The Tuff 1 Grip Cover is a simple new accessory that may benefit tubegun shooters, AR owners, and pistol enthusiasts. Tuff 1 Grip Covers are made from a proprietary, grippy rubberized material that can stretch up to 200%. This elasticity allows the covers to easily fit all revolvers, semi-autos, and rifle or shotgun pistol grips. As you’d expect, Tuff 1 grip covers give you a more secure hold. Importantly, the material also helps absorb recoil (though not as much as Hogue grips). When fitted over a standard, hard-plastic AR grip, the Tuff 1 sleeve definitely provides a more comfortable, “high-traction” feel in the hand. On semi-auto pistols, Tuff 1 grip covers give a secure hold without the rough feel you get with stick-on skateboard tape.
Boa or Bad-Ass
Three surface patterns and four colors (Black, Olive Drab, Desert Tan, Hot Pink) are offered. We prefer the raised button “Boa Snake” pattern, but there is also a grid pattern with raised lines, and a skull pattern, for those “bad-ass” types. The $16.95 MSRP is the same for all colors and surface patterns. You can order from major vendors or directly from the Tuff 1 Online Store.
The one-size-fits-all Tuff 1 grip covers are easy to install. Simply roll the rubberized grip up like a sock, place it on the grip, then unroll it. (Watch installation video below). The Tuff 1 covers can be just as easily removed without harming the rubber.
Useful Product — But Consider Other Options
If you sweat a lot or shoot in wet climates, Tuff 1 grip covers provide a simple, low-cost upgrade. A Tuff 1 grip sleeve does markedly enhance the standard plastic AR15 pistol grip, which is hard, and slippery when wet. But then, for not much more money, you can select among a half-dozen or more aftermarket AR grips which will probably fit your hand better AND provide more cushioning.
For wood-handled wheelguns, we like the Tuff 1 covers in Boa or ‘Double-Cross’ pattern. The Tuff 1 grip sleeves provide better “traction” and cushion the hand a bit without changing grip geometry or making the grip overly thick in your hand. For a tubegun, we prefer the feel and ergonomics of a wood grip, such as those crafted by Doan Trevor (photo at right). These cost $75.00 from DoanTrevor.com or CompetitionShootingStuff.com. For $175.00, Doan also offers fully customized stippled grips, fitted to the shooter’s hand, and finished in satin or gloss.
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The centerfire World Benchrest Championship (WBC) is being hosted in Volmerange-Les-Mines, France this year. Matches commence on Tuesday, the 23rd of August. Practice has been underway since August 18. The official WBC website includes an event schedule plus a list of this year’s WBC competitors. It appears that the number of shooters is down slightly this year, compared to the 170 participants who attended the 2007 WBC in Austria. However, it looks like there will be a record number of countries represented at this year’s Championship event, with first-ever attendees from nations such as Colombia and Ukraine. The WBC has truly become a “world” competition, attracting the “best of the best” from around the globe. The match will be held at the modern Eurostand facility, one of Europe’s best-equipped indoor/outdoor shooting ranges.
The three American squads attending the 2011 WBC will include many Benchrest legends:
Team USA ‘A': Tony Boyer, Larry Costa, Gene Bukys, Chris Harris
Team USA ‘B': Mike Ratigan, Jack Neary, Andy Shifflett, Wayne Campbell
Team USA ‘C': Larry Baggett, Robert Hammack, Dave Coots, Tim Oltersdorf
Story tip by Fergus Bailey. Photos courtesy Association Bench Rest France.
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Dennis DeMille, Gen. Manager of Creedmoor Sports, fired a rare 100-4X in the standing stage of the 2011 Springfield Rifle Match, winning the event and setting a new record in the process. DeMille’s 297-8X Aggregate score broke the previous record of 295-6X set by Douglas Armstrong last year. DeMille fired a 98-2X in slow-fire prone, and a 99-2X rapid-fire prone. DeMille then capped his record-setting match with his remarkable 100-4X in the final offhand stage. MSG Julia Watson, USMC, the only female competitor, placed second with a 293-4X Aggregate.
DeMille is Former National High Power Champion
A former U.S. Marine Rifle Team member, Dennis is no stranger to the podium at Camp Perry. Dennis won the NRA Nat’l High Power Championship in 2005 and the Service Rifle National Championship in 2003. This year Dennis proved this year that he still has what it takes. Congratulations to Dennis — Well done! After Dennis returned from Camp Perry, we asked him some questions about his 1903 Springfield rifle and his performance.
