Precision Rifle Challenge on Shooting USA This Week
This week, Shooting USA TV features a show that should interest PRS/NRL fans, tactical marksmen, and long range hunters. Run in Utah’s backcountry, the Hornady Precision Rifle Challenge is a unique long range competition with serious wind and elevation changes. This isn’t a typical PRS Pro Series match by any means. Participants in this challenging Precision Rifle match will have to deal with tough conditions not typically seen in other tactical matches. The match runs in summer in Utah, just across the state line from Evanston, Wyoming. Watch the show 3/25/20 on the Outdoor Channel.
Shooting USA will air Wednesday, March 25, at 9:00 PM Eastern (8:00 PM Central) on the Outdoor Channel. If you miss that, it runs again on Thursday afternoon. Look for Shooting USA on the Outdoor Channel. In addition, you can watch all episodes of Shooting USA on the VIMEO channel by subscription. Each episode is just $0.99, about 1/10th what a movie ticket costs these days.
In addition to the Precision Rifle challenge, this week’s Shooting USA episode features to interesting rifles — one new, one historic.
Volquartsen Summit — Toggle Bolt Rimfire Precision Rifle
With the help of Volquartsen, John Scoutten has created a prototype .22 LR Rimfire Precision Rifle based on the toggle-bolt Summit action fitted in a modular chassis.
The Summit’s straight-pull toggle action is similar to the actions on competition Biathlon rifles. This allows very fast cycle times, without disturbing rifle placement. The Summit fits stocks made for the Ruger 10/22 and uses 10/22 magazines. But it’s a manual action, not blow-back semi-auto.
Enfield L42 A1 Sniper Rifle — History’s Guns
This week’s show also features a legendary WWII sniper rifle, Britain’s Enfield L42 A1. This special sniper rig was the last in a long line of military arms built on the famous Enfield .303-caliber bolt action.
Right now, due to concerns about personal safety and potential civil unrest, Americans are arming themselves with all types of firearms — pistols, rifles, and shotguns. While plenty of guns are available, in many areas, certain types of ammunition are in short supply — particularly 12ga shotshells and 9mm centerfire ammo. This has lead to price gouging. Some online vendors are charging up to $5 per round for for 12ga buckshot shotshells!
Thankfully, if you shop around a bit, you can still find all types of defensive ammunition at reasonable prices. Everything from .22 Shorts to 12 gauge. For example, Midsouth Shooters has a variety of 12ga ammo for under $0.30 per round. And in most states, it is completely legal to order ammunition online and have it delivered to you at home. CLICK HERE for AmmoSeek 12 Gauge Ammo Listings.
Here’s a great search service that can help you locate hard-to-find ammunition and reloading components — while saving money in the process. AmmoSeek.com monitors more than a dozen online vendors — checking current pricing and available inventory, for pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition. Looking for .22 LR ammo for your rimfire trainer or .45 acp ammo for your 1911? Just select the cartridge type from the “Quick Seek” list on the right. Likewise you can find .223 Rem and .308 Win Rifle ammo with one click.
Got Ammo? Here’s just part of the vast inventory at Skagit Arms in Washington State.
Use Ammoseek.com to Find Reloading Components Too
Ammoseek.com also lets you search for reloading components, including powder, primers, brass, and bullets. This is a huge time-saver. You can instantly check a dozen or more vendors to see if a particular type of powder is in stock. Likewise, you can quickly check for primer availability. If you have a big match coming up and are short on primers — this could solve the problem. To search for components, from the AmmoSeek home page, click the gray “Reloading” Tab, then select Bullets, Brass, Primers, or Powder from the pull-down menu.
Great Threat Response Shotgun Deal
Need a serious 12 gauge defensive shotgun? Here’s what may just be the best deal in America right now — the Weatherby Threat Response 12ga Shotgun for just $269.89 at CDNN Sports.
This impressive Weatherby pump-action 12ga shotgun features an 18.5″ barrel, with Fiber Optic front sight and Ghost Ring rear sight. There’s a Picatinny-type rail on top to fit a red dot sight (recommended) or other optic. The Threat Response shotgun holds 5 rounds. With pistol grip stock, good tactical sights, and a rail, this is a great value in a defensive shotgun from a quality company. NOTE: An extension tube (shown in video) can be fitted to increase capacity.
Story Tip by Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
Click image to view PDF with all state information.
