lock MZ bullets load easily, seat consistently and deliver deep penetration. There is no sabot to worry with and you don’t need to clean the bore for a second shot. Visit www.federalpremium.com.
Muzzleloader shooting and late season deer hunting are just plain fun. You’ll find the deer woods uncrowded, even on public land, and there are far more big bucks hanging around than you imagine. Heck, just look, McGinn and I found two, that’s sure tells a story.
Family Fun at a well-managed Florida Sporting Clay Course.
It’s a good idea before heading out – Discuss the obvious. At all times, treat the gun as if loaded.
Go over the common rules – Embed them even if you know them. Assure to use the proper gauge and ammo type, check it twice.
The shooter sequence – The shotgun shell goes into the gun ONLY when on a shooting station and you are to fire.
A Problem? – If the gun does not fire, point the muzzle downrange and wait for a full 2-minutes.
By Forrest Fisher
When my 34-year old nephew, Jonathan Liebler, asked what I was doing the day of the baby shower party set for his beautiful wife, I had a solid answer. “I’m driving your Aunt to your moms’ house for the party, of course.” He replied, “Good, you know I found out that guys are not welcome at those events. I wanna invite you to check out the sporting clay club just down the road from there, are you in? Jeff (Jon’s brother) and I go there often. It’s such fun!” There was so much enthusiasm in his voice! I was blown away by his sheer energy and anticipation. How could I say anything else except, “OK, man, that sounds great!” I was pretty excited.
Jon went on to explain, “Most folks shoot the usual over-under style shotguns, but any shotgun that holds two rounds can be used. I can’t wait to try out my new Berretta 12 gauge I recently bought, I got it used at a local gun show. I patterned it, and I’m pretty pleased that it seems to shoot well. Jeff is bringing his Mossberg over-under 12, what do you have Unc?” I replied, “Well, I have my favorite Berretta 20, the black onyx model, and my old Ithaca over/under 12 from the 1960s that I gave to your cousin, my grandson, Collin. He likes that gun, he used it to shoot trap at his old high school trap team league. He got pretty good with that gun, they won the league 1st place trophy that year. You know Collin is with us down here in Florida now.” With excitement, Jon answered, “That’s great, let’s all go together then! And so we did.
When we arrived at FishHawk Sporting Clays in Lithia, Florida, it was about 11 a.m. Jon and Jeff met us in the parking lot and there was that special, unmistakable, magic of new adventure and excitement in the air. The facility was modern, computerized for initial registration, and fully equipped with golf carts and rental gear, including shotguns, hearing protection, and ammo. In 10 minutes, we were set to go and provided with a trail map of the shooting station layout. Impressive.
Back to the vehicles to get our firearms and ammo, we all talked about safety first. As we moved from truck to golf cart, we opened the breach of each gun and peaked down the barrel to check for a clear, shiny reflection to daylight at the other end. I picked up Jonathan’s gun and said, “Hey, who cleaned this gun?” My sly grin gave my joking a giveaway. They all laughed. We went over the safety stuff just like when the guys were kids, treating each gun as if it was loaded. We went over the process of shooting, never to load the gun until we were at the shooting station, then finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. After shooting, eject the spent ammo and move off the station, action open. Of course, eye and ear protection for the full time on the course.
When the family boys get together for a day at the shooting range, especially a sporting clay shooting range, it’s going to be a fun time. Especially when it’s a first-time sporting clay experience for one of the guys. Jon explained the many course options as we headed down the cart trail to the range area. First-time sporting clay shooter, Collin Voss, motions toward the field and speaks to his cousin, “Can we go A then B, real quick?” Bang! Bang! Jon Liebler answers, “Nice shooting bro! You are really picking up the targets so quickly. The hardest thing about having not done this before is finding the targets as they go flying left to right, right to left, straight up and away, straight across and at you, or bouncing along the ground.” Voss answers, “It’s simple. Watch me.” Everybody laughed. Collin continued, “This is awesome fun. I love this sport.” Jon’s brother, 32-year-old Jeffrey answers, “Not bad for a bonehead kid bro.” Collin is just turning 21 this year. Everybody laughs again and the banter game is on.
