America’s four-time-Olympic medalist Kim Rhode won the Gold Medal and equaled the existing world record at the 2010 ISSF World Cup in Beijing, China. Chinese shooters Shi Hong Yan and Wei Ning finished second and third, respectively.
Rhode was nearly perfect throughout the competition. By nailing 74 of 75 targets in the first three rounds and shooting a final round of 24, Rhode won the competition by two targets. With this victory, Rhode has earned more valuable points in her quest to again represent the United States in the 2012 London Games. If Rhode does participate in the 2012 Games, she could become the first American Olympian from an individual sport to earn medals in five consecutive Olympic Games. Rhode was pleased with her performance: “This is an exciting time for me. I was hoping to get a 99 [to set a new record] but it just was not meant to be.” On competing again in Beijing, Rhode declared: “This city is so incredible. Things are a lot different now than they were during the Olympic Games but it still is such an amazing place to compete.”
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has released the results of a survey of Americans 18 years or older. The study showed that 34.4 million adult Americans (11.2% of the U.S. population*), went target shooting in 2009. This number surpasses all previous survey estimates of annual sport shooting participation. The study, “Shooting Sports Participation Survey in the United States in 2009,” was conducted for the NSSF by Responsive Management through a random digit dialing telephone survey of 8,204 U.S. residents ages 18 and older.
Mark Duda, executive director of Responsive Management, declared: “This was a highly scientific study with the sample meticulously developed on a state-by-state basis to construct the national number. Both landline and cell phones were utilized in the actual proportions they exist within the American population.” Duda said this type of telephone survey yields a 95 percent confidence level. The report’s sampling error is ± 1.08 percentage points. Added Duda, “This study measured all shooting participation— from hunters sighting in, to friends going shooting with friends who own firearms, to women practicing their self-defense skills. This study measured the full range of shooting activities across America.” CLICK HERE for NSSF Survey Report.
24 Million Adult Rifle Shooters and 22 Million Adult Handgunners
In the NSSF survey, respondents were asked about their use of particular types of rifles. An estimated 24 million adult Americans shot traditional sporting rifles, while 22 million adults shot handguns. Users of AR-style rifles (aka “modern sporting rifles”), numbered an estimated 8.9 million adults. Interestingly, however, the AR owners went shooting more often than did sport shooters using other types of firearms. The estimated 8.9 million adults who shot a modern sporting rifle in 2009, did so on 22.9 days per year on average. Though more people shot other types of rifles (24 million) and handguns (22 million) than shot modern sporting rifles, they ranked below modern sporting rifle shooters in activity, with traditional rifle users participating on 17.3 days and handgun shooters 16.7 days.
AR Shooters Outnumber Trap/Skeet Shooters
More people shot with modern sporting rifles (ARs), and more often, than with shotguns in the established sports of skeet, trap and sporting clays. As noted above, 8.9 million Americans used their ARs for sport shooting. The survey showed 7.6 million people went trap shooting on 14.8 days, 7 million went skeet shooting on 15.5 days and 8.4 million participated in sporting clays on 13.7 days.
The survey sought to define the demographic makeup of those who shoot with a modern sporting rifle, such as an AR-15. As expected, men represented 84 percent of modern sporting rifle shooters and women 16 percent. Most modern sporting rifle users reside in small cities or towns (25 percent) and non-farm rural areas (25 percent) compared with urban areas (19 percent), suburban areas (16 percent) and farms/ranches (15 percent). Modern sporting rifles appealed to younger shooters, with 64 percent of users ranging in age from 18 to 44. Modern sporting rifle users were 86 percent white, with Hispanic/Latinos the next largest ethnic group at 5 percent.
Tired of filling out forms, making copies, purchasing stamps and waiting to hear if your application arrived on time? Wait no longer! Entries for the National Rifle and Pistol Championships — as well as the various junior camps — are now being accepted online.
Just go to the NRA Camp Perry Sign-up webpage, fill out the appropriate fields (enter your NRA ID if you have one), and your application will automatically be entered into the system. According to John Park of the NRA’s Competitive Shooting Division, “We’ve had a lot of requests for an online system and [we] can’t wait to start using the new system.” Parker advises that, for the system to function correctly, users should employ Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher or Netscape 6.0 or higher. You can also access the impressive 100-page Camp Perry digital Program & Entry Information, which contains maps, schedules, Courses of Fire, Rules and much more. Click the first link below to read the Program online. Click the second link to download the Program as a PDF file.
