Panteao Productions has just released Make Ready with James Gilliland: Long Gun Basics, a $49.99 DVD. This is the first instructional video in the Make Ready series on long range precision shooting. Host James Gilliland, founder of Shadow 6, is a former United States Army Ranger. While serving in Ramadi, Iraq, Gilliland was recognized for engaging an enemy combatant with a M24 SWS at a range of 1250 meters with a single round, setting a record for the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. In this video Gilliland takes you step by step through ammo and caliber selections, bolt gun and gas gun choices, optics, rifle assembly, initial cleaning, pre-fire check, precision shooting fundamentals, building your dope book, accessories, and more. Whether you use a bolt gun or semi-auto gas gun, this video does offer some good basic tips on setting up your gun and mastering the fundamentals of accurate tactical shooting. It will have limited usefulness to benchrest shooters.
The season finale of the Friends of the NRA TV show airs Sunday Night (March 25th) on the Outdoor Channel at 10:30 pm EST. In this episode, hosts Matt and Jessie head to Alton, Illinois, home of Winchester Ammunition. Matt and Jessie tour the Winchester plant, and learn how shotgun shells are made. Matt and Jessie then test shotshells on Winchester’s outdoor skeet and pistol range.
The show’s real highlight is a visit to the farm house of John M. Olin. Franklin Olin, John’s father, founded Western Cartridge Company. After Western Cartridge acquired the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, the merged Winchester-Western enterprise became Olin Industries, which now produces Winchester-brand ammo (and many other products). If you’re interested in the history of America’s firearms industry, you should watch this episode just to learn more about John M. Olin, a talented inventor who secured numerous patents in the fields of arms and ammunition. John M. Olin, who held a college degree in chemistry, was also responsible for many advancements in propellants and ballistics. In the episode’s final scenes, Matt and Jessie visit Winchester’s historic hunting preserve, Nilo Farms. There, the two go hunting for chukar and pheasant.
This week’s edition of Shooting USA, which airs Wednesday, March 21st, features the 2011 Bianchi Cup. This competition is one of the most prestigious and popular events in the world of handgun shooting. Officially, the annual competition in Columbia, Missouri is known as the National Championship of NRA Action Pistol. But to everybody, world-wide, it’s the Bianchi Cup, the trophy named for one of the founders, John Bianchi. In the past 30 years the match has become the richest handgun tournament in the world, with cash and prizes for the best scores on four stages of fire. Shooting USA will spotlight top male and female Bianchi Cup competitors in both wheelgun and and semi-auto pistol divisions. Along with North American shooters, the Bianchi Cup draws top handgun competitors from around the globe. Shooting USA airs Wednesday Nights, on the Outdoor Channel, at 3:00 pm, 8:00 pm, and 12:00 midnight (Eastern Time).
Bianchi Cup — Classic Course of Fire
The MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup is a combination of Speed and Accuracy. Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. Stages may combine stationary and moving targets. As conceived by former police officer and holster-maker John Bianchi, the Bianchi Cup originated in 1979 as a Law Enforcement Training match. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
I wish you not a path devoid of clouds,
Nor a life on a bed of roses.
Nor that you might never need regret,
Nor that you should never feel pain.
No, this is not my wish for you. My wish for you is:
That you might be brave in times of trial
When others lay crosses upon your shoulders.
When mountains must be climbed and chasms crossed,
When hope scarce shines through.
That every gift God gave you might grow along with you,
And let you give the gift of joy to all who care for you.
That you might always have a friend who is worth that name.
Whom you can trust,
And who helps you in times of sadness,
Who will defy the storms of life by your side.
One more wish I have for you:
That in every hour of joy and pain, you feel God close to you.
This is my wish for you and all those who care for you.
This is my hope for you, now and forever.
Author Unknown — some variations of this text, as translated, are found.
MGM Targets is now the nation’s #1 portable steel target manufacturer. To reward MGM’s customers, MGM is running a year-long “12-for-12″ contest though the end of 2012. Each month a dozen lucky winners are selected among those who have purchased one of the MGM product specials. Prizes worth up to $425 are supplied by a variety of respected manufacturers, such as FNH, DPMS, and Benchmade. MGM has already announced winners for January and February, but you can still get involved for drawings in March and future months. (Purchase of target required for prize eligibility.)
