GunBroker.com, the world’s largest web auction site for firearms, is hosting a unique online auction to benefit the USA Shooting Team’s quest for Olympic gold this summer. Through Sunday, April 29, GunBroker.com members may bid on a unique Kimber Team Match II .45 ACP pistol. Bearing serial number “USA-10000”, this one-of-a-kind Kimber Custom Shop creation was presented to the USA Shooting Team by Kimber owner and CEO Leslie Edelman at the 2012 SHOT Show.
The “USA-10000” serial number on this highly-customized handgun commemorates sales of 10,000 Team Match II pistols. Delivered in a walnut and glass presentation case, the pistol features a mirror-polish finish, and scrimshawed ivory grips with the USA Shooting Team logo. Kimber donated this Team Match II “USA-10000” to the USA Shooting Team, with all proceeds supporting Team USA members competing at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games this London. CLICK THIS LINK to view more photos or bid on the “USA-10000″ Kimber Team Match II. Current high bid is $5,025.00 (as of April 23, 2012).
by Lars Dalseide for the NRA Blog Disabled soldiers from Project Enduring Pride stopped by NRA Headquarters earlier this year for a tour of the NRA National Firearms Museum and a trip to the Range. Apparently the group had a whale of a time because they’re on their way back for more.
Led by Director Ken Strafer, Project Enduring Pride is a community outreach program that works with and assists the severely wounded warriors returning from Afghanistan and Iraq and now recuperating at Military Medical Centers and Veterans Administrations Hospitals in the Washington, Richmond, or Baltimore areas. Project Enduring Pride assists the men and women who were wounded in the service of our country with the sometimes difficult transition from military to civilian life.
“The event will start with lunch in the Café, followed by museum tours and shooting on the Range,” explained Range Customer Service Specialist Debbie Crews. “I hope everyone is ready to provide an exciting day for these wonderful young men and women.”
Firearms for the Enduring Pride shoot come from the personal collection of various members of NRA staff and volunteers. Ammunition, gift bags and other items have been donated by organizations including Brownells and the U.S. Border Patrol.
Tyler Rico — remember that name. We predict you’ll be hearing much more about this young man in the years ahead. Tyler, the youngest shooter ever to earn the CMP Distinguished Rifleman Badge, is one of the best of the new generation of shooters coming up through the junior ranks. With very sound fundamentals, Tyler has shown the ability to shoot just about any kind of rifle, at any distance — from 10m to 1000 yards. And despite his young age, Tyler has the discipline and mental focus it takes to win. Tyler demonstrated that most recently at the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) where he won the 10m Air Rifle Title, securing a place on the National Junior Team. Tyler will continue to compete in NJOSC smallbore competition over the next few days, where he will be one of the favorites in the Men’s 50m Rifle Three Position and Men’s 50m Rifle Prone.
Tyler has shown the ability to compete head to head with adult-age group shooters — even High Masters. Last year, Tyler won the Service Rifle division outright at the 2011 Western Creedmoor Cup. Among junior across-the-course shooters, he is one of the best ever. He was the top Junior Shooter at the Camp Perry National Trophy Individual Matches four years in a row (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008). A senior at Tucson Wells High School, Tyler will enroll in the U.S. Air Force Academy as a cadet this June.
Rico Also Excels with Centerfire Rifles
Unlike many Air Rifle and Smallbore shooters, Tyler Rico is equally capable (and confident) when shooting centerfire rifles — whether ARs in Service Rifle, or “space guns” in across the course and long-range matches. Tyler regularly competes in Service Rifle and High Power matches — with considerable success. He won the 2010 Nevada High Power Rifle Regional Championship, out-scoring seasoned competitors with decades of experience. Click thumbnail photos below to see larger versions.
As part of the NBRSA Long-Range Nationals conducted this week in Sacramento, an F-Class Benchrest match was held Friday, April 20th, with great success. Why have a benchrest match for F-Classers you might ask? Well, this provides a new activity for F-Class shooters whose 22-lb F-Open and 18.15-lb F-TR rifles would not otherwise qualify under the NBRSA 17-lb Light Gun limits. Having more opportunities for more folks to shoot is always a good thing, we believe. With the success of this event, it looks like “F-Bench” matches will become more commonplace in the future. Jerry Tierney, our “field correspondent” in Sacramento, tells us that the NBRSA plans to approve F-Class Benchrest competition as a regular discipline. This will formalize the rules, targets, and course of fire.
At Friday’s F-Class Bench match, the shooting was all done at 1000 yards, from the covered shooting line at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. The event consisted of two, 1000-yard matches with a time limit of 30 minutes each and unlimited sighters. Shooters were divided into three relays: one firing, one scoring, and one in the pits. That division of labor kept everyone active throughout the day. All three relays in the first match shot in VERY mild conditions. At the start of match two, the wind came up from the left.
