Germany is the center of the gun world this week. Now through March 9, 2015 Nuremberg (Nürnberg) hosts the IWA Outdoor Classics trade show, Europe’s largest gun-related exposition. Nearly 1400 exhibitors will be displaying new guns, shooting accessories, and hunting gear. We know many of our readers would love to experience the IWA trade show first-hand, but traveling to Europe is impractical. Well for you guys, here are the keys to the castle. Just follow the tips below and you can preview thousands of products currently on display in Germany.
4707 Products in 2015 IWA Product Showcase
If you want to see all the guns and gear featured at the 2015 IWA show, visit the IWA Products Page on the web. There you’ll find descriptions of 4707 featured products, everything from ballistics software to safari rifles. Click on the “New Products” link to see 554 featured new items. You can browse all new products, or Choose Product by Category. For the main product categories (Such as Guns, Ammo, and Optics), you can further search by subcategory (e.g. Guns > Rifles, or Optics > Rangefinders).
Newcon Optik 12,000-meter LRB 12K Night GPS-Enabled Smart Rangefinder:
The LRB 12K and LRB 12KNIGHT from Newcon Optik are built to outperform any handheld laser rangefinder binocular available today. Features include: A 12,000m (NATO target) measuring range, built-in digital magnetic compass, built-in GPS receiver, and in the LRB 12KNIGHT a Gen 3 night-vision channel. Through USB and RS-232 interfaces, the LRB 12K and LRB 12KNIGHT can be operated remotely, and transmit data to external GPS systems and ballistic computers. Both units can communicate with Android™-based smartphones and tablets.
Alexander Arms Ulfberht .338 Lapua Rifle:
Here is the Ulfberht semi-automatic, .338 Lapua Magnum rifle from Alexander Arms. The rifle features a custom-designed gas piston operating system, steel receiver, 27.5-inch chrome moly barrel with 1:9.3″ twist, three-prong flash hider, folding Magpul PRS stock, and Geissele SSA® two-stage, match-type trigger. The rifle is 41.25 inches long with the stock folded and 50 inches long with the stock extended. Total rifle weight is 19.8 pounds.
Bluetooth-Enabled Ear Muffs with Retractable Microphone.
The Swedish-designed Hunter SMART Active Hearing protection system lets a hunter communicate with his guide or hunting companion. This works with reachargeable AA batteries and it can also play music. These electronic muffs boast bluetooth connectivity, with a retractable mic, and mini-USB port.
You have to love this — a shooting facility in Western Pennsylvania has its own ammo vending machine. This is the same kind of machine normally used to sell snack foods. But at the Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club (BVRPC), you can get .38 Specials instead of Pretzels. The vending machine offers a wide assortment of pistol cartridges, packaged in 50-round bags. Fifty 9mm Luger rounds cost $21.00 and yes the machine takes credit cards.
The machine was installed by Sam Piccinini, owner of the Master Ammo Company. Sam says the machine is a convenience for club members, who had trouble finding ammo that complied with Club rules prohibiting jacketed bullets: “Most conventional commercial ammunition manufactured today is jacketed, and jackets can separate from the lead when it hits the backstops in gun ranges.” All the ammo in the vending machine features non-jacketed bullets. Piccinini states: “The machine sells pretty much everything — from .22 long rifle to .45 Long Colt and every standard caliber in between except .32 and .25 automatic. It’s got 380, 9, 38, 40, 45, .357 SIG.” (Source BeaverCountian.com)
Mainstream media reports of the ammo vending machine have spurred controversy. ATF rules prohibit an ammo-maker from selling handgun ammunition to persons under 21 years of age. The machine is located inside a locked, private facility restricted to persons over 18. On the machine is the warning: “You must be over 21 to purchase handgun ammunition from this machine.” BVRPC President Bill Fontana states: “It’s nobody’s business, it’s our club, we can do as our members allow us. Legally there’s nothing anybody can do about it.”
CMP Board Members and a few CMP staff members enjoyed a visit to the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park yesterday. They fired a few shots downrange from the 200-yard line. Here’s an image from the Kongsberg electronic target system. Shot impacts are precisely triangulated with sonic target sensors, then shot locations (and scores) are displayed on monitors placed next to each shooter. For more information on the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, visit http://thecmp.org/competitions/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
The 13,000-square-foot CMP Park Club House overlooks the 600-yard range. Panoramic windows look out towards the firing line and the Alabama woodlands beyond.
Register Now for Inaugural D-Day Match at Talladega
The first official matches at the new CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park will be fired on the weekend of June 6-7, 2015. The celebration is a two-day event which includes tours of the facility. A special John C. Garand “D-Day Anniversary” Rifle Match On Saturday, June 6th will officially open the facility. On Sunday there will be an EIC Service Rifle Match, EIC Service Pistol Match, and a CMP .22 Rimfire EIC Pistol Match. The inagural event is limited to the first 350 Competitors, so register soon via the CMP’s Competition Tracker website.