Government officials across the nation have issued numerous orders in an effort to contain Covid-19 infections. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has collected the latest health-related official Executive Orders from U.S. States that can affect FFLs, firearms business owners, range operators, and gun owners. These rules are collected in a lengthy NSSF document, with state-by-state summaries plus web-links for further details. This document will be updated as new info is received from the states. Click the link below to download the State-by-State COVID-19 Information and Resources for FFLs:
The NSSF states: “On the state front, our team is working in each state and many localities to ensure our industry and the critical role it plays is not hampered by well-intended Executive Orders seeking to stem the spread of the virus. Here is a list of the orders we are actively tracking, and what they mean for our members. Please note this is a rapidly changing list, and that many of the orders are subject to interpretation. MORE INFO HERE.
Ammoland.com explains: “The list is broken down by state and gives shooters a brief rundown on each order. This includes a link to the original order itself, the order or bill’s name, and a brief summary of what it does. Shooters worried about their state, in particular, might want to download any PDF files associated with their location for safekeeping should the Government decide to delete them later.”
More shooting match postponements caused by the Coronavirus…
The 40th Annual Hickory Groundhog Shoot was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2020. Due to “stay-at-home” public health precautions, the North Carolina event has been re-scheduled for June 6, 2020. The hugely popular match will be going ahead — just a couple months further out. Organizers still expect a highly-attended event. 2020 will mimic 2019 in rules — one man, one rifle, and it’s expected that there will be no practice week (so make sure your distance come-ups are dead-on).
This being the 40th Anniversary of the event Larry Willis and the folks at BullsEye Sporting Goods came up with a few ideas to make the 40th more like a hunt than a F-class match. We’ll provide more details later. As in recent years, we expect the Hickory Shoot to be one of the biggest events of the year in the Southeast. 2018 had over 200 shooters, and Terry Brady’s long-standing match-record 99 score was tied. Then, last year, Jeff Godfrey (shown below) shot an amazing record-breaking 101 score in 2019. It takes a great shooter and a great rifle to drill a target like that…
Relays Run Like Clock-Work
The Hickory Groundhog Shoot is run very efficiently, with one relay shooting while the next relay waits outside the shooting area, ready to go. Once a relay is done, shooters grab their items and exit on one end of the shooting platform while the next relay comes in from the other end. The relays move through in rapid succession.
You must quickly set up and get ready because as soon as the target pullers get back they are ready to shoot. When the fire command is given you have two minutes to get your three shots off at that distance. When the cease fire is called you quickly grab your gear and get off the shooting platform because the next relay is coming in.
This report from theU.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA)
As anxiety has grown around the COVID-19 pandemic in recent days, news reports from across the country have detailed how more and more Americans are embracing their right to self-defense and choosing to be their families’ ultimate protectors. Ammo.com reports, for example, that revenue from sales on its website increased 309 percent from February 23 through March 15, compared to a month before. Here are some recent media reports, tracking gun-buying trends:
The New York Times
Daniel Hill had never bought a gun before. But last week he was in Larry Hyatt’s gun store in North Carolina picking out two of them: a 9mm Taurus handgun and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. His motivation: the coronavirus.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
At gun shops, cash registers rang more like Christmas Eve than St. Patrick’s Day as firearms and ammunition sales soared through the roof Tuesday. Shop owners and managers cited customers’ concerns about home defense related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arizona Republic
People in the U.S. are preparing for total anarchy amidst the growing COVID-19 concerns. Fear and panic are driving the gun-buying frenzy. Whatever the reason, gun sales are up everywhere — but particularly in states like California, New York and Washington that have been hit hardest by coronavirus, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The Denver Post
Some shops are selling twice as many firearms as on Black Friday while Colorado residents grapple with the novel coronavirus pandemic, disruptions to daily life and an uncertain future.
USCCA President Says New Gun Purchasers Should Get Training
The USCCA recommends that ALL new gun buyers receive training on the proper use of firearms, including essential safety procedures. USCCA President and Founder Tim Schmidt was recently a guest on Fox News with Tucker Carlson. Schmidt declared that: “Now more than ever, people understand they need to be their families’ first line of defense.”
Schmidt noted that gun ownership and self-defense demands responsibility. He encouraged all Americans — particularly first-time gun owners — to educate and train themselves: “So many — 90% — of these people buying guns have never owned guns before. They’ve probably never even touched a gun”. Schmidt said that proper training is vital for these new gun-owners: “I personally think that firearms ownership is a natural-born right of free people. But with that right comes a tremendous responsibility, and that responsibility is to be trained. [If you] just bought a gun for self-defense, get training.”
