Register for CMP New England Games, High Power Rifle and Pistol Matches
On September 16-24, the CMP 2023 New England Games will take place in Jericho, Vermont. Hosted jointly by Camp Ethan Allen National Guard Training Site and the Vermont State Rifle and Pistol Association (VSRPA), the New England Games will be conducted at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, a beautiful facility. The New England Games features a full lineup of mathces including recreational-style rifle and pistol CMP Games events as well as High Power Rifle matches.
New England Games Registration is currently open. Competitors are encouraged to register right away, though interested shooters will also be able to register for additional matches while attending the event. The CMP expects over 150 competitors this year. The New England Games have become extremely popular for the serene, scenic environment and fun competition.
Popular Rifle Events
Popular events like the Garand/Springfield/Vintage and Modern Military (GSMM), Rimfire Sporter, Carbine and Vintage Sniper matches combine classic and contemporary rifle competitions that are suitable for those just beginning as well as those seasoned in the sport. Additionally, High Power rifle matches like the 80 Shot Aggregate series, a 4-Man Team event and a Service Rifle Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) match offer even more exciting challenges on the range, fired on CMP electronic targets.
Rifle Training Programs at New England Games
A basic Rifle Training Class will be held at New England Games. Also, an M1 Maintenance Clinic will show M1 owners how to maintain and preserve the historic M1 Garand rifle. And a GSMM New Shooter Clinic will be offered for novice GSMM competitors.
Electronic Targets Speed Up Matches and Eliminate Pit Duties
The 202e New England Games will feature the CMP’s electronic High Power targets. The electronic target system is now well-sorted and provides accurate scoring. Shooters have monitors right at their shooting stations, providing instant scoring info — no more waiting for the targets to be marked manually. And with the elimination of pit duty allowed by the target system, matches are completed more quickly.
Pistol Matches and Handgun Training Courses The CEATS Pistol Range hosts centerfire and rimfire matches in a lovely, tree-lined setting.
The CMP New England Games will include Service Pistol, .45 Cal, and .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC events, along with As-Issued 1911 Pistol and Military & Police Service Pistol matches. the CMP will host a Pistol Marksmanship 101 course with hands-on training on the firing line covering gun safety, target shooting skills, positioning, mechanics and more. All firearms and equipment will be provided.
Accommodations and Meals
Competitors may stay at Camp Ethan Allen in the Barracks for $20.00 per night (advance application required). Meals are also available and must be requested in advance. There will also be Camp Transient Quarters available to former and current military personal. Competitors interested in Transient Quarters will contact the Billeting Office at (802) 899-7028.
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The Second Amendment recognizes Americans’ right to “keep and bear arms”. That right is NOT limited to bolt action or single-shot rifles. But in defiance of the Second Amendment, New York state has imposed a discretionary licensing requirement for persons who want to acquire semi-auto rifles. That essentially allows New York to arbitrarily deny law-abiding citizens their Second Amendment rights.
Consequently, that New York rifle license law is now being challenged in court, in the case of McGregor et al v. Suffolk County, NY, recently filed in Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York. That lawsuit challenges: “(i) enforcement of Senate Bill 9458, which requires ordinary people to apply for and obtain a discretionary license to purchase, receive, sell, exchange, and/or dispose of semiautomatic rifles, and register their weapons with the government, all under penalty of criminal sanctions; and (ii) enforcement of policies that result in exorbitant 2-3 year delays in issuing a license to purchase, receive, sell, exchange, and dispose of semiautomatic rifles.” Download COMPLAINT HERE.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) has filed an Amicus brief in McGregor v. Suffolk County. The SAF argues that New York State’s “rifle license” requirement under New York SB 9458 is unconstitutional.
In its opening section, the SAF brief states, “The State of New York’s requirement to obtain a ‘rifle license’ before an individual may acquire a semiautomatic rifle is repugnant to the plain text of the Second Amendment and this nation’s history and tradition.” SAF founder and Executive V.P. Alan M. Gottlieb notes that there is nothing in the Second Amendment which supports a “requirement that government give its permission so that an individual may exercise the right to keep and bear arms.”
