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April 30th, 2012

Scandinavian Bolt-Rifle Speed Shooting — Stangskyting

Our story on Gary Eliseo’s “Mad Minute” drill drew comments from readers worldwide, including C. Lemmermann from Denmark, who wrote: “In Scandinavia we have this competition called ‘Stangskyting’. It’s similar to the ‘Mad Minute’ but we only have 25 seconds to hit the target [at] 200-300m distance with a 6.5×55 [target rifle].” In the Stangskyting video below a shooter named Børklop puts 16 rounds on target in just 25 seconds. (He starts with a round in the chamber and cycles through three, 5-round magazines). Børklop’s performance, with just a sling and iron sights, is impressive. He’s shooting a Sauer 200 STR target rifle with 5-round magazine. Note that Børklop manipulates the Sauer’s bolt with his thumb and index finger, while pulling the trigger with his middle finger.

This Guy Could Break the “Mad Minute” Record
Børklop’s rate of fire, 16 rounds in 25 seconds, is the equivalent of 38.4 rounds in 60 seconds. That’s a notable number because the record for the “Mad Minute”, a British Army marksmanship drill, is 38 rounds in one minute. That record was set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall, and still stands. So as you watch Børklop, keep in mind that Snoxall shot that fast for a full minute with a Lee-Enfield nearly 100 years ago!

Børklop has an average cycling time of 1.56 seconds per shot, starting with a round in the chamber. To beat the record of 38 rounds, he would need to make seven mag changes in sixty seconds. All those mag swaps could reduce his average time per shot, making it difficult to achieve 38 hits in a minute. But, if Børklop could use 10-round mags with his Sauer STR, this guy has the skills to break the record.

Sauer 200 STR Target Rifle

To emphasize the capabilities of the WWI-era British shooter who set the record, Snoxall shot as fast as Børklop does, but Snoxall reloaded with stripper clips. Snoxall’s SMLE (Lee-Enfield) rifle also had relatively crude open sights and the stock was far less ergonomic than Børklop’s Sauer STR stock.

Here’s another Stanskyting video showing John O. Ågotnes shooting rapidfire with his Sauer 200 STR (Scandinavian Target Rifle) chambered in 6.5×55. By our count, Ågotnes manages 17 shots within the 25-second time period. That rate of fire (17 in 25 seconds) equates to 40.8 rounds in one minute!

Permalink - Videos, Competition, Shooting Skills 19 Comments »
April 30th, 2012

New Blue Book of Gun Values, 33rd Edition — Now Available

Blue Book Gun Values 2012 33rd EditionThe new 33rd Edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values has just been released, and is available now for $30.75. The Blue Book of Gun Values, by S. P. Fjestad, is the top-selling book in our AccurateShooter Bookstore which operates through Amazon.com. The 33rd Edition of the Blue Book has been expanded to 2,432 pages, all gun values have been thoroughly updated for both modern and antique firearms, including the recent paramilitary style guns, and it also includes new domestic and imported 2012 makes and models. Other features include an exclusive interview with the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre, an 80-page color Photo Percentage Grading System to help accurately determine the condition of firearms, and serialization and proofmark sections to help in identifying firearms. The Blue Book of Gun Values is the firearm industry’s most trusted reference book with over 1.4 million copies in print.

CLICK HERE to Order Blue Book 33rd Edition

New Nine-Part Video Guide for Blue Blue Users
To assist Blue Book readers, Blue Book Publications has created a nine-part instructional video series on YouTube. Part 1, the Introduction, provides an overview (video below). Each of the other eight (8) short videos explains a key feature of the Blue Book of Gun Values and how to best utilize it. Watch one or more videos, according to your interests.

How to Use the Blue Book, Part I — Introduction

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April 30th, 2012

Low-Cost Varmint Bullets from Midsouth

Varmint Extreme .224 bulletsVarmint Bullets Starting at $7.85 per Hundred
If you’re looking for decent, very affordable .22-caliber bullets for varmint hunting, multi-gun matches, and fun shooting, check out the Varmint Nightmare X-Treme Bullets from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Sourced from an undisclosed premium bullet manufacturer, these .22-Cal Varmint Nightmare X-Treme bullets are proven performers. These bullets are offered in cannelured softpoint ($40.12), premium softpoint (no cannelure, $44.19) and hollowpoint ($46.59) versions in 500-count bulk packs. You can even buy the cannelured softpoint in jumbo 2000-count boxes for $157.05 (that works out to just $7.85 per hundred). Also on sale are 500-ct boxes of .204-caliber and 17-caliber Varmint Nightmare X-treme Bullets. Look no further if you need a good quality, low-cost bullet for a high-round-count varmint expedition.

