The NRA (with help from Smith & Wesson) has created a compelling video explaining how and why women use firearms for hunting, sport, and self-defense.
The video features many of our friends, including pistol champion Julie Golob and ace 3-Gun competitor Maggie Reese. The video spotlights women who value their Second Amendment rights, understanding that a firearm remains the “great equalizer”, allowing women to protect themselves and their families. The video challenges the anti-gun politicians and media “talking heads” who want to disarm women: “These authorities that I’ve never met, they’ll never know me, they’ll never know my circumstances, they’ll never know what I’m up against”, says Natalie Foster.
“So many things can change when we start losing our civil rights, and our most basic civil rights of self-defense.” — Julianna Crowder.
“I want to protect my child in any way that’s possible. And I want them to have that right to protect… our future. It’s not just about Washington… it’s about sharing your sport, sharing your passion, sharing your desire to protect yourself.” — Julie Golob
“On that day, let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting and enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”
– 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Veterans Day proclamation.
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918, bugle calls signaled the ‘cease fire’ ending the First World War. (The official Armistice was signed earlier that morning.) To those who endured it, WWI was the “Great War”, “the War to End All Wars.” Tragically, an even greater conflict consumed the world just two decades later.
Today, 98 years after the end of WWI, Americans mark the anniversary of the WWI Armistice as “Veterans Day”. In Canada it is known as Remembrance Day. On this solemn occasion we honor all those who have served in the military in times of war and peace.
While more WWII veterans pass away each year, there are still over 21.8 million veterans in the United States. Take time today to honor those soldiers, sailors, and airmen who have served their nation with pride. Today we remember that… “All gave some, and some gave all.”
Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James Peake asked Americans to recognize the nation’s 21.8 million living veterans and the generations before them who fought to protect freedom and democracy: “While our foremost thoughts are with those in distant war zones today, Veterans Day is an opportunity for Americans to pay their respects to all who answered the nation’s call to military service.”
On Veterans Day we especially need to remember the seriously wounded combat veterans. These men and women summon great courage every day to overcome the lasting injuries they suffered in battle. Some of these soldiers have lost limbs, yet volunteered to return to combat duty. That is dedication beyond measure.
National Veterans Day Ceremony
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Major regional ceremonies and events are also held throughout the country.
Report by Des Parr
With every new season, standards in the F-Class game are climbing ever higher. Shooter are improving their skills set while equipment and loading techniques are improving (thanks in part to websites such as this). Evidence of the level of improvement in F-Class shooting comes from the UK, where a talented shooter drilled a new GBFCA record score. One of our rising stars on this side of the pond is F-Open shooter Paul Hill. He hails from England’s wide-open flat lands where the wind blows strongly in from the North Sea and where a shooter must soon learn to read the wind.
At the European Championships held in September at the Bisley ranges, Paul set a new record score at 900 yards — a 100-17V! That’s 17 shots placed in a five-inch circle the size of a CD (compact disc) at over half a mile. [NOTE: At Bisley, the maximum score is FIVE points, not ten points. So the maximum score for 20 shots is 100. Also what Americans call an “X” is called a “V” at Bisley.]
Record Set with Slower Pair Firing Method
Bear in mind the style of shooting here in Great Britain is pair-firing. Under this procedure, each of two competitors shoots alternately, taking turns from shot to shot. Each shooter has 45 seconds to get his shot off. Allowing for the target pullers to do their jobs, this means that each shot can take up to one minute. As Paul was pair firing, he had to concentrate for up to 40 minutes to get all 20 shots off! You can imagine how many times the wind changed course in those 40 minutes — pick-ups, let-offs, changes of angle and direction. Paul had to counter each change and still managed to keep 17 shots in that 5-inch circle!
Paul Hill Sets Record with His First-Ever DIY-Chambered Barrel
What makes this new GBFCA record all the more significant is that Paul did it by barreling his own rifle — and for the first time! By simply taking great care and attention he has chambered and fitted a barrel himself to the very highest standards. Paul chambered the Krieger 1:9″-twist barrel for the .284 Winchester cartridge. His action was a Barnard. The stock is by Joe West.