“The state’s requirement that an individual obtain a license prior to acquiring a long gun is simply incompatible with the text of the Second Amendment as informed by this nation’s history and tradition,” said attorney Adam Kraut, who also serves as SAF Executive Director. “New York has continuously imposed additional burdens and regulations on peaceable individuals on the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms that do not conform with constitutional limitations on the state’s power. It is time for New York to recognize that, despite its preference to the contrary, it does not have the constitutional authority to enact these types of laws which only serve to impede an individual’s ability to exercise their constitutional rights.”
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SUMMARY: This article reviews a device that “triggers” the LabRadar chronograph to register bullet speed. Rather than activate by sound or Doppler reading, this $35 JKL Inertial Trigger works from the rifle’s instantaneous recoil pulse when a shot is fired. After some frustration with his LabRadar when shooting at a range with reflective surfaces, our tester is now reporting that 100% of his actual shots are being captured correctly by his LabRadar chrono equipped with the JKL Inertial Trigger. He won’t use his LabRadar without it now. Other users have become instant fans of this inertial LabRadar trigger as well. It is very affordable and it works great. VIEW LARGE PHOTO.
JKL Inertial Trigger for LabRadar Chronograph
Product Review by F Class John
The LabRadar chronograph has been one of the most revolutionary tools in the shooting world because of how it collects velocity data, how it reports (and stores) that data, and, ultimately, the ease with which it can be positioned and operated. However, it’s not a perfect system. A majority of the complaints come from users whose LabRadars sometimes fail to record all the shots fired in a string. For the average plinker, this may not be an issue. But for serious shooters trying to do ladder tests or load development requiring all shots to be reported, it can be frustrating when a shot is missed.
Traditionally, LabRadar has recommended trying different settings that compensate for the gap between the unit and muzzle as well as well as having different options for how the unit recognizes a shot fired. While these options work to some degree, they aren’t a guaranteed fix especially when shooting at ranges with concrete baffles or with roofs, walls, and dividers that can alter sound waves. While nobody can precisely explain why shots are lost under certain circumstances, the fact remains it DOES happen. In addition, the default system can sometimes pick up stray shots from nearby rifles.
Not willing to give up on this sophisticated chronograph, many shooters have looked for a foolproof way to prevent such failures from happening. In fact, for this shooter, the frustration was so high that I actually sold my first LabRadar and went back to another chronograph before ultimately buying another LabRadar almost a year later. But I made that repeat purchase only after vowing to finding a way to make the LabRadar work — EVERY time, for EVERY shot.
See How JKL Inertial Trigger Works in this Video
JKL Inertial Trigger — Outstanding Product That Works Great
Enter the JKL Gen 2 Trigger for the LabRadar. This is an easy-to-use, inertial-driven trigger that activates simply from the recoil of your gun. The unit consists of a small rectangular pad attached to a long audio cable. All you do is plug in the audio cable, attach the pad to your gun with the provided hook and loop (Velcro) material. Then (important), you must change the LabRadar trigger settings from “Doppler” to “Trigger”. The unit works great and is easy to set up. In my experience, the unit will activate no matter where you place it on a stock. However the recoil of every gun is slightly different, so you will need to make sure you find a location that doesn’t interfere with your shooting setup.
An unexpected benefit of using the JKL trigger is that it gives you a larger area in which to place your Labradar unit, making it more convenient to setup on benches or range stations. I found this a welcome relief since the LabRadar originally seemed somewhat fussy about where I placed it. Now I can place the LabRadar in more convenient locations — as long as it’s still near my gun and pointed at the target correctly, I get consistent bullet speed data.
Are There Issues with “False Positives”?
If there is any downside to using the JKL Inertial Trigger, it’s that a very hard bump or aggressive working of the action can trigger a false reading. However these are easy to identify in your data, because the speed value is way lower than true fired shot values. Simply remove that low entry or otherwise ignore it in your calculations. To be fair, this “bump activation” really doesn’t happen very often once you get used to using the inertial trigger.
SUMMARY — Outstanding Accessory for LabRadar Users
Bottom line — if you own a LabRadar, then definitely get a JKL Inertial Trigger. Priced at just $35.00 this device is not expensive, yet it’s one of the most effective accessories you can buy for the LabRadar. I’ve recommended these inertial triggers to dozens of shooters. Every one of those guys who did buy a JKL trigger says they can’t imagine using a LabRadar without one. If you love what the LabRadar can do, but have been frustrated with shots not getting recorded 100% of the time, then definitely get yourself a JKL Inertial Trigger. It turns a good system into an amazing system. JKL Industries states that its inertial trigger “will work on anything from a .22 LR to a suppressed system or with standard rifle and brake.”
