The new Ruger Inside & Out TV program debuts tonight (June 25) at 9:00 pm EST on the Sportsman Channel. The show gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the product development process at Ruger, Hornady, Zeiss and other major manufacturers in the gun/hunting industry. Ken Jorgensen, Ruger’s Media Relations Director, explained the show’s concept: “Ruger Inside & Out tells the story of how products come to be. We talk with designers, engineers, manufacturing staff, and many others that are part of the process that brings products from concept to customer. Viewers will hear these stories and see what goes on in the factory, not only at Ruger, but also with show partners such as Hornady and Zeiss. We’ll also head out on hunts, to training classes, and to other venues where we can put these excellent products to use.”
Here Are Summaries of the First Three Episodes:
Episode 1:
The premiere episode features the .375 Ruger cartridge. The show covers the .375 Ruger’s development and field capabilities, and producers travel to Alaska to see how it fares against grizzly, moose, and bighorn sheep. Plus, Steve Hornady talks about the origins of the Ruger family of cartridges, and get advice from Zeiss about picking the right dangerous game scope.
Episode 2:
This week’s episode covers Ruger’s SR22™ semi-auto .22 LR pistol: how it’s made, and how it shoots. This episode also features “Straight Talk” on how to pick the right size, weight, and caliber handgun for personal and home defense, plus a look at the developmental history of Hornady’s brand-new .17 Hornet cartridge.
Episode 3:
Behind-the-scenes information on how the new Ruger American Rifle™ was designed and manufactured, and how it fares in the field. You’ll get more “Straight Talk” for the armed citizen from veteran law enforcement officers Dave Spaulding & Jason Teague, and take a look at Zeiss’ new Rapid-Z® reticle for Hornady® Superformance® ammo.
As conceived, the show will provide “how to” information to viewers: “Whether it is choosing the right optics for an upcoming hunt or the best ammunition for your personal protection firearms, show hosts and guests will discuss the products that will work best for you and why.” Ruger Inside & Out premieres June 25th at 9:00 PM EST during the Sportsman Channel’s Monday Night “Lock & Load” primetime block.
Our Comment: This show contains some interesting technical info, and the hunting footage shot on location is impressive. However, the “product placement” is heavy-handed and at times the show becomes little more than an “infomercial” for Ruger and Hornady.
Savage Arms is sponsoring a series of range days this year, at locations around the country. Savage provides the guns, and the ammo (limited quantity allocated to each shooter). The latest range day is happening today, June 23, at the Evans Brothers Range in Huntington, Texas. A popular shooting personality, Top Shot Season 3 winner Dustin Ellermann, will be on hand to provide shooting tips and meet the participants. If you’re anywhere near Huntington today, head out to the range and have fun. Dustin writes on his Facebook page: “Want to come shoot with me? I’ll be at Evan’s Brothers Guns in Huntington this Saturday (June 23) from 9:00 – 12:00 demoing some sweet Savage Arms rifles.” Here are some photos from last year’s Savage Range Day at Evans Brothers Range:
Story Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
American Airgunner is the first and only television show to feature airgun shooting sports. This Wednesday, June 27, American Airgunner kicks off its 2012 season on The Pursuit Channel. This season American Airgunner covers the many airgun disciplines, takes viewers on hunts with large bore airguns and pellet rifles, and spotlights the latest in airgun hardware and technology. For 2012, American Airgunner offers an Airgunner Challenge in which eight contestants compete for $5000 and bragging rights.
American Airgunner airs on the Pursuit Channel on Wednesdays at 4:30 PM Eastern, Fridays at 1:30 AM Eastern, Primetime on Fridays at 8:30 PM Eastern. Check local listings for other Time Zones.
First Episode Highlights: .50-Caliber Boar Hunt and Airgunner Challenge
Interest in large bore airguns is on the rise. In the first episode of American Airgunner, Paul Capello, show host, teams up with long-time hog hunter, Clay Hurst, and a .50 caliber airgun supplied by Pyramyd Air to hunt wild boar. Then, viewers will meet the eight contestants for the first Airgunner Challenge and watch as they will shoot it out with a Walther Dominator PCP Air Rifle and a Magnum Research Desert Eagle Air Pistol. All the airguns seen on the show can be purchased from PyramydAir.com, the world’s largest airgun retailer.
