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October 11th, 2014
 The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) invites young men and women shooters to apply for CMP scholarships for the 2015-2016 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 160 awards for a total of $160,000 from the CMP Scholarship fund. NOTE: In 2013, 68% of qualified CMP scholarship applicants received an award! Recipients hailed from JROTC programs, 4-H groups, and other shooting clubs. Selection is based on merit and demonstrated rifle or pistol marksmanship activity/affiliation. 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 transcript.
Applications are Being Accepted Now for 2015-2016
The CMP is now taking scholarship applications for the 2015-2016 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).
The deadline for CMP Scholarship Application is March 20, 2015. Learn more about the program at the CMP Website Scholarship Page. Click the links below to download Scholarship Regulations or a Scholarship Application Form (as PDF files).
CMP Scholarship Regulations | 2015 Scholarship Application Form.
Eligibility requirements for CMP scholarships are:
- Be a U.S. Citizen.
- Be of good moral character.
- Be a graduating high school senior.
- Have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
- Can demonstrate acceptance to a university, college, or trade school leading to a diploma or trade certification.
- Have qualified for CMP JROTC Service Championships, OR have demonstrated rifle or pistol marksmanship competition experience.
October 10th, 2014
Do you think your borescope is a state-of-the-art bore inspection device? Well think again. There is now something way more advanced than any optical borescope. A new laser-equipped scanning device can map the entire interior surface of a barrel bore. With this new technology you can now examine every land and every groove, millimeter by millimeter, from the chamber to the tip of the muzzle. The most minute flaw in a barrel can now be revealed.
 The new device is called the BEMIS-SC™ (for Barrel Inspection Machine Small Caliber). Operated by Chesapeake Testing and Laser Techniques Company (LTC), BEMIS-SC performs non-destructive laser-based mapping of gun bores. The BEMIS-SC currently works with .22 caliber to .50 caliber (5.56 – 12.7 mm) barrels. The BEMIS captures thousands of highly accurate data points over the full length of a barrel. The inspection can be completed in mere minutes, with scan results displayed in graphical, tabular, and 3D visual formats. Here is a barrel cross-section, as scanned by the BEMIS-SC:
Click for Full-Screen Version
Until the 1980s, gun tube inspection had to be conducted by hand using a manual “star” gauge, a process that would take hours and provide minimal data. Electronic gauges were eventually developed along with the video bore scope, but these systems were still limited to very few, low-resolution data points. That has all changed with the BEMIS™, a huge leap forward in technology that is capable of rapidly capturing thousands of precise data points.
BEMIS-SC (Small Caliber) Barrel Inspection Machines
Chesapeake Testing commenced BEMIS-SC barrel inspection services in September 2014. Testing is performed in Chesapeake’s commercial barrel inspection laboratory, located in Belcamp, MD, minutes from the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. While testing is currently limited to .22 to .50 caliber barrels, Chesapeake Testing will accommodate both smaller and larger calibers in the future.
“We have always focused on building our company around very unique technologies. BEMIS™ has changed the industry in regards to the inspection of weapon systems. We are excited to be an exclusive partner with LTC in this industry and look forward to contributing to the future of this technology,” says Jim Foulk, founder and president of Chesapeake Testing.
October 9th, 2014
Would you like to see an image you photographed on the cover of Shooting Sports USA? If you’ve snapped a great shooting-related photo, you could be honored with the cover shot for the SSUSA December issue. 2014 marks Shooting Sports USA’s second year for the December cover shot contest. Both professionals and amateur photographers may participate as long as reproduction rights are given to NRA. Shown below are the ‘Top Shots’ from 2013, i.e. last year’s finalist photos.
 Contest Entry Rules and Guidelines
Contest entrants should submit one or two high resolution (300 dpi or greater) photos of youth shooting sports, famous shooting athletes, or shooters in action. Provide a caption for each image. Note: if your image shows shooters on the firing line, the shooters should be wearing ear and protection. Images should be vertically oriented to fit the cover format and color photos are preferred. The magazine’s editors will consider all submissions and pick one for the December cover of Shooting Sports USA magazine. E-mail submissions to: shootingsportsusa [at] nrahq.org.
October 6th, 2014
Here’s an interesting contest from Kahr Firearms Group (Kahr), the makers of Kahr compact carry pistols. To demonstrate the accuracy of its pistols, Kahr invites shooters to showcase their long-range pistol skills in a YouTube Video. There’s some serious prize money up for grabs.in this Long Range Shooting Video Contest. The contest winner receives $5000.00 worth of firearm products and accessories from Kahr, Magnum Research, and/or Auto Ordnance.
Submit Video for a Chance to Win
To enter the contest you need to shoot a Kahr pistol at a distance of at least 100 yards. Video your shooting session, and upload that to YouTube. The person whose YouTube video gets the most views will be named the Grand Prize winnner. The contest period runs November 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014 and the winner will be announced on January 6, 2015.