MGM’s monthly prizes include: gift certificates, rail systems, .22LR uppers, gunstocks, safety eyewear, gunstocks, shooting mats, slings, data books, knives, and flash suppressors. Prizes are supplied by well-known manufacturers: Benchmade, DPMS, ESS Eye Pro, FNH, Predator Tactical, Primary Weapons, Safariland, and Seekins Precision. MGM’s Jim Potter noted: “This will be one of the biggest giveaways in the industry in 2012 [with prizes] given away every single month.”
March Specials from MGM
This month MGM features the MGM Flash Target for long-range shooting. The March Special price is $350.00 — $77 off the regular $427.38 price. Along with the Flash Target, for March, MGM is featuring the IPSC Half Size Target for $119.00, marked down from $179.36.
New Remote-Control Running Man Target
Experienced shooters know that moving targets are much harder to hit than static targets. To provide realistic challenges for hunters, tactical shooters, and 3-Gun competitors, MGM has introduced a very cool (and speedy) portable “Running Man Target”. This motorized, cable-drive system boasts adjustable targets speeds from 3 to 22 feet per second, with quick-stop and instant reverse capability. Speed and direction are modulated with a handheld, wireless (radio) remote control effective out to 100 yards. For more info, visit MGMTargets.com or contact Mike Gibson Manufacturing, (888) 767-7371.
The nation’s top collegiate men and women shooters have converged on Ohio State University to compete in the 2012 NCAA Rifle Championships. The Championships run March 9-10 (Friday and Saturday) at the Converse Hall and French Field House in Columbus, Ohio. The undefeated Horned Frogs from Texas Christian University (TCU) look to upset the reigning champion Wildcats from the University of Kentucky (UK). You can follow the NCAA Rifle Championships on the NCAA.com website (rifle page). Event coverage will include live streaming video of some relays. The 8-minute video below includes profiles of top male and female shooters.
The following eight teams qualified (based on regular season aggregate scores) to compete in both air rifle and smallbore events: University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF), West Point Army, Jacksonville State, University of Kentucky, West Virginia University, University of Nevada, University of Texas El Paso (UTEP), and TCU. On Friday, March 9, the three-position smallbore shooters (both team and individual competition) will shoot 60 shots. The next day, air rifle competitors will take the line for 60 shots as well. According to NCAA rules: “the overall team champion will be determined by combining smallbore and air rifle team scores into one aggregate score for each institution.” The NCAA Rifle program has been in existence since 1980 and currently has 29 schools participating.
Individual and team competitions in smallbore three-position (60 shots) will be held Friday, March 9. Individual and team competitions in air rifle (60 shots) will be held Saturday, March 10. The overall team champion will be determined by combining the smallbore and air rifle team total scores into one aggregate score for each institution.
Legion Productions, creators of the Military Channel’s popular Top Sniper and Modern Sniper TV shows, has released a feature-length DVD covering the 9th Annual Sniper Comp at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Every year the U.S. Army Sniper School at Ft. Benning hosts the International Sniper Competition. The 9th Annual Comp drew top military marksmen from around the world. Thirty-two teams from the Army, Army National Guard, Marine Corps, Air Force, Special Forces, SWAT and three foreign countries competed in eighteen events and combat simulations over the course of seven very tough days.
Legion’s action-packed, 173-minute-long SNIPER COMP DVD follows elite sniper teams as they compete in one of the most demanding sniper challenges on the planet, a grueling event that tests participants’ marksmanship, endurance, stalking skills, and observational abilities.
SNIPER COMP HD Trailer (to view with Hi-Def 720p resolution, click the Gear Icon during playback).
DVD Proceeds Benefit Military Sniper Associations
NOTE: This production was created to raise money for deployed forces and to honor fallen soldiers. Profits from SNIPER COMP are donated to the U.S. Army Sniper Association and to the USMC Scout/Sniper Association. The SNIPER COMP video can be purchased for $15.49 through Amazon.com and Ebay.
