In this essay from The Shooting Wire, Tom Gresham states that the anti-gun left seeks nothing less than the eventual confiscation and destruction of all privately-held firearms. The anti-gunners have revealed their goals, says Gresham, through radical legislation recently introduced in Congress, and suggestions that an Executive Order by a future by a Democratic Party President could halt ALL gun sales. Gresham says gun owners must wake up, and take action NOW. Otherwise our rights will be lost. We think every gun owner should read this.
Sometimes understanding what’s going on requires us to connect the dots on things that don’t immediately appear to be connected. Looking at recent events, it’s now possible to see the plans of the gun banners.
It’s much worse than almost anyone imagined.
First, what happened?
H.R. 8, a bill in the House, would end the private sales of guns, would end being able to give a gun to someone, and would criminalize even loaning a gun to someone — unless you got the permission of the FBI each time you want to buy, sell, loan, or borrow a gun. In other words, there could be no legal transfer of a gun in the U.S. unless the government approves each transaction.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened that a Democrat President could declare a national emergency on gun violence.
A separate bill — H.R. 1112 — would (according to the NRA-ILA) “…eliminate the 3-day safety-valve provision under the federal firearms background check system that prevents the government from enacting an indefinite delay of firearm purchases for law-abiding Americans.”
Currently, if a firearms retailer submits the background check to the FBI, and it is delayed, after three days the dealer is free to legally transfer the firearm. This provision in the current law is the safety valve. It guards against the government shutting down background checks (through incompetence, technical snafu, or even political activism) and stopping gun sales from dealers. (Private sales currently would be untouched.)
Pelosi’s threat didn’t just pop into her head. This idea has been in the works.
Consider those three actions.
The expanded background check provision requires that all gun sales, and gifts, and loans — any transfers — must go through the FBI NICS system.
H.R. 1112 would kill the protection of allowing retailers to sell guns when they don’t get a “denial” from the FBI in three days.
If those two provisions were in place I fully expect a Democrat president to act after a highly-publicized shooting to declare a national emergency and shut down the NICS checks for 90 to 120 days. Maybe even a year.
That would be so that we could have a “national conversation” about gun violence. America’s gun owners would suffer a “mere inconvenience” the banners will say. Except that most privately-owned gun stores could not survive three or four months with no gun sales.
This is not happenstance.
It’s not an accident.
It’s not coincidence.
The gun ban lobby is not dumb.
This has been the plan all along.
1. Kill off all private sales, forcing all legal gun sales to go though dealers.
2. Kill the provision in current law which protect gun owners from a government shutdown of the background check system.
3. Declare a National Emergency and close background checks, which stops all legal gun sales.
Make no mistake. This is part of the larger plan to confiscate (“mandatory buy-back”) your guns.
Naturally, there would be legal challenges. The current makeup of the Supreme Court favors — ever so slightly — the hope that the high court would stop such a thing. If it took months to work its way through the courts, however, massive damage would be done. Thousands of businesses would close and tens or hundreds of thousands of people would be thrown out of work.
Naturally, to the “if it saves one life” crowd, that’s a price they are willing to pay. Well, they wouldn’t pay it. We will. And that doesn’t even touch on the subject that no one wants to talk about … [resistance].
How do we stop this?
We stop it the old fashioned way. We beat it at the polls. We beat it by speaking up in our churches. We beat it with peaceful activism in the streets. We join every single gun rights group — even those which less “pure” by whatever standard is in vogue on any given day.
We spend money. A lot of money. We stop complaining about requests for donations. We donate annually an amount equal to the price of a new gun. How about a dollar a day? We actually do call the offices of our Congressional representatives monthly and talk politely with the staff there about our concerns on Second Amendment matters. We volunteer on campaigns. We go to school board, city council, and state legislature meetings and hearings. We show up.
Two things must happen.
First, you have to look in the mirror and admit you haven’t done enough/much/anything. No one else can do this. Each of us must have the conversation with ourselves and take an honest look at what we have and have not done. And what we can do.
This is a total lifestyle change. It’s a change in where you spend your money and your time.
Second, each of us has to bring along a friend into this activism. I’m not talking about taking someone to the range, though that’s always worthwhile. I’m talking about convincing or more friends that each of you really must donate a buck a day. A lot of dough? Less than many of us spend on coffee. Times a million gun owners.
