Hunting season is starting soon in most areas of the country. Here’s a way you can improve your hunting skills/knowledge. The NRA is offering a FREE online Experienced Hunter Education Course for those preparing to take advantage of the 2020 hunting season.
“Our Experienced Hunter Education Course provides those who might have taken a season or two off a convenient way to sharpen their skills before heading back into the field.”said Peter Churchbourne, director of NRA’s Hunters Leadership Forum.
NRA’s free 2-hour course is a firearm and hunting safety-training refresher in a convenient and engaging platform available through desktop, tablet, or smartphone. The course is available to everyone at www.NRAEHE.org. NOTE: The course is NOT a substitute for state-mandated hunter safety requirements and does not offer any certifications.
The NRA’s NRA Experienced Hunter Education Course, is an online training program designed to help hunters brush up their skills. Free to all, this comprehensive hunting refresher course will help hunters become safer and more confident before heading out into the field. CLICK HERE for more information.
“If you’ve taken a break from the shooting sports or haven’t hunted in a season or two, our Experienced Hunter Education Course is the perfect refresher for firearms safety and safe hunting practices,” explained Elizabeth Bush, managing director of NRA Community Engagement. “Best of all, we’re offering this service completely free of charge.”
Course Description
This online training course is specifically designed for individuals who have not hunted in the past year or more and are looking for a safety refresher before they head back out in the field. In this course, hunters will have the opportunity to refresh their skills by taking a look at safe hunting practices and firearms safety. Once completed, you will be a safer hunter in the field.
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This is a grim tale. A man almost lost the use of his right hand, and did suffer terrible injuries to his fingers. All because he picked the wrong bottle of powder off the shelf. We have run this story before, and we will continue to run it every year, as a caution to our readers. This mistake is easy to make, but the consequences can be dire. Always, always double-check your powder labels before you start the hand-loading process. If you don’t, you may not have a hand to load with next time…
Similar Labels, Disasterous Consequences
The shooter, Denny K., was assembling some rounds for his brand new 7mm-08 Savage hunting rifle. He thought he was loading with Hodgdon Varget. Instead he had filled his powder measure with Hodgdon TiteGroup, a fast-burning pistol powder. The labels are similar, so the mistake is understandable. But the results were devastating. Here’s what 41 grains of TiteGroup can do in a 7mm-08:
Posting on the Firing Line, in a thread entitled “Lucky to Be Alive”, Denny writes:
“This is the hardest post to post. I know if I had read it a week ago my comment would have been: ‘You have no business reloading’. I had everything perfect, except pouring the wrong powder in the powder measure. I type this slowly with my left hand, embarrassed but … possibly saving someone else a tragedy or, like me, a long drive to the Emergency Room and surgery to save my finger.”
The Still-Sealed Bottle of Varget
Denny did not initially comprehend exactly why the kaboom happened. He thought maybe his new Savage rifle was at fault. Then, on his return home, he discovered something…
Denny wrote: “The seven-hour period it took to go to ER, transport to Trauma Center and surgery made me think it was a Savage rifle issue. Brand new rifle, new brass, triple-checked loading data. The next day I was humbled when I realized the Varget powder was still sealed.
I knew what powder to use. I thought [Varget] was what I used. Not until the following day did I realize the Varget was still sealed.”
At that point, Denny realized what caused the accident — “operator error”. He knew he had to warn others about using the wrong powder: “I knew I needed to share my mistake, even though it is embarrassing, just to remind people. I’ve been reloading for 30 years…”
Editor’s Comment: Denny was not a novice reloader. His experience demonstrates that this kind of mistake can be made by any hand-loader, even one with decades of experience. Be safe guys, take your time when you load your ammo. Remove powders from measures after your loading sessions (pistol powders can look very similar to rifle powders). And by all means CHECK the LABEL on the jug. As the TiteGroup label says: “A little goes a long way.”
It’s not a bad idea to separate your pistol powders from your rifle powders, or perhaps even load for pistol in a separate part of your workshop.
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The NRA’s Shooting Illustrated magazine has a new website, with a smart-phone friendly layout and abundant photos and videos. A lot of work went into the new site, which offers a ton of content for firearms fans. The content mix is heavy on handguns, but you’ll also find features on Modern Sporting Rifles and long-range rifles. The main change in the site is the inclusion of many more photos and videos. ShootingIllustrated.com is now definitely “image-rich” and great for video fans. And the site is now easier to navigate thanks to an intuitive menu bar.
Shooting Illustrated’s new website boasts “a new user-friendly layout [that] enhances the experience for watching videos on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. Look for “I Carry” videos featuring new everyday carry guns and gear, as well as “First Shot” videos highlighting new pistols and rifles.
Here are three top stories you can access right now on the new Shooting Illustrated website. If you like this type of content, then check out ’s Facebook and Instagram feeds for the latest coverage of new products with articles, imagery, and videos.
Click Photos to Read Shooting Illustrated Feature Stories:
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Breaking News — The NRA has CANCELLED the 2021 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits scheduled for September 3-5, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
Here is the NRA’s official Statement:
Important Announcement: NRA Annual Meeting Cancellation
Due to concern over the safety of our NRA family and community, we regret to inform you that we have decided to cancel the 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibits. This cancellation applies to all events and meetings that were scheduled in Houston. We will provide future notification regarding a rescheduled date for the annual Meeting of Members.
