This is a “feel-good” story about volunteers who helped build three modern ranges at the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Camp Meriwether facility in coastal Oregon.
For the shooting sports to survive and thrive, we need to train new shooters, particular young boys and girls. Many of us learned to shoot in the Boy Scouts. Now, through the efforts of Union volunteers, thousands of Scouts will enjoy quality marksmanship training at Camp Meriwether. Sixteen skilled volunteers have helped construct a 24-lane rifle range, a 24-lane archery range, and a 10-station shotgun range. An official dedication ceremony is planned later this summer.
Union volunteers teamed with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to help complete an ambitious shooting range-expansion project at the 790-acre Camp Meriwether in Oregon. Sixteen volunteers from the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers (RWAW) Local 49 and Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Locals 737 and 296 donated 260 hours of skilled labor to help complete the $800,000 project, which added three new ranges to the popular Boy Scout camp.
Archery and shooting sports (airgun, rifle, and shotgun) are among the Boy Scout’s most popular activities. Yet for years, Camp Meriwether’s facilities were limited to just eight rifle shooting stations, eight archery stations, and two shotgun stations.
In 2013, the BSA Cascade Pacific Council decided to expand Meriwether’s facilities with new 24-lane rifle range, 24-lane archery range, and 10-station shotgun range. After years of planning and site prep, the project’s final phase began in 2018. This spring and summer, union volunteers assisted in the framing, sheeting, and underlayment for the three new range structures, which triple the camp’s capacity to teach scouts marksmanship.
“The involvement of skilled trade volunteers is so important when a BSA camp takes on a major project,” said Frank Reigelman, BSA’s team lead for outdoor programs and properties. “Kids from southern California to Washington get together here to learn about the outdoors and experience activities like archery, trapshooting, and riflery,” added USA project leader Travis Hopkins, of RWAW Local 49. “This teaches them pastimes they can enjoy for a lifetime.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance CEO Scott Vance added: “The Boy Scouts of America will use these new ranges to teach thousands of youths safe and responsible firearms and archery skills each season for years to come.”
About Camp Meriwether
Located in rugged wilderness along the Pacific coast near Cloverdale, Oregon, 790-acre Camp Meriwether, the flagship of the BSA’s Cascade Pacific Council, can accommodate more than 500 campers each day. Acquired in 1926, Camp Meriwether is one of the few Boy Scout camps fronting the ocean — it boasts two miles of private beach.
Camp Meriwether includes Lake Chamberlain, a fresh-water lake for swimming and boating, a trading post, a .22 rifle range, a shotgun range, an archery range, a black powder range, scoutcraft, and an ecology study center. For experienced campers, Meriwether offers high adventure hikes and a rock climbing program on a 44′ tower.
Click Video to see Camp’s Beaches, Facilities, and Adventure Programs:
Bullets.com is closing up shop. For the past few months Bullets.com has selling off its inventory. There are still some great products left at really low prices — in many cases below wholesale cost. How about a 100-ct box of 197gr 7mm Sierra MatchKings for just $22.95. Awesome deal — MidwayUSA charges $49.99/100 for the same 197gr bullets! Or grab some very good Norma rimfire ammo for less than $3.00 a box. You’ll want to act soon to enjoy these bargains before they’re gone for good.
Here is just a small sample of the great deals currently available:
Some of the product lines will still be carried by Grizzly.com, but bullets, brass, powder, and ammo inventories are being liquidated along with many reloading products and gunsmithing tools. You’ll find huge discounts on many top-tier products.
Here’s your chance to save big bucks on quality tools, gear, ammo, and reloading components. Guys — take note: this is a unique opportunity to pick up some great products at truly rock-bottom prices. But remember this is an inventory close-out sale, limited to stock on hand. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI®) has accepted two new Hornady-marketed cartridges, the 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (6.5 PRC) and the 300 PRC. Notably, for both cartridges, SAAMI lists a Maximum Average Pressure (MAP) of 65,000 PSI. The 300 PRC is NOT just a necked-up version of the 6.5 PRC. The 6.5 PRC has a 2.030″ case body length, while the 300 PRC is considerably longer, with a 2.580″ case body length (rim to case mouth). Both PRCs share a fat 0.532″ rim diameter, hence these cartridges require a magnum bolt face.
