|
|
March 24th, 2009
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), in partnership with the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) has launched a new pistol-shooting discipline for high school and collegiate shooters — the Scholastic Steel Challenge (SSC). The Scholastic Steel Challenge program is being modeled after the highly successful NSSF-developed Scholastic Clay Target Program. The NSSF will help launch this new discipline with a $50,000 grant to the SSC, administered under the USPSA.
 SSC Format Based on Steel Challenge
The SSC competition format is based on the Steel Challenge, a popular action pistol competition that attracts some of the world’s best shooters. The scholastic version has been designed so it can be enjoyed by both novices and experienced shooters. Competitors will engage targets from a low-ready position and not from holsters as is done in the Steel Challenge.
SSC Will Have Two Divisions: Junior (Age 14-16) and Senior (Age 17-20)
SSC is open to all eligible youth shooters. There is a Junior Division for 14 to 16-year-olds and a Senior Division for 17 to 20-year-olds. Scores and rankings will be posted online, and championships will be awarded in both divisions.
“We thank the NSSF for its support and for providing an outstanding model for our Scholastic Steel Challenge program,” said Scott Moore, director of SSC. “Our goal is to introduce the thrill and action of shooting steel targets to the youth of America through a program that is grounded in safe gun handling principles.”
“Developing new target shooters through programs that teach safe and responsible handling of firearms is a priority of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and we’re proud to help a program get off the ground that holds so much potential for introducing new shooters to a lifetime sport,” said Steve Sanetti, NSSF President.
Share the post "NSSF Launches Scholastic Steel Challenge with $50K Grant"
March 24th, 2009
The Sportsman’s Warehouse chain of outdoor stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this past weekend. In papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, Sportman’s Warehouse declared assets of $436.3 million versus outstanding debt of $452.3 million. Under Chapter 11, a company is protected from creditor lawsuits while it works out a plan to repay its debts during reorganization.
Sportsman’s Warehouse currently operates 29 stores, including four stores in its home state of Utah. “Sportsman’s Warehouse is another retailer victim of the worldwide global recession,” Rourk Kemp, the company’s chief financial officer (CFO), stated in Bankruptcy Court papers. Last year, Sportsman’s Warehouse announced a deal to sell 80% of its operations to a Canadian agricultural cooperative. However, that deal basically fell through, precipitating this Chapter 11 filing.
Stores to Remain Open During Reorganization
Sportsman’s Warehouse does not plan to liquidate or go out of business entirely. According to CFO Kemp, Sportsman’s Warehouse intends to continue its normal business. It will keep its remaining 29 stores open, having already closed 23 stores and sold 15 others. It will also continue to pay employees’ wages and benefits and honor customer service policies, such as returns, exchanges, credits and gift-cards.
New Financing Source
To help pay the bills during reorganization, Sportsmans’ Warehouse announced it has secured, from G.E. Capital Corp., $85 million in financing. These funds will be available to the company while it is under the Chapter 11 protection.
Share the post "Sportsman's Warehouse Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy"
March 23rd, 2009
On March 28-29, the Arizona Game and Fish Department hosts its Outdoor Expo 2009 at the largest public shooting complex in the nation — the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, located just west of Interstate 17 on Carefree Highway. At the event, which is FREE, you can try out many different shooting disciplines. Plus there will be archery classes, mounted (horseback) shooting demos, wildlife info sessions, and many other outdoor activities. This is a very popular event — the 2008 Outdoor Expo drew over 26,000 visitors.
Outdoor Expo visitors will be able to test the latest firearms from companies like Glock, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger. Visitors can also try a variety of specialty shooting disciplines, such as cowboy action shooting, black powder, tactical pistol, and silhouette shooting. You’ll receive tips from top shooters, including past cowboy action Champion Evil Roy (Gene Pearcey).
 
 Shotgun fans can shoot skeet, trap or sporting clays at Ben Avery’s enhanced Clay Target Center. Kids can shoot .22s and air guns while learning more about firearm safety. Guests (of all ages) can take an archery class or try out “3D Archery” on a walking course through the desert. There will be many exciting demonstrations at the 2009 Outdoor Expo. Visitors can witness a mini-gun demonstration or even shoot a vintage Gatling Gun.
One of the crowd-pleasing highlights of the event will be live competition by cowboy mounted shooters at the brand new cowboy action riding ring. Skilled riders maneuver speedy quarterhorses while shooting black-powder blanks at balloons. Watch the video below to learn all about this exciting sport:
When you’re not shooting or watching live shooting events, you can visit with more than 100 Outdoor Expo exhibitors, including sportsmen’s organizations, conservation groups, shooting clubs, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.
