The oldest remaining record in international shooting sports was the 581 score in 50m Free Pistol set way back in 1980 at the Moscow Olympics. After thirty-four long years, that record has finally been broken — by South Korea’s Jin Jong-oh. The South Korean, who earned gold medals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, has been chasing this record for a long time, and now it is his. Congratulations to Jin Jong-oh. Well done!
Jin Jong-oh Shoots 583 in Free Pistol to Break 34-year-old Record
South Korean pistol ace Jin Jong-oh scored a combined 583 points on the way to winning the 50m Free pistol title in Granada on Tuesday. With his 583 score, Jin broke (by two points) the world record set by Russian Alexander Melentiev at the 1980 Olympics. This was the first individual world title for Jin, who won 50m pistol gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and also added the 10m title at the London Games.
Records are “meant to be broken” they say. This was a long time coming. But Jin Jong-oh, the five-time Olympic medalist from South Korea, finally broke “The Record” — that historical 581-point world record set in 1980 by Alexander Melentiev of the USSR. Melentiev’s 50m mark was the longest-lasting shooting world record. Athletes from all over the world had been chasing that record for 34 years.
Yikes! Emmons’s Smallbore Match Rifles Lost in Paris…
Smallbore rifle events begin Wednesday with the Elimination Matches in Men’s Prone. Ready to compete is three-time Olympic medalist Matt Emmons, 2012 Olympian Michael McPhail, and Air Force Academy cadet David Higgins. A two-time Olympic medalist and three-time World Champion medalist in the event, Emmons arrived in Granada minus his two smallbore rifles courtesy of the Paris Charles De Gaulle airport, which seems to have lost or delayed many guns bound for the World Championships in Spain. Thankfully, Emmons has McPhail’s three-position gun available for the elimination. Emmons is familiar with that type of rifle so, hopefully, this will not be too great a set-back for Matt.
Just when you’ve thought you’ve seen everything… somebody comes up with a see-through revolver. Credit those wacky Brazilians at Taurus for this idea. We’re not sure why anybody needs a see-through side-plate on their carry-gun. Yes, this is innovative, but we suspect the clear-view Lexan® sideplate is more a marketing gimmick than a utilitarian feature.
Taurus Wheelgun Weighs Just Nine Ounces
Once you get over the novelty of the transparent side-plate, the main attraction of this wheelgun is its remarkably light weight. The Taurus 85 View weighs just 9 ounces unloaded. That makes it 40% lighter than a Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight Revolver, which weighs 15 ounces unloaded. For comparision, the Ruger LC9 pistol tips the scales at 17.9 ounces empty, while a Glock 19 weighs 23.65 ounces unloaded. So this little double-action-only (DAO) Taurus really is a feather-weight. The Taurus 85 View is offered with a silver finish or (cringe) a Pink Frame, presumably for the ladies.
A.P. Lane’s Gold Medal-Winning Colt Revolver
This Colt Officer’s Model revolver, factory-fitted with a skeletonized hammer, belonged to legendary Olympic shooter A. P. Lane, who was known as the “Pistol Wizard”. Lane used this Colt Revolver to win FIVE Olympic Gold Medals — three in 1912 and two in 1920.
A.P. Lane was one of the greatest pistol shooters of his generation. He shot scores that were typically 25-50 points higher than those of his competitors. And he exhibited true Corinthian spirit. At the 1912 Olympics, Lane shared his match ammunition with another competitor who used that ammo to capture the Silver Medal (Lane won the Gold).
This revolver, factory-fitted with a skeletonized hammer, was used by American A.P. Lane in winning five Olympic Gold Medals in the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games. It’s a .38 caliber, Officer’s Model centerfire revolver from the early 20th century. Olympian A.P. Lane’s Gun can be found in Gallery 13, Firearm Traditions for Today, at the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia. The Museum exhibit includes a panoply of Lane pieces – his revolver, his five Gold Medals, and the five Olympic certificates that went along with them.
Maybe the “R” in Remington’s 9mm R51 pistol stands for “recall”, or more accurately “replacement”. Responding to many complaints from pistol buyers (and some embarrassing videos posted on YouTube), Remington has offered to exchange the pistols: “Anyone who purchased an R51 may return it and receive a new R51 pistol, along with two additional magazines and a custom Pelican case, by calling Remington at (800) 243-9700.” The second generation R51 pistols should be available by late October, according to Remington.
So, if your R51 is a lemon, you can get a new one, presumably one that is more reliable. It’s good that Remington is “doing the right thing” for its customers. But one wonders why Remington would sell a product that was clearly “not ready for prime time”. Apparently the early test pistols worked well, but production versions had problems. Remington has issued the following statement:
Remington R51 Exchange
Earlier this year, we launched the innovative R51 subcompact pistol to critical acclaim. During testing, numerous experts found the pistol to function flawlessly. In fact, they found it to have lower felt recoil, lower muzzle rise and better accuracy and concealability than other products in its class.
