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August 6th, 2013
 ATK (Alliant Techsystems Inc.), already a giant conglomerate, may soon get even bigger. Reuters reports that ATK “is in advanced talks to buy Bushnell Outdoor Products Inc. in a deal that could value the gun accessory maker at around $1 billion[.]” In addition to scopes, Bushnell makes rangefinders, binoculars, GPS units. Bushnell sells a myriad of other products for outdoorsmen through its brands Butler Creek, Hoppe’s, Millett, Night Optics, Primos, Simmons, Stoney Point, Tasco and Uncle Mike’s.
According to Reuter’s sources, ATK is engaged in high-level negotiations with MidOcean Partners, a holding company that currently controls Bushnell. Reuters cautioned that “a deal has not yet been finalized and negotiations could still fall apart”.
If the Bushnell deal goes through, this will be the second major acquisition for ATK in the past few months. In May 2013, ATK paid $315 million for Caliber Company, the parent company of Savage Sports Corporation which runs Savage Arms and Stevens. Savage is being integrated into ATK’s Sporting Group business which includes Federal Premium, Alliant Powder, CCI, RCBS, Speer, Weaver Optics, Champion Targets, and other outdoor sports brands.
ATK is also a major defense contractor, producing ammunition, weapons systems, aerospace products and much more. Currently valued at $3.1 Billion, ATK has been a top performer on Wall Street recently. ATK shares have more than doubled in the past 12 months, outpacing most stocks, even in a rapidly rising overall market. ATK shares were trading at $97.53 today, compared to $47.24 one year ago.
Bushnell was founded in 1948. The company makes scopes, binoculars, GPS units, laser rangefinders, GameCams, eyewear, and other outdoor gear. Bushnell is the parent of many other outdoor product brands, including: Bollé, Butler Creek, Final Approach, Hoppe’s, Millett, Night Optics, Primos, Serengeti, Simmons, Stoney Point, Tasco, and Uncle Mike’s. Last year the Bushnell group of companies had $100 million in earnings before taxes, interest, and depreciation.
August 5th, 2013
 Checks totaling over $444,000 are in the mail to 163 shooting teams and clubs across the nation as the MidwayUSA Foundation wraps up its latest and most successful grant cycle to date. “The number of teams that apply and receive grant money continues to grow. The team applications were double what we saw in January,” explains Dick Leeper, Executive Director of the MidwayUSA Foundation. “This growth is a result of our fund raising partners and proves that it can be done. Teams are taking advantage of their endowment dollars and that is resulting in more opportunities for young shooters and the future of the shooting sports industry. It’s exciting; it’s what we set out to do.”
 MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization which works to provide long term sustainment funding to shooting sports in high schools, colleges and universities, as well as club teams not affiliated with a school, such as 4-H, through its Scholastic Shooting Trust Fund. Founded by MidwayUSA owners, Larry and Brenda Potterfield, the Foundation offers every constituent team the opportunity to apply for a grant that will give them 5% of their total team’s endowment annually. Teams can then use the funds for operational expenses such as the purchase of uniforms, ammunition, targets, competition entry fees, range fees and more.
“Competitive shooting teams provide wonderful opportunities for students to make friends, develop confidence, and learn discipline and leadership skills. However, most schools provide little or no funding for shooting teams, so it’s up to us to help,” says Larry Potterfield, MidwayUSA CEO. For more information about the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. and its Scholastic Shooting Trust, please visit Midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.
August 2nd, 2013
 One of the most remarkable shooting records — and one that has stood for four decades — is the 0.009″ five-shot group credited to Mac McMillan. The NBRSA Light Varmint Record of .009″ for five shots (at 100 yards) was set on 9/23/1973, forty years ago. Experts have considered that record “untouchable”, “unassailable” — in other words “unbreakable.”
Well records are meant to be broken. It appears that Texan Mike Stinnett has broken the “unbreakable” .009″ NBRSA record. Mike shot a .0077″ five-shot group at 100 yards in a registered short-range benchrest match at Denton, Texas. This will be a new NBRSA record (and all-time world record) if approved. Mike was shooting a .30-caliber cartridge, listed as a 30 PPC, but there’s some talk that the cases were formed from a Lapua 6.5 Grendel case. No matter — this is a mind-blowing accomplishment, particularly considering that Stinnett was shooting a .30-caliber gun, which has considerably more recoil than a 22 PPC or 6 PPC.
Forum member Wes J. (aka “P1ZombieKiller”) reports: “My buddy Mike Stinnett was just confirmed as having beat the world record LV group at 100 yards in a registered match. His group measured .0077″ and he did it with his 30 caliber.”
Wes adds: “Mike shoots thousands of rounds a year… I have sat on the bench right next to him several times, and he has rattled off five shots down range in a matter of 2-3 seconds, and the groups have measured in the .1s. The guy can flat shoot. His wind reading abilities are mind-blowing. When he gets the right condition, he is fast. REALLY FAST.”
NOTE: We will publish photos of Mike Stinnett and his target as soon as they are available.
August 2nd, 2013
Our buddy Shawn McKenna from Colorado Springs has made the pilgrimage to Camp Perry this year. McKenna, a talented service rifle and High Power shooter, captured some striking images during this week’s matches, including some beautiful photos taken in the early light.
Off to a Great Start
Shawn and his shooting companions have been doing well so far. At the team match, Shawn observed: “[It was a] great way to start the Team Match at Camp Perry 2013 with a call ‘X’ [for my team-mate]!”
August 2nd, 2013
 Want to work for a successful, big-name gun industry business? Well there are jobs to be had. Right now, Beretta, Brownells, FNH, Glock, Kimber, and Remington are all listing good gun industry employment opportunities. The National Shooting Sport Foundation (NSSF) has listed the following engineering, production, marketing, and technical jobs in the gun industry. CLICK HERE for more info and links to specific jobs.
