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July 6th, 2009
 Carl Bernosky, 8-time winner of the Camp Perry National High Power Championships, will be switching back to a bolt gun for the 2009 competition. Last year, Carl shot an AR15-based spacegun built on Smith & Wesson M&P15 components. With that rifle, Carl became the first competitor to win the Camp Perry High Power Championship shooting an AR15-type semi-auto.
But this year Carl will be shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor CSR-1 TubeGun from Creedmoor Sports. Based on a TubeGun Chassis and buttstock by Gary Eliseo (of Competition Shooting Stuff), the CSR-1 features a Pierce Precision Rem 700-clone receiver, and a 28″ Broughton barrel.
Both the buttstock and the handguard are adjustable to suit the shooter. The handguard/float tube can rotate 15 degrees from center in either direction, allowing the shooter to adjust his desired rifle cant. The 4-way buttstock adjusts for length-of-pull, cant, buttpad height and offset. There is an adjustable cheekpiece and even two 4.8-ounce removeable weights to allow precise balancing of the rig.
The CSR-1 is offered in five (5) chamberings: 308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6XC, and .223 Rem. At Camp Perry, Carl Bernosky will be shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor version of the rifle, using Hornady components.
CLICK HERE to learn more about specs and features of CSR-1 ($3750.00 complete).
July 2nd, 2009
The 2009 National Junior Air Gun Championship, held at the CMP’s high-tech Camp Perry indoor Marksmanship Training Center, has been a huge success. The 3-day event has drawn nearly 290 competitors from 27 states to Camp Perry, Ohio. Shooters have traveled from as far as Hawaii and Alaska to shoot against other top juniors in the country. Winners will be honored at an awards banquet, scheduled for July 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Shooters may enter either the Sporter or Precision class based on the type of rifle and equipment they use, and are then grouped into categories according to age: Sub-Junior (Age 14 and under); Junior (age 18-20); and Intermediate Junior (Age 15-17). There is no age minimum to compete at NJAGC, and this year there are competitors as young as 12 years old. The rules for this year’s championship break with years past. For the 2009 competition, there are no entry requirements; every junior shooter is welcome to compete.
The National Junior Air Gun Championship (NJAGC) isn’t just about competing for this year’s title — it’s also about learning to improve and advance in the shooting sports. A training summit is held each year in conjunction with the NJAGC to help competitors, coaches, and parents learn how to train properly, as well as to introduce young shooters to future opportunities.
Report from NRABlog.com. Photos courtesy ODCMP.com.
June 27th, 2009
 Our lead story on AccurateShooter.com this week features Varmint Silhouette Matches at the Ojai and Pala clubs in Southern California. The Ojai Valley Gun Club Varmint Silhouette match starts off with a 600-yard, paper-punching stage using official 600-yard benchrest targets.
At Ojai, the calm, cool mountain air in the early morning often provides perfect conditions for long-range target shooting. Such was the case this past week. At the Father’s Day (June 21, 2009) Ojai Match, Bruce Duncan fired back to back 1.5″ groups with his Barnard-actioned, 6-6.5×47 match rifle. This rig was smithed by MTGuns, where Bruce works as Office Manager.
Bruce tells us: “The Barnard action is very popular with Palma, prone, and F-Class shooters of course, but I think we’ve demonstrated that Barnards can be very competitive in the long-range benchrest game as well.” Though both targets were shot in the early morning, Bruce acknowledged: “I got bit by a wind change both times — first right, then left.” Joking, he added: “But hey, my sighters were in the blue for both targets.”
Target 1: 1.507″, 5 shots at 600 yards
Interestingly, the Barnard “P” action is set in an aluminum V-block. The RBRP action features an MT Guns +10 MOA scope rail, with Barnard trigger. The barrel is a 1:8″ twist, 6mm Bartlein, measuring about .960″ at the muzzle. For optics, Bruce runs a Sightron 36×42 SII Big Sky with fine cross hair. Bruce tells us: “More power might be nice, but the 36X Sightron does the job.”