Interview with Dennis DeMille
Q: How does it feel to win an elite competition at age 46 compared to your other championships earlier in your career?
Dennis: Notwithstanding my freakish friend Carl Bernosky, as you get older, for a variety of reasons, winning becomes a little bit harder — in my case it’s poor vision. So of course each victory tastes a little sweeter and nothing is taken for granted.
Q: What were conditions like at the match this year?
Dennis: We had beautiful conditions that day — just a little warm.
Q. What ammo were you using?
Dennis: Hornady 168 grain .30-06, as issued at the Match.
Q: Was anything special done to accurize your rifle?
Dennis: No. This was the first match for this stock though. I think that might be why I shot two 9s in prone slow fire — it was still settling in. Nothing has been done to any part of the rifle to make it more accurate. The rifle is “as-is” from the CMP … complete with nasty trigger. Before I shoot it again though I am going to swap out the front sight blade for a fatter USMC type blade so I can see it [better].
Q. You nailed the standing, often considered the hardest stage. What advice can you give to shooters who want to improve their standing abilities?
Dennis: No secret there — snap-in, holding exercises, and a good mental program. In particular I recommend 20 one-minute holding exercises, with 30-second breaks in between each hold. That is the quickest and best way to identify a poor position (because it will be painful), and build a well-supported position.
Q: Does Creedmoor Sports have any specialty products for shooters of the 1903 Springfield or other vintage military rifles?
Dennis: We really don’t have many products specific to those rifles. But the beauty of those rifles and that course of fire is that there isn’t much you need to buy.
Photos Courtesy Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).
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The 8th Western CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will be held at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona, on 15-23 October 2011. The Western CMP Games run 15-18 October while the Creedmoor Cup Matches follow on 19-23 October. This event typical draws hundreds of shooters who compete with a wide variety of rifles — Match Rifles, Service Rifles, Vintage Military Rifles, and Rimfire Sporters. All interested shooters, whether new or experienced, recreation-oriented shooters or national championship contenders are invited to participate in these unique, national-level competitions. CLICK THIS LINK to register for the match. This event is co-sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and Creedmoor Sports.
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Small, light-weight carry pistols and revolvers are the hottest selling handguns on the market right now. Ruger’s .380 ACP and 9mm carry guns have been hugely successful, generating revenues that have helped push Ruger’s stock price up 500% since 2009. Now Sig-Sauer is getting on the bandwagon. We had a chance to look at Sig’s new-for-2011, P290 compact 9mm carry pistol. Overall, our reaction was generally favorable. The P290’s fit and finish are excellent — as you’d expect from Sig. Keltec’s PF-9 compact 9mm seems downright junky by comparison to the Sig P290. And the machining and fit of the slide and barrel on the Sig seem superior to the hot-selling Ruger LC9. In a nutshell, here’s how the new Sig P290 stacks up to the competition — it is better crafted and more reliable than the Keltec PF-9, it is more reliable than the Ruger LC9 (which has had recall issues), and, with its optional integrated laser, it is a more complete package than the Kahr CM9 and PM9.
However, the P290 is not without its flaws. We wish the grip was a little longer — and other reviewers agree. Also the trigger pull, listed at “9.0 lbs. average”, is just too heavy in our opinion. We know that Double-Action-Only (DAO) carry pistols like this need high pull weights to satisfy the lawyers, but the P290 pull weight is extreme. Most people will have trouble getting best accuracy out of the gun because of the heavy trigger, which one tester measured at 12.5 pounds.
Rich Grassi, Tactical Wire: “According to factory specifications, the trigger is supposed to average 9 pounds. The guns [we tested were] 1st Edition models and could have been underachievers. While some participants thought the triggers were a bit extreme, I found them manageable. The sample that arrived at headquarters on my return is an overachiever; my Timney scale ran out of weights at 10 pounds. Getting my old Brownells trigger pull gauge, I was able to get an average of around 12 ½ pounds(!) before bending the trigger hook! This is 12 ½ pounds to fire a gun that weighs just over a pound. You hold it still through a trigger stroke. I’ll watch.”
Paul Scarlata, PoliceMag: “The trigger pull was rather heavy with a definite staging about halfway through the stroke, although I assumed this would smooth out with use. My other concern was that the attenuated grip left the little finger of my shooting hand dangling in the air. Because of its short grip, frame recoil control was not what one would have hoped for and I actually found the pistol more comfortable to fire with an unsupported grip. [Sig informed me] that future plans call for the P290 to come with a spare eight-round magazine with a sleeve that approximates the external contour of the grip. Such magazines will provide a full, three-finger grip without compromising concealability[.]”
