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August 13th, 2013
Story based on report by Lars Dalseide for NRABlog
This time last year, Cody Shields was in his final days of deployment with the National Guard. Described as “eventful”, there was little else said about his time in Afghanistan. A sentiment shared by many returning from battle. The important thing is that he made it back home. “Ten fingers and ten toes,” said Shields. “All is good.”
In the weeks following his return, Shields found his way back to range. Back to a place that was welcoming and familiar. Back to his career in the shooting sports. A journey that found him with the winning score for this year’s Irvine C. Porter Trophy match. “My heart was beating out of my chest. It was my second time in a shoot-off. The first one, ah, didn’t go so well.”
The Porter Trophy match is shot at the same time as the Leech Cup. Fired at 1,000 yards, shooters have 30 minutes to land 20 shots on target. And, as one might guess, the match is shot with a service rifle.
A competitive shooter since the age of fifteen, Shields has always been on the cusp of winning something big. He shot in high school, in college for Akron University, and now for the All Guard Team in Arkansas. But this, easily, is his biggest win. “I was shocked when I realized how well I was shooting here,” said Shields. “Once I realized I was thinking about it, I stopped thinking about it. Just focused on my front sight and tried to keep up with the wind.”
August 12th, 2013
 Amazing. Spectacular. Stunning. Awe-inspiring. You choose the superlatives — but this is one team shooting performance that will long be celebrated. Competing in the Herrick Trophy 1000-yard Team Match at the Long Range National Championships, the USAMU Praslick 4-member squad turned in a performance for the ages, posting a record-breaking 800-57X score. That means that every one of the four soldiers shot a perfect 200 at 1000 yards. And the X-count was impressive as well. Recently-crowned 2013 National High Power Champion SSG Brandon Green nailed 15 Xs, as did his USAMU team-mate SGT Amanda Elsenboss. Nearly as good, SSG Ty Cooper had 14 Xs to go with his 200 score, while SSG Shane Barnhart notched 13 Xs.
The team’s combined 800-57X score is a new National Record. We commend all four shooters and their wind coach SFC Emil Praslick III. Well-done Lady and Gentlemen. This was a truly superior display of long-range marksmanship! As one fellow shooter observed at Camp Perry: “This is one record that will likely stand for a long, long time.”
August 12th, 2013
Story based on report by Lars Dalseide for NRABlog.
The second day of NRA’s National Long Range High Power Rifle Championships ended with members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at the top of the standings. But they’re not alone. A mere point or two behind are Nancy Tompkins and her daughter Michelle Gallagher. These civilian ladies have, in the past, captured a few National Long Range High Power Rifle titles of their own. The mother and daughter team are strongly positioned to challenge the Marksmanship Unit soldiers for the lead.
Two more days remain in the Long Range Championship. As the cool conditions continue, with a hint of rain on tomorrow’s forecast, the challenge will continue. Anything can happen (such as a cross-fire) that could completely re-shuffle the standings. Here is the “Leader Board” at the End of Day Two:
Long Range Nationals – Day 2 Range Report by Kelly Bachand
Today started with a lower velocity wind coming out of the south east. We shot 20 shots at 1000 yards as individuals then teamed up for a four man team match, again with 20 shots for each shooter. I shot fine in the morning getting a 198-5X; the winning score on my relay was a 198-10X I think. It was very hard to see the target first thing in the morning. The south eastern wind was only worth 30″-45″ of bullet drift (that’s about half of yesterday’s wind). In general the scores were a little lower today because the wind was a little trickier. While it was relatively constant in velocity, it changed direction quickly and subtly. That’s enough to give even the best shooters a 9 here and there. I don’t think there were any 200s shot with Palma rifles in the individual portion of the match today.
Right before the start of the team match the wind switched around and started coming from the north east with roughly the same velocity. I’m coaching a team made up of shooters from the United States Army Reserve team. Some of them are US Rifle Team members, and past Palma team members, really a bunch of great shooters. In a team match the coach is responsible to call the wind for each shot. Comparing this to a sniper/spotter setup the coach is the spotter and makes all the adjustments on the sights before giving the shooter the command to shoot. I did pretty good for the most part and kept my shooters in the middle the best I could. I was particularly excited to have coached one of the shooters to a perfect 200 — man that’s a great feeling!
Tomorrow (Monday) is a repeat of today with another 20 shots at 1000 for individual and then a four-man team match. After that the Palma match is up next. To read more of Kelly’s Reports from Camp Perry, visit KellysGunSales.com.
