Many of our readers travel far and wide during summer months, both on family vacations and to participate in shooting matches. When transporting firearms across state lines, it is vital to understand the laws that apply in each jurisdiction. Moreover, all of us need to stay informed about gun laws in our home states, since new laws are passed every year.
Indiana attorney Brian Ciyou has created an outstanding resource, Gun Laws by State (2012 Ed.) (GLBS), that explains firearms laws in all 50 states. Ciyou’s gun law treatise, available in both book and online (web) formats, covers state laws as well as key federal laws that apply in federal buildings, airports, National Parks, and school zones. There is a handy Reciprocity Map showing which states recognize concealed weapon permits issued in other jurisdictions. GLBS covers Reciprocal Carry for all 50 states, Constitutional Law, Federal Statutory Law, Use of Force, Criminal Provisions, Civil and Criminal Liability, Preemption, Federal Property Rules, and Interstate Transportation.
Amazingly, you can access all this important legal information for FREE on the GLBS website. Click on an interactive map to quickly review gun laws in any state. Navigation links provide quick access to particular topics, such as rules for Airline Travel, Amtrak, National Parks, and Federal properties. The web version of Gun Laws by State is updated regularly, and Ciyou even provides a GLBS Gun Laws Blog with current “news and views” on gun regulations nationwide. This Editor regularly references the Gun Laws by State website. I suggest readers bookmark the site, and consider buying the book if you frequently travel with firearms outside your home state. The printed book version costs $19.95, while a digital eBook is $9.95. Click here to purchase GLBS books.
John Whidden, multi-time NRA Long-Range Champion, runs a stock-building enterprise, Whidden Composite Works. This is a sister operation to Whidden Gunworks, which crafts V-Blocks and other specialized gun components and reloading tools. John Whidden’s stock-making business, the Composite Works, is producing a series of high-quality, V-Block-equipped stocks using state-of-the-art composite construction. The first two stock designs, the models 105 and 140, are general-purpose stocks that will work for everything from Elk hunting to tactical comps. Both models are currently available in multiple color choices: Desert Sand, Forest Green, Flecked Black, Silver, and Custom Mix. Other colors may be offered in the future.
The Whidden Composites model 105 has a familiar hunting rifle profile. The model 140 is designed as a hunting stock incorporating tactical features for shooters who prefer a more vertical strong-hand grip. Both include the Whidden V-Block (in configurations for right-handed short and long actions based on the Rem 700 bolt pattern), three installed sling studs, and a Pachmayr® Decelerator pad.
Model 105 Offers Hunters a Familiar Design with Enhanced Rigidity and V-Block
The Whidden 105, priced at $360.00, is shaped along the lines of a classic North American hunting rifle. But under the skin it is a greatly enhanced platform. Solid-core construction gives a solid feel that is often absent on lesser synthetic/plastic stocks. The V-Block system is integrated, the composites used increase stiffness, and the material is impervious to weather. The V-Block system allows the owner to easily use multiple barreled actions in the same stock.
Model 140 Provides Improved Ergonomics for Prone and Tactical Shooters
The Whidden 140 offers the ergonomic advantages of a vertical grip and raised comb for eye-scope-target (EST) alignment. For many shooters, the vertical grip feels more natural in prone position, and allows a very solid “hard hold” for a heavier-recoiling caliber. The semi-beavertail fore-end will rest solidly on sandbags, while the radiused edges still allow for comfortable grip and carrying. Whidden model 140 stocks are available for $400 in Desert Sand, Forest Green, and Flecked Black.
Model 175 Whidden Stock Design
In addition to the models 105 and 140, John produces a model 175 stock featuring an (optional) adjustable cheekpiece and other enhancements favored by tactical, prone, and F-Class competitors. The basic model 175 stock includes the V-Block, three sling studs, and a Pachmayr® Decelerator pad. Options include Foreend Rail, Adjustable Cheek Piece, and Butt Spacers. Model 175 stocks start at $549.00 plus shipping. For more information on the Whidden models 105, 140, and 175, visit Whidden Composite Works or call (229) 686-1860.