The 2012 National Rifle and Pistol Championships begin July 9 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. A tradition at Camp Perry since 1907, the championships are divided into five separate phases: Pistol, Smallbore 3-Position, Smallbore Prone, High Power and Long Range.
The National Matches begin in early July with the First Shot Ceremony and conclude in August with the Long Range High Power Championship. This year, Nosler returns as title sponsor for the High Power Rifle Championships. NRA President David A. Keene said “The NRA, CMP and the Ohio National Guard work together and will continue to do so to make the National Championships the most prestigious matches in the world.
The 2012 National Championships calendar is as follows:
July 9: First Shot Ceremony
July 10-14: NRA National Pistol Championships
July 18-21: NRA National Smallbore Rifle Position Championships
July 22-26: NRA National Smallbore Rifle Prone Championships
August 5: NRA/Springfield M1A Match
August 6-10: NRA National High Power Rifle Championships
August 11-15: NRA Long Range Championship
You can follow the 2012 Championships with profiles, photos and scoring updates at www.nrablog.com. For more on the National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry visit www.nrahq.org/compete or call 1-877-672-6282. On the Online Registration page, you can enter the various competitions. To enter the NRA/M1A Springfield match, please use the NRA High Power Rifle Championship option.
Annie’s grand-nieces got her gun and they got big money for it. About 100 items owned by sharp-shooting legend Annie Oakley and passed down to Oakley’s great-grandnieces were put on auction in Dallas recently. Auctioned memorabilia included Annie’s Stetson hat, many letters, and of course, a collection of firearms. The item bringing in the highest bid — $143,400 — was Oakley’s Parker Brothers 12-gauge shotgun. The total take on the auctioned Annie Oakley collection was nearly $520,000 according to Heritage Auction sources.
The collection of Annie Oakley guns and personal items was inherited by Oakley’s great-grandnieces from their mother, Billie Butler Serene, who died at age 95 three years ago. According to AP reporter Chris Sherman, one of the grand-nieces, Terry Holcomb, “remembers shooting the guns for target practice on Sunday mornings in California’s Santa Monica Mountains and wearing Oakley’s Stetson hat — which sold for $17,925 — for Halloween.”
In addition to the coveted Parker Brothers shotgun, two of Annie’s prized Marlin .22-caliber rifles fetched big prices at auction. One sold for $71,700 and the other for $83,650. The high-bidder for one of the Marlins had Annie’s grandnieces sign his catalog, and he told Holcomb that “his kids couldn’t wait to shoot” the historic rimfire rifle.
“Annie Oakley was arguably America’s first female superstar, touring the U.S. and the world in the late 1800s and early 20th century and demonstrating her legendary Wild West sharp-shooting skills.” Tom Slater, Historian for Heritage Auctions.
Eurenco (European Energetics Corporation) is a French company owned by the SNPE Group. Eurenco specializes in production of propellants and explosives. Eurenco currently owns and operates five modern production plants in Belgium (Clermont), Finland (Vihtavuori), France (Bergerac, Sorgues) and Sweden (Bofors AB, Karlskoga). Readers are doubtless familiar with Vihtavuori powders, which are marketed and distributed by the Nammo Lapua group based in Finland. Though Nammo Lapua distributes Vihtavuori powder, Eurenco actually owns the Vihtavuori factory located in Vihtavuori, Finland.
Eurenco Looks for Buyer for Vihtavuori Plant
On June 18, Eurenco stated that it is “considering” selling the Vihtavuori Ltd. production facility to a third party. This factory currently employs 100 workers, and has annual revenues of $15 million Euros.
Eurenco hopes to sell the plant to a Finnish company, and we are informed that at least one investment group from Finland is interested. Eurenco revealed no immediate plans to shut the facility or to curtail production while Eurenco seeks a buyer. However, Eurenco said that the primary reason for selling the plant was reduced military demand for Vihtavuori products in recent years.