Legion Productions is a film and television production company with offices in California and North Carolina. Legion Productions specializes in military- and weapons-themed film and television projects. In cooperation with Magpul Industries, Legion filmed and edited the very popular “Art of…” series of firearms training DVDs.
Story tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
You can now watch complete, 21-minute episodes from 3-Gun Nation’s second season on the NBC Sports Network. Web versions of the 3-Gun Nation TV shows are streamed on 3GunNation.com. Episodes 1 & 2 feature Keith Garcia’s dramatic victory at the 2011 Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun. The “must-watch” third Episode covers the popular Ft. Benning 3-Gun Challenge. More episodes will be released starting March 2, 2012.
Episodes 1 & 2 — Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun
Superstition is one of the premiere matches on the 3-Gun Nation circuit. Watch as 3-Gun pros Keith Garcia, Mark Hanish and 2012 3-Gun Nation Champion Tommy Thacker compete head-to-head in this legendary speed match. Garcia revealed: “I really like the stages at [Supersition Mountain]; they tend to be fast and fun to shoot. I felt confident that if I shot well I would make the Shoot-Off, but when problems come up you know things could get tough. Lucky for me I was not the only shooter who had some rough patches, and I made the Superstition Shoot-Off by a narrow margin.”
As for Thacker, he learned valuable lessons from Superstition and continued to improve throughout the 2011 season, saving his best shooting of the year for when he needed it the most, ultimately becoming the 2012 3-Gun Nation Champion.
Episode Three — Ft. Benning 3-Gun Challenge
Run by the USAMU with support from the U.S. Army, the 2011 Ft. Benning 3-Gun Match was a crowd-pleaser. 3-Gun Nation cameras give an inside look into the life of one of the sport’s most fierce competitors, Clint Upchurch. Also profiled is the 2010 Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun and veteran shooter Bruce Piatt. The Ft. Bennng match draws competitors from around the nation. It is unique in that the Army provides armored vehicles and other military hardware “props” not found anywhere else. You can watch the entire Ft. Benning episode in the embedded video below. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Ft. Benning match.
David Tubb’s impressive 2-disc DVD, “The Art & Technique of the Modern Match Rifle”, is a great resource for any position shooter. This 2-disc DVD provides over 4.5 hours of instruction and shooting demonstrations. We’ve watched the entire video and can assure you that it is excellent. Novice High Power and prone shooters who apply David’s methods should definitely improve their scores.
David has included highlights from that DVD in a shorter promo video. While the shorter video is a sales tool, it’s very informative in its own right. Watch the video and you’ll learn a great deal just by watching how David shoulders his rifle, and how he adjusts and maintains his shooting position. David shows examples of prone, sitting, and standing positions. In the short “trailer”, David also provides helpful tips on adjusting sights, and placing the spotting scope.
If you shoot Service Rifle, High Power, or prone, you can benefit from watching this short sampler video embedded above. The full 2-disc DVD is available for $49.95 from Creedmoor Sports or DavidTubb.com. With over 4.5 hours of content, the DVD covers all the across-the-course positions, the set-up and use of aperture sights and diopters, High Power and long range targets, the approach method in offhand, proper placement and use of spotting scopes. The DVD includes bonus footage of David shooting strings in all of the across-the-course positions. (NOTE: Creedmoor Sports is running a February DVD Special for a few more days — Buy two (2) DVDs and get a third for 10% off.)
$24.95 DVD Shows How to Set-Up and Maintain Tubb 2000 Rifle
If you want a High Power match rifle that works brilliantly for all positions, definitely consider the Tubb 2000, aka the T2K. Yes it’s very expensive, but since the year 2000, when the T2K was introduced, this design has won more High Power National Championships than any other bolt-action rifle. The video below showcases features of the T2K that allow it to perform so well in all High Power disciplines. With the T2K’s inline, low-profile action, the shooter can cycle the bolt without raising his head off the stock. That’s a huge benefit for the competitor, particularly in rapid-fire stage. Other tubeguns, such those built on Eliseo (CSS) chassis kits, share this quality, but the T2K also has an extremely easy-to-manipulate bolt (and a superb Anschütz trigger). Watch how quickly and easily David can cycle his T2K without upsetting his shooting position.