The United States Supreme Court today struck down a federal law banning depictions of “animal cruelty” on the basis that the law violated the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment. In its 8-1 ruling in United States v. Stevens, the High Court upheld a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision voiding the conviction of Robert Stevens for violating 18 U.S.C. 48, which prohibits depiction of animal cruelty.
The Supreme Court’s majority opinion was authored by Chief Justice Roberts, who declared that that the law was overbroad, and could potentially be used to ban TV shows about hunting, as well as educational videos. At issue was a 1999 federal law that makes it a crime to create, sell or possess videos and other depictions of cruelty to animals. The case arose over the conviction of Robert Stevens, who received a three-year prison sentence from a Western Pennsylvania court for selling videos that included scenes of hunting with dogs. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction on constitutional grounds, accepting Stevens’ argument that his videos were protected under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court upheld the Third Circuit’s decision. Had the Third Circuit’s decision been overturned, all images of legal hunting and fishing could have been deemed illegal under the law.
The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) took a lead role in bringing journalists and outdoor industry organizations together in support of the First Amendment argument presented before the Court by Robert Stevens’ attorney Patricia Millett. “POMA is grateful to the Court for this important decision,” said Laurie Lee Dovey, POMA executive director. “The First Amendment rights of traditional outdoor sports journalists, those who cover legal hunting and fishing and promote the enjoyment of these American heritage sports, are protected. The impact of this decision on POMA members, all journalists, and the outdoor industry can not be overstated.” The ruling in U.S. v. Stevens was a setback for animal rights groups and the Obama Adminstration’s lawyers, who asked the Supreme Court to overrule the Third Circuit and send Robert Stevens to prison.
We thought we’d seen “all things tactical” — tactical trousers, hats, gloves, boots, duffle bags, even tactical beer mugs. But here’s something new: a tactical energy drink from THOR Global Defense Group.
So, when you “operators” need go-juice after fast-roping down from a Blackhawk in an Afghan firefight, now you can get the liquid energy blast you need to save the planet. An 8.4-oz can of THOR tactical energy drink contains 27 grams of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine (twice as much as an ordinary cola drink). A can of THOR also contains a whopping 1000 mg of Taurine, an amino sulfonic acid thought to improve athletic performance and lessen the effect of hangovers. So, if you partied too hard the night before your big mission, THOR’s tactical energy drink might be just the ticket.
Downsides of Energy Drinks
In all seriousness, we’ve found that energy drinks of this kind (Monster, Red Bull, Rock Star), can improve alertness when driving or working late — even if you end up feeling more drained afterward. However, we question the effect of all that sugar, caffeine, and stimulants on your trigger finger control. Maybe real shooters should avoid this kind of beverage until AFTER the shooting match. These caffeine-laced energy drinks can be potent diurectics — causing you to dehydrate faster. REAL Tactical operators would probably be better off consuming plain water before most missions. Credit Steve of The Firearms Blog for telling us about THOR Tactical Energy Drink. Steve asks: “Who will be the first to develop tactical beer?”
Need “value-priced” .223 Rem Brass? Then give Graf & Sons a call. Graf’s has NEW Lake City Mil-Spec .223 Rem (5.56) unprimed brass on sale for just $19.99 per 100 cases. That’s right… just twenty bucks per hundred. But this sale price expires Friday 4/23/2010 at midnight. Large quantities of sale brass were on hand at this price as of 12:00 noon CST on 4/21. To order, visit Grafs.com, or call 1-800-531-2666.
Many shooters feel that Lake City makes some of the best .223 Rem (5.56×45) brass available. And it’s hard to beat Graf’s price for this LC 2009 headstamp brass (item FDU223). This is a good opportunity for varminters and service rifle shooters to lay in a large supply of quality brass.
Today, April 19th, is “Patriot’s Day”, the anniversary of the “Shot heard ’round the world.” Earlier today, in Washington, DC, supporters of Second Amendment gun rights rallied near the Washington Monument. Those dedicated rally attendees came from all parts of the country to demonstrate their support for the individual right to keep and bear arms. The DC rally, along with companion demonstrations in state capitols nationwide, drew the attention of the national print and television media. The reporters recorded plenty of stirring speeches on the subject of gun control and individual rights. Perhaps the TV cameras were seeking greater drama — but there were no fights, no violence, no guns fired into the air.
