Editor’s Comment: Here’s the bottom line folks — unless we bring in new shooters, we will lose our rights, and lose our ranges. It’s that simple. If you enjoy shooting and hunting, and believe in the Second Amendment, make a commitment to introduce at least one new person to the shooting sports this year. That’s the mission of the NSSF’s +ONE (“Plus One”) program.
For the shooting sports to thrive, we need to get new people involved in marksmanship and competitive shooting. Unless we add new shooters, we can expect more range closures, and more political attacks on our gun rights. The goal of the +ONE campaign is to build the ranks of shooters. The idea is basic — make a commitment to act as a MENTOR and encourage at least ONE new person to get involved. As the NSSF says: “If just one in three of America’s recreational shooters adds one new person to the shooting sports, we’ll secure a strong future for generations to come.”
The +ONE Movement — The Mission
The goal of the +ONE program is to provide mentors for new shooters: “We all know that getting involved in hunting and the shooting sports can be a challenge for people who have never gone before,” said NSSF President Joe Bartozzi. “Having a mentor at your side makes it much easier for someone to get started. With the +ONE Movement, we’re challenging every hunter and target shooter in America to introduce at least one new person to the sports we love.”
These Videos Explain How to Get New Shooters Involved:
Learn more about the NSSF’s +ONE Movement at LetsGoShooting.org and LetsGoHunting.org. Those sites offer how-to articles and videos, along with tips on getting folks involved in the shooting sports (and hunting). But honestly, the websites are only an invitation. For this program to succeed, each of us needs to make a commitment to mentoring a new shooter in 2020.
Earlier this month the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix hosted America’s top long-range shooters at the Berger SW Nationals. This week, Feb. 24 – March 1, 2020, over 1000 cowboys and cowgirls take over Ben Avery during Winter Range, the SASS National Championship for Cowboy Action Shooting. Winter Range is the second largest Cowboy Action event of the year, after End of Trail, the Single Action Shooting Society World Championship held each year in Edgewood, New Mexico.
If you want to check out the action at Winter Range, admission is free. The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located on Carefree Highway, west of Interstate 17. For more information, visit WinterRange.com.
This video, produced by the Arizona Fish and Game Commission, covers the full Winter Range experience, including the main shooting competitions, the side matches, the Western costumes, the socializing, and more. Worth watching if you like action shooting or are a fan of the Wild West.
Hundreds of cowboy action shooters, ages 12-80, will compete in multiple classifications based on age, and type/caliber of firearms. In addition, this year the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association and the SASS Mounted Shooters will hold a two-day mounted shooting event February 29 through March 1, in nearby Queen Creek, Arizona.
Cowboy Action Shooting requires that contestants compete with firearms typical of those used in the taming of the Old West: single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles, and period shotguns. Participants each have a registered cowboy shooting alias (such as “Deadeye Dave”), used in SASS events. Competitors, organized in “Posses”, shoot a series of multi-gun stages. In addition to the primary competitions, Winter Range 2020 will feature displays of period militaria, exhibitions of western skills and crafts, a fast-draw contest, and nearly 100 vendors selling vintage-style clothing and “sundries”.
Do you have a talented high school student in your family or community who needs help with future college expenses? Then here is an opportunity.
SSSF to Award $1,000 and $500 Scholarships To High School Senior Athletes
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), is offering financial awards to deserving, graduating High School seniors in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). The main objective is to award as many scholarships as possible to qualifying SCTP/SASP graduating seniors. This is a one-time, non-renewable scholarship for college tuition.
NOTE: Application Deadline (for the entire application packet) is Midnight, April 19th, 2020. All materials must be received together as one packet by deadline — No Exceptions!
Since 2013, the SSSF has awarded over $450,000 in scholarship funds benefiting over 450 student-athletes in the Scholastic Clay Target and Scholastic Action Shooting programs. In 2019, the Scholarship Program awarded over $100,000 to qualifying applicants in $500 or $1,000 amounts.
Applicants must be a current and paid member of the SCTP or SASP national organization at the time of application submission and a graduating senior within the year of the awarded scholarship. Awardees must be registered for college before the scholarship is awarded.
Program Requirements for NSSF Scholarship:
Shooting Sports Athlete — Applicants must have participated during 2019-2020 in one of their SCTP / SASP State Championships, National Championships, or regional events in Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, Olympic Bunker, Olympic Skeet Championships, Pistol, or Rifle.
