Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker presents Rob Leatham with NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award at the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. SSUSA photo by Peter Fountain.
Rob Leatham Wins Golden Bullseye Award
Renowned competitive pistol shooter Rob Leatham has received the inaugural (first-ever) Shooting Sports USA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award. Leatham received the award at the 2025 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia. CLICK HERE for full story.
Winners of NRA Golden Bullseye Awards are determined by NRA Media staff, who represent more than a century of collective experience in the shooting industry. In particular, the NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award recognizes a competitive shooter who has displayed outstanding performance in competition and has “given back” to the shooting sports world by providing guidance and support to the next generation of competitive shooters.
“This award honors the highest level of achievement in competitive shooting — and there is no one more deserving to receive it first than Rob Leatham”, said John Parker, Editor-in-Chief ofShooting Sports USA. “For more than 40 years, Rob has set the bar — not just with his championship titles, but with his relentless pursuit of excellence, his sportsmanship and his influence on generations of competition shooters. He’s a competitor, a pioneer and a true ambassador of the shooting sports.”
Interview with Rod Leatham for The Armory Life
Competing since 1978, Leatham has amassed a remarkable record of success over the past four decades — eight-time IPSC World Champion, 11-time NRA Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Champion, 34-time USPSA/IPSC National Champion (Overall & Aggregate), eight-time Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Champion, seven-time IDPA champion, and more.
Rob Leatham, By the Numbers:
34X USPSA / IPSC NATIONAL CHAMPION (Overall and Aggregate)
11X NRA BIANCHI CUP ACTION PISTOL CHAMPION
8X IPSC WORLD CHAMPION
4X USPSA CLASSIC NATIONALS AGGREGATE CHAMPION
14X USPSA / IPSC NATIONAL “SENIOR” CHAMPION
10X IPSC WORLD “TEAM” CHAMPIONS #TeamUSA
19X SINGLE STACK CLASSIC CHAMPION
3X AMERICAN HANDGUNNER WORLD SHOOTOFF CHAMPION
8X STEEL CHALLENGE WORLD SPEED SHOOTING CHAMPION
7X IDPA NATIONAL CHAMPION
2019 IDPA WORLD SENIOR CHAMPION
2006 ICORE INTERNATIONAL REVOLVER WORLD CHAMPION – LIMITED DIVISION
“I am truly honored to have been selected as the first recipient of this new award from NRA’s Shooting Sports USA,” said Rob Leatham. “I have loved shooting all my life, and I’m humbled and thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to do this for a living with Springfield Armory. Thank you to Dennis Reese and the Springfield Armory team for making my dreams come true.”
Rob Leatham has more than four decades behind the trigger as a professional shooter, trainer and expert. It is this background that has earned him the moniker of “The Great One”, or simply TGO. In fact, Springfield Custom created the “TGO 1″ handgun named in his honor and designed by the man himself. This special edition featured the Rob Leatham signature on the wood grips.
Like crosswords? Like guns? Well, thanks to Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA), you can try a crossword puzzle that tests your knowledge of gun stuff and competitive shooting. In the February 2013 digital edition of Shooting Sports USA magazine, you’ll find a crossword puzzle for shooters. There are some outdated answers, such as the location of the annual NRA National Pistol Championships (formerly Camp Perry, now Camp Atterbury). And other questions may require some research to answer. To print the crossword puzzle before you start working, click this Page 12 link, and then select the print icon. Spoiler alert — all the answers appear on PAGE 14 of the same February issue of SSUSA.
NOTE: These pages may be slow to load, but don’t fret, they WILL appear if you’re patient.
Today is 4/30/25, the final day of April 2025, and there are some significant savings you can get at Precision Reloading, a leading vendor for reloading supplies, tools, shooting accessories, and hunting gear. With discount codes your can save up to $50 on your orders today. But act quick — these discount codes expire on May 1st, 2025.
Precision Reloading Spring Savings Discount Codes
Save up to $50 with Coupon Codes:
$50 Off Orders over $500 (Code:4325)
$25 Off Orders over $250 (Code:4225)
$10 Off Orders over $100 (Code:4125)
Get FREE Shipping at MidwayUSA
In addition to these discount codes, MidwayUSA is running a great promotion — you get FREE SHIPPING on purchases of $49.00 or more. This can save you $10, $20 or more on many purchases. There are some exclusions, but this is still a great deal. Simply Apply CODE FS042925 when you start your order. CLICK HERE for details.
NOTE — There are exclusions. FREE Shipping does NOT apply to clearance, drop ship, quantity limited products, guns, large/irregular products, select ammo crates, some products with a shipping weight over 20lbs, out of stock or special order products.
The 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits kick off today. The big event runs April 24-27, 2025, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The NRA expects tens of thousands of attendees. The event includes speeches, seminars, exhibits, and a large, 14-acre exhibit hall where gun manufacturers and other vendors showcase their products. This Thursday the 24th there are Ring of Freedom member gatherings and the Wall of Guns opens for viewing. The full Exhibit Hall opens Friday morning, April 25th.
