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October 25th, 2016
Earlier this month the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) held its annual 200/300 Yard Score Nationals at the Mid-Carolina Gun Club in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The event was attended by 40 shooters from the Mid-Atlantic states. Despite sometimes tricky conditions the IBS competitors produced impressive results. Wayne France shot a great match to win the Grand Agg with 497-14X as well as take top honors at 300 yards (249-6X). Steve Hill won the 200-yard stage with a 250-10X, not dropping a point even in challenging conditions. Finishing a close second in the Grand Agg was bullet-maker Allie Euber with 497-11X. Third overall was Jim Cline with 496-10X.
TOP TEN Grand Aggregate Results
IBS 200/300 Yard Score Nationals, South Carolina, Oct. 14-16, 2016
Report by Paul Hammer, IBS Editor
I attended the 200-300 Yard IBS Score Nationals this year, being held for the first time at the Mid-Carolina Gun Club in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The Mid-Carolina Club is a well-established, multi-discipline shooting facility that offers Benchrest matches, as well as other types of rifle, pistol, skeet, and trap shooting. The well-designed Benchrest facility at the club is fairly new.
The Mid-Carolina Gun Club Benchrest range featured 20 benches, with a new and very nice covered area. There is plenty of room for the competitors to “set up shop” for reloading and do gun maintenance between relays. The Benchrest area even has its own office for weighing in the guns etc., and its own restrooms. The Benchrest area also has a modern PA system that permits the range officers to run the match safely and efficiently.
The Mid-Carolina Gun Club offered 20 concrete benches, sheltered from the sun.
Mother Nature provided extra nice southern weather for everyone for the entire weekend, except for some persistent and tricky winds to keep the shooters on their toes. Friday was the first day of this exacting Benchrest shoot that gave the competitors time for practice and to set up the wind flags before the Saturday 200-yard event. And Saturday’s conditions proved that the wind flags would be necessary!
Shifting Conditions on Saturday Challenged Shooters
Saturday morning started out with lots of erratic shifting winds which tested the competitors’ wind-reading skills. The winds did subside later in the day, but not much, and after each relay shooters were talking about the one or two that “got away” from them.
Benchrest Score shooting is all about trying to “hit the dot” on 25 separate bullseye targets over five relays. The center “dot” is only about 1/16th of an inch in diameter, and if you hit it, the hits score an “X” for you. Perfect scores of 250 are the goal of top competitors in this exacting rifle competition. Hits on the Xs are what break the ties.
IBS Score Benchrest shooting is fun for young and old alike….
Most score rifle shooters usually use a co-axial (Joystick-type) front rest that enables them to rapidly position their rifle for each shot, moving from target to target quickly and precisely.
“Blonde on Blonde” — Here’s a lovely blonde maple stock resting in a custom light-colored wood cleaning cradle box. Handsome gun, nice workmanship on the cleaning box.
Rifles for Score Benchrest are usually built especially for the sport. The 30 BR is by far the most popular cartridge for this discipline. The 30 BR’s larger-diameter bullet hole gives the shooter a scoring edge over a 6mm or smaller caliber. Though the 6PPC is “King of the Hill” in group matches, the larger-caliber 30 BR rules the roost in Score competition.
Mr. Ronnie Long is one of the leading developers of the 30 BR and also an excellent riflesmith. Ronnie showed up Saturday morning for the match to see many of his friends. It was good to see him at the match! It is not surprising that many of the competitors use his rifles. I would also mention that the 30 BRs that Ronnie crafts are really works of art. Ronnie’s custom-built rifles display precision metal and beautiful stock work (many have exotic paint jobs), and of course they are very accurate!
Sunday’s 300-Yard match concluded the tournament. The competitors really seemed to enjoy this match, which gave them the opportunity to pursue perfection in shooting, and to learn from others. Many thanks to the Mid-Carolina Gun Club, whose members assisted with the targets and cooked some great meals. The Mid-Carolina Club proved an excellent host facility, delivering a well-run match and excellent meals for the competitors.
The Mid-South Club in South Carolina hosted this year’s 200/300 Score Nationals.
If you’d like to try out the sport of Benchrest shooting then you’ll be welcome to join us at any of our matches. The IBS offers a variety of rifle-shooting disciplines: Group BR Matches, Score BR Matches, Mid-Range Matches, and Long-Range Matches. It’s a great way to learn a lot about rifle shooting and meet some nice folks too!
For complete match results from the 200/300 Nationals, visit the IBS Website. You’ll find full individual results, plus a full equipment list. Shown below is the the Top TEN equipment list (click to enlarge).
