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May 2nd, 2015
This handsome Paterson revolver, the earliest known, factory-engraved Colt, sold for remarkable $414,000 at an April 2015 RIA auction.
Gun prices climbed into the stratosphere last month during the 2015 April Premiere Firearms Auction conducted by the Rock Island Auction Company (RIA). The most expensive gun at auction was an historic Colt Paterson, the first-ever factory-engraved Colt handgun. Complete with the original fitted factory case with various accessories, this Paterson inspired a bidding war that saw the price rise to a stunning $414,000. That is an amazingly high price for a gun that was not owned by a well-known historic personage. Generally, to command a price in the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars, a gun must have a significant historic provenance — such as having been owned by a legendary figure such as Billy the Kid or Wyatt Earp.
It seems like prices continue to rise every year at auctions of historic and collectible firearms. At RIA’s April Premier Auction, the total sale value of the auctioned guns topped $11.6 million. Remarkably, a first-year production Colt Python (serial #170) sold for $17,250! That makes this Editor regret not having acquired an early model Snake decades ago.
May 1st, 2015
 
Even in the “tactical” world, hand craftsmanship is not dead yet. Chad Dixon of Long Rifles Inc. (LRI) is building the lastest Sniper’s Hide Cup Trophy Rifle. These photos show the exquisite stock crafted by Chad and Jesse Kaufman of Black Hills Gunstocks & Engraving. Chad cut the stock on his CNC mill and Jesse did the final sanding and finishing on the wood. Here’s what master craftsman Kaufman had to say about the project: “We delivered the Long Rifles Inc. Mausingfield today! I was so very pleased that Chad and the staff at the shop thought it looked great. It means a lot to be able to support my family and household with the income I receive from my labor. May the Lord bless you all. — Jesse.”
May 1st, 2015
2013 High Power National Champion SFC Brandon Green is one of the nation’s best marksmen. Watch this video to see why. In this remarkable video, Brandon shows why he is tough to beat in rapid-fire. Using a Tubb 2000 bolt-action target rifle, Green displays amazing speed working the bolt and then immediately recapturing a rock-steady hold. Our reaction when viewing this video was: “Wow… this guy is beyond good.” We think you’ll agree. Anyone who has shot prone with sling should appreciate the remarkable skills which make Brandon one of the USAMU’s top shooters. Watching this man in action is like watching Michael Jordan in his prime. You’re seeing one of the very best ever…
SFC Brandon Green doing 300m Rapid Fire Prone Training with Tubb 2000:
NOTE: This video is hosted by Facebook, so it may take a bit of time to load.
May 1st, 2015
Montana sportsmen can now legally use suppressor-equipped firearms when hunting game (provided the silencer was obtained in compliance with Federal laws). Montana Governor Steve Bullock recently signed HB 250, a new law allowing the use of sound moderators (aka silencers, cans, or suppressors) when hunting all types of game animals in the state. The enactment of this legislation immediately brings Montana in line with the 34 other states that currently allow the use of suppressors for hunting wildlife. Note, in all those states, you must still comply with federal regulations governing ownership of silencers and obtain a tax stamp for each suppressor you own.
April 30th, 2015
In our Shooters’ Forum, there is an interesting thread showcasing a number of new varmint rifles built for the 2015 season. Here are six of the noteworthy builds highlighted in the thread. See more rifles in this Forum thread: Let’s See Your New For 2015 Rigs.
From member Greg T
6mm AI on RBLP Bat Three-Lug Action
Krieger 1:14″-Twist, 28″ Tube
.274 Neck throated for 75 gr V-Max
Blue / Black Shurley Brothers Lowrider Stock
Comment: I think I have found my favorite caliber as now I basically have twins – one for 87 grainers and one for 75 grainers. Yes this is overkill (and financially not the best decision) but it’s fun, so what the heck. With such a slow twist rate, I think I can push the 75s to 3850 fps or so.
April 30th, 2015
Just like the Olympics, the World Long Range Target Shooting Championships event is held every four years. This year the World Championships take place in the USA, at Camp Perry, Ohio. The USA Young Eagles Rifle Team will be there, competing against six other under-25 rifle teams from other countries. You can help the USA Young Eagles Team by visiting the Young Eagles’ GoFundMe Page and making a secure donation.
April 30th, 2015
 This is an interesting technical article prepared by Action Target, a leading steel target manufacturer based in Provo, Utah. With technical data provided by the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington D.C., this report is designed to cut through the recent hype and establish a basis of fact for accurate evaluation and comparison.
What Is Steel?
 Steel is an alloy metal composed of iron and varying amounts of carbon and/or other elements such as chromium, nickel, tungsten, manganese, and so on. Steel with specific properties and characteristics is created by adjusting the overall chemical composition or by altering the various production processes such as rolling, finishing, and heat treatment. Because each of these factors can be modified, there is potentially no limit to the number of different steel recipes that can be created. Currently, there are over 3,000 cataloged grades or chemical compositions of steel available. Steel can utilize a wide variety of alloying elements and heat treatments to develop the most desirable combination of properties.
April 29th, 2015
The 9th Annual Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will be held at Camp Butner, North Carolina, May 1-10, 2015. The Eastern CMP Games run May 1-5, while the Creedmoor Cup Matches take place on May 6-10. All interested shooters are invited to participate in this popular event, which includes: Rimfire Sporter Match, M16 Match, M1 Garand Match, Springfield Match, M1-Carbine Match, Vintage Military Match, Modern Military Match, Vintage Sniper Match, Pistol Matches and more. New for 2015, the CMP will be hold a .22 Rimfire EIC Pistol Match.
CMP Games Information Page | CMP Games Program 2015 | CMP Games Registration Form.
The Vintage Sniper Match is a two-person team match, utilizing scoped rifles from the Korean War, World War II or earlier, upon sandbags. Teammates take turns as both shooter and spotter.
April 29th, 2015
One of our Forum members asked: “Are there any good books on pistol marksmanship? I’m looking for a book that covers techniques and concepts….”
April 28th, 2015
Well, it appears that youth and skill CAN triumph over “old age and treachery” — at least in the world of IBS benchrest competition. Here’s a feel-good story that should give us confidence in the upcoming generation of new shooters.
A month ago, Henry Miller won the IBS benchrest match at Dunham’s Bay, New York. Henry shot a .2698 Aggregate to top 21 other shooters. That sounds like a standard headline for most any benchrest event, doesn’t it? In the case, however, it was rather exceptional. You see, Henry, the son of long-time benchrester Scott Miller, is just eleven years old. It was an impressive performance by the young man — conditions for the March 22nd match were difficult. In fact, only two shooters finished under .300 for the 100-yard, five-target average. Scott Miller introduced son Henry recently to the world of benchrest competition. In addition to Dunham’s Bay, young Henry has shot at Pine Tree Rifle Club in Johnstown, New York and at Bell City in Connecticut. By the way, Henry beat the Euber brothers (both Hall of Famers) and other veteran shooters many decades older than he. Well done, young man!
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