Get $25 Gift Card with $30 NRA Membership this Saturday and Sunday, September 10th and 11th.
This upcoming weekend, September 10-11, 2016, you can get an NRA annual membership for a net cost of $5.00. That’s right, five bucks. Here’s how it works. If you go to a Gander Mountain Store and purchase a one-year NRA membership for $30.00 ($10.00 off the regular price) you’ll receive a $25.00 Gander Mountain Gift Card you can use immediately.
Throughout the weekend event, store customers can purchase NRA annual memberships for $30.00, and receive a $25.00 Gander Mountain gift card in addition to the membership. NRA representatives will be on hand at all Gander Mountain stores nationwide to answer questions and process membership applications for new and renewing NRA members.
The regular NRA annual membership (which normally costs $40.00), includes a variety of extras, including one free NRA monthly print magazine, and $2,500 worth of firearms insurance coverage. NOTE, however — in order to get the insurance benefits, you MUST activate your NRA Policy. Many NRA members have learned the hard way that NRA insurance won’t pay unless the policy is activated!
Extended Discount and $10.00 Gift Card in Future
Even after NRA Weekend wraps up, Gander Mountain customers will be able to purchase NRA memberships in stores nationwide for $30.00 and receive a $10.00 Gander Mountain gift card and additional benefits.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 2016 Fall Shooting Sports Fantasy Camps in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There will be two (2) sessions this October, each with 33 spots available.
Watch Highlights from the First-Ever Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas:
The NSSF 2016 Fall Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp will take place at the world class United States Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two date options will be offered:
NSSF has lined up seven of our country’s top professional shooters for this premier event, including the first family of shooting, Jerry and Kay Miculek and Lena Miculek-Afentul, world class professional shooter, Bruce Piatt, 3-Gun pro couple Dianna and Ryan Muller, and Top Shot Season 4 winner Chris Cheng.
In addition to learning from today’s best shots, you’ll also be provided all meals, hotel accommodations, a swag bag full of premium shooting gear and more! You will need to provide your own travel arrangements and the camp registration fee of $3,495.
Camp Placements Will Sell Out Soon
If you are interestested, we recommend that you register soon — don’t delay. NSSF’s first Fantasy Camp (held this past spring in Las Vegas) sold out immediately. There are only 33 slots available for each date choice. For more information visit www.shootingsportsfantasycamp.com.
If you have a 6.5 Grendel rifle and recently purchased ammunition from Prvi Partizan (PPU), do NOT LOAD or shoot this ammunition. PPU, the manufacturer, is recalling ALL of its 6.5 Grendel ammunition.
This recall applies to ALL PPU-made 6.5 Grendel ammunition.
DO NOT USE OR SELL THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS:
PRVI 6.5 Grendel Ammunition Box
PP6.30 6.5 Grendel FMJBT 110-grain
PP6.31 6.5 Grendel HPBT 120-grain
According to PPU: “Because of different chamber sizes in certain rifles, 6.5 Grendel cartridges may be subjected to excessive chamber pressure. Use of these products may result in firearm damage and possible serious personal injury.”
If you have any 6.5 Grendel ammunition or brass manufactured by PPU, please email info@ppu-usa.com or call (203) 375-8544 to arrange for its return and replacement.
There has been a hue and cry on some internet sites about changes in smokeless powder classifications by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Writers have been concerned that recent interpretations by the ATF would make it much more difficult to store and transport reloading powders, which in turn could lead to price increases and/or powder shortages. Concern arose over the potential re-classification of “wetted” Nitrocellulose as a “high explosive”. Since “high explosives” are subject to more stringent rules, such re-classification would alter the way common smokeless propellants could be lawfully stored and transported.
Thankfully, there is good news. On August 31st the ATF issued an Addendum to its June 16 ATF Explosives Industry Newsletter saying that its policies regarding smokeless powders containing Nitrocellulose will not change… at least for now:
Based on this “Addendum”, it seems the ATF has tabled its proposal to classify Nitrocellulose-based smokeless powders as “high explosives”.
The NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA ILA) confirms that the ATF has backed off, so that current practices for powder storage and transport can continue unchanged. Thus hand-loaders should NOT face an impending powder shortage and/or price hikes. Here is the NRA ILA’s report:
ATF Delays Any Changes to Nitrocellulose Regulation
Earlier this summer, ATF released an Explosives Industry Newsletter that changed the agency’s treatment of nitrocellulose, the primary component in smokeless powders used in modern ammunition. This change had the potential to seriously disrupt ammunition supply in the United States because it changed a long-standing ATF policy that exempted properly “wetted” nitrocellulose from treatment as an explosive under federal law.
NRA and [shooting industry representatives] raised these concerns to ATF and any change in ATF’s treatment of nitrocellulose is now officially delayed. In an addendum to the earlier newsletter, ATF announced that it “will conduct further industry outreach concerning wetted Nitrocellulose. In the interim, previously authorized industry practices concerning wetted Nitrocellulose will NOT be affected.”