The 6.5 PRC is designed for the PRS and tactical crowd. GA Precision’s George Gardner, who helped develop the 6.5 PRC cartridge, has posted: “It’s a non-rebated short mag based on a short RCM [Ruger Compact Magnum] case. It has 3-4 grains less capacity than the 6.5 SAUM which nets about 30-50 fps deficit to the SAUM.” Cartridge and chamber drawings for both RPCs are available from SAAMI:
Both cartridges were developed by Hornady Manufacturing Company, a Voting Member of SAAMI. “SAAMI member companies are the leaders of firearm and ammunition development and innovation,” said Rick Patterson, SAAMI’s Executive Director. “Both the 6.5 and 300 PRC cartridges seek to meet the demand for increased accuracy in today’s trending sport of long-range shooting, and we are pleased to add these new cartridges to our SAAMI Standards.”
New 6.5 PRC Is a Short Magnum Requiring Magnum Bolt Face
Dubbed the “big brother” to the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6.5 PRC fits in short or medium actions with a standard magnum bolt face (.532″). The case geometry features a long cartridge case neck and 30-degree case shoulder. It sort of looks like a 6.5 Creedmoor on steroids. For its factory-loaded 6.5 PRC Match Ammo, Hornady is showing a 2910 fps Muzzle Velocity with the 147gr ELD Match bullet. That’s not very impressive. Why go to the trouble when you can get those kind of velocities from a 6.5-284 with a standard bolt face? The 6.5 PRC requires a magnum bolt face. Moreover, the 6.5-284 is a barrel burner. The 6.5 PRC surely promises to be likewise.
Now, to be fair, with handloads, we expect you’d see meaningful speed gains with the 6.5 PRC compared to the 6.5-284. Also it may work better than a 6.5-284 in a short-action magazine — that may be what Hornady is thinking…
The .300 PRC — A Longer Version of the 300 Ruger Compact Magnum
The 300 PRC seems to be more a hunting cartridge than a cartridge for tactical games. Talking about this cartridge, Hornady states it would be an “excellent choice… for hunting applications” as well as “long-range precision shooting”. Inspired by the 300 Ruger Compact Magnum (RCM), the 300 PRC has a longer case body (2.580″) compared to the 300 RCM (2.100″), for more case capacity. That gives it the ability to push big .30-caliber bullets at higher velocities. But honestly, there are many other well-established Magnum hunting cartridge, so we doubt the .300 PRC is going to become popular among the hunting crowd. Time will tell however.
“Both the 6.5 PRC and the 300 PRC are multi-functional cartridges that are excellent choices for target and match shooting as well as hunting applications,” said Joe Thielen, Hornady’s Assistant Director of Engineering. “The primary focus of the design of both the 6.5 PRC and the 300 PRC has always been long-range precision shooting.”
Lyman is running a cool contest for the next seven weeks (8/13/18-9/21/18). Now through September 21, 2018, you can win an impressive Grand Prize that includes a Savage Rifle and nearly $1000 worth of reloading gear (including Lyman’s new, 8-station turret press). Lyman’s Ultimate Reloading system provides everything you need to load precision rifle and pistol ammo. CLICK HERE for contest details and Entry Instructions.
Sign up for Lyman’s “Zero’d In” newsletter to receive updates and info on great new Lyman Products and be entered in our sweepstakes to win everything you’ve always wanted for your reloading bench! The contest runs August 13 through Sept 21, 2018. All entries must be received by September 21, 2018.