Paul Liebenberg of Pistol Dynamics is widely considered to be one of the finest pistol-smiths on the planet. When you ask other well-known pistol-smiths whom they would rank among the very best, Liebenberg is a consensus pick. And Paul’s work is in high demand. There is a multi-year-long waiting list for his custom pistols, mostly built on 1911-platforms.
Now Liebenberg is sharing his pistol building/tuning knowledge through a professionally-produced video from Panteao Productions. In this two-Disc DVD, Paul Liebenberg demonstrates the procedures he employs when crafting a custom 1911 pistol. The DVD covers all key aspects of customizing the 1911 pistol. Topics covered include: fitting barrel and barrel bushing, installing grip safety and thumb safety, installing and tuning the trigger, installing and tuning extractor and ejector, relieving the mag well, undercutting the trigger guard, lowering the ejection port, and much more. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a master gun builder like Paul Liebenberg. Panteao is accepting pre-orders for the DVD and expects it to be released shortly.
30+ Years Expertise
A trained industrial designer from South Africa, Paul Liebenberg was a member of the World Champion South African Practical Pistol Shooting Team. An NRA High Master and four-gun firearms instructor, Paul competed successfully in many disciplines in the shooting sports.
In 1983 Liebenberg immigrated to the USA and joined Pachmayr Gun Works in Los Angeles where he rose to manage the Custom Gun Shop. In 1985 he opened Pistol Dynamics in Los Angeles to build high-end 1911 competition handguns and Pachmayr pistols on contract to that company. Today Pistol Dynamics is based out of Palm Bay, Florida where Paul continues to build high-end 1911 pistols.
Story by Lars Dalseide forNRAblog.
Last year, the National Firearms Museum received a shipment from Sagamore Hill — the ancestral home of President Theodore Roosevelt. While Sagamore Hill undergoes renovation, the National Parks Service was kind enough to lend a portion of the estate’s collection to the NRA Museum. That collection now is on display under the exhibit named Trappings of an Icon.
“Basically it tells you about the life of Theodore Roosevelt,” explains Senior Curator Phil Schreier (in photo above in coat). “Hunter, Statesman, Soldier. In the first case we have two firearms from his hunting career. First an 1886 Winchester rifle known as the tennis match gun because he used winnings from a tennis match to purchase the gun.”
The second firearm in the opening case is a suppressed Winchester model 1894 rifle. A favorite of the President’s when clearing the grounds of the local, pesky critters. Schreier explains: “Archie Roosevelt wrote that his father liked to shoot varmints around Oyster Bay with this gun so he wouldn’t disturb the Tiffany and Du Pont families that lived near by.”
For more on the opening of this special Theodore Roosevelt collection, tune in to Curator’s Corner on NRANews and SiriusXM Satellite’s Patriot AND Patriot Plus.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has developed a handy iPhone App to be used for scoring CMP Matches. The CMP’s program for Apple smart phones and iPads is called, appropriately, iPhone App – CMP. This new App’s easy to use interface allows quick recording of a shooter’s score after each string. The CMP App also calculates your shooting percentages automatically throughout the event. In addition, the shooter can enter notes or record wind, temp and other conditions in a notes field.
This application is sponsored and endorsed by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and is now the official mobile App for keeping score at CMP-sponsored shooting events. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the iPhone App – CMP are donated to the CMP. This application is sponsored and endorsed by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this software are donated to the CMP.
Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang of SEB Coaxial is donating the first-of-its-kind production MAX rest as a prize for the IBS 1000-yard Nationals. This is a very generous donation, as the standard MAX front rest will retail for over $1000, and this special prize edition features a special “high-bling” fully polished base. The match directors will determine whether the rest will be awarded to the overall Two-Gun champion or whether, instead, the rest is offered as a door prize, giving all match attendees a chance at winnning.