Those who attended the main DC rally were estimated at a “few hundred” to “as many as 2,000″ (Washington Post). Perhaps the rally could have drawn more attendees, but the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of Heller v. D.C., which recognized an individual right to “keep and bear” arms, may have created a sense of complacency among firearms owners. Indeed, the Washington Post News Blog observed: “The March comes at a time when the trend appears to be toward normalizing carrying of firearms in public. Even before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in [Heller] recognized an individual’s constitutional right to possess firearms, an increasing number of states have allowed citizens to carry guns openly or conceal them on their person. Last year, 24 states loosened restrictions in firearms laws, and Iowa and Arizona passed laws this year easing restrictions on gun possession.”
We talked recently with our friend Darrell Jones, a talented benchrest shooter from Tennessee, who operates a brass processing business, DJ’s Brass Restoration Service. Darrell ultrasonically cleans old cartridge brass then carefully anneals each case, using temp-sensitive lacquers to ensure the brass is neither over-annealed or under-annealed. As far as we know, DJ’s Brass Restoration Service is the ONLY business in the country offering combined ultrasonic cleaning and annealing. And now Darrell can process your brass with even great efficiency.
Darrell told us he has just received his new, automated dual-torch, carousel annealing machine from Bench-Source. This microprocessor-controlled unit may be the most advanced bench-top annealing machine ever created. Two torches are used to provide intersecting flames for uniform heating. The micro-processor precisely controls the heating time, and a special motor spins each case around its axis while in the heating position. This ensures that the neck and shoulder are annealed evenly.
Combined Ultrasonic Cleaning and Case Annealing
If you have “tired” brass with inconsistent neck tension from case to case, give Darrell a call. His cleaning/annealing process will extend the useful life of your brass, and his service is quite affordable. Darrell’s Basic Service starts at $20.00 per hundred cases — and that includes ultrasonic cleaning AND annealing. (Flat rate USPS shipping is extra.) Note: very large cases (such as the .338 Lapua) or damaged, dented cases may cost more.
In addition to the Basic Service, Darrell offers a 4-Step Full Service starting at $25.00 per hundred cases (plus shipping). Darrell’s Full Service brass restoration includes: Uniforming primer pockets; Chamfering Case Mouths; Ultra Cleaning and polishing; Annealing case necks.
Ultrasonic Muzzle Brake Cleaning
In addition to cleaning and annealing cartridge brass, Darrell offers Ultrasonic Cleaning for muzzle brakes. This removes carbon buildup to restore critical bullet clearance requirements. The price is $15.00 per brake (plus shipping).
For more information, visit DJsBrass.com, or call Darrell at (901) 826-1503. IMPORTANT: Contact Darrell for shipping instructions BEFORE sending any brass for processing. ALL BRASS MUST BE DE-PRIMED before you send it.
Texan Erik Cortina (aka X3MHunter in our Forum) showcased some great marksmanship recently. Competing at Houston’s Bayou Rifle Club, Erik shot a spectacular 600-49X to break the Rifle Club’s 300-yard F-Class Open division record of 599-32X. Erik smashed the Bayou record, raising the point count to a perfect 600 with 17 more Xs than before. Erik reports: “Conditions were calm, about 65 degrees with about a 1-3 mile wind from right to left. I would say they were almost perfect conditions. I was there at the right place at the right time!” Eric’s three strings, in order, were: 200-17X, 200-16X, and 200-16X. That’s consistency! In setting the new record, Erik demonstrated how accurate the 6.5 x 47 Lapua cartridge can be. (Note: There is no official NRA 3x20x300-yard F-Open Record at this time. The NRA currently logs only an individual 20-shot 300-yard F-Open record, which was set by Shiriz Balolia, with a perfect 200-20X).
We know many of our readers have built, or plan to build, a 6.5×47 Lapua match rifle. The question often arises: “What powder should I shoot and what weight bullet?” We normally advise people to start with bullets in the 120-130 grain-range with a powder such as Varget or Reloder 15. However, the unique properties of Reloder 17 offers a “heavy bullet solution.” In the hands of Asst. Editor Jason Baney, our AccurateShooter.com 6.5×47 Lapua test rifle shot the 140gr Bergers very accurately using Reloder 17. In fact, Jason’s most accurate 200-yard load was with the 140s and RL17.
Erik Cortina also found that the 6.5×47 cartridge can work superbly with 140 grain-class bullets. Erik shot the 139gr Lapua Scenar bullets (jammed .020″ in the lands) with a stout load of Reloder 17 (more than 40 grains). Erik was able to drive the 139gr Scenars well over 2900 fps with the small 6.5×47 case. Erik tells us: “I developed this load doing a ladder test at 500 yards. This might be a very hot load in most rifles but mine is throated specifically for the 139 Scenars since I didn’t plan on shooting anything else. This load does not show pressure signs on my rifle.” Erik got great accuracy with minimal brass prep: “The Lapua 6.5×47 brass is great. After uniforming the primer pockets, I tried to weight sort but only found .3 grains variance on 300 pieces of brass, so I just loaded the brass and went shooting.”
