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April 9th, 2011
 The winter 2011 digital edition of the CMP’s On the Mark Magazine is now available online for free in PDF format. This latest edition of On the Mark contains a number of interesting articles for competitive shooters including a great article on the “mental game” by Gary Anderson, former Director of Civilian Marksmanship. In addition to recent match reports, you’ll find:
- Mental Performance and Sports Psychology, by Gary Anderson, DCME
- Motivation: How to Stay ‘On the Mark’, by Lisa Markland
- Three-Position Air Rifle Rule Interpretations
- Profile of SFC Josh Olson, USAMU Paralympic Competitor, by Steve Cooper
- CMP Summer Rifle Camp Preview, by S. Wood
CLICK HERE to download On the Mark Digital Edition
April 8th, 2011
 The Take-5© World Championship will be held April 30-May 1, 2011 at the Hogue Action Pistol Range near Morro Bay, CA. The Take-5 is a rimfire rifle and pistol action-shooting sport. Matches usually have five stages consisting primarily of reactive steel targets. For most matches, pistol shooters have 5 targets on each stage and rifle shooters have 6 targets on each stage.
Five Competition Classes in Take-5 Events
There five (5) different classes for competition, as listed below. A shooter may enter different classifications for pistol and rifle.
Take-5© is designed to be a fun match for all participants, including new shooters. Young people and women are cordially invited. This year, the six annual event, over $14,000 worth of prizes will be awarded, provided by Match Sponsors including Smith & Wesson, Volquartsen Custom, Kimber, Lapua, Caldwell, C-More Sights, Bell & Carlson, MGM Targets, SKB, and ShootingChrony.
Great Location for Family Getaway
This Editor has often competed at the Morro Bay shooting range facility. This is a great venue for a weekend getaway. The range is close to the ocean, with affordable hotels and good camping facilities nearby. You can bring the whole family. There’s plenty for them to see and do.
April 7th, 2011
 Today, April 7, the National Rifle Association’s 2nd Annual Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships commence in Charleston, South Carolina. Clemson University is the official host, but the actual shooting will take place at the Citadel’s high-tech shooting range, which boasts electronic targets with large plasma-screen score displays. The Citadel is known more formally as The Military College of South Carolina.
This is the last big, multi-team match of the season. “What a fantastic way to wrap up the Collegiate Shooting season,” said National Collegiate Competitive Shooting Manager Torie Croft. “We started off in Georgia, made our way to Texas, and now we’re down here in South Carolina for the Rifle Club Championships. I can’t thank Clemson and The Citadel enough for their assistance in helping this come together.”
With Clemson serving as the official host, and The Citadel serving as the official site, the Championships are sure to provide each competitor with an abundance of that famous South Carolina charm. NRA’s Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships are open to College Rifle Clubs, ROTC Teams, and independent shooters, for which there is currently no national championship. The First Shot Ceremony commences at 5:30 on Thursday followed by a Welcome Reception at 6:30.
April 7th, 2011
 Camp Perry shooters, get out those computer keyboards. Online entry is now officially activated for the 2011 NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry. If you plan to attend the National Championships, CLICK HERE to submit your entry information online at www.nmentry.com.
The Online Entry Form for the 2011 National Matches has links to download Liability forms and Special Squadding Request forms for the Smallbore Rifle Phase. Please note that team entries must be made on-site at Camp Perry. Visit www.nmentry.com, for more info. If you have questions about online entry, email compadmin@nrahq.org.
April 7th, 2011
John Weber, a 70-year-old from England, was given a metal mug by his grandfather in 1945. Though his grandfather had a “good eye” for antiques, John never thought the metal mug was worth much. He played with it as a child, and even used it as a target for his air rifle. The mug, assumed to be brass, has languished in a shoe box under Weber’s bed for decades.
Well, it turns out Weber’s old mug may be the world’s most expensive plinking target! The cup is actually made of solid gold, and is a rare, ancient artwork, crafted over 2300 years ago. The unusual mug, decorated with twin, opposite-facing female heads, was appraised with a value exceeding one-quarter million dollars ($250,000)!
According to news reports, Weber decided to have the old mug (thought to be brass) appraised when he moved from his house. He was shocked to learn that the mug is a Persian gold treasure, beaten out from a single sheet of gold before the time of Alexander the Great. Experts said the type of gold and the way the cup was hammered was “consistent with Achaemenid gold and gold smithing” dating back to the third or fourth century BC. The Achaemenid Empire ruled most of the Middle East and was conquered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. Could this cup be one of Alexander’s war trophies? What stories could it tell from the past 2300 years?
Ancient Gold Cup Brings £50,000 at Auction
The rare cup was sold at auction by Duke’s Auction house in southwest England in June, 2008. Though the Cup was valued much higher by experts, it only fetched £50,000, or roughly $99,000 U.S. Dollars (at 2008 exchange rates). John Webber said he was still very pleased with that result.