TOP TEN Equipment List — CLICK to VIEW Full-Screen:
While some competitors shoot, others reload — that’s the nature of the short-range Benchrest game.
October 21st, 2016
With the success of the King of 2 Miles (KO2M) event and the growing popularity of extreme long range shooting, we’ve seen an increased interest in really big cartridges for really long range. One such wildcat cartridge is the 300 Raptor pioneered by Kirby Allen. This monster magnum can launch a 230gr bullet at 3350 fps. That delivers some serious ballistics at extreme long range.
 Kirby Allen of Allen Precision Shooting, www.apsrifles.com, has developed a .30-caliber, jumbo-sized magnum wildcat cartridge. The powerful 300 Raptor (center in photo) is based on Allen’s 338 Excalibur parent case (far right in photo), necked down to 30 Cal with shoulder moved forward to increase case capacity. Allen states: “This is the largest capacity and performance .30 caliber magnum on the market that can be used in a conventional sized receiver.”
Shoot 200s at 3600 fps
Performance of Allen’s new 300 Raptor is impressive. Allen claims that “200gr Accubonds can be driven to nearly 3600 fps, 230gr Berger Hybrids to 3350 fps, and the 240gr SMK to right at 3300 fps. These loads offered case life in excess of 6-7 firings per case and many of my test cases have over 8 firings on each case so they are not an overly hot load showing the potential of this big .30 caliber.”
To showcase the new cartridge, Allen built up a prototype rifle with a McMillan A5 stock, Raptor LRSS Action with extended tenon, and a Jewell trigger. The first 300 Raptor Rifle is currently on its second barrel, a new 30″, 3-groove 1:9″-twist Lilja in a custom APS “Raptor Contour”. This distinctive dual-fluted contour runs full-diameter almost to the end of the stock, and then steps down and tapers to the muzzle, where a beefy Medium 3-port ‘Painkiller’ Allen Precision brake is fitted.
Story tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
October 14th, 2016
Think Vegas in January, baby — yes, we’re talkin’ about SHOT Show (Jan. 17-20, 2017). Registration for the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s 2015 SHOT Show is now open for all Attendees and Media. Register online now at Shotshow.org. The SHOT Show hotel booking system is also active. It’s a good idea to reserve rooms early to get the best rates. SHOT Show organizers have negotiated deeply discounted rates at dozens of Las Vegas hotels, with prices as low as $56 per night.
Scheduled for January 17-20 in Las Vegas, the big gun industry convention is just three months away. While registering, attendees can add Industry Dinner tickets, enroll in SHOT Show University, and/or sign up for other educational offerings.
SHOT Show tip from EdLongrange. We welcome user submissions.
October 13th, 2016
Sometimes a dedicated shooter just has to help out. That was the case for our friend Dennis Santiago, who drove from Southern California all the way to Phoenix, Arizona this past weekend to help with the CMP Games being held at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility.
Here’s a Facebook post from Dennis Santiago, reporting from Ben Avery:
Western Games Pit Monkey 2016
Competitive high-powered rifle shooting is very much a team sport. Though shot individually, it is the product of many things and many people working together. Sometimes circumstances are such that it means it’s your turn to help. That was the case this weekend. It was so good to see everyone. — Dennis
Pay It Forward
Definition of phrase: 1. Respond to a person’s kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else. E.g.: “I will take the support I have had and try to pay it forward whenever I can.”
We commend Dennis for his willingness to help staff this important shooting event. Likewise we commend all those persons who volunteer to help at shooting matches around the country. Without their commitment and dedication, the shooting sports could not thrive.
October 11th, 2016
Breaking News: Berger Bullets Joins Nammo Group
The Nammo Group, parent of Lapua and Vihtavuori, has announced the acquisition of Berger Bullets, one of the USA’s leading bullet makers. With Berger Bullets joining the Nammo Group, this teams America’s ultra-premium bullet-maker with what is arguably the world’s most respected cartridge brass and ammunition-maker. This is huge news. For competition shooters this may be a “marriage made in heaven”. Many top shooters, including champions like Bryan Litz and John Whidden, are already shooting Berger bullets in Lapua brass. This merger will make it easier for the two companies (Berger and Lapua) to optimize the performance of factory ammo, as well as to optimize brass for use with Berger match projectiles.