CONCLUSION: The Sig P290 is a well-designed, nicely-made pistol in the super-small 9mm carry pistol category. However, for this writer, I wouldn’t want to carry the gun unless the trigger pull could be reduced to a reasonable weight for a DAO application (the trigger pull on the Kahr PM9 is much better). I would also wait until the optional magazine with grip extension is available. In the meantime, when the situation calls for a very small, light carry gun, I’ll stick with my older S&W model 638 revolver. We do suspect that, despite its shortcomings, the P290 will attract many buyers based on Sig Sauer’s reputation for quality. But the P290 costs more than most other small, polymer-framed 9mms, and price may be the deciding factor for many buyers.
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The National Matches at Camp Perry have wrapped up. That means it’s time to lay in a supply of practice targets so you can improve your skills during the off-season. Creedmoor Sports is now offering 20% off its inventory of targets and target pit supplies (spotters, spindles, and pasters). Creedmoor has a full line of official NRA High Power Targets, F-Class Targets, Smallbore Targets, Airgun Targets, and Pistol targets. You’ll find both full-size targets and replacement centers (which are much less expensive). To get your 20% discount on targets and target supplies, use Coupon Code TARGET11 during checkout.
IMPORTANT: The 20% off promo runs for a limited time — this offer is only good from August 19, 2011 through August 21, 2011, and the discounted prices apply to in-stock targets only (no discounted back-orders). So if you want to save 20%, order soon!
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The Montana Northwest 1000-Yard Benchrest Association held its annual Championship match last weekend at the Deep Creek Range near Missoula, Montana. The match drew talent from across the nation. 57 shooters attended the two-day event, and many states were represented: California, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington — even Pennsylvania.
Dashers Dominate Two-Gun Results
Dashers ruled the roost for the most part, with four of the top five in the Two-Gun shooting 6mm Dashers. Leo Anderson (Dasher) finished first in Two-Gun, followed by Robert Hoppe (Dasher), Mike Thomas (Dasher), Richard Schatz (Dasher), and Don Nielson (6.5×47 Lapua). Leo Anderson also won the Heavy Gun Overall, followed by Dennis Peterson, and Robert Hoppe. Cody Finch topped the 17-pound class, ahead of runner-up Robert Hoppe, with Leo Anderson coming in third. Lonnie Anderson won the 11-Pound Sporter Class, ahead of Scott Nix and Kevin Watson.
Conditions Were Hot But Relatively Calm
Montana shooter Tom Mousel, who finished 6th in the two-gun overall, reports that: “It was a very calm, high pressure weekend, so much of the home field advantage wasn’t there. There was some mirage in the 90° heat, but mirage was really quite manageable. The stable conditions made for a very close match, with competitors from outside Montana giving the locals a run for their money.” As usual, the club had a rich prize table — there were over $27,000.00 worth of prizes and give-aways.
Highlights for the weekend included Barry Bluhm’s 3.624″/99 in Heavy Gun class on Saturday. Barry, who shots a 6-6.5×47 Lapua, proved you don’t have to run a Dasher to shoot small. Three perfect 100 scores were shot at the match. In Light Gun, Roger Hoppe fired a 100/5.947″ on Saturday, while Mike Thomas got his first perfect score with a 100/6.664″ on Sunday with his Light Gun. Deep Creek Ace Leo Anderson nailed a 100/5.432″ in the Heavy Gun class on Sunday.
Two-Gun Overall
1. Leo Anderson 15
2. Robert Hoppe 17
3. Mike Thomas 20
4. Richard Schatz 22
5. Don Nielson 23
6. Tom Mousel 26
7. Cody Finch 28
8. Bud Williams 28
9. Jack Peterson 30
10. Monte Foust 31
Heavy Gun Overall
1. Leo Anderson 6
2. Dennis Peterson 9 (5.876″)
3. Robert Hoppe 9 (8.3155″)
4. Mike Hern 9 (8.419″)
5. Tom Mousel 10 (7.083″)
6. Mike Thomas 10 (9.0685″)
7. Richard Schatz 10 (9.8235″)
8. Don Nielson 11
9. Vince Kruse 13
10. Lonnie Anderson 14
17-Pound Gun Overall
1. Cody Finch 7
2. Robert Hoppe 8
3. Leo Anderson 9
4. Mike Thomas 10 (7.1765″)
5. Bud Williams 10 (7.566″)
6. Jack Peterson 10 (7.609″)
7. Monte Foust 12 (8.690″)
8. Don Nielson 12 (8.787″)
9. Richard Schatz 12 (9.165″)
10. Ray Huffman 12 (9.294″)
11-Pound Sporter Class
1. Lonnie Anderson 6
2. Scott Nix 7
3. Kevin Watson 9
4. Cody Finch 10
5. Terry Hettich 13
6. Richard Schatz 13
7. Dirk Bluhm 15
8. Jack Peterson 17
9. Gary Christian 17
10. Bruce Bangeman 17
Leo Anderson Equipment:
Light Gun: 6mm Dasher, Stiller Viper drop port, Lawrence rifle barrel, Nightforce scope, Shehane stock, metal smithing by King Machine.