Key Highlights
The NRA Leadership Forum features respected political Leaders and Second Amendment advocates.
Seminars and workshops on firearm safety, shooting sports, and the Second Amendment.
Exhibit Hall showcasing over 14 acres of guns, gear, and other products from various companies.
Special events, concerts, and notable celebrity meet-and-greets.
The NRA Foundation Wall of Guns returns for 2025 with great gun prizes. The member favorite Wall of Guns is open April 24-27 with 60+ prize guns.
Outfitter Area — Attendees can book the hunt of a lifetime in the outfitter section with respected hunting guide services from throughout the world.
The Exhibit Hall is open all three days, with over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear from the most popular companies in the industry as well as smaller, newer companies.
Show Registration and App
The NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits is free to all NRA members and their families (spouses and children under 18 years old), uniformed military and law enforcement personnel.
Registration: You can register online or join the NRA at the door if you are not an NRA member. Nonmembers can grab a 3-day pass for just $10.
FREE Event Phone App: Download SHOW Map App for Android.
Visit NRAAM.org for event schedules and Atlanta hotel information.
There will also be music events including a big show on April 26th with country music stars Big & Rich performing in the Sidney Marcus Auditorium.
Lapua, respected producer of outstanding cartridge cases, bullets, and ammunition, will be attending the 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, scheduled for April 24-27, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. “Lapua uses the highest quality materials to provide shooters with components they can rely on” commented Director of Communications Morgan Joy-Twenter. “We encourage shooters and hunters to stop by booth #1916 to check out the wide range of Lapua products, including our new 7mm PRC, 6mm Dasher, and MaxRange Target bullets.”
New Lapua MaxRange Target Bullets
Lapua will offer new high-BC MaxRange Target bullets. These are designed for long-range precision rifle sports such as F-Class, Fullbore, PRS and other disciplines with distant targets, or where a very high-BC can help enhance long-range hits and accuracy. The first MaxRange Target offerings are a 6.5mm 144 grain and a .30 Caliber 175 grain.
New Lapua 6mm Dasher Cartridge Cases
New for 2025, Lapua will offer 6mm Dasher brass. The 6mm Dasher has long been a popular and versatile cartridge for many precision shooting disciplines such as 600-1,000 yard benchrest, varminting, and PRS/NRL competition. It is an extremely accurate cartridge that can drive 103-110gr match bullets at very accurate velocity nodes, and drive lighter 6mm varmint bullets at high speeds. With the new Dasher brass, you no longer need to spend time fire-forming 6mmBR brass into the higher-capacity Dasher. The Lapua 6mm Dasher brass is expected to arrive in Fall 2025.
New Lapua 7mm PRC Cartridge Cases
The 7mm PRC effortlessly delivers heaviest-in-class .284 caliber projectiles, which are coveted in today’s precision shooting and long-range hunting disciplines. F-Class and long-range match shooters have suffered from the lack of quality 7mm PRC cases and ammunition. Now that will change. Lapua will begin offering high-quality 7mm PRC cartridge cases for its loyal followers this fall.
New Bullets and Ammo Types from Berger
Berger, manufacturer of quality bullets and ammunition for competitive shooters and avid hunters, will attend the 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta Georgia. At booth #1916, Berger will showcase its entire product line, including new ammunition and bullet offerings.
For target shooters Berger now offers new .300 Norma Magnum ammunition with the 245 grain Long Range Hybrid Target bullet. This ammo has shown excellent accuracy in testing (see above). In addition, Berger has new .338 Norma Magnum ammo featured the 300 grain Hybrid OTM Tactical bullet. CLICK HERE for product specifications.
Berger has expanded its hunting ammo line to include .30-06 168 grain and 185 grain Classic Hunter, and .300 WSM 185 grain Classic Hunter. In addition, Berger will offer new hunting bullets in 2025. There’s a new 6.8mm/270 caliber 150 grain Hybrid Target bullet that should work great in .270 Winchester, .277 Fury, and 6.8 Western rifles. Berger will also offer a new 217 grain, .30 caliber Elite Hunter bullet.
NRA Event Schedule and Special Events
The 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits runs April 24-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia (see MAP below). The large Exhibit Hall will be open 9 AM to 6 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, providing attendees with the opportunity to explore a host of shooting and hunting products. CLICK HERE for EVENT Schedule.
The 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will feature Voices of the Second Amendment. Popular media hosts and podcasters will broadcast from a prominent “Radio Row” at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. If you’re at the event, you can meet your favorite content creators who do podcasts, YouTube videos, reels, and live radio related to the Second Amendment, the shooting sports, and hunting. And NRA members (and gun owners) nationwide can tune in to the broadcasts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 25-27, 2025. The three-hour broadcast times are: 9 AM till noon, noon to 3 PM, and 3 PM to 6 PM.
Today is Good Friday and Easter will be celebrated Sunday, April 20, 2025. In connection with this Easter weekend, many companies are currently offering Easter-themed discounts and promotions. Here we list some of the top bargains and discounts you can get.
