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January 7th, 2016
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has responded to President Obama’s proposed Executive Actions concerning gun ownership and firearms transfers. The NSSF stated: “We all share the goal of reducing the intentional misuse of guns and enhancing the safety of our communities. As the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will carefully review all aspects of the executive actions that President Obama announced today. Much remains to be spelled out. In the interim we have some initial reactions:”
We support further resources being allocated to staffing and increasing operational hours for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to make the system more efficient and responsive.
We represent Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). The criteria for what will constitute being “engaged in the business” going forward needs considerable clarification and raises questions about enforceability.
The number of firearms lost or stolen while in transit to or from FFLs is less than 0.15 percent of the number manufactured and imported in a given year. In these rare occurrences, FFLs already actively participate in ATF’s long-standing voluntary reporting program and FFLs and common carriers work closely with ATF to investigate them. Proposals to make a shipping FFL responsible for tracking and reporting firearms no longer in their inventories, after the legal title has been transferred to the purchaser, are misdirected, as the receiving FFL is in the best position to know if it receives its shipment.
We have long called for the effective enforcement of the numerous laws already on the books regarding the criminal misuse of firearms and would encourage the administration to carry through on this directive.
NSSF has been working actively since early 2013 through our FixNICS initiative to encourage states to report all appropriate adjudicated mental health records to NICS and has succeeded in getting legislation passed in more than a dozen states. We welcome the administration’s attention to this issue.
With regard to the development of “smart-gun” technology, the industry has never opposed its development. How additional government research into this technology would advance it is unclear. Law enforcement agencies and consumers themselves will have to make the determination whether acquisition of firearms with this technology “would be consistent with operational needs,” as the White House itself states. We would continue to oppose mandates for this technology, particularly since there are well proven existing methods to secure firearms, and firearms accidents are at historic low levels.
NSSF will have additional responses in the days, weeks and months ahead, especially as federal departments and agencies begin the work of carrying out the executive orders.
Presidential photo courtesy Cheaper Than Dirt Shopter’s Log.
See related article: Obama to Enact Gun Control.
January 2nd, 2016
Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges For Rifles and Handguns, by Ken Howell, is widely considered the leading book on the subject. The great resource has been out of print since 2002. But here’s good news — Howell’s book is now available again on the Huntington Die Specialties webstore.
 You can now purchase an exact reprint of Howell’s classic book for $59.98. This 600-page hardcover (8 1/2″ x 11″) resource features 450 pages of diagrams, all drawn to the same 1.5x scale. The collection of cartridge diagrams includes many “cartridge blueprints” available nowhere else, including many obscure wildcats. Howell’s book includes sections on: case specs, use of forming dies, fire forming, cartridge annealing, case capacity variables, chamber pressure variables, and powder selection. CLICK to ORDER.
Here are reviews from two book purchasers:
“This is an absolutely incredible [book] for wildcatters, ballistic students and serious cartridge handloaders. It provides the critical dimensions (imperial and metric as well as displacement) for about 1840 cartridges[.] The first 100 pages explain the mechanics of cartridge forming. The cartridge drawings are in B&W, very legible and easy to copy or scan[.] Especially on the metric side there are a few notable cartridge ommissions… but it does not detract from the overall importance of this magnificent work, which I consider the best of the genre. A great buy for serious cartridge students at any price.” — Pierre Van W.
“This book has earned the reputation of being THE authority in the field of reliable dimensions for small arms cartridges. The author [lists] which cases are useful in making other cases which may not be available. This is the bedrock technical book for this subject area and is a necessity for any hardcore reloader. It is worth more than the price asked.” — Gene C.
Editor’s Note: A couple of guys who had the original edition of this book said they found a few errors in dimensions when comparing Howell’s diagrams with SAAMI specs. Before you spec a reamer or invest in dies, you may want to double-check dimensions found in this book.
