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July 19th, 2016
In the Olympics (and other top-level shooting events with electronic scoring), a 10.9 is the highest possible single shot value. A 10.9 is the best of the best — the numerical equivalent of a perfect shot. Olympian Brenda Silva says “shooting a 10.9 is like a hole in one[.]” The 2016 Olympic Games are coming up soon, so many of the world’s best shooters are focusing on producing 10.9s in Rio next month. Here are some comments from top shooters on what a 10.9 means to them:
“A 10.9 is more than a shot value — it’s an idea, a goal, something that pushes us…” — Lauren Phillips
“Shooting 10.9s is not an accident, it’s what you’re supposed to do.” — Tom Csenge
Excellence is shooting a 10.9 “When it Counts — When a Medal … is on the line.” — Sarah Scherer
July 18th, 2016
Derek Rodgers, the only shooter to win both the F-Open and F-TR National Championships, has done it again. While shooting the Santa Fe Trail LR Regional match in Raton, New Mexico, it looks like Derek set a new 1000-yard record. Derek nailed his 1000-yard target, recording a 200-14X score — that’s twenty (20) shots for record, all tens with 14 in the X-Ring. Derek told us: “Yesterday at Raton New Mexico’s Whittington Center, I shot a 200-14X, which should be a new pending F-TR National Record at 1000 yards.” Derek took special pride in this accomplishment, as he held the F-TR record before: “I’m happy to have the record back. I have had three of the last four records”. Well done Derek!
Derek Rodgers .308 Win F-TR Rifle Equipment List:
McMillan Xit stock, Kelbly Panda LBLP action, Bartlein .308 Win barrel (32″, 1:11.25″ twist), Nightforce NXS 8-32x56mm scope. Note that Derek shoots right-handed, but with a LEFT BOLT. This allows him to stay in position better while cycling the bolt with his LEFT hand.
This impressive performance by Derek shows that the best F-TR rifles can rival the big F-Open rigs for pure accuracy, even though the favored F-Open chamberings, such as .284 Win and .300 WSM, are still ballistically superior to the venerable .308 Winchester used by nearly all F-TR competitors. For his record-breaking load, Derek used Berger 200gr Hybrid Target bullets in Lapua .308 Win (small primer pocket) brass, pushed by Hodgdon Varget powder.
July 15th, 2016
 The AccurateShooter.com Shooters’ Forum hit another membership milestone. We’ve surpassed 32,000 registered members. Now we hope to reach 35,000 members in the next few months. If you have considered joining our Forum, but haven’t done so yet, there’s no better time than now. We have recently installed new “mobile-friendly” Forum software that works great with smart phones and tablets. You can now stay in touch when you’re on the go. Log in with your iPhone or Android phone. The new software also makes it much easier to add photos to your posts and classified adverts.
As a Forum member, you’ll be part of an active community of serious shooters. You can get valuable advice on shooting and reloading from top shooters such as National Champions Larry Bartholome, Sam Hall, and Derek Rodgers. As well, many top experts visit the Forum, such as Bryan Litz (Applied Ballistics), Shiraz Balolia (Bullets.com), Frank Green (Bartlein Barrels), and John Perkins (21st Century Shooting).
 Visit Forum.AccurateShooter.com to check out our Forum features. You’ll find a wealth of information shared by thousands of knowledgeable members. The boards are tightly moderated to prevent the ego battles common to some other internet forums. Our Shooters’ Forum maintains a high “signal to noise ratio”, with courteous and respectful exchange of ideas.
Sell Your Gear with FREE Classifieds
Along with our informational Forum areas, we offer FREE CLASSIFIEDS for all registered Forum members. You’ll find some great values in the Classifieds, and we provide a feedback system for buyers and sellers. Published feedback helps you buy and sell with greater confidence.
July 14th, 2016
Next week the NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Championship will be held at the Whittington Center in Raton, NM. From July 19-24, top Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) shooters from around the country will test their skills during a week-long event with targets set from 200 to 1000 yards. On the firing line you’ll see many handsome, custom-built BPCRs (Sharps, Ballards, Browning High Walls, Rolling Blocks) with exquisite wood, hand-checkering, and color-case-hardened receivers.