Hoppe Wins F-Class Bench Match
The winner was a familar face, Robert Hoppe, racking up 387-11X with his 6mm Dasher. Runner-up, just one point behind, was Gary Noble (386-11X). In third place was Shawn Greene (383-13X). Robert is a heck of a shooter. He still holds the NBRSA record for the smallest 5-shot group ever shot in a 600-yard NBRSA benchrest match. Robert drilled an amazing 0.5823″ group in 2007 to set the NBRSA Light Gun record. Five years later, he’s still on his game.
The NBRSA Long-Range National Championships continue today and tomorrow with the Sloughhouse 1000 two-day match.
Match results and photos by Jerry Tierney, who shot the match and finished 6th with 383-8X.
The NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals were held April 18-19, 2012 at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center in Sloughhouse, CA. Among the nearly 40 com-petitors, Forum Member Terry Balding (aka Terry) was the big winner, taking home the Overall Two-Gun Title with strong performances in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun divisions. In both classes, Terry shot his 6mm Dasher Light Gun. Terry finished with 19 rank points, and former NBRSA 600-yard Champion Richard Schatz was not far behind with 24 rank points.
Richard, as you’d expect, also shot a Dasher in both classes. Schatz apparently was at no disadvantage using his Dasher Light Gun in the Heavy Gun phase — Richard set a new NBRSA 10-shot Heavy Gun Record with a 1.769″ ten-shot group, and Schatz also posted HG single-target high score for the match, a 99-8X. Both Terry and Richard plan to shoot their Dasher Light Guns in both LG and HG classes at the NBRSA 1000-yard Nationals which continue this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in Sacramento.
We’re delighted to see Terry Balding win this major Championship. He has worked very hard on his game and has steadily climbed the ranks. He’s a deserving new Champion. Along with his overall win, Terry posted the best 6-target LG score: a 284-5X (plus tie-breaker group). When confirmed this will be a new NBRSA 6-target LG record. Terry told us he shot fast to stay in the non-dominant left to right condition. In both LG and HG relays, Balding waited for the L to R to appear, then he shot fast. Terry’s 6mm Dasher, smithed by Lester Bruno, features a multi-flat BAT dual-port action, March 10-60x52mm scope with PECA Amber filter, McMillan MBR stock, and 28″ Krieger 1:8″ twist, 0.237″-land barrel. Terry told us this barrel shot great “right from the start”, and his Dasher has performed very well in the last five matches, so he wasn’t surprised it did so well in Sacramento.
Berger 105gr Hybrids, Varget, and Brass Annealed After Every Firing
Terry’s match-winning load consisted of Berger 105gr Hybrids “pointed slightly with a Whidden Pointer”, pushed by Varget powder and CCI 450 primers at 3030 fps. Terry seats his 105s very slightly into the lands. As is becoming the fashion with many top shooters, Terry anneals his brass (with a Ken Light annealer) after every firing. Terry believes this helps him maintain “very consistent neck tension”.
Terry wanted to give credit to his friend Richard Schatz, who “has been a great help for a number of years”. Terry, who hails from Wisconsin, also wanted to mention that his home club, the Columbus Sportsmans Association, is constructing a new 600-yard benchrest range in Columbus Wisconsin. Terry invites his fellow shooters to visit the new range when it is complete, hopefully by August of this year.
Schatz Sets New Heavy Gun Group Record While Finishing Second Overall
Our friend Richard Schatz performed well, shooting his trusty 6mm Dasher. There was a bit of a change this time around — Richard was pushing his 2006-vintage 107gr SMKs with Varget powder, rather than Reloder 15, which he has used in the past. Richard explained that his lastest barrel seems to prefer the Hodgdon Varget. Richard joked: “After so many years using RL15, I felt like I was taking a new girl to the Prom”. Like his friend Terry Balding, Richard shot fast to stay in a condition: “I was running pretty much as fast as I could. By the time of the Heavy Gun relay, the gun had settled well into the bags, so it was returning to battery really well.” Richard definitely had his Dasher running well during the Heavy Gun phase, as he ended up setting a new NBRSA 10-shot Heavy Gun single target record. Shown below is Richard’s record target.