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Looking for a superb illustrated coffee table book about guns? Yes there is such a thing, a great book we highly recommend — The Illustrated History of Fireams (2nd Edition). This full-color 320-page hardcover book features more than 1,700 photos compiled by NRA Museums curators Jim Supica, Doug Wicklund, and Philip Schreier. This Second Edition includes 300 photos more than the original, plus dozens of new profiles of important persons who influenced firearms development.
This follow-up to the best-selling original NRA Museums book is loaded with great images, historical profiles, and technical data on old, new, and currently-manufactured firearms that have changed history. Covering the earliest matchlocks to modern match-grade superguns and everything in between, The Illustrated History of Firearms provides a fascinating education on how guns evolved, where they originated and how they worked.
The Illustrated History of Firearms, 2nd Edition
– Authored by the experts at the NRA Firearms Museums
– Published by Gun Digest Books
– 9 ½ x 11 1/2 inches, hardcover with dust jacket
– 1,700 full-color photos
– 320 Pages, Hardcover
– Price: $39.99 (MSRP); $33.79 on Amazon
The Illustrated History of Firearms, 2nd Edition is available from Amazon direct for $33.79 delivered. Amazon also lists the book starting at $28.54 from a variety of other book vendors. You’ll also find the book at major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, but it’s probably easier to purchase online.
Historic American Arms — Teddy Roosevelt’s Lever Guns
These two lever action rifles, owned by President Theodore Roosevelt, are part of the NRA Museum collection. First is a Winchester 1886 rifle known as the tennis match gun because Roosevelt used winnings from a tennis match to buy it. Below that is a suppressed Winchester model 1894 rifle. Roosevelt liked to shoot varmints around Oyster Bay (Long Island, NY) with this gun so he wouldn’t disturb his neighbors — the Tiffany and Du Pont families.
About the NRA Museums
The NRA opened the original National Firearms Museum at its Washington DC Headquarters in 1935. In 2008 the Francis Brownell Museum of the South West opened at the NRA’s Whittington Center in Raton, NM. Then, in 2013, the National Sporting Arms Museum opened at the Bass Pro Shops store in Springfield, MO. Every year, at these three museum facilities, over 350,000 persons visit to see the impressive exhibits and many of America’s most famous firearms. For more information, visit www.NRAMuseum.org.
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Each year, on the last Monday in May, Americans honor the sacrifices of military men and women who paid the ultimate price in their service to our nation. More than 1.35 million American men and women have died in military service during wartime, including more than 666,400+ combat deaths. On May 29, 2023, we again pay tribute to these men and women and remember their service to their country.
This is what Memorial Day symbolizes — a time Americans take a clear look at both our past and our future. One day each year, when we acknowledge the debt we owe to those men and women who — because they so cherished peace — chose to live as warriors.
Could anything be more contradictory than the lives of our soldiers? They love America, so they spend long years in foreign lands far from her shores. They revere freedom, so they sacrifice their own that we may be free. They defend our right to live as individuals, yet yield their individuality in that cause. Perhaps most paradoxically of all, they value life, and so bravely ready themselves to die in the service of our country. — Deborah Y. Parker
Moment of Remembrance
Memorial Day Observances will range from parades to memorial ceremonies and organized moments of silence. The Memorial Day National Moment of Remembrance honors America’s fallen warrriors. Established by Congress in 2000, the “Moment” asks Americans, wherever they are at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause for one minute, in an act of national unity and respect for the fallen.
What Is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.
On Memorial Day, the United States flag is traditionally raised to the top of the staff, then solemnly lowered to half-staff position until noon, when it is raised again to full-staff for the rest of the day. The half-staff position is to remember the more than one million men and women who have given their lives for this country.
