You probably know by now that the CMP has been authorized to distribute U.S. Army surplus 1911 pistols. These were the actual .45 ACP handguns issued to American troops for most of the 20th Century. The first 8,000 pistols have been released from the U.S. Army to the CMP. The very best examples will be auctioned, while the rest will sold in three classes: Service Grade ($1050); Field Grade ($950); and Rack Grade ($850). Interest has been high in these historic 1911 service pistols, with demand expected to exceed supply. Now the CMP has set up the purchase procedure and pricing.
NOTE: The CMP 1911 Order Form Packet can be downloaded from TheCMP.org starting June 4, 2018. Only ONE CMP 1911 Order Form Packet per customer may be submitted.
IMPORTANT: To purchase one of these pistols, you must submit a “hard copy” application, and pass two NICS background tests. Potential purchasers must provide the CMP with a set of documents including: 1) proof of U.S. Citizenship; 2) proof of membership in a CMP-affiliated club; 3) proof of participation in a marksmanship activity; 4) a completed 1911 order form, including a notarized form 2A; 5) a signed copy of the 01, or 02, or 07 Federal Firearms License to which the 1911 will be transferred. All qualifying documents must be included in your order packet.
Designed by J.M. Browning, the M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. It served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
CMP 1911 Pistol Purchasing Procedure
While the National Defense Authorization Act granted transfer of a maximum of 10,000 1911s per year to the CMP, the Secretary of the Army allowed only 8,000 1911s to be transferred to the CMP for sale and distribution this fiscal year. Some of those are anticipated to be unusual and worthy of being auctioned. The remaining number will be sold based on a computerized Random Number Generator.
Order Packet Availability: CMP 1911 Order Form Packet will be posted on the CMP website on June 4, 2018. Only ONE CMP 1911 order form packet per customer may be submitted. Hand delivered, emailed, and faxed orders will not be accepted. CMP 1911 order form packet must be mailed to the following address: CMP 1911, 1800 Roberts Drive, Anniston, AL 36207.
One-Month Order Window: Orders must be postmarked NOT PRIOR TO 4 September 2018 and NOT AFTER 4 October 2018. Any orders received postmarked prior to September 4 will not be accepted. Hand delivered, emailed, and faxed orders will not be accepted.
CMP 1911 Pistol Pricing
CMP has priced the 1911 type pistols at fair market value in accordance with CMP’s enabling legislation. The shipping cost is included in the price.
Service Grade $1050. Pistol may exhibit minor pitting and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition.
Field Grade $950. Pistol may exhibit minor rust, pitting, and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition.
Rack Grade $850. Pistol will exhibit rust, pitting, and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips may be incomplete and exhibit cracks. Pistol requires minor work to return to issuable condition.
Auction Grade. The condition of the auction pistol will be described when posted for auction. Note: If you have already purchased a 1911 from CMP you will NOT be allowed to purchase an auction 1911. If you purchase an auction 1911, your name will be pulled from the sequenced list. No repeat purchasers are allowed until all orders received have been filled.
Nightforce scopes are built tough. This was demonstrated in the latest Nightforce Torture Test. In this remarkable experiment, a Nightforce NXS 5-22x50mm scope was subjected to some truly brutal treatment — freezing, blasting, and pounding. During the course of the test, the NXS was:
— Encased in a block of ice for 24 hours.
— Blasted with a 12-gauge shotgun (while in the ice).
— Pounded on a block of wood to clear the ice.
— Used as a hammer to drive a spike into wood.
The test had two phases. After the ice-encased scope was blasted with a 12 gauge shotgun, the scope was mounted on a Barrett MRAD rifle (1:00 time-mark) and used to successfully hit a steel swinger target at 100 yards. Then the scope was removed from the Barrett and used to hammer a long steel spike into a block of wood (1:55 time-mark). Then, after the pounding, the NXS scope was reattached to the rifle, and used to hit a binary explosive target (2:25 time-mark).
WATCH Nightforce Torture Test Video:
The entire torture test process was filmed in a continuous shoot (with no “time-outs”) so there is no trickery. Watch the video to see the continuous time-line in the lower right.
The NRA has announced that Lt. Colonel Oliver North, USMC (Ret.) will become President of the NRA within a few weeks, a process the NRA Board of Directors initiated Monday morning.
North said he was eager to take on this new role. North is retiring from Fox News, effective immediately. “I am honored to have been selected by the NRA Board to soon serve as this great organization’s President,” North said. “I appreciate the board initiating a process that affords me a few weeks to set my affairs in order, and I am eager to hit the ground running as the new NRA President.”
The NRA Board acted quickly to begin the process for North to become President, after former NRA President Pete Brownell announced that, in order to devote his full time and energy to his family business, he had decided not to seek election to a second term.