Jon hollers above all the other group shooting sounds in the area, “Let’s go over to one of my favorite stations down the trail here, I think you’re gonna love it. Jeff and I like this one to see if we are still on time with our hockey reflexes – it’s quick and it’s a challenge for us. See what you think.” Collin grins and gabbles back, “Uh-oh, are you guys setting me up again?”
In all, at FishHawk Sporting Clays in Lithia, Florida, there are two 8-station courses, one 11-station course and one super sporting clay course of 16 shooting stations. Each station is denoted in a sequence via separately labeled trail marker colors (red, blue, white and green). Easy to follow on foot or in the golf cart. Each station offers from two to four clay bird release platforms. Some stations throw small clay discs (birds), and some toss regular-size clay discs. The type of target bird is noted on a clipboard hanging to the left of the shooter in the shooting platform. Type of small game or bird species. Each target as noted on the clipboard ID is a bit of a surprise. All of them are fun, especially when competition fun grows between family siblings.
Jon hollers, “How many in a row is that Jeff?” Articulate and deadly accurate, humble Jeff mumbles softly, “16, I think.” He looks over my way with an unassuming grin, whispering, “Thanks for opening the door to all this stuff when we were kids. I remember it like yesterday, we were with my dad way back when at your East Aurora Fish and Game Club in New York. Those days were unforgettable.” I whisper back, “I know I’m getting old when I have to think about when that was.” Jon answers, “You brought me, my dad, and Jeff to the club, opened up the trap range and showed us how to hold the shotgun, aim with both eyes open, then lead the target and squeeze the trigger. You let me hold the release controller and with you holding a single-shot .410 gauge shotgun, told us to stand about shoulder-wide but to stand as comfortable as we could – as if we wanted to jump high and far. Then you said, hold the gun lightly and squeeze the trigger real soft.” I grinned from my heart that time. Collin jumped in, “I wasn’t there for that, I wasn’t born yet!” We all laughed. “Move over little guy, who’s turn is it?” hollered Jon. Slowing things down a bit, Collin added, “But when you took me there, you placed a foam pad under my right shirt shoulder and said, pull the gun in sort of snug to my shoulder. When the bird goes up, aim right at it, then squeeze the trigger.” You said, “You’ll get it after a few tries. Don’t worry if you miss it. It takes time. There’s no pressure, it’s just fun. You get to try again and again.” The kids didn’t know that on those first experience moments for them, I had set the machine to throw the birds straight away, making it a bit less complicated to powder a bird. By the time we left, it was a powdery day.
As we navigated the well-managed course, there were no two shooting stations alike. The surrounding trees, swamps, ponds, hardwoods, pines, ground cover, and general terrain, were new and different at each stop. The differences changed the target presentation and provided a brand new shooter-view and illusion, a new challenge at each station. I thought the changes were very much like actual dove hunting, rabbit hunting, chukar, or pheasant hunting. Quick reflexes, distance judgment, target speed, and angle of flight adjustments are all required from the shooter.
The best news is that there is no closed season at a sporting clays range. When wildlife hunting seasons do open, the shooting skills of folks that practice on courses like this are better and far more accurate. During hunting season, it’s more fun in the open-season fields and woods. The shooter is trained and confident, and success feels good on the field and, later, on the dinner plate.
Thank you Fish Hawk, and thank you, Jonathan, Jeff and Collin. Was a pleasure and honor to watch each of you guys shoot safely…and so well. Each one of them is a powder-poker. Safe, efficient, accurate and full of fun. At the end of that day, I looked up and said, thank you, Lord.
By Larry Whiteley
My grandson, Hunter, turned 21 his last birthday and my son, Daron, felt like it was time for him to have a really good concealed-carry pistol. He attends college in Kansas and also travels around the country fishing with the college bass fishing team. Mom and dad, as well as grandma and papaw, wanted him to be able to protect himself in this crazy old world we live in today.
Without letting Hunter know what we were planning, Daron started questioning him about what brand and style of pistol he would really like to have someday. Hunter is a “gun nut” like his dad and they both do a lot of research on guns and ammunition. He finally told his dad and me that he felt the conceal carry pistol he would like to have most was the Kimber Super Carry Ultra+ in .45 ACP.
I told him we would think about it, but if we decided to get it for him, it would be used as an incentive for getting his degree and would be given to him as a graduation gift.