Rifle Components and Smithing
Erik’s rifle features a Lawton 7500 RBRP left-eject action, mated to a 1:8″-twist, 28″ Krieger barrel. The barrel was chambered for a no-turn 6.5×47. The stock is a Richard Franklin Low Rider made by West Custom Rifles. The rifle was smithed by Mark Pharr of Tumbleweeds Custom Rifles.
Today, Sunday April 18th, is the last day to take advantage of MidwayUSA’s special “TAX RELIEF” promotion. With this limited-time offer, you can get $15.00 off any $150.00 order, or $25.00 off any $250.00 order. Don’t delay, as the clock is ticking — MidwayUSA’s TAX RELIEF offer ends at 11:59 PM Central Time on April 18, 2010.
Here’s how it works. Enter the promotion code in the box entitled “Promotion Code” on the shopping cart page. You will see the discount on the Confirmation page before placing your order. This promotion is limited to one per Customer and one promotion code per retail order. The offer applies to in-stock products only and the offer cannot be combined with Birthday, Special or Dealer Pricing, and the offer is NOT valid on MidwayUSA Gift Certificates and Nightforce products.
America’s four-time-Olympic medalist Kim Rhode won the Gold Medal and equaled the existing world record at the 2010 ISSF World Cup in Beijing, China. Chinese shooters Shi Hong Yan and Wei Ning finished second and third, respectively.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has released the results of a survey of Americans 18 years or older. The study showed that 34.4 million adult Americans (11.2% of the U.S. population*), went target shooting in 2009. This number surpasses all previous survey estimates of annual sport shooting participation. The study, “Shooting Sports Participation Survey in the United States in 2009,” was conducted for the NSSF by Responsive Management through a random digit dialing telephone survey of 8,204 U.S. residents ages 18 and older.
Tired of filling out forms, making copies, purchasing stamps and waiting to hear if your application arrived on time? Wait no longer! Entries for the National Rifle and Pistol Championships — as well as the various junior camps — are now being accepted online.
The United States Supreme Court today struck down a federal law banning depictions of “animal cruelty” on the basis that the law violated the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment. In its 8-1 ruling in United States v. Stevens, the High Court upheld a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision voiding the conviction of Robert Stevens for violating 18 U.S.C. 48, which prohibits depiction of animal cruelty.
So, when you “operators” need go-juice after fast-roping down from a Blackhawk in an Afghan firefight, now you can get the liquid energy blast you need to save the planet. An 8.4-oz can of THOR tactical energy drink contains 27 grams of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine (twice as much as an ordinary cola drink). A can of THOR also contains a whopping 1000 mg of Taurine, an amino sulfonic acid thought to improve athletic performance and lessen the effect of hangovers. So, if you partied too hard the night before your big mission, THOR’s tactical energy drink might be just the ticket.
Today, April 19th, is “Patriot’s Day”, the anniversary of the “Shot heard ’round the world.” Earlier today, in Washington, DC, supporters of Second Amendment gun rights rallied near the Washington Monument. Those dedicated rally attendees came from all parts of the country to demonstrate their support for the individual right to keep and bear arms. The DC rally, along with companion demonstrations in state capitols nationwide, drew the attention of the national print and television media. The reporters recorded plenty of stirring speeches on the subject of gun control and individual rights. Perhaps the TV cameras were seeking greater drama — but there were no fights, no violence, no guns fired into the air.
Texan Erik Cortina (aka X3MHunter in our Forum) showcased some great marksmanship recently. Competing at Houston’s 
Erik Cortina also found that the 6.5×47 cartridge can work superbly with 140 grain-class bullets. Erik shot the 139gr Lapua Scenar bullets (jammed .020″ in the lands) with a stout load of Reloder 17 (more than 40 grains). Erik was able to drive the 139gr Scenars well over 2900 fps with the small 6.5×47 case. Erik tells us: “I developed this load doing a ladder test at 500 yards. This might be a very hot load in most rifles but mine is throated specifically for the 139 Scenars since I didn’t plan on shooting anything else. This load does not show pressure signs on my rifle.” Erik got great accuracy with minimal brass prep: “The Lapua 6.5×47 brass is great. After uniforming the primer pockets, I tried to weight sort but only found .3 grains variance on 300 pieces of brass, so I just loaded the brass and went shooting.”