We make this difficult decision after analyzing relevant data regarding COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas. We also consulted with medical professionals, local officials, major sponsors & exhibitors, and many NRA members before arriving at this decision. The NRA Annual Meeting welcomes tens of thousands of people, and involves many events, meetings, and social gatherings. Among the highlights of our annual meeting are acres of exhibit space featuring the latest and greatest firearms, the display of countless accessories, and the offering of adventures and group gatherings that many travel hundreds, and some even thousands, of miles to experience. We realize that it would prove difficult, if not impossible, to offer the full guest experience that our NRA members deserve.
The NRA’s top priority is ensuring the health and well-being of our members, staff, sponsors, and supporters. We are mindful that NRA Annual Meeting patrons will return home to family, friends and co-workers from all over the country, so any impacts from the virus could have broader implications. Those are among the reasons why we decided to cancel our 2021 event.
We would like to thank our members, attendees, exhibitors, and staff for their understanding and support. We are grateful for the many contributions of the George R. Brown Convention Center, state and local officials, community organizers, area hotels, and countless event venues across Houston. We receive enormous support from Houston and the State of Texas – and we hope to return to the Bayou City for a full annual meeting experience.
The NRA looks forward to a Celebration of Freedom in Louisville in May 2022. In the meantime, we will support many other NRA local events and smaller gatherings – in a manner that is protective of our members and celebrates our Second Amendment freedom.
We wish continued health and safety to our entire NRA family.
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The Biden State Department has banned imports of Russian-made firearms and ammunition. Russian firearms and ammo importation will be blocked for a minimum of 12 months starting September 7, 2021. The State Department Notice states:
New sanctions imposed today under the CBW Act include:
Restrictions on the permanent imports of certain Russian firearms. New and pending permit applications for the permanent importation of firearms and ammunition manufactured or located in Russia will be subject to a policy of denial.
Action Will Harm U.S. Firearms Owners
The Gun Owners of America (GOA) criticized the action, stating it will NOT achieve its stated purpose, but will only harm American hunters, shooters, and gun owners:
“It is clear to us that the intention is not to harm Russia but rather to hinder the acquisition of firearms and ammunition by American citizens.
Once again, the Biden Administration’s actions are misplaced. Ending imports by licensed importers will not stop drug dealers, murderers, and other assorted street criminals. It will, however, harm legitimate U.S. businesses while driving up the cost of other ammunition due to more buyers chasing a smaller supply.
We recognize the devastating implications these sanctions would have on individual gun owners amidst a national ammunition shortage. We are currently exploring administrative, congressional, and legal avenues to respond to these new sanctions.”
Ammo Shortages Will Worsen Dean Weingarten cautions that the new ban will lead to more ammo shortages:
“This is the second round of sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States over the Aleksey Navalny incident. The first round of sanctions did not ban the importation of Russian ammunition or firearms.
It is unclear how long supplies in the pipeline will last. The announcement is likely to rekindle the ammunition bubble for calibers commonly imported from Russia, such as 7.62×54, 7.62×39, 5.45×39, 5.56×45, and even match grade .22 ammunition.”
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Top Guns at LR Nat’l Championship: SSG Amanda Elsenbuss (2nd place), Oliver Milanovic (Champion), Jeffrey Miles (3rd place). Photo courtesy Shooting Sports USA.
Milanovic Wins LR National Championship
We have a new Long-Range National Champion. Competing at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, Oliver Milanovic took the 2021 NRA National Long Range Championship with a score of 1245-73X. Oliver was shooting an Eliseo Chassis + Borden Action Palma Rifle with 155gr bullets. Finishing second, tied on points but with four fewer Xs, was 2019 National Long Range Champion SSG Amanda Elsenbuss, with 1245-69X. In third place was Jeffrey Miles, just one point back, with 1244-73X.
As you can see, with the top three shooters all separated by just one point, it was a very close competition. But Milanovic, a popular marksman from Arizona, put on an impressive performance to take the win and the Thompkins Trophy. No stranger to the podium, Oliver has been on the winning Sling Division Team at the Berger SW Nationals in the past.
For all the relays, Milanovic shot his trusty .308 Winchester Competition Machine (Eliseo) chassis rifle with a Borden action, loading Palma-spec 155-gr bullets. In the Long Range Championship, other chamberings are allowed for some stages, but we’re told Oliver ran his 155gr Palma load throughout. Milanovic also won the Palma Individual Trophy Match with an impressive 450-30X score, not dropping a single point.
The 2021 NRA Long Range Target Rifle Championships, and Palma Matches, have been taking place this week at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. May of America’s top sling shooters have been competing, employing their skills on targets at 800 to 1000 yards. The Palma Team and individual matches were held August 15-16, with other matches running through Friday, August 19.
15 August — Palma Team Match
16 August — Palma Individual Match
17 August — Leech Cup/Porter/Andrus/Roumanian Team Matches
18 August — Wimbledon Cup/Farr/Doc Aiken/Herrick Team Matches
19 August — Mustin/Remington (and Shoot-offs)/Award Ceremonies*
Last day of the 2021 NRA National Long-Range Championships at Camp Atterbury:
Thomas Colyer Wins Leech Cup Shoot-Off
Forum member Corbin Shell reported: “I was fortunate to score for Thomas Colyer who shoots on the Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association (ORSA) long range rifle team. His Shoot-Off score was a 100-5X — not dropping a point. Michelle Gallagher was also in the Leech Shoot off and shot 99-3X.” A talented marksman, Thomas Colyer also won the Wimbledon Cup several years ago.
