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May 18th, 2013
 These days, online gun auctions are busier than ever. Many folks are purchasing arms for the first time, and sellers are enjoying good prices for their wares based on increased demand. Some people even think that guns may be a safer investment than real estate or bonds at this time. That’s questionable, but this Editor finds it ironic that most of his guns have held their value while the price of gold has dropped over 25% in the past couple of years. For those with extensive collections (and gun safes bursting at the seams), this may be an opportune time to “thin out” your holding and sell off little-used (or less favored) rifles and pistols.
To assist our readers with the gun buying and selling process, we’ve prepared a guide to Selling Your Stuff Online. This quick guide surveys the major online sales and auction sites, comparing their fees and features. The costs are NOT all the same. Did you know that Gunbroker.com charges sellers 5% of the first $25.00, plus 2.5% of the value from $25.00 – $1000.00, plus 1.5% of the remaining value ($1000+). For a $3000.00 gun that’s over $50.00 in sales commissions! That’s why many sellers prefer to list their rifles on Benchrest.com for just $3.00, or right here on AccurateShooter.com for FREE!
CLICK HERE for article about online Classifieds and Auction Sites.
SIX TIPS for Selling Your Gear Online
1. Include Good, Sharp Photos: A custom rifle or expensive optic will sell two to three times as quickly, at a higher price, if you include good sharp photos. We can’t over-emphasize the importance of good photos. For all products, show multiple angles, and include the original boxes if you still have them. For a rifle, include detail shots as well as a photo of the complete gun.
2. Resize Your Photos Before Posting: Remember that many readers have monitors that only display 800-1000 pixels in screen width. We recommend you size your photos down to 600×480 pixels, or 800×600 at the most.
3. Be Fair and Complete in Your Description: Buyers appreciate honesty and thoroughness in product descriptions. Potential buyers want details. For a rifle, list the gunsmith, barrel-maker, round count, and provide the specifications. If the rifle has a winning competition history, say so. Always highlight the positives in your description, but you should disclose significant flaws. A buyer will be more willing to purchase if he thinks the seller is 100% honest.
4. Don’t Forget Contact Info: We’re amazed by how many adverts omit key contact info. In a forum classified ad, include your phone number, and email address in your listing. Include a first name, e.g. “Ask for Dan.” We also suggest you list your residence city and state. Some buyers will prefer to buy from a seller in their home state.
5. Make the Price Attractive: Buyers, everywhere, are looking for good deals. If you want your item to move quickly, set the price accordingly and don’t expect top dollar. Check comparable listings and then discount by 10-15% if you want the item to move fast.
6. Include a Call to Action: Advertisements can be twice as effective if they include a “Call to Action”, i.e. a statement that directly inspires the potential buyer to respond. Sample calls to action are: “Free Shipping — today only.” Or, you can use a time limit: “Special Sale Price good ’til the end of the month. Act soon”.
Classified Advert vs. Auctions
 For benchrest, F-Class, Silhouette, Tactical or High Power rifles, you may get the best results posting a For Sale ad on a Forum that caters to the right discipline. You want your ad to reach the right audience. On the other hand, a GunBroker.com auction will have tens of thousands of potential buyers. Realistically, however, if you price your rig attractively, it should sell quickly in a Forum Classified Advert. Plus with conventional Classifieds, you can sell immediately — you don’t have to wait for the auction to end. For scopes and reloading equipment (but not firearms, actions, barrels etc.), also consider eBay, which still allows many gun-related items.
May 17th, 2013
Report based on story by Kyle Jillson in NRABlog.
There will be a new rifle discipline at Camp Perry this year — the NRA National Mid-Range Championships, slated for August 5-9. Created due to the rising popularity of F-Class shooting, the new 3000-point Mid-Range Championships will be shot from distances of 300, 500, and 600 yards and will add yet another fun sport to the annual Remington/NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships. The new Mid-Range Championship isn’t just for F-Class Open and T/R rifles though. Sling shooters are allowed to compete with Service Rifles and Match Rifles and will be classified accordingly.
