Forum member Robert Chombart posted this message from his home in Normandy, France: “On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I … salute the memory of the thousands of American soldiers who sacrificed their youth to liberate France, with … particular [respect] for those who rest in Normandy ground.”
Today we should remember those who crossed the Channel to begin the liberation of Europe. Thousands of soldiers, sailors, and aviators gave their lives on June 6, 1944. Their sacrifice on “The Longest Day”, allowed people throughout Europe to enjoy freedom. We should remember those brave warriors, and never forget that freedom is not free — it requires continuing vigilance and sacrifice.
Looking for an authentic M1 Garand? Well, here’s your opportunity. The CMP Stores (North and South) opened this morning with a limited stock of IHC (International Harvester) Garand Rifles. Some buyers camped out yesterday to get the “pick of the litter”. It wasn’t exactly a “feeding frenzy” but there certainly was a lot of buying activity in a short span of time. It’s nice to see these old battle rifles acquired by Americans who appreciate the legacy of the M1 Garand. The CMP noted: “We expect the next partial IHC release to be in November, 2014, but it may be sooner.”
Rifles on Display — The Calm Before the Storm
Here Come the Buyers
Doing the Paperwork
A Classic M1 Garand Is Going to a New Home
And Here is How an IHC M1 Garand Shoots, Off-Hand, Rapid-Fire:
Shooting Industry Magazine has released a helpful blog article concerning airline travel and firearms. Written by well-known shooting instructor, gun writer (and part-time police officer) Massad Ayoob, the article covers key points travelers must understand before carrying firearms into an airport zone. In his article Flying with Firearms, Ayoob warns travelers that “State gun laws change frequently” and that “our country is a 50-piece patchwork quilt of gun laws”.
Here are some of the recommended resources gun-toting travelers should consult before they head to any airport in the United States:
Flying with Firearms — Familiarize Yourself With The Laws by Massad Ayoob
State gun laws change frequently, including reciprocity on concealed-carry permits even in the gun-friendly “red states.” Here are a few sources I recommend for you and your customers.
Online, the best and most up-to-date source of gun laws I’ve found is www.Handgunlaws.us. For smart phones, the best app I can recommend is Legal Heat (www.mylegalheat.com).
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are the authoritative sources on flying with firearms.
The controlling TSA regulation can be found at www.tsa.gov, search “Firearms.” The FAA’s controlling regulation is 108.11. To view the FAA’s controlling regulation, visit the U.S. Government Printing Office: www.gpo.gov/fdsys, click “Advanced Search” and enter “14 CFR 108.11” — the first result contains the report.
J.G. Anschütz GmbH & Co. KG (Anschütz), elite German manufacturer of airguns and rimfire arms, recently announced the launch of Anschütz North America (Anschütz NA), a subsidiary enterprise based in the USA. Anschütz NA will distribute and market rifles and shooting accessories for the US market. Importantly, Anschütz NA will provide after-sales service and Warranty work for Anschütz products. Anschütz NA will commence business activities in the USA on July 1, 2014.
Jochen Anschütz, president of J.G. Anschütz GmbH & Co. KG in Ulm, Germany noted, “The USA is a powerful market with a huge demand for Anschütz premium quality rifles. Over the years, the continued interest from the American hunters and target shooters in our fine hunting and high-precision target rifles has given us the confidence to further grow and support this important market.”
“While attending the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas … both I and my father, Dieter Anschütz, [realized] that not only do we need to continue to provide our excellent rifles, but [we need] also to expand our legendary Anschütz service here in America,” he said. “We feel that the best way to support this new growth is to take the distribution and sales service into our own hands.”
Anschütz NA will offer Anschütz after-sales service for all company products, as well as warranty support, repairs, spare parts, and tech info. The established Anschütz distribution chain and main dealer network in the US will continue to operate as before. To learn about Anschütz NA services, contact Customer Relations Manager Steven Boelter at: steven.boelter [at] @anschuetz-sport.com.