Phillip Crowe Wins Mustin Match
FYI, Phillip Crowe, also from Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association (ORSA) long range team, won the Mustin match with a Shoot-Off score of 99-3X. Here is a photo of Phillip at the beginning of the Mustin Shoot-Off.
According to the NRA High Power Rules 3.3.1 (a), a Palma rifle is “a rifle with metallic sights chambered for the .308/7.62 or .223/5.56 NATO cartridge case”.
When talking about Palma rifle competition, the traditional course of fire is at three yardages, 800, 900 and 1000 yards. The first Palma match was conducted by the NRA in 1875 at New York’s Creedmoor Range. The original Palma trophy, now lost to the ages, was commissioned by none other than Tiffanys. SEE 2018 SSUSA Camp Atterbury Long Range Gallery HERE.
IBS 1000-Yard National Championship
The IBS 1000-Yard Benchrest National Championship took place this past weekend, August 14-15, at the scenic Deep Creek Shooting Range outside Missoula, Montana. The Match was well attended, with 66 shooters in the Light Gun (LG) division, and 62 in Heavy Gun (HG). The venue was beautiful (as always), but conditions were challenging at times. One shooter noted: “The wind was brutal the last relay. Many shooters DQ’d”.*
Despite the tough conditions, there were some very impressive performances. Jason Walker took the Overall title, based on combined LG and HG standings. Shooting well in both classes, Jason (aka “LRPV” in our Shooters’ Forum) finished 3rd in LG and 6th in HG. Jason’s LG group size Agg was an impressive 4.357″. Nick Howlett was second Overall. Steve Simons won the LG division while James Bradley topped the HG field.
Jason Walker
Nick Howlett
James Bradley
Richard Jette
Dave Way
Top Five LG Overall
Steve Simons
David Torgerson
Jason Walker
Todd Zaun
Richard Jette
Top Five HG Overall
James Bradley
Jason Walker
Nick Howlett
Jason Peterson
Tom Mousel
Winners photo courtesy Jason Walker, 2021 IBS 1000-Yard Two-Gun Champion.
Gunsmith Alex Wheeler, who built many of the top-finishing rifles, noted: “Congratulations to the winners, you pulled your way to the top in some pretty tricky conditions. It was good to see every one again as well as meeting some in person for the first time.”
Equipment Used by Light Gun and Heavy Gun Competitors
The equipment lists, for both Light Gun and Heavy Gun, were heavily dominated by Krieger barrels. The Overall Winner and both LG and HG class winners used Kriegers. There were also many Bartlein barrels and Lilja barrels. But surprisingly, the equipment lists only showed 5 Brux barrels in Light Gun and 3 Brux barrels in Heavy Gun. BAT actions were the most common in both divisions, followed by Borden actions.
The vast majority of the shooters ran a 6mm cartridge in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun divisions. These were overwhelmingly 6mm Dashers and 6 BRAs. The 6 BRA (aka 6mmBR Ackley Improved) has a 40-degree shoulder like the Dasher, but with a longer neck. There were a half-dozen .300 WSMs in Heavy Gun division, and a couple 7mm RSAUMs, but the 6 Dashers and 6 BRAs dominated the field, even in HG.
Overall Winner Jason Walker was shooting two 6mm Dasher rifles. Both guns had BAT actions, Krieger barrels, and Nightforce scopes. Jason’s Heavy Gun had a Maxi-Tracker stock while his Light Gun had a PR&T LowBoy stock. In both rifles, he ran a 6mm Dasher loaded with Vapor Trail bullets pushed by Hodgdon Varget powder and CCI BR4 primers. Jay Cutright did the barrel work while Gordy Gritters worked on the PR&T stock. (NOTE: Jason changed to the LowBoy stock after the LG equipment list was submitted.)
Light Gun Overall winner Steve Simons was running a 6 BRA in Light Gun. Steve’s LG, smithed by Alex Wheeler, had a BAT action, Krieger barrel, Wheeler LRB stock, and Vortex scope. He loaded his 6 BRA cases with Vapor Trail bullets, Hodgdon H4895 powder, and CCI 450 Primers.
Heavy Gun Overall winner James Bradley was also running a 6 BRA in Heavy Gun. Again this had a BAT Action, Krieger barrel, Wheeler LRB stock, and Vortex scope. The rig was smithed by North Ridge Rifles. James shot Vapor Trail bullets, H4895 powder, and Federal 205M primers.
Looking back at the firing line from the target berm.
Deep Creek Range
The Deep Creek Range in Missoula, MT is one of the nicest places to shoot in the Intermountain West region. The range is located in the mountains within a few minutes drive of Missoula, and there is camping on-site. When conditions are good at Deep Creek, records get broken. To learn more about shooting at Deep Creek, contact Jamey Williams at jameydan[at]gmail.com.
Here is an aerial view of the Deep Creek Range (Drone video by David Gosnell):
* One shooter at the match reported that: “Our last HV gun relay of the Match produced 11 DQs out of 13 competitors.” We have not confirmed this, but even if there were just a handful of DQs is is unfortunate for those HG competitors.
** This is the Heavy Gun Overall, as designated on the right top. However, the columns are erroneously titled “Light Gun”. If you compare the two linked results pages, you will see that they are NOT the same.