Flags placed in Arlington National Cemetery by members of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the “Old Guard”.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
How fast can you shoot a bolt-action rifle? We doubt you can out-pace the ace “Stangskyting” shooters from Scandinavia. Some of these guys can run more than two rounds per second, including mag changes! That’s impressive. Bulletin reader C. Lemmermann from Denmark told us: “In Scandinavia we have this competition called ‘Stangskyting’. It’s similar to the ‘Mad Minute’ but we only have 25 seconds to hit the target [at] 200-300m distance with a 6.5×55 [target rifle].” In the Stangskyting video below a shooter named Børklop puts 16 rounds on target in just 25 seconds. (He starts with a round in the chamber and cycles through three, 5-round magazines).
Børklop’s performance, with just a sling and iron sights, is impressive. He’s shooting a Sauer 200 STR target rifle with 5-round magazine. Note that Børklop manipulates the Sauer’s bolt with his thumb and index finger, while pulling the trigger with his middle finger. As good as Børklop is, some Stangskyting competitors are even better. Roy Arne Syversrud from Oslo, Norway tells us: “The best shooters in Norway can do 21 shots in 25 seconds, changing the mag three times.”
Here’s another Stangskyting video. Check out the speed with which John Olav Ågotnes works that action — simply amazing!
This Guy Could Break the “Mad Minute” Record
Børklop’s rate of fire, 16 rounds in 25 seconds, is the equivalent of 38.4 rounds in 60 seconds. That’s a notable number because the record for the “Mad Minute”, a British Army marksmanship drill, is 38 rounds in one minute. That record was set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall, and still stands. So as you watch Børklop, keep in mind that Snoxall shot that fast for a full minute with a Lee-Enfield nearly 100 years ago!
Børklop has an average cycling time of 1.56 seconds per shot, starting with a round in the chamber. To beat the record of 38 rounds, he would need to make seven mag changes in sixty seconds. All those mag swaps could reduce his average time per shot, making it difficult to achieve 38 hits in a minute. But, if Børklop could use 10-round mags with his Sauer STR, this guy has the skills to break the record.
To emphasize the capabilities of the WWI-era British shooter who set the record, Snoxall shot as fast as Børklop does, but Snoxall reloaded with stripper clips. Snoxall’s SMLE (Lee-Enfield) rifle also had relatively crude open sights and the stock was far less ergonomic than Børklop’s Sauer STR stock.
Here’s another Stangskyting video showing John Ågotnes shooting rapidfire with his Sauer 200 STR (Scandinavian Target Rifle) chambered in 6.5×55. By our count, Ågotnes manages 17 shots within the 25-second time period. That rate of fire (17 in 25 seconds) equates to 40.8 rounds in one minute!
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At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or 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.
NOTE to Readers: Monday, May 29, 2023 is Memorial Day. Many vendors may be running special SALES today, or over the next few days. Check with vendors Brownells, EuroOptic, Creedmoor Sports, Bruno’s, Graf & Sons, Midsouth, Precision Reloading, Bullet Central, Powder Valley, and MidwayUSA to see all the products they have on sale. For example, MidwayUSA offers free shipping on orders over $75 with code FREESHIP052723. You can find other promos and sales with web searches.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Precision Reloading — Memorial Day Sale 10% Off Orders $75+
⏺ Save 10% on virtually all items in stock — Act soon
Save 10% sitewide this Memorial Day weekend on nearly all Precision Reloading orders over $75. Important — you can get 10% savings even for most items otherwise listed with discounts or “on sale”. To save 10% on your order, use coupon code MEM23 at checkout. Don’t delay folks — this deal expires at 11:59 pm CST on Monday, 5/29/2023.
As part of its Memorial Day Sale, CDNN Sports has slashed prices on German-made Sauer 100 rifles, both short-action and long-action, in a wide variety of chamberings and stock types. Now you can save $300 on an excellent hunting rifle with a 3-lug bolt, 60-degree bolt lift, and accurate hammer-forged German barrel. The Sauer 100 trigger adjusts from 2.2 to 4.2 pounds.
3. Academy Sports — Sports Afield 64-Gun Safe, $799.99
⏺ Excellent deal on big, 40″-wide safe with six looking bolts
Here’s an excellent, large gunsafe with good user reviews, priced at $799.99. That’s 33% OFF the regular $1199.99 price, a great deal. Rated for 64 guns, this Sports Afield safe measures 55″ high x 40″ wide and comes with a door organizer with 6 handgun pockets and long gun holder. Weighing 374 pounds, this safe rivals other safes costing $1400 or more. It is waterproof and has a 30-minute fire resistance rating.
