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July 31st, 2012
 SGT Vincent Hancock of the USAMU shot a 148/150 to win the Gold Medal today in men’s skeet at the London Olympics. Hancock has now won back-to-back Golds in skeet shooting at two successive Olympics. (Hancock also won Gold at Beijing in 2008). Finishing second with a 146 score, was Anders Golding of Denmark. Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiya won a shoot-off over Russia’s Valery Shomin for the bronze at the Royal Artillery Barracks. Read Related Story on ESPN.com.
After setting a new Olympic Record by hitting 123 out of 125 clays in Tuesday qualifying, Hancock entered the medal round with a one-target lead. He then shot a perfect final round score of 25 for a total of 148 out of 150, which was also a new Olympic record. He is the first men’s skeet shooter in Olympic history to win two Gold Medals.
Hancock is a “young gun” in a field of more experienced competitors. At age 23, he is the youngest in the men’s skeet competition by five years. (The average age of medal-round-qualifying skeet shooters in London is 37 years.) Hancock almost missed the 2012 Olympics altogether. After his 2008 win in Beijing, he thought seriously about retiring from the sport. But after some months considering the options, he resumed his training with a vengence and now he is on top of the world. Hancock’s victory, combined with the Gold-medal performance of team-mate Kim Rhode in women’s skeet, gives Team USA a sweep of the Skeet events at the 2012 Olympics.
Olympics Finals photos by Tim Hipps, IMCOM Public Affairs.
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July 31st, 2012
Congratulations to Jared Perry, winner of the 2012 President’s Rifle Match! Jared fired a 98-3X in the shoot off for a new National Match Record of 398-6X. In related news, the National Trophy Individual Rifle Match will be fired today at Camp Perry. The overall winner will have his/her name engraved on the Daniel Boone Trophy, and 11 other trophies will be awarded today.
 Birds-Eye View of Camp Perry Ranges
We know many of our worldwide readers may never have a chance to visit Camp Perry in person, but they are still interested in this historic facility on the shore of Lake Erie, near Port Clinton, Ohio. If you’ve always wanted to see what Camp Perry looks like, here are a series of “Birds-eye” photos taken from the Beach Tower.
Photos Courtesy Civilian Marksmanship Program.
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July 31st, 2012
Report based on story by Kyle Jillson for the NRA Blog
CPT Christopher Abalo of the USAMU won the NRA Smallbore Rifle Prone Championship at Camp Perry, claiming the prestigious Critchfield Trophy with a score of 4792-352X. Reya Kempley came in second, just two points back (4790-363X). Rounding out the top three was Michael Anti who shot 4787-350X
The “third time was a charm” for Abalo, who secured the title in his third appearance at the Camp Perry smallbore prone event. He was close to the top in the past two years. In 2010 Abalo finished second behind teammate SSG Shane Barnhardt, while in 2011 Abalo took third, behind teammate SSG Michael McPhail and Mark Delcotto. “It feels great,” Abalo said of his first win. “After coming in second and third the last two years, it feels great to be at the top of the podium this time.”
 CPT Abalo shown during “Any Sights” stage of Smallbore Prone Event.
Comprised of a Metallic Sight Championship and Any Sight Championship, the Prone Championship saw improved weather from the previous week’s Position Championships. Conditions stayed dry for the most part, but the wind coming off Lake Erie was still a force to contend with and often made life difficult for the almost 300 shooters taking part in the matches.
Photo courtesy the NRA Blog
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July 30th, 2012
 According to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, a group of Democratic U.S. Senators is seeking to slip a ban on full-capacity firearm magazines into the “Cybersecurity Act” (S. 3414) currently being considered in Congress: “The U.S. Senate will take up the ‘Cybersecurity Act’ starting Monday, July 30, but a group of Democrat Senators lead by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is looking to add an anti-gun amendment to the bill. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), joined Schumer in an effort to resurrect the failed 1994 magazine ban.”
The National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) reports that: “Democrat anti-gunners could force a ‘Magazine Ban’ vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate as early as today [Monday, July 30, 2012]. They’re attempting to ban magazines used commonly for self-defense and sport shooting by burying an amendment deep inside the ‘Cybersecurity Act’ (S. 3414).” The NAGR recommends that concerned gun owners contact their U.S. Senators and ask them to OPPOSE S. 3414, the so-called “Cybersecurity Act”, and S.A. 2575, the Schumer “Magazine Ban” amendment.
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July 30th, 2012
 Close to 1,300 service rifle competitors will fill the firing lines today (Monday) at Camp Perry for the CMP President’s Rifle Match. At this prestigious event, conducted annually during the CMP National Trophy Rifle Matches, the top 100 competitors (after 30 shots) will be named the 2012 President’s 100. The top 20 shooters will then be invited to a mid-afternoon Shoot-Off today. The Shoot-Off winner will be awarded the President’s Rifle Trophy (photo right). CLICK HERE to learn more about the history of the President’s Match.
