|
|
July 30th, 2009
Dennis DeMille is a past Camp Perry National Champion, and one of the nation’s top High Power shooters. Since retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps, Dennis has served as the General Manager of Creedmoor Sports in Oceanside, California. We recently had the chance to interview Dennis at the Creedmoor offices. With his decades of competitive experience, Dennis has a wealth of knowledge. In this 3-minute interview, Dennis shares insights into the High Power shooting game. He discusses the most effective ways to train for competition, the fundamentals of good marksmanship, and how to recognize and perfect your natural point of aim. Dennis also offers solid advice on how to get the best “bang for your buck” when choosing shooting accessories for High Power and Across the Course competition.
CLICK HERE to WATCH DeMille Interview VIDEO
During our visit to Oceanside, Dennis gave us a tour of the facility. Dennis also explained the manufacturing process for Creedmoor’s popular shooting coats. All these shooting jackets are hand-crafted in Oceanside by experts with years of experience. Special templates are used to ensure each coat perfectly fits its new owner.
6.5 Creedmoor Ammo and Components
Today, 7/30/2009, we asked Creedmoor Sports to check its inventories of 6.5 Creedmoor components. Plenty of 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge brass is in stock. There is a good supply of 120gr A-Max bullets, but no 140s. As for 6.5 Creedmoor loaded ammo, a couple hundred 20-rd boxes of Hornady ammo is on the shelves as of 7/30/2009. A handful of die sets are in stock, with more on order. 6.5 Creedmoor case reamers are in stock.
July 30th, 2009
Hand loaders have been awaiting the release of the Hornady Lock-N-Load™ Power Case Prep Center, ever since it was displayed at the 2009 SHOT Show. Midsouth Shooters Supply finally received its first shipment of the Hornady prep centers and put them on sale for $313.80, promptly selling out. More units are on the way.
The folks at Midsouth reported: “We finally received our first shipment of the Hornady Lock-N-Load Case Prep Center! We were so excited to see how one worked -– so we pulled out of the box and checked it out. Set up time was about three minutes and noise level was low. However, we discovered that you’ll need a Hornady or Redding shell holder for the caliber you are trimming (or prepping). RCBS and Lyman shell holders do NOT work with this Prep Center. We also learned that you’ll need to order the Large and Small Primer Pocket Reamers separately. Both large (005-390751) and small (005-390750) reamers cost $6.60 each.”
Midsouth concluded that: “Overall the Hornady Prep Center is a really sturdy piece of equipment.” Midsouth said the trimming/prepping tools work great and the machine is easy to clean. The improved T-bar handle gives better control over case height when trimming. At first, the Hornady’s $300+ price may seem steep. However, if you purchase BOTH an RCBS Trim Pro Power Trimmer ($260.12) and Trim Mate Case Prep Center ($108.58), you’d spend $368.70 combined. Buying the Hornady gives you an all-in-one machine that is more efficient to use, and occupies a smaller footprint on your loading bench.
Below is a video demonstration of the Hornady Case Prep Center at SHOT Show 2009. Click on the “HQ” button for the higher resolution version which shows the tool operation more clearly.
July 29th, 2009
Gunny’s back — starting this Friday (7/31/09) on the History Channel. Marine Corps veteran R. Lee Ermey will host “Lock N’ Load”, a History Channel series which debuts July 31st at 9pm ET. Ermey, acclaimed for his role as a Marine Drill Instructor in the movie Full Metal Jacket, previously hosted the popular “Mail Call” show on the History Channel. The focus of Lock N’ Load will be firepower — and lots of it.
Lock N’ Load will be an hour-long weekly series featuring the engineering and development of military weapons. In the new show, R. Lee Ermey, the U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, former drill instructor, Vietnam veteran and actor, will get “hands-on with some of the world’s fiercest firearms, including machine guns, tanks, pistols and rockets”. For example, in the debut episode Ermey demos the 3000-round-per-minute Dillon Aero Minigun, and then traces the evolutionary steps that brought the gun to its present place in history. Check out the promo video below:
In each episode of Lock N’ Load, special high-speed photography reveals the inner workings of a particular weapon — how it performs and what really happens at the point of impact. Advanced 3D graphics help illustrate the technology and design principles behind each weapon. In addition, expert consultants explain the history and engineering of each weapon.
July 25th, 2009
The NRA Blog provides daily updates from the NRA National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry. Over the past couple of days the Smallbore three-position (3P) events have been held, and the NRA Blog has syndicated videos of the competition. Linked below are Thre videos of the Smallbore 3P “optical” division. The first video shows the prone phase, while the second shows the standing event. Note that, even in the difficult standing position, the shooters can hold their rifles very steady. That takes years of disciplined training.
CLICK HERE to watch full-width HD versions on YouTube.com.