August 12th, 2013
 Angled Weaver-style or Picatinny-style scope rails elevation “pre-load” are commonplace these days. But most angled scope rails are non-adjustable. Cold Shot LLC offers a more sophisticated solution — an adjustable scope base that allows the shooter to “dial in” up to +150 MOA of vertical. The M.O.A.B. system works via a horizontal rotary adjuster with 1/4-MOA clicks, positioned on the rear of the unit. The M.O.A.B. 150 can be mounted on any rifle fitted with a full-length Picatinny Rail, chambered for any cartridge from .22 LR all the way up to .50 BMG. The M.O.A.B. system works well on AR rifles — when installed on any flat-top AR, the M.O.A.B. eliminates the need for extra-high rings or riser blocks.
With the M.O.A.B. 150, a shooter has more than 150 minutes of angle (i.e. vertical adjustment) calibrated in 1/4-MOA clicks, with a handy zero-stop. This allows you to stay centered in the vertical elevation range of your scope. In addition, the amount of elevation travel is sufficient to adjust for drop at extreme long ranges — a mile or more.
Some users will employ the dial-in adjustment just to set an elevation pre-load for a shooting session (more preload for longer range). However, because the M.O.A.B. offers precise 1/4-MOA clicks, you can actually use the M.O.A.B.’s click-wheel to fine-tune elevation settings, just as you might use the elevation turret on your scope. This saves wear and tear on your scope’s internals.
The price for the M.O.A.B. 150 is $399.95. Note: a +300 MOA version is also available for the same price — but we don’t know why anyone would need that much elevation. Made in the USA, the M.O.A.B. 150 (and 300 MOA version) come with a lifetime warranty on materials and craftsmanship.
Editor’s Comment: We are intrigued by this system. We like the idea of external elevation adjustment with 1/4-MOA clicks. However, the precision of such a system is dependent on the fit of the front hinge cross-bolt and the tolerances of the rear rotary riser. With a design like this, if there is any “slop” in the system, you could see a POI change from shot-to-shot. We have NOT tested the M.O.A.B. 150 so we cannot evaluate if the tolerances are up to snuff — this is just something you should consider before shelling out your hard-earned cash.
Bolt-On Version for M1A and M14 Rifles
Cold Shot also offers an adjustable scope base for M1A and M14-platform rifles. This unit has front and rear attachment points for a “no-gunsmithing” installation. Like the standard M.0.A.B. 150 scope base, the M1A/M14 version offers up to +150 MOA elevation travel in 1/4-MOA clicks.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
August 12th, 2013
This week on Gun Talk Television, it’s all about NFA firearms and accessories, including machine guns and silencers. In 1934, Congress passed the National Firearms Act, enacting a tax and registry on many different firearms and accessories, including machine guns, short barrel rifles, and silencers.
Gun Talk’s Tom Gresham goes on an NFA tour in this week’s episode and visits Sig Sauer Academy to view and shoot Sig’s new line of suppressors. Tom also checks out a suppressed Ruger 10/22 rifle, and takes Kel-Tec’s SU16-D9 short barrel rifle to an indoor range. Gresham also meets with gun collector John Long, who shows off his extensive collection of machine guns, sub-machine guns, and silencers.
Preview Gun Talk TV NFA Episode on YouTube
Gun Talk Television airs on the Pursuit Channel on Mondays at 8:00 a.m. ET, Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sundays at 1:00 a.m. ET. Check your local listings for additional broadcast times. Get the latest news and access Gun Talk’s video library at GunTalk.tv. You’ll also find a large selection of videos on GunTalk’s YouTube Page
NFA (Title II) Firearms are guns and other items regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA). These firearms or weapons are commonly referred to as “Class 3″ items, referring to the class of Federal Firearms License (FFL) a dealer must hold to sell or transfer these items. The NFA regulates the sale, use, possession, and transfer of machine guns, short-barreled shotguns and rifles (SBS and SBR), silencers, destructive devices, and any other weapon (AOW – any firearm that is not explicitly addressed by the NFA such as cane guns and pen guns and including, but not limited to, firearms such as smooth bore pistols and revolvers that fire shotgun shells and have barrels less than 18 inches long).
August 11th, 2013
Report by Kelly Bachand, KellysGunSales.com
 After two years away I’ve returned to the NRA Long Range Nationals at Camp Perry hoping to have lots of fun and shoot well. When I saw the wind coming from the East I was initially a little worried that it could be a wild day as from my memory of Camp Perry a relatively consistent wind from the West is the norm. The Eastern wind was actually pretty consistent today and some very good scores were shot.
A little background is in order you can follow the rest of this range report. When shooting at long range, the biggest variable the shooter must correctly account for is typically wind. Knowing this it makes sense that someone shooting in less severe wind could end up with a higher score than perhaps even a much better shooter who shoots in more severe wind conditions. Because of this, in order to win a trophy match at the NRA Long Range Nationals you have to win twice — you must first win your relay by having the highest score when compared to those who shot at the same time as you, then you must win the Shoot Off where you shoot against the top shooters from the other relays. This prevents someone from winning simply because they shot in an easier condition.