F-Class Basics
F-Class is target shooting with scoped sights and artificial support (bipods for F-TR and rests or bipods for F-Open). F-Class shooting is done entirely from the prone position. Originally started among older High Power shooters who were straining to see traditional iron sights and needed a little more support, the sport now includes young shooters as well as experienced shooters looking for a new challenge.
There are two F-Class divisions: Open Class (F-Open) and Target Rifle (F-TR). In F-Open, rifles can weigh up to 22 pounds, fire any caliber under .35 and may be shot off just about any type of rest. F-TR rigs are limited to 18.15 lbs (8.25 kg), must be shot off a bipod, and must be chambered for either the .223 Rem and .308 Win (or 7.62×51) cartridges. For F-TR, the bipods are counted in the weight of the rifle. Other F-class rules are found in the official NRA High Power Rulebook.
The Mid-Range Championships will be held alongside the High Power Rifle Championships August 5-9 at Camp Perry, Ohio. And if your thirst for F-Class has not been sated by then, the US F-Class National Championships are coming to the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico from August 18-20. After that the Whittington Center will hold the F-Class World Championships from August 23-27.
May 16th, 2013
 If you want to learn how to shoot accurately at very long range, one of the very best places to learn is the Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School. The 6th Annual Benchrest School will be held Saturday June 8 and Sunday June 9, 2013. There are still a few slots available for this year’s session. Classes, taught by top 1K shooters, are held at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club Range, one of the best 1K ranges in the country. View the range on the Williamsport website, PA1000yard.com
Prospective students will be taught all aspects of long-range benchrest shooting from some of the most skilled marksmen in the country. All areas are covered: load development, precision reloading, bench skills, and target analysis. Much time is spent at the loading bench and on the firing line. And you don’t even need guns and ammo — all equipment and ammunition will be provided.
School instructors tell us: “This year’s benchrest school will be a 2-day weekend event. (There is also a ‘Meet and Greet’ gathering Friday evening). The school is a beginner class designed to teach the fundamental skills needed to be competitive at at 600 and 1000 yards. Saturday will be spent in class covering a range of topics including reloading dos and don’ts, load development and equipment handling. Sunday we will shoot an actual match to see what you’ve learned.”
Don’t hesitate if you want to grab one of the remaining slots for the 2013 school. Contact the school directors right away. For more info, visit contact Dave Gardner (Public Relations) at pa1000br@yahoo.com or 570-916-9095. To get an application, please contact Nancy Miller (Club Secretary) at nancymiller@htva.net or 607-426-1535. Cost for the class is $300.00 including lunch and dinner on Saturday.
To see what the 1K Benchrest school is like, watch the slide show/video below, produced by Sebastian Reist, an alumnus of the 2009 Williamsport 1000-yard BR school. Sebastian, a talented professional photographer, captured the highlights of his Williamsport 1K training weekend:
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Photos and slideshow courtesy Sebastian Reist, www.sreistphotography.com.
May 16th, 2013
 This past weekend, Team Glock Captain KC Eusebio won the 2013 European Steel Challenge in record time. Held in Winterswijk, Netherlands, the Euro-Steel competition was hosted by the Stichting Winterswijkse Accomodatie Sportschieten. Eusebio shot the 6-stage indoor Open match in 58.57 seconds, winning by 3.07 seconds over two-time past European Steel Challenge champion, Saul Kirsch. This match was shot entirely indoors under artificial lighting. Eusebio used as GLOCK 34 pistol prepared by ZEV Technology.
Watch KC Shoot the Euro Steel Challenge
“I have always wanted to shoot this match against Europe’s best shooters on their turf,” said KC. “It was an honor to finally be able to do so. I can’t wait to come back to this beautiful country next year!”