Brownell wrote to the NRA Board: “Discussing this with Wayne LaPierre, he suggested we reach out to a warrior amongst our board members, Lt. Colonel Oliver North, to succeed me. Wayne and I feel that … a leader with his history as a communicator and resolute defender of the Second Amendment is precisely what the NRA needs. After consulting with NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox, First Vice President Childress and Second Vice President Meadows, I can report there is extraordinary support for Col. North.”
“Pete has served the NRA with great courage and distinction,” LaPierre said. “I am grateful that he joined me in enthusiastically recommending Oliver North to the Board of Directors.”
Carolyn Meadows Will Serve as Interim NRA President
After the announcement, NRA First Vice President Richard Childress informed the board that he had multiple commitments in the next several weeks and was unable to be immediately available to serve as interim President. The Board then selected Second Vice President Carolyn Meadows to serve as its interim President. Meadows will step aside in a few weeks, when Lt. Col. North is prepared to take on his new role as NRA President.
Can’t get enough gun content on your home computer? Now you can stream informative audio broadcasts to your mobile device. In addition to its popular weekly TV shows, Shooting USA now offers podcasts on gun topics. These podcasts feature interviews with ace shooters, notable gunsmiths, and leading firearms industry executives. There are now 123 Shooting USA Podcast episodes available for streaming. Or you can download a podcast to your mobile device for later listening. All Shooting USA Podcast content is free. Use these links to access all Shooting USA Podcasts (123 audio shows):
Now you can listen to timely and entertaining Shooting USA Podcasts, hosted by Jim and John Scoutten. They are available on both Podbean and iTunes.
Here are four (4) of our favorite Shooting USA Podcasts. These include interviews with legendary shooter Jerry Miculek, and ace pistolero Max Michel, perhaps the fastest handgunner on the planet. Click each graphic to launch the PodBean player page for that Podcast.
Watch Max Michel Speed Drill (This Guy is Blazing Fast!)
Want to learn more about Long Range Shooting? Check out the “Elements of Long Range Shooting” videos from the National Shooting Sport Foundation (NSSF). In this multi-part series, Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics covers a variety of topics of interest to precision shooters. Today we feature three of these videos. There are five other videos in this series. Watch the entire 8-video “Elements of Long Range Shooting” series on the NSSF YouTube Channel.
Atmospherics and Density Altitude
Bryan Litz explains: “An important element in calculating an accurate firing solution for long-range shooting is understanding the effects of atmospherics on a projectile.” Atmospherics include air pressure, air temperature, and humidity. Bryan notes: “Temperature, pressure, and humidity all affect the air density… that the bullet is flying through. You can combine all those factors into one variable called ‘Density Altitude’.” Density Altitude is used by the ballistic solver to account for air density variables that affect bullet flight.
Bullet Ballistic Coefficients
A bullet’s ballistic coefficient (BC) basically expresses how well the bullet flies through the air. Higher BC bullets have less aerodynamic drag than lower BC projectiles. You will see BCs listed as either G1 and G7 numbers. These correspond to different bullet shape models. Generally speaking, the G7 model works better for the long, boat-tail bullets used for long-range shooting. Notably, a bullet’s drag is NOT constant in flight. The true BC can vary over the course of the trajectory as the bullet velocity degrades. In other words, “BC is dynamic”. That said, you can make very accurate drop charts using the BCs provided by major bullet-makers, as plugged into solvers. However, long-range competitors may want to record “real world” drop numbers at various distances. For example, we’ve seen trajectories be higher than predicted at 500 yards, yet lower than predicted at 1000.
Ballistics Solvers — Many Options
Bryan Litz observes: “When we talk about the elements of long range shooting, obviously a very important element is a getting a fire solution, using a ballistic solver. There are a lot of ballistic solvers out there… Applied Ballistics has smartphone Apps. Applied Ballistics has integrated the ballistic solver directly into a Kestral, and the same solver runs (manually) on the Accuracy Solutions Wiz-Wheel. The point is, if it is an Applied Ballistics device it is running the same solutions across the board.”
About Bryan Litz
Bryan began his career as a rocket scientist, quite literally. He then started Applied Ballistics, the leading company focusing on ballistics science for rifle shooting. A past F-TR Long-Range National Champion and Chief Ballistician for Berger Bullets, knows his stuff. His Applied Ballistics squad was the winning team at the 2017 King of 2 Miles event, and Applied Ballistics recently received a major U.S. defense contract to to execute Phase 1 of the Extreme Sniper Strike Operations (ESSO) project.
