Chip Lohman, Managing Editor of Shooting Sports USA magazine, has crafted a video covering the 2010 Bianchi Cup, the richest (and one of the most prestigious) handgun competitions on the planet. Lohman’s video shows all phases of the event, and you can see great performances by Doug Koenig and Jessie Abbate. Smith & Wesson’s Doug Koenig won his 12th Bianchi Cup title, while newly signed teammate Jessie Abbate topped S&W Captain Julie Golob for the Women’s Overall, giving S&W a dominant performance at this year’s tournament. Koenig won the Open Class without dropping a point, finishing with 1920-179X.
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The 2010 Varmint Hunters Association Jamboree will be held July 26 – 30th, in Pierre, South Dakota. This 5-day event features a 2-Day Shootout, 3-Man Team Competition, and 3-Gun Match with prizes valued at over $4900. Classes for the Shootout are: Field Stock, Stock, Modified, Limited Open, and Unlimited Open. CLICK HERE for complete Shootout Rules.
In conjunction with the Jamboree, the South Dakota state 600-yard IBS Benchrest match will be held on Friday, the 30th. During the course of the week, other fun matches will be held, including a 600-Yard Groundhog Shoot, a 100-Yard Youth Shoot, and a .22 LR rimfire fun shoot.
The Jamboree is a family event with fun shoots Monday through Friday. There will be live and silent auctions, symposiums, special Ladies’ Events, regularly nightly speakers or entertainment, and a big Jamboree Banquet at the Ramkota Lodge on Friday. For more information, visit www.Varminthunter.org/jamboree.html, or call VHA members services, 1-800-528-4868.
Advanced registration is $35.00, while registration during the Jamboree costs $40.00. A Shootout ticket alone is $25.00, while a Banquet ticket costs $25.00. You must be a member of the V.H.A. and registered for the Jamboree in order to compete in the Shootout.
Tom Mousel of Kalispell, Montana, has set two new multi-match Aggregate 1000-yard World Records. Shooting at the Deep Creek Range in Missoula, Montana, Mousel set a new 10-Match Light Gun World Record with a 5.8954″ Aggregate. That’s an average group under 6 inches for 10 matches! Mousel also set a new Light Gun 6-Match World Record with a 4.8813″ Aggregate. That 4.8813″ Agg bettered the existing 5.251″ Light Gun 6-Match Record Agg set by Mousel himself last season (2009). Congratulations to Tom for a lot of hard work and some real fine shooting! Tom set these Aggregate records over the course of the 2010 season of the Montana NW 1000-yard Benchrest Club, which is affiliated with the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club (Williamsport).
Tom’s record-breaking Light Gun is chambered as a 6mm Dasher (see photo above), which is an “improved” version of the 6mmBR Norma case. Tom uses a Stiller drop-port (bottom-eject) Viper action, set up in a Shehane laminated Tracker stock. Duane Capehart, who competes with Tom at the Deep Creek range, says that bottom-eject action helps Tom “shoot like a house on fire. Tom can get all ten shots off in under 25 seconds. He’s speedy, that’s for sure.” The barrel is a Krieger 1:8″ twist, 4 groove with about 1200 rounds through it so far. Tom has at least 12 firings on his Lapua cases, which he anneals every 3-4 firings with a Bench-Source annealing machine. He currently shoots Berger 105gr VLDs, pushed by a stout load of H4895, with CCI 400 primers. Over the course of the season he has chased the lands to maintain a seating depth about .003-.009 off the lands. Tom explains: “Seating depth is very critical with the VLDs. A few thousandths can make the difference between a fat ugly group, and something to brag about.”