Model 1727F (17 HMR) Rifle with Fortner Straight-Pull Action
Today is Memorial Day, the date we honor those service men and women who have given their lives in defense of their country and freedom. Take time today to honor our fallen heroes. Our world would be a far different place without their sacrifices.
“Last Rites” (U.S. Navy photo, National Archives).
Arlington National Cemetery
The top photo shows U.S. Navy Chaplain, LCDR Joseph O’Callahan administering last rites to an injured crewman aboard the USS Franklin (CV-13) after the ship was struck by by two armor-piercing bombs from a Japanese dive bomber on March 19, 1945. Chaplain O’Callahan received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions onboard.
Do you know the purpose of Memorial Day? Many Americans do not. Maybe it’s a sign of the times, or maybe it’s always been this way. But for many citizens, Memorial Day is simply a Monday holiday — a day off work, maybe spent on a picnic with the kids.
In this video, reporter Mark Dice asks San Diego beach-goers about the purpose of Memorial Day. Sadly, too few of those asked could explain that Memorial Day is the day this nation honors its fallen warriors — the men and women who died serving their country. Listen to some of the responses, and you may be saddened by those who do not understand the meaning of Memorial Day:
What Is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.
On Memorial Day, the United States flag is traditionally raised to the top of the staff, then solemnly lowered to half-staff position until noon, when it is raised again to full-staff for the rest of the day. The half-staff position is to remember the more than one million men and women who have given their lives for this country.
Flags and flower leis adorn each grave in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in observance of Memorial Day, 1991. (U.S. Navy photo by OS2 John Bouvia, released).
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
Story based on report by Lars Dalseide forNRABlog.com
For the first time in 17 years, neither Doug Koenig nor Bruce Piatt were called to the stage when officials announced the Grand Champion of the MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup. Instead that honor went to Reading, Pennsylvania’s Kevin Angstadt, thanks to his flawless 1920-171X score. Angstadt accomplished this feat by being the only competitor to shoot quadruple 480s in each of the four events (Practical, Barricade, Mover and Plates). 15-time winner Doug Koenig (winner of the last four Bianchi Cups) was two points behind with a 1918-182X while Nigel Gordon finished third with a 1918-152X.
Shooting a 1920 is a Great Accomplishment
Bianchi competitors who have shot flawless 1920 scores are part of an elite club. But a perfect 1920 score at the Bianchi Cup is not a guaranteed win. In the past, Bianchi Cup championships been decided by X-Count tie-breakers between two perfect shooters. It didn’t come down to the tiebreaker this year, though. Kevin Angstadt’s name sat alone at the top of the scoreboard — the only person to reach 1920 this year.
“The dream for all action pistol shooters is to come here and shoot a 1920,” Angstadt said. “I was just hoping to get second place, but to win the whole thing? That’s unreal.” You can see (at right) that Kevin was honestly surprised to win the “whole shootin’ match” with a 1920 score.
The new Bianchi Cup champion was as gracious as he was cheerful while accepting words of congratulation from shooters, spectators, and staff alike. Koenig, who placed second with a 1918-182x, was the first to congratulate Angstadt on his victory.
Shown above, along with Overall Champion Kevin Angstadt (third from left), are the top performers at the 2014 Bianchi Cup. U.S. Border Patrol Agent Kevin Worrell captured his first Metallic Sight title, while Jessie Duff snagged another Women’s crown. Jessie was the only one to hold on to her title. Every other trophy at this year’s award ceremony reflected a different face than last year. Below are the 2014 MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup champions:
National Champion: Kevin Angstadt – 1920-171X
Metallic Division: Kevin Worrell – 1907-127X
Production Division: Rob Leatham – 1884-132X
Open Division: Doug Koenig – 1918-182X
High Senior: Kim Beckwith – 1908-143X
High Junior: Louis Surgi – 1838-111X
High Woman: Jessie Duff – 1893-135X
High Grand Senior: Adam Lennert – 1897-153X
This September, the NRA will host The 1st Annual Trijicon World Shooting Championship (WSC) at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV. Intended to be the “mother of all shooting matches”, this event involves four days of multi-discipline shooting at ranges from 15 to 1500 yards (and beyond). Competitors must be skilled with pistol, rifle, and shotgun. The goal of this match is to assemble the top 400 shooters from all the leading shooting sports, and then crown one undisputed World Shooting Champion. The “top guns” will share in $300,000 worth of cash and prizes.
