Twice a year, select-fire fans head to the Knob Creek Gun Range in West Point, Kentucky, for the nation’s largest Machine Gun Shoot. A bi-annual event, the Machine Gun Shoot is held in April and October. This year’s fall Machine Gun Shoot will take place October 9-11, 2015. The highlight of every Machine Gun Shoot is the Saturday Night event, where scores of guns send regular and tracer bullets down-range. An estimated 1.25 million rounds are fired each year during the October Night Shoot.
Click Triangle to Watch Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot Video (Warning: Very Loud Audio)
This video was created by Top Shot Season 4 Champ Chris Cheng.
Report by Tom Whitaker, Captain of USA Veterans Team
Much has been said about the fantastic performance of the Great Britain Palma Rifle Team setting a new World Record for the Palma Team course of fire, as well as the strong second place showing of our USA Palma squad. However, little to nothing has been published about the only team World Championship that the United States won at the World Championships this year at Camp Perry.
Before all the pomp and circumstance of the World Individual Championship and the Palma Team Match got underway, a dedicated group of shooters made their way to the firing line. These were the members of the 2015 USA Veterans Rifle Team. To qualify for this team one of the requirements is to have reached your 60th birthday by the first day of the World Championships. This usually means you’ve “been there and done that” for many years and still love the sport. The team consists of a maximum of 17 people, a captain, adjutant, three coaches, 10 firing members, and two reserve members. Each team has two targets so the firing members are separated into two squads of five, each with a line coach. The third coach or main coach coordinates the two squads to optimize their performance. The course of fire is two convertible sighting shots and 10 shots for score per shooter at 300, 600, 900, and 1000 yards on the ICFRA 5V Targets.
When I was child my family raced horses. My father was once asked “how do you win a horse race?” His answer was “Break out of the starting gate in first place and keep improving your position.” That is exactly what the USA Veterans Team did, as the Americans won the 300-yard stage and each stage thereafter to beat the British Team by 12 points 1919-152V (USA) to 1907-172V (GB). Canada was third with 1896-131V, Australia fourth with 1878-140V. Of special note, Wayne Forshee (maker of the famous “Rightsight”) was high score on the entire line with 196-24V!
Message from Tom Whitaker:
As Captain I would like to congratulate my team again. No captain could be more proud of a team than I am of these “oldies”. They worked very hard to accomplish their quest for the Gold, a feat that hasn’t been done since 1999. Team members are:
Captain: Tom Whitaker; Adjutant: Leo Cebula; Coaches: Steve Hardin, Jim O’Connell, Gary Rasmussen; Shooters: David Crandall, Peter Church, Gerard DeCosta, Wayne Forshee, Charles Kemp, Randall Gregory, Marty Mayo, Noma Mayo, Steve McGee, Bob Steketee; Reserves: Michel Dunia, J.P. Young.
In the World Individual Championships there were three U.S. shooters who qualified for the final “top ten” shoot-off at 1000 yards, they, too, were all Veterans. I have heard it said that old eyes can’t be counted on to get the job done, but it looks like old age and treachery won out over youth and enthusiasm this time. Many thanks to all who supported our team. We could not have done this without your help, especially Sierra Bullets, Lapua, and The Bald Eagles Rifle Club.
It’s official… the U.S. Army is replacing the M9 Pistol made by Beretta. On August 28, 2015, the Army released the official solicitation for the XM17 MHS Pistol, a modular design that will replace the M9, the Army’s version of Beretta’s model 92. This is a big contract — the Army intends to acquire at least 300,000 pistols, all from one manufacturer.
According to Military.com: “One of the major goals of the MHS [Modular Handgun System] effort is to adopt a pistol chambered for a more potent round than the current 9mm[.] The U.S. military replaced the .45 caliber 1911 pistol with the M9 in 1985 and began using the 9mm NATO round at that time.” It is unclear what chambering the U.S. Army wants instead of the 9x19mm. Some pundits suggest the Army wants a larger-diameter bullet, while others think the Army is looking for a higher velocity projectile that can penetrate body armor. While the Army has not specified a particular cartridge, the XM17 spec requires that the pistol’s projectile penetrate at least 14″ of ballistics gel at 50 meters. The Army also hopes that the new pistol will be more durable and easier to maintain than the M9.
This XM17 solicitation document, a whopping 351 pages long, contains detailed specs for the pistol, accessories, along with performance standards. Guns.com says the specification includes accuracy standards as well as modular design requirements: “The Army said the handgun should be able to hit a 4-inch target at a 50-meter range at least 90 percent of the time throughout the gun’s lifespan. To compete in the Modular Handgun System, and the XM17 designation, the pistol needs modifiable grips, varied magazine options, ambidextrous controls, and rails for accessories.”