For more information, visit the Outdoor Expo website, www.azgfd.gov/expo, or CLICK HERE to view the 2009 Outdoor Expo promo video.
Share the post "Outdoor Expo at Ben Avery in Phoenix this Weekend"
March 22nd, 2009
We know many of our readers shoot the 6 BRX, 6 Dasher, 6mm Rem AI, .243 Ackley and other “improved cartridges” that require case-forming. These wildcat designs move the shoulder forward, or alter the shoulder angle and/or body taper. Traditionally, these cases are fire-formed, i.e. a charge of powder is used to blow the shoulder forward and casewalls out. There are different methods of fire-forming. Some guys use a full load of rifle powder, with bullets seated hard in the lands (setting up a false shoulder helps too). Other shooters successfully fire-form without bullets, using fast pistol powders (and a much-reduced charge). Typically, with this bulletless fire-forming, a filler such as Grits is used, along with some kind of plug or wad to hold the powder in the case.
Fire-forming takes time, and consumes expensive powder, primers, and (typically) bullets. Unless you have a dedicated fire-forming barrel, the fire-forming process can use up a significant amount of your useful barrel life, particularly if you are a varminter needing hundreds of re-formed cases. What if you could form your cases at home, at your reloading bench, without burning powder or wasting barrel life? Well you can…
Hydraulic Case-Forming with Hornady Die
Now, thanks to Hornady, shooters who need to “improve” their cases have a bonafied alternative to fire-forming. Hornady’s custom shop offers a hydraulic case-forming kit that allows you to form cases just using water and a conventional reloading press.
Because fluids, such as water, are not compressible, you can use hydraulic action to change the shape of your brass in a die. As a ram or piston moves the fluid in the die, hydraulic pressure pushes the shoulder and case walls out to match the “improved” case profile machined into the Hornady die. What you’ll get is a re-formed case with a near-perfect neck-shoulder junction, but with slightly rounded edges where the case body meets the shoulder. However, the edges of the shoulder will normally sharpen up once you shoot the brass for the first time with a full load.
Tips for Hydraulic Case-Forming
The process works well… as long as you understand that it will take a final fire-forming stage to fully “blow out” the brass. The hydraulic process gets you 95% of the way there. Lonnie Hummel, technician of Hornady’s Custom Shop, uses a hydraulic forming die himself to produce his wildcat varmint cases. Lonnie recommends using regular water as the hydraulic fluid, but other shooters have used isopropyl alcohol, and some guys have used light machine oil. The different fluid choices have pros and cons. With water, you have to be careful to dry out the forming die so it doesn’t rust. With oil you have to make sure you remove ALL the oil from the case before firing. That’s very important for safety and to ensure you don’t “kill” your primers. Alcohol seems to work well, but again you want to make sure residues are removed, so that any residual alcohol does not contaminate primers or powder.
Ordering a Hydraulic Forming Die
Hornady hydraulic forming dies are produced on a custom basis. You need to supply a reamer print or some “finished” cases that have been fully fire-formed in your chamber. Then Hornady can build a die that matches your improved or wildcat chamber. Also, after heat-treating, each die is custom-honed so there is a super-close fit with the shaft of the hydraulic piston.
How much will it cost? Prices vary depending on the size of the parent cartridge: for cases up to 2.6″, the cost is $165.00; for cases over 2.6″ up to 2.9″ the price is $185.00. These prices are for the complete Hornady Hydraulic Forming Kit, which includes Die Body, Lock Ring, Hydraulic Piston, and a special shellholder (without a center hole).
For more information contact Lonnie Hummel at Hornady. Call (308) 382-1390 and ask for the Custom Shop or email: lhummel [at] hornady.com. NOTE: You will NOT see this product listed or illustrated on Hornady’s website. Hydraulic form dies are special order items.
Photos courtesy Forum member SongDogHunter
Share the post "TECH TIP: Form Improved Cases with Hydraulic Forming Die"
March 21st, 2009
Our recent review of the GPS-enabled Sony Vaio P netbook computer sparked interest among readers who wanted to add navigation capability to their own laptops. While the little Sony is a marvel of engineering, some readers pointed out that it’s more than twice as expensive as “netbooks” from Asus, Dell, Samsung and other vendors. But the Sony offers built-in GPS with turn-by-turn spoken navigation. That’s a very nice feature that lets your computer do much more than just exchange email or surf the web. Though the Sony is one of the few computers with built-in GPS, don’t despair… you can now add GPS Navigation to most modern portable PCs for under a hundred bucks.