However, after initial commercial sales, our loyal customers notified us that some R51 pistols had performance issues.
We immediately ceased production to re-test the product. While we determined the pistols were safe, certain units did not meet Remington’s performance criteria. The performance problems resulted from complications during our transition from prototype to mass production. These problems have been identified and solutions are being implemented, with an expected production restart in October.
Anyone who purchased an R51 may return it and receive a new R51 pistol, along with two additional magazines and a custom Pelican case, by calling Remington at (800) 243-9700.
The Original Remington Model 51
The Remington R51 pistol is a much updated version of the Remington Model 51, a 1917-18 design by John D. Pedersen. The original Model 51 was chambered for .380 ACP, and later .32 ACP. It had a very low bore axis, made possible by the Pedersen’s “hesitation lock design”. The Model 51 pointed very naturally, and with its low bore axis, muzzle flip and perceived recoil was less than with other pistols of similar size, weight, and caliber.
Like a blowback pistol, the original Remington 51 has a stationary barrel and recoil spring surrounding the barrel. However, the Remington 51 employed a unique locking breech block within the slide. When the Model 51 is in battery, the breech block rests slightly forward of the locking shoulder in the frame. When the cartridge is fired, the bolt and slide move together a short distance rearward powered by the energy of the cartridge.
When the breech block contacts the locking shoulder, it stops, locking the breech. The slide continues rearward with the momentum it acquired in the initial phase. This allows chamber pressure to drop to safe levels while the breech is locked and the cartridge slightly extracted. Once the bullet leaves the barrel and pressure drops, the rearward motion of the slide lifts the breech block from its locking recess through a cam arrangement, continuing the operating cycle. The Remington Model 51 was the only production pistol to utilize Pedersen’s type of operating system. However a prototype .45 ACP version, the Remington Model 53, was built for testing by the Navy Board.
Commentary by John Buol
The critics say that the M9 pistol (the U.S. military’s version of Beretta’s m92) must go. We’re told that the 9x19mm (aka 9mm NATO) is a poor pistol cartridge. Our Soldiers and Marines are being hampered by an inferior handgun and cartridge — or so the argument goes.
We are told that the military needs a new pistol, to be called the Modular Handgun System (MHS). According to Fox News: “The MHS would replace the Army’s inventory of more than 200,000 outdated M9 pistols and several thousand M11 9mm pistols with one that has greater accuracy, lethality, reliability, and durability.” The MHS will be a “total system replacement — new gun, new ammo, new holster, everything,” reports Daryl Easlick, Army project officer at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Easlick says that the Army, and other services, demand a pistol with a more powerful cartridge that does more damage to the bad guys: “We have to do better than our current 9mm.”
Does the military really need a new pistol, with a different chambering? Maybe not…
Here’s the real problem. Most Marines, Soldiers, police, and gun owners tend to be novice marksmen, especially with handguns. Very few people have trained to shoot a handgun well enough to offer a competent opinion on the matter. To underscore this point, let’s look at some ranges for evidence of typical skill levels.
Army Pistol Qualification Target
As you can see, there is no real trend in hits and the entire barn door (full sized silhouette) has shots sprayed all over it. And these are the shots that actually hit, all of them receiving full value. On this particular Army course, shooters are given 40 rounds to engage 30 targets and are considered qualified if 16 of the 30 targets are hit, somewhere. Soldiers can miss nearly half the time, even with ten extra rounds, and still pass. The “fast” stages of the course allow two seconds per shot and the bulk of the course is slower. Note the base of the target is blocked by the mound protecting the target lifter and that mound is a beaten zone of many very low, errant shots.
The Marines in the peanut gallery are likely chuckling, so let’s look at examples of their ranges.
Marine Pistol Target Bay
Yet Another Marine Pistol Target Bay, Showing Effects of Missed Shots.
The metal carrier behind the block wall holds a silhouette the same size as the Army target and that waist-high wall has taken a healthy beating from bad shots jerked and flinched several feet off target. Of course, the wall only shows shots pulled off target that went low. The rest ended up in the berm somewhere else. As seen closer up, the chewed-up top line of blocks is not made of concrete. That’s to avoid back-splatter towards the shooters from the excessive number of low shots.
REALITY CHECK: These are the results on actual qualification ranges with large targets, generous time limits, fixed courses of fire, and no real pressure. Imagine how much worse the shooting is when the stress and variables of combat are thrown in. Given the users wielding it, is the M9 truly ineffective? Even if it is, are shooters like this capable of a valid opinion on the matter?