Two Gun Overall Rankings
1. Terry Balding (National Champion) – 19
2. Richard Schatz – 24
3. Frank Vance – 30
4. Bill Johnston – 33
5. Rick Duncan – 36
6. Dan Robertson – 36
7. Peter White – 40
8. Dick Colyar – 48
9. Larry Kahle -53
10. Don Nielson – 56
Two Gun Score
1. Frank Vance — 822-12X
2. Terry Balding — 809-8X
3. Bill Johnston — 809-5X
4. Dan Robertson — 808-10X
5. Rick Duncan — 805-7X
Two Gun Group
1. Bill Johnston — 3.276
2. Richard Schatz — 3.517
3. Terry Balding — 3.586
4. Dick Colyar — 3.572
5. John Crawford – 3.764
Best Targets
Light Gun High Score: Terry Balding – 50-3X, 1.77″
Light Gun Small Group: Bob Dorton – 0.851, 46-0X
Heavy Gun High Score: Richard Schatz – 99-4X, 2.222
Heavy Gun Small Group: Richard Schatz – 1.759″ (10 shots), 88-0X (New NBRSA Record)
Thanks to Jerry Tierney for providing 600-yard match photos. Jerry will be shooting in the F-Class Benchrest match held April 20th in Sloughhouse.
Apparently Bank of America is no longer willing to provide banking services to McMillan Group Int’l, LLC (McMillan), a leading maker of gunstocks and an important supplier of stocks, rifles, and other hardware to our U.S. Armed Forces. Apparently it is not good enough that McMillan builds products used by our troops to safeguard our freedoms.
Here’s what went down. In the course of an “account analysis”, a Senior VP of Bank of America (BofA) confirmed that BofA wished to cease doing business with McMillan because the Arizona-based company now builds rifles, not just stocks and accessories. The details of the fall-out between BofA and McMillan were outlined April 19 in a post by Kelly McMillan on McMillan’s Facebook page.
HERE is the Text of McMillan’s Announcement Regarding Bank of America:
McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, McMillan Firearms Manufacturing, McMillan Group International have been collectively banking with Bank of America for 12 years. Today Mr. Ray F., Senior Vice President, Market Manager, Business Banking, Global Commercial Banking came to my office. He scheduled the meeting as an “account analysis” meeting in order to evaluate the two lines of credit we have with them. He spent 5 minutes talking about how McMillan has changed in the last 5 years and have become more of a firearms manufacturer than a supplier of accessories.
At this point I interrupted him and asked “Can I possibly save you some time so that you don’t waste your breath? What you are going to tell me is that because we are in the firearms manufacturing business you no longer want my business.”
“That is correct” he says.
I replied “That is okay, we will move our accounts as soon as possible. We can find a 2nd Amendment friendly bank that will be glad to have our business. You won’t mind if I tell the NRA, SCI and everyone one I know that BofA is not firearms industry friendly?”
“You have to do what you must” he said.
“So you are telling me this is a politically-motivated decision, is that right?”
Mr. F. confirmed that it was. At which point I told him that the meeting was over and there was nothing left for him to say.
I think it is import[ant] for all Americans who believe in and support our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms should know when a business does not support these rights. What you do with that knowledge is up to you. When I don’t agree with a business’ political position I can not in good conscience support them. We will soon no longer be accepting Bank of America credit cards as payment for our products.
Kelly D. McMillan
Director of Operations
McMillan Group International, LLC McMillanUSA.com
Last name of Bank of America VP redacted at request of McMillan.
Commentary: The LAST thing Bank of America should be doing right now is terminating relationships with important, long-standing business customers. Because of a series of billion-dollar blunders by Bank of America executives, the company has suffered major financial losses and write-offs, and it was forced to sell off important assets. Reflecting the bank’s poor management, Bank of America share values declined 58% in 2011. That made BofA the “worst-performing stock in the 30-member Dow Jones Industrials Index” last year according to DailyFinance.com.
We’ve stated that getting more young people and women involved in shooting is key to the preservation of shooting ranges and the protection of our rights as gun-owners. The good news is that CNBC reported last week that more women than ever before are acquiring firearms and learning to shoot.
CNBC reports: “A good part of the [increase in gun sales] is women. While gun sales last year were up 14% nationwide from the year before, 47% MORE women are now shooting than they were ten years ago. And 23% of all women now own a gun — according to Gallup (2011 Gallup Poll)”. As a result of this trend, gun manufacturers’ profits are up and their stocks are rapidly climbing on Wall Street. Both Ruger and Smith & Wesson equity share prices are way up this year. Moreover, CNBC reports that mainstream retailers such as Cabela’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods are seeing “big profits from guns”. The NSSF observes that, across the nation, many local gun shops are now holding “Ladies Nights”, and enrollments in womens’ training classes is up significantly.
Powder Valley just announced it has received 120 4-lb kegs of Vihtavuori N320 powder. This stuff has been hard to find lately, so Powder Valley suggests: “Get em quick. They won’t last long!”
We know why N320 powder is in high demand (most vendors are sold out right now). This is a truly outstanding propellant for the .45 ACP. It is very accurate, burns clean, and it meters well from progressive presses. This Editor has tried a dozen different powders for my .45 ACPs and N320 is my top choice for 180-200gr bullets. Nothing was more accurate, and N320 burned cleaner (with fewer sparks and unburnt particles flying back) than WW 231 (which is also very accurate).