Record Shot with Lapua 180gr Scenars and Russian Primers
We should note that Paul Hill is a very keen fan of Lapua’s 180gr Scenar-L bullet. It has to be said that this bullet doesn’t have the highest BC, yet whatever it lacks in that department it more than makes up for by being remarkably consistent — and consistency counts for a lot. Paul is also a fan of the Russian KVB-7 primers. His achievement is proof that Lapua Scenars and KVB-7 primers are every bit as good as the premium-priced alternatives. The powder was Vihtavuori N160. [Editor: For its 180gr Scenar-L, Lapua lists a 0.661 G1 BC, and a 0.332 G7 BC. Those numbers may not top the charts, but they are still very impressive.]
Records are made to be broken, but we think it will be quite a while before Paul’s 200-17X is surpassed in European competition. If you feel up to that challenge, consider competing in next year’s European Championships in late September 2017.
We are saddened to report that Mike Dillon, founder of Dillon Precision, has left the range. Mike, whose progressive loaders revolutionized the reloading industry, passed away just before Election Day. His company issued this notice:
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Mike Dillon. Mike left us on the morning of November 7th, 2016. He leaves behind a large family including wife Carol, sons Stephen and Christopher, daughter Stephanie, and 9 grandchildren. Mike’s legacy has touched the lives of countless people worldwide. He revolutionized the ammunition reloading industry and made it what it is today. Mike also redesigned and manufactured the M134 Minigun that is now in service in the United States and foreign military forces. As a passionate aviator, he worked for TWA as a Second officer for 13 years and later made a name for himself as a writer for Air Progress Magazine. He is recognized by some as being the one who started the warbird restoration movement in the 1960s.
Mike’s dedication to his family, his customers, and this country was exemplary. We hope to continue the legacy that Mike Dillon worked so hard to build and we will never forget the impact that he has had on us all.
We take comfort knowing he is flying in the blue skies of heaven above.”
Leading figures in the shooting sports mourned Mike’s passing:
“Mike Dillon is a true inventor and pioneer in the shooting community. Shooters everywhere have benefitted from Mike’s affiliation with the best people and listening to their suggestions.” — Michael Voigt
“Since Mike Dillon has been involved with the shooting community, it is impossible to estimate the impact of his incredible ingenuity and generosity.” – Brian Enos
“This is very sad, Mike was a GREAT man. I had the privilege of photographing him in the mid 90s, he was very humble and generous soul. Mike changed the reloading industry FOREVER.” — Yamil Sued
Mike Dillon Content on Facebook
During the coming months Dillon Precision will publish many of Mike’s articles, videos, and photographs on the Dillon Precision Facebook Page. One of the first items released was the classic Machine Gun Magic video, showcasing the M134 Mini-Gun Mike Dillon invented.
With hunting season already in full swing, many game hunters have questions about terminal performance and particular caliber/cartridge combinations. Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics says there are really a number of questions that need to be answered:
1) What’s the max range that the shooter/rifle is capable of hitting the intended target?
2) What’s the max range that a bullet can kill the intended game?
3) How do bullets kill?
4) Effects of Muzzle Velocity on Lethality.
(Your MV may be lower in winter with temp-sensitive powders).
5) Long Range Lethality and the Ballistic Coefficient.
You’ll find answers to these and other questions in Bryan’s book, Applied Ballistics for Long-Range Shooting. These topics are covered in Chapter 15: Lethality of Long Range Hunting Bullets. Bryan says: “For responsible hunting, knowing your limits and your rifle’s limits, is important.”
Bryan’s book also includes Bullet Lethality Charts for a variety of calibers and cartridge types. These charts feature categories for 600-lb, 300-lb, and 150-lb Game animals so you can match performance to the size of your prey. Bryan explains: “If I wanted to know how a Medium Capacity Cartridge shooting the 6mm Berger 115 VLD will perform on 300-pound game, I can reference the bullet-specific chart.”