The SEB MAX rest employs a counter-balancer design with tuned weights on a forward facing shaft. This allows the MAX to work smoothly with guns up to 110 pounds overall. Seb notes: “I will send the rest with a set of counterweights (with various slip-on ‘rings’, to accept gun weights ranging from 40 to 110 pounds). I will also include an ammo-holder set and clock-holder as well.” The complete MAX rest weighs about 44 pounds.
Seb hopes to get feedback on the MAX rest from shooters attending the IBS 1000-yard Nationals: “Any shooters [at the 1K IBS Nationals] can try the rest and I would love to hear how it works and what you think. Or just put your gun on the rest top/front bag, ‘play’ the joystick, adjust the slip-on rings back & forth, use the appropriate ring(s). You will easily determine the correct weight/ring positions once you try the rest. With the correct ‘tuned’ counterweight, the force required to push the joystick upward is the same as the force needed to push downward. And no matter how heavy your gun, with the correct counter-balance weight, the force needed to move the joystick should be the same …effortless.”
The highly-polished prize-model MAX rest in the top photos is a one-of-a-kind, the first to be delivered to North America. Regular production starts soon. Seb tells us: “I will start to build the production MAX rests on first week of September, to be finished around late November-mid Dec 2012. I’m preparing 75 units on this run. About 40 units will be going to the USA, about 20 or more will be going to Australia.” Contact your SEB dealer for pricing and information.
The 2012 Paralympic Games run August 29 – September 9, 2012. The 277 American athletes named to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team will compete in 19 sports contested throughout the 11 days of competition. Among the events will be target shooting. Profiles of Team USA’s Paralympic atheletes, including pistol shooter Eric Hollen and rifle shooter SFC Josh Olson, are provided in the official 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team Media Guide. This handy guide to the Paralympics can be downloaded for free.
Eric Hollen — Paralympic Pistol Shooter
Hollen, a former U.S. Army Ranger in the 2/75 Ranger Regiment, suffered a life-altering injury on his horse farm in Tennessee. Getting involved in competitive pistol shooting has helped Hollen adjust to life after his injury. Showing great determination, Hollen is now one of the top paralympic pistol shooters in the world. At the IPC World Cup Sydney, he won a Silver Medal in Air Pistol and a Bronze Medal in Free Pistol. Hollen is looking forward to the challenge in London: “This has been 10 years in the making and it’s an awesome opportunity to represent my country. I shoot with the best able-bodied athletes in the world here at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and I have the opportunity to now go and win my matches and that’s what I’m setting out to do.” Hollen will compete in the Men’s P1 10-meter Air Pistol event on August 30th. On September 6th, he’ll compete in the 50-meter free Pistol event.
USAMU Rifle Marksman SFC Josh Olson
While on patrol with his unit (101st Airborne Div., 3rd Brigade 1/187) in Iraq in 2003, SFC Josh Olson was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade resulting in the loss of his right leg from the hip down. After spending 18 months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Olson was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in Fort Benning, Georgia. Olson has been a member of the Paralympic National Team for five years, but this will be the first time Olson competes at the international Paralympic Games. Olson will begin competition on Saturday, September 1 in the 10-meter Air Rifle Prone event followed by the Smallbore (.22 caliber) 50-meter Rifle Prone on Tuesday, September 4. In the video below, you can learn more about Olson’s background and courageous process of rehabilitation.
If you live out in the country, far away from a major safe manufacturer or distributor, you know that shipping fees can significantly increase the complete, installed cost of a large gun safe. Here’s an offer that could save you hundreds of dollars on a large, high-capacity safe.
Now through October 15, 2012, Pendleton Safes (of of Loganville, GA) is offering FREE Shipping on all safe orders shipped to the lower 48 United States. This offer is available on any size safe, and is available directly to the public. For complete details, visit www.pendletonsafes.com, email info [at] pendletonsafes.com, or call 770-466-6181.