After winning the Euro Steel Challenge, KC attended the Dutch Army MOD match (Harskamp, Netherlands) on May 15-16 as guest of the Dutch Army Shooting Team (photo below):
Eusebio Won U.S. National Steel Challenge in Florida in March
KC’s victory in Europe followed his win at the 2013 U.S. National Steel Championship on March 23, 2013 in Titusville, Florida. Eusebio shot the match in 76.27 seconds, setting a new Main Match record. KC beat his next closest competitor, Max Michel, by almost three seconds. KC’s 2013 time broke the previous record of 80.09 Eusebio set back in 2007. In Florida, KC won four of the eight stages outright, and he set two new stage records.
May 15th, 2013
 Thus far in 2013, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has distributed 31,000 firearm safety kits through Project ChildSafe. Through this program, NSSF helps prevent unauthorized access to firearms when they aren’t in use. The NSSF launched Project ChildSafe in 2003 to educate gun owners on their responsibility to keep their guns out of the wrong hands, and provide the tools to help them do so.
Through partnerships with law enforcement the NSSF have distributed more than 36 million free firearm safety kits to gun owners throughout the United States. Notably, between 2000 and 2010, fatal firearm accidents dropped 22 percent. Firearms accidents are now less than 1 percent of all fatal accidents in the United States.
Message from Steve Sanetti, NSSF President
This year NSSF has committed $1 million to provide free gun safety kits, including a lock, in partnership with law enforcement agencies across the country, to gun owners, and educate gun owners about responsible firearm handling and storage. Success with this campaign relies on the participation of responsible firearm owners at the local level.
It only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen, and it takes just as few seconds to prevent one. Please join us in this important work.
May 13th, 2013
 ATK announced that it will pay $315 million to acquire Caliber Company, the parent company of Savage Sports Corporation which runs Savage Arms, and Stevens. Savage will be integrated into ATK’s Sporting Group business which includes Federal Premium, Alliant Powder, CCI, RCBS, Speer, Champion Targets, and other outdoor sports brands.
The acquisition of Savage by ATK will expand ATK’s portfolio offering by adding a respected producer of long guns to its family of leading brands in the shooting and outdoor sports industries. ATK anticipates closing the transaction in the first quarter of its Fiscal Year 2014, which ends June 30, 2013.
Here is the text of ATK’s 5/13/2013 Press Release announcing the Savage Acquisition:
ATK (NYSE: ATK) announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Caliber Company, the parent company of Savage Sports Corporation (Savage). Savage is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hunting rifles and shotguns, delivering innovative products for more than 100 years. The acquisition would expand ATK’s portfolio offering by adding long guns to its leading brands in commercial and security ammunition, shooting sports and security-related accessories. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. ATK anticipates closing the transaction in the first quarter of its Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14), which ends June 30, 2013.
Under the terms of the transaction, ATK will pay $315 million in cash, subject to a customary working capital adjustment. This represents a trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2013 EBITDA multiple of approximately 5.5 times (unaudited). ATK believes the acquisition will be accretive to FY14 earnings per share. ATK will finance the acquisition with cash on hand and funds available under its existing credit facility.
“The acquisition will complement ATK’s growing portfolio of leading consumer brands,” said Mark DeYoung, ATK President and CEO. “This opportunity will allow us to build upon our offerings with Savage’s prominent, respected brands known for accuracy, quality, innovation, value and craftsmanship. Savage’s sales distribution channels, new product development, and sophistication in manufacturing will significantly increase our presence with a highly relevant product offering to distributors, retailers and consumers.”
Operating under the brand names of Savage Arms, Stevens, and Savage Range Systems, the company designs, manufactures and markets centerfire and rimfire rifles, shotguns and shooting range systems used for hunting as well as competitive and recreational target shooting. The company was organized in 1894 by Arthur Savage and has expanded into market-leading positions. Savage is located in Westfield, Mass. and Lakefield, Ontario, and employs approximately 600 skilled employees.