“Our goal of this shooting contest is to dispel the myth that accuracy is sacrificed in exchange for a smaller sized pistol, like that found in our concealed carry product line.” stated Justin Moon, CEO of Kahr Firearms Group.
The Long-Range Shooting Contest video must be original footage running from thirty seconds to three minutes in length. The footage must demonstrate shooting at a target distance of 100-yards (or more), exclusively using a Kahr pistol. CLICK HERE for Contest Rules.
Tech Tip — Pistol Accuracy
What kind of accuracy is possible with a small semi-auto pistol? Rested from a bench, we’ve seen production 1911s shoot inside 2″ at 50 yards. That may be hard to achieve with a Kahr, but who knows? If you are using the standard Kahr iron sights, you may want to use a 6 o’clock hold on a black bullseye. Alternatively, you can make a target with a large, thick horizontal line with a red/orange dot in the center (see sample below) The horizontal line helps you align the top of your front blade with the rear sights for best control over elevation.
Try Custom Hand-loads
If you’re serious about this contest, you should experiment with various custom hand-loads. (As far as we can tell, the contest rules allow custom-loaded ammo.) You may find that you get the best results with cast lead bullets (as opposed to jacketed bullets). Try a variety of load recipes, with a range of velocities (slow, medium, and fast). Some of our pistols like fast loads, while other handguns prefer slow (725-950 fps), subsonic loads.
September 29th, 2014
As part of the Ohio Day at the Range program, CMP volunteers provided training in Air Rifle shooting and Archery for persons with disabilities. For the participants, some wheel-chair-bound, this was a special event. Though they may not be able to run or jump, they CAN shoot a rifle from a rest. This type of event gives disabled youngsters and adults a chance to enjoy a sport just as able-bodied persons do. We commend the CMP and all those who helped make the Day at the Range a memorable event.
As reported in the BCSN Blade Blog, this program gave participants a chance to learn outdoor skills: “The whole purpose of this is to show that anybody has the ability to hunt, fish, camp — do anything they want to do in the outdoors,” said Tory Thompson, Outreach Director for The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, Ohio. “We want these individuals and their family members to see that the opportunity is there. It will be very gratifying to see that moment when they get to experience something they thought they would never be able to do because of their disability — We hope this opens their eyes and lets everyone see past the stereotypes.”
September 27th, 2014
Forum Member Roy B. has found a website with scores of well-researched articles about guns and shooting. The Firearms History Blog features a wide variety of posts on myriad subjects, from early black powder firearms to modern match rifles. You’ll find tons of information on gun design, barrel-making, action types, and firearms testing equipment. To access hundreds of articles, click on the Firearm History Blog Archive Menu on the left side. Click the navigation arrows to access monthly collections one by one. Some of the best articles are from 2010, so be sure to check those archives too! Here are some of our favorites:
Testing Firearms: Measuring Chamber Pressure
(Comment: Crusher Gauges were used through until the 1960s, when cheap Piezo-electric tranducers became available.)
Barrel Making: Making a Modern Steel Barrel (Two Parts)
(Comment: Barrel drilling process explained — interesting process.)
Metal Treatments: Ferritic Nitrocarburizing/Melonite/Tenifer
(Comment: Meloniting creates a super-hard surface layer; this has been used to extend barrel life.)
Barrel Making: Forming Rifling with Electric Discharge Machining (EDM)
(Comment: This advanced EDM method can also be used to cut chambers.)
History of Gun Cleaning Methods/Solvents
(Comment: Old-timers used some pretty weird concoctions such as “Rangoon Oil”.)
History and Engineering of Sound Suppressors (Two Parts)
(Comment: Interesting cut-away illustrations of suppressor baffles.)
Utility Firearms: Powder-Activated Tools
(Comment: There are construction tools that use gunpowder to drive fasteners into steel and concrete.)
Testing Firearms: History of Proof Testing (Two Parts)
(Comment: Fascinating article, worth a read.)
More Interesting Articles on RVB Precision Website
These and other articles on the Firearms History Blog will give you many interesting hours of reading — Enjoy! And while you’re cruising the web, definitely check out Roy’s own RVB Precision website. It features many interesting DIY gun and reloading projects, such as Fabricating a 17 HMR Bore Guide, Building a Swivel-Top Varminting Bench, and Fabricating a Unertl-type Scope Mount.
September 27th, 2014
We are often asked “what’s the difference between the 6×47 Swiss Match, the 6XC, and the 6.5×47 Lapua necked down to 6mm?” All three cartridges have 30° shoulders and fit a .308-sized boltface. However, alone among the three, the 6mm-6.5×47 has a small primer pocket and small flash hole. The 6×47 Swiss Match (made by RUAG), and the 6XC (produced by Norma), have a large primer pocket and large flash hole, just like a .308 Winchester.
Forum member DesertLefty has provided a line-up photo, with 6mmBR and .260 Rem cases provided for comparison. As you can see, the three mid-sized cases (6x47SM, 6.5×47 Lapua, and 6XC) are very similar.