July 18th, 2009
Our “master fabricator” and silhouette guru Mark LaFevers recently attended the SoCal Precision Rifle Competition, Mark’s first-ever tactical match. Competition was fierce at this year’s SCPRC. The match winner, and “top gun” among the 50+ competitors was Sgt. Dan Gilland, (USMC), a scout-sniper from a nearby Marine base. This was only Dan’s second civilian match and yes, the young Marine was shooting a .308 Win (7.62×51 to be precise). Jason Boak took second place while Gordon Campfield finished third. Jason was the top shooter among the NorCal guys, who did well, capturing 6 of the top 10 places, earning California intra-club bragging rights.
 |
 |
Mark told us that the match was a humbling yet very fun experience. In these kind of matches very few, if any, sighters are allowed, and you’re often shooting at unknown distances. Accordingly, it is imperative that you have rock-solid come-ups at all distances, before you arrive at the match. In addition, the SCPRC offered the challenges of angled shooting (requiring ballistic compensation), and lowlight shooting. Log on to the CalGuns.net Forum for a complete match report by NorCal shooter Vu Pham, with lots of photos, plus stage descriptions (match directors take note).
A wide variety of calibers were shot at the match, and Mark observed that no one chambering seemed to have the edge (though a .308 finished on top). However, most of the top shooters were running detachable magazines, and had barrels fitted with muzzle brakes. You can see the dust kicked up from the muzzle brakes in the video below. The first part of the video shows a stage where competitors had to start with standing (off-hand) shots, then transition to a stepped barricade, moving lower and lower as the timer ticked off the seconds. For the standing stages, Mark noted, you wanted a rifle that balanced well and was not too heavy. Some of these beefy tactical rifles, optimized for prone work, are tough to hold offhand.
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this VideoPress video.
July 16th, 2009
Reactive targets — whether balloons, steel gongs, or clay birds — always add fun to a range session. But precision shooters may want something more challenging (i.e. smaller) than a clay bird when shooting inside 300 yards. For a change of pace, try shooting at small reactive targets attached to your target board.
 Necco Wafers and Paint Balls
We’ve seen folks shoot at candy NECCO® Wafers at 100 yards. When hit, these disintegrate nicely but don’t offer much of a visual display. For serious “splat factor”, some shooters use paint balls as targets. Glued to a cardboard backer, the paintballs explode dramatically when hit. Unfortunately paintballs make a really big mess, and your rangemaster might not be happy with the residue. Accordingly, we suggest you leave the paintballs to the “gravel pit”-type plinking ranges.
Pool Cue Chalks — Cheap, Fun, Dramatic
If you’re looking for a nice small target that makes a nice big cloud of color when hit, try pool cue chalks. You know, those little blue cubes you use to dust the end of billiard cues. Measuring about 7/8″ per side, billiard chalks make very challenging targets at 100 and 200 yards. When you hit them, if you nail the circular “dimple” in the middle, they disintegrate impressively, tossing blue “smoke” in all directions.
To see actual hits on chalk at 100 and 200 yards, watch the video below. The movie-maker, Phil of the Random Nuclear Strikes Blog, cautions that: “You’ll notice (in the video) that some of the hits are ‘wiffs’ instead of ‘poofs’. If you look at the picture above, you’ll see the 1/2 inch dimple in the cube face. If you don’t put the bullet in that dimple, it’ll ‘wiff’ on you.”
Pool cue chalks are inexpensive. You can buy a dozen chalks online for about $3.00 — just 25 cents each. And the prices drop with more quantity. One gross of chalks (that’s 144 pieces) costs just $23.00 at ozonebilliards.com.
July 15th, 2009
 If you haven’t got your fill of Tactical TV with the Military Channel and History Channel offerings, check out Tactical Arms, a new program hosted by Larry Vickers and broadcast on the Sportsman Channel. Vickers is a skilled gunsmith who has two decades of U.S. Special Operations experience. He is supported by SEAL Team veteran Kyle DeFoor and Australian ADF Commando Jason Falla. These guys are all very knowledgeable and the technical information is solid. Based on the previews we’ve watched, we can say the show has high production values, enhanced by high-quality animated graphics.
Tactical Arms, which offers a unique exploration of modern weapons, from machine guns to battle rifles to combat pistols, will have its primary airing on Thursday nights at 9:30 pm ET during the network’s “Thursday Night Shooting” lineup presented by Midway USA. (Tactical Arms is followed by Handguns at 10:00 PM, and Guns and Ammo TV at 10:30 PM.) Other show times are Wednesday at 2:30 pm and Saturday at 12:00 am Eastern time.
July 7th, 2009
This week, Shooting USA television features the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA) Creedmoor re-enactment, hosted at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The show, broadcast July 8th at 8:30 pm Eastern time (5:30 pm Pacific) on the Outdoor Channel, features black powder muzzle-loaders and black powder cartridge shooters recreating one of the most famous rifle competitions of the 19th Century.