“Savage offers customers a unique value proposition that is unmatched by any other firearms manufacturer and will be a tremendous complement to ATK’s existing ammunition and shooting accessories portfolio,” said Al Kasper, Savage President and Chief Operating Officer.
ATK will integrate Savage within its Sporting Group business. ATK’s Sporting Group is the established leader in sporting and law enforcement ammunition and shooting accessories. ATK’s ammunition brands include Federal Premium, CCI, Fusion, Speer, Estate Cartridge and Blazer. ATK’s accessories brands include BLACKHAWK!, Alliant Power, RCBS, Champion targets and shooting equipment, Gunslick Pro and Outers gun-care products, and Weaver optics and mounting systems.
Caliber Company has been a portfolio company of Norwest Equity Partners (NEP), a leading middle market equity investment firm, since January 2012. NEP is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.
ATK is an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company with approximately 15,000 employees and operations in 21 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally. ATK is headquartered in Arlington, Va. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atk, or on Twitter @ATK.
May 13th, 2013
If you’re looking for a great start for your summer, mark your calendars for May 31 through June 2, 2013 and plan to shoot the 2013 Remington-Bushmaster Long Range Regional at the Reade Range in central Pennsylvania. June in the Appalachian Mountains is a beautiful time and place. The Reade range is a first-class facility and terrific place to shoot. Since last year improvements have been made to the range to help accommodate the large number of competitors that this and other matches draw. The Regional tournament is open to conventional (sling), and F-class shooters (both F-TR and F-Open). There is still time to sign-up for the match and entries are still being accepted.
Firing will begin on Friday, May 31st with a 4-man team match that follows a morning of practice. Saturday is 3×1000 any/iron match followed by a wind clinic by Bryan Litz and a prize raffle. The match concludes on Sunday with 3×1000 any/any matches and awards presentations (with meal provided). Several teams are expected to be in attendance, pit pullers will be available for hire by competitors and Applied Ballistics will operate a hospitality tent with drinks and snacks all weekend.
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CLICK “PLAY” to HEAR Bryan Litz TALK about LR Regional Match Course of Fire and PRIZES:
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[haiku url=”http://appliedballisticsllc.com/AS_blog.mp3″ title=”Bryan Litz Voice Memo”] |
As if the fun of competitive shooting isn’t enticing enough, this match is heavily sponsored with some terrific prizes. Awards for the winners include: Remington rifles, Championship medals, and first place Team medals. Pluis half the entry fees will be returned to the winners as cash awards. In addition to awards, the prize table, containing donations from over 30 sponsors with a value well over $6,000, will be raffled as door prizes. Last year, every competitor was able to walk away with a prize!
 You can visit the Reade Range website for directions to the range, accommodations, etc. CLICK HERE to view and download the Match Program as a printable PDF file.
Remington-Bushmaster Arms is the primary sponsor of the match. Applied Ballistics, LLC is promoting the match and you can see a full list of the match sponsors and prizes on the Applied Ballistics website. Sponsor donations are greatly appreciated. If you have a business in the firearms industry and would like to support the shooting sports by donating to this match, please contact Jennifer Litz at Jennifer.litz [at] appliedballisticsllc.com.
May 13th, 2013
 Judge Glen E. Conrad, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, entered a final judgment upholding the validity of Ashbury International Group, Inc.’s patent on its modular rifle technology. The court also held that Cadex Defence, Inc. of Canada infringed that patent, and enjoined Cadex from future infringement. Ashbury was represented by the Troutman Sanders law firm, and D. Alan Nunley of Reston, Virginia. The official case title is: Ashbury International Group, Inc. v. Cadex Defence, Inc., Case No. 3:11cv79, filed on December 16, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
“The court held that Ashbury’s patent is valid, and potential infringers now know that Ashbury will protect its valuable intellectual property,” said Robert Angle, the head of Troutman Sanders’ Litigation Department in Virginia and a leading intellectual property litigator. “This case validates the significant investment Ashbury has made in its technological innovations.”