Dad did his own research on the Kimber and told me he agreed with Hunter’s choice. Since the good Lord has blessed my wife and me, we really enjoy getting things for our kids and grandkids that they wouldn’t be able to have otherwise. We don’t consider it spoiling them, but do consider it an investment in their lives. It is something we would not do if they weren’t the good people they are. We both agree it’s a lot better than having to bail them out of jail or pay for drug rehabilitation.
That all being said, I bought the Kimber and took it to my son for him to do all the testing of the pistol. To make sure the Kimber Super Ultra+ was really the conceal carry pistol we all wanted Hunter to have.
My son’s honest comments after handling, concealing and carrying it, plus taking it to the range:
* ”First of all the fit and balance is very good and praise God, it’s made in the USA.”
* “It is really a nice looking gun, not that he will care about that. He will be more concerned with how it shoots and how easy it is to carry.”
* “It does carry very comfortably no matter where you choose to conceal it.”
* “Overall I enjoyed shooting it and the accuracy was better than I expected.”
* “It is very balanced and I was really surprised with how little recoil I felt. The recoil did not affect my follow-up shots and my hand wasn’t sore after firing many rounds through it.”
* “The trigger pull was a little over four pounds and is adjustable, but I didn’t feel like I needed to change it and don’t think he will either.”
* “Accuracy was a lot better than I expected using a pistol with such a short barrel, but I felt the full size grip helped a lot with that.”
* “The side of the slide has a textured treatment that makes it very easy to grip.”
* “I do feel like the night sights could be a little brighter. We might even consider getting a Crimson Trace grip for it.”
* “I would like to see an extra magazine come with it so he could rotate them for carry purposes, but no problem buying another one for him.”
I think we all agree that the Kimber Super Ultra+ is going to be a great graduation present for a fine young man. He already found out we got it for him and Dad even let him see and handle it.
In all, this Kimber Super Ultra+ is only about 5 inches high, is less than 7 inches long and 1-1/4 inches wide, weighs a little over a pound with an empty 8-shot magazine. How’d they do it that light? It has an aluminum frame for portability, aluminum match grade trigger, keeps ultra-high quality with a stainless steel slide and 3-inch steel barrel with a twist rate of 16 (left hand). The grips are checkered and made from Micarta/laminated wood for being pretty. The trigger from the store is set at about 4-5 pounds. The retail price was $1,530, but they do go on sale from time to time. You can look it up on the web to find out more, but we liked it.
Hunter has already tried to talk mom and dad into letting him go ahead and carry it, but so far they are holding him to keeping up his grades and then they will see. The Kimber is a great incentive for doing that.
His sister Anna is also a student at the same college and has seen her brother’s pistol too. Guess what she is now wanting? She is looking at a couple of other Kimber models, but I think she really wants a Micro 9. Whatever she decides on, it will be a great investment in her life too.
In the meantime, when I was buying Hunter’s pistol, I also bought a 3-pack of Kimber’s Pepper Blaster II pepper spray. Their pepper solution is the most powerful concentrated version on the market and great for those who just don’t feel comfortable with a pistol. It will shoot up to 13 feet and disable an attacker for up to 45 minutes. For now, she is carrying one of the Pepper Blaster’s at school and I also gave one to her mom and grandma. Learn more about it at this video website: https://youtu.be/1b2ZRbZfWUQ.
Daron, Hunter and I all want are girls to be safe when we’re not there to protect them!
More information on the Super Ultra+ is available at www.kimberamerica.com.
NSSF, Retailers Emphasize ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’
From sunny Las Vegas, the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry, is pleased to announce that it has honored Bass Pro Shops as its “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” Corporate Retailer of the Year.
“Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” was formed as a cooperative program between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and NSSF more than 15 years ago to help ATF educate federal firearms licensees to be better able to identify and prevent illegal straw purchases of firearms and to raise public awareness about the seriousness of the crime of purchasing a firearm for someone who cannot legally do so.
The award was presented at the 2019 SHOT University, the premier educational event for firearms retailers held in conjunction with NSSF’s Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show® (SHOT Show®) Show in Las Vegas.
All Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores display “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” point-of-purchase displays and use a program video and printed material to help train employees to better detect and deter straw purchases. This year, Bass Pro Shops hosted press conferences for the launch of “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” campaigns in Memphis and Atlanta, featuring advertising that warns anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal felony penalty of up to 10 years in jail or up to $250,000 in fines.
