Alliant is now shipping an advanced medium-fast burn rate pistol powder that has many important qualities. New Sport Pistol powder exhibits excellent temp stability. That means you can develop a stout load and not worry about hot days at the range. Sport Pistol was also formulated to work with the new generation of polymer-coated bullets. Alliant’s engineers tell us: “This new propellant is very advanced. The chemistry of Sport Pistol is not similar to Bullseye or other older pistol powders. Sport Pistol delivers precise performance with all bullet types, but the low muzzle-flash formulation was optimized for polymer-coated bullets. Other double-base powders can dissolve the polymer coatings at the bullet base, and this exposes the lead to vaporization due to the intense heat during the ballistic cycle.” Alliant says this powder burns clean and gives “extremely reliable cycling, excellent charging/case fill [with] ballistics that lend themselves to a range of popular loads.”
How Sport Pistol Compares to Other Pistol Powders
It looks like Alliant’s new Sport Pistol can be used to replace W231 and HP-38, two popular powders for 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP cartridges. One pistolero notes: “Just looking at the load data for Sport Pistol, charge weights are similar to W231/HP-38 and Alliant advertises it as ‘medium fast’ burning for precision and action shooting competition. I say Alliant released a competing powder for W231/HP-38 that is less temperature sensitive.”
If you’ve been interested in getting a compact Walther handgun, now’s the time to buy. Walther Arms just announced $100 Cash Back Rebate for PPQ and PPS series pistols. Saving one hundred bucks is a powerful incentive — this is one of the best rebates in the gun industry. The $100 rebate drops the price of a PPS M2 to just $329.99 at Cabelas. That’s a great value compared to a similar HK or Glock. The rebate is delivered as a $100 Pre-Paid Visa Card — give that to the spouse for a shopping spree and keep everyone happy.
Eligible Walther handguns include the PPQ M1, PPQ M2, PPQ Navy, PPQ 45, PPS M2, PPS M2 LE, PPS M2 Laser Set, or color variations that are purchased NEW at retail in the U.S. between June 1st, 2017 and September 15th, 2017. Promotion excludes the Walther Q5 Match, .22 rimfires, and any other models not listed. Please allow 8-12 weeks for fulfillment of rebate requests.
“Walther is excited to announce such an aggressive rebate program. Customers love our grip and trigger, and will enjoy the limited time promotional price.” says Cyndi Flannigan, Walther VP of Sales.
Featured Guns of the Week at Cabelas.com
This week, Cabela’s is offering special sale pricing on the Walther PPS M2 and Walther PPQ M2 pistols. Get $50 off regular retail price. Combine that with the $100 manufacturer rebate, and you can get the PPS M2 for just $329.99. We like that PPS M2 pistol. It is the carry choice of our System Administrator. READ PPS M2 Review.
Jessie Duff won her 8th Ladies Class Title at the 2017 U.S. Steel Nationals in Daytona, Florida.
It’s drag racing with guns! Draw your gun then shoot five steel targets as fast as humanly possible. The U.S. Steel Nationals is the fastest action pistol sport on the planet. Splits are blazing fast — in the top tier of shooters, standings are settled by hundredths of a second. The Steel Nationals has recently has also expanded to include rimfire firearms, and that’s lowered the cost of competing. In this week’s episode of Shooting USA, John Scoutten and Tony Pignato have the highlights of the final round of the 2016 U.S. Steel Nationals, held in Daytona, Florida.
Watch Full Episode of Shooting USA
Air Times by Time Zone
Eastern Time: Tuesday 3:00 PM; Wednesday 9:30PM, 1:00 AM
Central Time: Tuesday 2:00 PM; Wednesday 8:30 PM, Midnight
Mountain Time: Tuesday 1:00 PM; Wednesday 7:30 PM, 11:00 PM
Pacific Time: Tuesday Noon; Wednesday 6:30 PM, 10:00 PM
The show airs tonight on the Outdoor Channel on cable TV. If your cable service doesn’t include the Outdoor Channel, you can watch the entire episode on your computer or mobile device right here. Just click the above video to start the 47-minute show.