No Change in Vihtavuori Powder Distribution in USA
We discussed the potential Vihtavuori factory sale with Adam Braverman, U.S. representative for Nammo Lapua. Adam first noted that Nammo Lapua is NOT a potential buyer for the plant: “That’s not on the table.” But Adam emphasized that he forsees no changes to the current Vihtavuori distribution scheme: “Vihtavuori powder buyers should expect ‘business as usual’. We do not forsee any price or product availablity changes in the short term. There is plenty of powder inventory available, so we can fill all existing demands through the end of 2012.” While Eurenco looks for a new owner of the Vihtavuori plant, there will be no changes to the current system of distribution of Vihtavuori powders in the USA. Adam said: “There is plenty of powder in the European warehouses, and Nammo Lapua will continue to export Vihtavuori propellants to the USA importers (Hodgdon and Kaltron) who will distribute them to our retailers. We do not anticipate any supply shortages.”
Hornady Mfg., with help from the Nebraska Army National Guard, is hosting Pandemic 2012, a zombie-themed fun shoot on June 29 through July 1, 2012. The “Zombies in the Heartland / Pandemic 2012″ three-gun event will be held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. This event will feature $160,000 worth of prizes — the largest prize table in Nebraska shooting sports history.
Complete information on the match is available at ZombiesintheHeartland.com. The match, limited to 375 participants, includes combined pistol, rifle, and shotgun stages. Two entry levels are offered. A $175.00 fee buys entry into the eight (8) main Pandemic 2012 stages. For another $100.00 ($275.00 total), shooters can compete in the six (6) Sidematch Stages. Targets will be mostly reactive, with “Hordes of steel Zombie targets [that] will either, fall over, move or blow apart.” The maximum target distance (for rifles) will be 45 yards, so this is very much an close-in speed shooting event.
“Zombies in the Heartland / Pandemic 2012 has been extremely well received by our friends in the industry who have generously donated over $160,000 in prizes,” said Neil Davies, Hornady Marketing Director. “Thanks to all the sponsors, everyone who participates in the match will have the opportunity to claim a prize.” The prize table will include pistols, rifles, shotguns, scopes, AR uppers, gun parts, and gear of all kinds. A complete list of sponsors and merchandise values can be found on the Pandemic 2012 Prize Table Webpage.
Pandemic 2012 should provide a fun and entertaining shooting event unlike anything competitors have experienced before. The Sportsman Channel and the Outdoor Channel will cover the event. In addition to the main stages, an optional Charity CQB Shoot House will feature a maze of walls, smoke, lights and sound, and reactive zombie targets. Competitors will be armed with a green-laser-equipped airsoft M-4 with over 100 rounds of airsoft ammunition. A run through the CQB Shoot House costs $5.00 extra, with all proceeds donated to the Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) charity.
The rifle shooters who will represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympics are currently profiled on the RifleShooter magazine website. Log on to RifleShooterMag.com to read about Team USA’s Olympians who will be competing in Air Rifle and Smallbore (.22LR Rimfire) events in London next month. The Olympic selection process recently concluded, and we now know the talented men and women who made the cut. CLICK HERE to read bios of individual athletes.
Men’s Rifle Team
Matt Emmons, 50m 3P 10m Air Rifle
Jonathan Hall, 10m Air Rifle
Michael McPhail, 50m Prone
Josh Olson, Paralympic R3, R6
Jason Parker, 50m 3P
Eric Uptagrafft, 50m prone
Women’s Rifle Team
Jamie Beyerle Gray, 50m 3P 10m Air Rifle
Amanda Furrer, 50m 3P
Sara Scherer, 10m Air Rifle
Story find by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Replacing the retiring Mike Krei, Dennis L. Willing has been named the new Director of the NRA Competitive Shooting division. Willing is a serious shooter, with decades of experience both as a competitor and shooting sports referee. Willing is a Quadruple Distinguished Shooter in High Power Rifle, Conventional Pistol, Police Combat Revolver, and Police Combat Pistol. Since 1980, Willing has been a Camp Perry regular, either as competitor or referee. He has competed in the Pistol and High Power Championships, sometimes shooting both Championships in the same year. Willing has served as the Chairman of the NRA High Power Committee. Willing is also an expert on Competition Rules, having been a member of the NRA Rules Committee.