Kirstie Pike of Próis Hunting Apparel for Women created Mossberg’s wild game cookbook. Kirstie walks you through everything you need to know with 10 easy-to-follow recipes that even non-expert guy cooks can handle. Kirstie is not only passionate about her hunting, but also her cooking, “There is nothing like harvesting your own game and creating fabulous food that is healthy and organic. I love to create recipes that are not only flavorful, but also easy enough for any night of the week.”
The Wild Game Gourmet Cookbook includes:
— Ten easy-to-follow recipes
— In-depth preparation detail for each recipe
— High resolution photos to accompany each recipe
— Suggestions on altering recipes to suit the game you have on hand
— Tips on meat storage, general food preparation, and more…
Our friend Derek Rodgers is the current F-TR World Champion AND the current King of 2 Miles, having won his KO2M crown at Raton last year. Shooting with Team Applied Ballistics, Derek delivered a dominant performance at the KO2M event, scoring nearly twice as many points as his nearest rival, Ronnie Wright. And Derek was the first KO2M marksman in history to hit the target at the maximum 3368-yard (1.91 mile) distance.
Derek topped the K02M field last year shooting a .375 CheyTac with Cutting Edge 400gr LazerMax tipped bullets. That’s a really big cartridge, but apparently not big enough for Derek. Mr. Rodgers has hot-rodded his long-range rig, fitting a barrel for an even bigger cartridge, the mighty .416 Barrett. Derek tells us: “The .416 is rolling now. I am preparing for initial load development and working out tooling kinks on the bench.” He is loading more Cutting Edge bullets with a selection of slow powders. For his .375 CheyTac last year, Derek used Hodgdon 50 BMG. He’s trying something else this time…
Breakfast of Champions:
Watch Derek Rodgers hit 3368-yard target at 2017 K02M Competition:
At the 2017 K02M, Derek ruled. With his McMillan-stocked .375 CheyTac rifle, Derek shot brilliantly from the start. He was perfect — without a miss — at the first three yardages: 1543, 1722, and 1888. He had some misses at 1953 and 2667 yards, but then he out-shot all competitors at 3028 yards, going two for five. No other shooter managed a single hit at 3028 yards. Then it all came down to the big one — the last (and greatest) challenge, the target at 3368 yards (1.91 miles).
LabRadar owners can celebrate. New mobile-friendly control software is coming soon. Gunsmith and Benchrest Hall of Famer Thomas “Speedy” Gonzalez had some interesting news from the NRA Show in Dallas. He learned that the creators of the LabRadar chronograph systems will soon offer Mobile Apps that can run on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. This new software will make it much easier to control the LabRadar, and offer enhanced data editing functionality.
New LabRadar iOS and Android Mobile Apps Coming Soon…
Speedy says: “I just got back from the NRA show in Dallas, Texas. The coolest thing I personally saw at the show was at the LabRadar booth. They had the Beta versions of their new LabRadar Apps for the iPhone and Android phones. These Apps let you control all LabRadar functions from your phone as well as your tablet via Bluetooth connection. The new Apps will also allow the LabRadar owner to store and edit his or her data from a much larger and user friendly screen.”
That’s good news. We particularly like the ability to edit LabRadar data on a tablet. Speedy added: “This is going to revolutionize this great product and make it [much more] user-friendly.”
The new LabRadar Mobile Apps will be available free for LabRadar owners. If you own a LabRadar, be sure to register your LabRadar on the LabRadar Website. That will ensure you are notified via email as soon as the software is available. To register, look for the text link at the top right of the LabRadar homepage. It says “Register your LabRadar “. Click the link then fill out the data form.
Here’s something you don’t see every day — a reloading press that has loaded over 1,000,000 rounds of ammo. At the NRA Convention in Dallas, Redding showcased an old Redding T-7 Turret Press delivered to Sierra Bullets decades ago. 0ne of the very first T-7s made by Redding, this “old warrior” was used by Sierra Bullets to load over 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition in Sierra’s ballistics lab.
Redding T-7 Still Within Spec
After all that loading, Redding tested the press and, remarkably, found that it still remained “within spec”. Redding notes: “This press was subjected to real world reloading wear and stress yet remains within ‘new’ spec after this historic test”. At the Dallas NRA event, this press was fitted with indicators to show “just how good American Steel and craftsmanship remains after what, in a normal situation, would represent numerous lifetimes of use.”
Redding Reloading Equipment has crafted quality, American-Made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. To learn more about Redding products or to request a copy of the 2018 Redding catalog visit Redding-Reloading.com.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Whittaker Guns — Howa Mini Action .223 Rem, $349.99
This is hard for a varmint hunter to resist. You can get a complete Howa .223 Rem rifle for $349.99 — about the price of a replacement barrel blank for a Remington. This little gem has a smooth, short-throw Mini Action with Howa’s excellent two-stage trigger. The .223 Rem is a fine choice for prairie dog work, with good barrel life and great factory ammo options. Yes we’d prefer a heavier barrel for extended shooting sessions, but this is still a great price on a fine little rifle. NOTE: This month get 10% Off other items at Whittaker Guns (site-wide) with code MAYDAY.