CLICK HERE for Auction Description (Item 378).
Achaemenid Empire (in green)
April 6th, 2011
 If you need to stock up on practice handgun ammo, Natchez Shooters Supply is running a 5-day sale on CCI Blazer Ammo. The sale starts today (4/6/2011) and ends Sunday, April 10th at 11:59 pm Eastern. Sale includes: .32 ACP, .38 Spl, .357 Magnum, .380 ACP, 9mm, 40 SW, 10mm, .44 Magnum, .45 ACP and more. IMPORTANT: CCI Blazer ammo is made with aluminum cases, so the ammo is NOT reloadable.
This Editor has shot thousands of rounds of Blazer ammo in many calibers. The only problem I had was with some .380 ACP in a Sig p230 that had the hammer spring lightened at the factory. This ammo uses CCI primers which are harder than Federal or Winchester pistol primers.
Here are some of the best deals:
CCI Blazer 32 ACP 71 gr TMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $19.36, reduced from $22.77
CCI Blazer 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $8.99, reduced from $11.09.
CCI Blazer 40 S&W 165gr TMJ Ammunition 50rd box. Price $12.99 reduced from $17.55.
(Editor’s Comment: Excellent 40 SW ammo. Very Accurate, Reduced Recoil.)
CCI Blazer 10mm Auto 200gr TMJ Ammunition 50 rd box. Price $22.75 reduced from $28.82.
Bulk-Pack CCI .22 LR Ammo also on Sale
In addition to the pistol ammo, Natchez has bulk-pack 40gr .22 LR ammo on sale. This can be used in either rifles or pistols. This is good “plinking” ammo at a great price. For the next five days, a 525-round box is just $15.95, reduced from $31.46. Hard to beat that. Natchez claims this is the lowest-priced .22 LR Ammo on the market.
April 5th, 2011
If you want to learn how to shoot accurately at very long-range, one of the very best places to learn is the Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School. The next School session runs May 20, 21, & 22, 2011. Classes are held at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club Range, one of the best 1K ranges in the country. Classes are taught by top 1K shooters, including our Asst. Editor, Jason Baney.
While these Benchrest schools typically sell out, there were still eight (8) student slots available as of April first. If you want to grab one of the remaining slots for the 3-day school, don’t hesitate. To see what the 1K Benchrest school is like, watch the slide show/video below, produced by Sebastian Reist, an alumnus of the 2009 Williamsport 1000-yard BR school. Sebastian, a talented professional photographer, captured the highlights of his Williamsport 1K training weekend:
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this VideoPress video.
For more information or to sign up for the 2011 1000-Yard Benchrest Class this May, contact School Director Frank Grappone, or visit the Williamsport website, PA1000yard.com.
Photos and slideshow courtesy Sebastian Reist, www.sreistphotography.com.
April 4th, 2011
 Bryan Litz, author of Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting, is releasing a Second Edition of his highly respected treatise on Ballistics. The new book is complete, and Bryan Litz is currently taking orders through his AppliedBallisticsLLC.com website. Bryan plans to start shipping Second Editions on April 18, 2011. The Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition) book and CD, as a package, sell for $49.95 plus shipping.
CLICK HERE for Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition) Book Description.
CLICK HERE to Order Applied Ballistics for Long Range Shooting, 2d. Edition
 New Edition is Bigger and Better
Along with all the impressive content from the original book, the Second Edition of Applied Ballistics contains more chapters, more pages, more test-derived bullet data, plus the updated Version 2.0 of the Point Mass Ballistics Solver software (on CD). The Second Edition is even physically bigger — Bryan has bumped up the size to a larger, easier-to-read 7″ x 10″ format. In the bigger book you’ll find two completely new chapters, plus updates of existing chapters. The Second Edition contains new experimental test data on 61 additional bullets, and bullet data pages now include complete stability data. Bryan has also included ballistic performance analysis for both long range hunting and long range target shooting.
A Gold-Mine of Information
If you’ve seen a copy of the First Edition, you’ll know that Bryan has assembled the “mother lode” of ballistics information, much of which is hard to find anywhere else. Heck, just getting Bryan’s field-test-derived bullet data may be worth the “price of admission” for many shooters. While the book goes into many advanced aspects of ballistics, this is not a graduate-level treatise. Bryan successfully created a book that can benefit any serious shooter, not just math wizards or college professors. Here are some of the many topics covered by Applied Ballistics (2d. Edition):
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The Ballistic Coefficient
G1 vs. G7 BC Models
Bullet Shapes (Tangent vs. Secant)
Gravity Drop
Uphill/Downhill Shooting
Wind Deflection
Temperature/Pressure Effects
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Monolithic Bullets (NEW)
Gyroscopic (Spin) Drift
The Coriolis Effect
Using Ballistics Programs
Getting Control of Sights
Bullet Stability
Extended Long Range Shooting
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CD Provides Significantly Enhanced Software
 With each copy of Applied Ballistics For Long Range Shooting (2d. Ed.), Bryan includes a CD containing Version 2.0 of the Point Mass Ballistics Solver. Combined with experimentally-measured BCs, this program can deliver extremely accurate trajectories and even calculate spin drift. In response to user requests, this 2.0 software update provides valuable new capabilities. First, now you can output trajectories in inches, centimeters, MOA or MILS. Take your pick — whichever you prefer. Second, the new software now provides bullet kinetic energy at all ranges. Last but not least, you can now easily print out your ballistics as a text file.