GunsAmerica brought a team of reporters to SHOT Show 2019, lead by Managing Editor True Pearce. These hard-working reporters have produced over 60 videos covering Range Day and SHOT Show. The GunsAmerica squad tested many rifles during Range Day and then visited many rifle-makers in the Expo Center. Here are five GunsAmerica videos about new rifles and chassis systems. Check out dozens of other SHOT Show 2019 videos on the GunsAmerica YouTube Channel.
Battle Arms 3.8-Lb Titanium AR — World’s Lightest AR
If you are a fan of light-weight rifles, watch this video! It features the
Battle Arms GEN 2 O.I.P. AR that weighs just 3.8 pounds. To save weight, this carbine features a carbon fiber handguard and various titanium parts including a Titanium muzzle brake. Look carefully at how even small controls have been modified to save ounces. GunsAmerica reports: “Battle Arms has done a lot of work to find all the ounces that can be spared to make this gun as light as possible.” Even at just 3.8 pounds, the gun is very controllable during rapid fire. Despite a steep $3299.00 MSRP, the first run of Battle Arms’ sub-4-lb GEN 2 O.I.P. is sold out. That proves that “light is right”, as least in the AR carbine market. Read Titanium AR Review HERE.
Seekins Precision — Complete Rifles and Actions
Seekins Precision showcased some impressive custom actions plus complete rifles for both tactical competitors and long range hunters. We were impressed with the build quality of the Seekins precision rifles. We liked the new Seekins Havak Bravo, and the Seekins action has some interesting features, such as four locking lugs with 90° bolt throw. Full Seekins Havak Bravo Review.
CZ 457 Precision Rimfire Rifle
Many top PRS and NRL shooters train with .22 LR rimfire rigs between matches. Rimfire cross-training lets you hone your skills at much lower cost — ten cents per round vs. seventy cents. Shooting rimfire also helps improve your wind-reading skills, as even a small wind change will move a .22 LR bullet noticeably at 100 yards. This video features the new CZ 457, which replaces CZ’s popular 455 series. Along with the Manners-stocked Varmint Precision Trainer variant featured in the video, the CZ 457 is offered in a variety of configurations in .22 LR, .17 HMR, and .22 WMR. MSRP starts at $365 and goes up from there. For more information visit CZUSA.com.
Ruger Precision Rimfire Goes Magnum — With Doug Koenig
The versatile Ruger Precision Rimfire has been a big success as a .22 LR. And now for 2019, it is also offered in a magnum version for .17 HMR and .22 WMR. Varminters should be happy about that. For Ruger Precision Rifle owners, this rimfire version offers ergonomics just like their centerfire rig. The chassis-style rimfire rifle has some very interesting features, including adjustable bolt throw that lets shooters change from a rimfire 1.5″ bolt throw to a short-action centerfire 3″ bolt throw, reducing the chance of short-stroking your bolt in competition. The Ruger Marksman trigger adjusts from 2.25 to 5.0 pounds.
Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range
Browning showcased a very nice bolt-action rifle during Industry Day at the Range. The New X-Bolt Max Long Range features a handsome composite stock, with adjustable cheek-piece and straight toe in the rear for riding bags. The fluted 26″ barrel is threaded for suppressors or brakes. GunsAmerica’s tester reports: “The Max Long Range was a joy to shoot, the trigger was light and crisp, and it cycled easily due to the extended bolt handle. At 8 pounds, 3 ounces without scope or ammo, it isn’t too heavy. The stainless steel barrel matched with the black and grey splatter on the stock gives it a sharp-looking appearance as well.” MSRP is $1269 – $1329 with 11 chambering options from 6mm Creedmoor up to .300 Win Magnum.
The 2019 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 25-28, 2019. At this event, the NRA’s 148th annual convention, you’ll find 15 acres of guns and gear. There will be plenty to see and do — you can talk to hunting outfitters, attend seminars, dine at banquets, listen to top national political leaders, and enjoy country music concerts. If you’ve never been to an NRA Convention before, it’s worth going — just to see all the rifles, pistols, optics, and shooting accessories. Everything else is a bonus. The venue is the Indianapolis Convention Center at 100 South Capitol Ave., Indianapolis, IN 45225.
