|
|
March 30th, 2014
The 2014 ISSF World Cup at Fort Benning is underway, and some events have already finished, such as the 10m Air Rifle and 10m Air Pistol. The World Cup, which has attracted many of the world’s top rifle and pistol shooters, continues through April 3, 2014. Here are some photo highlights from the first three days of the Fort Benning World Cup. There were plenty of exotic, expensive rifles and pistols on display — plus a few small toy animals (favored by the lady shooters).
 
ISSF Fort Benning World Cup Photo Stream
Young Russian Wins First Gold of the Competition
Nazar Luginets, 24, from the Russian Federation, won the first medal match of the competition, the 10m Air Rifle Men event. With 209.4 points, the Russian athlete beat Serbian Milutin Stefanovic, who finished just one tenth behind Luginets. The 2013 Euro Champion, Sergey Richter from Israel, finished third.
10m Air Rifle Winner Nazar Luginets
 New Air Pistol Record Set
Hoang Xuan Vinh, from Vietnam, won the 10m Air Pistol Men final, setting a new world record in the process. Currently ranked 8th in the world, The Vietnamese pistol shooter pocketed the Gold medal with a record score of 202.8 points in the final, breaking the previous 202.3-point record set by the 2008 Olympic Champion Pang Wei of China. Hoang beat Russians finalists Sergey Chervyakovskiy, and Vladimir Gontcharov, 36, who finished in second and third place with 202.3 and 181.3 points, respectively. This was an important comeback for Gontcharov, a 14-time ISSF World Cup medalist. Vladimir who started competing back in 1990, had been far from ISSF podiums since 2012.
Photos © International Shooting Sport Federation.
March 29th, 2014
We know that many of our readers are NRA members. This article focuses on little-known NRA benefits. You may be aware that the NRA provides $2500.00 in firearms coverage to NRA members who activate their insurance. But did you know that the NRA offers its members discounts on car rentals, discounts on hotel/motel stays, and even discounts on moving expenses? The NRA even has health-related programs that can save you money on hearing aids and prescription drugs.
To learn about all these special benefits for NRA members, go to NRAmemberservices.org. Once you create an online account, you can activate your NRA firearms insurance, and check out the various special benefits offered to NRA members. You can also change your NRA print magazine selection or subscribe to various NRA newsletters. We do offer one warning though — the NRA is very aggressive when it comes to email marketing. We suggest, if you sign up, don’t list your business email address, or primary email address. Or use a spam filter so you don’t get deluged with messages from the NRA.
March 27th, 2014
Are you ready for the 2014 NRA Annual Meetings? The 143rd NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, April 25-27, 2014. This will be a huge event, attracting thousands of NRA members. The NRA Exhibits is a smaller version of SHOT Show, with over 600 exhibitors lined up in 400,000+ square feet of exhibit hall space. You’ll find products from every major firearms manufacturer in the country, plus accessories, outdoor gear, and more.
Along with the political speeches, there will be educational seminars, celebrity appearances, and even an indoor air-gun range. You can view priceless “investment-grade” firearms in the NRA’s gun collector area, or book a hunt from a dozens of leading outfitters and guide services.
 Get Free NRA 2014 Mobile Apps
To help you organize your visit to the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, the NRA has created FREE Apps for mobile devices. There are versions for iPhones and iPads, Android devices, and even Blackberries. These handy apps make it easy to plan your agenda and locate exhibitors. The Apps even have an interactive floor-plan (site map), so you can map out your “plan of attack” in advance. Here are key App features:
Interactive Floor-plan
Exhibitor List & Descriptions
Set ‘Favorites’ and Take Notes
New Products & Product Categories
Complete Schedule of Events, with Workshops, Seminars and Tickete Events.
| For iPhone/iPad |
For Android OS Devices |
 |
 |
March 26th, 2014
Ouch. The Ruger American Rimfire (RAR) rifle has only been on the market for a few months, and now some of the .22 WMR and .17 HMR versions are already being recalled. Some of these RARs left the factory without the necessary gas venting port.