August 1st, 2013
 The web-based JBM Ballistics Program is one of the most sophisticated and accurate ballistics calculators available — and it’s free. The latest version of the JBM Trajectory Calculator includes field-test-derived actual G7 BCs, as well as bullet drag data from Lapua’s Doppler radar testing. You can also change weather variables, and generate come-up tables for distances out to 3000 yards.
Whenever we have web access, the JBM program is our “go-to” resource for dependable ballistics calculations. In our experience, with most bullets, if you input all the correct variables for the JBM program, it should get you within 1/2 moa (2 clicks), at 600 yards.
New URLs for JBM Ballistics Calculators
With the release of the latest version of the JBM program, some URLs for the calculations pages have changed. You may want to update your bookmarks with the following web addresses:
July 31st, 2013
 ArmaLite Inc. (ArmaLite) has been acquired by Strategic Armory Corps LLC (“SAC”), a holding company that also owns Surgeon Rifles, and AWC Systems Technology. SAC purchased the ArmaLite assets from Mark Westrom, who will remain as an investor in SAC and will serve on SAC’s board of managers. ArmaLite (and its 90 or so employees) will continue to operate out of its current facility in Geneseo, Illinois.
ArmaLite is a leading manufacturer of a complete line of semi-automatic rifles, including the M15 and AR-10 lines, and an expanding line of advanced bolt action rifles in a wide range of calibers from .308 Winchester through .300 Win Mag, .338 Lapua, and .416 Barrett to the massive AR-50A1 .50-caliber rifle.
“ArmaLite is a tremendous addition to our group of outstanding companies and broadens our product line so we can better meet the needs of our customers”, said Mark Johnson, SAC President and CEO. “Mark Westrom [who directed ArmaLite for two decades] will provide a wealth of industry knowledge to our leadership team.”
Strategic Armory Corps manufactures precision bolt-action rifles under the name Surgeon Rifles, high-quality firearm suppressors under the name AWC Silencers, and AWC match grade ammunition. To learn more about Strategic Armory Corps, and its subsidiaries, visit www.StrategicArmoryCorps.net.
FACTOID: The “AR” in AR15 Refers to Armalite, NOT “Assault Rifle”
The ArmaLite Division of the Fairchild Engine and Aircraft Company was the original developer of what has become known simply as the “AR”. In fact, “AR” actually stands for ArmaLite. There have been many variations of the original rifle, but the “grand-daddy” of ARs was an ArmaLite.
July 30th, 2013
Troy Lawton of Columbus, Georgia won the prestigious President’s Rifle Match this week at Camp Perry. This is a 40-shot (total) High Power Match that includes a pressure-packed 10-shot “Shoot-off”-format final stage. Lawton held onto the lead in the President’s Rifle Final stage shooting an aggregate score of 395-18X. Jared Perry, the 2012 President’s Rifle Match winner, finished 2nd with a 392-15X and Justin Utley, firing a 100-2X final stage, finished 3rd with a 392-11X. The cut-off score for the President’s Rifle 100 is 284-8X.
About the President’s Rifle Match
The President’s Rifle Match is a National Trophy Rifle Match. It was first fired in 1878 and was incorporated into the National Match program after the Nationals were established in 1903. The President’s Match became uniquely prestigious because it was modeled after the famous British Queen’s Prize Match and because the winner formerly received a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States.
In the President’s Rifle Match, all competitors fire 10 shots standing, 10 shots rapid prone and 10 shots prone slow fire to determine who makes the President’s 100. The top 20 shooters advance to a final where they fire a 10-shot stage at 600 yards directly in front of spectators. The exciting 20-marksman Finals Shoot-off now concludes the President’s Rifle Match. This enables shooters who are in contention for first place to finish the match together on the same range at the same time in front of their fellow competitors.
July 29th, 2013
 3-Gun Nation (3GN) has redesigned the 3GunNation.com website, adding many key enhancements. The most important new feature is a Google-based, interactive mapping system that shows 3GN clubs around the country. Each 3GN range location is “pinned” on an interactive map. Just click on the pin to find more information. Zoom the map with your mouse scroll wheel to find three-gun friendly ranges in your area.
In addition, 3GunNation.com now features all past issues of the 3-Gun Nation E-Magazine. Simply click on the magazine tab to access hundreds of pages of 3-Gun eZine content. The home page now also features the 3GN leader boards, updated automatically after each match.
“With new competitors joining the 3GN ranks on a daily basis, the need to post and track scores is paramount” said Chad Adams, 3-Gun Nation Vice President. “3GN has reached a point in which our members demand their scores and rankings quickly, easily and in real-time. Thanks to our partners at Rangelog, we are now able to do just that.”
July 27th, 2013
 Americans are buying more guns than ever. FBI NICS Gun Purchase Background Check data (as adjusted by the NSSF), shows that June 2013 gun sales are up 3.0% over the same period Last Year (See Chart 1). This marks the 37th straight month that NSSF-adjusted NICS figures have increased when compared to the same period the previous year. (This year’s January increase was even more dramatic — see Chart 2). What’s even more interesting, in June 2013, Americans purchased more than twice as many guns as they did a decade ago in June 2003 — roughly 870,000 vs. roughly 405,000. That’s a big difference.
CHART 1 — Adjusted NICS Checks in Month of June
CHART 2 — Adjusted NICS Checks in Month of January
Understanding the Numbers
The June 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 872,025 is an increase of 3.0 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 846,437 in June 2012. The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Connecticut, Illinois, and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provide a more accurate picture of current market conditions. For additional information on NICS or to view a complete set of the current monthly reports, please visit the NICS website.
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