A few years ago, some folks released a video that showed how gun control laws might operate in a fictional California of the future. The video shows how State Agency pre-authorization would have to be obtained before a handgun could be employed for self-defense in the home. Sound far-fetched? Well, it turns out that this satirical video was not that far from the truth. That disturbing vision of the future is coming to pass… at least in some parts of California.
The City of Los Angeles recently passed an municipal ordinance that would require handguns to be locked up (or otherwise disabled) when kept in the home. Modeled after a similar law in San Francisco, the Los Angeles ordinance makes it a misdemeanor to keep an unsecured handgun in a home. There are some exceptions to the locking rule (such as when the owner has the firearm in “close proxmity”), but this Los Angeles ordinance still imposes onerous burdens on citizens who might need a firearm to defend themselves in their own homes.
Under the new Los Angeles city ordinance, there is no “pre-authorization” requirement — at least not yet. But that could be the next step, as this video shows…
Think about it… how can you respond to an intruder if you have to call and ask for permission to access your own firearm. How that scenario might unfold is depicted in this video, a chilling preview of gun ownership in California. The video is a dramatization, but it shows what could happen in the Golden State in the not-too-distant future.
We like to let our readers know about special offers that can save you big bucks on a major purchase. Right now Cabela’s is offering 10% off plus FREE shipping on all orders of $99.00 or more. To qualify, use the coupon code “5TENOFF” during check-out. Or, use the barcode printed below when shopping in a Cabelas store. This offer is good through 11:59 pm EDT on Monday September 7, 2015.
Here are the details of this offer. NOTE: the 10% Off + free shipping offer does NOT apply to firearms, though the offer IS valid for ammunition purchases. CLICK HERE for more details.
- $99 minimum order required, excluding gift cards
– Additional shipping charges for large or heavy items still apply
– Good on Standard Express shipping to U.S. Deliverable Addresses ONLY
– Not valid with any other offer
– Not valid on firearms
– Not valid on boats, gas-powered motors, ATVs/UTVs
– Not valid on gift certificates, gift cards, services, or licenses
– Offer cannot be used on prior purchases
– Cabela’s reserves the right to exclude certain products from this promotion
– Not available to Cabela’s employees
The days of black rifles at Walmart are over apparently. Walmart plans to halt sales of AR-platform rifles and other mag-fed semi-automatic rifles (as well as certain semi-auto shotguns with capacities of 7+ rounds). Currently, AR-15s and other “modern sporting rifles” are sold in roughly one third of the company’s 4,600 U.S. stores. Walmart is the USA’s largest vendor of rifles and ammo, so this is a significant policy change that will impact sportsmen across the country.
Walmart says that its decision to stop selling semi-auto rifles is prompted by reduced demand for AR-type rifles, rather than by political pressures. Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg told Bloomberg Business, “If you have a product customers aren’t buying, you phase it out,” he said. Shoppers “were buying shotguns and rifles, and so we are increasing assortment in that.” Lundberg stated that Walmart would sell down its remaining AR inventory to zero as stores transition from summer to fall merchandise. (Source: CTD Shooter’s Log, August 28, 2015).
In a recent CNN interview, Walmart CEO Douglas McMillon said: “Our focus, as it relates to firearms, should be hunters and people who shoot sporting clays, and things like that. So the types of rifles we sell, the types of ammunition we sell, should be curated for those things. We believe in serving those customers, we have for a long time, and we believe we should continue to.” But when asked if he would discontinue sales of semi-automatic long guns, McMillon said, “Yes.”
READ MORE About Walmart’s Decision to Halt AR Sales
We are re-publishing this article at the request of Forum members who told us the information proved very valuable. If you haven’t read this Safety Tip before, take a moment to learn how you can inspect your fired brass to determine if there may be a potential for case separation. A case separation can be dangerous, potentially causing serious injury.
On the older Riflemans’ Journal blog, GS Arizona wrote an excellent article about cartridge Case-Head Separation. We strongly recommend that you read this article. It examines the causes of this serious problem and he explains the ways you can inspect your brass to minimize the risk of a case-head separation. As cases get fired multiple times and then resized during reloading, the cases can stretch. Typically, there is a point in the lower section of the case where the case-walls thin out. This is your “danger zone” and you need to watch for tell-tale signs of weakening.
The photo at the top of this article shows a case sectioned so that you can see where the case wall becomes thinner near the web. German scribed a little arrow into the soot inside the case pointing to the thinned area. This case hadn’t split yet, but it most likely would do so after one or two more firings.