Good Academic Standing — Applicant must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative Grade Point Average through the most recent grading period ending on or before April 1, 2020.
Pursuing Full-time College Education — Each prospective recipient must be registered as a full-time college student before the scholarship is awarded.
Needs-Based Eligibility — Applicants may not already have secured any “full” scholarship support (e.g. athletics, military academy, academic, etc.).
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will offer hands-on rifle and pistol training programs in 2020 at locations around the nation. Marksmanship 101, formerly known as the Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) On The Road, is designed to train beginners on rifle or pistol essentials and competition basics in a closely monitored setting, utilizing the talents of qualified CMP staff, trainers, and members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU).
Participants learn through classroom work and active training on the range. Near the conclusion of training, students participate in a true M16 rifle or M9 pistol match, fired under close supervision of trainers on the line. Registration opened February 19, 2020. Classes are limited, so you should sign up well ahead of time. No walk-ins will be permitted in PA, IN or IL. CLICK HERE to REGISTER.
No previous knowledge in marksmanship is required for the course. All experience levels are welcome to attend. Rifles and ammo are provided. Personal shooting jackets and gloves are permitted. Hearing protection and eye protection is also required.
Courses on the Marksmanship 101 2020 schedule include:
RIFLE Marksmanship 101 Training Programs 2020:
March 14, 2020: Western CMP Games – Ben Avery Shooting Facility, Phoenix, AZ
April 24, 2020: Eastern CMP Games – Camp Butner, Butner, NC
May 16-17, 2020: Ridgway Rifle Club – Ridgway, PA
May 29, 2020: Camp Atterbury – Edinburgh, IN
July 25-26, 2020: National Matches, RIFLE SAFS – Camp Perry, Port Clinton, OH
September 24, 2020: New England CMP Games – Camp Ethan Allen, Jericho, VT
September 25-26, 2020: Illinois State Rifle Association – Bonfield, IL
Oct. 15, 2020: Oklahoma CMP Games – Oklahoma City Gun Club, Oklahoma City, OK
November 17, 2020: Talladega 600 Matches – CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, AL
CMP Marksmanship 101 Programs utilize the Small Arms Firing School format.
PISTOL Marksmanship 101 Training Programs 2020:
July 7, 2020: National Matches, PISTOL SAFS – Camp Perry, Port Clinton, OH
September 18, 2020: New England CMP Games – Camp Ethan Allen, Jericho, VT
How to Register for CMP Marksmanship Training Programs
Visit the CMP Marksmanship 101 website for Registration Links and other information. Once on the website, click your desired date and location to be sent to the CMP Competition Tracker page to complete registration. Questions regarding Marksmanship 101 may be directed to Amy Cantu at 419-635-2141 ext. 602 or acantu@thecmp.org.
The 2020 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be held in Nashville, Tennessee this year. This should be a very popular event, given Nashville’s rich heritage as “Music City”. The NRA expects big crowds this year: “With exhibitors inside and outside the Music City Center in downtown Nashville, there is something for the whole family! Spend the day exploring products from every major firearm company in the country, book the hunt of a lifetime in our outfitter section, and view priceless collections of firearms in our gun collector area. You’ll also see knives, shooting accessories, hunting gear, and much more.” The event runs April 16-19, kicking off with the NRA Auction and BBQ on the evening of the 16th.
Dominators — that’s what these blue-shirted guys were at the 2020 Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN). For the third straight year, Team Lapua-Brux-Borden won the coveted F-Open Team Grand Aggregate award at the Berger Southwest Nationals, finishing with a score of 2584-160X (out of a possible 2600). And Team Member Jay Christopherson (AccurateShooter’s System Admin) won the F-Open Overall title, while Team Member Tod Hendricks won the 600-yard Mid-Range Event. Mighty impressive…
Team members are Jay Christopherson, David Christian, Tod Hendricks, Pat Scully, and Jeremy Smith (alternate), with Bob Sebold serving as Coach and Erik Cortina as Captain. Remarkably Jay (1247-83X), Pat (1247-72X), and Tod (1245-81X) placed first, second, and third respectively in the F-Open Grand Aggregate individual awards. That’s right, three team-mates secured ALL the podium places. And all three were separated by only two points!