The Black Powder Championship starts with mid-range matches from 200 to 600 yards. Then competitors set their sights for long range, with 800-1000 yard Creedmoor matches at the end of the week. Interestingly, for safety reasons, there are minimum bullet weight and muzzle velocity requirements for the Creedmoor matches. These BPCR shooters launch some seriously heavy projectiles downrange:
| Caliber |
Minimum Bullet Weight (Grains) |
Minimum Bullet Velocity (FPS) |
| .38 Cal |
408 (375) |
1300 (1375) |
| .40 Cal |
408 |
1280 |
| .44 Cal |
450 |
1240 |
| .45 Cal |
510 |
1200 |
| .50 Cal |
600 |
1200 |
July 12th, 2016
The Talladega Marksmanship Park boasts Kongsberg electronic targets at 200, 300, and 600 Yards.
The CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park — the most impressive (and high-tech) shooting facility in North America, will be featured on this week’s episode of Shooting USA television. The show tours the Talladega facility and spotlights Talladega’s first-ever competition, the inaugural D-Day Memorial match last year. (Talladega recently held its second D-Day match on June 4-5, 2016).
| Shooting USA Television Air Times (Wednesday/Thursday) on the Outdoor Channel: |
Eastern Time: 9:00 PM, 12:30 AM, 3:00 AM (Th)
Central Time: 8:00 PM, 11:30 PM, 2:00 AM (Th) |
Mountain Time: 7:00 PM, 10:30 PM, 1:00 AM (Th)
Pacific Time: 6:00 PM, 9:30 PM, Midnight
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John C. Garand Match — Part of D-Day Memorial Event
Talladega is known for NASCAR and its super-speedway, but now there is another destination for sports enthusiasts, thanks to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). Congress created the CMP in 1903 with an original mission to promote civilian marksmanship, but in its 110-year history, the CMP never had its own range. So, the organization built the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, a $20 million sports facility, one of the most advanced shooting sports facilities in the world.
“You won’t find another place like this in the United States, and I think in most of the world,” says Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama. “You know, I brag on the Talladega 500 all the time, being the fastest NASCAR track, and now I’ll be able to brag about having the best, if not the most world-class marksmanship facilities in the world here in the same neck of the woods.”
July 9th, 2016
Photo ©2016 by Dean Weingarten.
Are we seeing an end to the “desperate days” for .22 LR rimfire ammo? Are supplies finally starting to catch up to demand? At least one industry analyst thinks so. Gun journalist Dean Weingarten has been watching trends. Makers of .22 LR ammo have increased production by 20%. That’s a good thing. We are starting to see the effects, Dean observes, with increased supplies and falling prices for rimfire ammo. Here is Dean’s report from Arizona.
Report by Dean Weingarten, GunWatch.com:
I chanced to be at the local WalMart in Yuma, Arizona today (July 8, 2016). This is the store on the frontage road off of old Highway 8, East of town. Until Friday, June 24, 2016, I had not seen any .22 Long Rifle in the store for three years.
On that date, there were 2,300 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags and 1,000 rounds of CCI Standard Velocity. The Mini-Mags were in plastic 100-round boxes at $7.47 a box. The Standard Velocity were in paper, 50-round boxes at $3.47 a box.
Just 10 days later, on the 3rd of July, I was in the same store, and there were 1900 rounds of CCI Stinger, in 50-round boxes. It is premium .22 Long Rifle ammunition, and has always been pricey. The price was $6.47 for a box of 50, or a little under 13 cents a round. They also had CCI .22 Maxi-Mag, .22 magnum rimfire cartridges, for $13.47 a box of 50, or nearly 27 cents a cartridge. It has been scarce, but not as bad as the .22 Long Rifle.
Two sightings in 10 days after three years was remarkable.