Heavy Gun: 6mm Dasher, Stiller Viper drop port, Lawrence rifle barrel, Nightforce scope, Bangeman stock, metal smithing by King Machine.
Dennis Peterson Equipment:
Light Gun + Heavy Gun (Dennis shoots one 17-pounder in both): 6mm Dasher, Defiance action, Lawrence rifle barrel, Nightforce scope, Shehane stock, smithing by Jeff Lawrence.
Match Sponsors Included: Bartlein Barrels, BAT Machine, Berger Bullets, Brownells, Burris, D&B Supply, Defiance, Dewey Mfg., Forster Products, Hodgdon Powder, Ron Hoehn, Lee Precision, Leica, Krieger Barrels, Lilja Barrels, Don Nielson, Nikon, Pacific Tool & Gauge, Pro-Shot, Sierra Bullets, Sure-Fire, Swarovski, Vortex Optics and Zeiss.
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This fall, November 4-6, 2011, a new two-man tactical challenge match will be held at the Blue Steel Ranch in Logan, NM (site of the popular Steel Safari match). Sponsored by Competition Dynamics and Thunder Beast Arms, the 2011 Thunder Beast Team Challenge (TBTC) is a 3-day, 8-stage test of practical field rifle shooting and related skills. This will be a physically-demanding match! Two-man teams must navigate rugged desert terrain, recognize, locate, range, and engage multiple rifle targets from challenging shooting positions, and complete the 8-stage course under daily time constraints. Most targets will be steel plates, set at distances from 100 to 800 yards.
Skills used at the TBTC will include target recognition, range estimation, wind doping, trail skills, and marksmanship. The competition is designed to test a 2-man team’s skills shooting rifle and carbine to their effective ranges at practical targets in the natural terrain using what gear they can carry. One team member will use a precision bolt gun and while the other carries a tactical-style carbine. Targets for the carbine range from 20 to 400 yards, with some “move and shoot” assault-style stages. Bolt-gun targets are generally positioned at 150-800 yards
The TBTC is being run by Competition Dynamics, whose staff has a proven 10-year track record as practical field match organizers. Zak Smith is Match Director. The TBTC will be held at the Blue Steel Ranch, a private ranch near Logan, New Mexico. The Blue Steel Ranch, which also hosts the Steel Safari, offers some of the best geography for field shooting available anywhere.
The Thunder Beast Team Challenge costs $585.00 per team. To register, or to learn more about the match, visit the 2011 Team Challenge webpage. Or, email thunderbeastarms [at] gmail.com.
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Many of the nation’s top shooters were honored Tuesday evening during the NRA Long Range Championship Awards Ceremony. Standing tall on the podium was David Tubb, 2011 Long-Range National Champion. This is the seventh time Tubb has won the Long-Range title. Last year’s Long-Range Champion, John Whidden, finished second. Notably, Rodrigo Rosa finished third — a superb performance by a relative newcomer to the competition. In addition to the Mumma trophy for the LR Championship, numerous other awards were given for the many separate long range trophy matches conducted over the past week. Among the award-winners were Rodrigo Rosa, John Whidden, Nancy Tompkins-Gallagher, Noma Mayo, and SGT Sherri Gallagher, 2010 High Power National Champion.
If you’re located near Texas, you may want to gas up the family vehicle and head out to Dallas this weekend. The NRA’s 16th Annual National Gun Collectors Show will be held in Market Hall on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21. Hosted by the Dallas Arms Collectors Association, the Gun Show boasts over 2,000 tables of buy, sell, and trade goods. NRA Recruiters will offer free admission for those who sign up as new NRA members on site. The annual display competition and awards ceremony will take place at the show as well. The NRA will award $12,000 in cash awards for the winners of the annual display competition. The E. Andrew Mowbray Trophy for Excellence in Exhibitry will be awarded at a special banquet on Saturday evening with NRA’s Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre as the keynote speaker and guest of honor. CLICK HERE for Gun Show information and Map/Directions, or visit DACA’s Facebook Page for the latest updates.