Varmint Nightmare Bullets Field-Tested by GunsAmerica.com
GunsAmerica.com recently tested Midsouth’s 55gr Varmint Nightmare bullets in a scoped AR-15 rifle, and concluded they work great. Loaded into Hornady brass with Hodgdon CFE-223 powder and CCI 5.56 primers, these inexpensive 55gr Varmint Nightmare bullets grouped consistently under an inch at 100 yards with “an off-the-shelf Rock River AR with no special bells and whistles.”

Midsouth Varmint Nightmare X-treme .224 bullets 22 caliber

The GunsAmerica.com Blog reports: “Half price bullets for an AR-15 is a dream come true for many shooters. But is cheaper inferior? That is exactly our question as we take a look at the half-priced bulk purchase .223 ‘Varmint Nightmare’ bullets from Midsouth Shooters Supply. If you look at the prices of ‘name brand’ bullets for the AR-15, they run about $130-$170 per thousand. Varmint Nightmare bullets go for as low as $157 per two thousand, and even in the lowest quantity of 500 bullets, that box costs only $46.59 at Midsouth. We haven’t been able to test these half-price bullets on game, but the accuracy is great and they seem to be extremely consistent. For popping crows or prairie dogs for an afternoon, clanging steel for 3-Gun, or just heading out to the range … these bullets seem to be a great buy.”

CLICK HERE to read full GunsAmerica.com Varmint Nightmare Bullet Review (Many Photos).

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, Hunting/Varminting No Comments »
April 29th, 2012

Gary Eliseo Runs ‘Mad Minute’ Drill with Modern Tubegun

Mad Minute Gary EliseoThe Top Shot TV show recently featured the “Mad Minute”, a high-speed drill requiring shooters to place as many hits as possible on a steel plate set at 200 yards. The time limit was one minute, and shooters were using historic Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifles. Top Shot’s “Mad Minute” was based on a British Army training drill. Soldiers were expected to get at least 15 hits on an bullseye target at THREE hundred yards. Top Shot cheated a bit, placing the target at 200 yards (instead of 300 in the real British Army “Mad Minute” drill). Still the two Top Shot shooters managed only six (6) shots each in one minute. Consider that a “passing score” for a Brit soldier was 15 hits, you have to give credit to those WWI-era Tommies.

Watch Gary Elesio Shoot the ‘Mad Minute’ (Starts at 4:47 on Video)

Elesio Gets 24 hits on 300-yard Target in One Minute
Using an Eliseo RTM Tubegun chambered in .308 Winchester, Gary Elesio attempted the “Mad Minute” last weekend. Gary ended up with 24 hits on a bull target set at 300 yards. That’s four times as many hits as the Top Shot competitors. Gary actually had 25 hits in 25 rounds fired, but the last round hit just after the 60-second time period expired. Note how Gary pulls the trigger with the middle finger of his right hand. This allows him to work the bolt faster, using his thumb and index finger. The straight-through (inline stock) design of the Tubegun allowed Gary to maintain his cheekweld and head position throughout the minute-long drill.

Gary Eliseo Mad Minute

Gary told us: “This isn’t easy. I came away very impressed with the training of the Tommy soldiers if they could make 15 hits in one minute. We had some skilled shooters who brought their own Lee-Enfields and they only did as well as the guys on Top Shot — making six or seven hits in a minute. The problem is that, with the cock-on-close operation of the Lee-Enfield, the gun would push away when the shooter closed the bolt, so the shooter would lose his sight picture, and have to re-center the rifle. I am truly astounded that the record for the ‘Mad Minute’ is 38 shots. That is hard to do with an AR, much less any bolt gun.”

Gary Hopes to Beat the ‘Mad Minute’ Record in the Future
The record for the “Mad Minute” — 38 shots on target at 300 yards — was set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall*. In the subsequent 98 years, that record has never been broken by any shooter with a conventional bolt-action rifle. Gary told us: “As long as that record still stands, I’m going to keep working at it. I know I lost a few seconds with mag changes. I think with some additional training, I can increase my score. Still, 38 hits is phenomenal. I am very, very impressed at what that guy did — it’s really mind-boggling to do that with an Enfield. Contrary to what has been written, those old Enfields are not that easy to shoot fast. Our club shooters found that out.”