Tired of paying hefty fees to Gunbroker.com? Well there’s a new auction website, GunPalace.com, that lets you sell guns and gear at low cost (basic listings are free). Notably, GunPalace.com does not charge the typical final sales fees imposed by most auction sites. (Those charges could total $70 or more for a $4000.00 rifle). On GunPalace.com it is easy to list and sell handguns, rifles, shotguns, ammo, collectible items and more.
Video Explains How GunPalace.com Works:
GunPalace.com has a simple, low-cost fee structure. Basic listings are free, while there are modest fees for “showcase listings” and other upgrades. Importantly there is no hefty “end of sale” surcharge. Scott Patey of GunPalace.com explains: “It’s simple, our site does not asses a fee when an item sells. That keeps selling expenses low for sellers and prices affordable for buyers. If you are a gun-loving American, you are welcome on our site.”
Auction categories for sellers include: all types of guns (including rare and collectibles), plus gun parts, gun accessories, ammo, optics, safes, knives, hunting gear, military items, camping gear, ATVs, motorsports, and more. It is easy to register to begin listing items for auction. GunPalace.com doesn’t eat away your profits, as you pay zero final sales fees.
Californians may be relegated to shooting revolvers soon. On February 27, 2015, a Federal Judge in California over-ruled objections to a California state law requiring that all new semi-auto handguns have microstamping capability. In granting summary judgment to the State, Eastern District Judge Kimberly Mueller halted legal efforts to over-turn microstamping requirements for semi-auto pistols. Unless this District Court ruling is overturned on appeal, this Federal Court decision would effectively ban the sale or possession of most (if not all) new semi-auto handguns in the state.
Editor’s Comment: There is some hope however — the Calguns Foundations said counsel has already appealed the recent ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The ruling was issued in Peña v. Lindley, a Federal case that pitted California resident Ivan Peña and three other individual plaintiffs against Stephen Lindley, the chief of the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms.
At issue was California’s microstamping law, which was signed into law in 2007 by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, but which only took effect in 2013. In the two years since the micro-stamping requirement went into effect, no manufacturer has made a new firearm that complies with the requirement. Both Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger & Co., are not shipping their latest (post-2013 design) firearms into the California market because of the microstamping law. Opponents of the law argued that the microstamping requirment was, effectively, a de facto ban on all semi-auto pistols, since not one manufacturer has offered guns that comply with the law.
“This is about the state trying to eliminate the handgun market,” said Alan Gura, the lead attorney in Peña v. Lindley told Fox News last week. “The evidence submitted by the manufacturers shows this is science fiction and there is not a practical way to implement the law.”
The Peña v. Lindley case was argued at the trial court on December 17, 2013. Peña, gun manufacturers, and attorneys for the Second Amendment Foundation and Calguns Foundation argued that microstamping relies on impractical and unworkable technology. The plaintiffs argued that, if guns without the technology can’t be sold in California, and gun manufacturers can’t implement the technology, then the law functions as a de facto handgun ban that violates the Second Amendment.
The Calguns Foundation stated that the group is “disappointed that the district court sidestepped a clear violation of Second Amendment civil rights in its decision today. However, we are absolutely committed to litigating this case as far as necessary to reverse this incorrect ruling and restore the right to keep and bear modern handguns in the Golden State.”
This is a message to my friends in the shooting community: be careful with your skin. I wasn’t careful enough and now I have skin cancers. When the Doctor says the “C” word, trust me, it’s a scary thing. That’s me in the photo below. The reason I have band-aids on my cheek and my chest is that I was just diagnosed with multiple basal cell carcinomas (the band-aids cover biopsy sites). These basal cell cancers can (and will) be surgically treated, but any skin cancer is worrisome. The worst kind of skin cancers, melanomas, can be fatal if not detected very early.
An Ounce of Prevention — How to Protect Your Skin
Fellow shooters, my message to you is: Protect your skin… and see a dermatologist regularly. If you are over 40 and have spent a lot of time outdoors, I suggest you see a skin doctor every year.
As gun guys (and gals) we spend a lot of time outdoors, much of it in bright sunlight. When working and playing outdoors, you should always try to minimize the risk of skin damage and possible skin cancers. Here are some practical tips:
1. Wear effective sunscreen. Get the kind that still works even if you sweat.
2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and quality sunglasses with side protection.
3. Protect your arms and neck. It’s smart to wear long-sleeve shirts with high collars. There are “breathable” fabrics that still offer good sun protection.