CMP program coordinator, Lue Baxter, fired the cannon this morning at Camp Perry to start the day’s matches. Lue works with the CMP Camp Riflery program, National Match Air Rifle program, Junior Highpower Clinics and CMP Marksmanship Center at Camp Perry. The CMP provides updates and match results on its website, www.odcmp.com.
CLICK HERE for Results of 2012 National Rifle Trophy Matches (Posted when available).
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July 30th, 2012
 The CMP Marksmanship Center at Camp Perry (Port Clinton, Ohio) is open to the public during the National Matches. The CMP invites Camp Perry visitors to come by the Center and participate in the National Match Air Gun Events or just fire some pellets down range!
The scheduled CMP Air Gun events provide additional competition opportunities for National Matches pistol and rifle competitors as well as for anyone who wants to shoot in the National Matches with their air pistols or air rifles.
All of these events will take place at the Camp Perry Marksmanship Center on MegaLink electronic targets. Below is a schedule of remaining events at the Marksmanship Center.
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July 29th, 2012
 Kim Rhode “delivered the goods” on Sunday, winning the Gold Medal in women’s skeet shooting. By earning Gold in 2012, Rhode became the first USA athlete to win an individual medal in five (5) successive Olympic games. Congrats to Kim, who earned her 2012 Gold medal with a spectacular performance, scoring 99 out of 100. This tied the all-time World Record and set a new Olympic record.
Kim hit 65 clays in a row before her first miss. She went 25-for-25 in her first two Qualifying sessions, finishing 74-for-75 in Qualifying, also a new Olympic Record. This gave Rhode a 4-point lead heading into the finals. Not flinching under pressure, Rhode “cleaned” her final run, hitting all 25 Clays without a miss to secure a well-deserved Gold Medal.
“It’s just been an incredible journey,” said Rhode. “And ultimately, I couldn’t be happier for bringing home the gold for the United States.” This is the fifth time Rhode has earned a shotgun shooting medal at the Olympics. As a teenager in 1996 she won the double-trap gold medal at the Atlanta Olympic Games. At the Sydney Olympics four years later she took bronze in double trap. Kim then topped all double-trap competitors to win gold at Athens, Greece in 2004, and Kim took the silver medal in skeet at Beijing in 2008.
At the 2012 London games, Rhode won Gold in dominant fashion, as she went 99 for 100 to win by four points while smashing the old 93-point Olympic Record. Wei Ning of China took silver with 91 points and Danka Bartekova of Slovakia took the bronze in a shoot-out with Marina Belikova of Russia after Danka and Marina tied with 90 points.
Photo Courtesy USA Shooting.
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July 28th, 2012
At the U.S. Armed Forces Interservice Championships held earlier this month in Quantico, Virginia, USAMU Team Praslick set a new 1000-yard Team Record, with a spectacular 1197-68X score, beating the existing 1192-66X record set way back in 1997. The course of fire was 20 shots by each of six shooters, 120 shots total. This record was doubly impressive because it involved mandatory paired firing. The squad was divided into three pairs. When each pair went to the firing line, the two shooters would alternate shots. Team Coach, SFC Emil Praslick, had to make a wind call for one shooter, and then the other, shot by shot — that’s not easy. The record-setting squad was an all-star contingent of USAMU shooters: SGT Sherri Gallagher, SPC Amanda Elsenboss, CPL Matt Rawlings, SSG Shane Barnhardt, SSG Brandon Green, SSG Ty Cooper. Praslick said he was “very proud of my shooters.”
 The 1197-68X record was set in “Any Sights / Any Rifle” competition using bolt guns chambered for the 7mm Remington Short-Action Ultra-Magnum (RSAUM), and fitted with Nightforce scopes. Coach Praslick says the USAMU is very pleased with the performance of the 7mm RSAUM: “Our 7mms can deliver very tight vertical spreads at 1000 yards.” Praslick also praised the work of USAMU armorers who build the rifles and load the ammo for USAMU teams: “We’ve got world-class gunsmiths. That’s our advantage. All the guns are tested at distance with match ammunition. We can count on the guns and the ammo to perform shot after shot. This is a big confidence builder for our USAMU shooters.”