Target 2: 1.536″, 5 shots at 600 yards
Bruce tried a variety of loads before settling on Hodgdon H4350 and CCI 450 primers pushing the tangent-ogive (non-VLD) Berger 108s seated about .020″ out of the lands. “I tested the Berger 105s in the lands, but this barrel preferred the 108s jumped”, Bruce observed. Bruce uses 6.5×47 Lapua brass necked down to 6mm. He turns the necks slightly for a PTG .270″ neck chamber. Rounds measure right around .268″ when loaded. For sizing, Bruce uses a standard Forster 6-6.5×47 full-length sizing die, with the expander ball in place.
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).
June 25th, 2009
The World Benchrest Championships are underway right now at the Krokodilspruit Range in Pretoria, South Africa. The 100m matches have been held and Team USA A is currently in the lead. Daily updates (with photos) are available on the WBC10.co.za website.
Today, the 25th, 200 meter competition begins. So far, Gene Bukys (USA) won the HV100 meter with Roland Igle (FRA) second and Chris Harris (USA) third. Gene also nailed a 2.74mm small group (0.108″). In the Team standings the USA A team leads with Australia A in 2nd place and Italy in 3rd place. In the 2-Gun competition, Gene Bukys (USA) now leads the field, with Wayne Campbell (USA) in 2nd place and George Carter from Canada in 3rd place.
Individual and Team match results are tabulated daily and posted online. You can download current results on the WBC10 Downloads page. Photos courtesy Renier, WBC10.co.za.
June 19th, 2009
Jerry Miculek once again stood atop the leader board, capturing both the Overall and Open Division titles at the International Revolver Championship (IRC) at the Hogue Action Pistol Range in Morro Bay, California. With his recent win, Jerry has accomplished an unprecedented feat by capturing his 17th IRC championship title while extending his record winning streak of back-to-back title victories since competing in the 1993 IRC match. Using an 8-shot S&W Performance Center Model 627 V-Comp, Miculek was able to post top scores in 10 out of the 12 stages of fire, allowing him to easily capture the championship title by over 26 seconds.
Miculek competing earlier this year at the Steel Challenge. Photo Courtesy SteelChallenge.com.
Team Smith & Wesson members earned six division titles. The IRC match was highlighted by wins from Jerry Miculek, new team member John Bagakis, Craig Buckland, Annette Aysen, Elliot Aysen and Team Captain, Julie Golob. In the Limited Division, Team Smith & Wesson members swept the top two spots with John Bagakis edging out teammate Elliot Aysen for the division title. Aysen went on to win the High Senior title. In the Women’s Limited Division, Annette Aysen decisively defended her Ladies Limited title by over 11 seconds. Each of the winners in the Limited Division used an 8-shot Performance Center Model 627.
Junior Division Video Highlights
In addition to adult competitors, junior wheel-gunners participated at the IRC in Moro Bay. In the video below, posted by S&W Team Captain Julie Golob, check out the future of the sport as these young shooters pair off against one another in the Junior Shoot-Off event of the IRC (guest appearance by the Jerry Miculek). (EDITOR: Very cool video, definitely check it out!)
June 17th, 2009
Victoria Croft, the national manager of Collegiate & School Programs for the NRA, has announced a new program that could make its debut as early as next year: the NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship.
This new championship would be geared toward ALL collegiate rifle shooters, encompassing NRA College Rifle Clubs, Varsity Rifle Teams, NCAA Rifle Teams, ROTC and independent shooters. Currently there is no championship for NRA College Club participants, Varsity Rifle Team participants, or independent college-age rifle competitors. Croft said this would give them the chance to be represented.
New Rifle Championship Triples Participation Levels
Presently, the NCAA Championship invites only 48 NCAA rifle shooters to participate each year. The proposed NRA championship will triple championship participation and help foster collegiate rifle programs across the nation. Qualification for the Championship would be determined through NRA Collegiate Sectionals.
 Funding for this championship would come from the NRA Foundation, the same program that funds the NRA Intercollegiate Pistol Championships and the ACUI Clay Target Championships. The proposed Intercollegiate Championship would include a training summit similar to the one offered at the NRA Junior Air Gun Championship.
The NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Championship will also teach college shooters about various NRA programs and let shooters demonstrate their skills in front of peers, families, coaches, and university administrators. “This program has been a long time coming,” said Victoria Croft. “So much of the rifle community is already excited, and we have only just started planning for it.”