The Grand Prize includes:
• Savage 10 BA Stealth 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle
• Lyman Ultimate Reloading System
• Long Range Rifle Manual
• Rifle Maintenance Mat
Lymans’ Ultimate Reloading System
The Ultimate Reloading System includes deluxe All-American 8-Station Turret Press, Electronic Powder Scale/Dispenser (Gen 6), Turbo 1200 Case Tumbler, Priming tool, Case Trimmer, and many other reloading tools and accessories.
- An All-American 8 Reloading press (8 Station Turret)
– Pro 1200 Turbo® Tumbler
– Electronic Gen 6 Powder System
– Universal® Trimmer
– Voucher for Free Lyman Die Set Voucher
– 50th Ed. Lyman Reloading Handbook
- E-ZEE Prime Hand Priming Tool
– Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller
– Universal Loading Block
– Case Prep Multi Tool and Bench Wrench
– Quick Slick™ Case Lube Pump
– Stainless Steel Calipers
We all enjoy shooting rifles, but it’s also fulfilling to share your knowledge as a mentor. Serving as a rifle instructor can be very rewarding. Now the CMP offers a program to certify Master Instructors for the CMP’s most popular rifle programs — Vintage Military and Rimfire Sporter.
CMP Master Instructor Training Workshops
As a CMP Instructor you can help novices learn to safely shoot the M1 Garand, M1903 Springfield, and other vintage military rifles. You can also help with the very popular Rimfire Sporter program. Later this year, the CMP is offering an excellent program to help train new Master Instructors.
Experienced rifle marksmanship instructors and shooters who wish to receive advanced training and be certified as “Master Instructors” to teach CMP-sanctioned Clinics are invited to apply to attend a CMP Master Instructor Training Workshop. These workshops will train instructors to conduct Garand, Springfield, and Vintage Military Rifle Clinics and/or Rimfire Sporter Clinics. There will be two (2) instructor training workshops this year, one at Camp Perry in October and the second in Talladega in December. Dates and locations are:
M1903 Springfield shooter at Camp Perry. From GarandThumbBlog’s 2015 CMP Games Video.
CMP Master Instructor Class — In the Beginning
Our friend Dennis Santiago has been a CMP instructor for many years. He reports this has been a great experience and the CMP is a great organization. Dennis earned his “teaching credentials” at the first-ever GSM (Garand/Springfield/Vintage Military) Master Instructor Class.
CMP Director Gary Anderson is top row far left, with Dennis in front row center.
My Decade as a CMP Master Instructorby Dennis Santiago
I was in the first GSM Master Instructor class. It was taught at Camp Pendleton (CA) in November 2006 as part of the CMP Western Games. It was a three-day class by then-head of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, Gary Anderson.
We were the guinea pigs for an experiment. Our mission would be to take what we learned back to our clubs and create programs to teach the sport of High Power riflery to Americans, most of whom, were unfamiliar with shooting, let alone the details of serious competition. It was one of the most rewarding shared experiences of my life and it began a 10-year journey that helped build my love for the sport.
Gary spent lots of time not only teaching his prepared material but working with us on feedback about how to improve the curriculum. I took what I learned back to the Burbank Rifle and Revolver Club (BRRC) and, working with Wayne Fenner (left in photo), my friend and fellow sponsor of the California Grizzlies Junior Rifle Team, adapted BRRC’s training match program to the CMP’s approach.
Over the course of almost a decade, I taught a battalion of Americans from every walk of life and every political and ethnic background how to operate and compete with the U.S. Rifle M-1 Garand. It defined one weekend of every month of my life. We experimented with every CMP match format that came out, often discussing concepts with Gary and the CMP team.
Many of the students I taught went on to become accomplished competitors in their own right. I’ve watched them win medals, major tournaments, become distinguished riflemen. Some set national records. One made it to the Olympic Trials. The true reward was to hear from all of them again and again over the years. I’m from the old school that says you pass on what you have learned because you pay forward in gratitude to those who taught you. And so it was the decade I was BRRC’s GSM Master Instructor of record.