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Would you like to increase attendance at your matches and expand the membership of your shooting club? Then check out the latest issue of The Range Report, NSSF’s magazine for shooting facilities. The free digital edition can be viewed online, or downloaded for future reference. Feature stories include how to attract traditional shooters and re-enactment groups for traffic and revenue, one range’s strategy for maximizing exposure on a limited budget and how a statewide gathering sparked Wisconsin ranges to organize. To access more resources for shooting ranges, visit nssf.org/ranges.
David Tubb Won the Long-Range National Championship today, shoting a perfect 45 for 45 inside the 10-Ring during today’s Individual Palma Trophy Match. Tubb’s impressive performance secured David the 2011 Long Range High Power Rifle Championship, edging out 2010 LR Champion John Whidden. We believe this is David’s seventh individual long-range title. Tubb last won the Long-Range Championship in 2004, when he shot an “perfect” 1450-101X Aggregate, not dropping a point. Tubb has also won the NRA High Power National Championship 11 times.
Tubb Wins Title, Not Yielding to Whidden’s Strong Challenge
As he took his spot in the final round of the Palma Match, Tubb was stationed to the right of last year’s Long Range champ and 2011 runner-up John Whidden. Whidden, donning his favorite red cap, started with two well-placed sighting shots at 1,000 yards before jumping into the scoring phrase of the match. Tubb, waiting for the wind and that instinctive feeling that’s developed over time, took his first sighter after Whidden started scoring tens.
“Ten” shouted Whidden’s spotter. “X” rang out next. The race was on.
Tubb’s spotter echoed his counterpart’s calls with Tens and Xs of his own. But Whidden had the advantage … he was two shots ahead and two points behind. Scoring ten after ten after X, Whidden was applying the pressure to Tubb as he mounted a final charge. There was even a moment when The Pit mistakenly pulled Tubb’s target as he was about to fire. If there was ever an opportunity for a man to feel the pressure — this was it. I don’t know about the shooters, when when Whidden hit his 13th shot inside the ten ring, my heard started to pump a little bit faster.
The spotter’s calls grew louder and louder as the shooters kept firing and firing. Waiting for one to drop a point, slip outside the ten, make that fatal mistake that would allow the other a path to the championship. Ten, Ten, X, Ten … they just kept coming.
After Whidden Cleaned his Target, the Pressure Was On
Whidden finished clean. Tubb still had two shots to go. Whidden and his spotter silently shifted their scope and glasses to Tubb’s target. I inched a little closer. Hearing a noise, I turned to find an RSO peering over my shoulder to check on Tubb’s progress. The 14th shoot was an X. One shot left. A nine or ten meant Tubb would earn his first Long Range title in seven years. An eight meant we’d go to the X count and a seven or less would give the title to Whidden.
Whidden rose when the spotter cried out ten. The match and the championship was over. “Congratulations David. That’s some great shooting.”
Tubb accepted Whidden’s hand, allowed a smile and returned the admiration. Two shooters with almost a decade’s worth of Championships between them. But this one was for David Tubb. The end of a long road back to the title.
David Discusses his Championship-Winning Tubb 2000 Rifle
In the video below, David Tubb discusses his Tubb 2000 Rifle and the many records it has set. Over the past 11 years, Tubb 2000s have been used by 30 of the 33 “Top Three” finishers in the NRA High Power Championships — that’s a remarkable winning record:
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Useful Product — But Consider Other Options
Dennis DeMille, Gen. Manager of 
The 8th 
SIG P290 Online Reviews
CONCLUSION: The Sig P290 is a well-designed, nicely-made pistol in the super-small 9mm carry pistol category. However, for this writer, I wouldn’t want to carry the gun unless the trigger pull could be reduced to a reasonable weight for a DAO application (the trigger pull on the Kahr PM9 is much better). I would also wait until the optional magazine with grip extension is available. In the meantime, when the situation calls for a very small, light carry gun, I’ll stick with my older S&W model 638 revolver. We do suspect that, despite its shortcomings, the P290 will attract many buyers based on Sig Sauer’s reputation for quality. But the P290 costs more than most other small, polymer-framed 9mms, and price may be the deciding factor for many buyers.
The TBTC is being run by 