Pro Shooter Experience in Las Vegas
Along with the U.S. Steel Nationals Coverage, this week’s episode features the Pro Shooter Experience (PSE) in Las Vegas (starting at 32:22 in video above). Participants enjoy three days of training with three world Champions: Max Michel, JJ Racaza, and Travis Tomasie.
Max explains: “The whole premise was to get three world champion shooters together [who are] great ambassadors of the game, and really give back…” Max and Travis are both former USAMU shooters with multiple championship wins. JJ is one of the fastest pistoleros on the planet. The PSE features 1-on-1 training sessions, shooting competitions, speed drills, and some very impressive shooting by the pros.
“Koenig” means “king” in the German language. Well, Doug Koenig certainly proved to be King of the Bianchi Cup this past week at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Missouri. Coming into the event as the reigning champion, Koenig added an 18th Bianchi Cup Open Championship title to his resume, remaining the winningest shooter in Bianchi Cup history. The win earned Koenig a $10,000 check to go with his trophy.
Report by NRABlog.com
Koenig posted strong scores in all four Colt Championship Final events, including perfect 480-48 scores in the Barricade and Plates runs. While perennial contender and five-time Bianchi Cup champ Bruce Piatt bested Koenig in the opening Practical event and kept it close, Koenig narrowly edged out his longtime friend and rival, finishing the Colt final event with a 1920-184 over Piatt’s 1920-181.
Here are the top four women shooting the Practical Event during the Colt Championship Final. From top: 2017 Bianchi Women’s Champion Cherie Blake, third place SFC Katie Bahten, second place Anita Mackiewicz, and fourth place Jessie Duff. Shooting Sports USA Photo
SFC Sokolowski Shoots First-Ever Perfect Score in Metallic Class
There were some other great performances. The USAMU’s SFC Adam Sokolowski made history of his own in Hallsville, shooting the first-ever perfect score of 1920 in the Metallic Division. Last year’s Production Champ, Adam switched to Metallic this year — it seems like it was a good choice. Cherie Blake was the Women’s Champion, and noted shooter Rob Leatham won the Production Division. In the Junior Division, it was a family affair — Tim Yackley was a repeat winner, while younger brother Sean Yackley finished second.
Not to be outdone by the youngsters, 80-year-old John Sanders won the Grand Senior Championship with a score of 1908-135X. Impressive — we hope we’ll still be competing in our 80s!
For more complete coverage of the 2017 NRA Bianchi Cup, see John Parker’s Shooting Sports USA 2017 Match Report. Shooting Sports USA will publish the full results of the 2017 NRA Bianchi Cup National Action Pistol Championship in a future edition of the digital magazine.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, 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.
1. Amazon — Plano Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $101.99
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is now just $101.99, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). This is big enough for many F-Class and Palma rifles. The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move through airports and parking lots. A good choice for air travel, this is a very tough, roomy case for the money (plus there’s Free Shipping for Prime Members).
2. Brownells — Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, $209.99
Here’s how you can get a nice Smith & Wesson 9mm (9x19mm Luger) carry pistol for just $209.99. Brownells sells this M&P Shield 9mm pistol for $314.99. Use Code L9Q during online checkout to save $30.00 and get free shipping. That knocks the Brownells price down to $284.99 delivered. But it gets better — Smith & Wesson is offering a $75.00 mail-in rebate. That lowers your net cost to just $209.99 — less than half what you’d pay for a 9mm Glock or HK. Good reason to buy American, and S&W’s warranty is rock solid. Combining Code L9Q with the $75.00 mail-in rebate, your net cost for the M&P 9mm Shield is only $209.99, not counting a $10.00 FFL processing fee.