If you want to make a difference to the growth of our sport, consider taking the time to become a GSM Master Instructor. Teach another battalion of Americans what it means to be the caretakers of our heritage from behind every blade of grass.
DCM Emeritus Gary Anderson Teaches Clinic at Camp Perry, Ohio:
Here a Springfield M1903 shooter (in period-authentic uniform) competes in CMP Legacy Match.
Read Orchid Advisors’ Full Form 4473 Revision Report on Ammoland.com.
Dope or Guns. But Not Both…
Federal law is clear on this. Make your choice. — Dennis Santiago
You may live in a state where private use of marijuana has been decriminalized, but you still have to worry about the Federal Government. Use of marijuana (cannabis) is still prohibited under Federal law. Admitting that you smoke dope can and will prevent you from being able to purchase firearms. We raise this point because in 2016 ATF modified Forum 4473, the Federal Firearms Transaction Record, to include a new warning. The Shooting Wire explains:
“ATF notified licensees last week that ATF Form 4473… has again been revised. There’s now a warning attached to question 11.e.
11.e is the famous question, ‘Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?’
The warning simply says that use and possession is illegal under federal statute regardless of the state’s rules. Some on social media said, ‘ATF is telling you to mark that answer “no”. Apparently they don’t remember Scooter Libby.
Lying on ATF Form 4473, as noted right above Block 14, is a federal felony — punishable by fines and a term of imprisonment. Want an all-expense paid vacation at Club Fed? If not, don’t mess with the [Federal Government].”
There are a number of other small changes and additions in the latest revision of Form 4473. These changes are reviewed in great detail by Orchid Advisors, firearms industry compliance experts. If you sell firearms, we recommend you read Orchid Advisors’ full Form 4473 Report on Ammoland.com. Below you can read all six pages of ATF Form 4473.
During August, Alabama will offer free shooting at five public ranges, with free instruction, free ammo, plus eye and ear protection provided.
Here’s a program we like, and we wish more states conducted something similar. The state of Alabama is offering FREE Shooting this month at five public shooting ranges. The state will even provide targets, ammo, eye/ear protection, and FREE instruction. This is the kind of promotion that will help grow our sport. We commend Alabama’s state leaders.
During the FREE events, new shooters can work with certified instructors at five of the state’s most popular public shooting ranges: Barbour, Cahaba, Delta, Etowah, and Swan Creek. These ranges are primarily located in Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) throughout the state.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) invites recreational shooters to five public ranges during Alabama’s Free Range Days on August 11, 18, and 25. During these events, license and shooting range permit requirements will be waived. What’s more, equipment, ammunition, and hearing and eye protection will be provided free of charge at the five ranges listed below (during event hours only). Shooters are welcome to bring their own firearms.
Alabama’s Free Range Days will run from 8 am to 12 pm, but shooters are welcome to stay and shoot the remainder of the day on August 11, 18, and 25
CLICK HERE for more information on Alabama’s public shooting ranges. To learn more about Free Range Days, contact WFF Hunter Education Coordinator Marisa Futral at 334-242-3620 or email Marisa.Futral@dcnr.alabama.gov. The ADCNR’s Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) has partnered with the National Shooting Sports Foundation to provide the Free Range Days as part of National Shooting Sports Month — August, 2018. NOTE: License and permit requirements will remain in effect for all other ADCNR public shooting ranges throughout August.
How’d you like to score a check for $25,000? That’s the winner’s pay-out for the 2018 NRA World Shooting Championship (WSC), which runs September 20-22 at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV. This event offers over $250,000 in cash awards and product prizes, making the WSC the richest combined shooting event in the USA (if not the world).
This unique 3-day multi-gun match tests competitors’ skills across twelve challenging stages involving nearly every major shooting discipline for rifles, shotguns, and pistols. All guns and ammo are supplied, but entry fees are steep. Both divisions are currently full, but there is a waiting list.