Stage 5: NRA F-Class
Basic Stage Description: The NRA F-Class Stage is [a] long range bulls-eye course of fire, and is governed by the NRA F-Class Rule Book. In this particular stage an FNH USA SPR 308 Rifle with a 20 inch barrel will be used to measure a shooters ability to shoot at long range.
Course of Fire: From the 500 yard line, shooters will fire a total or maximum of 3 sighter shots and then fire a total of 10 shots for record on the official 500 yard F-Class target. Shooters will have a maximum of 10 minutes to complete the “for record” period of fire.
All shooters will compete over the course of four days in twelve equally weighted, officially sanctioned disciplines from various shooting sports. All firearms and ammunition will be provided for each event thus shooters will compete with common firearms and ammunition. This will also alleviate the need for new equipment to be purchased for unfamiliar events; and assist with international and domestic travel for all competitors.
Match Information:
Actual Match Dates: September 10, 2014 – September 13, 2014 (Check-In on Sept. 9th)
Location: Peacemaker National Training Center, Glengary, West Virginia
Contact: info@peacemakernational.com or call 304-229-GUNS (4867)
Report by Jaime Hammer, IBS Social Media Manager
On Saturday, May 10, 2014, Piedmont Gun Club in Rutherfordton, NC (located near the Chimney Rock and Lake Lure area) held a 600-yard benchrest match. Weather conditions could not have been better. The air was cool, the sky was overcast, and there was very little wind. It rained for about thirty minutes in the morning, but that didn’t interfere with shooting, and the remainder of the day was dry. The match began at 9:00 AM with the Light Gun (LG) class, and the Heavy gun (HG) class shot in the afternoon. Thirty-three competitors (including many of the nation’s top 600-yard shooters) attended the event.
Dominant Performance by Paul Isenhour
Paul Isenhour took home first place prizes for LG score, LG group, and HG group. He potentially set a new Two-Gun Group Size Aggregate record (the current record is 1.7797″ by Mike Hanes). In the LG class, Paul’s score total was 195 points, and his group size Agg was 1.708″. In HG class, Paul’s score total was 180, and his group size Agg was 1.769″.
In Light Gun class Paul was on fire right out of the gate — he shot a stunning 1.130″ (50-2X) on the first Light Gun target, followed by a superb 1.330″ (50) on the second LG target. That’s right, Paul shot two, 50-point, sub-1.5″ groups back to back. That is truly spectacular shooting. And Paul was quick to credit the stock-maker (Paul made the handsome stock himself). Paul’s 6mm Dasher features a Stiller Viper action, Bartlein barrel, and Leupold 45X scope. He was running Berger 105g Hybrid bullets pushed by Varget powder and Federal primers.
Paul Isenhour was on fire in Light Gun! Back to back, he shot a 1.130″ with 50 points, followed by a 1.330″, again with 50 points. That is astounding accuracy!
In the LG class (score), Larry Wheeler came in second place with a score of 193. Reggie Wilson came in third place, with a score of 192. In the LG class (group), Reggie Wilson came in second place with a score of 1.861. Chad Jenkins came in third place with a score of 2.000. In the HG class (score), Chris Childers came in first place with a score of 197. Mike Hanes came in second place with a score of 193. Richard DeSimone came in third place with a score of 190. Finally, in the HG class (group), Richard DeSimone came in second place with a score of 1.917. Jeff Godfrey came in third place with a score of 2.217. Top shooters received beautiful plaques for their great shooting. All winners and shooters competed with outstanding skill and sportsmanship.
Chad Jenkins, Jeff Godfrey, Paul Isenhour, Mike Hanes, Rich DeSimone, Reggie Wilson, Chris Childers.