.22 LR Ammo for 5.36 Cents Per Round
Today, the 8th of July, there were two cases of bulk pack Federal .22 Auto Match. That is 6,500 .22 Long Rifle cartridges.This is only five days after the previous sighting. The boxes contained 325 cartridges. [The clerk] was just opening the cases to stock the shelves when I showed up. She said there had been a couple of bricks of .22, but they had been purchased immediately.
Photo ©2016 by Dean Weingarten.
At $17.42 for 325 rounds of Auto Match .22, that is 5.36 cents per round. A little over two years ago, I wrote that the .22 ammunition bubble would be over when you saw .22 LR ammunition on sale below 4 cents a round:
“You will know that the bubble is close to the bottom when you see .22 LR on sale for below 4 cents per round. At the lowest, we might see .22 LR cartridges below $10 for 500.” Read Article from 6/7/2014.
Many dismissed my prediction. They said that we would never see .22 cartridges below 4 cents a round again. People said that I was crazy when gasoline was at $4 a gallon, and I wrote that we would see it below $2 in the future. It went below $2 a few months ago.
The .22 ammunition bubble is hanging on. The push for more Second Amendment infringements by the Obama administration keeps it inflated. But with only six months to go to the end of that administration, the bubble has become fragile. The .22 ammunition manufacturers have increased production by 20%. That puts a lot of strain on the bubble.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten. Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to GunWatch.com.
July 8th, 2016
Praslick is back! He won’t be coaching the USAMU any more but he will be helping top shooters and teams reach their goals. SFC Emil Praslick III, (U.S. Army, retired) has been hired by Berger Bullets as the company’s new Sponsorship Director. In this role, Emil will work directly with Berger’s sponsored shooters and teams. Emil will also manage Berger’s match sponsorship programs and handle Berger’s gun writer connections.
Coach of Champions — Emil Praslick
Emil’s past experiences include serving as the Head Coach of the U.S. National Long Range Rifle Team and Head Coach of the USAMU for several years. Teams coached by Emil have won 33 Inter-Service Rifle Championships. On top of that, teams he coached set 18 National records and 2 World Records. Overall, in the role of coach, Praslick can be credited with the most team wins of any coach in U.S. Military history.
Emil’s unique skill set will be a great asset for Berger-sponsored shooters. For numerous years, Emil worked tirelessly to ensure his teams and shooters performed at world-class levels, maximizing their abilities. Now, he will be doing the same for Berger’s sponsored shooters:
“My passion is coaching and working with shooters, so this is an incredible opportunity for me to help develop Team Berger by providing them with the support they need to perform at the highest level,” says Emil.
“I am thrilled that Emil has joined Berger. His experience and exceptional ability, both on and off the range, are certain to be impactful,” says Berger Bullets President, Eric Stecker.
July 7th, 2016
On Monday, July 11th, the CMP and NRA host the 2016 First Shot Ceremony, the official opening of the National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. The ceremony kicks off at 9:30 am and is open to the public.
The event begins with music from the 122nd Army Band. Next come aerial fly-overs by a Navy TBM Avenger, a WWII-era B-25 bomber, and the Yankee Air Museum’s Yankee Lady B-17. Vintage military vehicles (jeeps and tanks) will also be on display during the ceremony.
After the aircraft, a salute will be fired from four artillery pieces, which span 200+ years of the nation’s history. The “Guns of July” will include: War of 1812-era cannon, Civil War-era cannon, modern-era 37mm anti-aircraft gun, and last but not least, Camp Perry’s own 70mm cannon.
The distinguished First Shot Speaker will be CMP Board Member, Oscar Mahlon Love, a former Commissioner of the New Mexico State Police and Civilian Aide Senior to the Secretary of the Army. After the speech Mr. Love will fire the first official shot of the National Matches down Rodriguez Range.
Birds-Eye View of Camp Perry Ranges
We know many of our worldwide readers may never have a chance to visit Camp Perry in person, but they are still interested in this historic facility on the shore of Lake Erie, near Port Clinton, Ohio. If you’ve always wanted to see what Camp Perry looks like, here are a series of “Birds-eye” photos taken from the Beach Tower.