Record-Setting Performances by Team
Notably Team Lapua-Brux-Borden established a new Ben Avery range record along the way to winning the Palma Team Match with a score of 1791-113 (out of a possible 1800). We’re told that the Team’s 793-47X LR score was also a new match record. Jay set a LR Aggregate Record with 799-50X, while Tod set a LR individual relay record of 200-18X.
Photo by Sherri Jo Gallagher.
Team Lapua-Brux-Borden — Winning “Team First” Philosophy Commentary by Jay Christopherson
For Team Lapua-Borden-Brux, winning gold is the entire focus. To that end, ego is the only enemy. Sure, we all have egos as individual shooters, but as a team, ego is subsumed into that one overriding goal. If you can’t do that, then you can’t shoot on Lapua-Borden-Brux. No matter how good you think your rifle is or how well you are shooting individually, the coach is the only arbiter — no exceptions. Every job on the team is focused towards that single goal of gold and no job is more or less important than another. Our plotter saves points by spotting high or low trends and calling that out, and ensuring we don’t lose points when a scorer misses a shot. Our back-coach saves points by spotting upcoming condition changes or making observations. Our target-puller strives to provide an example of the best possible target service. And our scorer focuses on providing attentive service to the team next to us. A failure in one job is a failure in all and we either win or lose together as a team. That is only possible when each individual understands that there is only one goal.
The Berger Southwest Nationals, hosted by the Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club, took place February 5-9, 2020 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, AZ with a sold-out roster of 400 competitors. America’s biggest rifle match west of the Mississippi, the Southwest Nationals is a “must-attend” event for long-range shooters competing in F-Open, F-TR, and Sling disciplines. Competitors from at least nine different countries were in attendance. The Grand Aggregate is the total score from firing points of 600, 800, 900, and 1,000 yards.
Praise from Team Captain
“I am very proud of the team”, stated Team Captain, Erik Cortina: “From setting a new range record to placing first in the F-Open Grand Aggregate, our success is directly attributed to Lapua’s premium components.”
About Lapua — Premium Brass, Bullets, and Ammunition
Lapua produces the highest-quality small caliber cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Lapua is a part of the Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Lapua.com.
The annual Western Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Travel Games (Western Games) will return in 2020 for another round of marksmanship events at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona. The week-long series of recreational vintage and modern rifle competitions will be held March 13-22, 2020 and is open to competitors of all ages and experience levels. NOTE: This is a major scheduling change — in recent years, the CMP Western Games were conducted in October. The new Spring schedule should allow cooler temperatures.
Notably, Western Games matches on the High Power range will be fired on CMP electronic targets. That means less time in the pits, and faster cycling of relays.
The Western Games lineup is comprised of CMP Games matches such as the Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military, Modern Military, Rimfire Sporter, M1 Carbine, and Vintage Sniper matches as well as a series of CMP High Power (HP) Rifle Matches, which include three days of 80-Shot Aggregate competitions, a 4-Man Team event, and a Service Rifle EIC Match.
M1 Carbine Match at Western CMP Games
There Is Always a Big Turn-out for Rimfire Sporter Matches
Rifle Marksmanship 101 Training Class
For beginners and enthusiasts wanting to sharpen their marksmanship skills, a Rifle Marksmanship 101 class will also give participants insight into the fundamentals of safety and competition shooting. Participants work one-on-one with experienced CMP Rifle Master Instructors for classroom and hands-on training. Rifles and ammunition will be provided for the class. At the conclusion of training, students in the school will fire in a true M16 EIC Match, observed by instructors on the line.
A CMP HP Clinic, conducted by experienced instructors, will be held for those wanting a closer, more detailed look at the sport. The clinic will include training that utilizes live-fire education on the firing line. Additionally, the scheduled M1 Maintenance Clinic is the perfect place to learn more about the inner workings of the classic rifle and ways to ensure its preservation.
Electronic Targets for High Power Matches
High Power competitors at Ben Avery will have the opportunity to fire on the CMP’s modern traveling electronic target system. This Kongsberg system features special targets programmed with precision software that register the shot locations and score. In addition, beside each competitor on the firing line is a remote monitor that instantly displays shot scores.
The CMP electronic target system eliminates the need for doing pit duty — that saves time and aggravation for the shooters. The more efficient schedules allowed by the electronic targets give Western Games shooters more opportunities to fire additional disciplines because relays run much more quickly.
