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:
Richard Schatz, the “Duke of Dashers”, has done it again. Just look at that group! Believe it or not, that is five shots at 600 yards. There are four shots in one ragged hole, with one a bit to the right. The group, initially measured at between 0.402″ and 0.410″, is very close to an IBS World Record. Assuming (on the high side) that that group measures 0.410″, that works out to 0.065 MOA. Wow.
Schatz, a past IBS 600-yard National Champion, shot this group in a Heavy Gun relay on May 18, 2014 at the Columbus Sportsman’s Association range in Columbus, Wisconsin. Richard was using his trusty 6mm Dasher, a 17-lb Light Gun that he has been shooting for years. His ultra-accurate load consisted of 103gr Spencer Bullets pushed by Varget and CCI 450 primers. The Lapua brass had recently been annealed and he batched his record rounds “by feel” based on the force needed to seat the bullets.
Richard said the group involved a good bit of luck, and perfect timing. The conditions were generally “switchy and difficult” at the match. However, in one Heavy Gun relay, Richard said “the wind flags just dropped straight down at the end of the sighter period. It’s like the range went dead.” Richard had windage on his scope so he just held off to correct for the calm. “I didn’t guess the hold-off correctly”, Richard admitted, “that’s why the shots ended up at the edge of the 9 Ring.”
Twenty Seconds of Near-Perfect Shooting
Richard got his five record rounds down range in about 20 seconds. He can shoot faster but, given the exceptional conditions, he took a little more time to aim: “Because the flags dropped and conditions stayed calm, I slowed down a little. I made more of a deliberate attempt to shoot a small group — a conscious effort to aim more precisely. Normally I’ll try to shoot the quickest I can get the dot close to the center of the X. I was trying to be a little more precise this time.”
Whatever Richard did, it sure worked. That’s a spectacular group — one of the smallest ever shot at 600 yards. Richard, a modest guy, credited the group to good conditions, and good luck: “Like I always say ‘the wind can blow ‘em in just as easy as it blows ‘em out’.” Richard says this rifle, with the current Krieger barrel, can typically put five shots in about two inches at 600 yards, in calm, stable conditions.
Very Close to an IBS Heavy Gun Record
The current IBS 600-yard, five-shot Heavy Gun group record is 0.404″, set by John Lewis in 2008. This recent group by Richard Schatz is very, very close to that mark. At Columbus, Wisconsin, four different measurers examined Richard’s group on May 18th. The four measurements were: 0.402″, 0.403″, 0.410″, and 0.409″ (see photo). Whether or not this is a new record will be determined by the IBS official measurement committee to which the target is being submitted. It’s worth mentioning that Richard Schatz currently holds the IBS 600-yard Heavy Gun score record, with a value of 50 points (and 0.634″ tie-breaker).
Rifle Specifications:
Nesika Action
Krieger 1:8″ twist barrel, 27″ length, 0.236″ bore
Chambered for 6mm Dasher with 0.272″ neck and 0.104″ Freebore
Shehane “Baby Tracker” stock
Nightforce 8-32x56mm NSX Scope
Load Specifications:
Clay Spencer 103gr bullets
Lapua 6mmBR brass (formed to Dasher)
Cases skim-turned for .0035 total clearance
Hodgdon Varget powder, 32.2 grains
CCI 450 primers
Muzzle Velocity 2980 FPS
What’s more fun that a barrel of monkeys? Well a barrel of ammo of course. Here’s an item for the man who has everything, or maybe the prepper who needs enough 5.56x45mm ammo to defeat a horde of zombies, plus their undead friends and relatives. For a mere $5999.99 you can get a barrel containing 12,500 rounds of Federal 5.56x45mm 62gr “Green Tip” ammunition. No joke — this is a real item offered for sale by Grafs.com. When you’re not shooting, your ammo barrel can do double duty as a handy side-table in your living room or man-cave. Just the thing to hold a plate of snacks and your favorite beverage.