Noted stock-maker and past 1000-yard Shooter of the Year Bill Shehane observed: “If I am not mistaken, [Mousel’s 10-match Agg] is better than the existing Heavy Gun 10-shot Aggregate group records. I don’t think you or I will live long enough to see either of Tom’s records broken. Think about it — 10 matches over 10 different days in extremely different conditions. That’s 100 shots in under six inches. That’s remarkable for any gun — much less a Light Gun. A 6-match or 10-match Agg is never a fluke. This is an Aggregate record we may never see the likes of again. Tom’s a modest guy and someone needs to give him some credit. I’ve been at this game a long time and know the effort one has to make to accomplish something like this.”
Annual 1000-Yard Championship In August If you want to compete with Tom Mousel and the whole Deep Creek gang, head up to Missoula in August. The Montana NW 1000-yard Benchrest Club will host its 1000-yard Championship Shoot on August 13, 14 and 15. The Montana Club’s current rules allow IBS and NBRSA guns in the 17-lb and Heavy Gun Classes. In addition there is an 11-lb Sporter class. All guns shoot 10-shot groups at 1000 yards.
Entry fees are $30 per gun, per day. Camping is available at the Deep Creek range, and there will be a Catfish Fry on Friday and a Steak Dinner on Sunday after the last match. Tom says: “Come to Montana and shoot with us. We have over $16,000 worth of prizes this year.” For more info, or to request entry forms, contact Tom Mousel at 406-450-0917, or Pat Capehart at 406-821-3737.
This profile of disabled veteran Dwight Hayes (Sgt. U.S. Army, retired) first appeared in the NRA Blog. While competing in the Airgun match at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Colorado, Hayes was interviewed by NRA correspondent Lars Dalseide. Hayes’ strong will and his determination to serve others provides an inspiration for all of us.
Sgt. Dwight Hayes — Overcoming Adversityby Lars Dalseide
Dwight Hayes is a regular at the Bracken Rifle & Pistol Range in San Antonio, Texas. With his Lone Star cap snugly in place, he goes to the range to work on guns, organize shoots, and gather with friends. It’s a long way from his time as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, but it’s time well spent.
“If you’re in San Antonio, Bracken is the place to be,” said Hayes. “Bracken and the folks at Alamo Mobility have been great to us disabled vets.” Working with disabled veterans is of great importance to Dwight. It’s an attitude he developed while hospitalized after a failed High Altitude Low Opening, or HALO, jump. Having more than a hundred such jumps under his belt, this one should have been all but routine.
“I broke one of my rules,” smiled Hayes, adding: “Gotta stick to the rules.”
So what are the rules?
“During a HALO jump, you’re okay if you can see the road. If you see the cars, you’re still okay. If you can make out the color of the car, you’re still okay. If you can tell the difference between a Ford and a Chevy, you’re still okay. If you can make out the gender of the driver, you’re still okay. But if you can make out the license plate, then you’re in trouble.”
Before there’s a chance to react, Dwight rocks his wheelchair with laughter and slaps my back. Apparently the story is a standard. “They love that one back at Audie Murphy.”
Hayes refers to the Audie Murphy Veterans Memorial Hospital back in San Antonio. According to Hayes, they have one of the best Spinal Cord Injury Centers in the country. It’s also where he spent two years recovering from his failed HALO jump. Now he goes there to comfort those new to the ward.
“I know what it’s like,” Hayes said. “I know all about time alone, watching the walls, sitting in an empty hospital. I go there and get them out.”
With assistance from Audie Murphy and the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Hayes and other vets do their best to take the patients out into field. Everything from deep sea fishing to time on the range (sponsored by Winchester) to hunting trips.
“They even have a deer lease,” said Hayes. “Got a doe and an eight-point buck last season.”
The main lesson he tries to pass on is perseverance. He shares this through the story of his injury, his rehabilitation, and his twenty-five years in the U.S. Army. “The injury occurred eighteen years in,” Hayes explained. “I was able to serve a full twenty-five because I successfully petitioned for reinstatement after demonstrating that I could still do my job. Maybe, some of the kids at Audie will hear that and know they can still be productive too.” And that, too, will be time well spent.