2. Midsouth — Hornady Auto Charge Dispenser, $158.99
Here’s a great deal from our friends at Midsouth. Hornady’s versatile Lock-N-Load Auto Charge™ Powder Scale and Dispenser is on sale for $158.99 at Midsouth. The Hornady Auto Charge is accurate to 0.1 grains of powder and can hold up to 1000 grains of powder in its hopper. This is a very good value compared to other electronic powder scale/dispensers on the market, such as the RCBS ChargeMaster Lite, currently $257.24 at Amazon (nearly $100 more).
The brand new Ruger Precision Rimfire could become one of 2018’s most popular rifles, if the success of its “big brother”, the centerfire Ruger Precision Rifle, is any indicator. This .22 LR rig offers a turn-key rimfire solution for tactical shooters, PRS competitors, and anyone who likes modular rifles. The Ruger Precision Rimfire rifle offers adjustable cheekpiece and length of pull, AR-style grip, free-floating M-Lok fore-end, and a 18″ barrel (1:16″ twist) pre-threaded for brakes or suppressor. Sportsman’s Guide sells this rimfire rig for $399.99 (or $379.99 member price).
4. Black Rifle Deport — Aero Precision Upper Receiver, $69.95
Looking to build a black rifle? Check out this Aero Precision Assembled Upper Receiver. Right now this upper receiver assembly is discounted to $69.95 plus you get a free charging handle ($12.95 value). This is a good component for a project (you must add the barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, stock etc. of your choice). NOTE, this upper includes port door, charging handle, and forward assist but does NOT include bolt or bolt carrier assembly. And this is NOT, repeat NOT, a complete upper — no barrel, handguards, gas system or sights. Got that?
5. Amazon — Plano 52″ Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $109.08
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is under $110.00, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). If you separate the barreled action from the stock you can transport even ultra-long ELR rifles. The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move. This is a very tough, roomy case for the money (plus there’s Free Shipping).
Exterior Dimensions: 54.625″ x 15.5″ x 6″
Interior Dimensions: 51.5″ x 12.63″ x 5.25″
Pluckable Interior Dimensions: 46″ x 10″
Features: Wheels, Secure Draw-Down Latches, O-Ring Seal, Pressure Relief Valve, Customizable Foam
6. Amazon — Howard Leight Impact Sport Electronic Muffs, $34.99
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Amazon has PINK Howard Leight electronic muffs on sale for just $34.99. These Impact Sport muffs are popular among shooters as they are reliable, reasonably comfortable, and easy to store. Built-in directional microphones amplify range commands and other ambient sounds to 82 dB, providing more natural listening and enhanced communication. These muffs carry a 22 NRR Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). The bottom of the muffs is thinner for clearance on a rifle stock, and the headband is adjustable. These Impact Sport Earmuffs include AUX input and 3.5 mm connection cord for MP3 players and smartphones.
7. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a good deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $199.99.
8. Sportsman’s Guide — 1400 Rimfire Rounds $71.49
Need rimfire plinking ammo? Here’s a super bargain. With Remington’s Bucket 0′ Bullets, you can get 1400 rounds of .22 LR ammo for $71.49 ($67.92 member price). That works out to just $0.051 per round. A nickle a round is plenty affordable. You can shoot 200 rounds for just ten bucks — about what a movie ticket costs these days.
9. FosPower 10200 mAh Waterproof Charger, $25.99
When you’re at the range or on a hunt, it’s smart to have a USB-output battery pack for smart phone, target-cam monitor, even a LabRadar. There are many battery packs available, but most are fairly fragile, with exposed ports. This “ruggedized” FosPower 10200 mAh charger is different. It is waterproof, dust-proof, and shock-proof. (IP67 certified: dust and water resistance for up to 3ft/1m for 30 minutes under water.) It can handle all that a PRS competitor or hunter can dish out. It even has a handy LED light. Right now it’s priced at $25.99 with FREE Shipping (on orders over $25.00).
The NRA Board acted quickly to begin the process for North to become President, after former NRA President Pete Brownell announced that, in order to devote his full time and energy to his family business, he had decided not to seek election to a second term.
Speedy says: “I just got back from the NRA show in Dallas, Texas. The coolest thing I personally saw at the show was at the LabRadar booth. They had the Beta versions of their new LabRadar Apps for the iPhone and Android phones. These Apps let you control all LabRadar functions from your phone as well as your tablet via Bluetooth connection. The new Apps will also allow the LabRadar owner to store and edit his or her data from a much larger and user friendly screen.”
Redding T-7 Still Within Spec