4. KYGUNCO — Savage 64 Precision Rimfire Rifle, $249.99
⏺ Great deal on good starter rifle for NRL22
Here’s a bargain-priced .22 LR rifle in a nice, modern chassis. The semi-auto Savage 64 Precision houses a semi-automatic action in a chassis with M-LOK slots and an ergonomic pistol grip. The heavy barrel has a threaded muzzle for easy attachment of brake, tuner, or suppressor. This is a good starting rifle for NRL22 — the semi-auto action allows fast follow-up shots. Get this rifle on sale now for $249.99.
5. Midsouth — Memorial Weekend, FREE Shipping or FREE Hazmat
⏺ Save with FREE Shipping or FREE HazMat on $99+ Orders
Midsouth is offering a very attractive promotion for Memorial Day weekend. Now through 11:59 pm on Monday, 5/29/2023 you can get FREE shipping on orders over $99.00 with code MDSHIP23. Alternatively, with code MDHAZ23 you can choose FREE Hazmat for an order with powder and/or primers that exceeds $99.00. Act soon, this deal expires at the end of the day on Monday, 5/29/2023.
6. Primary Arms Memorial Day Sale
⏺ Significant discounts on hundreds of products
Primary Arms is running a big Memorial Day Sale with hundreds of products with big discounts. Save on AR parts, AR receivers, Optics, Slings, Shooting Mats, Carry packs, magazines and more. You can save $30 on a shooting mat, $70 on a trigger, $27 on premium electronic muffs, $26 on a rifle case — just as a few examples. There are also special Bonus Bucks credits on Vortex rifle scopes.
7. Powder Valley — Winchester #41 Small Rifle Primers, $79.99
⏺ Very high quality Winchester primers at best price we’ve seen
Top-quality primers are still pricey and in very high demand. Thankfully, Powder Valley obtained a large supply of Winchester #41 small rifle primers. These mil-spec primers work great in ARs as well as bolt-action rifles. Grab these for just $79.99 per thousand while supplies last — these could sell out quickly.
8. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Memorial Day Optics Sale
⏺ Big savings on rifle scopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, and LRFs
⏺ Good deals on rifle and pistol ammunition plus primers
KYGUNCO is running a Memorial Day weekend sale with attractive pricing on ammunition. For you varminters, we found good deals on Hornady .223 Rem Ammo with V-Max bullets. In addition, hard-to-find CCI BR-4 Small Rifle primers are in stock at $119.99/1000. Many pistols are discounted also this weekend.
11. Amazon — GuardTech Plus Gun Cleaning Kit, $48.95
⏺ Excellent full-featured cleaning kit for all types of guns
This big GuardTech Plus Cleaning Kit will work for rifles, pistols, and even shotguns. You get a big selection of brushes, jags, and mops that fit calibers .17 to .50. In addition, there are picks and tooth-brush-style brushes for cleaning your action, plus a pull-through cleaning rope. You get all this, in a nice fitted hard case, for just $48.95 on Amazon. Choose green case (as shown), or black case.
⏺ Essential leveling accessory for 1″ and 30mm scopes — real bargain
Avoid bad rifle canting by using a bubble level fitted to rail or scope. One very affordable option is the Jialitte Scope Bubble Level. This features a 30mm diameter ring, plus an inner insert ring so it will also fit 1″-diameter main tubes. The Jialitte unit, just $10.99 on Amazon, is nicely radiused with a low profile. User reviews have been very positive. You could easily pay $35.00 or more for a 30mm scope level.
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Annie Oakley Profile by T. Logan Metesh
Annie Oakley learned to shoot at a young age. It started as a skill developed to help feed her family when she was still known as Phoebe Ann Mosey (or possibly “Moses”). Annie began shooting and hunting by age eight, to support her siblings and her widowed mother. She honed her skills, adopted the stage name Annie Oakley, and earned the nickname of “Little Miss Sure Shot” for her expert marksmanship.
Annie Oakley’s trick-shooting and marksmanship skills were so good that she toured the world as part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show for more than a decade and a half. It was rumored that she was one of the highest paid performers in the show. Annie was known for making some truly astounding shots: hitting dimes in midair, aiming backwards through a mirror, and more. She traveled overseas with Buffalo Bill and performed for royalty in England, France, Italy, and Germany. Annie even shot the ashes from a cigarette held by Kaiser Wilhem II!