Rifle shooting was a very popular spectator sport in the 19th Century. Thousands of spectators came to watch long-range rifle matches held on “Creed’s Moor”, a range built by the NRA with funds from the New York state legislature. The first International Creedmoor match took place in 1874, when a group of Americans responded to a “Challenge to the Riflemen of America” from the Irish rifle team, considered the world’s best. The match was shot at 800, 900 and 1000 yards and was decided on the very last shot. After an Irish cross-fire near the end of the match, American John Bodine shot a final bullseye to win the international challenge cup. The U.S. team used a combination of breech-loading Remington Rolling Blocks and Sharps rifles. The Irish team used Rigby muzzle-loading rifles.
Click Here for Creedmoor Match History | Click Here to view 12’x6′ 1874 Match Target
The NMLRA’s long-range match allows both muzzle-loading rifles as well as black powder cartridge rifles. So, there on the line beside the Whitworths and Gibbs, you’ll find Remington Rolling Blocks and legendary Sharps rifles. This show airs multiple times this Wednesday, July 8, on the Outdoor Channel. Check local listings for channel(s). Shooting USA’s Wednesday broadcast schedule is:
Eastern Time 4:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 12:00 Midnight
Central Time 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 11:00 PM
Mountain Time 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 10:00 PM
Pacific Time 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 9:00 PM
BPCR bullet moulds from Old West Bullet Moulds, Fruita, Colorado.
July 6th, 2009
The Second Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School wrapped up on June 7, 2009 after two days of great weather. The weather cooperated just long enough to complete the school and send everyone on their way. Then it proceeded to rain for a few more days! According to student feedback, it seems this one-of-a-kind, long-range Benchrest Clinic at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club was a success.
Photo by Sebastian Reist, www.sreistphotography.com.
A full class of 36 “students”, ranging in age from 20s to late 70s, came from all over the USA (from as far as Oregon, Georgia, and Missouri), to attend the second-ever Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School. With the help of more than a dozen Williamsport regulars and record-holders, along with generous support from vendors such as Berger Bullets and Forster Products, the school finished up with nary a hitch.
Students were taught brass prep, reloading methods, bench setup, gun handling and cleaning, along with other finer aspects of the 1K benchrest game. Saturday after the lectures and a good meal from the grill, students tried their luck on some 1040-yard clay birds on the back bank (as well as some shots on paper), and basically familiarized themselves with gun-handling and sandbag tracking. Sunday was the day for them to try all their newly-acquired skills and knowledge by shooting a mock 1000-yard competition under real match conditions. The students obviously caught on quickly because there some very small groups (6″ and less) were shot by folks new to the long-range game.
 In addition to the classroom sessions and practice on the firing line, the clinic’s “curriculum” included pulling “pit-duty”. While working the pits, students got a look at Williamsport’s brand new, state-of-the-art pits, complete with an extended concrete ceiling! Williamsport’s targets are no longer at 1022 yards like they always have been, but are now at 1003 yards. The new pits now meet or exceed the NRA guidelines for pit construction. These will surely be as safe as or safer than any pits in the country. There will be more photos and details to follow on this once the construction is totally finished.
Below is a slideshow/video created by Sebastian Reist, a “student” at the 2009 Williamsport 1000-yard BR school. A talented professional photographer, Sebastian did a superb job capturing the highlights of his Williamsport 1K training weekend. In the video you’ll see a “shooter’s eye view” of the targets and a view from the pits as a 10-shot group actually forms up on the target.
Hey guys–watch this video! Sebastian did a great job and this is probably the best multi-media video we’ve ever run on this site.
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this VideoPress video.
Photos and Video © 2009 Sebastian Reist, used with permission.
June 27th, 2009
The World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting wraps up today at Founders Ranch in Edgewood, New Mexico. Today’s final matches will determine the winner of the week-long event, which commenced on June 22nd. Over 400 shooters from a dozen countries competed at the 28th Annual END of TRAIL World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting and Wild West Jubilee produced by the Single Action Shooting Society, better known as SASS.
UPDATE: Teenager Steve Rubert, aka Badlands Bud, was the Overall Champion at the 2009 END of Trail.
 Along with the 400+ competitors, END of TRAIL attracts thousands of spectactors with Wild West-themed exhibits and entertainment, including mounted shooting from horseback. Visitors can sample wares from hundreds of vendors or enjoy “living history” Wild West encampments spread over 50 acres.
But shooting (and lots of it) is what END of TRAIL is really all about. Competitors shoot multiple stages, employing single-action revolvers, rifles (mostly lever-guns), and shotguns (double-barrel, 1887 lever, or 1897 pump). On most of the stages, top competitors will fire 10 pistol rounds, 4-10 shotgun rounds, and 10 rifle rounds — all in well under one minute, and usually without a miss. Competition is fierce, and the action is fast and furious.
In the video below, multi-time SASS World Champion Spencer Hoglund aka “Lead Dispencer” sets a world-record time for a stage run. Spencer’s pistols and carbine are preloaded, but, per SASS rules, Spencer must handload each shotgun round. Spencer, the fastest shooter in the history of the sport, completed the stage in 12.81 seconds without a miss. He fired TEN (10) shots from his lever gun in about 4 seconds!
More Speed Shooting with Lead Dispencer : Move and Shoot | Helmet Cam (Shooting USA).
|