While the addendum doesn’t indicate that ATF has permanently abandoned this change to nitrocellulose regulation, smokeless powder manufacturers will be permitted to continue normal operation, at least for the time being. NRA will continue to work to ensure that any future change to nitrocellulose regulation will not affect ammunition supply.
ATF Industry Newsletter Caused Concern
The cause for firearms industry concern was the ATF’s statement about Nitrocellulose published in the June 2016 ATF Explosives Industry Newsletter. The key language is shown in the right column below. According to the NRA ILA, the ATF has, at least for the time being, decided NOT to change its policies regarding the storage and transport of “wetted” Nitrocellulose. Accordingly, “smokeless powder manufacturers will be permitted to continue normal operation”.
Could your gun club or youth shooting group use money to upgrade range facilities or run training programs? Well here’s a chance to get some cold, hard cash to help with operations. Every year, the NRA Foundation Grant Program provides hundreds of grants to deserving organizations. The 2017 Grant Application is now available. CLICK HERE to Apply for a Grant.
Since its inception, the NRA Foundation has funded over 41,000 grants totaling over $300 million. Grants went to qualified local, state and national shooting sports programs, hunting and conservation programs, Second Amendment education and for the preservation of historical firearms.
Grant money comes from generous donors and volunteer fund-raising efforts. Through its Grant Program the NRA Foundation seeks to: 1) Promote shooting sports and hunting safety; 2) Help educate individuals in proper firearms use and marksmanship; and 3) Enhance shooting range facilities and support active shooting sports organizations.
Range Improvement Grants
Helping clubs improve shooting range facilities is one of the main missions of the NRA Grant Program. Such programs might include: Berm improvements (example below), Clubhouse improvements, Covered firing lines, Road improvements, Trap Machines, and other permanent improvements to club properties and/or facilities.
Earlier this summer, California Governor Jerry Brown signed six restrictive new gun laws. Less than 24 hours after they arrived on his desk, Brown signed six anti-gun bills railroaded through the Democratic-controlled California Legislature. This legislation imposes many new burdens on California gun-owners and criminalizes conduct that was heretofore legal. With little public debate, these bills were rushed through the legislative process. And now Californians are facing the disturbing consequences.
FREE Online Webinar on California Gun Laws
To help Californians understand their responsibilities under the new gun laws, the Michel & Associates law firm is hosting a free online seminar this week. As space is limited, advanced registration is required for the seminar. CLICK HERE to REGISTER.
The seminar will be held, Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at 12:00 pm (PT). This live webinar will explain how the new gun laws will affect gun owners, when they will go into effect, and what citizens need to do to comply with these laws. The seminar will be hosted by C.D. Michel and Joseph Silvoso, lawyers with Michel & Associates. Important topics will include:
SB 1235 (Ammunition Purchase Bill): This new law requires the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to record ammunition vendor and ammunition purchaser information. This ill-conceived legislation has caused much confusion. It is unclear how AB 1235 will affect mail-order purchases of loaded ammunition from vendors outside the state.
SB 1446 (Magazine Ban): SB 1446 which will require Californians to forfeit, destroy, or ship out of the state ALL firearms magazines that can hold more than ten rounds. Owners of legally-obtained magazines, previously “grandfathered”, will receive no compensation though they must give up their property. Those who fail to comply will be fined and charged with an infraction, a low-level crime. This magazine restriction goes into effect July 1, 2017.
Other California Gun Laws Signed by Gov. Brown:
AB 1135 (Levine) and SB 880 (Hall) Firearms: Assault Weapons – Expands the definition of assault weapons based on whether a semiautomatic firearm has a detachable magazine, banning thousands of popular firearms.
AB 1511 (Santiago) Firearms: Lending – Makes it illegal to loan a firearm to a person who is personally known to you (except for family members with restrictions).
AB 1695 (Bonta) Firearms: False Reports – Creates a 10-year prohibition on owning firearms for someone convicted of falsely reporting a lost or stolen firearm.
If you own a FN SCAR 17S rifle — check the serial number before you shoot it. FN America recently recalled hundreds of FN SCAR rifles. In an official Recall Notice, the gun maker stated that 471 SCAR 17S rifles are being recalled due to the possibility of catastrophic failure caused by defective bolts. Here are key terms of the 8/10/2016 FN SCAR Recall Notice:
FN America, LLC is recalling 471 of its FN SCAR® 17S rifles due to the possibility that certain products may have been assembled with a bolt that does not meet our hardness specifications. Firing may cause catastrophic failure of the rifle over a period of time. FN America shipped these SCARs July 28 and 29, 2016, and is hoping to contain the issue at the distributor level. In the event any of the affected SCARs have been sold to customers, FN America will reach out to those customers and warn them not to use their FN SCAR® 17S if it is one of the serial numbers being recalled. Failure to follow these instructions could cause injury or death.
Although no injuries have been reported as a result of this potential issue, FN America is advising customers to discontinue use of these rifles immediately and return affected products to FN America directly for inspection and possible retrofit with compatible bolts at no cost. FN America also advises all FN distributors to immediately return all recalled products currently in inventory to FN America[.]