The Swiss Match has the longest neck, while the 6XC enjoys the highest capacity. But performance is very similar among the three cartridges (with the 6.5×47 necked down to 6mm), and the same powders, particularly H4350, IMR 4007SSC, and N160 work well in the 6×47 SM, the 6XC, and the 6-6.5×47 Lapua. Alliant Reloder 17, slightly faster than H4350 but with a flatter (less “peaky”) burn curve, could also prove a good choice for both the 6XC and 6mm-6.5×47.
6XC vs. 6-6.5×47
Often the question is posed “Which is better, the 6XC or 6mm-6.5×47″. The correct answer seems to be “it depends”. Current batches of Norma-made 6XC brass are very good, while certain lots of 6.5×47 Lapua brass have somewhat disappointing neckwall uniformity, demanding neck-turning for best accuracy. Overall, however, the two cases (6mm-6.5×47 and 6XC) are nearly identical in performance. Some shooters believe the Lapua brass holds up better under full-power loads. On the other hand, Norma 6XC brass from DavidTubb.com is a bit less expensive than 6.5×47 brass.
The parent 6.5×47 Lapua case is rated at 63,090 psi, while the new CIP rating for the 6XC is 63,844 psi (4400 BAR). Though the 6mm-6.5×47 has slightly less powder capacity than the 6XC, max velocities with 105-108gr bullets are quite similar. However, you should not substitute loads from the 6XC directly to the 6mm-6.5×47 or vice-versa. Because of the different case capacities and primer sizes, you should work up loads separately for each cartridge.
September 25th, 2014
Here’s a humorous illustration that pokes fun at golf. We posted this on Facebook recently. To our surprise this generated 356 shares, and reached 22,000+ readers, making this the most popular AccurateShooter Facebook post ever. “Golf — the willful misuse of a perfectly good rifle range.”
So, what do you think — should golf courses be converted to shooting ranges? Is golf truly a “good [shoot] spoiled”? This photo was shared by our shooting buddy Jim de Kort from Holland.
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Here are some comments from our Facebook fans:
“Actually golf and shooting are similar sports. Trying to shoot a small object into a small hole from long range.” — Eric A.
“You can hit a golf ball 300 yards, but I can hit a golf ball AT 1000 yards.” — Zach S.
“The game should be changed. You should hit the ball out as far as possible, then get your rifle out and hit the golf ball. The most golf balls hits… with the rifle wins!” — Hui H.
September 24th, 2014
 Over the past three decades, a quiet revolution has been taking place across the country. We’re talking about the expansion of “right-to-carry” or “shall issue” laws allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms. If you look at the animated map below, you’ll see that the vast majority of states now allow citizens to obtain carry permits on a “shall-issue” basis. That typically means than a citizen can obtain a carry permit after fulfilling basic requirements, such as a background check, safety class, and finger-printing.
As recently as the mid-1990s, most states disallowed carry permits, or allowed such permits only at the discretion of local law enforcement officials. Over the past 30 years states have migrated to less restrictive alternatives. The map below shows how most states have gone from “No-Issue” (Red) or “May-Issue” (Yellow) status to “Shall Issue” (Blue).
Opponents of right-to-carry legislation argued that the passage of “shall issue” laws would increase gun violence. In fact, the opposite occurred. The level of violent gun crime has declined in recent decades. A study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) showed a 39% decline in gun murders from 1993 to 2011 plus a 69% drop in non-fatal gun crimes during that period.
All 50 states have now passed laws allowing citizens to carry certain concealed firearms in public, either without a permit or after obtaining a “shall-issue” or “may-issue” permit from local law enforcement. Illinois had been the last state without such a provision — but its long-standing ban on concealed weapons was overturned in a federal appeals court, on Constitutional grounds. Illinois was required by the court to draft a concealed carry law by July 9, 2013 at which time the Illinois legislature, over-riding the amendatory veto of the governor who had sought to impose many restrictions, approved concealed carry to begin January 2014, at the latest.
September 24th, 2014
The shooting sports are thriving in the USA. Target shooting participation levels have increased 19% over a recent 4-year period, from 34.4 million shooters in 2009 to 40.8 million in 2012. That means 6.4 million more Americans are shooting. By contrast, golf and some other hobby activities have seen their participant base decline by millions. Despite pressures to close shooting ranges and the high cost of ammunition and reloading components, more people than ever before are enjoying target shooting. The increase in target shooting has been driven by an influx of new shooters.
Demographic Changes in Ranks of Target Shooters
Compared to those who took up shooting 20 or 30 years ago, these new shooters represent a generational change. Newcomers — defined as those who have taken up target shooting in the last five years — are trending younger and female. Also, more new shooters are city and suburban dwellers (compared to older shooters who typically live in rural areas). In these ways, the demographic profile of new shooters is different than that of established participants.
Although they may be different in age, gender, and geo-location, newcomers share one important thing with established participants — their passion for firearms ownership and the shooting sports. The traditional pastimes of handgun, rifle and shotgun target shooting continue to have a broad appeal to new generations of Americans.
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