3. Natchez Shooters Supply — 10% OFF Everything in Stock
Natchez Shooters Supply boasts very competitive “every day” pricing on ammunition, reloading tools, and optics. And now you can get 10% (ten percent) off everything Natchez sells online with no limits, no minimums. This Sitewide 10% Off deal is good through 11:59 pm ET on May 30, 2017. To get the 10% off your order(s), use code 10MEM17 during checkout. We suggest you look at reloading presses, scopes, and hunting gear. The 10% Off, combined with already low pricing, makes for some exceptional bargains. But don’t hesitate — this deal runs out soon. NOTE: Offer is available on INTERNET ORDERS ONLY. Shipping/Handling and Hazmat fees still apply.
4. Amazon — 22000 mAh 3 Port Battery Pack, $36.99
The one item your editor takes on EVERY visit to the range, every business trip, and every holiday is a battery pack with USB outputs. This handy gadget lets me keep my smart phone and other devices charged (it even runs the LabRadar chrono). This new Akeem 22000 mAh portable charger is Amazon’s top new release in this category. It can power up to 3 USB devices at once. A big plus is that it gets fully charged pretty quickly — in 1/3 the time of some other 22000 mAh battery packs. It even has its own solar charging panel. Unfortunately that solar panel is “more show than go”. To get a full internal charge you still MUST plug the Akeem into the wall. Still this is a very popular unit — read the buyer reviews on Amazon. It has a 24-month warranty.
This won’t range small objects at 1000 yards like the very best rangefinders, but then it only costs $159.99. For a typical hunter, this compact little RX-650 Leupold LRF may be all you really need. The money you save (vs. a premium LRF) can buy your next hunting rifle. The unit offers 6X magnification, Scan Mode, and one-click Fast Focus. This week MidwayUSA has the RX-650 for just $159.99 with FREE Shipping. Or get it from Amazon.com for a few bucks more, $164.00 with FREE Shipping.
6. Midsouth — CCI Quiet-22 Rimfire Ammo, $3.49/50 Rounds
Name-brand rimfire ammo is once again available at very affordable prices. This CCI 40gr ammo is just $3.49 for 50 rounds, less than seven cents per round. Rated at a modest 710 fps, the CCI Quiet Ammo is a good choice for shorter-range target work and pistol plinking. The low sound signature also makes it great for shooting with a suppressor. While it should work with most semi-auto rifles, we recommend this for bolt guns. One purchaser writes: “Very quiet and very accurate. Quieter than subsonics and far more accurate than rounds like Colibri. With my CZ trainers and ultralux… they shot approx 3/4″ groups at 50 yards. The rounds drop more than High Vel at 50 yardds and beyond, but that’s pretty easy to compensate for by sighting in the rifle. If used with a suppressor, the sound of the firing pin is louder than the report.”
Here’s the best deal we’ve found on an excellent product in high demand. The Lyman BoreCam is an electro-optical borescope with a digital display. You can record “stills” on a SD card. This is one of the hottest products on the market right now — and users really like the BoreCam (although some wish the digital view-screen was larger). Amazon.com now has the Lyman BoreCam for $199.99. Grab it while you can at that price. Other vendors are charging a LOT more. For example, MidwayUSA’s price is $259.99!
8. Stocky’s Stocks — Composite Stock with Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a killer deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with a matte black, tan, or olive baked-on textured finish for $199.99.
The nation’s top pistoleros are headed to Missouri this month to compete in the 2017 NRA Bianchi Cup, the most prestigious action pistol match of the year. The 2017 Bianchi Cup event, also known as the National Action Pistol Championship, will be held May 24-27, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club.
The format will be changed slightly for the 2017 NRA Bianchi Cup. The Multi-Gun Aggregate has been reinstated on Tuesday, May 23; signup for the Aggregate will be online only, capped at 44 competitors. The Championship consists of a “Match X” and the “Championship Final”. Each round is the aggregate of the four (4) following fired events: Practical, Barricade, Falling Plate and Moving Target Events. Match X will be conducted over 3 days, Wednesday, 24 May through Friday, 26 May 2017. CLICK HERE for official Program Guide. Send questions to bianchicup@nrahq.org or call 703-267-1452 for the NRA Bianchi Cup Coordinator.