I shot my first 20-shot string at 1000 yards and scored a 198-9X out of a possible 200-20X. That means I had 9 shots inside a the 10″ X-Ring, 9 shots in the 20″ Ten-Ring, and 2 shots in the 30″ Nine-Ring. The wind was a little tricky, but as it turned out I had tied another shooter for the high score on our relay. I originally was not listed for the Shoot Off and I asked what tie break was used because I was simply curious. A few minutes later the referee came by and told me I was in the Shoot Off after all because I had the high score on the relay, the tie didn’t matter. I shot my second string next and the wind was trickier still starting with about 75” of drift and decreasing to about 50” at the end. I lost track of the wind at one point and shot an 8 making my total for the second string a 198-11X. That wasn’t good enough for the second Shoot Off.
Kelly Wins A Shoot Off in Palma Class with 100-5X
The Shoot Off consists of 3 practice shots and 10 shots for score. The Shoot Offs are made more spectator-friendly and many competitors gather around and watch as the trophies are won and lost. I reminded myself I was here to have fun, said a quick prayer, and got ready to shoot. I was focused. I only looked at my own target and I was very careful on my wind calls and on my shot execution. I finished and got off the line to see my score keeper giving me a thumbs up! I had shot a 100-5X and everyone else had already dropped at least one point so I had won! This first match was sponsored by Remington I believe and I’ll get a plaque and my picture taken with the trophy. (Note to Remington — I’ve always wanted a Remington 700).
This was a fun first day of the competition, I’m very glad to be able to shoot for Team Sinclair and I can’t help but smile when God’s blessed me with such a fun talent as shooting!
August 11th, 2013
New shooters are the future of our sport. If we want to “stem the tide” and resist pressures to close gun ranges and limit firearms use, we need to get new people involved in the shooting sports. And the first step in that process is getting first-timers to the range. One of the most successful efforts for enlisting new shooters is the NSSF First Shots Program. First Shots is a free introductory program of NSSF that teaches newcomers firearms fundamentals, safety and local regulations in a classroom setting, followed by a live-fire session with certified instructors. Around the country, First Shot Seminars provide free instruction by trained firearms instructors, with guns and ammo provided at no charge to participants.
First Shots Hosts 200 New Shooters at Houston Ranges
Last weekend, Houston, Texas hosted a successful series of First Shots seminars, as part of the First Shots “Big City Tour”. Four ranges in the Houston area — The Arms Room in League City, Spring Guns and Ammo in Spring, American Shooting Centers in Houston and High Noon Indoor Pistol Range in Crosby — welcomed more than 200 new shooters for training and some fun shooting. “A big thank you goes out to all of the participating ranges who gave a Texas welcome to the participants and the First Shots team,” said Tisma Juett, NSSF’s First Shots manager. Next stop on the First Shots Big City Tour is planned for Atlanta, Georgia. If your shooting facility is located in that vicinity and you’d like to be a host for this event, please contact Juett at tjuett@nssf.org. To find a First Shots Seminar near you, visit the First Shots Online Calendar Webpage.
August 11th, 2013
by GS Arizona, Riflemans Journal
Neck turning isn’t a once-in-a-while operation at my reloading bench. I shoot a lot, go through a fair amount of brass and neck-turn every piece of brass I use. I like the K&M neck turner, it’s well designed, well made, affordable if you like to have more than one caliber permanently set up and so that’s what I use. The only flaw in the K&M is that the tool itself is small enough that holding it for long and frequent session of neck turning is literally a pain. If you happen to have arthritis, it’s even more so.
Pendergraft Holder for K&M Neck-Turner
 Joel Pendergraft makes a great tool holder for the K&M that does away with the pain as it gives a much larger and more comfortable gripping surface. The tool holder is made from aluminum, nicely machined and knurled for a good grip. I thought it was well worth the price of $48.00 delivered in the USA (Price may have gone up since this story was written). Switching the tool holder from one K&M turner to another is a matter of loosening the set screw on the side, slipping out one turner, inserting the other and re-tightening. The Pendergraft tool-holder is simple, well-made, fairly priced and a real joy to use. Who could ask for more?
If you have questions or want to order the K&M tool holder, contact Joel Pendergraft via email: joelpend@bellsouth.net .
August 10th, 2013
Brandon Green and Carl Bernosky Finish with Identical 2384-126X Scores, But Green Wins Based on 600-yard X-Count Tie-Breaker.
Story based on Reports by Kyle Jillson for NRABlog
In one of the closest finishes in NRA High Power Championship history, SSG Brandon Green of the USAMU captured the 2013 National Title, besting defending champion Carl Bernosky by tie-breaker.