Story and photo courtesy the NRA Blog.
June 13th, 2009
 One of the more distinctive trophies awarded each year at Camp Perry, the DuPont Trophy is a European bronze casting which depicts a medieval military bowman with arrow drawn, ready for its flight. The trophy was donated to the NRA in 1923 by the E.I. DuPont de Nemours Company.
Each year, the DuPont Trophy is awarded at the Camp Perry National High Power Championships to the top Aggregate score of the Members’ Trophy, Scott Trophy, Coast Artillery Trophy, Army Cup, Navy Cup, Coast Guard Trophy, Marine Corps Cup, Air Force Cup, Crescent Cup, Appreciation Cup, Cavalry Cup, and Crowell Trophy Matches. Collectively, these matches represent a total of 240 shots.
Last year, the winner was then-Specialist Tyrell L. Cooper of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). Ty Cooper won with a score of 2362-101X. Cooper, who was recently promoted to Sergeant, started shooting High Power at the ripe old age of 14 and stands ready to face past champions like McMahon, Hooper, Watson and Demille.
 Listed below are the DuPoint Trophy winners for the past decade, along with their winning scores:
1998 SSgt Grant L. Singley, USA 2372-112X
1999 SSgt Julia L. Watson, USMC 2361-110X
2000 MSgt Harry D. Harrison, USMCR 2369-101X
2001 SFC Grant L. Singley, USA 2371-109X
2002 SFC Kevin McMahon, USA 2333-90X
2003 CWO Dennis Demille, USMC 2372-102X
2004 James C. Fox, 2366-80X
2005 GySgt Julia L. Watson, USMCR 2366-93X
2006 SFC Lance S. Hopper, USA 2366-114X
2007 Nick O. Till *1764-73X
2008 SPC Tyrell L. Cooper, USA 2362-101X
* Aggregate shortened due to weather
June 5th, 2009
 Forum member Kent Reeve (Cary, NC) is best known as a High Power and long-range shooter. Kent won the 2006 NRA National Long-Range Championships, edging out John Whidden by two points. However, Kent recently set a new NRA civilian record for smallbore metric prone shooting. Scoring 1,576 out of a possible 1,600 points, Reeve broke the record at the NC Smallbore Metric Prone State Championship held May 9-10 in Creedmoor, North Carolina. Kent used Lapua’s new X-ACT rimfire ammo.
Reeve’s accomplishment attracted the attention of the mainstream media. On June 4, Reeve was profiled by the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. In that story, Reeve revealed that he shoots rimfire matches “for the training… it’s easier to find a 100-yard range.” Reeve also explained that smallbore shooting helps improve his centerfire marksmanship because the longer barrel time of the 22LR round makes a perfect hold even more important: “The .22 [rimfire] bullet stays in the barrel about three times longer than the .308, so any shot placement error is magnified.” Reeve recently headed to Wisconsin, where he will compete for a spot on the 2011 USA Palma team. Reeve has been a USA Palma Team member in the past, and we wish him luck in the team selection matches.
June 4th, 2009
 Our recent story on the Anschütz Model 64-R Biathlon rifle prompted interest in the Olympic sport of biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with rimfire rifle marksmanship. While most of the top shooters are from Europe, there are many dedicated biathletes in Canada and the USA.
In the video below, Nicki Pacas, a former Canadian National Team biathlete, talks about the “Girls with Guns” biathlon program she leads in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Nicki’s “Girls with Guns” program has attracted many new female biathletes who enjoy the comradery and the unique challenge of skiing and shooting. Nicki explains: “I enjoy the challenge of biathlon. The best way to describe going from skiing to shooting is, say you just did a 100-meter sprint and a whole bunch of pushups and then you need to try and thread a needle. It’s really, really hard… it’s a total shift in concentration.”
With the help of top Nordic coaches, Nicki has introduced dozens of young women to the sport of biathlon. For many participants this was their first experience shooting rifles. Nicki adds: “It’s so great to see more girls participating in [biathlon]. I think because it’s a girls-only program it’s more appealing…. I think if you give girls the opportunity to have a healthy lifestyle… they’re more likely to make really positive decisions in the future.”
NOTE: You should definitely watch this professionally-produced video. Nicki is a great spokes-person for her sport.
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