CLICK HERE for Full Ruger American Rimfire Recall Notice
Reason for Recall
Ruger American Rimfire rifles chambered in .22 WMR and .17 HMR manufactured between November 17, 2013 and January 8, 2014 were manufactured without a vent hole. This hole should appear just below and behind the serial number on the left-hand side of the receiver. The hole does not serve any function during normal operation of the rifle, but is a safety feature and may help vent gas in the event of a problem such as a ruptured case head or bore obstruction. Rifles are being recalled to add the vent hole to the action.
Which Particular Rifles Are Being Recalled?
Only Ruger American Rimfire rifles chambered in .22 WMR and .17 HMR within the serial number range 830-34831 to 830-43880 are subject to the recall. If your rifle is chambered in .22 LR or falls outside this serial number range, it is not subject to the recall. If you do have a RAR chambered in .22 WMR or .17 HMR, examine the left side of the receiver, just below and behind the serial number. If there is a hole there (Figure 1), then you do not need to return the rifle. If there is no hole (Figure 2), then the rifle should be returned.
If you own a RAR chambered in .22 WMR or .17 HMR that is subject to the recall, contact Ruger. Call (603) 865-3100 or send email to: recall@ruger.com. After verifying that the recall applies to your rifle, Ruger will send out a packing container, detailed instructions, and shipping label so you can send in your rifle FREE of charge. Ruger will then retrofit your rifle and return it to you within one week of the day Ruger receives it.
For RAR owners affected by the recall, Ruger will pay all costs of shipping (both ways). Ruger will also include a free magazine, a $24.95 value, when Ruger returns the rifle. Connecticut residents will receive a ShopRuger.com gift certificate in lieu of the magazine.
March 26th, 2014
 Gun Digest will be producing a new quarterly print magazine, called Modern Shooter. It appears that the magazine focuses mostly on AR-platform rifles, AR accessories, and defensive shooting. The new magazine parallels the new Modern Shooter television show, which debuts on the Sportsman Channel next January. Look for Modern Shooter magazine on newsstands in April. The new magazine will also be available in digital format at www.gundigeststore.com.
Each issue of Modern Shooter will focus on a popular firearms category. For example, the premier issue explains how to maintain an AR rifle, and how to “Defend Your Castle” with an AR. This first issue features Richard Mann’s 12 training drills for AR-platform rifles, plus reviews of AR accessories: optics, sights, rails, and adjustable stocks. The premiere edition of Modern Shooter profiles Colt manufacturing, discussing the history of the company. Colt’s new LE6920MP-USA and AR15A4 rifles will be reviewed.
March 24th, 2014
Brownells’ 8th Annual Gunsmith Career Fair will be held at the Des Moines Marriot Downtown in Des Moines, Iowa, April 1-2, 2014. The Brownells Gunsmith Conference & Career Fair is expected to draw hundreds of attendees along with representatives from three dozen potential employers. As in past years, the Career Fair will include gunsmithing seminars along with opportunities for individuals to interview for jobs with arms-makers and government agencies.
 Gunsmith CareerFair.com.
In addition to industry and government representatives, many trade schools and colleges offering gunsmithing programs will be exhibiting at the 2014 Gunsmith fair. Past exhibitors have included:
Story tip by EdLongrange. Reader Submissions are welcome.
March 24th, 2014
 The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (ATF) Enforcement Programs and Services (EPS) Division has posted a new chart for its form-processing times, and the latest information is not good. NFA Forms 1 and 4 are now taking 10 months to process.
The ATF’s NFA Form 4, is one of the forms required to legally purchase a suppressor (sound moderator). The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is working to get additional resources committed to EPS through the Congressional appropriations process. NSSF Senior VP and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane stated: “The delays and lack of timely customer service, which grows worse every month, is significantly interfering with the ability of members of our industry to engage in the lawful commerce and grow their businesses[.] It also infringes on the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights in a timely manner, and a right delayed is a right denied.”
Related Resources:
March 23rd, 2014
The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup season kicks off right here in the USA, March 26 through April 3, 2014, in Fort Benning, Georgia. Many of the world’s best rifle and pistol shooters will be on hand — more than 400 competitors from 50 nations are expected to compete at the home of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU).
ISSF World Cup (Fort Benning) 2013 50m Rifle Prone Winner Valerian Sauveplane of France.