Add GPS Capability to your LapTop for under $100.00
What can you do if you already own a Windows laptop or netbook without built-in GPS Navigation? Garmin has you covered. In 2008 Garmin introduced its “Mobile PC” software that comes bundled with a corded 20X Garmin GPS receiver. The software AND the receiver cost $99.95 (average ‘street price’). There is also a version with a cordless 10X Garmin GPS receiver that works with Bluetooth-enabled laptops and netbooks.
 While most vendors charge about $100 for the Mobile PC software plus USB-attached GPS receiver, we found this package for just $76.38 at BestBoatingdeals.com.
Garmin Mobile PC Features
Packed with preloaded maps, millions of destinations and full GPS navigation capabilities, Garmin Mobile PC software turns your laptop into a powerful street navigator. The program provides spoken turn-by-turn directions from your starting point to your destination. It gives automatic corrections if you stray off course. You can upload custom points of interest (hotels, parks etc.), and even navigate to locations in your MS Outlook® contact list. Garmin Mobile PC automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip computer records trip data and a trip log provides an electronic trail, so you can see where you’ve been on the map.
Benefits of PC-based Navigation
Right now you can buy an Asus or Dell Netbook for under $300.00. Add the Garmin Mobile PC GPS package and you’re still under $400.00. That’s less than the cost of many aftermarket vehicle GPS navigation systems by themselves. And the computer offers a bigger screen AND the ability to update weather information and hotel reservations via a Wi-Fi connection (Wi-Fi service must be purchased separately). Plus, with a portable PC, you can access AccurateShooter.com on the road!
LEARN MORE: Read LaptopMag.com Review of Garmin Mobile PC
Share the post "Add GPS Navigation to Your LapTop for under $100.00"
March 21st, 2009
Brownell’s offers a financial and insurance services package designed expressly for gunsmiths, gunshops, and small-to-medium-sized firearms businesses. The program leverages Brownell’s business relationships to provide more affordable services for smaller companies. Brownells Business Advantage (BBA), provides reduced-rate credit card processing, property/liability insurance, and discounted UPS 2-day and Next day shipping. With card processing rates as low as 1.38%, the BBA program could save a gunsmith hundreds of dollars a year. Most other credit card processsing services charge 2.2-2.8% per transaction. A 1% card processing fee reduction will save you $10 on every $1000.00 of customer spending. Brownell’s business partner for credit card processing and Visa business cards is the First National Bank of Omaha.
$50.00 to Join, Plus $25.00 per year
Initial membership in the Brownells Business Advantage costs $50 with a $25 annual renewal fee. Questions? Send email to BBA [at] brownells.com or call Jo Ann at 641-623-5401 Ext. 5447.
CLICK HERE for VIDEO Explaining BBA Benefits
Share the post "Brownell's Offers Financial and Insurance Services Program for Small Businesses"
March 20th, 2009
Weaver Optics has unveiled its new, upgraded website: www.weaveroptics.com. The new site is easier to navigate, and you’ll find much more complete information on all Weaver riflescopes plus useful charts showing the correct ring/mount sizes for various scope/rifle set-ups.
NEW Weaver Website Features
• Complete scope detail: Each scope category shows available finishes and reticles in a simple, clear presentation.
• Mount charts: Quickly and easily find the right mount for your firearm; then browse the ring options for the right solution to your mounting needs.
• Online purchase: “Buy now” option lets you purchase scopes, mounts, and accessories through an approved, secure third-party online store.
NEW Gunsmith Work Center
Weaver’s new website also features a section just for accessories. There we found a cool new product, Weaver’s new Gunsmith Mounting Center (item 849725). This innovative product combines a gun vise with an integral vertical pegboard for tool storage. The gun vise has dual padded jaws that slide on 30″ rails to accommodate all types of long arms. Measuring over two feet tall, the pegboard offers plenty of room to hang tools and cleaning gear. The unit also has a flat platform behind the vise rails, plus a handy 12″x19″ parts tray up front.
• Footprint size on workbench: 34″ wide x 18.5″ deep x 30″ tall
• Pegboard panel sizes: 8″ x 26″ (2) 20.5″ x 26″ (1)
• Parts tray size: 12″ x 19.25″
• Vise adjustment range: 0.5″ – 3.25″
• Vise vertical adjustment range: 2.75″
Share the post "Weaver Launches New Website"
March 20th, 2009
Here’s a great deal on a functional shooting mat. The MidwayUSA Competition Shooting Mat (item 169107) is currently on sale for just $24.99. That’s marked down $25.00 from the normal $49.99 price. The mat features padding for both knees and elbows, plus corner grommets so the mat can be staked down. It rolls up to a compact 6″ x 27″ package.