About Pendleton Safes
Pendleton Safes is an American manufacture of custom-built gun safes. Pendleton has pioneered some noteworthy design features. Pendleton specializes in cylindrical safes with curved walls. This design resists attacks, and it also allows the safe to be fitted with a permanent carousel-style gun storage system (see photo on right). The carousel provides fast access to your firearms — up to 40 long guns and 54 pistols in the largest Pendleton safes. Pendleton can even equip safes with motor-driven carousels. Built-in LED lighting is also available. We strongly recommend equipping any safe you own with interior lighting.
The CMP Online Auction Programis used to sell very rare or otherwise unique rifles, receivers, and other collectible merchandise/parts. CMP usually has only 6-10 items listed for auction at any time. Items are normally listed for 10-14 days, with the bidding set to close on Sunday afternoons.
Log on to http://cmpauction.thecmp.org to learn more about the auction process and to see the current items up for bid.
Open today’s (8/22/2012) edition of USAToday, and you’ll find a full-page ad congratulating all members of the USA Olympic Shooting Team who recently competed at the London Olympics. The ad features the four shooter-athletes who earned three gold and one bronze medals in London. This advert was sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). The ad’s headline reads: “Congratulations To All Our Shooters on the U.S. Olympic Team” and continues, “Making history, setting records, showing the world the fun and excitement of the shooting sports: You’ve made us proud.”
“The National Shooting Sports Foundation is honored to be a sponsor of USA Shooting, and we are thrilled to draw even more attention with this ad to the fine men and women representing our sports on the world stage,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.
Four USA Shooters are featured:
Gold medalist Kim Rhode, who became the first American ever to medal in five consecutive Olympic Games and who set a new Olympic record and tied a world record in women’s skeet.
Gold medalist Vincent Hancock, who became the first skeet shooter to win that Olympic event twice and who set two Olympic records.
Gold medalist Jamie Gray, who set two Olympic records in both the final and qualification rounds of women’s 50-meter, three-position rifle.
Bronze medalist Matt Emmons, who added to his gold and silver medal tally from previous Games in the men’s 50-meter three-position rifle.
Download NSSF Where2Shoot App for iPhone
The NSSF’s USAToday Ad also gives readers an opportunity to download NSSF’s Where2Shoot App for the iPhone, which allows users to search for shooting facilities nationwide, watch video tips on hunting and shooting and keep up with news about the shooting sports. To learn more about USA Shooting visit www.usashooting.org.
Many of our readers travel far and wide during summer months, both on family vacations and to participate in shooting matches. When transporting firearms across state lines, it is vital to understand the laws that apply in each jurisdiction. Moreover, all of us need to stay informed about gun laws in our home states, since new laws are passed every year.
Amazingly, you can access all this important legal information for FREE on the GLBS website. Click on an interactive map to quickly review gun laws in any state. Navigation links provide quick access to particular topics, such as rules for Airline Travel, Amtrak, National Parks, and Federal properties. The web version of Gun Laws by State is updated regularly, and Ciyou even provides a GLBS Gun Laws Blog with current “news and views” on gun regulations nationwide. This Editor regularly references the Gun Laws by State website. I suggest readers bookmark the site, and consider buying the book if you frequently travel with firearms outside your home state. The printed book version costs $19.95, while a digital eBook is $9.95. Click here to purchase GLBS books.
John Whidden, multi-time NRA Long-Range Champion, runs a stock-building enterprise, 
Model 175 Whidden Stock Design
30+ Years Expertise
The 
Eric Hollen — Paralympic Pistol Shooter
If you live out in the country, far away from a major safe manufacturer or distributor, you know that shipping fees can significantly increase the complete, installed cost of a large gun safe. Here’s an offer that could save you hundreds of dollars on a large, high-capacity safe.
The 
Open today’s (8/22/2012) edition of USAToday, and you’ll find a full-page ad congratulating all members of the USA Olympic Shooting Team who recently competed at the London Olympics. The ad features the four shooter-athletes who earned three gold and one bronze medals in London. This advert was sponsored by the 