The 12 WSC stages encompass everything from trap to bullseye pistol to PRS-style precision rifle. There was even a cowboy action stage with Henry “Golden Boy” lever-action rifles.
All the Equipment is Supplied
“What makes this event very unique, especially to a professional shooter, is all the equipment is supplied. You have to leave your ego at home and just try to adapt as best you can to the equipment that you have supplied.” — Jerry Miculek
This major match attracts both sponsored Pros and “regular Joes”. Shooters will be split into two groups: a Professional Division for sponsored shooters, and the Amateur Division for non-sponsored competitors. All firearms, optics, and ammo will be provided by match sponsors for both divisions.
Video Shows Stages at 2017 World Shooting Championship
Cash Awards, Huge Prize Table, and Random Drawings
The NRA World Shooting Championship will offer $250,000 in cash and prizes. Along with the $25,000 winner’s pay-out, there will be fat cash prizes for second and third place overall, High Lady, and High Amateur Junior. Then there are the rich prize tables. In 2017, the Amateur prize table held $100,000 worth of prizes. And last year the WSC added Ten (10) Random Drawings worth $400 each. These drawings, held during the WSC Awards Banquet, gave every competitor a chance to win cash, no matter what their event ranking.
“The format at the NRA World Shooting Championship is unique in that you don’t know what you have to shoot until you show up, so training for the event is a little difficult. My advice is to pack some good eye and ear protection, bring an open mind, be prepared to listen to the stage descriptions, figure out the best way you can take the guns they provide, and post the best score you can. When the match supplies all the guns and ammo, all you have to do is deal with ‘the performance’. This is the most level playing field in the shooting sports — anyone from around the world can come and play.” — Bruce Piatt, 2015 NRA World Shooting Champion
One of our favorite cartridges for small varmints is the 17 HMR. Yes, the newer 17 WSM rimfire has better ballistics, but 17 HMR ammunition is considerably less expensive, and you have a much larger selection of rifles and pre-chambered aftermarket barrels. And out to 150 yards or so the 17 HMR is great on ground squirrels and prairie dogs.
If you are looking for a 17 HMR varmint rifle, one rig you should definitely consider is the Savage A17. Now that this model is offered in a nice laminated thumbhole stock, you can get a fine little 17 HMR rifle for about $450.00. We much prefer the laminated stock A17 over the basic Tupperware version.
How does an A17 shoot? That question was answered a couple seasons back by Varminter.com in a First Hunt Report. Accurate and affordable, the Savage A17 is also the first .17 HMR to feature a delayed blow-back action. Eric Mayer, Editor of Varminter.com, put the semi-auto Savage A17 through its paces.
Mayer wanted to see how the new Savage would perform, accuracy-wise, and he also wanted to see how the A17 fared in the field. Mayer achieved one-MOA accuracy with the Savage A17 using the latest CCI-brand ammo, and he demonstrated the A17 is wickedly effective on ground squirrels. Below we’ve provided highlights from Varminter.com’s Savage A17 First Hunt Report.
“I [collected] as many versions of the currently available .17 HMR ammunition as I could get my hands on. I had already picked-up and tested the new CCI A17 ammunition, so I filled up my ammo safe with other CCI ammunition, as well as Hornady and Winchester, including the lead free 15.5 grain NTX versions, also from Hornady and Winchester. After spending some time at the bench, I saw that this rifle shot the CCI A17 ammunition best, with most groups hovering right around 1″ to 1.20″ at one hundred yards, and some of the other ammo choices in the 1.25″ to 1.50″ range. This was with a warm barrel and in-between cleanings during the break-in process.”
Mayer found the A17 was easy to maintain: “I was very impressed by the ease of pulling the rifle apart for cleaning out in the field. Even with the scope mounted, I was able to quickly and easily remove the parts needed to give me complete access to the barrel through the breach, so cleaning was a breeze.”