“It Doesn’t Get Any Tighter…” Says SSG Green
For years, the NRA High Power national title had always been just out of reach for SSG Brandon Green. But finally, in 2013, after four tense days of shooting, Brandon Green is a National Champion. “It feels extremely good,” Green said after receiving his National title at last night’s awards ceremony. “It was a very tight match the whole way through. The weather conditions were so difficult but everybody still shot well.”
Brandon would have had enough to worry about with just the weather, but throw in a neck-and-neck race with defending champion Carl Bernosky and things get nerve-racking. Green observed: “It doesn’t get any tighter than it was today. It was too tight. Too close. I got some gray hair over it,” Green laughed.
 The fourth and final day of the championships began with Green and Bernosky each at 1789 points, but Green had six more tie-breaking Xs — 98 to 92. With three matches left to shoot, the two men were presented with an opportunity to break away from one another and add an additional 600 points to their scores. As the sun sat low in the early morning sky, competitors assembled at the 200-yard line for the first match, the Crescent Cup, whose 20 shots are taken slowly from the standing position. As fate would have it, both men stumbled during the match. Bernosky and Green each dropped four points and were now tied at 1985. Green managed to push his overall X-count lead to seven, posting eight to Bernosky’s seven.
The Cavalry Cup Match came next. Here, competitors would squeeze off 20 rapid-fire shots from 300 yards while in the prone position. Green and Bernosky both bounced back from their earlier tumbles and scored perfect 200s… once again remaining tied, this time at 2185. However, here in the Cavalry Cup, Bernosky was able to close the already-small gap between himself and Green. Scoring 14 Xs to Green’s 8 Xs, the two shooters would enter the final match with Bernosky down a single X.
“After watching [Bernosky] come off the 300-yard line with a 14X, I thought I was done,” Green said. “And then, of course, I shot a nine on my very first shot for record and knew I was done at that point.”
But Green didn’t buckle. He knew it would all come down to the Crowell Trophy, a slow-fire match shot in the prone position at 600 yards. Green would go on to finish the 20-shot match with all tens, posting a 199-12X. As it turns out, Bernosky had also dropped a point, scoring a 199, and had only shot 13 Xs – bringing the two to a dead tie. Their fate almost undeniably linked at this point, both shooters dropped a single point and scored 199s, cementing their tie-by-points at 2384 each. The winner would need to be determined by the X-Count. But Green, entering the match with a one-X lead over Bernosky, ended up with 12 Xs while Bernosky totalled 13 Xs. So the two men ended the final match tied with the exact same scores and same X-counts. Amazing.
 After the final shot at the final yardage in the final match, both Green and Bernosky were tied with identical scores of 2384-126X. What now?
In order to break the tie, the two scores would be compared by how well each man shot from the 600-yard line. If the tie persisted, the comparison would move to scores from the 300-yard line. From there the 200-yard rapid fire scores would be compared, followed by the 200-yard slow-fire scores. If the men were still equally matched, the tie-breaker would eventually count the point values of the individual hits — starting back at 600 yards — until a winner was determined.
Accounting for all shots taken at 600 yards, both men had scored 597 points, however Green had 35 Xs and Bernosky had 34 Xs. That sealed it — SSG Brandon Green won the 2013 National High Power Champsionship by having one more X at 600 yards than Carl. This was the slimmest margin of victory seen in a long time, but Green is officially the 2013 NRA National High Power Rifle Champion — his first NRA High Power title after years of finishing so close. SSG Green was crowned the 2013 champion at Friday night’s award ceremony (photo above right).
August 10th, 2013
 Need quality magazines for your repeater rifle (with AI-compatible bottom metal)? Well Pacific Tool & Gauge (PT&G) now carries Accuracy International magazines — the best you can buy for many applications. AI’s steel mags feature a durable, corrosion-resistant coating. Both springs and risers (followers) are removable for cleaning. You’ll find PT&G is offering very attractive pricing on these AI mags — check the PT&G website for the latest prices.
PT&G’s AI magazine inventory includes:
.50 BMG: AW and AX 5-rd
.338 Lapua Magnum: AICS 5-rd, AW 5-rd, AX 10-rd
.223 Caliber: AI/AICS Polymer 10-rd
.300 Winchester Magnum: AICS 5-rd, AW 5-rd, AW 10-rd
.308 Win / 7.62×51: AICS 5-rd, AX AICS 5-rd, AE MK1 5-rd, AICS 10-rd, AW 10-rd, AX 10-rd
Mags may also be used for different calibers within same cartridge family. For example, the .308 Winchester magazines will work with .243 Win, .260 Rem, and 7mm-08 cartridges.
Product Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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