The CMP adds: “Trained CMP staff members will be present at all times to ensure safety and a great experience for all who attend the event. Join us for a week of competition, new experiences and fun!”
More information about the Western CMP Games and registration forms can be found by on the CMP website. The match is just one month away. If you’re interested you should Download the Entry Form and/or REGISTER ONLINE soon.
Schedule for Major CMP Events in 2020:
(Mark Your Calendars)
Western CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches
March 13-22, 2020, Ben Avery Shooting Facility, Phoenix, AZ
Eastern CMP Games & CMP HP Rifle Matches
April 24 – May 3, 2020, Camp Butner, Butner, NC
CMP National Matches at Camp Perry
July 6 – August 8, 2020, Camp Perry, Port Clinton, OH
New England CMP HP Rifle & CMP Games Matches
September 14-20, 2020, Camp Ethan Allen, Jericho, VT
Oklahoma CMP HP Rifle & CMP Games Matches
October 12-18, 2020, Oklahoma City, OK
This caught us by surprise — NRA’s American Rifleman Rifle of the Year is not a Ruger, not a Weatherby, not a Savage. It is a made-in-Germany Mauser. That’s noteworthy. The Mauser 18 bolt-action rifle has been named 2020 Rifle of the Year by the editors of American Rifleman magazine, as part of the NRA’s annual Golden Bullseye Awards. READ Mauser 18 FULL REVIEW.
Mauser 18 Bolt-Action Rifle is Rifle of the Year
How did the Mauser 18 win top honors? The American Rifleman says it’s because this rifle offers excellent “accuracy and ruggedness at an exceptional price point”. The Mauser 18 is available in both short action and long action types, with a wide variety of chamberings, making it suitable for nearly all types of hunting — from varmints to Big Game. The Mauser 18 is available in .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .30-06, and .300 Win Mag. The Mauser 18 is relatively light — rifle weight without optics is 6.4 lbs (standard) and 6.6 lbs (Magnum).
In announcing the M18’s selection, the American Rifleman stated: “…At an MSRP of $699, the Mauser M18 is priced a bit higher than most competing models, but well below any new-production Mauser since the height of the Cold War. While rifles in this class are typically spartan, the M18 offers a few extras along with better-than-expected test results. Purists who can’t separate the brand from its full-length-extractor/controlled-round-feed legacy won’t be fans, but hunters seeking an affordable rifle with reasonable expectations of Mauser performance and durability, likely will be.”
The Mauser 18 features a synthetic stock with a classic American hunter profile (like a Remington 700 stock). There are rubberized grip inlays. The steel receiver has a 3-lug bolt for shorter bolt throw. The rifle boasts a 3-position safety allows hunters to safely carry a round in the chamber without fear of the bolt being nudged out of battery. A five-round magazine offers ample capacity for follow-up shots. The Mauser 18 also features an adjustable trigger allows you to set your own preferred pull weight.
“The Mauser 18 was introduced as ‘The People’s Rifle’, and it has been embraced by hunters throughout the world who want a rugged, reliable, and accurate rifle at a great price. To be recognized as the 2020 American Rifleman Rifle of the Year further validates how exceptional this rifle is in its category.” said Jason Evans, CEO, Blaser Group.
Safari Club International has announced that the 49th International Hunters’ Convention will return to Las Vegas, Nevada, February 3-6, 2021. The event will serve as the kickoff celebration of 50 years of SCI, the leading hunting advocacy organization established in 1971.
The exhibits and daytime activities will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Exhibits will be set up in the central halls of the facility. Meetings and daytime banquets will also all be held at the LVCC. Evening events at the 2021 SCI Convention will be held at Caesar’s Forum, a new venue in the Caesar facilities that is currently under construction.
“We are pleased to be able to bring the SCI Convention back to Las Vegas in 2021,” said Laird Hamberlin, SCI CEO. “Our exhibitors and members all enjoy the convenience of getting in and out of Las Vegas and the many activities to enjoy there in addition to the Convention. Many people expressed a desire to move the Convention back to Las Vegas with dates in early February. We have worked hard to make it happen.”