DEALER ORDERS: If you are interested in becoming a dealer, please email
bryan.litz [at] appliedballisticsllc.com for information on bulk-order discounts.
Disclosure: Applied Ballistics LLC Advertises with AccurateShooter.com.
April 4th, 2011
X-Treme Shooting Products has announced that its new line of Titanium actions is in full production, with short and long receivers ready to ship. The .338 receivers should be ready by the time of the NRA Annual meeting in late April. X-Treme Shooting is currently the only manufacturer of Titanium rifle receivers in the USA. Titanium construction offers significant weight savings, without compromising durability. On a long-action build, using a Titanium action could save up to 10 ounces. The short and long Titanium receivers both have a Rem 700 footprint, but with enhancements for improved function and accuracy. These are custom-grade actions, “absolutely true and dimensionally correct.”
 Benefits of Titanium Construction
Why Titanium? In addition to being much lighter than steel (by volume), Titanium is extremely strong, and very corrosion-resistant. That is why it is used for critical parts in jet airplanes and spacecraft. Titanium is as strong as steel, but 45% lighter. It is 60% heavier than aluminum, but twice as strong. Titanium has the highest strength to weight ratio of any common metal. Titanium does requires special milling tools and techniques for production. However, it is otherwise a highly-desirable material for rifle actions because it is light, strong, and corrosion-resistant.
New CG INCH Action Available
X-Treme Shooting sells a variety of other precision products, including the CG X-Treme Mod22 two-stage trigger, the Centra Goliath Front Sight, and the CG INCH target action from Australia shown below. The new INCH action, designed by Robert Chombart, are offered with either .308 or .223 bolt faces, for $1075.00. This is an excellent action for F-Class and Fullbore shooters. Call for finish options and other details.
For more information or to place an order, email ctmyers [at] x-tremeshooting.com, or call (513) 313-3464, or visit X-TremeShooting.com.
April 4th, 2011
 The 2011 ISSF Combined World Cup shooting competitions were held in Sydney, Australia on March 21-31. In Sydney, the world’s top shooters vied for coveted Olympic “Quotas” that would secure eligibility to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games. 34 Olympic Quotas were awarded during the course of the 15 ISSF pistol, rifle and shotgun events in Sydney. Lead by its shotgunners, Team USA performed superbly in Australia, finishing with 8 total medals, including 3 Golds, more than any other country. China finished second in the medal count.
American Medal Winners:
Gold: Jamie Beyerle (Lebanon, PA), Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position
Gold: Kim Rhode (El Monte, CA), Women’s Skeet
Gold: Jon Michael McGrath (Tulsa, OK), Men’s Skeet
Silver: Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, NJ), Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position
Silver: Amy Sowash (Richmond, KY), Women’s 50m Rifle Three Position
Silver: SFC Eric Uptagrafft (Phenix City, AL), Men’s 50m Rifle Prone
Silver: Staff Sergeant Joshua Richmond (Hillsgrove, PA), Men’s Double Trap
Silver: Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, LA), Women’s Skeet
 Young Americans Win Gold
The United States fielded one of the youngest teams in Australia. But the young shooters more than held their own. Team USA rifle shooter Jamie Beyerle dominated the Women’s 50m three-position event, to win Gold with a total of 685.3 points. Beyerle’s fellow American Amy Sowash finished second. Beyerle shot great in windy conditions that bothered many of her rivals. You can watch Jamie shoot in the first video linked below.
Another gold-medal performance was turned in by 18-year-old skeet shooter John McGrath, the current ISSF Junior World Champion. McGrath qualified for the Men’s Skeet Final by hitting 124 of 125 targets, and then “cleaned” all his 25 Final targets. In an exciting finish, McGrath took the Skeet Gold Medal by beating 2007 World Champion Georgios Achilleos of Cyprus in a shoot-off.
Highlights of the 2011 ISSF Shooting World are now available on the ISSF’s YouTube Channel. Linked below are videos of the Women’s 50m 3-Position Highlights and Men’s Prone 50m Air Rifle event. You can also visit www.ISSF-Shooting.org for the complete tournament results, interviews with shooters, and the latest international shooting news.
Women’s 50m 3-Position (Featuring Jamie Beyerle)
Men’s 50m Prone
Thanks to JoeF for sourcing this story.
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