Book tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
January 1st, 2016
Happy New Year to all our readers worldwide, and especially the nearly 30,000 members of our AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2016 brings you happiness in your lives and success in your endeavors. And we wish for small groups, good scores, and successful hunts in the New Year.
 We have upgraded our site for 2016, making our Forum mobile-friendly with new faster, more modern software. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Daily Bulletin, our match reports, and our Free Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever and it just keeps growing, with over 550,000+ unique users visiting the site every month.
Forum Membership Grows 12% in 2015
Our Shooters’ Forum grew significantly in 2015. Membership grew by 12% as Forum ranks swelled to nearly 30,000 members! More people are successfully buying and selling in our FREE Forum Classifieds section than ever before. Remember, user donations help make our Free Classifieds possible.
Check Out Our Recently Upgraded Shooters’ Forum
Now Fully Responsive and Mobile-Friendly!
We need your support. For over 12 years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts by dedicated shooters. But as the site grows, serving a larger audience, we need the assistance of freelance writers and video producers, plus help from expert computer and software techs. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — what do you pay for a movie ticket these days? Probably nine bucks for 90 minutes of escapism. For a buck a month ($12 a year) you can help this site provide a YEAR’s worth of info, tests, and shooting news that you won’t find anywhere else.
 In the past quarter about 140 site users have donated. We thank all those who have generously contributed. But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site regularly without contributing. With more donations we can deliver more premium content and offer more services to our members.
Here’s our proposal. First, if you have used our FREE Classifieds to successfully sell your rifles or shooting gear, consider sending in $10.00 from your sale proceeds. Second, for those who use the site regularly, consider donating One Dollar a Month. That’s less than the price of a cup of coffee.
How to Contribute
Making a donation to the site is simple and easy. Just click on the orange “Donate” button at right. If you have a credit card, you don’t need a Paypal account to contribute. Any sum is welcome — donations need not be large.
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Help Support this Site by Making a Secure Donation.
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If you don’t like Paypal, you can send a check. Make the check payable to our “Answerman” Jeff Williams. Please list your Forum Log-In Name (if any), and mail the check to:
Jeff Williams
P.O. Box 240
Solon Springs, WI 54873
December 31st, 2015
SFC Michael McPhail, shown above, is currently ranked #1 in the world in the smallbore 50m prone rifle discipline. He’s one of the favorites to win Gold in 2016.
 As the 2015 international shooting season comes to a close, the USAMU shooting teams are preparing for the 2016 Olympic trials and a chance to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next summer. One USAMU marksman who has already secured a berth for the 2016 Olympics is SFC Michael McPhail of Darlington, Wisconsin.
SFC Michael McPhail, ranked number one in the world in men’s 50-meter rifle prone, already won his spot on the U.S. Olympic team by virtue of his performances in 2015 ISSF World Cup events. McPhail, of Darlington, Wisconsin, won the ISSF World Cup Finals in Munich this September. McPhail also won back-to-back gold medals at the ISSF World Cup events at Fort Benning, GA and Munich, Germany, held in May and early June of 2015.
Michael McPhail Secures Olympic Team Nomination with World Cup Finals Triumph
McPhail said for anyone who wants to participate in the Olympics, the Army provides superior coaching, training, equipment and ammunition. “For a kid who shoots and their goal is to make the Olympics, the Army Marksmanship Unit is the place to go,” McPhail said.
SFC Jason Parker, International Rifle and Pistol Teams coach noted that: “Sergeant First Class McPhail has had a fantastic year. He has a great potential for medaling in the Olympic Games.”
With one seat already taken by McPhail for men’s 50-meter rifle prone, two other USAMU Soldiers are Parker’s top picks for the second and final seat. They are SFC Eric Uptagrafft and SSG George Norton. “Sergeant First Class Uptagrafft is another top contender for making the United States Olympic Team,” Parker said. “In the past, he has won multiple world class medals, he has been to two Olympics already, and he is one of our top shooters. He will be trying to get that last spot in the prone, and I wouldn’t count him out of anything.”