New 1K Service Rifle Record
Along with the great performance by USAMU Team Praslick, USAMU Service Rifle shooters coached by SFC Jeremy Mangione set a new Service Rifle record. Using .308-Caliber AR10-type rifles with 185gr Berger bullets, the Team posted a 1154-33X Aggregate, a Service Rifle Team Record. That’s amazing considering these shooters were aiming with military-style iron sights with a post front sight. One of the squad’s shooters, SPC Augustus Dunfey, recorded a 200-10X. Coach Praslick called this a “spectacular individual performance”. Praslick told us that Dunfey’s 200-10X “is definitely the highest [20-shot] Service Rifle score shot in Interservice 1000-yard competition. And, as far as anyone can remember, it is the highest [20-shot] 1000-yard score ever shot with a Service Rifle anywhere.” SPC Dunfey was shooting at a target with a 20″ 10-Ring, and 10″ X-Ring. This means, using a stout-recoiling .308 rifle with sling (no rest) and relatively crude sights, Dunfey put half his shots inside one MOA and did not drop a single point. That’s impressive….
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July 28th, 2012
 The 2012 Olympic Games kicked off last night in London. And the first gold meal awarded at the 2012 Game went to a shooter — Yi Siling of China. The top-ranked Chinese Air Rifle shooter edged Slywia Bogacka of Poland to win Gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event. The South Korean shooting squad also captured its first Gold Medal of the games as Jin Jong-oh won the Men’s 10m Air Pistol event. Jin had won silver in the last Olympics at Beijing, China.
CLICK for Shooting Events Schedule | CLICK for Air Rifle Match Photos
Visit NBCOlympics.com for complete online coverage of the Olympics. On that website, in the upper left-hand corner (next to the London 2012 logo), you’ll find a “Select a Sport” button. That button opens a menu with links to all the different sports. There is a dedicated page for the Shooting Sports. CLICK HERE to visit the Shooting Sports Page at www.nbcolympics.com/shooting/.
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July 27th, 2012
Held July 14-15 at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club, the 2012 Williamsport Word Open attracted a large field, with over 130 competitors. Brothers Bill Squires and Shawn Squires finished first and second respectively in the Two-Gun Overall Championship, making this year’s World Open a family affair. Both men campaigned a .300 WSM Heavy Gun and 6mm Dasher Light Gun. These rigs were smithed by the brothers themselves. The Squires boys really dominated this year. Bill ended up with 40 rank points, while Shawn had 44. Next best was Scott Weber, who had 71 rank points to finish third Overall. Shooting a 6mm Dasher, Weber also captured the Light Gun (LG) event, edging out LG runner-up John Buhay by a tenth of an inch in Aggregate Group size. (Buhay shot a Dasher in both LG and HG classes, finishing 8th Overall.)
It was “Ladies First” (and second) in the Heavy Gun (HG) class. Two talented ladies, Veronica Martin and Melissa Wagner, out-shot all the male competitors. Shooting a 300 WSM, Veronica took the HG title with an impressive 4.491″ Group Agg and 99 Score Agg. Melissa piloted her 6mm Dasher to second place in HG, with a 4.901″ Group Agg and 98 Score Agg. Finishing third in Heavy Gun was 300 WSM shooter Matt Kline, who racked up a “best in match” 99.5 Score Agg, along with a 4.997″ Group Aggregate.
As usual, the Williamsport Club put on a great event. This year there was a $40,000+ prize table — probably the best ever for a 1000-yard benchrest match. Two-Gun Overall runner-up Shawn Squires stated: “Yes it was a great weekend, even with the monsoon that occured during Day 2 of Light Gun. I would like to thank the Sponsors and Board, pit pullers and all who attended the 2012 World Open. The team at Williamsport always puts on a great event. Congratulations to Bill Squires (Two-Gun Overall), Veronica Martin (Heavy Gun Overall) and Scott Weber (Light Gun Overall). I guess if I had to lose Two-Gun Overall it might as well have been to my brother! Looking forward to the 2013 World Open.”
Shown above are the Top Ten Standings (and equipment lists) for the Two-Gun Overall, Heavy Gun Class, and Light Gun Class. For easier reading, click the “View Larger Image” link. Complete World Open Results for all 135 competitors are found on the Williamsport Club website at www.pa1000yard.com. The results are stored in an interactive database so you can search by class, event, or relay.
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July 27th, 2012
 A number of interesting jobs in the firearms industry have become available in recent weeks. The NSSF maintains a regularly-updated listing of employment opportunities with gun-makers and shooting sports organizations. On the NSSF’s job board right now there are gunsmith openings, engineering offerings, sales and marketing positions, and even high-level legal and executive career opportunities. Here are some of the jobs we found this week posted on the NSSF Website. CLICK HERE for a complete listing (many more jobs).