Biographers say Annie met her husband, Frank Butler, at a shooting competition when she was just 15. Young Annie beat Butler in a one-on-on shooting match, and they later married.*
Here is rare 1894 footage of Annie Oakley shooting, filmed in the Edison Black Maria studio.
“Annie Oakley was arguably America’s first female superstar, touring the U.S. and the world in the late 1800s and early 20th century and demonstrating her legendary Wild West sharp-shooting skills.”
— Tom Slater, Historian for Heritage Auctions.
Annie Oakley’s Favorite Firearms
Annie Oakley’s sharpshooting feats were impressive in their own right, but the equipment she used to accomplish these things made them even more impressive. Annie favored basic, commonly available firearms. She didn’t need modified guns to make her shots.
She enjoyed shooting her Parker Bros double-barrel shotgun, but it wasn’t fancy in appearance. It had just standard grade wood and, aside from the standard scrollwork on the locks, it was just a normal gun.
She also owned a Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 revolver. The gun was nickel-plated and had mother-of-pearl grips, but those were options that anyone could have had on their own revolver. Another one of her pistols, a Stevens single-shot tip-up, was gold-plated and had mother-of-pearl grips, but it had not been modified or accurized in any way to improve its performance. Annie simply didn’t need the help.
Annie’s firearms may not have been modified for trick shooting, but she did own a number of one-off specials. For example, she owned one of the 800 Remington Beals rifles made between 1866 and 1866, but hers is the only known example to bear factory engraving.
Of course, many arms makers saw Annie’s fame as a way to promote their guns, so a large number of engraved and/or gold-plated guns were gifted to her. Some of these include a Winchester Model 1892 carbine and a Stevens Model 44 rifle.
Annie Oakley Continued to Perform at Age 60+ during the 1920s
A consummate performer, Annie continued to wow crowds even as her craft took its toll on her body. A lifetime of exposure to gunpowder residue and smoke led her to experience repeated eye infections. Despite the advent of smokeless powder, she had spent years using blackpowder beforehand. Even if it had all been smokeless, the quality we know today was not the quality they had back then. Plus, the sheer amount of powder she encountered certainly added up.
Her public appearances required lots of travel, which wasn’t without its own dangers. She underwent spinal surgery from a train accident in 1901 while travelling with the Wild West Show. Years later, she had to wear a steel brace on her leg due to a car accident in 1922, but she got back to performing and continued to set records in 1924 at the age of 64. By this time, though, her health had begun to decline. Annie Oakley passed away in 1926 at the age of 66. Her husband, Frank Butler, was so fraught with grief that he stopped eating and died of starvation just 18 days later.
Annie Oakley Championed Women’s Rights
While most of the world remembers Annie for her accomplishments with a firearm, she used her fame in a different way during her lifetime. She was an advocate for women’s rights and shooter education. She is quoted as having said, “I would like to see every woman know how to handle guns as naturally as they know how to handle babies.” It’s believed that she taught some 15,000 women how to shoot during her lifetime. Today, educational shooting experiences geared towards women often use her name to their advantage. After all, what shooter wouldn’t want to be as well regarded as Annie Oakley?
About Author T. Logan Metesh
T. Logan Metesh is a firearms historian and consultant who runs High Caliber History LLC. Logan has more than a decade of experience working for the Smithsonian Institution, the National Park Service, and the NRA Museums. Logan has been a frequent guest on the “Curator’s Corner” program for NRATV and has served as an historic firearms facilitator for American Rifleman TV and other shows.
*On Thanksgiving Day 1875, the Baughman & Butler shooting act was performing in Cincinnati, Ohio. Traveling show marksman and former dog trainer Frank E. Butler, an Irish immigrant, placed a $100 bet per side (equivalent to $2,300 in 2019) with Cincinnati hotel owner Jack Frost that Butler could beat any local fancy shooter. The hotelier arranged a shooting match between Butler and the 15-year-old Annie, saying, “The last opponent Butler expected was a five-foot-tall, 15-year-old girl named Annie.” After missing on his 25th shot, Butler lost the match and the bet. He soon began courting Annie and they married. They did not have children.