David has created an informative DVD about the Tubb 2000 rifle that shows how to assemble/disassemble the Tubb 2000 rifle, how to custom-fit the T2K to the shooter, and how to set up the adjustable buttstock for different shooting positions. This Tubb 2000 (T2K) DVD is available for $24.95 from DavidTubb.com.
The complete, final results of the Berger SW Long Range Nationals (at the Ben Avery Range in Arizona) have been posted. You can download all the results from the links at the bottom of this story. In case you missed our previous match report, Trudie Fay was the overall winner in the sling category, Jim Murphy took F-Open Class, and James Croft won F-TR. In team competition, The sling winners were the US National Team composed of Trudie Fay, Bryan Litz, Justin Skaret and Peter Church. In F-Open, the winning team was Team Norma/Berger composed of Larry Bartholome, John Brewer, Danny Biggs, and Jim Murphy. The winning F-TR team was the Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Assn. squad, with Warren Dean, John Chilton, Steve Lockwood and German Salazar. Complete Results are linked below.
This Video by Jim Everson, was shot from the pits at the 2012 Berger SW Nationals:
Michelle Gallagher of Berger Bullets provided this post-match message:
I hope you all enjoyed yourselves at the match and got back home safely. We were so excited that you could all make it, and I’m glad the weather even cooperated!
Thank you to everyone that helped out during the week. There are just too many to list everyone, but the match would not have run as smoothly without you, and we deeply appreciate everything you did. We want to give a special thank-you to Kathy Buell, Jennifer Litz, and Melesia Cisneros for their help. They had no idea what they were getting into when they volunteered to help, but they were invaluable. Also, Matt Schwartzkopf with AZ Game & Fish put in countless hours getting the range ready. He did an amazing job, the range looked beautiful, and we were excited to have him shooting with us! We also want to send a big thank-you to all the companies who donated to the match. We are so thankful for your participation, and I know the shooters were as well.
We’ll be sending out the results CDs as soon as possible, but here are some results for now. I also have them up on the Berger website. We’ll also be posting some photos of the match soon.
Panteao Productions has just released Make Ready with James Gilliland: Long Gun Basics, a $49.99 DVD. This is the first instructional video in the Make Ready series on long range precision shooting. Host James Gilliland, founder of Shadow 6, is a former United States Army Ranger. While serving in Ramadi, Iraq, Gilliland was recognized for engaging an enemy combatant with a M24 SWS at a range of 1250 meters with a single round, setting a record for the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. In this video Gilliland takes you step by step through ammo and caliber selections, bolt gun and gas gun choices, optics, rifle assembly, initial cleaning, pre-fire check, precision shooting fundamentals, building your dope book, accessories, and more. Whether you use a bolt gun or semi-auto gas gun, this video does offer some good basic tips on setting up your gun and mastering the fundamentals of accurate tactical shooting. It will have limited usefulness to benchrest shooters.
This week’s edition of 
The nation’s top collegiate men and women shooters have converged on Ohio State University to compete in the 2012 
Legion Productions, creators of the Military Channel’s popular Top Sniper and Modern Sniper TV shows, has released a feature-length DVD covering the 9th Annual Sniper Comp at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Every year the U.S. Army Sniper School at Ft. Benning hosts the International Sniper Competition. The 9th Annual Comp drew top military marksmen from around the world. Thirty-two teams from the Army, Army National Guard, Marine Corps, Air Force, Special Forces, SWAT and three foreign countries competed in eighteen events and combat simulations over the course of seven very tough days.
You can now watch complete, 21-minute episodes from 3-Gun Nation’s second season on the NBC Sports Network. Web versions of the 3-Gun Nation TV shows are streamed on 
David Tubb’s impressive 2-disc DVD, “The Art & Technique of the Modern Match Rifle”, is a great resource for any position shooter. This 2-disc DVD provides over 4.5 hours of instruction and shooting demonstrations. We’ve watched the entire video and can assure you that it is excellent. Novice High Power and prone shooters who apply David’s methods should definitely improve their scores.
Sling Grand Agg.pdf