Ruger was the big winner at the recent National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo in Kansas City. Ruger was recognized as the NASGW Firearms Innovator of the Year for the second year in a row. In addition, Ruger earned its tenth straight Firearms Manufacturer of the Year Award. That’s an impressive double victory for Ruger, which has been on a roll lately, with many hot-selling guns, including the hugely successful Ruger Precision Rifle. In Kansas City, Ruger CEO Mike Fifer was also presented with the NASGW Chairman’s Award.
According to the NRA’s American Rifleman: “The Firearms Innovator of the Year award is given to the company that is committed to developing unique products, services or strategies that set that company apart from its competitors; has made an outstanding contribution in furthering the image and development of shooting sports; enhances and increases significantly the growth and expansion of shooting sports; and actively supports NASGW and its wholesaler member firms. The Firearms Manufacturer of the Year recipient is determined by NASGW Wholesaler members who evaluate the performance of manufacturers on four key criteria: distribution policy; marketing, promotions and sales; logistics and operations; and NASGW and industry support.”
Along with its hot-selling, practical/tactical RPR bolt guns, Ruger has upgraded its handgun line-up with value-priced compact carry pistols and the well-designed line of Ruger American pistols. Ruger’s engineers worked hard to develop these new products, and the payoff has been in record sales numbers and impressive corporate earnings. “The Ruger American Pistol is the most advanced semi-auto pistol we’ve ever produced,” noted Ruger CEO Mike Fifer, who is featured in this NRA-produced video:
Today’s the day — November 8, 2016, Election Day. We urge all our readers to get out and vote. Every vote DOES count. This is a very critical election for gun rights issues. It’s not just about the Presidential race. Control of Congress is at stake, as are important upcoming nominations for the Supreme Court. If you care about the future of the country (not to mention the future of the shooting sports), get out and vote today.
Likewise, remember that state elections are very important too. Just look at what has happened in California. Every year Californians have seen new challenges to citizens’ Constitutional rights to own firearms. Handguns are restricted, self-loading rifles are restricted, hunting areas are closed. And now California’s majority-party politicians want to require citizens to have a state permit in order to purchase ammunition. Make no mistake about it — the ultimate goal of many proponents of these measures is to end private ownership of firearms altogether. The only way to halt these kind of infringements is to elect State and Federal representatives who respect gun rights, who are friends of the shooting sports, and who believe in the Second Amendment.
Throughout the cinematic history of Hollywood, guns have been popular elements. You’ll find firearms featured in all sorts of movies — westerns, historical war dramas, spy flicks, and action thrillers. The National Firearms Museum has a Hollywood Guns exhibit dedicated to some of cinema’s most iconic firearms. Think you can name these famous guns found in the exhibit? Take the quiz and put your knowledge to the test. It will take a good knowledge of cinema AND guns to do well. FWIW, Your Editor just did this quiz on the NRA Blog Website and got 6 out of 7 answers correct. Can you beat that score?
NOTE: The quiz skips one question. You’ll see a reference to “Question Eight” but there are actually only seven (7) questions.
By all indications, Americans are buying more guns than ever before. Some pundits have joked that President Obama is the “greatest gun salesman in history”. Looking at NICS (FBI instant check) records, Dean Weingarten of the Gun Watch Blog concludes that 2016 will see new records set, likely surpassing 2015 as the year with the highest number of gun sales ever. CLICK Link to Gun Watch.
Weingarten writes:
The private firearm stock in the United States will have increased by nearly 100 million firearms, or 30%, during the two terms of the Barack Obama presidency.
Many indicators show a soaring and diverse level of gun ownership. Carry permits are burgeoning, approaching 15 million and more. Gun ownership among women and minorities is at an all-time high.
This October continued the record-breaking pace to establish 2016 as the year with the most gun sales ever. The 2016 NICS checks are far ahead of those for 2015, the previous record holder. In October 2016 there were 2,333,539 National Instant Checks done. In 2015, the NICS done in October were 1,976,759.
In 2015, the total NICS checks for the year were 23,141,970. In 2016, through October, they were 22,206,233. That is less than 1 million below the total for 2015, with the two biggest months in 2016 yet to happen. Last year there were 17,584,346 by the end of October.