In all seriousness, this is impressive Mil-Spec FMJ ammunition right off the production line. The 62-grain green-tipped bullets feature a hardened steel penetrator core. The boxer-primed cases are fully reloadable (though the miltary primer crimps would have to be removed). The ammo is delivered in a heavy-duty steel drum, with steel clamp-on lid with rubber seal. Each container is plastic-lined and packed (from the factory) with dessicant pouches for long term storage.
NOTE: In some jurisdictions there may be restrictions on this product (based on the quantity of rounds or other factors). Check your local laws and regulations.
To be honest, we’re not sure how we feel about the whole zombie-theme marketing efforts in the gun industry. However, if you’re into green-tipped bullets, and blasting replicas of the undead, then get ready for the biggest Zombie-themed shooting match of the year. Hornady’s epic Zombie in the Heartland Pandemic is two weeks away. This event will take place May 30 – June 1, 2014 at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. The Pandemic traditionally has a rich prize table worth over $150,000. Prize include pistols, rifles, shotguns, scopes, AR uppers, gun parts, and gear of all kinds. Get more info (and watch videos from last year) at www.ZombiesintheHeartland.com.
Thanks to Hornady and other sponsors, the Pandemic is a veritable theme park for shootists, with many fun stages and innovative targets. Many new and reactive zombie targets have been developed specifically for this match. The use of paper zombie targets has been minimized. Shotguns, rifles and handguns will be used on most stages.
In 2013, there were 10 Competitive Stages and 5 Sidematch Stages. Match directors expect at least the same number of stages for Pandemic 2014. Each presents a different shooting challenge, and a different threat. View the Zombie Guide Page for general information and firearms classifications.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will award $100,000 in grants to public and private colleges for start-ups of new target-shooting clubs and teams. Up to $10,000 will be awarded to each qualifying school. Schools receiving grants range from large universities to community colleges. In the last grant session, 20 colleges received program start-up funding, including the University of Colorado at Boulder, North Idaho College, Slippery Rock University, Concordia College, Middlebury College and Wichita State University, to name several.
The grants are provided through NSSF’s Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative, which has assisted more than 75 schools with building competitive and recreational shooting programs through more than $1 million in support. The program is credited with helping to spur growth in collegiate target shooting across the country.
Successful target shooting programs have developed from modest beginnings — sometimes involving just several enthusiastic students, a dedicated coach and the NSSF grant. “Students and coaches provide the passion, NSSF provides the seed funding,” said NSSF Manager of Shooting Promotions Zach Snow.
Visit www.nssf.org/college to learn about grant opportunities for college shotgun, rifle or pistol teams/clubs. The NSSF also offers a PDF Brochure on Establishing a Collegiate Shooting Program. This includes sample By-laws and Rules.
25,000+ members and counting! The AccurateShooter.com Shooters’ Forum hit a major milestone on May 18, 2014. We surpassed 25,000 registered members. If you have considered joining our Forum, but haven’t done so yet, there’s no better time than now.
As a Shooters’ Forum member, you can exchange ideas with other serious shooters. Sell your gear through our FREE Forum Classifieds. You can get valuable advice on shooting and reloading from top shooters such as National Champions Larry Bartholome, Sam Hall, and Derek Rodgers. Get long-range advice from Ballistics Guru Bryan Litz and past F-Class Team Captain Shiraz Balolia. As well, many top tool-makers and barrel-makers visit the Forum regularly, such as Dave Kiff (PT&G), Frank Green (Bartlein Barrels), and John Perkins (21st Century Shooting).
Benefits for Registered Shooters’ Forum Members
FREE Classified Ads for Forum Members.
Forum Members Get Advanced Notice of Special Offers.
Specialty Sub-boards for Reloading and Gunsmithing.
Gear Talk Section with Hundreds of User Gear Evaluations.
Special Area for Varmint and Game Hunters.
Leading Accuracy Forum with High “Signal to Noise Ratio”.
Shooting a 1920 is a Great Accomplishment
What’s more fun that a barrel of monkeys? Well a 
The grants are provided through NSSF’s Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative, which has assisted more than 75 schools with building competitive and recreational shooting programs through more than $1 million in support. The program is credited with helping to spur growth in collegiate target shooting across the country.