1. Registration Is Open Now for NRA Annual Meetings
Register now to get your badges and credentials mailed to you for free. Avoid waiting in lines. Trust us — it’s smart to register in advance. Admission is FREE for NRA members, their spouses and up to 5 children (under 19). The credentials give you full access to the exhibit hall for all three show days.
1. NRA Foundation Auction and BBQ
2. National Firearms Law Seminar
3. Women’s Leadership Forum and Auction
4. NRA-ILA Leadership Forum
5. Country Musics Show (Alan Jackson)
6. National Prayer Breakfast
Sportsmen spend millions of dollars on hunting and recreational shooting equipment, but which brands are they buying? In 2018, Southwick Associates surveyed more than 20,000 hunters and recreational shooters to find the top brands in the market. The product preferences of hunters and recreational shooters were determined via HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com online polls.
The top handgun maker was Smith & Wesson and the top handgun ammo brand was Federal. Those choices make sense. But some of the other choices were a bit surprising…
IMPORTANT COMMENT: Keep in mind these are just survey results. In many cases, the top choices are simply the cheapest options that sell the most. For example the top choice in reloading dies was Lee Precision. Lee makes some decent products (we like Lee decapping dies), but you won’t find many National Champions using Lee seating or sizing dies.
So assess the survey results with a “grain of salt”, understanding that these aren’t necessarily the best products when gauged by quality or performance. They are just the most popular among those surveyed. A Big Mac isn’t better than a filet mignon, but more Big Macs are purchased. You get the idea…
SURVEY Results — Most Purchased Hunting & Shooting Brands:
Top rimfire rifle brand: Ruger/Sturm Ruger
Top handgun brand: Smith & Wesson
Top handgun ammunition brand: Federal (including Fusion)
Top holster/ammo belt brand: Uncle Mikes
Top reflex/red dot sight brand: Vortex
Top laser rangefinder brand: Nikon
Top laser sight brand: Crimson Trace
Top scope mount brand: Leupold
Top reloading powder brand: Hodgdon
Top reloading bullets brand: Hornady
Top propellant/powder brand: Triple Seven
Top reloading dies brand: Lee Precision
Top gun cleaning brand: Hoppes
Top hunting knife brand: Gerber
Top game call brand: Primos
Top crossbow brand: Barnett
Top arrow brand: Easton
More than one hundred products are examined in the 2018 Hunting & Shooting Participation and Equipment Purchases Report (CLICK HERE). This in-depth resource covers buying preferences, including the percentage of sales occurring across different retail channels, brand purchased, price paid, and demographics for hunters and shooters buying specific products. Additional information tracked includes total days spent per activity, type of hunting / shooting activity, preferred species and where they hunt. In addition to the topline reports covering hunting and target shooting, annual reports are also offered for special segments including archery consumers, deer hunters, turkey hunters, and waterfowl hunters. To purchase a report or discuss custom research, email Nancy [at] SouthwickAssociates.com.
The Creedmoor Cup is an historic challenge match between American and Irish marksmen. The first match was held in in 1874 between American and Irish Teams in Creedmoor, New York. (Read Match History). The Match was revived in 2011 and is now held every four years.
In 2019, the match was held this week at the Ben Avery Range in Arizona, following the Berger Southwest Nationals. It proved to be a great match, with Team USA coming out on top. Erik Cortina stated: “What a great experience this has been. Team USA won the 2019 Creedmoor cup vs Ireland. It had been over 100 years since match was shot in the United States. Glad to see this tradition continue.”
Congrats to the Members of Winning Team USA:
F-TR Riflemen
Alan Barnhart
Ellis Berry
David Conrath
Tracy Hogg
Ian Klemm
Matthew Schwartzkopf
Ed Shelley
Keith Trapp
F-Open Riflemen
Larry Bartholome
Erik Cortina
Ken Dickerman
David Gosnell
Rick Jensen
Jim Murphy
Pat Scully
Keith Weil
Coaches
Kent Reeve (Head Coach)
James Crofts
Scott Fulmer
Bob Seabold
Nancy Tompkins
Team Staff
Captain Phil Kelley
Vice-Captain Dan Bramley
Adjutant Stephen Ireland
Team USA Captain Phil Kelly told us this was a great match: “USA wins the Creedmoor Cup in a great competition with Team Ireland! Two days of cold and windy conditions challenged both 16-shooter teams. Final ceremonies included Native American dancers and great camaraderie among all the competitors. Thank you to all from Team Ireland who made the trip! The best of competitors and friends.” Phil added: “Special thanks to additional Creedmoor Committee members including Michelle Gallagher, Pete Ricci, and Mark Walker. We look forward to the next gathering in four years. Safe travels all.”