The History Channel’s new Top Shot television series is half-way through its summer season run. It has attracted millions of viewers already and has been renewed for a second season. The show has been fairly controversial among the “real gun guys” who have tuned in. Some folks say that any show which portrays the shooting sports in a positive light and helps broaden interest in shooting is a good thing. Others have complained that Top Shot has too little actual shooting and too much “Survivor”-style inter-personal drama. This Editor has watched all the episodes so far. I think the last two shows, which featured AR15s and Kentucky rifles, certainly showcased the competitors’ rifle skills.
In any event, Top Shot has garnered a large-enough TV audience that it will be renewed for next year. The show’s production company, Pilgrim Films & Television, has issued a “casting call” for new cast members for Top Shot’s second season. Below is the casting announcement, with links to application forms. Note the DEADLINE: Candidates must apply on or before August 12, 2010!
History Channel Now Casting for Season 2 of Top Shot!
If you are skilled with a pistol, rifle or any other firearm, you could win $100,000 in prizes on season 2 of History Channel’s hit competition show TOP SHOT. Producers are looking for anyone with mind-blowing shooting skills and a big personality to take on exciting physical challenges with multiple guns and mystery projectile weapons.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a professionally trained shooter or a self-taught, average Joe (or Jane!). As long as you’re in good physical shape, have mastered a firearm and can adapt to new weapons and demanding physical situations, you could be America’s next “Top Shot”. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, a resident or citizen of the United States and reasonably proficient with shooting and marksmanship.
To apply, email TopShotCasting@gmail.com with your name, city/state, phone number, a recent photo of yourself and a brief explanation of why you should be on the show.
Deadline to apply is August 12, 2010. For more info, visit www.PilgrimFilms.tv and click on “CASTING” or call 818-478-4570. You can get a head start on the casting process by downloading a casting application and eligibility requirements form below:
Shooting a 6.5×284 with Sierra 142gr Matchkings, John Hoover won the Two-Gun Overall Championship at the 2010 Williamsport World Open this past weekend. Hoover, whose tack-driving 6.5-284s have been featured on this website, operates Accuracy One Shooting Supplies in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. John shot consistently, placing 3rd overall in Light Gun class, and 6th in Heavy Gun to win the overall Two-Gun with 34 rank points. Paul Chackan finished second in the Two-Gun with 59 rank points, and Matthew Kline was close behind with 60 rank points. Our own Assistant Editor Jason Baney finished 5th in the Two-Gun Overall.
Jon Ammerman shot brilliantly to win the Light Gun division, finishing first in Group (7.161″ Agg), and third in Score (95.00 Agg). Runner-Up in Light Gun was Mike Bonchack. Interestingly, according to the equipment list, both Ammerman and Bonchack ran a mid-sized 6mm cartridge in Light Gun. Jon shot a 6XC while Mike shot a 6×47 Lapua. Both rifles were smithed by Sid Goodling.
In Heavy Gun Class, Ken Brucklacher piloted his big 300 Weatherby to victory, winning the combined Group and Score Award with 9 rank points. Ray Lowman (11 points) finished second, and Stan Taylor (15 points) finished third in HG. Ray nailed a superb 3.062″ ten-shot Heavy Gun group on Sunday’s Heavy Gun Relay 1. That was the smallest group ever shot at Williamsport in 1000-yard competition, and it was just .018″ bigger than Joel Pendergraft’s 3.044″ all-time IBS HG record. Way to go Ray! Other notable performers included:
Heavy Gun & Light Gun Jr. Champion — Jimmy Kuchinski
Ladies Heavy Gun Champion — Amanda Good
Ladies Light Gun Champion — Susan Slade
Match Report from Jason Baney:
We had beautiful weather this year. It poured rain Friday night, but the humidity disappeared by early morning on Saturday. We had 30% relative humidity on Saturday — Pennsylvania is rarely that low. We had sun pretty much all day on Sat and Sunday, with highs of 91° each day. Winds were sometimes difficult …as usual.