“We’re proud to partner with the federal government and other industry organizations to promote and enhance safe, responsible firearms ownership,” said Bob Ziehmer, Bass Pro Shops Senior Director of Conservation.
“Bass Pro Shops has demonstrated its leadership in this area of prevention, from corporate policies to the men and women staffing the gun counters. It has trained its staff in the process of identifying potential straw purchases and provides continuing training to aide them to respond appropriately when such situations do occur,” said John McNamara, NSSF Senior Director for Retail and Range Services.
“Bass Pro Shops has made the critical outreach to its customers as well, to send the messages that straw purchases are crimes and that it’s on the lookout to prevent them. These efforts send a very strong message to the customer that they are dealing with a reputable retailer that wants, just as they do, to keep guns out of the wrong hands. That’s an incredibly positive message every retailer should embrace, and Bass Pro Shops is rightfully honored in leading the way in this kind of community outreach,” McNamara added.
To legally purchase a firearm, a person must be able to pass an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check and fully comply with state and local laws. When a criminal knows he cannot pass this check, he may try to induce a friend or other person to make the purchase on his behalf, which is known as a straw purchase and is a felony.
Learn more about “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” at www.dontlie.org.
About NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org/.
“Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me.” — Fred Rogers By Larry Whiteley
In 2001, Roy Grimes was the Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources. He was assigned the task of creating what eventually became the National Archery in the Schools Program better known as NASP®.
Roy designed it as an in-school program to aim at improving educational performance among students in grades 4th – 12th. Through the sport of archery he wanted them to learn focus, self-control, discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life.
Since the program officially started in 2002 it has seen over 10 million kids all over America discover a great activity that doesn’t discriminate based on popularity, athletic skill, gender, size, or academic ability. It is open to any student. The biggest supporters are professional educators because they feel it improves school attendance, increases their confidence, improves behavior and gives them increased physical activity. In 2007 the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) agreed to coordinate the Missouri Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP®). In those eleven years more than half a million Missouri students have participated. There are now 690 schools that participate. Over 200,000 students are learning the lifetime sport of archery and all MoNASP teaches as part of their school curriculum.
The MoNASP State Tournament is now the second largest state archery tournament in the nation and continues to grow. The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF) once again partnered with MDC to host the tournament March 22 – 24 at the Branson Convention Center in Branson, MO. Proceeds from the event go to support MoNASP programs and conservation programs in Missouri.
This year there were over 3,300 students from 224 schools competing and many will be going on to compete at NASP national tournaments in Salt Lake City and Louisville with some continuing on to the world championships in July at Nashville.
There were also 94 students competing in the ASPIRE MoNASP Tournament which is for students who did not have a position at the state tournament due to space or they were students who weren’t able to shoot a state qualifying score this year.
Many of the over 15,000 spectators that came to watch the competition didn’t have a child or grandchild taking part in the tournament but they enjoyed watching and cheering on the kids. There were lots of other activities to enjoy over the 3 days of the event. Bass Pro Shops hosted an Indoor/Outdoor Days with catch and release fishing, archery activities, bounce houses, air guns and animals from the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium.
Russ and Diskey the Frisbee Stunt Dog Team were also there along with Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty. There were special shows by Dolly Parton’s Stampede and Presley’s Country Jubilee. The World’s Largest Sidewalk Sale was held at Tanger Outlet and The Landing. RVs, boats and ATVs and archery exhibitors were on display along with a Corvette Club Show. Adults enjoyed attending the Sip the Ozarks event and sampling Missouri wines, spirits and beer.
A big thank you goes to all the sponsors and those that volunteered their time to make this such a special event for these kids. All of the activities and students competing for their schools combined to make a great weekend for all who were there.
The MoNASP State Tournament was an opportunity for students to not just grow their target archery skills but also their character. It was an opportunity to be with family and friends as well as make new friends. At this moment in time they felt really special. As a friend of mine said, “It warms your heart and gives you hope for the future to see all the smiles on these kids’ faces.”
Thanks to Roy Grimes back in 2001 and all those involved today, thousands of kids’ lives have been changed forever because of the sport of archery.
For more information go to www.mochf.org and click on the MoNASP drop down.