The headquarters hotel will be Harrah’s Casino Hotel. Other block hotels will include the LINQ Hotel and Casino, Flamingo Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood and Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas. All the hotels are in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
The 2020 Berger Southwest Nationals are complete. As expected, it was a hugely successful match that challenged the nation’s top Sling and F-Class shooters. We want to praise all the competitors and congratulate the 2020 SWN Champions in all three classes. The competition was fierce through-out the match. John Whidden won the Sling Division with a 1245-75X score, just one point ahead of runner-up Oliver Milanovic (1244-72X). Bobby Gill was third with 1240-58X.
In the F-TR Division, Peter Johns had a dominant performance with 1242-58X, twelve points ahead of second-place Wade Fillingame (1230-50X) and third-place Ian Klemm (1230-46X). Ian also shot on the winning USA Independence F-TR Team.
Jay Christopherson Wins F-Open
We cheered the F-Open news. AccurateShooter’s own Jay Christopherson, our Systems Administrator, took the 2020 F-Open title with a brilliant 1247-83X score, 11 “Xs” ahead of runner-up Pat Scully (1247-72X). In third place was Tod Hendricks (1245-81X). Jay (photo right) was shooting a Brux-barreled straight .284 Win with Berger 180gr Hybrid bullets. Up front he uses a SEB Mini coaxial tripod rest. Jay also helped carry Team Lapua-Brux-Borden to an F-Open Team victory. Here’s a short video of Jay shooting when he finished second in F-Open division at the SWN a couple seasons back. You can view Jay’s smooth gun-handling and patience waiting for his condition:
Jay Christopherson, AccurateShooter.com’s System Admin, won the F-Open division. Jay’s Brux-barreled .284 Win was superbly accurate all week long. This video was from a past Berger SWN Event.
John Whidden of Whidden Gunworks won Sling division with a 1245-75X score. John really likes this match: “For most of us it’s the first match of the year, a chance to shake off the cobwebs.” John said conditions were “pretty nice on Friday, Saturday and Sunday — most of the changes came slow and conditions were readable from the mirage.” John, a 5-time National Long Range Champion, is always a threat to win at the SWN. John shot a .308 Win in the Palma Class, and then his .243 Win in the Any Rifle division. Both with Berger bullets and Vihtavuori powders. Here’s John at Ben Avery in 2018:
Above is Peter Johns, F-TR Class winner. Peter posted: “I just accomplished one of my goals of winning a national-level F-Class shooting match! I was only able to do with the support of my wife and family. Also I would like to thank Alonzo Custom Rifles for building a great shooting rifle, Kelly McMillan for the best rifle stock for F-TR (Kestros BR) and Vortex for the best riflecope (Golden Eagle) for F-Class.”
Top SWN Team Performances
A new team record was set at Ben Avery this year. In the F-TR Division, Team USA Independence finished with a 2563-113X score. We are told this is the highest-ever F-TR score. Congratulations to Top Scorer Ian Klemm (645-28X) and the other shooters Wade Fillingame, Fritz Braun, and Luke Ramsey. Keith Trap coached and Kent Reeve was Captain.
In F-Open Team Lapua-Brux-Borden continued its dominance, with a fine performance on the final day. The Team finished at 2584-160X, six points ahead of runner-up Team McMillan F-Open (2578-135X).
F-Open Rifle with Barrel-Cool Device on SEB Neo front rest.
Give Credit to the Match Directors and Staff
Emil Praslick III of Capstone Precision Group offered this perspective on the 2020 Berger SW Nationals: “Wrapping up the Southwest Nationals which was amazingly well run by the Desert Sharpshooters. Matthew Schwartzkopf, Michelle Gallagher, Nancy Tompkins, Melesia Cisneros, Scott Fulmer, Mid Tompkins, and everyone else behind the scenes literally work for at least six months to make the event the well-oiled machine that it is.
Moving and managing close to 400 shooters is a Herculean task, and anyone who thinks they can do better should… offer to come down to help out. I shot awful, but it was a pleasure to see the joy of the shooters as they experienced this one-of-a-kind match. Imagine cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 400 relatives with individual dietary needs on a motel hot plate, and you’ll get an idea of the scale involved. Again, thank you Matt and the gang, and we’ll see you next year!”
Praise from Team Captain
Electronic Targets for High Power Matches
In the F-TR Division, Peter Johns had a dominant performance with 1242-58X, twelve points ahead of second-place Wade Fillingame (1230-50X) and third-place Ian Klemm (1230-46X). Ian also shot on the winning USA Independence F-TR Team.