• Bottom of mat is constructed of textured, non-skid, water-resistant material
• Roughly .325″ thick at the elbow pads and .350″ thick at the knee pads
• Legal for Highpower/CMP rifle matches and smallbore competition
• Dimensions (unrolled): 69″ Long x 27″ Wide
• Includes handle and shoulder strap
Share the post "Half-Price Sale on MidwayUSA Shooting Mats"
March 20th, 2009
Across the country, Americans are purchasing handguns in record numbers, and Smith & Wesson is riding this wave of gun buying. S&W reports that its pistol sales rose a whopping 45.7% in the third quarter of 2008. Due in large part to the rise in handgun revenues, Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:SWHC) reported Thursday that it posted a third-quarter profit of $2.4 million, or 5 cents a share, compared to a loss of a loss of $1.8 million, or 4 cents a share, a year ago.
The company’s third-quarter results easily beat Wall Street estimates. For the quarter, pistol sales jumped 45.7 percent during the quarter while net product sales rose 25.9 percent. Said CEO Michael Golden, “While our hunting business continues to suffer in the current economic environment, the market for hunting rifles in a healthy economy is a sizeable one. In addition, this portion of our business produces barrels for our tactical rifles, products that are clearly in very high demand right now.”
Share the post "Smith & Wesson Pistol Sales Up Nearly 50%"
March 19th, 2009
Imagine if you could have a powerful Windows-based portable PC that would run your ballistics programs, sync with your chronograph, run Excel spread sheets (with reloading logs), connect wirelessly to the internet for weather info and load data, AND provide built-in GPS Navigation. OK, now imagine having all those capabilities (plus a camera) in a 1.4-pound computer with a compact 9.65″ x 4.72″ footprint!
Sound impossible? Not any more. The new Sony Vaio P-Series can do everything we’ve described and still fit easily inside a range-bag or vehicle glove-box. About as thin as a deck of cards, this remarkable little computer can perform a myriad of tasks for the shooter and outdoor sportsman. On the way to the range, you can use it for in-vehicle navigation — with its built-in GPS it provides turn-by-turn instructions (no internet connection needed for GPS services). Once you get to your destination you can then hook it up to your chronograph, or use it to run ExBal or other ballistics program.
Pros and Cons of Vaio P
We really like that fact that the Vaio P is so small and light. The portability means the device gets used much more, providing a web connection nearly everywhere you go (in urban areas). This editor has a 9-lb laptop with a 17″ screen. It’s a nice unit, but it rarely gets used because it’s so darn big and heavy. Conversely, I can easily bring the Vaio P anytime I’m in the car.
The screen on the Sony Vaio P, though it offers 1600 x 768 resolution, is quite small, and won’t display most web pages without scrolling vertically. If you have a target-cam, you’ll be much happier using a standard-size laptop for a display. The 1600×768 resolution stuffs so many pixels in a small space that words are hard to read and there’s no quick path to change the resolution. However, when you’re on the web, you can use the browser’s zoom function to enlarge font size.
The Vaio P comes with a 60 gig conventional hard drive. We wish a Solid State Drive (SSD) was standard. A SSD is more shock-resistant and would consume less power. However, Sony does offer 64 GB or 128 GB SSDs as extra-cost options. As it is, the Sony Vaio P is pretty expensive at $899.00 street price.
For operating systems you have a choice of Windows Vista Premium or Vista Home for the Vaio P. We wish Sony gave buyers an XP or Linux OS option. Dell offers these choices with the Dell Mini laptop.
A Unique Product
The Vaio P is not a perfect product. At about $900.00, it’s expensive as mini-laptops go. However, when you consider that this can replace a GPS Navigation unit, a PDA (for your ballistics program), a Blackberry, and a digital camera, the Vaio P is an attractive alternative. Since it’s small enough to be truly portable, we think a device like this will actually get used a lot more than a big, heavy laptop. And if the Vaio P proves to be something you use virtually every day (like your cell-phone), then it’s well worth the investment. The Vaio P was a CNET “Best of CES” Award winner for 2009.
Share the post "Sony Mini-Computer with Built-In GPS"
March 18th, 2009
Over the past few days, there has been a storm of controversy surrounding sales of surplus U.S. military cartridge brass. The concern arose because DOD Surplus, LLC had announced to wholesale brass purchasers that future shipments of spent cartridge cases would have to be “mutilated” and sold as scrap metal. (DOD Surplus, LLC sells surplus brass under a contract with the Department of Defense.)