At the last Rifle/Pistol World Cup USA back in May 2013, the USA earned two medals with Will Brown winning a gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol and Dempster Christenson winning a silver medal in Men’s Air Rifle. Highlights from last year’s ISSF World Cup at Fort Benning are featured in the 24-minute video linked below. The video covers both rifle and pistol disciplines.
Here is last year’s women’s 50m 3P winner at the Fort Benning World Cup, Andrea Arsovic of Serbia.
Complete ISSF World Cup (Fort Benning) Match Schedule
If you want to watch the matches,or meet some of the shooters here is a schedule for the all the events, starting with training sessions on March 27th.
CLICK HERE for General Match INFO (PDF)
CLICK HERE for list of competitors, grouped by Nation (PDF).
Photos ©2014 ISSF | Competitor Photos: Marco Dalla Dea
March 21st, 2014
 Our readers have asked, “What’s happened to Richard Franklin? Is he still making rifles?” Well, we’re pleased to tell you that Richard is doing fine. He is up in Montana, building a new house, doing most of the construction himself. The good news is that the new house will have a big workshop, and Richard hopes to start building a few rifles near the end of this year. He won’t be taking orders for quite a while. But in the meantime, Richard is still sharing his knowledge about stock-making, gunsmithing, and varmint hunting via DVDs that can be purchased online.
Groundhog Hunting with Richard Franklin
A few seasons back, gunsmith Richard Franklin and his shooting partner Roy both achieved a varmint hunter’s dream — nailing a groundhog at 1000+ yards. The guns that did it were two of Richard’s 300 Varminters. These are 300 WSMs that push a 125gr bullet through 32″, 15-twist barrels to achieve velocities approaching 4000 fps. Here is Richard’s report, condensed for the Daily Bulletin.
The 1005-Yard Groundhog Adventure, by Richard Franklin
September 20th found Roy and I on our last groundhog hunt of the year. Bow season for Deer begins Oct. 4th and we wanted time to ready ourselves. Roy had killed 99 hogs so far this year and I had killed 97. In the morning, we headed over to the Overstreet farm leased by our good friend Richard Ruff. We set up the shooting trailer on top of a hill where we had a good view of several brush piles around the pasture. In the first ten minutes Roy put a hog in the air about four feet at 497 yards with his 300 Varminter, giving Roy an even 100 hogs for the year. I shot hogs at 180 yards, 506 yards, and 456 yards. That gave me a total of 100 for the year.
 Then we decided to go up to Danny’s and Bill’s hard rock dairy farm. We set up on the top of a high hill and shoot over the farm buildings to another mountain where there is a huge pasture with large rock piles. We scanned this pasture for about an hour and a half. Roy has a pair of Ziess 8-power binocs and I use a pair of the Leica 10-power Geovids with built-in laser rangefinder. I also have a “Big Eyes” set-up — two 22-power Kowa spotting scopes mounted on a bracket and used on a sturdy tripod. After some time searching the field for hogs and seeing none, we decided to pack up and go to a farm owned by Donnie Campbell. Over the years we have shot many a hog here. Roy once shot one here at 905 yards and my longest shot on this farm was 714 yards. Most kills here are made at over 400 yards. There’s a perfect place to shoot hogs from a single firing position. At the back property line was a big hill about 400 feet higher than the surrounding pastures and we could see and shoot about 200 degrees around us all the way out to 1,200 yards.
Setting Up the 1005-yard Shot
I had the first shot and nailed an easy one at about 140 yards. He was thinking he was hidden from view. Wrong! BLAM…POOF. Roy nailed a hog at 469 yards under an old pear tree. Roy nailed another hog at 522 yards by a big log pile where we had killed about ten hogs this summer. Roy was looking through the Big Eyes and called out, “Hey Rich…I got you one way over there on the next farm by the edge of the woods.” I ranged the hog with the Geovids four times, registering 1003, 1007, 1006 and 1005 yards. I decided on the 1005 as the distance. Checking my chart, I clicked up to 18 and 1/4 minutes. We had a very stiff wind blowing left to right. I have a Nightforce 8-32 power scope with the MLR reticle. I held the fourth windage dot and touched one off. I see the bullet strike nearly in line with the hog but low. I click up another minute and a half making a total of 19 3/4 minutes. Roy is watching all this through the Big Eyes and can see better than I can. He confirms where the first bullet strike was. I hold the same windage and touch off another round in my Bat-actioned, 32″, 15-twist Bartlein-barreled 300 Varminter. The hog was standing up for this shot. Through the scope I see the bullet’s vapor trail going straight for the hog. I lost the vapor trail before the bullet got there but I saw the hog flip over.