A record number of NICS Checks may take place in 2016. Photo: Benton Co. Gunworks.
The numbers are 26.3% ahead of where 2015 was at this time. If this pace continues, 2016 will end up with 29.2 million background checks for the year.
Given the NICS numbers, there will probably be 17 to 18 million guns added to the private stock in 2016. That would increase the total number to over 400 million private firearms in the United States.
Who would have thought that President Obama would be the record-setting, all time champion, gun salesman? The total NICS checks will reach over 250 million by years end. That will be over 150 million firearms added to the private stock in the last 18 years (there are 0.6 sales per check on average). Over 37% of the private firearms stock will be less than 18 years old.
Sierra’s new 110gr 6mm MatchKing is so new you won’t even find it on Sierra’s website. But MidwayUSA has it listed as “coming soon”. This new bullet, optimized for a 1:7″-twist barrel, promises class-leading ballistics. The listed G1 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is an impressive 0.617 (sorry, no G7 BC has been stated). That’s 12.8% higher than the 0.547 G1 BC Sierra claims for its older 107gr MatchKing. That’s a very significant improvement. We attribute the reduced drag of the new 110-grainer to an improved hybrid-ogive bullet shape along with much smaller meplats. Sierra has not yet confirmed that it is pointing the meplats of the new 6mm 110s at the factory, but we expect that may be the case. In this respect the 110-grainers could be like Sierra’s excellent 183gr 7mm MatchKings, which come with tight, pointed tips right out of the box.
G1 vs. G7 and Listed BCs vs. Tested BCs — What You Need to Know
Manufacturer-listed G1 Ballistic Coefficients of 6mm Match Bullets
If you look at the table above you’ll see that Sierra’s claimed 0.617 G1 BC for the new 110gr MK is higher than the 0.536 Berger lists for its 105gr 6mm Hybrid and higher than the 0.536 Hornady lists for the new 108gr 6mm ELD Bullet. We do think Sierra’s 110-grainer will prove to have the highest BC of the bunch, based on recent comparison tests by Sierra.
Let’s explain… Sierra lists a 0.547 G1 BC for its 107-grain MatchKing. Sierra tells us that the the .547 listed BC is for the current lots of 107-grainers which are pointed by Sierra. Sierra’s Matt Reams states that the new 110-grainers definitely have less drag than the current Sierra 107gr MKs or Berger 105gr Hybrids: “We have shot the pointed 107s side by side (raced) in our 300-meter range next to the [Berger] 105s and our pointed 107s had a higher BC between those two lots. In the comparison we did, our lot of new pointed 107s had a slightly higher BC than the [Berger] 105s. The 110s are significantly higher than both.”
In the real world, Sierra’s new 110gr 6mm MatchKing may not have as big an edge over the competition as it seems from Sierra’s claimed 0.617 G1 BC. (The G7 numbers may be closer.) Nonetheless, we do expect that Sierra’s new 110-grainer will be very competitive, and may actually have best-in-class BC. And if the new 110gr SMKs come “tipped” from the factory that will be a very good thing.
Anybody currently shooting a heavy 6mm bullet in competition should look at the new 110gr MatchKing when it becomes available. It could prove to be a winner. NOTE However — Sierra recommends a true 1:7″-twist barrel to stabilize the new 110-grainers.
New Product Tip from Boyd Allen. We welcome reader submissions.
The NRA (with help from Smith & Wesson) has created a compelling video explaining how and why women use firearms for hunting, sport, and self-defense.
You’ll find answers to these and other questions in Bryan’s book, 
Likewise, remember that state elections are very important too. Just look at what has happened in California. Every year Californians have seen new challenges to citizens’ Constitutional rights to own firearms. Handguns are restricted, self-loading rifles are restricted, hunting areas are closed. And now California’s majority-party politicians want to require citizens to have a state permit in order to purchase ammunition. Make no mistake about it — the ultimate goal of many proponents of these measures is to end private ownership of firearms altogether. The only way to halt these kind of infringements is to elect State and Federal representatives who respect gun rights, who are friends of the shooting sports, and who believe in the Second Amendment.