4. Stay in the shade when you can. Direct sunlight is more damaging to your skin.
5. When testing loads or practicing you can make your own shade with an umbrella fixed to a tripod or scope stand. This has the added benefit of keeping you (and your ammo) cool.
6. Do a “field survey” of your skin every few weeks. Have your spouse or “significant other” inspect your back and the backside of your legs.
What to Look For — How to Spot Possible Skin Cancers
Here is an illustration that shows various types of skin cancers. But understand that an early basal cell carcinoma can be much, more subtle — it may just look like a small, pale pink spot. Also, if you have a scab that flakes off and re-appears, that might be a cancer. In the case of the basal cell on my face, I initially thought it was just a shaving abrasion. The skin was just slightly pinkish, with a little scab that would form and come back. But after a couple months, it never got any better. That’s what prompted me to see the doctor. And I’m glad I did….
Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang has been working overtime at his SEB COAX production facility in Indonesia. That’s good news for benchrest and F-Class shooters. Seb is finishing up a large shipment of coaxial front rests for customers around the globe. Dozens of new NEOs (is that an oxymoron?) have been completed and are ready to be sent to customers. Seb tells us: “We are progressing. Here are some NEOs ready to be packed and shipped”.
Click image to see full-screen photo:
CNC Machines Speed Production
After acquiring new CNC machines, Seb has been able to increase production in response to high demand: “Though they are only 3-Axis, my new CNC equipment sure helps to make the components.” However, even with the new CNC units, Seb says: “I think I will need more space, employees, and more equipment in the near future.” Whatever it takes Seb, keep those NEOs coming.
Today is the 179th birthday of the revolver, as invented by Samuel Colt of Hartford, Connecticut. On February 25, 1836, Samuel Colt was granted a United States patent for an “Improvement in Fire-Arms”, specifically the “Revolving Gun”. The rest is history. Colt’s original patent drawings, along with the text of his application, are available online.
A reader recently asked: “Where can I get an RCBS ChargeMaster Combo at the lowest price?” We’ll we scanned the web, checking a dozen vendors. Most vendors are well over three hundred, into the $320-$340 range. Right now the best deal we found was at Natchez Shooters Supply, which sells the ChargeMaster scale/dispenser combo for just $289.99 (item RC98923).
Handy Scale Pan Funnel from RCBS
If you purchase a ChargeMaster, we recommend you add an inexpensive accessory — the handy RCBS Scale Pan with integrated Funnel (RCBS item 9090). This unique combo product allows you to transfer the powder charge directly to your cases. Now you don’t have to pick up a separate funnel, put that on the case, and then take the powder pan off the machine and pour powder in the funnel. The RCBS Scale Pan Funnel can save time. And, you avoid the possibility of a spill (or tip-over) when you pour from a normal scale pan into a separate funnel. The hood on the Scale Pan Funnel also helps to keep kernels from bouncing out of the pan when dispensing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is seeking to ban commonly-used 5.56 M855 “green tip” ball ammunition as “armor piercing ammunition” and is seeking public comment on the proposal. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) urges target shooters and gun owners to contact ATF to oppose this proposed ban.
For decades, under the “sporting purposes” doctrine, commonly-available “green tip” M855 and SS109 rifle ammunition has been exempt from federal law banning armor-piercing ammunition. There is no question that this 5.56 ball ammo has been widely used by law-abiding American citizens for sporting purposes.
Winchester-brand 5.56X45 62gr NATO M855 FMJ Ammunition
The NSSF has an online form that makes it easy to voice your opinion on the proposed ban on 5.56 ball ammo. This form will direct your comments to Congress and/or the ATF. Click the button at right to navigate to the NSSF online form.
Commentary by Jim Shepherd, The Shooting Wire
Should the ATF reclassify surplus (and widely used) M855 and SS109 ammunition as armor-piercing, it would then be illegal for consumer consumption. This weekend, we received word that apparently many gun owners didn’t find this to be a compelling reason to record their objections with the federal government. With only a few days remaining in the ATF’s solicitation of comments, fewer than 6,000 shooters have registered their displeasure with the proposal.That, as one of my least-favorite instructors used to say, is simply unacceptable.”
The ruling was issued in 
The Peña v. Lindley case was argued at the trial court on December 17, 2013. Peña, gun manufacturers, and attorneys for the Second Amendment Foundation and Calguns Foundation argued that microstamping relies on impractical and unworkable technology. The plaintiffs argued that, if guns without the technology can’t be sold in California, and gun manufacturers can’t implement the technology, then the law functions as a de facto handgun ban that violates the Second Amendment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is seeking to ban commonly-used 5.56 M855 “green tip” ball ammunition as “armor piercing ammunition” and is seeking public comment on the proposal. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) urges target shooters and gun owners to contact ATF to oppose this proposed ban.