Most Marines, Soldiers, police, CCW, and gun owners won’t invest the effort needed to train to a high level of skill and very few public sector organizations will expend the resources needed to make them do so. I’m not casting aspersions, just trying to address reality. If the Department of Defense (DoD) decides on a new pistol, or any other weapon, the results will be similar because the end user isn’t magically more skillful with a shiny new issue item.
About the Author
John M. Buol Jr. began his shooting career in practical competition, earning Master classifications from USPSA and IDPA. After slotting on the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program, he switched to NATO and NRA/CMP events, earning Distinguished Rifleman and Pistol Shot badges and a series of All Army Small Arms Championship wins along the way. He is a published author (Beyond “Expert”: Tripling Military Shooting Skills) and maintains the Firearm User Network Blog at http://FirearmUserNetwork.com
In the real world of self-defense, you can’t stand still like a bullseye target shooter*. You may need to move to cover, go to the aid of a family member, or otherwise move while being able to shoot. We’ve seen a variety of “move and shoot” drills, but most involve walking a few steps, then stopping, then moving again.
Here’s a drill that raises the degree of difficulty to another level entirely. In this video, instructor Dave Harrington engages 24 targets (one with a double-tap), while striding briskly (and continuously) on a powered treadmill. That’s right, Harrington stays on the treadmill for nearly a minute, and goes 25 for 25 with two (2) mag changes. (Shots 7 and 8 are a silhouette double-tap, for a total of 25 shots.) Harrington makes it look easy. But do you think you pull this off with no misses?
Shooting from Treadmill — Firing Sequence Starts at 1:20
Our friend Dennis Santiago, who also is a firearms instructor, says Harrington’s treadmill drill is no mean feat: “OK, this I am impressed by. This is not easy.” Another viewer commented: “That, I assure you, is a whole lot harder than it looks to run it clean like [Harrington] did.” As Harrington notes, a treadmill “is extremely unforgiving … you either possess the skill or the treadmill will take you to school.”
*That’s no knock on our bullseye shooters. They are very skilled. However, self-defense is a different challenge altogether.
Covering over 59,000 firearms, the Firearms Guide is the most comprehensive resource on guns ever created. And now it’s bigger and better than ever. The updated 5th Edition of the Firearms Guide is now available on dual-layer DVD for $39.95 from Impressum Media. This latest DVD now include Military Guns and Antique Guns as well. The Windows Version is available right now.
Think of this as a digital encyclopedia of guns — the mother of all gun reference guides. The sheer amount of information is mind-boggling. The Firearms Guide covers nearly 60,000 models of rifles, pistols, shotguns, air rifles, and air pistols from 705 manufacturers worldwide.
Products are illustrated with 39,000 high-res color photos, plus 4,850+ schematics with parts lists for 360 gun-makers. If you’re a gunsmith or armorer, you’ll want to buy this DVD, just to have the searchable schematics with part numbers handy.
If you are a gun collector, or just an information junkie, you’ll find this DVD to be an invaluable resource. The DVD’s scope is truly worldwide, with coverage of gun makers in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, South Africa and Asia as well as North America. With the DVD’s search capability you can search by gun caliber, manufacturer, and key features (e.g. “.223 Rem, Colt, folding stock”). There are 14 different search criteria — this allows you to “drill down” precisely to find the gun you want in seconds. Shown below are typical profiles of listed products:
Here are some of the useful bonus features included on the the $39.95 DVD. Gunblast.com says the DVD is “worth the price for the target images alone”.
650 Printable Targets: game animals, silhouettes, crosshairs, sight-ins, fun targets.
FFL Locator – Searchable database of over 62,000 gun dealers in the USA with contact info.
US-EU Ammo Caliber Chart: Cartridge equivalency charts identify the correct domestic equivalent of European ammo.
Video Shows Search Functions on DVD (from Previous Edition)
Story based on report by Lars Dalseide forNRABlog.com
For the first time in 17 years, neither Doug Koenig nor Bruce Piatt were called to the stage when officials announced the Grand Champion of the MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup. Instead that honor went to Reading, Pennsylvania’s Kevin Angstadt, thanks to his flawless 1920-171X score. Angstadt accomplished this feat by being the only competitor to shoot quadruple 480s in each of the four events (Practical, Barricade, Mover and Plates). 15-time winner Doug Koenig (winner of the last four Bianchi Cups) was two points behind with a 1918-182X while Nigel Gordon finished third with a 1918-152X.
Shooting a 1920 is a Great Accomplishment
Bianchi competitors who have shot flawless 1920 scores are part of an elite club. But a perfect 1920 score at the Bianchi Cup is not a guaranteed win. In the past, Bianchi Cup championships been decided by X-Count tie-breakers between two perfect shooters. It didn’t come down to the tiebreaker this year, though. Kevin Angstadt’s name sat alone at the top of the scoreboard — the only person to reach 1920 this year.