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“Whether it is a 9mm pistol, or a rifle, it is ridiculous. I am continuing to push to eliminate the sale of those things.” — President Biden, CNN Townhall, 2021.
CCRKBA TV Notice Quotes President’s Aim to Ban Common Handguns
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) has a new 60-second TV message on several cable networks which exposes the Biden Administration’s true gun control agenda. The focus of the message are the President’s own, undeniable admission that he wants to ban 9mm handguns.
“Neither Joe Biden nor his White House handlers can sugar-coat the president’s acknowledgement during a CNN Townhall program that he intends to ban some of the most popular pistols in the country,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “This was no Biden gaffe[.] It was an admission … that his hope is to ban 9mm handguns owned and used by tens of millions of Americans, including thousands of police officers.”
Biden was responding to a question about gun control when he told his audience: “Whether it is a 9mm pistol, or a rifle, it is ridiculous. I am continuing to push to eliminate the sale of those things.”
“Biden cannot walk that one back no matter how hard he tries,” Gottlieb said, “and we’re going to keep reminding America about what he said. This is not going to be swept under the rug as just another one of Joe Biden’s famous slips of the tongue.”
“When Joe Biden ran for the presidency,” Gottlieb recalled, “his gun control plan was already extreme, but now he’s exposed himself as a handgun prohibitionist. We’re going to energize every American gun owner possible to stop Biden’s radical agenda.”
CCRKBA’s 60-second message will be broadcast on multiple major cable outlets and networks, including AMC, CNN, MSNBC, FOX, The Weather Channel, HLN, Dish TV, CNBC, the Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel and many more.
With more than 650,000 members, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s leading gun rights organizations. The non-profit Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and grass-roots organization of gun rights activists throughout the USA. For more information, visit CCRKBA.org.
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August is National Shooting Sports Month. The NSSF, through its “+ONE” campaigns, encourages all dedicated gun owners invite a new shooter to the range. Here’s the challenge to our readers — make a commitment to introduce at least one new person to the shooting sports this year.
Be sure to tell the new shooter about the 10 Commandments of Firearm Safety:
The +ONE Movement — The Mission
The goal of the +ONE campaign is to build the ranks of shooters. The idea is basic — make a commitment to act as a MENTOR and encourage at least ONE new person to get involved. As the NSSF says: “If just one in three of America’s recreational shooters adds one new person to the shooting sports, we’ll secure a strong future for generations to come.”
So, are you feeling lucky? If so, head over to the NSSF’s Gearbox Giveaway webpage. To celebrate National Shooting Sports Month (NSSM), gun and gear manufacturers are offering big prize packages — the Gearbox Giveaways. Enter to win rifles, pistols, ammo, and other valuable prizes. Total Product Value is over $15,250! Many of the Gearbox packages are worth over $2500. Enter as many of the Gearbox Giveaways as you like, but time’s running out — the last day to enter is August 31, 2021.
Shown below are the 6 Gearbox Giveaways starting with the most valuable products offered in the prize packages. You’ll find more details of the prize packages on the NSSF website. NOTE: You need to enter separately for each Gearbox Giveaway prize package. Good luck!
1. SIG Sauer Gearbox GiveAway — Total MSRP: $3638.98
What’s in the Gearbox:
SIG SAUER CROSS (.308 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor): $1,649.99
SIERRA3 BDX KIT (includes scope and rangefinder): $1429.00
This combo kit includes:
– SIERRA3 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
– KILO1800 Rangefinder
– Features BDX 2.0 for app-free pairing
– Smart BDC reticle with pre-loaded ballistic groups
ELITE HUNTER TIPPED Ammo (10 boxes): $459.99
SIG SAUER GEAR: $100.00
Total MSRP: $3638.98
2. Mossberg Gearbox GiveAway — Total MSRP: $2,695.97
What’s in the Gearbox:
Mossberg MC2c Compact 9mm, w/ Night Sights ($613)
Mossberg 500 12 Gauge Retrograde ($553)
Mossberg MVP Precision Bolt Action, 6.5 Creedmoor ($1,450)
Mossberg Soft Case ($24.99)
Mossberg Aluminum Water Bottle ($19.99)
Mossberg T Shirt ($19.99)
Mossberg Baseball Hat ($15)
Total MSRP: $2,695.97
3. Primary Arms Gearbox GiveAway — Total MSRP: $2,863.90
What’s in the Gearbox:
Geissele Automatics Super Duty Rifle Gray 16″ ($2,225.00)
Primary Arms SLx Advanced Rotary Knob Microdot Red Dot Sight ($129.99)
Reptilia Corp DOT Mount for Aimpoint Micro Black ($98.96)
SureFire M640DF Scout Light Pro Dual Fuel Weapon Light 1500 Lumens ($296.00)
Arisaka Defense M-LOK Indexer ($30.00)
Blue Force Gear Vickers Push Button Sling Wolf Gray ($83.95)
DURAMAG .223 Steel Magazine Orange Follower 30 Round ($81.50)
Tru-Spec 24/7 Series Original Tactical Pant ($49.95)
Primary Arms Logo T-Shirt ($24.99)
Total MSRP: $2,863.90
4. Bear Creek Arsenal Gearbox GiveAway — MSRP: $1,418.89
What’s in the Gearbox:
AR15 16″ bbl 5.56×45 complete rifle ($639.99)