Check out this “Sizzle Reel” from the 2013 NRA Bianchi Cup:
About the Bianchi Cup
The Bianchi Cup is the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, a major tournament held every May in Columbia, Missouri. The premier action pistol championship, the Bianchi Cup boasts the largest purse of any tournament on the action pistol calendar. The Bianchi Cup is the only major shooting tournament that has retained its original Course of Fire since its inception. 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.
Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is widely considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
On Ammoland.com, there’s an interesting article about the NSSF’s recent 3-Gun Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas. Author Duncan Johnson attended the Camp last month and wrote an “after action report”. He said the Camp was a great experience, and his shooting improved greatly with the expert tutoring from top pros: “If you have ever wanted to try a 3-Gun competition, just go do it, you will quickly find out why this is the fastest-growing shooting sport today. If you are new to shooting and or just getting started in 3-Gun, I 100% recommend you attend the NSSF Fantasy Camp.”
Here are Four Tips/Observations Duncan learned during the 3-Gun Fantasy Camp:
1. Use a Zoom Rifle Optic – “The LWRC 3-Gun ready rifle [provided for the Camp] was topped with a Leupold Mark 6 1-6x20mm riflescope, which made distance shooting much easier than the AimPoint optic [on my own AR]. 3-Gun competitions have rifle stages that can involve distance shooting out to ranges of 500 yards or more. For that reason, most shooters in the 3-Gun TacOps and Practical divisions use magnified riflescopes like the Leupold Mark 6 or the Vortex Strike Eagle.”
2. Use Your Quads and Core Muscles — “There are also a lot of little things that the pros teach you… For instance, some shooters instinctively bend their knees to enter their stance, but once they start firing they tend to follow the recoil with their shoulders and end up leaning back. In order to avoid that, use your quad muscles in your legs to get a solid stance that will absorb more recoil. Also use your core muscles to maintain a strong stance, especially in shotgun stages. The combination of strong quad and core muscles will contribute to controlling muzzle flip and moving onto your next target more easily.”
3. Vision-Based Target Transitions — “Another pro tip from Randi Rodgers on transitioning from target to target with a pistol was using your eyes rather than your sights to switch targets. So imagine it as pull the trigger, the slide starts to come back, using your eyes find the next target, then point with the front sight, find the sight picture, fire, and repeat.”
Editor’s Note: A few seasons back, I attended an action shooting seminar taught by Randi, and she explained the “move your eyes” technique. For multi-target stages, this really works. Move your eyes from target to target, and you’ll find your arms automatically “pull” the handgun into position. You still need to get the sights on target, but this method yields create smoother, faster stage runs.
4. Trigger Control and Use of Support Hand — If you don’t have good trigger control and pull straight back, you can move your sights during the shot. This is a common problem with novice pistol shooters. The solution is lots of dry fire training. Duncan found out he needed work: “In my case, the biggest area where I need improvement was shooting my pistol. There were two different things I was doing that will guarantee a missed shot every time with a handgun. When I pull/squeeze/depress my trigger I have a tendency to also pull the gun off target, resulting in a miss to the low left of a target. I [also] over-apply pressure with my shooting hand. According to the pros, pistol grip should be 40% shooting hand, and 60% supporting hand.”
This article originally appears on Ammoland.com, reprinted here under Creative Commons License.
The CMP has approved a new event for Glock pistols at the 2017 National Matches at Camp Perry. Plastic Pistols at Perry? Traditionalists may scoff, but this is certainly a way to get more (and younger) pistol competitors involved. The first-ever GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) Match will be held on July 1, 2017 as part of the CMP’s 2017 National Matches. The inaugural Glock Match will be open to both adults and juniors, with two different categories: Stock and Unlimited.