“The dream for all action pistol shooters is to come here and shoot a 1920,” Angstadt said. “I was just hoping to get second place, but to win the whole thing? That’s unreal.” You can see (at right) that Kevin was honestly surprised to win the “whole shootin’ match” with a 1920 score.
The new Bianchi Cup champion was as gracious as he was cheerful while accepting words of congratulation from shooters, spectators, and staff alike. Koenig, who placed second with a 1918-182x, was the first to congratulate Angstadt on his victory.
Shown above, along with Overall Champion Kevin Angstadt (third from left), are the top performers at the 2014 Bianchi Cup. U.S. Border Patrol Agent Kevin Worrell captured his first Metallic Sight title, while Jessie Duff snagged another Women’s crown. Jessie was the only one to hold on to her title. Every other trophy at this year’s award ceremony reflected a different face than last year. Below are the 2014 MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup champions:
National Champion: Kevin Angstadt – 1920-171X
Metallic Division: Kevin Worrell – 1907-127X
Production Division: Rob Leatham – 1884-132X
Open Division: Doug Koenig – 1918-182X
High Senior: Kim Beckwith – 1908-143X
High Junior: Louis Surgi – 1838-111X
High Woman: Jessie Duff – 1893-135X
High Grand Senior: Adam Lennert – 1897-153X
Be courteous to your fellow Americans — there’s a good chance that they might be packin’. Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of concealed carry licenses (CCLs) issued throughout the United States. In fact, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) the number of CCLs has risen 29% in the short period from 2010 to 2012 (see chart). We can expect this trend to continue, because Appellate courts have recently ruled in favor of expanded carry rights in California and other states. For friends of the Second Amendment, that is a good thing.
Comments by Gun Owners
I’m a Defensive Firearms Trainer and in my state and in my community the number of people seeking training to get certified to obtain their permits is constantly on the rise. — Chad K.
Good! America can only be safer with more law-abiding citizens carrying. I hope to see this figure increase steadily. — Matthew C.
Think about how much money those states that charge for permits make from those 9 million people each year. Maybe if New Jersey thought about that it would start to issue permits. — John P.
Bet the trend in violent crimes went down by at least the same rate. — Frank H.
Interactive Reciprocity Maps
Do you hold a Concealed Carry Permit or CCW license in your home state? Do you plan to travel to other states in the near future? Then you should determine whether other states will recognize your carry permit. You should study the law carefully so you understand your rights (and the limitations on your rights).
You can begin your research by consulting the Reciprocity Maps that are available online. There are many versions — and it’s wise to check more than one. We caution that not all the maps may be 100% up-to-date for all jurisdictions. We suggest you start with the map provided by USACarry.com. Read the detailed instructions.
This Wednesday, April 30th, Shooting USA will feature STI International, an employee-owned company based in Georgetown, Texas. STI builds great pistols. In fact, STI has claimed more modern-era national pistol titles than any other manufacturer. This week’s episode of Shooting USA will provide an inside look at STI, showing how STI’s match-winning handguns are crafted and assembled.
STI SteelMaster
STI International’s SteelMaster is a shorter, lighter race pistol optimized for faster target acquisition and faster follow-up shots. With a STI 2011 frame, 4.15″ classic slide, STI Recoilmaster, and Trubor compensated barrel system, the SteelMaster delivers the advantages of a full-size race pistol in a smaller, lighter, faster reacting, and less violent package. And unlike many other compensated pistols, the SteelMaster runs factory ammo without a hiccup.
The Steelmaster’s shorter Trubor barrel system and shorter slide combine to decrease slide cycle time allowing the shooter to achieve faster follow-up shots. The slide has lightening cuts front and rear to reduce weight, and “Sabertooth” serrations. With an overall weight of 38.9 oz, the SteelMaster is significantly lighter than full-size race pistols. MSRP for the STI Steelmaster is $3,048.00 with one magazine.
STI International Edge
Integrating patented 2011 technology with classic 1911 design, the STI International Edge is a high capacity pistol that carries John Browning’s design into the 21st Century. Since its introduction in late 1997, the STI Edge has become the standard for USPSA/IPSC Limited Division competition. Built on the STI Modular Steel 2011® frame with polymer grip, the Edge delivers the traditional features of a 1911 with the benefit of high capacity magazines. The Edge frame preserves the 17° grip angle (like the original 1911). The design allows for double stack magazines without over-sizing the grip.
Along with its distinctive full-length dust-cover frame, the STI Edge features traditional front and rear cocking serrations. The Edge comes standard with a stainless, high-rise, knuckle-relief grip safety, stainless ambi-thumb safeties, and a stainless, fully-supported and ramped bull barrel. The Edge costs $2,180.00 with one 126mm magazine.
A.P. Lane’s Gold Medal-Winning Colt Revolver
Covering over 59,000 firearms, the 
Shooting a 1920 is a Great Accomplishment