Shooters nationwide, fearing that surplus U.S. military brass would no longer be available, protested loudly to members of Congress and Department of Defense officials.
We are pleased to report that the “mutilation” requirement has been rescinded, and vendors such as Georgia Arms and GI Brass will continue to sell reloadable surplus cartridge cases obtained from the U.S. military.
 How the Controversy Arose
The Department of Defense (DOD), on behalf of all the branches of the military, collects fired shell cases. Rather than sell surplus brass directly, the DOD has disposal contracts with DOD Surplus, LLC and Government Liquidation, LLC, two private companies. These companies aggregate and sell the brass in bulk to wholesalers, primarily through online auctions.
DOD Surplus, LLC had notified Georgia Arms that future lots of surplus brass would be subject to a NEW multilation requirement, effectively rendering the brass useless for reloading.
Where did that “mutilation” requirement come from? Was this some evil, new directive from the White House? Apparently not. Here’s what happened. Surplus brass has been handled under a “DEMIL B” product category. Prior to 11/2008, DEMIL B items required no mutilation for sale to the public. That policy changed last November, but several exemptions (waivers) were granted. Expended munitions brass was covered by a waiver.
After the new administration took office, some new manager, probably in the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), eliminated ALL exemptions for DEMIL B products. Why this was done, we don’t really know. It appears no consideration was given to the impact on the shooting industry. But this elimination of the DEMIL B brass waiver was communicated to DOD Surplus, LLC last week. DOD Surplus, LLC, in turn, told its purchasers that milsurp brass would have to be mutilated (rendered unusable) from here on out.
Surplus Brass Now Re-Classified DEMIL Q, so No Mutilation Required
Yesterday, March 17, at 5:15 pm a letter cosigned by Senator Tester (D-MT) and Senator Baucus (D-MT) was faxed to the Department of Defense asking DOD to reverse its new policy requiring destruction of fired military cartridge brass. That joint letter, combined with thousands of email messages sent to Washington, convinced the DOD to reverse the recent change in surplus brass policy.
At 5:30 PM on the 17th, the DOD faxed Senator Tester’s office announcing that the policy requiring multilation of surplus brass had been rescinded. Specifically, surplus military cartridge brass has been reclassified as a “DEMIL Q” product (not “DEMIL B” as before). DEMIL Q requires no product mutilation unless the item is sold to a foreign country.
BOTTOM LINE: Stocks of U.S. Military surplus cartridge brass will continue to be offered for sale, via wholesalers, to the general public. Problem solved. As announced by Georgia Arms: “DOD Surplus, LLC, has rescinded its prior directive that ALL small arms spent casings be mutilated rather than recycled. This was a huge victory for common sense and we would like to thank each and every person who made an effort and played a role in correcting this mistake.”
Share the post "Surplus U.S. Military Brass Remains Available — Mutilation Orders Reversed"
March 18th, 2009
 Berger Bullets has kicked off a special sale on Berger moly-coated bullets. Berger let us release this information first in today’s Daily Bulletin, so that AccurateShooter.com readers will have “first crack” at these super deals.
PURCHASE TERMS
The following bullets are available at significant discounts while supplies last. These prices apply to listed inventories of moly-coated bullets only. Bullets that are not sold by the end of March will be scrapped. (Berger will still produce these bullets uncoated at regular prices, but the moly version is being closed out.)
Bullets must be paid by credit card only unless someone has already established an account with us. Berger will NOT not hold bullets for payment by check. Add a 5% discount if you buy ALL available boxes of a given caliber, weight, and style. Orders placed for 30 boxes or more get free shipping.
Place your order with Andrea Cobos at (714) 447-5456 or contact andrea.cobos [at] bergerbullets.com.
LIST UPDATED as of 09:04 PST on 3/20
Here is the list of bullets still available. (Everything is selling fast…)
Berger 17 cal 30 gr Varmint Moly – 48 boxes – $27.21 per box (200 count)
Berger 22 cal 30 gr Varmint Moly – 18 boxes – $13.52 per box
Berger 22 cal 90 gr VLD Moly – 138 boxes – $17.30 per box
Berger 25 cal 87 gr Moly – 107 boxes – $24.14 per box
Berger 30 cal 110 gr Moly – 14 boxes – $20.69 per box
Berger 30 cal 155 gr BT Moly – 44 boxes – $25.70 per box
Berger 30 cal 168 gr BT Moly – 30 boxes – $24.00 per box
NOTE: The bullets listed above will remain in production in “naked” form, without moly-coating. These bullet designs are NOT being discontinued — just the moly-coated versions.
Share the post "Berger Moly Bullet Close-Out Sale — Awesome Deals"
|