After entry of judgment, Ashbury CEO/President Morris Peterson declared: “We are very pleased with the final judgment, and feel confident that our intellectual property and [our] many innovative ideas … can in fact be protected, even in the hyper-competitive firearms industry. Our customers in the government, military, and sport shooting communities rely on Ashbury’s innovations. They deserve to have our best-engineered designs, particularly in life-critical applications.”
Virginia-based Ashbury Int’l Group is a DOD contractor, systems integrator, engineering, manufacturing and logistics company serving the government, military, and Spec-Ops communities in the USA and allied foreign nations. Among its products, Ashbury has designed fully integrated precision rifle platforms using the advanced SABER®-FORSST® modular stock chassis system for sporting, target competition and tactical shooting activities. Ashbury currently holds 16 US Patents relating to its advanced modular chassis system for precision bolt action rifle platforms, including the patent infringed by Cadex, U.S. Patent No. 7,802,392, and other patents pending.
About Troutman Sanders Law Firm
Troutman Sanders LLP is an international law firm with more than 600 lawyers and offices located throughout the United States and China. Founded in 1897, the law firm represents clients ranging from multinational corporations to individual entrepreneurs, federal and state agencies to foreign governments, and non-profit organizations to businesses representing virtually every sector and industry.
May 11th, 2013
Current demand for loaded ammunition and reloading components is very high. To meet this demand, ammo imports into the USA have nearly doubled. But supplies are still short. One reason is that domestic ammo manufacturers are already operating at full capacity — and they have been doing so for the past decade or so. The machines just can’t run any faster…
Now an important domestic ammo-maker has committed to a significant increase in production capacity. Remington Arms Company, LLC (“Remington”) recently announced a major expansion of its Lonoke (Arkansas) Ammunition Plant. Remington will spend $32,000,000 to add new structures and machinery.
Work on the expansion, which will include the construction of a new building, is expected to begin second quarter of 2013. The $32 million expansion plan is projected to be in operation by the second quarter of 2014. The Remington’s Lonoke Ammunition Plant, opened in 1969, produces a wide variety of commercial ammunition.
“We continue to invest in all of our manufacturing operations because we are committed to ensuring quality, increasing product availability, and improving on-time delivery. This significant investment in Lonoke is a testament to that commitment. Our customers can count on Remington to invest in its manufacturing operations in order to ensure that its facilities are state-of-the art”, said Kevin Miniard, Chief Operating Officer of Remington. Read about Remington ammunition.
May 10th, 2013
 The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the shooting industry, is severing its ties with British-based Reed Exhibitions. On May 9th, NSSF announced that it has reached an agreement with Reed Exhibitions to terminate the contract the parties had for the management of the SHOT Show. Accordingly, effective immediately, Reed Exhibitions will no longer be manager and producer of the SHOT Show. NSSF is now actively engaged in the process of identifying a new show management company to manage and produce the SHOT Show beginning with the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
The NSSF stated: “Reed Exhibitions provided excellent service to NSSF and the customers of the SHOT Show for more than three decades, however, the company’s decision to restrict the sale of certain types of firearms this year at its consumer hunting and fishing show — an event unrelated to NSSF and the SHOT Show — was in conflict with NSSF’s mission to serve the shooting sports industry. As a result, both organizations decided it was in the best interest of the SHOT Show to end their relationship.”
Reed Exhibitions had banned AR-platform rifles and other semi-automatic, mag-fed firearms from the 2013 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show (ESOS) in Pennsylvania. As a result, consumers complained and many exhibitors boycotted the show. Ultimately, the ESOS was postponed. (Related ESOS Story)
The SHOT Show — the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show — is owned and sponsored by NSSF. It is the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. The 2014 SHOT Show will be held January 14-17 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
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