Nancy Tompkins looks down-range. With the wind-chill, competitors and coaches dressed warm.
Not Your Typical Warm Arizona Days at Ben Avery
There were variable conditions at the match — first easy, then tough. USA Captain Phil Kelley reported: “On Day 1 of the 2-day match, things started good then got tougher. The morning and 800-yard line saw 34° and light winds leading to high scores.
That changed as the 16-shooter teams made their way to the 900-yard line as sun, moderate wind and building mirage hit the range providing more challenging conditions.
After an excellent lunch both teams were in for a challenge. Winds of 12-16 mph with constant angle changes and surging mirage made communications and coordination among five coaches critical. The wind chill also dropped as teams stayed on the line for the majority of allotted time.”
The First-Ever Creedmoor Challenge Match in 1874
The Irish International Shooting team arrived in New York on the 16th of September and proceeded to “take in the sights”, which was understandable, before some practice at the Creedmoor range. On September 26th they presented themselves for the match with confidence and in high spirits. The crowds that day were reported to be between 5,000 and 10,000 strong, which showed the huge support already growing for the fledgling sport in America.
The course of fire was 15 shots to each man at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. Unfortunately, the details of each mans scores at the individual distances have been lost to time but we do know that the Americans were well ahead after the 800-yard shoot. The Irish then caught up after the 900-yard and finished the 1000-yard shoot ahead by 1 point. The Americans still had one man left to shoot and it came down to his very last shot with which he scored a 4 giving the American team the win over the Irish by 3 points.
Post-Competition Camaraderie and “Craic” at the Pub
“Craic” is an Irish term referring to positive interaction among people through conversation, stories, and music. The Craic was strong after the 2019 Creedmoor Match.
Desert Sharpshooters posted: “The ‘Craic’ is amazing tonight with the Irish rifle team to finish the Creedmoor. Thank you to the USA team members that came out tonight to show the Irish a good time. This is truely what the Creedmoor Cup is about, Friendship and good times.”
The 2019 Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN) are history. It was a great event, with challenging conditions. Forum member Matt Peetz reports: “This year was one of the best — the toughest competitors battling for position in some tough conditions. You never knew how the day was going to end up.” For detailed results and more photos, visit the Desert Sharpshooters Facebook Page.
This Berger SWN brings together sling shooters and F-Class competitors in one of the most popular rifle matches of the year, and definitely the biggest match West of the Mississippi. We congratulate the three divisional champions: Curtis Gordon (Sling), John Myers (F-Open), and Keith Trapp (F-TR)
Keith Trapp won the F-TR division at the Berger SWN with the best overall Aggregate for the week. Keith’s name will be placed on the SWN Nightforce Perpetual Trophy overall. Fellow F-TR Shooter Luke Ramsey won the Berger Trophy for the 600-yard Individual Agg. Phil Kelley said: “It was pretty cool to see good friend Keith Trapp win it all. Our little Butner Club matches just make me smile. That’s 3 SWN champions riding in the same car many days.”