5.56 Gen 2 16″ upper ($264.99)
7.62 gen 2 10.5″ upper ($233.99)
Canted Flip up sights ($39.99)
Standard Scope ($129.99)
BCA Trucker Hat ($11.99)
BCA Shirt ($14.99)
Oval BCA Bear Sticker, bumper sticker, BCA Decal ($10.00)
5.56 Cleaning Kit ($9.99)
Cerus Gear BCA Mat ($23.99)
Gat Monkey BCA Sling ($34.99)
BCA Slack Pack ($3.99)
Total MSRP: $1,418.89
5. Winchester Gearbox GiveAway — Total MSRP: $1,140.00
What’s in the Gearbox:
Choice of Winchester Ammunition (Subject to Availability) – $500
30” Red Swivel Bar Stool (2) – $190
Winchester Red Floor Mat (Choice of Vertical or Horizontal) – $79.95
Winchester Gun Cleaning Mat Only (Pistol & Rifle) – $27
Winchester Gun Cleaning Kit (Choice of Pistol & Rifle or Shotgun) – $23
Winchester Stormtech Duffle Bag – $70
Winchester Red Gun Case (2) – $96
Team Winchester Solar Charger – $20
Winchester Super X 100th Anniversary T-Shirt – $18
Winchester Super X 100th Anniversary Hat (2) – $36
Winchester Black Hoodie – $30
Winchester USA Valor T-shirt – $25
Winchester USA Valor Hat (2) – $50
Total MSRP: $1,140.00
6. Glock Gearbox GiveAway — Total MSRP: $3,500.00 claimed*
What’s in the Gearbox:
G43X 4 Pistol Range Bag MOS – $582
6 Multi-Mag Pouch
Quadcamo Hat
Carry Confidence Shirt
Training course from GLOCK’s Director of Training
All expenses paid trip to tour Glock USA factory
Personalized fan video from Chuck Norris: Priceless
Personalized letter from Mr. and/or Mrs. Glock with both autographs: Priceless
* This $3500.00 stated value is based largely on expenses-paid trip to U.S. Glock Factory. The actual retail value of good is less than $1000.00
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed legislation that provides a Constitutional Right to Carry in the state of Texas. This new law goes into effect September 1, 2021. To help Texans understand how the new Constitutional Carry law works, U.S. LawShield has prepared a free, 28-page downloadable Guide.
Guide Prepared by Texas Attorneys
The U.S. LawShield Texas Constitutional Carry Guide was prepared by the Independent Program Attorneys. The FREE 28-page Guide covers the essential information gun owners need to know, explaining the new law in an easy-to-understand way. Download the free U.S. LawShield Texas Constitutional Carry Guide here: www.uslawshield.com/txcarry.
U.S. LawShield cautions that there are some pitfalls with the new Texas Carry Law: “You could say Constitutional Carry is as simple as carrying without a permit… but you’d be wrong. There’s a reason why gun owners refer to this law as ‘complicated carry’ — it can be an easy trap with severe penalties for the uninformed and irresponsible.”
P.J. Hermosa, CEO of U.S. LawShield, warns: “Constitutional Carry doesn’t mean that anyone can just carry a gun – you must meet the requirements of the law. If not, then you are now a criminal”. That is why we recommend that all Texans who currently carry a firearm, or contemplate doing so in the future, download the FREE TX Constitutional Carry Guide.
More Information for Gun Owners with Carry Permits
There’s a good episode of Gun Talk Radio this Sunday, 8/8/2021. Today Black Hills Ammunition’s Jeff Hoffman explains the ballistic differences between 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. If you’re considering the pros and cons of these calibers you’ll want to listen to the show. In addition Rick Ector from Detroit talks about CCW Training. The show also features Springfield Armory’s Rob Leatham talking about the new 1911 Emissary pistol (see below). Call 866-TALK GUN (866-825-5486) to talk with Tom live during the show!
This broadcast airs Sunday August 8, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern time on 270+ radio stations nationwide. Listen on a radio station near you or via LIVE Streaming.
NOTE: Past podcasts can be heard online via the GUNTALK PODCAST Site and Apple iTunes. The Gun Talk podcast archive has many informative shows. Check out this August 1, 2021 episode which offers smart Long Range Shooting Tips.
Gun Talk Range Ready Giveaway Contest
Gun Talk has launched its latest “Range Ready” giveaway contest. There are seven valuable prize packages, with three shown below, leading off with a Benelli SB3 shotgun plus ammo. Enter now through August 27th by visiting https://www.guntalk.com/win. To enter you must provide an email address.
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Here is an important safety reminder for readers who employ hand priming tools with trays of multiple primers. In this instance a primer detonated while being seating in a pistol cartridge case. This caused a “flash-over” which instantly ignited multiple other primers in the tray. That, in turn, caused a small explosion which broke the tray and Hornady Handheld Priming Tool. The user, a Forum member, posted this report this morning in our Shooters’ Forum.
Report by Forum Member about Primer Flash-Over Incident
I had a small scare the other day while reloading. My experience might be a helpful reminder to people to keep safe and follow proper procedures and not be sloppy.
A primer popped (went off) when being seated and (while hot) flashed over into the tray causing other primers in the tray to detonate. That, in turn, broke my Hornady Handheld Priming Tool and injured my hand.
Here is my loading area after the incident. Note the damage to the hand priming tool. I’m not not sure where the rest of the pieces are.