There is a good list of Easter Weekend Sales on the PewPewTactical.com website. You’ll find a selection of ammo bargains for .22 LR, 9mm Luger, .223 Rem/5.56, and Shotgun Ammunition.
Palmetto State Armory is running a pretty big Easter-themed sale. You’ll find complete AR-15 Blem lower starting at just $149.99, major discounts on S&W, SIG Sauer, and Taurus handguns, plus significant discounts on a wide variety of major-brand optics.
Brownells Discount Codes for April 2025
For the month of April, Brownells has two special discount codes for 10% savings, plus a special sale page with 15% off select items ($300 minimum total purchase).
$25 Off Orders $250+ — Use Code APRIL25
$50 Off Orders $500+ — Use Code APRIL50
15% OFF Purchase of $300 or More of Selected Products — CLICK HERE for SALE Items.
Free Shipping for $99+ Orders at Creedmoor Sports
Now through Monday, April 21st at 12:00 pm Central Time, you can get FREE Ground Shipping on all Creedmoor Sports purchases over $99.00. Use CODE EGG25. NOTE: Certain exclusions apply.
The 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) on April 24-27, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Exhibit Hall is open the 25th through the 27th and will showcase over 14 acres of guns and gear. There will also be numerous special events, plus entertainment. If you plan to attend, be sure to register for the event and book your hotel soon!
The 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center (see map below). The 14-acre exhibit hall will feature the latest guns and gear from firearm industry companies. The schedule of events also includes educational seminars, product demonstrations, and fundraising banquets to supprt Second Amendment rights.
The 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits has events on the 24th and the convention hall will officially open at 9:00 AM on April 25. NRA members and immediate family receive free entry. Non-members can join online or at the door for immediate access. Visit NRAam.org for more information.
NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits Registration
CLICK HERE to REGISTER for the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. NOTE: NRA Members and their immediate family get FREE ENTRY.
NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits — Special Events
CLICK HERE for list of Special Events. There will be a powerhouse line-up of political speakers this year. In addition there will be major fundraising events featuring products from many companies (see below). Other special events will include: NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction, Women’s Leadership Forum, NRA Ring of Freedom meetings, National Prayer Breakfast and more.
Entertainment
Big & Rich bring their high-energy Country Rock sound to the Annual Meetings. With chart-topping hits like Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy), Lost in This Moment, and Comin’ to Your City, Big Kenny and John Rich are popular entertainers.
Applied Ballistics (AB) has published an update to its Bullet Library, which can be accessed from all AB-enabled devices, including the AB Quantum App. The library updates are based on testing with Doppler radar. The bullet updates are based on averaging of multiple Doppler Radar tests at long range (through transonic). All of the bullets that were recently updated have been tested multiple times from various different barrels and twist rates to find the average performance. These updates to the bullet library are FREE to those who have subscribed to AB Quantum.
The AB team explained that these updates will help provide the most accurate ballistic fire solutions available. Ongoing updates are planned as AB continues testing and compiling results.
“Many of our existing bullets were modeled after just one test, but after a few years of testing out of multiple guns, we have a much better assessment of the bullets’ average performance and those models replace the originals. Rest assured, when we update a bullet model, it does NOT affect an existing gun profile. It’s only new gun profiles that get built — they’ll pull the updated performance. So [there is] no need to worry about your established data changing within an existing gun profile.”
Updates to the Applied Ballistics Bullet Library are normally made whenever:
* AB tests new bullets
* AB Accumulates more test data on existing bullets
* AB runs tests to further ranges than previous tests
Typically, changes to assessed performance are small (under 2%) representing only about 1 or 2 clicks of difference at 1000 yards. But sometimes the shift is more substantial.
Bryan Litz added: “The updates don’t always change performance a lot, some are just small tweaks. Typically you would build a new gun profile from selecting the bullet in the library to get the new performance. But if you’re using BC, you can just transcribe the new one into your existing gun profile.”
Shooting USA TV has a good show today. Shooting USA’s Wednesday Night episode features military rifle competition at Talladega Marksmanship in Alabama. Historic military battle rifles from the past century are competing — Garands, Springfields and a list of other period military battle rifles are on the firing line.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
Each spring, the CMP hosts a Spring Classic Event at the Talladega Marksmanship Park. The 2025 CMP Talladega Spring Classic ran Tuesday, March 18 through Sunday, March 23, 2025. The event schedule included both rifle and pistol competition. Events included Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military, Rifle Marksmanship 101/M16 Match, Pistol Marksmanship 101/M9 Match, CMP Match Pistol 2700, CMP 80 Shot Matches, CMP EIC Service Rifle Match and more.
Competitors used electronic targets for pistol and rifle matches. Each firing point of the 500-acre facility is now equipped with a state-of-the-art, KTS electronic target and scoring monitor. Located beside the shooter, on the firing line, each monitor allows the competitor to see his/her shot value in a matter of seconds. Spectators can view the results in real time on large monitors.