We had a new 1000-yard Williamsport record in Heavy Gun, Ray Lowman’s 10-shot 3.062″. Though .018″ larger than Joel Pendergraft’s IBS Record, Lowman’s 3.062″ is still the smallest 10-shot 1K group ever shot at Williamsport. (My buddy Scott Leitner shot a 4.3″ — the second smallest HG group of the weekend.) Here are details of Ray Lowman’s 80-lb HG rig: .308 Norma Magnum, Nesika action, Benchmark barrel. For his load, Ray used Reloder 22 and Federal 210M primers, behind Knight 200gr bullets. Ray pointed his bullets until nearly closed, then he trimmed the meplats. Ray’s gun was smithed by his son Shannon Lowman. The 32″ barrel now has 1500 rounds through it and has been set back twice before (it started life at 36″).
I shot the third smallest group of the weekend, but blew it the first day in LG with a 14″ group…went vertical. Shooting my 6BR in LG, I was at the top of my powder window expecting 70 degrees (as predicted by the weather service), not 90 degrees. Oh well, I shot decent in HG, using Mark King’s HG the relay after him each day — this is the same Dasher-chambered gun Mark won with last year.
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland Officially Opened the 2010 National Matches Monday evening at Camp Perry, Port Clinton, Ohio. Last night’s First Shot Ceremony officially kicked off the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry with many special guests, including Ohio National Guard parachutists, who jumped from a Blackhawk helicopter to deliver the American flag. The colors were raised by a JROTC Color Guard as the Army Band played the National Anthem.
The U.S. Congress and President Theodore Roosevelt founded the National Matches in 1903 to foster national defense preparation through marksmanship competition.
The 2010 National Matches consist of the National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches and the Small Arms Firing Schools, which are mandated by federal law and governed by the CMP, together with the NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships, which are conducted by the NRA in conjunction with the National Matches. Overall, the National Matches bring over 6,000 competitors, volunteers, vendors and family members to Camp Perry each summer. All events are open to the public. NRAnews.com will be broadcasting live from Camp Perry today from 12-3 pm Eastern time.
2010 CMP National Trophy Matches Events
13 July — Warm-Up Pistol Match
18 July — National Trophy Pistol Matches
25 July — National Rimfire Sporter Match
30 July – 1 Aug — Rifle Small Arms Firing School
2-6 Aug — National Trophy Rifle Matches
5-7 Aug — CMP Games Rifle Matches
2010 NRA Rifle and Pistol Championships
13-17 July — Nat’l Pistol Championships
21-29 July — Nat’l Smallbore Rifle Championships
8-18 Aug — Nat’l High Power Rifle Championships
August 10-13: High Power Rifle
August 14-17: Long Range Rifle
As this is being written, the final relays are going to the firing line at the 2010 Williamsport World Open, one of the most prestigious long-range benchrest matches in the country. Many of the nation’s best 1000-yard shooters, including our Asst. Editor Jason Baney, are competing for a wealth of prizes donated by dozens of sponsors.
Held Saturday July 10th and Sunday July 11th, at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club, the World Open is a four-target Aggregate match consisting of two separate, two-target Aggs for in the Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes. Competitors can shoot either or both classes, both days. There will be prizes for the Overall Two-Gun Champion, plus the 2-day Group and Score Agg winners in each class. In addition there will be separate awards for Top Junior Shooter, Top Female Shooter, plus small group and high score in each match.
Complete World Open results should be posted on the Williamsport website, late Sunday or early Monday, after all targets are scored, and the scores are tabulated. We hope to post names of the big winners later today, if we can get hold of Jason after the event wraps up.