Injuries to User — Multiple Cuts on Hand and Forearm
This photo shows the resulting cuts to hand. Fortunately they seem superficial. Note — I was wearing latex gloves so my hand had some protection.
The blast also blew my glasses off my face and they landed about six feet away. Be careful folks and wear your eye protection! EDITOR: Guys — This is yet more compelling evidence why handloaders should always wear eye protection!
More Details — Primers Were Federal LP, Case Primer Pockets Had Been Checked
The forum member noted: “Just in case people are interested, I didn’t notice anything different from usual. Cases were Privi Partizan (PPU) factory brass on their fourth firing. The primers were Federal Large Pistol. The cases had been ultrasonic cleaned and the primer pockets checked prior to priming. I had primed around 50 cases during this session before the accident.”
Here is a close-up of “flashed” primers — note the empty but dented cups and triangular “anvils”:
Two other Forum members reported feeding issues with this particular handheld priming tool and one other member, Kiwi Greg, suffered a multi-primer detonation causing injury: “I had the same thing happen a few years ago now with the same Hornady hand primer with 50-75 [Federal 215M primers] in the tray. Made a bit of a mess of both my hands, blew primers and tray all around my large workshop. Scared the [heck] out of my employee who was near me at the time. Some stitches, bandages and it was all good, [but with] some wicked scars… I think a primer had turned side-on when being put into Bertram .408 CT brass which had nice tight pockets and required more force than usual. I use RCBS [priming tools] now with a flat bar that slides across to prevent sympathetic detonations. I hadn’t heard of it before, but found out it wasn’t that uncommon after it happened.”
Thanks to Boyd Allen for finding this post.
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The 2021 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits is less than one month away. The big event runs September 3-5, 2021 in Houston, Texas at the George R. Brown Convention Center. NRA members can Pre-Register HERE.
Wall of Guns — Are You Feeling Lucky?
One popular feature of recent NRA Annual Meetings is the Wall of Guns — a large, wood-framed display with 40+ firearms that will be awarded to lucky ticket purchasers. There will be firearms from gun-makers SIG Sauer, Henry Repeating Arms, Taurus, Diamondback Firearms, and Kel-Tec. Other guns come from online gun seller Gallery of Guns.
Stop by the NRA Foundation’s popular Wall of Guns where a $20 ticket gives you the chance to win a prize from the wall featuring over 40 firearms. All proceeds benefit The NRA Foundation and the future of shooting sports. The NRA Foundation’s Wall of Guns runs the full 3-day duration of the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits.
Drawings take place after 100 tickets are sold. Winners choose one firearm from the “Pick One” side or two firearms from the “Pick Two” side. Along with single $20 ticket sales, there are other options which increase your change to win.
$20 for 1 Ticket
$100 for 5 Tickets, 1 GX4 Reload Ticket
$200 for 10 Tickets, 3 GX4 Reload Tickets
$500 for 5 Tickets, Kel-tec P17 OR Henry AR-7, T-Shirt, 8 GX4 Reload Tickets
This year a special GX4 Reload ticket package provides a 1:10 chance to take home Taurus GX4 firearm. A winner is selected after every 10 rounds on the Wall.
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The Gun Digest 2022, 76th Edition, can be pre-ordered now for $34.99 (paperback). Set for release on 8/17/2021, this 592-page resource covers rifles, shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders, airguns, optics and more. We like the print edition, but there is also a PDF eBook version for $32.99 at Gundigeststore.com. You can read the PDF version on your tablet or computer. Both paperback and PDF versions provide hundreds of photos plus new product roundups, in-depth product tests, and scores of articles and stories.
The Gun Digest 2022 Annual is also available on Amazon.com. The paperback print edition is $31.87 at Amazon while the electronic Kindle version is $23.16 at Amazon.
Gun Digest 2022 Editor-in-Chief Phil Massaro has assembled a large team of respected industry authors for the new book, including Craig Boddington, Joe Coogan, Ron Spomer, Patrick Sweeney, Jim Supica, Thomas Gomez, Tom Turpin, Wayne van Zwoll, Bob Campbell and many more.
Gun Digest 2022 covers hunting, personal defense, target shooting, gunsmithing, and collecting. Historical articles look at the role played by firearms in our country. There are Updated Ballistics Tables, and the catalog section shows off the newest offerings in rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders and air rifles.
Reports from the Field cover the newest firearms and accessories. A Testfire section brings readers up to date on product performance. And the annual photo essay spotlights the finest custom and engraved guns.
Other Good Books from Gun Digest Media
Gun Digest Media produces numerous other quality books for rifle, pistol, and shotgun owners. Here are four volumes we recommend. These are offered in both paperback and eBook versions:
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Talented sharpshooter Kirsten Joy Weiss is featured in an episode of NRA All Access. The show covers Kirsten’s development as a competitive shooter, and her success as a trick-shot artist with her own popular YouTube channel. Here’s the All Access segment featuring many of Kirsten’s most famous trick shots.
During the video Kirsten also talks about her background in shooting and how she wants to be a good ambassador for the shooting sports, “spreading the positive reality of shooting”. Kirsten explains: “The fun challenge and joy of shooting is important to me because I really wanted to be a positive example. So when the media says the ‘guns are a bad thing and nobody does anything good with guns’, they can say ‘Well, what about her [Kirsten]’?”