Hot damn, what a shot! After Roy shakes my hand and slaps me on the back, I walk over to the Big Eyes for a better look. “Roy, there’s another hog trying to fight that dead one,” I say. This hog (evidently both are males) is biting and dragging the dead hog. He is really going at it. Both hogs were evidently eating fallen acorns from the huge White Oak tree at the edge of the woods.
Roy Gets His Chance
I tell Roy, “Get up there on your bench and try that hog, I’ll spot for you.” Roy clicks up to 19 1/2 minutes and holds three feet for windage. Roy lets it go and I see the vapor trail going in on the hog. It hits a foot to the right and low. “Hey Roy”, I say, “click up two more minutes and hold one more foot of wind.” The hog ran in under the tree at the bullet’s impact but was back within 30 seconds. Roy is now clicked up and lets the second round go. I see the vapor trail dropping in on the hog but the bullet impacts dead in line, but still a bit low. “Roy — give it another minute and a half and hold the same wind”. I can hear Roy furiously working the bolt and chambering another round, then POW, and I see the vapor trail again. It looks like it’s gonna be in the middle of the hog but it drops right in under his neck, nearly hitting him. The hog vacates back under the tree for an instant but decides he is winning the fight against the dead hog and comes right back. Roy lets the fourth round go with the same hold as the last shot. I see the vapor trail of the 125 grain Ballistic Tip dropping right in on the hog, catching him perfectly in the shoulder. The live hog flips up and falls on top of the dead hog, his tail coming up stiff as a poker as he flags us that he is instantly dead.
Two 1000+ Yard Hits. A Record for Roy, Near-Record for Richard.
This was Roy’s longest shot ever. His previous record was 905 yards. This was my second longest shot, as I had killed a hog at 1018 yards seven years ago about 40 miles from this spot. I tell Roy that I’m putting up my hog rifle for the year. I’ll let this long shot register in my memory as the last Groundhog kill of 2008. Roy says “That’s fine, I’m gonna do the same.” Hog hunting is officially over for 2008. Now it’s time for Deer.
CLICK HERE to Visit Richard Franklin’s website and learn more about this ‘Hog hunt.
[Editor’s Note: Richard’s rifle has a BAT action and is able to drive the 125 Nosler at about 3975 fps. Roy has a Remington action on his 300 Varminter. The Rem doesn’t take high pressures as well as the BAT, so Roy’s load is down-loaded to about 3825 fps. Roy also uses a “boosted” Leupold rather than a Nightforce. Because of the difference in scopes, and the lower velocity, Roy needed more elevation clicks to reach the 1005-yard distance.]
March 21st, 2014
 The 2014 CMP Games – Oklahoma will take place 9-13 April at the Oklahoma City Gun Club. This popular 5-day event will feature clinics, SAFS/M16 match, EIC Rifle Match, GSMM Four Gun Aggregate, Vintage Sniper Match, CMP As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match, Military & Police Service Pistol Match, EIC Pistol match, and several other activities. Want to join the fun? CLICK HERE to Register.
The CMP Games – Oklahoma commence with Small Arms Firing School and the M16 Match on April 9, 2014, and an EIC Rifle Match on April 10. On the April 11-13 there will be Garand/Springfield/Vintage and Modern Military Matches, a Carbine Match, and a Vintage Sniper Match. There will also be Pistol Matches held each day from April 10 – 13, 2014.
Competitors should consult the official Match Program for the 2014 CMP Games – Oklahoma as many of the Rifle and Pistol Matches are fired at the same time. The competition features special hospitality events and prize awards. Please note than competitors must supply their own ammunition for all events including the GSM matches. The CMP will be selling ammo for the Garand, Springfield, and Carbine matches. However, no .223/5.56×45 ammo for the Modern Military Rifle Match will be available for sale.
CMP Games – Oklahoma Match Program | CMP Games – Oklahoma Entry Form
|