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Every handloader can benefit from a turret press. This type of press features an upper rotating disk that has multiple threaded placements for dies or other tools (such as powder dispensers). There are a variety of turret presses on the market today with the remarkable Area 419 9-Station Zero Press at the top end, and the inexpensive Lee turret presses at the other end of the spectrum. In between are Lyman’s 8-station All-American turret, the Redding 7-station T-7 press, and the RCBS 6-station turret.
Today’s Saturday video showcase features notable turret presses from all the major makers. We lead off with a feature on the advanced Area 419 ZERO 9-station turret.
Area 419 ZERO 9-Station Turret Reloading Press — Without Peer
Area 419 offers the impressive ZERO reloading press, a 9-station turret press with some very unique features. This press was designed to be the most precise turret ever created. As tested by Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com, the ZERO turret press delivered very impressive shoulder-bump consistency and ultra-low seated bullet run-out (about +/- 0.0005″). The numbers were as good as you can get from a quality single-stage press, so Area 419 did some impressive engineering. We would expect that, as this represents a big investment — MSRP is $1275.00. SEE FULL REVIEW on UltimateReloader.com.
The ZERO turret press lets you install up to nine (9) different reloading dies in the large top turret, which revolves around a central axis. But unlike most turret presses, the ZERO doesn’t have flex or wobble when you’re loading. This is because Area 419 includes a clever system for locking the turret in position after you’ve selected the die from your array. Area 419 also uses a unique system for securing shell-holders (see video at 12:00). This, likewise, adds to the precision of the press.
Quick Comparison Videos — Lyman, Lee, Redding
Below we’ve included a couple quick video “shorts” which show the Lyman Turret Press and the Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret in action. After those two vertical-format videos, there is an interesting comparison between the Redding T-7 and Lyman 8-station turret press:
This video has a side-by-side comparison of the Redding T-7 and the Lyman 8-station turret press:
Lyman Brass Smith All-American 8-Station Turret Press
The Lyman Brass Smith All-American 8-station press is an impressive product introduced five years ago. In 2018, Lyman introduced a new 8-station turret press, the All American 8. The All-American 8 has become popular with handloaders. With a $253.49 street price, the 8-station Lyman is $122 cheaper than the $375.95 7-station Redding T-7. No question, that’s a significant price advantage, and we believe Lyman has grabbed sales from Redding.
Our friend Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com created an informative video showing press set-up and loading function. Gavin was excited to work with this beefy new turret press: “Why was this Lyman press anticipated so highly? A few reasons are: the 8-station capacity, cast iron construction, on-press priming system, ambidextrous design, and turret rear support for repeatable sizing and bullet seating.”
More Stations Provide More Reloading Options
Gavin liked having 8 stations, because this offers more flexibility. With eight stations, you can have four two-die sets, or three two-die sets plus a dedicated decapping die and a powder measure. Gavin notes: “I’ve owned many reloading presses, including 3-station, 4-station, 5-station, and 7-station variants, but I’ve never owned an 8-station press until the Brass Smith All-American 8 came to the shop. I’ll have to say… you can’t get too many stations, especially on a manually-indexed turret. I love the idea that you can leave dies on the press, and load multiple calibers/chamberings using the same turret setup.”
Redding T-7 with Creedmoor Sports Enhanced Turret Head
The Redding T-7 has long been a leading turret press for precision handloaders. It offers one more station than the other “green” turret press offered by RCBS. It has a reliable optional priming system and plenty of leverage. Recently Creedmoor Sports has released an upgraded Enhanced Press Head for the Redding T-7. This $179.95 turret top allows greater precision in case sizing and bullet seating. This UltimateReloader video covers the advantages of the new precision turret head. READ Full Report on UltimateReloader.com.
Creedmoor Sports also offers enhanced precision press heads for the RCBS Turret Press, and Lyman 8 Turret Press. Both priced at $179.95, these two enhanced heads are featured in the video below:
Redding T-7 That Has Loaded over 1 Million Rounds
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 in 2018, 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. 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”.
RCBS Six-Station Turret Press
This Editor has used an RCBS Turret Press for over 15 years. It does not have the most stations or the most sophisticated features, but it has proven very reliable over the years. I use it primarily to use with pistol sizing and seating dies. Having six stations allows me to load multiple cartridge types: 9x19mm, .357 Magnum, and .45 ACP. READ FULL REVIEW on UltimateReloader.com.