F-TR Top Three
Keith Trapp, 1227-44X; Peter Johns, 1224-40X; Ian Klemm, 1222-51X
(Special Mention: Fritz Braun, 1220-58X, High Senior)
F-Open Top Three
John Myers, 1244-71X; Stephen Potter, 1241-69X; Cody Richardson, 1241-62X
(Special Mention: Sixth Overall and F-Open Palma Match Winner, AccurateShooter System Admin Jay Christopherson, 1239-61X)
Sling (Palma) Top Three
Curtis Gordon, 1241-67X; Kent Reeve, 1241-52X; Oliver Milanovic, 1240-68X
(Special Mention: Tom Whitaker, 1232-55X, High Grand Senior)
F-Open Team Results
Winner: Team Lapua-Brux-Borden, 2375-137X
Alphabetical Order: Jay Christopherson, Erik Cortina (Shooter/Captain), Tod Hendricks, Pat Scully, Bob Sebold (Coach); David Christian (Alt), Steve Harp (Alt)
Second Place: Team Grizzly, 2374-109X
Shiraz Balolia (Shooter/Captain), David Mann, John Meyers, Emil Kovan, Emil Praslick III (Coach)
F-TR Team Results
Winner: Team Texas, 2359-111X
Otis Riffey, Jason Peel, David Parck, Greg Barkley, Randy Littleton, Skip Barkley (Captain), Peter Johns (Coach)
Second Place: Team USA Freedom, 2345-108X
Ian Klemm, Wade Fillingame, Alan Barnhart, Fritz Braun, Kent Reeve (Captain); James Crofts (Coach)
Sling Team Results
Winner: Blazing Saddles, 2347-108X
Thomas Thompson, Andrew Wilde, Mike Kelley (Shooter/Captain), Oliver Milanovic (Shooter/Coach)
Gary Eliseo said: “Congratulations to team Blazing Saddles — Mike Kelley, Tom Thompson, Andrew Wilde, and Oliver Milanovic winners of the gold medal in the team event of the 2019 BSWN matches. Well done!”
Second Place: Team U.S. National Black, 2346-107X
Steffen Bunde, Tony Miller, Yvonne Roberts, Jerry Iliff (Shooter/Captain), Yvonne Roberts (Shooter/Coach)
Friends in Life and on the Podium
Congratulations to Allen Thomas and Gary Eliseo who both shot great in the “Any Rifle” class, a subdivision of the sling division. Both men were shooting Eliseo Chassis Rifles with Pierce Engineering’s new Gen 2 short-cycle Ultra slick actions. Gary noted: “I’m honored to share the podium with my friend and teammate Allen Thomas (first place ‘Any Rifle’) and me (second place ‘Any Rifle’) winners at the 2019 BSWN matches.
We like well-executed DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. You can save money with DIY projects, and often create something unique and special that can’t be purchased from any vendor. That’s the case with this very cool double shooting bench built by Jacob D., a pilot and 6.5 Creedmoor shooter.
Jacob, who flys for Arizona’s Mesa Airlines, built his own side-by-side benchrest shooting bench. He then posted photos of this on the 6.5 Creedmoor Group Facebook Page. We like this — very nice work Jacob!
Jacob writes: “Sighting in my new Ruger Precision Rifle with Leupold VX3i LRP 6.5-20x50mm and Burris tactical rings, using my benchrest table I built. Very happy with the combo!”
There is plenty of room for two shooters and two rifles on Jacob’s big and sturdy DIY shooting bench.
Every year our friends Ed and Steve, aka the 6.5 Guys, produce informative SHOT Show videos. These two hard-working dudes visited dozens of product booths during SHOT Show 2019, producing over 40 video interviews for 65Guys.com. Ed and Steve roamed the Expo Center finding the latest and greatest rifles, stocks, optics, and accessories. Here are five 6.5 Guys Videos about new rifles and chassis systems. Next week we’ll feature more 6.5 Guys videos covering new optics. You can see all 42 SHOT Show 2019 videos from Ed and Steve on the 6.5 Guys YouTube Channel.
Modular Driven Technologies
Modular Driven Technologies (MDT) produces impressive chassis systems with innovative features, including modular weights. MDT is now a top choice for the PRS/NRL tactical disciplines. Steve was quite impressed by the new MDT ACC. See more at MDTTac.com.
Accuracy International — Mile High Shooting Accessories
One of the most impressive rifles at SHOT Show 2019 was the massive Accuracy Int’l Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) at the Mile High Shooting Accessories booth. The Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) will be submitted for SOCOM’s multi-caliber rifle program. It is offered in a $19,544 deployment kit with three barrels: (.308 Win, .300 Norma Mag, and .338 Norma Mag).
Seekins Precision — Complete Rifles and Actions
Seekins Precision showcased some impressive custom actions plus complete rifles for both tactical competitors and long range hunters. We were impressed with the build quality of the Seekins precision rifles. We liked the new Seekins Havak Bravo, and the Seekins action has some interesting features, such as four locking lugs with 90° bolt throw. Full Seekins Havak Bravo Review.