For more information, contact FN’s customer service at 1-855-536-4872, ext 145 or send email to fnscar17srecall@fnamerica.com .
The Rio Olympics shooting competition has ended, and USA Shooting Team’s medalists are all women. Ginny Thrasher of Virginia got the USA medal count off to a great start by winning the first gold medal of the 2016 Olympic games in Women’s Air Rifle, and Corey Cogdell-Unrein repeated as bronze medalist in Women’s Trap. By winning a bronze medal in skeet last Friday, 37-year-old Kim Rhode became the first female and summer Olympian ever to win medals in six consecutive Olympic Games. Read coverage in the LA Times, USA Today and Associated Press. Kim Rhode’s Olympic Odyssey.
Shooting Sports USA profiled Ginny Thrasher, winner of the very first Gold Medal awarded at the Rio Olympic games:
For 36 hours, Thrasher was the face of Team USA as the lone gold medalist, winning the first medal of the 2016 Olympic Games. The 19-year-old WVU sophomore was propelled into the media spotlight…
Thrasher explained how she coped with the pressures of competing in the most important sporting event on earth:
“I think this competition is one where you can mentally out-think yourself, and that’s the danger. For me, just being very focused. During the match I started out with some struggles, and I had to come off the line and my Olympic coach down there said, ‘Ginny, all you can do is shoot the best you can.’ I got back on the line, and that’s what I did. I shot the best that I could. I had a very bad hold, but it didn’t matter. Once I got into the final, I was very much focused on my breathing, and that was the point where all the training and all the discipline just came through for me. All I did was focus on my breathing and let my body do what it knew how to do.”
Here’s an important announcement for anyone who uses a powder in the 4350 range. Alliant is now shipping the all-new Reloder 16 powder. The burn rate is slightly faster than Reloder 17, and a bit slower than Varget or Reloder 15. Notably, this new Reloder 16 powder is very temp stable. AccurateShooter.com was shown “top secret” test results comparing Reloder 16 with other popular propellants, including Hodgdon Extreme series powders. The results for Reloder 16 were remarkable. Reloder 16 showed extremely constant velocities even with very high ambient temps — so this is a powder you can shoot even on hot Arizona summer days.
This is NOT just a slower version of Alliant’s double-based Reloder 15 (which words great in the 6mmBR and Dasher cartridges). Reloder 16 is a completely new formulation, produced in Sweden by Bofors for Alliant. Reloder 16 utilizes TZ technology, which manipulates the response of the propellant and resists the natural tendency to generate more pressure at higher temperatures and less pressure at lower temperatures.
As a result, Reloder 16 offers outstanding temperature stability. Based on the test results we’ve seen, if you are using H4350 or IMR 4451 currently, you should definitely give Reloder 16 a try. The powder also boasts excellent lot-to-lot consistency and contains a proprietary de-coppering additive.
Match and Hunting Cartridge Applications:
Alliant tells us that Reloader 16 “is ideal for traditional hunting cartridges, such as .30-06 Springfield and .270 Winchester, as well as 6.5mm target loads and tactical applications wherein temperature stability is required.” We also think the powder may work very well in these popular match cartridges: 6XC, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, .284 Win, and .300 WSM. For example, Alliant’s Load Data Sheet shows a 2772 FPS load with 142gr SMKs in the .260 Rem.
On August 10th, Vista Outdoor Inc. (NYSE: VSTO), officially opened its new 33,000-square-foot Utah corporate headquarters to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by state and local officials, community partners, members of the media, and employees.
“We are proud to call Farmington home,” said Vista Outdoor CEO Mark DeYoung. “We’re committed to being a strong partner for this community, and we value our relationships with the state, county and city leaders who helped make this headquarters a reality. We chose Utah because of its focus on outdoor recreation as an economic driver, the business-friendly environment, a talented workforce and balanced quality of life, as well as amazing geography and the availability of four seasons for outdoor recreation.”
Founded in 2015 when ATK (Alliant Techsystems*) spun off its sporting goods division from its aerospace business, Vista Outdoor is a leading global manufacturer of outdoor consumer products as well as firearms. Vista Outdoor’s 50 product brands include such well-known names as Bell Helmets, Blackhawk, Bushnell, CamelBak, CCI, Federal Premium Ammunition, and Savage Arms.
Building Constructed with Utah Wood and Stone
The new Headquarters building uses locally-sourced natural materials such as wood and stone in many design elements. The main lobby atrium includes a “living wall” made with live plants and a central staircase with an expansive view of the Wasatch Mountains, bringing the feeling of “outdoors” inside. The back lobby features a fireplace/campsite.
“Vista Outdoor and its brands are committed to conservation and environmental stewardship,” said DeYoung. “We believe in the responsible use of natural resources and in conserving the wild places where our employees and our consumers go to pursue their outdoor adventures.”
*Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) came into being as an independent company in 1990 when Honeywell spun off its defense businesses to shareholders. ATK got into the ammo business in 2001 when it acquired Blount International. ATK grew with later acquisitions of Weaver Optics (2008), Blackhawk (2010), Savage Arms (2013), and Bushnell (2013).