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The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is challenging California’s firearm industry liability law, AB 1594, passed in 2022 and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law, which goes into effect on July 23, 2023, encourages civil suits against the firearm industry for the illegal actions of criminals with guns. This law is an affront to the U.S. Constitution and is an attempt to circumvent the will of the U.S. Congress when it passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).
The litigation, NSSF v. Bonta, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. The NSSF now seeks a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of the unconstitutional law as challenges to AB 1594 progress through the courts.
“California’s General Assembly and Governor Newsom made a spectacle of defying the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision when this bill was passed and enacted,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “This law is openly hostile to the firearm industry and also defiant to Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Constitution. Governor Newsom [seeks] to exert California’s radical gun control agenda across the United States. NSSF will defend our Constitutionally-protected industry against the broadsides of this extremist agenda.”
NSSF’s challenge explains that AB 1594, misleadingly titled the “Firearm Industry Responsibility Act,” is a law that was drafted prior to the Bruen decision and signed just weeks after the Supreme Court published the landmark ruling. Rather than re-examining the legislation to ensure it complied with Supreme Court precedent, Gov. Newsom forged ahead, challenging the ruling when he signed it.
The law bans the manufacture, sale and marketing of firearms the state deems “abnormally dangerous” regardless if they are commonly-owned. It also encourages civil lawsuits by a person who has suffered harm in California, the Attorney General, or city or county attorneys against a firearm industry member for the harm caused by the criminal misuse of a firearm by a remote third party. This is expressly prohibited by PLCAA. The law unconstitutionally invades the sovereignty of sister states by directly regulating lawful commerce occurring entirely and wholly outside the state of California in violation of the Commerce Clause and our system of federalism.
The NSSF argues that AB 1594 not only infringes on Second Amendment rights but chills First Amendment rights by restricting advertising of Constitutionally-protected products that are lawfully made and sold — even when that advertising takes place outside of California’s borders.
California’s AB 1594 is clearly unconstitutional on several fronts.
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Brownells is running a big Memorial Day Weekend Sale, which runs now (Friday 5/26/23) through the end of the three-day weekend. Over 100 items are featured in this sale, including tools, optics, and AR equipment, along with ammo and primers.
To add to the savings, you can get 15% off $200+ purchases with coupon code MDAY15. Now through May 28, 2023 use MDAY15 during checkout to save 15%. Then, on Monday, May 29th, you can use code MDAY20 to save 20% off purchases of $200 or more. NOTE: CODE MDAY20 will work on May 29th (Monday) only. Until then use code MDAY15.
Good Memorial Day Weekend DEALS at Brownells.com
Here are eight (8) of the 103 Memorial Day Weekend Deals on the Brownells website currently. Along with AR uppers and lowers and magazines, you’ll find centerfire and rimfire ammunition on sale. And handloaders should definitely check on the discounts on CCI 400 Small Rifle Primers and CCI Pistol Primers.
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Want to have fun with an Air Rifle or Air Pistol? Right now you can save up to 50% on Crosman products direct from the manufacturer. With Crossman’s Memorial Day weekend Alternate Special Sale, you can buy a complete .177-caliber air rifle for $150 or less complete with scope. And Crosman also has air pistols on sale starting at just $15.99! Using inexpensive pellets, air rifles and air pistols are fun to shoot. Unlike centerfire guns, air rifles and air pistols can be used with very affordable light metal targets. Budget-priced air rifles can be a good starting tool for novice shooters.
Alternate Specials: Up to 50% off Alternate Special. No coupon code needed. Valid 5/1/2023 – 5/29/2023. Other exclusions apply. While supplies last. Visit Crosman.com for all current specials.
Shipping Policy: Air rifle and air pistols are not regulated like centerfire and rimfire firearms. In most jurisdictions, air rifles and pistols can be shipped directly to the purchaser or picked up at retail outlets.
Crosman Mag-Fire Extreme Rifle (.177), $149.99 on Sale
Crosman Mag-Fire Ultra Rifle (.177), $124.99 on Sale
Crosman Mag-Fire Mission Rifle (.177), $104.99 on Sale
Crossman PSM45 BB Air Pistol, $15.99 on Sale
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