Gunwerks — Long Range Precision Rifles
Gunwerks is more than a builder of expensive (some say over-priced) rifles. It also sells branded electro-optics, and suppressors. Gunwerks also runs shooting clinics, and has hundreds of training and hunting videos on the Gunwerks YouTube channel. We like what Gunwerks is doing in the media space. Here the 6.5 Guys showcase some of the latest rifle and stock options from Gunwerks. Steve said he liked the adjustability and ergonomics on the Gunwerks stocks.
Legacy Sports International (Howa)
Legacy Sports Int’l (LSI) offers a variety of hunting and tactical rifles featuring the smooth-running Howa actions from Japan. At SHOT Show 2019, Legacy previewed a new tactical rig featuring a modular MDT Oryx chassis and Howa 1500 barreled action. The 6.5 Guys got to shoot this rig during media day and were impressed. This will be offered for Howa Short, Long, and Mini Actions.
“Golf — the willful misuse of a perfectly good rifle range.”
Here’s a humorous illustration that pokes fun at the game of golf. We posted this on Facebook a couple seasons back. To our great surprise this generated 356 shares, and reached 22,000+ readers, making this the most popular AccurateShooter Facebook post ever at the time.
So, what do you think — should golf courses be converted to shooting ranges? Is golf truly a “good [shoot] spoiled”? This photo was shared by our shooting buddy Jim de Kort from Holland.
“Actually golf and shooting are similar sports. Trying to shoot a small object into a small hole from long range.” — Eric A.
“You can hit a golf ball 300 yards, but I can hit a golf ball AT 1000 yards.” — Zach S.
“The game should be changed. You should hit the ball out as far as possible, then get your rifle out and hit the golf ball. The most golf balls hits… with the rifle wins!” — Hui H.
Some rifle ranges certainly are beautiful enough to be country clubs. Here is the scenic General Vokes Range in British Columbia, Canada:
Marlin 1895 Background image from Sportsmans Arms, Petaluma, CA.
Are the days of private gun sales numbered nationwide? Democrats in the U.S. House of Representative have introduced an extreme gun control measure, H.R. 8, that would regulate all private gun sales, circumventing state laws covering gun rights. American Military News reports: “A new bill restricting private gun sales is expected to move to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this week for a vote. The bill, H.R. 8, was introduced by [House] Democrats. H.R. 8 plans to stop Americans from conducting private gun sales as they have been since 1791. Instead, they will be required to conduct background checks on prospective buyers before they can sell their own property. The House Judiciary Panel is expected to send the bill to the floor for a vote on Feb. 13.”
Background Checks Would Be Required Nationwide for ALL Private Party Gun Sales
This new legislation would essentially require that ALL gun sales, even between private parties, be subject to Federal NICS background checks.* On the surface, this seems to have some appeal, but there is little convincing evidence that such legislation will produce a meaningful reduction in gun violence. Why? Criminals obtain guns illegally (though theft and the black market), and nearly all the mass shooters in recent years have used weapons that were obtained legally, AFTER the perpetrators had passed normal FBI background checks.
Despite these facts, supporters of H.R. 8, say it is time to outlaw private gun sales. Rep. Henry C. Johnson (Democrat, Georgia) claimed: “Because background checks are not required for sales by unlicensed gun dealers, guns end up in the hands of dangerous people. The failure of Congress to pass universal background check legislation has eroded our sense of safety on the streets, in our schools, and even in our places of worship.”
Conversely, gun rights supporters state that H.R. 8 will NOT have the desired effects. Rep. Doug Collins (Republican, Georgia) stated: “I appreciate the efforts of those who want H.R. 8 and many who have signed on, but similar gun control measures would not have prevented Columbine, San Bernardino, Charleston, or other tragedies. You go to the Bureau of Prisons, when they put out their statistics, most criminals — as you well know — do not get their guns from legal sources.”
* Some states, such as California, already require background checks, made through an FFL, for private-party transfers. But in many other states, a private party can still sell a firearm to another private party, provided there is compliance with applicable state and local laws.
First, what happened?