Firearms Industry Jobs — Current Openings
| Location |
Company/Organization |
Opening/Title |
| Prescott, AZ |
Proforce Law Enforcement |
Vice President Sales |
| Sunland, CA |
ISS |
Gunsmith |
| Washington, DC |
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation |
Director of Finance |
| Springfield, MA |
Smith & Wesson Firearms |
Legal Counsel |
| Springfield, MA |
Smith & Wesson Firearms |
Brand Manager – S&W |
| Accokeek, MD |
Beretta USA Corporation |
Product Marketing Manager – Shotguns & Rifles |
| Accokeek, MD |
Beretta USA Corporation |
Production Manager – CNC Machining |
| Exeter, NH |
SIG SAUER |
Tool Designer |
| Exeter, NH |
SIG SAUER |
Quality Inspector |
| Exeter, NH |
SIG SAUER |
Senior Design Engineer |
| Exeter, NH |
SIG SAUER |
Business Analyst |
| Delaware, OH |
Black Wing Shooting Center |
Outdoor Range Associate/Safety Officer |
| Not Specified |
Crimson Trace Corporation |
Regional Sales Manager (TX, OK, W-AR, W-LA) |
| Beaverton, OR |
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. |
Director of Sales – US |
| Fairfax, VT |
Century International Arms, Inc |
Gunsmith |
| Fairfax, VT |
Century International Arms, Inc |
Sales Coordinator |
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July 27th, 2012
 How long will a barrel last before the accuracy “goes south”? There are so many variables involved (powder type, bore diameter, bullet coatings etc.) that it’s hard to predict. You might say “Well, my buddy has a .243 and he got 1500 rounds before the throat was shot out” — those kind of comparisons can be useful, but they’re not very scientific, and they won’t help much if you’ve got a gun in a new chambering (such as the 6.5×47) for which long-term test results are lacking.
Is there a more reliable way to predict barrel life — one that will work for a broad range of calibers? Well, Forum member MikeCr has developed an Excel spreadsheet that accounts for a number of variables, and gives a pretty good estimate of useful barrel life, whether you’re shooting a .223 Rem or a 338 Lapua Magnum. Mike’s program predicts barrel life using five variables: 1) Bullet Diameter; 2) Powder Charge weight; 3) Powder Heat Potential (KJ/kg); 4) Pressure (in psi); and 5) Bullet Coating (yes/no). Mike provides a table with Heat Potential ratings for most popular powder types. The user needs to know the pressure of his load. This can be estimated with QuickLOAD.
You can download the lastest version of Mike’s spreadsheet below. You’ll need Excel or an Excel viewer to open the file.
Click to Download Spreadsheet: Barrel Life Spreadsheet (Latest Version)
Shown below is Mike’s Spreadsheet, with variables for a 6BR shooting 105gr “naked” bullets with 30.3 grains of Hodgdon Varget powder. The formula predicts 2401 rounds of barrel life. That corresponds pretty well to what we’d expect for a 6BR — about 2500 rounds.
 
Mike observes: “There has been alot of discussion lately related to cartridge design and resulting barrel life. This is a really important factor to consider amongst a myriad of choices. Barrel life is controversial, and subjective. There are no clear-cut standards for comparison. But a few years ago, I put together a spreadsheet based on Bart Bobbit’s rule of thumb. It worked pretty good, only occasionally failing some tests when validated against posted barrel lives.
According to Ken Howell, I had to account for pressure. And Henry Child’s powder temperature testing provided another piece needed. So, I’ve tweaked it here and there to pass more tests. From 223rem to 300 UltraMagnum. Another element added, but turned off is shot interval. I would need way more tests to lock in on this. But everyone knows, the faster you shoot, the worse the barrel life.
Anyway, another factor hard to define is ‘accurate’ barrel life. This cannot be quantified without standards. Barrels are replaced when expectations are no longer met. I feel that a [barrel] passes peak potential in a finite period due to throat erosion. But that don’t mean it’s toast, if it still shoots well enough. It’s just as likely that many of us never see that peak potential anyway. It’s a slippery thing. Point-blank BR competitors will toss a barrel when it leaves the 1s. I could get another 4000 rounds from it, and be content with its performance, I’m sure.”
NOTE: Mike says: “This spreadsheet may show a lower barrel life than you prefer. But it pretty well spotlights cartridges to stay away from if you plan much time at the range or in dog town.”
Editor’s Comment: We want to stress that Mike’s spreadsheet is a helpful tool, but it is not a definitive “take-it-to-the-bank” indicator of barrel life. Mike cautions that predicting barrel life involves so many different factors (including how hot the barrel is run), that the task is a bit like predicting tread life on car tires. Still, the spreadsheet is very helpful. It can certainly put shooters on notice that some chamberings (such as the 6-284) are likely to be a barrel burners. That can help you make a smart decision when choosing a chambering for your next rifle.
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