This article is written from California where gun stores are shuttered due to the ordered closure of “non-essential businesses”, as part of the effort to slow spread of the Coronavirus. While there is no outright ban on purchasing a gun in California, from a practical standpoint, the gunshops are all closed now. It’s very difficult to purchase ammo as well. But you CAN buy cannabis (marijuana). Yes, that’s right, California Governor Newsom declared Cannabis Dispensaries (Pot Shops) to be essential businesses. Oh well…
Currently 14 U.S. states have issued Stay-at-Home executive orders. In most locations these orders mandate business shutdowns as part of the “Stay at Home/Shelter in Place” strategies. Some states are closing gun stores, others are not. We think gun stores do provide “essential services” that help Americans defend themselves, their families, their homes, and their property. We applaud Illinois which stated that gun and ammo dealers are “essential businesses” that would NOT be closed as part of the Illinois Stay at Home program.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is working to ensure that firearms-related businesses are allowed to keep their doors open during these difficult times. The NSSF stated:
[T]he National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is hard at work for you during this challenging time as the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic. NSSF is in contact with the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advocating that our industry — from manufacturers to distributors to retailers to ranges — be declared by DHS as a “national critical infrastructure industry”. The DHS list is only guidance to states and local governments and does not carry the force of law. Therefore, NSSF is proactively working at the state and local level to advocate that our industry be exempted from any emergency ordinances or orders as “essential businesses”.
For example, through NSSF’s efforts, a proposed city ordnance in Albuquerque, NM, to shutter firearm retailers was defeated. Most recently, in response to NSSF’s efforts, the Governor of Illinois, in his emergency “shelter in place” executive order, declared that firearm and ammunition suppliers and retailers are “essential” and may remain open for business. Please see official statement below:
Supplies for Essential Businesses and Operations (Illinois): Businesses that sell, manufacture, or supply other Essential Businesses and Operations with the support or materials necessary to operate, including computers, audio and video electronics, household appliances; IT and telecommunication equipment; hardware, paint, flat glass; electrical, plumbing and heating material; sanitary equipment; personal hygiene products; food, food additives, ingredients and components; medical and orthopedic equipment; optics and photography equipment; diagnostics, food and beverages, chemicals, soaps and detergent; and firearm and ammunition suppliers and retailers for purposes of safety and security;
The NSSF is also providing guidance for gunshop owners and FFLs. If you operate a sporting goods store or gunshop that sells firearms, you may want to visit the NSSF website, NSSF.org, for guidance on securing your inventory and dealing with increased demand and panic buying.
There’s a very good episode of Gun Talk Radio slated today. Gun restoration expert Doug Turnbull will answer questions on restoring old guns, the team looks at the upcoming Presidential election, and Tom talks with the author of a new concealed carry manual. Tune in for all this today on Gun Talk, the original nationally-syndicated radio talk show about guns and the shooting sports.
This week, Tom interviews gun restoration expert Doug Turnbull (Turnbull Restoration). Call in with your questions about that old gun you own. Then gun rights attorney Emily Taylor comments on what a Biden presidency might look like and Tom also talks to Jerry Wayne, the Michigan union member who confronted Joe Biden about the Second Amendment. Lastly Tom Given talks about his new book Concealed Carry Class–The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics.
This broadcast airs Sunday March 22, 2020 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern time on radio stations nationwide. Past podcasts can be heard online via the GUNTALK PODCAST Site and Apple iTunes. The Gun Talk podcast archive has many great shows. Click the link below to hear a recent show (3/15/2020) about the challenges of buying guns and ammo during the current crisis caused by the Coronovirus. In California, for example, the Governor has ordered the closure of gun stores, and state law blocks mail-order ammo sales.
Gun Talk Coronavirus Podcast from 3/15/2020:
As always, call 866-TALK-GUN with your comments, questions, and range reports.
Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk Radio show airs live on Sundays from 2PM-5PM Eastern, and runs on more than 270 stations. Listen on a radio station near you or via LIVE Streaming. All Gun Talk shows can also be downloaded as podcasts at http://bit.ly/GTRpodcast, Apple iTunes, or through the Gundelio Apps. Gun Talk is also available on YouTube, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and GunTalk.com.
In many states, schools have been closed and citizens have been ordered to stay at home for days or weeks, as a response to the Coronavirus health issue. With more gun owners at home with their kids for extended periods, firearms safety is more important than ever. Given that fact, the NSSF reminds gun owners to keep their guns locked up so they cannot be accessed by children.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and its partners urge gun owners to keep firearm safety a top priority and are making safety resources widely available as gun and ammunition sales increase, especially among first-time firearm purchasers.