One great tip offered involves using a bent paper clip to detect potential case wall problems. Slide the paper clip inside your case to check for thin spots. The author explains: “This simple little tool (bent paper clip) will let you check the inside of cases before you reload them. The thin spot will be immediately apparent as you run the clip up the inside of the case. If you’re seeing a shiny line on the outside and the clip is really hitting a thin spot inside, it’s time to retire the case. If you do this every time you reload, on at least 15% of your cases, you’ll develop a good feel for what the thin spot feels like and how it gets worse as the case is reloaded more times. And if you’re loading the night before a match and feel pressured for time — don’t skip this step!”
Hodgdon Powder Company, distributor of IMR powders, issued the following PRODUCT SAFETY WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE for six (6) lots of IMR 4007 SSC powder on September 2, 2015:
IMR Legendary Powders is officially announcing a product safety warning and recall notice for IMR 4007SSC on the six lot numbers listed below.
IMR has received reports that this particular powder in 1-lb and 8-lb containers may have become unstable due to possible rapid deterioration. Use of this product from these lot numbers may result in spontaneous combustion, fire damage or possible serious injury.
What to do (with Affected Lots of IMR 4007 SSC):
1. Stop using this product immediately! Fill the powder container with water which will render the product inert and safe for disposal.
2. Mail, email or fax a copy of the powder label showing the lot number to the contact information below to include your name, address, phone and email.
3. Replacement choice of any other IMR smokeless powder product will be shipped to you for no charge.
4. If you have loaded the powder subject to this recall into ammunition, we recommend that you pull the bullets, remove the powder and wet the powder with water for safe disposal.
IMR deeply regrets any inconvenience this may cause, but we believe in safety first. Contact information: IMR Powder Company, 6430 Vista Drive, Shawnee, KS 66218, email help@imrpowder.com, imrpowder.com, call 1-800-622-4366 or 913-362-9455 and fax 913-362-1307.
Hunting season is right around the corner. Here’s a good deal if you need a reliable, accurate hunting rifle with a proven pedigree. The Tikka T3 is popular with game hunters around the globe. Right now when you buy any new Tikka rifle you’ll get $150 in Beretta Bucks to apply towards the purchase of Beretta gear, Tikka and Sako accessories, and even Sako ammunition. This offer ends October 31, 2015. Visit www.Tikka.fi for complete details and redemption instructions.
All Tikka rifles are included in this promotion — pick whichever model you prefer, from the basic T3 Hunter with wood stock all the way up to the T3 Sporter with accessory rail and adjustable cheek-piece and buttplate. Other popular models include the T3 Lite and the T3 Super Varmint (shown above). If you’re wondering how Tikka rifles perform in the field, here is a detailed BushBrothersNZ video review of the T3 Lite. This review spotlights the T3’s controls and functions, with particular attention to the operation of trigger, safety, and bolt.
New Zealand Video Review of Tikka T3 Lite Rifle
*Eligible guns include all Tikka rifle models bought at retail, in the United States, between the dates of August 1, 2015 and October 31, 2015. Offer limited to one (1) $150 credit per Tikka rifle purchased. $150 credit will be issued in the form of Beretta Bucks for online redemption only at www.BerettaUSA.com. Beretta Bucks must be redeemed by April 30, 2016. No substitutions or exchanges permitted.
Headed to Vegas next January for SHOT Show? Then get yourself registered. Registration for the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s 2016 SHOT Show is now open for attendees. (Registration for members of the press will open in September.) The upcoming SHOT Show is slated to run January 19-22 in Las Vegas. Attendees can register now at ShotShow.org. While registering, attendees can also enroll in SHOT Show University and other seminars. CLICK HERE for Attendee Registration.
NOTE: We recommend you consider making your hotel arrangements very early. Like last year, there will be a number of major events in Las Vegas the same week as SHOT Show 2016. This means that hotel space will be heavily booked in advance. Forewarned is forearmed!
SHOT Show Sampler
In case you’ve never attended SHOT Show, here are two video highlights from last year. These two videos, created by our friends Ed and Steve, aka the 6.5 Guys, cover new-for-2015 Nightforce scopes and David Tubb’s recently released two-stage trigger.
Nightforce Optics
Nightforce showcases its F1 First Focal Plane scopes, including the new ATACR™ 5-25x56mm F1™ riflescope. With a 34mm maintube, the new 5-25x56mm F1 boasts an impressive 30 MOA of elevation per revolution, with 120 MOA of total elevation adjustment.
David Tubb
11-Time National High Power Champion David Tubb displayed his new T7T 2-stage trigger for Remington 700 actions, a major upgrade over the factory trigger. First stage and second stage are separately adjustable. Price is $350.00 for right- or left-hand versions at DavidTubb.com.
On the older Riflemans’ Journal blog, GS Arizona wrote an excellent article about cartridge 