Catherine Green, a 19-year-old sophomore at Texas Christian University (TCU), is a rising star. Over the past few days, Catherine finished her National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) career on a high note — she won Gold in BOTH Women’s 10m Air Rifle and Women’s 50m Rifle 3-position events. Catherine’s double-gold performance earned her an appointment to the USA National Junior Rifle Team. Catherine, one of the nation’s top young shooters, displays dedication and “mad skills” with a rifle. We predict we may see Catherine standing on an Olympic podium in the not-too-distant future.
In the prelims, Green shot 1158 match points to take a ten point lead over her competitors. She followed it up with 94.7 points in the final. Sporting dangling air-pellet earrings all week, 19-year-old Green won the NJOSC Women’s 10m Air Rifle title on Sunday. Her performance reasserted her appointment on the National Junior Rifle Team. Green turns 21 next year so she will not be eligible for the 2013 NJOSC. “I was a little worried today that I would lose the ten point lead,” said Green. “I tried to stay focused and not think about missing, about coming down on my target and envisioning a ten. I was diligent about completing my shot process and focusing on the ten-ring. I’m grateful for the support of my parents, coaches Makucevich and Monez and God.”
Long-range hunters may want to add Shooter’s Bible Guide to Rifle Ballistics to their reference library. Written by Dr. Wayne van Zwoll, this 224-page resource focuses on the basic principles of ballistics. While the book concentrates on the many factors that affect bullet trajectories, the book also includes chapters on everything from rifle design to bullet construction and handloading. Gunsmith and long-range shooting school instructor Darrell Holland recommends the book highly. Darrell tells us: “Friend and noted author Wayne van Zwoll has authored another fine book on long range shooting. Wayne is a great shot (probably one of the best sling shooters I’ve been around) and superb hunter in his own right. We applaud his efforts to provide sound and accurate knowledge on long range hunting.” For an autographed copy of this color-illustrated book, contact Wayne van Zwoll at: wvanzwoll [at] amerion.com .
Van Zwoll is the “real deal” — an experienced outdoorsman, with serious shooting and writing “creds”. Over his career, Van Zwoll worked for the BLM, then Washington’s Department of Game. He worked as a photographer for the U.S. Forest Service, then became one of the Elk Foundation’s first field directors. He has guided hunters in Utah and Wyoming, and has hunted on five continents. Wayne has shot competitively since his days on the Michigan State University rifle team. He qualified for the final Olympic smallbore tryouts in 1972 and later won two state prone titles. For 14 years he has conducted shooting seminars for Safari Club International (SCI). Wayne van Zwoll has authored 14 books, and written more than 2,000 articles for numerous magazines, including Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life. In 2006 he received the Jack Slack Outdoor Writer of the Year award from Leupold. Wayne now serves as Special Projects Editor for Intermedia Outdoors.
Disabled soldiers from 
“The event will start with lunch in the Café, followed by museum tours and shooting on the Range,” explained Range Customer Service Specialist Debbie Crews. “I hope everyone is ready to provide an exciting day for these wonderful young men and women.”
Hoppe Wins F-Class Bench Match
The NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals were held April 18-19, 2012 at the 
Apparently 
“That is correct” he says.
Catherine Green, a 19-year-old sophomore at Texas Christian University (TCU), is a rising star. Over the past few days, Catherine finished her National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) career on a high note — she won Gold in BOTH Women’s 10m Air Rifle and Women’s 50m Rifle 3-position events. Catherine’s double-gold performance earned her an appointment to the USA National Junior Rifle Team. Catherine, one of the nation’s top young shooters, displays dedication and “mad skills” with a rifle. We predict we may see Catherine standing on an Olympic podium in the not-too-distant future.
Long-range hunters may want to add 
Van Zwoll is the “real deal” — an experienced outdoorsman, with serious shooting and writing “creds”. Over his career, Van Zwoll worked for the BLM, then Washington’s Department of Game. He worked as a photographer for the U.S. Forest Service, then became one of the Elk Foundation’s first field directors. He has guided hunters in Utah and Wyoming, and has hunted on five continents. Wayne has shot competitively since his days on the Michigan State University rifle team. He qualified for the final Olympic smallbore tryouts in 1972 and later won two state prone titles. For 14 years he has conducted shooting seminars for Safari Club International (SCI). Wayne van Zwoll has authored 14 books, and written more than 2,000 articles for numerous magazines, including Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life. In 2006 he received the Jack Slack Outdoor Writer of the Year award from Leupold. Wayne now serves as Special Projects Editor for Intermedia Outdoors.