For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, visit www.USAMU.com.
December 27th, 2015
Here’s a “heads up” for our Forum members and site visitors. This evening, we plan to install new software for our SHOOTERS’ FORUM. As a result, the Forum will be offline for approximately 16 hours, starting at about 9:00 pm Central Time on December 27th. The Forum will remain off-line as we transfer all the data (600,000+ messages) to the server running the new Forum software. We anticipate this process will be conclude in the early morning hours of December 28th. If all goes well, we hope to have the Forum re-activated by noon on Monday, December 28th.
The new software gives us improved security and stability, and it should allow the Forum to run faster. In addition, the upgraded software is mobile-friendly so it will automatically adjust to the platform you are using — whether desktop, laptop, tablet, and even smartphone.
Current Forum categories and threads will be preserved, and we will maintain the general layout. But you will see some differences in link/button locations and in user profile screens.
Log-In Procedure (Read Carefully)
You will still be able to use your current Forum name and password. However, some users who changed their display name(s) will have to use their original name or original email address to log-in.
So guys… don’t freak out if you cannot access the SHOOTERS’ FORUM tonight. God willing, everything will be in place within a day. We’ve done a successful test, but there could still be some unanticipated hiccups. This is a MAJOR upgrade. If all goes according to plan, there will simply be a “time out” until mid-day on Monday.
Graphics courtesy dryicons.com.
December 27th, 2015
 The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) invites young men and women shooters to apply for CMP scholarships for the 2016-2017 school year. The CMP offers $1,000 one-year scholarships to current high school seniors. Since 2005, CMP has awarded over $1 million in scholarship grants.
Last year the CMP authorized over 150 scholarships. Based on merit, selected individuals are high school seniors who are currently enrolled in a team or club that is participating in rifle or pistol marksmanship competitions. Applicants must provide rifle or pistol competition history, list of awards, and future goals in the shooting sports. Applicants must also provide academic GPA and an official high school transcript (3.0 Minimum GPA Required).
Applications are Being Accepted Now for 2016-2017
The CMP is now taking scholarship applications for the 2016-2017 freshman college year. Scholarships are one-year awards that may be used to fund any accredited, post-secondary education or vocational program. (Note: Students planning to enroll in a military academy are not eligible).
CMP Scholarship Regulations | 2016-2017 Scholarship Application Form.
The deadline for CMP Scholarship Application is March 20, 2016. Learn more about the program at the CMP Website Scholarship Page. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Williams at 419-635-2141, ext. 709, or email kwilliams [@] thecmp.org.
December 26th, 2015
Here’s important news for owners of Accuracy International (AI) rifles. There is now an approved AI service facility in the United States: Mile High Shooting Center (Erie, Colorado). After Mile High’s tech team received extensive training at the AI production center in England, Mile High Shooting Center has been appointed the USA’s first Accuracy International Factory Authorized Service Center.
Mile High, owned by Randy and Diann Pennington, has been an AI distributor for many years and the Service Center will be run by professional gunsmith Adam Rehor. To contact the new Service Center, email AIservice@milehighshooting.com or call (303) 255-9999.
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Mile High Shooting Center is located in the Denver metropolitan area. The company has fully-equipped facilities to provide LEO and civilian users with factory standard spares, service, and repair for all Accuracy International rifles and equipment. |
Mile High Shooting Accessories
3731 Monarch Street
Erie, CO 80516
Toll Free: 1.877.871.9990
Phone: 1.303.255.9999
Fax: 1.303.254.6572 |
December 25th, 2015
 Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our nearly 30,000 Forum Members. This marks our our 11th Christmas “in business”, and the site is stronger than ever thanks to our members and industry sponsors. AccurateShooter.com (and 6mmBR.com) are now accessed by over 550,000 visitors every month. Part of the reason for that success is the hard work of our volunteer helpers.