The big news are the prizes — six Glock pistols will be awarded to top Class winners. The Glock Match will be shot on NRA D1 paper targets, with ten (10) rounds each at 5, 7, 10, 15 and 25 yards. NOTE: This is NOT a slow-fire match. According to the CMP press release, competitors will have just 15 seconds for each 10-round string. We hope that’s a misprint — ten shots in 15 seconds makes this a “mag-dump” contest, not a precision match, in our opinion. To compete at the match, shooters must have an active GSSF membership (you can join during match registration at check-in).
There will be two pistol classes, Stock and Unlimited. The Stock Class is for GLOCK firearms with components that are or ever have been available from GLOCK, Inc., though some modifications are permitted. NOTE: Fiber-optic and express sights are approved.
The Unlimited Class is for firearms with major modifications such as aftermarket barrels, mag funnels, recoil springs, and firing pins. Unlimited Class pistols can use “any non-post and notch sights including but not limited to, ghost ring or laser, electronic or optical sights.”
“This match was suggested by Bob Schanen, a valued, long-time GLOCK employee and Camp Perry rifle competitor for 30+ years,” said Brandie Collins, GLOCK public relations and communication manager. “The partnership with CMP in bringing this match to Camp Perry meets our common goals of promoting safe gun handling, marksmanship and introducing people to competitive shooting. Shooters of all skill levels will enjoy shooting this match.”
The big NRA Convention is just two weeks away. The 146th National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia from April 27-30, 2017. This 4-day event will feature 800+ exhibitors, and include dozens of seminars, workshops, and special events. Over 80,000 NRA members and guests are expected to attend. In and around the Convention Hall there will be 15 acres of firearms, shooting and hunting gear, and other exhibits. There will also be an on-site airgun range. For more info, visit www.nraam.org.
There will be nearly 800+ Exhibitors displaying products at the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. You can see products from big name companies such as Berger Bullets, Leupold, Lyman, Nightforce, Nosler, Redding, Remington, Ruger, Savage, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. You can also meet with top hunting guides and outfitters.
The National NRA Foundation Banquet will be held April 27th in the Thomas Murphy Ballroom, Georgia World Congress Center Building ‘B’. The NRA-ILA Leadership Forum is slated for April 28th in Hall A3, Georgia World Congress Center. With the recent changes in the American national leadership, the ILA Forum should be popular this year.
Hank Williams Concert
Lifetime NRA member and multi-Platinum hit-maker and outdoor enthusiast Hank Williams Jr. will take the stage at the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits Saturday, April 29th! This is always a sell out event, so don’t wait to buy your tickets.
Location of NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta:
Firearms Policy for the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings
During the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, lawfully carried firearms will be permitted in the Georgia World Congress Center and the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in accordance with Georgia law. However, firearms are not allowed in the remainder of the CNN Center, including the food court and shops. When carrying your firearm, remember to follow all federal, state and local laws.
Here’s a fun interactive Gun Selection Game from the NRA Blog. You can choose your favorite firearms in a head-to-head bracket, similar to the “March Madness” NCAA Basketball tournament.
Here are all the Bracket Choices. Click Image to Zoom Out So You Can Read Gun Names.
March is tournament time! Here’s a tournament for firearms fans — the 2017 NRA Blog Official Gun Bracket. The NRA’s selection committee has narrowed the field of firearms down to 64, including 32 of the most popular modern firearms on one side, and 32 historical classics on the other.
Here’s a Sample Bracket Question. CLICK HERE to VOTE.
The guns featured include everything from flintlocks, early repeaters and single-action revolvers of yesteryear to the latest AR-15s, carry pistols, performance shotguns and precision rifles of today. Readers vote on each head-to-head matchup, determining which firearm prevails all the way to championship round, when the top historic gun takes on the top modern firearm for the final “Top Gun” winner. CLICK HERE to VOTE.
“Koenig” means “king” in the German language. Well, Doug Koenig certainly proved to be King of the Bianchi Cup this past week at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Missouri. Coming into the event as the reigning champion, Koenig added an 18th Bianchi Cup Open Championship title to his resume, remaining the winningest shooter in Bianchi Cup history. The win earned Koenig a $10,000 check to go with his trophy.