As word spreads of Jackie Schmidt’s historic 0.1118″ 5-target 100-yard Heavy Varmint Aggregate, many readers have inquired about Jackie’s gear and loading procedures. Interestingly, Jackie tells us that he selected the 30 BR “on a whim” for the Heavy Varmint stage of the Midland tournament, after he couldn’t get his 6 PPC Light Varmint gun to shoot up to his standards. With the PPC, he was getting some erratic vertical, with one shot popping up to spoil the group. Jackie turned to his trusty 30 BR, and, as they say, “the rest was history”. Jackie says his 30 BR “held perfect tune all day long”, with “absolutely no vertical”. Here are some other interesting facts about Jackie’s amazing 0.1118″ 5x5x100 Agg and the 30 BR he steered to the pending NBRSA record.
Jackie Free Recoils his 30 BR
Unlike many 30 BR shooters who shoulder their guns, Jackie shoots his 30 BR totally free recoil: “The only thing I touch is the trigger. I try to keep my body out of the equation. Free recoiling a 30 BR isn’t that difficult with a true 13.5-lb rifle.”
30 BR file photo. Jackie Schmidt does not shoot Moly bullets normally.
Jackie Didn’t Clean During Record Agg
Jackie shot his entire 100-yard HV Aggregate (25 rounds plus sighters) without cleaning his 30 BR rifle. Jackie told us: “I never cleaned the rifle until the end of the day. In fact I never took the gun out of the bags.” Jackie tells us that shooting a full Agg without cleaning has become standard practice with 30 BRs: “We’ve all learned that you don’t have to clean them. It’s a phenomenon of the 30 calibers. They shoot just as good on the last shot as the first shot.” When he does clean, Jackie uses patches soaked with Butch’s Bore Shine, followed by 10 strokes with a wet brush, then dry patches. Jackie adds: “For the past few years, I’ve never put any solvent but Butch’s in my bores.”
Jackie Used 100% Case Capacity Charge
Jackie loaded a “100% usable case capacity charge” of Hodgdon H4198 (Extreme) in his rounds. His 112gr BIB bullets are “just kissing” the top of the powder column. To achieve that fill level, Jackie uses an 8″ drop tube. “That’s an old PPC-loader’s trick,” Jackie tells us. He added that his lot of H4198 is slower than most. He’s found that “some guys can reach the 3000 fps mark using nearly a full grain less powder than me.” But we wonder if loading at 100% of case capacity helps with accuracy? Folks with a faster lot of H4198 might not be able to reach 100% case capacity.
Jackie Schmidt’s ‘Snubber’ Tuner — The Inside Engineering
Everyone wants to know about Jackie’s “snubber” tuner, shown in the photo below. The Tuner is made from aluminum and brass and weighs 5.5 ounces. The tuner is 2 5/8″ long and extends past the true crown 5/8″. The inner cylinder is aluminum while the outer section is a marine bearing consisting of a brass shell with hard rubber vulcanized to the inside diameter. (These brass/rubber marine bearings are used for propeller shaft seals). The sandwiched brass/rubber bearing is then pressed on to the central aluminum shaft. The hard rubber helps dampen vibration. The tuner screws on and then is “locked” in place with a split clamp (the last 2″ of the barrel is threaded).
Unlike most tuners which have a fixed base and forward, rotating ring, Jackie’s tuner is one integrated unit. To adjust tune, Jackie’s “snubber” tuner is unclamped at the base and the whole assembly is screwed in or out on the threaded barrel. Jackie machined a very tight-pitched barrel thread so a full rotation of the tuner produces only .028″ of fore and aft movement. Jackie tells us that, once the basic position is set for a barrel, it doesn’t take much rotation to set the tune. He can usually optimize the barrel tune with less than 1/2 turn of the tuner. After the tune position is set, the split clamp at the inboard end is tightened. This way the tuner is basically locked in place while shooting.
Despite numerous requests, Jackie does not sell his tuners commercially. But someone with good machine skills could build a clone tuner. Team USA benchrest shooter Gene Bukys crafted a similar snubber-type tuner which he used successfully at the 2009 World Championships in South Africa.