Willing Plans to Meet With Competitors at Major Matches
Willing plans to be a “hands on” Director, who will spend much of his time out in the field: “I will attend as many tournaments as I can where I will talk with as many competitors as I can. I want to hear what they have to say then take that information back to the NRA competitive shooting committees and the NRA staff to see where improvements can be made.” In his new position, Willing will lead a 23-person staff, managing over 11,000 NRA-sanctioned tournaments and 40+ national shooting championships. AccurateShooter.com wishes Willing success in his new role as Competitive Shooting Director (which Willing called his “dream job”). It’s great to see that the new Director is an avid shooter with impressive credentials. Here is a “short list” of Willing’s qualifications:
Quadruple distinguished shooter in High Power Rifle, Conventional Pistol, Police Combat Revolver, and Police Combat Pistol
Holder of Numerous NRA national records
NRA referee at Camp Perry and NRA National Police Shooting Championship
Former NRA Board member, served on five NRA Competition Committees
Chairman of High Power Rifle Committee
Three-time Michigan State Pistol Champion
Two-time Conventional Pistol, Police Champion
Lifelong hunter and Second Amendment activist
United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran
CLICK HERE for more information on the various shooting programs managed by the NRA’s Competitive Shooting Division. You’ll find a list of the Division’s personnel on the Competitive Shooting Programs Directory Page.
This report is based on feature story by Lars Dalseide in the NRA Blog.
In our Shooters’ Forum, Darrell Buell, Captain of F-TR Team USA, has started a discussion about permitted bullet weights in F-TR competition. Darrell observes that a new generation of ultra-heavyweight 215-230 grain bullets may spur a “technology race” that would increase the cost to compete in F-TR matches at the top level.
Darrell writes: “In order to run the uber-heavies, you will be required at a minimum to get a gunsmith to re-cut at least the throat of your chamber, then you are stuck with a tiny number of projectiles that will work in the rifle. People that want to be competitive will feel compelled to drop the expense of modifying their rifles, and not have any guarantee that their mods will turn out to be effective. We will have strayed from our successful initial model for F-T/R, as a class for ‘shooter vs. shooter’ competition, and be marching down the road that you must have a $5000 custom to be remotely competitive.” As the result, Darrell has proposed an F-TR rule change that would limit the max weight of permitted .308-caliber bullets to “less than 201 grains”.
At the beginning of the F-TR Bullet Weight Thread, you’ll find a poll on the issue of bullet weights. Registered members of our Forum can vote in the poll. You have three choices: a) Leave the Rules unchanged; b) Limit max bullet weight to less than 201 grains; and c) Limit max bullet weight to 156 grains or less.
What do you think? Should the F-TR rules be changed to cap bullet weights? Or, is it best to leave bullet choice unrestricted for .308-caliber shooters? Darrell wants F-TR shooters to express their opinions by Voting in the Poll.
Modern F-TR Rigs are getting increasingly sophisticated (and looking more like F-Open rifles). Here is Vince Bottomley’s latest F-TR rifle, which, in the hands of Stuart Anselm, won the European F-TR Championship shooting 185gr Berger Bullets.
The 2012 National Rifle and Pistol Championships begin July 9 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. A tradition at Camp Perry since 1907, the championships are divided into five separate phases: Pistol, Smallbore 3-Position, Smallbore Prone, High Power and Long Range.
Annie’s grand-nieces got her gun and they got big money for it. About 100 items owned by sharp-shooting legend Annie Oakley and passed down to Oakley’s great-grandnieces were put on auction in Dallas recently. Auctioned memorabilia included Annie’s Stetson hat, many letters, and of course, a collection of firearms. The item bringing in the highest bid — $143,400 — was Oakley’s Parker Brothers 12-gauge shotgun. The total take on the auctioned Annie Oakley collection was nearly $520,000 according to Heritage Auction sources.
Eurenco hopes to sell the plant to a Finnish company, and we are informed that at least one investment group from Finland is interested. Eurenco revealed no immediate plans to shut the facility or to curtail production while Eurenco seeks a buyer. However, Eurenco said that the primary reason for selling the plant was reduced military demand for Vihtavuori products in recent years.
Replacing the retiring Mike Krei, Dennis L. Willing has been named the new Director of the NRA 