Kirsten: “I think that it’s important for young girls to have somebody that they can look up to… I feel responsibility to show young shooters coming up, especially females, that you can respect yourself and shoot a gun as well.”
A gifted “natural” shooter, Kirsten started shooting fairly late — at age 16. Despite her relatively late start, she learned very quickly, and managed to earn a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. That literally opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”
Kirsten tells us: “A lot of people don’t think of shooting as a sport, but it absolutely is, and I would even go so far as to say that it is an art form.” We don’t know if this is art, sport, or magic, but very few shooters have the skill or flexibility to make this upside-down shot…
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Today we present a feel-good story about the connection between father and son, and how that bond can grow through marksmanship training — father teaching son. This story features Kelly Bachand, and his young son Charles, who recently shot together at the Skyline Range in Alabama. We have known Kelly for many years, first meeting him when he was a young, prodigy Palma (Fullbore) shooter. As a college student he was holding his own with many of the top sling shooters in the country. Kelly later became a bit of a shooting celebrity as the youngest-ever contestant on the History Channel’s Top Shot TV show.
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Here is Kelly’s report from his session with son Charles: “Today was the first shooting trip in about six months with Charles and he had a ball! We practiced all of the necessary safety rules, began working on some ideas that will help with accuracy, and learned to shoot prone!”
Kelly added: “I didn’t bring a shooting mat with me to Alabama so when we decided to try prone he had to lay on the ground and we used the soft rifle case under his elbows. He loved it!”
Kelly notes that “Charles loved shooting prone and enjoyed shooting our new swinging target (see videos below). I enjoy teaching Charles so much, he is such an intelligent and joy-filled little guy.”
About Father Kelly Bachand
You may recognize Kelly Bachand. He was the youngest competitor on the History Channel’s popular Top Shot TV series. After graduating from the Univ. of Washington with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Kelly works for Aerojet Rocketdyne in Operations Leadership. Kelly’s life has progressed as he first became a husband (to wife Valerie) and then devoted father to three children. Throughout the years, Kelly maintained his interest in target shooting. Kelly is a talented Palma rifle shooter who has competed in major championships. Kelly is the real deal — a genuine marksman. It is great that he is able to share his skills with his young son Charles, who clearly enjoys learning marksmanship with his Dad.
Kelly represented the USA at the 2007, 2011, and 2015 World Long Range Fullbore Championships. In 2007 he was a member of the Gold Medal-winning Under-21 USA Young Eagles team. In 2011 he was the wind coach of the Silver Medal-winning Under-25 USA Young Eagles, and was a firing member of Bronze Medal-winning USA Palma Team. In 2015 he was a firing member of the Silver-Medal winning USA Palma Team. Although Kelly hasn’t competed since the 2015 World Championships, Kelly is still a member of the USA National Rifle Team. Kelly looks forward to competing again one day, perhaps in Palma, PRS, or one of several other firearms disciplines he enjoys.
Keystone Arms Crickett Precision Rifle — Great First Rimfire under $300.00
The little single-shot Crickett Precision Rifle Kelly acquired is very affordable. The base model rig has a $349 MSRP but you can find it for under $270 at some vendors. Or you can get a complete package with scope and bipod for $310-$350. That makes training with your young family members affordable.
The Crickett Precision Rifle from Keystone Sporting Arms is a scaled-down version of popular PRS designs. It features an adjustable comb, “Crickettinny” Rail that accepts Weaver or Picatinny-style rings, and a lower rail mount on the fore-end for the bipod. Sized perfectly for young boys and girls, this single-shot .22 LR is a good choice for a first rimfire rifle,
The Crickett Precision Rifle (CPR) is available in a variety of external colors/finishes, including this patriotic Stars and Stripes model (the “Amendment” Package). The CPR is offered as a base rifle or as a package with 4x28mm scope and bipod. Kelly bought the base model and added a Red Dot optic, which he purchased separately. Kelly explained: “I bought the version without a scope and bipod, then put a Red dot on top — that’s easy for a 4-year old to understand because it has infinite eye relief.”
Here’s a Review of the Keystone Arms Crickett Precision Rifle with another Father & Son Team
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In this .308 Win test, 70° F ammo shot 96 FPS slower than ammo heated to 130.5° F. And the 130.5° ammunition was 145 fps faster than ammo taken right out of the freezer (at 25.5° F). That’s a huge difference…
Today is the first day of August. That means most parts of the country will soon be encountering peak summer heat. Some ranges in the Western states have already recorded temperatures well over 100 degrees F during matches. When dealing with extreme summer heat, you should make a serious effort to keep your ammo at reasonable temperatures. When possible, keep ammo in a cooler in the shade.
Never leave boxes of ammo out in the hot sun. Even with powders advertised as “temp stable” you can see significant velocity increases when ambient temps reach 90 degrees and above. This article explains how temperature extremes (both hot and cold) can alter bullet velocities. The velocity differences between very cold ammo and very hot ammo can be very large, as this article explains.
EDITOR’s NOTE: The Sierra tester does not reveal the brand of powder tested here. Some powders are much more temp sensitive than others. Accordingly, you cannot extrapolate test results from one propellant to another. Nonetheless, it is interesting to see the actual recorded velocity shift with ammo temperature variations in a .308 Win.