The “25 Shots Heard Round the World”
Even people outside the Benchrest community are excited about Jackie’s 0.1118 Aggregate. Jackie’s achievement was noted by Michael Bane and broadcast on the Downrange TV Weekly Video Podcast.
The 30th National Veterans Wheelchair Games commenced this week in Denver, Colorado. The largest annual wheelchair sports competition in the world, this event offers 17 different sports to veterans who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries, amputations and neurological diseases. One of the popular events is the Air Rifle competition, which has attracted ten relays of competitors, all of whom are wounded or disabled military veterans.
With the help of family, friends, and volunteers, they unpack their guns, sight in their rifles, and shoot three rounds of twenty shots in thirty minutes. The competitors display a wide array of emotions — some are intense, some are smiling, and some are satisfied with the mere act of competing.
The stories are as diverse as those who are shooting: An Army ranger injured post-retirement, an officer with multiple sclerosis, an enlisted man wounded in combat. They come from California, from Ohio, from Florida and Texas. “We’ve seen a wonderful change in our guys,” said a group leader from California. “They find a sport in which they can flourish and their smiles are contagious.”
Photos and story by Lars Dalseide, courtesy NRA Blog.
Chip Lohman, Managing Editor of Shooting Sports USA magazine, has crafted a video covering the 2010 Bianchi Cup, the richest (and one of the most prestigious) handgun competitions on the planet. Lohman’s video shows all phases of the event, and you can see great performances by Doug Koenig and Jessie Abbate. Smith & Wesson’s Doug Koenig won his 12th Bianchi Cup title, while newly signed teammate Jessie Abbate topped S&W Captain Julie Golob for the Women’s Overall, giving S&W a dominant performance at this year’s tournament. Koenig won the Open Class without dropping a point, finishing with 1920-179X.
If you want to compete with Tom Mousel and the whole Deep Creek gang, head up to Missoula in August. The 
Sgt. Dwight Hayes — Overcoming Adversity by Lars Dalseide
“I broke one of my rules,” smiled Hayes, adding: “Gotta stick to the rules.”
“I know what it’s like,” Hayes said. “I know all about time alone, watching the walls, sitting in an empty hospital. I go there and get them out.”
Shooting a 6.5×284 with Sierra 142gr Matchkings, John Hoover won the Two-Gun Overall Championship at the 2010 Williamsport World Open this past weekend. Hoover, whose 
In Heavy Gun Class, Ken Brucklacher piloted his big 300 Weatherby to victory, winning the combined Group and Score Award with 9 rank points. Ray Lowman (11 points) finished second, and Stan Taylor (15 points) finished third in HG. Ray nailed a superb 3.062″ ten-shot Heavy Gun group on Sunday’s Heavy Gun Relay 1. That was the smallest group ever shot at Williamsport in 1000-yard competition, and it was just .018″ bigger than Joel Pendergraft’s 3.044″ all-time IBS HG record. Way to go Ray! Other notable performers included:
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland Officially Opened the 2010 National Matches Monday evening at Camp Perry, Port Clinton, Ohio. Last night’s First Shot Ceremony officially kicked off the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry with many special guests, including Ohio National Guard parachutists, who jumped from a Blackhawk helicopter to deliver the American flag. The colors were raised by a JROTC Color Guard as the Army Band played the National Anthem.
The 2010 National Matches consist of the National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches and the Small Arms Firing Schools, which are mandated by federal law and governed by the CMP, together with the NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships, which are conducted by the NRA in conjunction with the National Matches. Overall, the National Matches bring over 6,000 competitors, volunteers, vendors and family members to Camp Perry each summer. All events are open to the public. 
As this is being written, the final relays are going to the firing line at the 2010 Williamsport World Open, one of the most prestigious long-range benchrest matches in the country. Many of the nation’s best 1000-yard shooters, including our Asst. Editor Jason Baney, are competing for a wealth of prizes donated by dozens of sponsors.
Jackie Used 100% Case Capacity Charge
The 30th 