A spokesman for Lapua said that Lapua will continue to make bullets in Europe while Berger will conduct its regular operations in the USA: “Lapua will still make bullets, and it will be ‘business as usual’ for Berger at this time. There are no plans to change production sites to consolidate product lines. Berger will continue to operate as an independent business, just under the Nammo umbrella.” NOTE: This acquisition will be subject to regulatory approvals by U.S. governmental authorities.
On firearm industry analyst believes this merger is a “win-win” for both Berger and Nammo: “This will help Berger export more product to the European market while it will give Nammo a stronger connection to the huge U.S. firearms market, expanding Nammo’s North American customer base”. Nammo president/CEO Morten Brandtzæg concurred, stating: “Having Berger Bullets on board is the perfect match for Nammo. Their products, which are complementary to our other premium brands, will strengthen our group’s strategic position in the U.S. commercial ammunition market.” This acquistion WILL include Berger’s ABM Ammunition and J-4 Jackets product lines.
Here is the press release issued by the Nammo Group, which is headquartered in Norway and has 2,100 employees in 12 countries:
October 11th, 2016
On the heels of the announcement that Berger Bullets will join the Nammo group, the following information was posted on the Long Range Hunting Forum by Doc Beech of Applied Ballistics:
I would like to emphasize a couple of things before you read on. The [acquisition of Berger Bullets by Nammo] CHANGES NOTHING. Production will remain in the same facility, by the same people, to the same quality. Berger Bullets will remain the highest-quality bullets on the market. What this merger does, is it gives these companies [the opportunity] to work together, to provide the highest-quality ammunition.
Lapua is well known for its high-quality brass, VihtaVuori makes high-quality powder, and Berger makes high-quality bullets. When you put the three together, you have the possibility of unmatched, premium … factory ammunition. To be clear, this will not affect the quality or way that Berger bullets are produced.
Q & A about Berger Bullets Joining Nammo Group
Q. What are Nammo’s plans concerning Berger Bullets?
A. Nammo plans on operating Berger Bullets as a stand-alone brand with support from the Nammo Group in a number of areas. First, they would like to help Berger improve the availability of many of their bullets that are in high demand.
Q. Are you going to eliminate any specific bullets? In other words, do they need to stock up!
A. We have no immediate plans to discontinue any of our bullets. We will continue as a part of our normal business practice to discontinue bullets that have been replaced by a superior product or those that do not have a demand sufficient to warrant allocating time in our production schedule. This is just what we have always done as part of our process.
Q. Is Bryan Litz still going to be the ballistician for Berger Bullets?
A. Yes. Bryan is an important part of the Berger Bullet team and our plans definitely include keeping Bryan on as our lead ballistician.
Q. Is Eric Stecker going to remain in charge of Berger Bullets?
A. Eric Stecker will continue as President of Berger Bullets
Q. Are the same dealers going to carry Berger Bullets?
A. Yes, we have no plans to change the way we distribute Berger Bullets to the shooting community.
Q. Does this mean ABM Ammo will have direct access to components like powder and brass?
A. Yes.
__________________
Doc Beech – Applied Ballistics
doc.beech@appliedballisticsllc.com
www.abmediaresources.com – www.appliedballisticsllc.com
October 11th, 2016
Facebook photo by Mike Bowers
 The 2016 GAP Grind, the biggest Precision Rifle Series event in history, was a huge success. Pro Class winner Jim See reports: “What a weekend! The GAP Grind was one of the best-run matches I have ever shot. George Gardner, Shannon Kay, and some of the best ROs in the sport ran 236 shooters [firing 200+ rounds of ammo each] in about 18 hours over two days. Bushnell Sports Optics and G.A. Precision were the title sponsors. Thank you for your efforts to host matches like the Pro-AM. Congrats to Nick Steder and Matthew Saban for the win on the Team portion of the event. I competed against many friends at this match, some shined and some struggled. All of them are top notch. Thanks guys for the help and support through-out the year.”
Ramia Whitecotton Facebook photo.
Jim See reports: “Day 2 had every shooter on his own point scoring, with the Amateurs getting coaching from their PRO — that’s such a great match format for learning. My Surgeon Rifle in 6.5×47 Lapua ran flawlessly with my Gen 2 Vortex Razor allowing Berger Bullets to find their mark. My new friend Clifton Reasor brought some of the new Game Changer bags to the match and I snagged one Saturday night. Great product and aptly named — this thing has earned a permanent place in my pack.”
Josh Temnnen Facebook photo
Charles R. added: “Shannon Kay & George Gardner did an outstanding job running the largest PRS match in history. The ROs and support staff were exceptional. So much greatness in this match…”
One stage required the use of “human support” by one’s team-mate. Here Shooting USA’s John Scoutten provides a strong shoulder for a female competitor.