* There is some uncertainty concerning the size of the target used by Snoxall. Some internet reports say the target was 12″ x 12″. Other posts, from England, suggest the target was 36″ by 36″. If the target was a 12″-diameter bull, Snoxall’s achievement is even more amazing.

‘Mad Minute’ and British Marksmanship with the SMLE (Lee-Enfield)
Commentary by Laurie Holland

The original military requirement of the ‘Mad Minute’ saw the soldier ready to fire with a round in the chamber, 9 in the magazine, safety on. This course of fire is still followed by the GB Historic Breechloading Arms Association and other bodies in their recreated ‘Mad Minute’ competitions.

The first 10 would go quickly, but reloads were critical, this not done by a magazine change as Gary did with the RTM or in a modern tactical or semi-auto rifle, but through slick use of ‘chargers’. It is this aspect which fouls so many of my colleagues up as it’s very easy to cause a jam and a large part of 60 seconds can go in sorting it out!

As well as the training Gary mentions and commends, there were pay incentives / penalties for certification or failure, and there were valuable monetary and kudos benefits in achieving very high hit counts in the 20 + range. Tommies could draw their rifles from the armoury any time when off duty and spent hours in barracks practising using inert rounds and dry firing. For instance, a common practice was to balance a halfpenny coin on the foresight blade between the sight protecting ears and take shot after shot prone on the barracks floor until the trigger was pressed and the ‘shot taken’ without the coin falling off its perch.

Charger clips were selected for those that just held the rounds firmly enough to stop then falling out, were sand-papered and polished with a stove / fireplace polish called ‘Zebrite’ so that the rimmed rounds would slip through the clips like corn through a goose.

If you’re unfamiliar with the cock-on-closing Enfield action, it seems clumsy. With intensive practice it is very smooth and can be operated incredibly quickly. The trick is to whip the bolt back onto its stop and initiate a rebound movement that takes it and the cartridge well into the chamber thereby reducing the effort required to close the bolt and chamber the round.

lee enfield 1916 rifle

None of this is to detract from the skill many of these guys had and the fantastic results they got both in rate of fire and accuracy out to 500/600 yards. That came from long days of live firing at full distances — far more practice than I’ll warrant US doughboys got at that time. The result was when the small British Expeditionary Force acted a blocking force against two advancing German infantry corps in Belgium in the autumn of 1914. Kaiser Wilhelm predicted confidently that his highly trained ‘Landsers’ would sweep this ‘contemptible little army’ aside. Instead, the Germans advancing in the open at ranges they felt was safe from rifle fire ran into a wall of lead of such a rate and accuracy that regimental commanders explained their failure to advance and massive casualties through the British having far more automatic weapons than their intellignce had briefed. The British survivors of that period adopted the self-styled title of ‘Old Contemptibles’ as an ironic rebuke to Wilhelm, one still used today. By Christmas 1914 that small and highly professional British army had been destroyed through attrition and army rifle competitions aside never achieved those riflecraft standards again — but of course that’s what a machinegun is for and it was criminal that BEF battalions (600-1,000 men) went to war with an establishment of only two Vickers-Armstrong machine-guns — a fraction of that in the opposing German units.

Permalink - Videos, Competition 24 Comments »
April 29th, 2012

Get Your Registrations in for Eastern Creedmoor Cup in May

Dennis DeMille, Gen’l Manager of Creedmoor Sports reminded us that the Eastern Creedmoor Cup event is filling up fast. This popular match is limited to 200 participants. As of Friday, April 27th, 174 competitors have entered in this year’s Eastern Creedmoor Cup. Only 26 spots remain. If you want to compete, be sure to sign up soon. The event starts with a Free Clinic and Team Match on May 9th. This is followed by three (3) 800-point Aggregates conducted on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (May 10-12). Each 800-point Agg will be a stand-alone match with awards; however, Creedmoor Cup champions will be crowned based on the 2,400-point Grand Aggregate scores. The weekend concludes with an EIC match on Sunday.

Creedmoor Cup

In related news, Creedmoor Sports announced some special discounts for catalog items. Through the end of this weekend, if you purchase three (3) DVDs you get an additional fourth DVD for free. Also, Creedmoor now offers the Crosman Roll-Up Shooting Mat for just $49.95.