This youth program exists in 80 countries and the United States, do your kids know about it?
Program includes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education
Kids build life skills…honesty, responsibility, decision-making, teamwork, self-discipline, self-confidence, problem solving
By Larry Whiteley
You will probably never hear this story being told on CNN, CBS or NBC national news. You probably won’t ever read a story about this in USA Today or other big national newspapers or magazines. We see, hear and read about shootings, protests and demonstrations. We hear or read about experts telling us that young people should never see or touch a firearm.
Why don’t they also tell the story about more than 400,000 young men and women in 47 states participating safely and successfully each year in the 4-H Shooting Sports Program led by 20,000 certified volunteer instructors? Do a Google search and you will find very little coverage about this except for home town newspapers talking about local kids being involved. When I searched I could find no national news stories about it. That’s a shame.
The story they should be telling is that this is much more than a bunch of kids, 8 to 18 years old, shooting rifles, shotguns, muzzle loading rifles, handguns, archery and learning about hunting. Boy’s and girl’s learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles and ethics of hunting, and much more. These are not kids that spend most of their time on their smart phones, playing video games or watching TV. These are not kids into drugs or stealing.
Since it was founded many years ago, 4-H Shooting Sports has served millions of young Americans. Their mission states, “To assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes so they may become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.”
Through the program, participants learn safe marksmanship and archery skills from an early age. State-level 4-H clubs offer programs for individual training as well as team competition shooting. There is also the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship Event each summer which hosts shotgun, air rifle, air pistol, small-bore rifle, small-bore pistol, compound archery, recurve archery, muzzle-loading rifle and hunting skills events. The opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the competition kind, remind you of the Olympics.
If you know anything about 4-H, you probably think of growing crops, raising and showing livestock and competing for blue ribbons at the county fair. You might not know that 4-H and related programs exist in 80 countries around the world. It is the largest youth development organization in the United States with nearly six million members, but of that number, only 17 percent of kids involved actually live on farms as most people would probably think. The majority come from suburban and urban communities.
It’s not just about shooting. The objectives of the program center on building life skills that include decision-making, teamwork, self-discipline, self-confidence and problem solving. The program also works to promote the highest standards of safety and sportsmanship, along with an appreciation and understanding of natural resources.
The Shooting Sports curriculum uses the resources of land-grant universities, Cooperative Extension agents and certified 4-H leaders, instructors and trainers. The adult instructors involved try to provide a positive relationship with the students. A national or state certified instructor teaches each discipline.
They also tie in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education along with shooting sports and hunting training programs. Instructors are given STEM activities they can relate to a part of the kids training in shooting.
All volunteers go through a background check and have archery and gun safety training, along with 4-H classes on youth development. It’s all designed to provide a partnership with a caring adult and a safe environment for youth to learn how to move forward, working on their own.
If you’re interested in becoming involved with the 4-H Shooting Sports Program, you can go to your state 4-H website. You can also go to the national shooting sports website and find a state contact for each of the states involved.
The National 4-H program treats Shooting Sports just like any of their other programs, whether it’s livestock or foods and nutrition or computers or woodworking. The goal is to get kids into a positive setting where they can have fun learning and develop lifelong skills while working closely with an adult, other than a parent, who really cares and takes interest in them.
If the national media ever did decide to tell this great story, I would suggest to them that they interview Jon Zinnel and Hannah Persell. Both Jon and Hannah started in the program at a young age and competed for many years in the National Championships.
Jon, who now works for Vista Outdoors, is a past 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador. Hannah is serving as a Shooting Sports Ambassador while she attends the University of Missouri where she is majoring in Agri Business.
Ambassadors represent 4-H and 4-H Shooting Sports for public relations purposes at special events such as donor/sponsor functions and with the general public. They also serve as spokespersons for the Shooting Sports program.
Hannah would not hesitate to tell the national media, “Participating in the Shooting Sports has given me confidence, communication skills, patience, the drive to succeed in life and made me into a hard worker.” All qualities that American companies are looking for in employees they hire.
Jon would say to the national media and anyone else, “The 4-H Shooting Sports Program is something the kids never forget and the skills they learn stay with them and benefit them the rest of their lives.”
In today’s broken world, it’s a great story that needs to be told.