Ramia Whitecotton Facebook photo.
LITTLE GIRLS GRIND TOO
There were some very young and very talented junior lady competitors at this year’s GAP Grind. These school-girls had fun and showed the big boys a thing or two.
George Gardner says this little lady (above) can shoot: “300-yard positional mover, 9 years old, 4 hits! This is what it’s all about people — GAP Grind Pro-Am!”
Mike R. says: “I couldn’t be more proud of my daughter (above) shooting the GAP Grind. She had a great time and did pretty well for her first huge match flying solo. The good news is she really likes shooting, the bad news is she really likes shooting! I’m looking forward to taking her to many more matches. Thanks Shannon Kay and George Gardner for letting her shoot the Grind. Thanks Alison T. for being her partner. She had a blast!” (photo by Mike R.)
2016 GAP GRIND Gallery
Enjoy the images from the 2016 GAP Grind. Photos, unless otherwise indicated, come from Ramia Whitecotton’s GAP GRIND 2016 photo album.
Here’s a “Dawn Patrol” shot from Bryan Sikes. He mastered this stage: “6:00 am cold bore…..nailed it!”
The Pipeline Stage was claustrophobic…
With 236 competitors, the firing lines at the 2016 GAP Grind were full.
The shooting platform offered a double-decker challenge…
Editor’s Comment: It’s great to see such a well-attended and well-run event. Many participants reported that this was probably the “best GAP Grind ever”. That said, we notice from the photos that many competitors did not use eye protection. For myriad reasons that should be obvious, we strongly encourage all competitive shooters, no matter what their discipline, to use quality eye protection whenever shooting firearms.
October 5th, 2016
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) hailed the recent bipartisan introduction of the Export Control Reform Act of 2016 in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 6176, as well as the companion Senate bill, S. 3405, and called on Congress to pass this important legislation.
“The Export Control Reform Act of 2016 seeks to complete what the Obama administration itself began by transferring the export licensing and enforcement oversight of sporting and commercial firearms to the Commerce Department from the State Department,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “We would especially like to thank the sponsors: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.); Congressmen Henry Cuellar (D-Texas); Tom Marino (R-Penn.); Gene Green (D-Texas); and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) for their timely bipartisan leadership as well as Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) for sponsoring a companion bill in the Senate.”
In August 2009, with the support of the business community including NSS, the Obama administration launched the Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative. The Initiative’s purpose is to both improve America’s global competitiveness by reducing unnecessary restrictions on exports of commercial items and enhance national security by focusing the State Department’s attention and resources on guarding truly sensitive defense items and technologies. As former Defense Secretary Robert Gates once said, the ECR Initiative’s purpose is “to build a higher fence around a smaller yard.”
The administration has transferred, or is in the process of transferring, to Commerce from State, export licensing responsibility for virtually all commercial, non-military items. The only remaining items yet to be transferred are sporting and commercial firearms and related products. While we have patiently waited for the administration to make ECR progress on our products, small manufacturers, component parts suppliers, distributors, and exporters in our industry, and even gunsmiths and individuals, have to continue to comply with unnecessary regulations and to pay an annual minimum registration fee of $2,250, regardless of whether they actually export. Under the State Department’s Cold-war era export licensing regime, American companies are unable to compete globally on a level playing field.
“Because the administration has not moved forward in a timely manner to complete its own ECR Initiative, it is now time for Congress to move forward with legislation complete the ECR and reduce unneeded and burdensome regulations while improving our global competitiveness, create American jobs and enhance national security,” Keane said. [Editor’s Note: One goal of the ECR initiative is to reduce the burden of ITAR compliance for gunsmiths who do not export any products. SEE ITAR Registration Requirements Report.]
October 4th, 2016
Bass Pro Shops plans to acquire popular outdoor retail chain Cabela’s (NYSE:CAB) in a $5.5 billion deal expected to close in the first half of 2017. The transaction will be completed through a cash-for-stock purchase by which Cabela’s shareholders will receive $65.50 per share, a premium of 19.2% over Cabela’s closing share price on September 30, 2016. After the merger, Bass Pro will continue to recognize Cabela’s CLUB points, and the branded credit cards will be serviced by Capital One. Details of the $5.5 billion-dollar buy-out are covered in the press release highlights below:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. & SIDNEY, Neb. (Business Wire) — Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Incorporated (NYSE:CAB), two iconic American outdoor companies with similar humble origins, and with a shared goal to better serve those who love the outdoors, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Bass Pro Shops will acquire Cabela’s for $65.50 per share in cash, representing an aggregate transaction value of approximately $5.5 billion.