Creedmoor Cup

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April 29th, 2012

Sportsmen’s Heritage Bill Passes U.S. House of Representatives

Sportsmen's Heritage ActOn April 17th, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 (H.R. 4089) passed the House of Representatives with a 274-146 vote. Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), the bill combines four legislative priorities that will expand recreational hunting, shooting and fishing opportunities and also reaffirms existing law and heads off determined bureaucratic efforts to deny hunters and shooters from using traditional ammunition. This important legislation is supported by more than 35 national conservation and sportsmen’s groups.

“NSSF thanks Rep. Miller for his exceptional leadership in helping to expand access and opportunities for sportsmen and in protecting and preserving America’s hunting and shooting heritage,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “We look forward to seeking passage of the bill in the Senate.”

Bill Would Bar EPA from Banning Lead-Core Ammunition
Included in H.R. 4089 is the Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act. The bill amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to clarify the original intent of Congress to exclude traditional ammunition — ammunition containing lead-core components — and fishing tackle from regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency.

H.R. 4089 includes other key legislative priorities of the sportsmen’s community:

  • The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage Opportunities Act, which requires federal land managers to support and facilitate use and access for hunting, fishing and recreational shooting.
  • The Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which requires National Monument land to be open to access and use for recreational shooting.
  • The Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act, which will allow the importation of polar bear parts taken in a hunt in Canada, if legally harvested before certain dates.
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April 28th, 2012

Colt’s New M2012-CLR Competition Bolt Gun with Cooper Action

At the NRA Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Colt Firearms introduced a new bolt-action “Competition Rifle”, the M2012-CLR. Assembled by Cooper Firearms for Colt, the M2012 features a Colt metal chassis with tubular forearm, and a Cooper Arms repeater action. The M2012 rifles on display were chambered in .308 Winchester with fluted 1:10″ twist stainless barrels fitted with Surefire muzzle brakes. The bolt is a three-lug design with a Sako-style extractor. Trigger is a Timney set at 3 pounds — pretty high for a “competition” rifle. Though the barrel is only 22″, the M2012 is fairly heavy. Weight without optics is 13.2 pounds. Given the weight and short barrel, we think Colt is marketing this more for tactical shooters, rather than actual High Power or F-TR competitors.

Colt M2012 CLR rifle
Photo by Nick Leghorn, courtesy Nick Leghorn and TheTruthAboutGuns.com.

MORE PHOTOS — Large Size
Large photo showing two M2012 rifles (full view) (From Military Arms Channel Blog.)

Large photo showing right side of receiver (close-up) (From Military Arms Channel Blog.)

Large photo showing left side of Receiver with Colt and Cooper Firearms markings (close-up)

According to the GDI Engineering website, Colt’s M2012 “appear[s] to have been built on Cooper’s Model 54 action, which features a two-position safety to the right of the bolt. [Features] include an integral 25-MOA Picatinny base and the Colt-specific chassis and stock. The single-stack detachable magazines are from Accuracy International.”

Hefty Price for Colt’s M2012-CLR
MSRP for the new M2012-CLR is $3799.00. Colt’s asking price is approximately $1300.00 more than the price of an Eliseo RTS Tubegun Chassis ($1020.00) with a Rem-clone custom action ($900.00) and a Krieger barrel ($550.00 chambered). The RTS features a 5-way adjustable buttstock, easily removed without tools. The Colt M2012 offers adjustable Length of Pull (LOP) and adjustable cheekpiece height. The M2012’s skeleton buttstock is bolted to the main chassis, requiring an Allen wrench to remove.

Permalink Gear Review, New Product 9 Comments »
April 28th, 2012

WallyWorld Advertising — What’s Wrong with this Picture?

Below is the top half of a Walmart ad intended to sell hunting rifles and accessories. We’re pleased that Walmart still stocks guns, ammo, and gear on its shelves. But look carefully at the fellow in the tree-stand. He’s got some nice camo clothing, but a few items are missing that might help this hunter in his quest to take home a buck. Apparently Walmart’s ad-makers aren’t too experienced with shooting.