“During this stressful time and with children spending more time at home, the firearm industry reminds gun owners that protecting yourself and your family includes making sure your firearms are stored securely when not in use”, said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “The last thing any firearm owner wants is to have their gun fall into the wrong hands, particularly those of a child or someone at risk of harming themselves.”
For anyone considering buying a gun, Project ChildSafe’s Road To Responsible Firearm OwnershipMany Paths to Firearm Safety video series helps gun owners determine the best safe storage device for their home/lifestyle. You also view the Safe Storage Options chart.
NSSF encourages gun owners and non-gun owners to use the firearm safety resources available on its Project ChildSafe website. These include the McGruff Gun Safety videos for young children and this educational video explaining how to discuss gun safety with children:
“More parents are assuming the role of educators in their homes, so it’s a good to time have a talk with your kids about gun safety, even if you don’t own a gun”, Bartozzi said. “If you do own a firearm, be sure your family understands the safety rules regarding firearms in your home, and always store guns responsibly when not in use.”
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is closing all its facilities and halting all scheduled activities from Monday, 3/23/2020 through Monday, 4/6/2020. During this period the CMP recommended that all CMP match sponsors “cancel their matches until some degree of normalcy returns.” The CMP issued this statement today:
Greetings. Many are facing difficult times in regard to the recent Corona virus outbreak and the CMP community is among them. We are grappling with the status of many of our current and upcoming programs, and unfortunately several events will be canceled or altered as a result.
The federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed that all events with attendance of 50 or more should be canceled immediately. The CMP has complied with this directive and we are notifying customers and participants accordingly.
The CMP is shutting down all of its facilities and activities for the next two weeks, beginning Monday, March 23, with plans to return Monday, April 6. During that time, the CMP will monitor conditions and will report changes to that plan as required. CLICK HERE for additional closure information.
We encourage all CMP match sponsors to cancel their matches until some degree of normalcy returns. It is in the best interest of the CMP community to take positive precautions rather than deal with potentially damaging consequences otherwise.
The CMP thanks you for your understanding during these trying conditions. We look forward to greater times ahead and getting back to the business of firearms safety and marksmanship!
Today a friend, who has never owned a gun before, called this Editor to ask for firearms recommendations after California officials announced a lock-down of six California counties, home to 6.7 million people. He wanted a gun for defense of his home and family (he has a wife and two young boys).
This story is being repeated around the country as many Americans seek to acquire guns for home defense, many for the first time. There are also concerns that governmental emergency powers, put into place to deal with the Coronovirus pandemic, will be used to throttle the sales of guns and/or ammunition.
In some cities in California, people are lining up around the block to buy guns and ammo. Many do not realize ID is required and there are background checks and waiting periods. Apparently they believed false media reports that firearms are easy to acquire. Our friend Vu Pham posted on Facebook: “Had several calls today [from acquaintances] asking me about buying their first firearm. They were shocked that they had to wait 10 days to actually take possession.”
Ammoland.com reports: “Gun and ammunition sales are surging around the country, including the Pacific Northwest, thanks apparently to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the potential for, as noted by the Daily Wire, ‘a breakdown in civil order or even a suspension of weapons sales’.”
As reported by KTVU News, in Vallejo, Calif., “More panic buying has erupted due to the coronavirus. And in addition to disinfectants and other household goods, guns and survival gear are in demand.”
Dan Mitchell, owner of Sporting Systems in Vancouver, told Ammoland News via email, “400,000 rounds (of ammunition) sold last week. Line around the block.”
The Sacramento Bee interviewed Gabriel Vaughn, owner of Sportsman’s Arms in Petaluma, CA. Seeing many first-time buyers, Vaughn stated that people’s attitudes about guns have changed now that they feel threatened: “People … tell me that they don’t like guns, but they’re here to begrudgingly buy one.”
What if a neighbor asks to borrow a weapon for defense? You should follow all federal, state, and local laws. You need to be aware of the laws concerning firearms transfers, if the gun leaves your immediate control. This is not just like sharing a gun at the range. Dennis Santiago notes: “It is a illegal in California to transfer a firearm without a background check and waiting period. Tell that to your non-gun friends when they ask to borrow a gun. They will ask. The answer is NO.”
Volquartsen Summit — Toggle Bolt Rimfire Precision Rifle
Relays Run Like Clock-Work
This week, Tom interviews gun restoration expert Doug Turnbull (