In addition, upon closing Bass Pro Shops will commence a multi-year partnership agreement with Capital One, National Association, a wholly-owned national banking subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF), under which Capital One will originate and service the Cabela’s CLUB, Cabela’s co-branded credit card, and Bass Pro Shops will maintain a seamless integration between the credit card program and the combined companies’ retail operations and deep customer relationships. All Cabela’s CLUB points and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Rewards points will be unaffected by the transactions and customers can continue to use their credit cards as they were prior to the transaction.
CABELA’S
Founded in 1961 by Dick, Mary and Jim Cabela, Cabela’s is a highly respected marketer of hunting, fishing, camping, shooting sports and related outdoor merchandise. Today, Cabela’s has over 19,000 “outfitters” operating 85 specialty retail stores, primarily in the western U.S. and Canada. Cabela’s stores, catalog business and e-commerce operations will blend seamlessly with Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine Group. Over the past 55 years Cabela’s has built a passionate and loyal base of millions of enthusiasts who shop both at its retail stores and online.
BASS PRO SHOPS
Bass Pro Shops, founded in 1972 by avid young angler Johnny Morris, is a leading national retailer of outdoor gear and apparel, with 99 stores and Tracker Marine Centers located primarily in the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada. Morris started the business with eight square feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Mo., the company’s sole location for the first 13 years of business. Johnny’s passion for the outdoors and his feel for the products and shopping experiences desired by outdoor enthusiasts helped transform the industry. Bass Pro Shops, which employs approximately 20,000 team members, has been named by Forbes as one of “America’s Best Employers.”
The Cabelas.com website features this message to customers from Cabela’s CEO Tommy Millner:
| To Our Loyal Cabela’s Customers,
This morning, we announced that Cabela’s will merge with Bass Pro Shops and, upon closing of the transaction, will begin a multi-year partnership with Capital One whereby Capital One will exclusively service the Cabela’s CLUB Visa card.
We’re really excited about joining forces with Bass Pro Shops to create the truly premier retailer in outdoor sporting goods. We will be able to provide you with access to more locations and the greatest selection of outdoor recreation equipment and apparel in North America.
We have worked hard to ensure that this process is seamless to you. We currently expect to complete the transactions in the first half of 2017, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Until closing, Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops will continue to operate as separate, independent companies, as they always have. Additionally, we will continue to honor and offer Cabela’s Gift Cards. Please know that we remain committed to upholding the trusted relationship we have built with you and are focused on providing the exceptional service and experiences you have come to expect from us.
For our CLUB members, following the closing of the transaction, we expect to operate the Cabela’s CLUB program without change or interruption. You will see no change to how you earn, save or use your points, and your point balance will not change.
Thank you for your continued support of Cabela’s.
Sincerely,
Tommy Millner
Chief Executive Officer |
October 1st, 2016
The new 15th Edition of Cartridges of the World is slated for release on October 24th, 2016, but you can pre-order now via Amazon.com. This massive 680-page reference contains illustrations and basic load data for over 1500 cartridges. If you load for a wide variety of cartridges, or are a cartridge collector, this book is a “must-have” resource. The latest edition (release date 10/24/2016) includes 50 new cartridges and boasts 1500+ photos. This important reference guide can be pre-ordered now through Amazon.com for $21.20. Order now and you’ll get the new 15th Edition hot off the press.
Cartridges of the World, the most widely-read cartridge reference book, has been totally updated, with a newly expanded, full-color 64-page color section featuring essays from some of today’s most prominent gun writers. The 15th Edition of Cartridges of the World includes updated cartridge specs, plus essays by leading writers on the topics of SAAMI guidelines, wildcatting, and new cartridge design trends. In scope and level of detail, Cartridges of the World is the most complete cartridge reference guide in print.
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Cartridges of the World by author Frank C. Barnes was first published in 1965. The 15th Edition is edited by W. Todd Woodard, Editor of Gun Tests magazine and author of several firearms reference books. Frank Barnes (1918-1992) began collecting information on handgun cartridges at the early age of 12, thanks to his father, a police officer. Frank Barnes was an innovative cartridge designer, who invented the original 308 x 1.5″ Barnes, predecessor of the 30BR case.
Before Frank began a law enforcement career, he was a college professor. Frank was also a pilot, and a race-car driver. Learn more about Cartridges of the World (15th Ed.) at www.gundigest.com. |
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