Advertisement scan provided by B. Carlson.
Permalink Hunting/Varminting 21 Comments »
April 27th, 2012

Vortex Extreme — Ultimate Long-Range Shooting Challenge

Registrations are now being accepted for the Vortex Extreme challenge event, to be held at the Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf long range shooting facility in Tremonton, Utah July 20-21, 2012. The first Vortex Extreme was held last July, and it was a big success (though conditions were very hot). If you’re looking for the challenge of long-range precision shooting with real-world hunting scenarios, the Vortex Extreme is your event. The event requires two-person teams to navigate the 7-mile course on foot carrying everything needed to successfully engage targets out to 1,000 yards. Final scores are based on how well each team shoots and how long it takes them to complete the course. Last year, many of the top teams jogged and ran most of the course — this requires fitness and stamina.

Vortex Extreme Challenge

Watch Video from 2011 Inaugural Vortex Extreme

CLICK HERE for detailed Information and to Register for 2012 Vortex Extreme.

Registration will be limited to fifty (50) teams of two. The entry fee is substantial — $500 per team, but this does include overnight lodging in Tremonton, Utah, along with Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast. The winning team takes home $1500 and a trophy. Second place pays $700, and third place wins $500.00. And there are many other prizes from Vortex, Russell Outdoors, and other vendors. If you’re interested, register soon. This event fills up quickly.

Vortex Extreme long range shooting

Course of Fire
Competitors will fire up to 26 shots each. Nearly all shots will be from natural shooting positions adding to the realism of each scenario. Scores will be based on course time and how well each team shoots. Strong legs and lungs recommended.

Recommended Gear
If you can hack it to pack it, you can bring it. Participants must carry everything needed to effectively shoot and complete the course. Each person must carry their own rifle. Other kit can be shared. Essential gear includes: Rifle, ammunition, optics, rangefinder, shooting sticks, backpack, extra water, snacks, sun screen, good footwear, hat, eye protection, hearing protection.

Vortex

Permalink Competition, Hunting/Varminting 1 Comment »
April 27th, 2012

Matt Chezem Equals Nat’l Jr. Record in Winning NJOSC 50m Gold

At the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships this past week, a young Californian tied a smallbore prone record. Matthew (Matt) Chezem won the Men’s 50m Prone Junior Title with 1290.4 points. Matt shot 590 on Day 1 and came back with 598 on Day 2. Matt’s 598 points tied a National Junior Record. That outstanding score placed him first going into the finals, with a one point lead over Spencer Upham from Washington. Chezem shot 102.4 points to Upham’s 102.5 points in the final, but Chezem’s lead was enough to secure the gold. Chezem, a student at Moorpark College in California, also coaches other junior shooters at the Los Angeles Rifle & Revolver Club.

Silver Medalist Upham, one of two 16-year-olds in the final, finished with 1289.5 total points. The bronze medal was a battle between Michael Matthews (3-Position winner) and Taylor Ciotola. Both entered the final at 1186 match points, but Matthews edged out Ciotola by just three-tenths of a point. Mathews 3rd place in 50m prone, along with his 50m 3-Position win, secured Matthews a place on the USA National Junior Team.

Los Angeles Rifle and Revolver Club

Permalink Competition No Comments »
April 26th, 2012

With Open Class Win, Butler Secures First Multigun “Triple Crown”

Our friend Taran Butler recorded a major accomplishment at the 2012 USPSA MultiGun Nationals held April 11-15 in Las Vegas, NV. By winning the 2012 Open Class title, Taran became the first person in history to have won all three USPSA MultiGun divisions: Open, Tactical, and Limited. You can only shoot one division per year at the Nationals, so it’s impossible to hold all three class titles simultaneously. But no other USPSA shooters have won all three class titles over the course of their shooting careers. Not even “immotals” Jerry Miculek or Mike Voight, both multi-time Open-Class winners, have captured all three class championships. Before his Open Class win this year, Butler had previously captured the Tactical Division title four times, and he won the Limited Division back in 2003.

Taran Butler USPSA

Taran observed: “This has now become the biggest achievement in my shooting career, to finally be the first person in history to win all three divisions of the USPSA MultiGun Championships. I owe thanks to God, my sponsors, and awesome friends.”

Taran Butler USPSA

Watch Taran Butler in Action
The video below shows Taran accepting a trophy for his 2012 USPSA Open Class victory. Then, starting at the 0:46 mark, you can watch Taran run stages at the recent Nationals. You can see Taran used all three guns: pistol, semi-auto carbine, and shotgun.