Photos Courtesy Civilian Marksmanship Program.
July 6th, 2016
Daisy is an iconic name in the air gun industry. Founded in 1886, Daisy Outdoor Products is the world’s oldest and largest manufacturer of air guns. Most of us grew up with a Daisy BB gun or air rifle. Now Daisy has a new owner, Gamo, which will make Daisy a part of Gamo Outdoor USA. Earlier this week, Gamo® Outdoor SL, an affiliate of New York-based private equity investment firm BRS, along with its U.S. subsidiary, Gamo® Outdoor USA, announced the acquisition of Daisy Outdoor Products.
Daisy is one of the most recognized brands of airguns and accessories in the world, producing air rifles for 130 years. No company has introduced more young people to recreational shooting and plinking than Daisy, which began operations way back in 1886.
From Windmills to BB Guns
The company that was to become Daisy actually got its start as the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company. The enterprise only began making air guns to help sell windmills, as a sales promotion. The company offered a free BB gun with the purchase of any Plymouth Iron windmill. And so an iconic American product was born.
Outdoor Hub reports: “Eventually, the demand for the BB guns far eclipsed Daisy’s windmill business and the company switched over to producing BB and air guns exclusively. Following a comment from General Manager Lewis Cass Hough, who remarked that the guns shot like a ‘daisy’, the company rebranded itself and changed its name.” Daisy’s Red Ryder BB guns are now, probably, the most recognizable line of air guns ever made.
“We cannot begin to express the excitement we feel with the addition of Daisy to our family of shooting and outdoor brands,” stated Keith Higginbotham, President of Gamo Outdoor USA. He continued, “We believe this to be a great relationship with complementary brands. Gamo’s roots run deep in the outdoors, while Daisy is a part of Americana. We both share a passion for the shooting sports and are excited for the future[.]”
Daisy products include the Daisy, PowerLine, Winchester® Air Rifles and AVANTI training and match competitive airguns, Precision Max® ammunition and AirStrike brand soft air guns, ammo and accessories. View the full Daisy product-line at www.daisy.com.
July 4th, 2016
The National Guard, Heritage Paintings Collection. Battle of Long Island by Domenick D’Andrea.
 Today, July 4th, we are celebrating a special birthday — the launching of a new nation that would become the world’s greatest exemplar of freedom and democracy. It is easy to lose sight of the challenges that faced our fore-fathers, and the continuing burdens we all share, as Americans, to maintain freedom at home and stand as an example to other peoples engaged in the struggle for democracy. It is more important than ever that we remember the ideals on which the nation was founded, and remember that our nation became great through the efforts and talents of a free citizenry.
In the Beginning — Overcoming Great Odds
In a July 4th speech, Navy Lt. Ellen Connors wrote: “Our nation declared its independence in order for our families to live free –- not just for one generation but for future generations. And what odds [the founding fathers] faced. It must have seemed impossible. Our forefathers went up against the world’s most colossal empire since ancient Rome. No colony had ever successfully left a mother country to set up a self-governing state.”
The Price of Freedom… The Pride of A Nation
Here is a selection from Daniel Webster’s July 4th, 1851 Oration. His words ring true even now:
On the 4th of July, 1776, the assembled Representatives of the United States of America in Congress declared that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE and INDEPENDENT States. This Declaration, made by most patriotic and resolute men, trusting in the justice of their cause and the protection of Heaven, and yet made not without deep solicitude and anxeity, has now stood for seventy-five years, and still stands. It was sealed in blood. It has met dangers, and overcome them; it has had enemies, and conquered them; it has had detractors, and abashed them all….
Every mans’ heart swells within him… as he remembers that seventy-five years have rolled away, and that the great inheritance of liberty is still his — his, undiminished and unimpaired, his in all its original glory; his to enjoy; his to protect; and his to transmit to future generations.
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