Piedmont Gun Club has been the host club to several record-setters, three of whom (Rodney Wagner, Mike Hanes, and Chad Jenkins) attended this match. Rodney, Mike, and Chad set their records in May and July of 2013 for Group, Score, Group Aggregate, and Score Aggregate in Light Gun class, respectively. Rodney shot a spectacular 0.336″ group at Piedmont last year. An IBS Light Gun record, that was the smallest 600-yard group in history — the smallest 5-shot group ever shot at 600 yards by anyone, anywhere, in any type of shooting match. Initially measured at 0.349″, Rodney’s record group was certified at 0.336″. That is a record for the ages.
Table-Top Rifle-Cleaning Cradles
Among the interesting gear on display at Piedmont were a variety of hand-made cleaning cradles designed to fit on table tops. These typically employ a box-style design, with layer of cloth or other padding to cushion the underside of the stock. On display were both single-rifle cleaning cradle/boxes and dual-rifle rigs. This is a good do-it-yourself project that can be built with simple tools.
Click Photos to View Large Versions
Notice that these cradle-boxes feature an extended lower section in the rear. This lower “lip” butts up against the edge of the table so the whole assembly stays in place. In the photo above it appears that the lower section may actually be cut from a rubber block, but we’re not sure.
Piedmont Runs a Great Show
Everyone at the match was extremely welcoming, friendly, and helpful. As a rookie, I found that other shooters were quick to answer any questions I had regarding shooting, reloading, the match, or the club. Rookie shooter Paul Hammer said, “The shoots at Piedmont Gun Club are always well-run and organized. Everyone is nice and willing to help new shooters.” You don’t have to win a trophy to have a great time. One shooter observed that he doesn’t really pay much attention to his score — he attends matches to have fun and socialize.
Check out this nice bench set-up with an angled ammo caddy, custom “back-stop” for ejected brass, and a big, stable “gator”-style rear sandbag. If you look carefully, you’ll see another sandbag positioned just to the right side of the butt-plate. This bag helps support the shooter’s forearm for his trigger hand.
If you are interested in shooting at Piedmont, a schedule of events can be found by selecting the “Schedule” tab at the top of the website. Match registration is held at the beginning of each event. You can join the Piedmont Gun Club by logging in to PiedmontGunClub.com. Click the “About” tab at the top of the Home Page, select “Member Application”, and print that form. Once you’ve filled the form out, mail it to the address supplied on the application.
All shooters, myself included, are very appreciative of Piedmont Gun Club for hosting such a smoothly running match, where the level of camaraderie among shooters is very high. The quality of the facilities, experience in organizing events, and helpfulness of participants all came together to create a prime environment for benchrest rifle shooting.
Here’s a handsome Light Gun with an Obeche “Indian Paint” laminated Shehane Tracker stock. Click the photo to see a larger full-screen version showing the whole rifle.
Guns & Ammo (G&A) recently ranked all the U.S. States (plus District of Columbia) in terms of their “gun-friendliness”. G&A looked at the freedoms available to gun owners in each jurisdication, as well as restrictions on specific types of firearms. States were ranked according to five categories: Right to Carry, Semi-Auto Rifles, NFA Rights, Castle Doctrine, and Miscellaneous. Each category has up to 10 points, for a maximum of 50 points. The NFA category relates to the availability of suppressors, short-barreled rifles/shotguns, and full-auto rifles, regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934. The Castle Doctrine is a legal principle that allows a person to use force in the defense of his home.
Arizona Was the Top-Rated State for Gun Owners
So which state came out on top as the most “gun-friendly” of all? The top-rated state was Arizona, with 49 points. Second-best was Alaska, followed by Georgia in third place. Not surprisingly, the worst jurisdiction was the District of Columbia. The worst actual state was New York, while neighboring New Jersey was the next worst. CLICK HERE to See All State Rankings.
Separately, Guns & Ammo interviewed dozens of gun owners at the 2014 NRA Annual Meeting. You can hear what these folks had to say in the G&A Interview video below:
Shooting a 1920 is a Great Accomplishment