In Las Vegas, Taran used the same .223 Rem AR Carbine he shoots in Tactical Division — however he added a second optic (for close targets) when running the gun in Open class. This way he can just tilt the rifle to switch magnification levels to suit the target distance. Taran explains: “Here’s the rifle I used to win the 2012 Open Class Nationals. It’s a custom AR that TTI built with parts from Vltor, LaRue, PRI, Surefire, Noveske, Trijicon, and JP. Its called the Taran Tactical Innovations 17″ Signature Series Rifle aka TTI-17SS. The optics I use are the Trijicon TR24R 1-4 power and the RMR. This is by far the fastest optic setup on the planet.”

Taran Butler AR Multi-gun

The pistol Taran used was an Infinity IMM with comp, shooting the standard 9mm Parabellum round. In the shotgun stages in Las Vegas, Taran used a mag-fed shotgun. The shotgun’s huge external magazines (two are sandwiched together) allow long strings with fewer reloads. However, Taran did suffer a major shotgun jam in one stage that cost him 18 seconds (watch video at 4:12 – 4:30). Amazingly, Taran shot a near perfect match after that to win the Open Title.

Overcoming Mistakes — And Staying Calm — Was Key to Victory
According to Taran, the shotgun jam marked a turning point in his match: “To win at this level, you can’t give up when disaster strikes — as it did with my shotgun in Stage 5. But I kept my cool and stayed focused. After that I really shot the match about the best I could and I didn’t try to rush, which can cause more problem. A lot of shooters, when they encounter a big problem, they get discouraged and just give up. Or, they try to shoot really fast to make up time, and then they usually make even bigger mistakes.”

USPSA MultiGun Class Basics:

  • Open Class: “Anything goes” in the Open Class. Rifles may have multiple sighting systems including any kind of optics. Pistols may be fitted with comps, optical sights, and very large extended magazines.
  • Tactical Class: This is the most popular USPSA MultiGun class currently. Rifles may have ONE (1) optic, plus back-up irons. Pistols are usually tweaked factory guns with upgraded iron sights and triggers. However muzzle brakes, comps, and Red dot or other optics are not allowed on the pistols. Taran says: “The Tactical Division is #1 in attendance. The hardware is similar to what actual operators would use — ARs with a single optic, and normal-looking pistols with conventional sights.”
  • Limited Class: The Limited Class restricts rifles and pistols to iron sights (or a non-magnified red dot on the rifle only). This class has seen declining participation in recent years.
Permalink Shooting Skills 1 Comment »
April 26th, 2012

Bank of America vs. McMillan Conflict Draws National Attention

Kelly McMillan Group McMillan firearmsLast week, we reported that Bank of America (BofA) had told McMillan Group International (McMillan) to find a different business banking provider. The Daily Bulletin was one of the first media sources to break the story — our report appeared a few hours after Kelly McMillan posted the details on McMillan’s facebook page. According to Kelly’s post, he had been visited by a BofA Sr. Vice President who, in essence, told McMillan to find another provider of banking services within six months. BofA’s stated reason for terminating its long-standing relationship with McMillan was that the family-run, Phoenix-based company now manufactures rifles (and not just fiberglass stocks).

Bank of AmericaBofA Action Provokes Criticism from Gun Owners
Over the past week, BofA been the focus of a torrent of criticism from gun owners and those who support Second Amendment freedoms. Bank of America (the recipient of $45 billion dollars in federal TARP bailout loans) responded with a notice saying that it does NOT have a corporate-wide policy preventing BofA from doing business with gun manufacturers. BofA pointed to its participation in a very large financing for the Freedom Group (which includes Remington and Bushmaster). Nonetheless, the BofA Sr. VP’s message enunciated to Kelly McMillan — i.e. find another bank within six months — has not been repudiated.

Major Media Pick Up Story — And Glenn Beck Sounds Off
Public interest in this story grows by the day. Major newspapers and media outlets are now running the story.The BofA/McMillan controversy was the focus of Glenn Beck’s April 24, 2012 radio show. Beck opined that BofA’s response was confusing at best — BofA may say that it has no written policy against doing business with gun manufacturers, but this does not prevent BofA’s executives or regional bank managers from denying lines of credit to gun-makers.

NRA Interviews Kelly McMillan
On April 23rd, NRA Radio host Cam Edwards interviewed Kelly McMillan via telephone. In the interview, Kelly provided more details of his recent interactions with Bank of America. Those interested in this controversy can listen to the full interview by clicking on the YouTube Video embedded below:

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