Unsung Heroes Deserve Recognition
I want to acknowledge some guys who have really helped out the site. Number one is JayChris, our IT guy — he keeps the servers running smoothly and maintains our Forum. Jay has been working through the holidays on a major Forum upgrade we hope to roll out at year’s end. This is a big undertaking, requiring great technical expertise. Jay deserves our thanks for all his hard work and his dedication… working nights and weekends to keep this big project on schedule. Thanks also go to Jeff Williams, our “Answerman” who fields miscellaneous questions from our readers. We have a great place to test rifles thanks to our good buddy (and designated trigger-puller) Joe Friedrich. Special thanks go to the 6.5 Guys, Ed Mobley and Steve Lawrence, who authored our latest Cartridge Guide, and contributed SHOT Show videos. I also want to recognize our regular contributors, including Vince Bottomley, German S., Jason Baney, Robert Whitley, Tony Chow, Mark LaFevers, and Gavin Gear. And we must acknowledge Boyd Allen and EdLongRange who tirelessly supply story leads for the Daily Bulletin. These guys (and many others) have all contributed much time and effort.
We also want to thank our major sponsors, without whose support the site could not provide the full AccurateShooter.com experience, with an active Forum, an archive of in-depth articles, and fresh content 365 days a year in our Daily Bulletin. We’re grateful to all our sponsors and advertisers. In particular, I want to acknowledge Shiraz Balolia, a great friend of the shooting sports, and a gifted marksman in his own right. Shiraz has provided key support for this site though his companies Bullets.com and Grizzly Industrial.
John Adams and Jerry Tierney Have Left the Range…
I also want to say a word in remembrance of two good men (and talented shooters) who really helped the site. John Adams, one of the site’s first Forum members, and a great supporter of our efforts, passed away just over a year ago. And we lost Jerry Tierney, a champion shooter in many disciplines, just this month. These men both served as mentors to me, and their knowledge (and good fellowship) will be missed. John and Jerry — rest in peace, my friends.
December 24th, 2015
With each passing day, prices are dropping at Midsouth Shooters Supply. Right now Midsouth is running its end-of-year Inventory Closeout Count-Down. This is a very unique sale — now through December 31st the price on Midsouth’s clearance items drops 5% each successive day. So the deals get sweeter and sweeter. But, inventories are limited — if you wait too long you may be out of luck.
Today, four days into the sale, every item on clearance is 25% off. That’s pretty tempting. Remember — the number of clearance items offered is strictly limited. If you see something you like you can watch the price drop 5% each day. But if you procrastinate, the item may get sold. As Midsouth says: “Wait too long and it may be gone”. CLICK HERE for SALE.
Here are some of the best deals we saw this morning (12/24):
Burris Eliminator Laser Scope 3.5-10x40mm, Closeout Price: $649.00 (was $799.00) |
RCBS Pro 2000 Progressive Press, Closeout Price: $410.62 (was $547.49) |
Lyman T-Mag Master Reloading Kit, Closeout Price: $273.83 (was $365.10) |
RCBS Turret Press, Closeout Price: $184.17 (was $245.56) |
Biometric (Fingerprint) Pistol Security Safe, Closeout Price: $144.83 (was $193.10) |
 RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Press, Closeout Price: $126.89 (was $169.19) |
December 16th, 2015
The new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, opens this Friday in theaters nationwide. The latest film in the Star Wars saga (and the first in a decade), The Force Awakens will surely entertain Sci-Fi fans. But gun enthusiasts will also find items of interest in this film. It may surprise you, but many of the notable prop guns in Star Wars movies were created from actual firearms — from competition air pistols to military carbines. Take a look at that poster above. Check out the “blaster” in Harrison Ford’s hand — that’s based on a real firearm. To test your knowledge of Stars Wars firearms, take the quiz below, created by the NRA Blog. Enjoy the quiz and “may the Force be with you….”
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