A17 Reliability Lessons — Seat Those Rotary Magazines Correctly Folks
Some early A17 purchasers have noted occasional failures to feed. We believe this is because the magazine was not fully seated (and locked in place) in the firearm. The experience of Varminter.com’s Editor seems to confirm this. Mayer reports “As I began to shoot the rifle, I experienced what a few others have reported, with the magazine falling out while shooting. I quickly realized that I was not snapping the magazine into place every time. I found that popping in the magazine while the bolt was pulled, or locked back, resolved the issue. I did have a few failures to feed, but only on some of the older ammunition I was shooting, namely the first year Hornady ammo and the lead free ammo (which is about 3-4 years old). The newer ammo did not have any issues and functioned well, even while shooting some 10-round ‘mag-dumps’. The trigger is on the heavy side.”
A17 Reliability Shown in Video
The Savage A17 went through a very thorough manufacturer’s testing process before it was released to the market. In fact Savage put over 500,000 test rounds through A17 prototypes. When AccurateShooter.com tested the A17 at Media Day — it worked flawlessly, so long as you make sure the magazine is fully seated. We had zero issues, making us think that reported issues may be related to “driver error”; specifically not seating the magazine properly. Watch AccurateShooter.com video with rapid fire sequence.
Are you feelin’ lucky? Then enter this contest run by our friends at EuroOptic.com. The prize is an impressive Modern Sporting Rifle from Barrett. Enter for a chance to win a Barrett REC7 Carbine (5.56×45 NATO), fitted with a Vortex Razor Gen II HD-E 1-6x24mm optic and Seekins Precision cantilevered scope mount. Rifle, scope, and mount collectively have a true retail value of $3887.99 — that’s some serious coin. ENTER Contest HERE.
The Barrett REC7 ain’t your typical AR15 clone. With a gas piston system, this rifle runs much cleaner. One of the most advanced modern sporting rifles on the market, the Barrett REC7 Carbine features a gas piston operating system and a tungsten gray Cerakote on the upper and lower receiver of the rifle. On top, a Picatinny rail extends the full length of the upper receiver with handguard M-LOK attachment points at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The REC7’s hammer-forged barrel is chrome-lined for corrosion resistance, and is fitted with a mil-spec 3-prong flash hider. The REC7 retails for $2299.00.
Quality Vortex Optic with BDC Reticle
The 1-6x24mm Vortex Gen II HD-E scope is optimized for fast engagements from 50 to 500 yards. With a $1399.99 market value, this optic features a JM-1 Bullet Drop reticle that has multiple hold-over points. This JM-1 BDC reticle was designed in collaboration with the legendary shooter Jerry Miculek. Check out the scope features in this video:
Some (Not All) of the Fine Print:
Entry period ends after August 31, 2018. Entry into this sweepstakes constitutes opt-in to be emailed directly from the sweepstakes sponsors. Additionally, entrants who choose to opt-out of our mailing list prior to drawing of a winner are also opting out of the sweepstakes. The winner of the sweepstakes may be required to sign and return a release of liability, declaration of eligibility and, where lawful, a publicity consent agreement, as conditions of receiving the prize. EuroOptic reserves the right to refuse prize to any entrant for any reason. Eligibility is limited to only legal residents of the United States and the District of Columbia. Employees of EuroOptic, Barrett, Vortex Optics are not eligible to enter. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. All federal, state, and/or local rules and regulations apply.
We were the guinea pigs for an experiment. Our mission would be to take what we learned back to our clubs and create programs to teach the sport of High Power riflery to Americans, most of whom, were unfamiliar with shooting, let alone the details of serious competition. It was one of the most rewarding shared experiences of my life and it began a 10-year journey that helped build my love for the sport.
“ATF notified licensees last week that ATF Form 4473… has again been revised. There’s now a warning attached to question 11.e.
During August, Alabama will offer free shooting at five public ranges, with free instruction, free ammo, plus eye and ear protection provided.
Alabama August Free Range Days