Written by Sierra Chief Ballistician Tommy Todd This story originally appeared in theSierra Bullets Blog
A few weeks ago I was attending the Missouri State F-Class Match. This was a two-day event during the summer and temperatures were hot one day and hotter the next. I shot next to a gentleman who was relatively new to the sport. He was shooting a basically factory rifle and was enjoying himself with the exception that his scores were not as good as he hoped they would be and he was experiencing pressure issues with his ammunition. I noticed that he was having to force the bolt open on a couple of rounds. During a break, I visited with him and offered a couple of suggestions which helped his situation somewhat and he was able to finish the match without major issues.
He was shooting factory ammunition, which is normally loaded to upper levels of allowable pressures. While this ammunition showed no problems during “normal” testing, it was definitely showing issues during a 20-round string of fire in the temperatures we were competing in. My first suggestion was that he keep his ammunition out of the direct sun and shade it as much as possible. My second suggestion was to not close the bolt on a cartridge until he was ready to fire. He had his ammo in the direct sunlight and was chambering a round while waiting on the target to be pulled and scored which can take from a few seconds to almost a minute sometimes.
This time frame allowed the bullet and powder to absorb chamber [heat] and build pressure/velocity above normal conditions. Making my recommended changes lowered the pressures enough for the rifle and cartridge to function normally.
Testing Effects of Ammunition Temperature on Velocity and POI
After thinking about this situation, I decided to perform a test in the Sierra Bullets underground range to see what temperature changes will do to a rifle/cartridge combination. I acquired thirty consecutive .30 caliber 175 grain MatchKing bullets #2275 right off one of our bullet assembly presses and loaded them into .308 Winchester ammunition. I utilized an unnamed powder manufacturer’s product that is appropriate for the .308 Winchester cartridge. This load is not at the maximum for this cartridge, but it gives consistent velocities and accuracy for testing.
I took ten of the cartridges and placed them in a freezer to condition.
I set ten of them on my loading bench, and since it was cool and cloudy the day I performed this test I utilized a floodlight and stand to simulate ammunition being heated in the sun.
I kept track of the temperatures of the three ammunition samples with a non-contact laser thermometer.
The rifle was fired at room temperature (70 degrees) with all three sets of ammunition. I fired this test at 200 yards out of a return-to-battery machine rest. The aiming point was a leveled line drawn on a sheet of paper. I fired one group with the scope aimed at the line and then moved the aiming point across the paper from left to right for the subsequent groups.
NOTE that the velocity increased as the temperature of the ammunition did.
The ammunition from the freezer shot at 2451 fps.
The room temperature ammunition shot at 2500 fps.
The heated ammunition shot at 2596 fps.
The tune window of the particular rifle is fairly wide as is shown by the accuracy of the three pressure/velocity levels and good accuracy was achieved across the board. However, notice the point of impact shift with the third group? There is enough shift at 200 yards to cause a miss if you were shooting a target or animal at longer ranges. While the pressure and velocities changed this load was far enough from maximum that perceived over pressure issues such as flattened primer, ejector marks on the case head, or sticky extraction did not appear. If you load to maximum and then subject your ammunition to this test your results will probably be magnified in comparison.
This test showed that pressures, velocities, and point-of-impact can be affected by temperatures of your ammunition at the time of firing. It’s really not a bad idea to test in the conditions that you plan on utilizing the ammo/firearm in if at all possible. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to also test to see what condition changes do to your particular gun and ammunition combination so that you can make allowances as needed. Any personal testing along these lines should be done with caution as some powder and cartridge combination could become unsafe with relatively small changes in conditions.
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Tomorrow is the first day of August, and that means it’s time to get ready for National Shooting Sports Month (NSSM). To help grow the ranks of shooters, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) asks you to bring a new shooter to the range in August. That’s a good mission — adding to the ranks of shooters is the best way to preserve our Second Amendment rights.
This coast-to-coast celebration spotlights the fun and enjoyment of target shooting. Newcomers can take their first shots, and experienced shooters can invite someone new to the range or help an erstwhile shooter rediscover the fun of target shooting. This month-long event involves all the shooting sports — rifle, pistol, and shotgun.
Find Shooting Sports Events Near You
The NSSF’s ShootingSportsMonth.org website offers a comprehensive, searchable database. This lets you search by state, to find ranges, events, and sales promotions near you. Visit the NSSF online database of NSSM shooting events to find matches, clinics, training sessions, special sales — and much more.
Great FREE Targets for Fun at the Range
To promote National Shooting Sports Month, the NSSF has created a dozen FREE Downloadable Targets. There are regular bullseyes, as well as Darts, Golf, and more. We really like the Billiards target and kids love the Water Balloons target. You can download all 12 targets for free, and then print them out, ideally with a color printer. Have at it!
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed legislation that provides a Constitutional Right to Carry in the state of Texas. This new law goes into effect September 1, 2021. To help Texans understand how the new Constitutional Carry law works, 
Report by Forum Member about Primer Flash-Over Incident
A gifted “natural” shooter, Kirsten started shooting fairly late — at age 16. Despite her relatively late start, she learned very quickly, and managed to earn a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. That literally opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”
You may recognize Kelly Bachand. He was the youngest competitor on the History Channel’s popular 
Today is the first day of August. That means most parts of the country will soon be encountering peak summer heat. Some ranges in the Western states have already recorded temperatures well over 100 degrees F during matches. When dealing with extreme summer heat, you should make a serious effort to keep your ammo at reasonable temperatures. When possible, keep ammo in a cooler in the shade.
