At SHOT Show 2012 we met with Andreas Krüger, managing director of Kruger Premium Targets, a family-owned business that has printed high-grade targets for over 40 years. Andreas takes great pride in the quality of his company’s targets. Andreas explained: “My family’s name is on every target we sell, therefore we want the quality to be the very best”. Kruger is the official target supplier for the International Shooting Federation, and FITA, the International Archery Federation. And now Kruger is producing official NRA targets for American shooters.
Shooting competitions are often won or lost by fractions of a centimeter in shot placement. Accordingly, it is important to use high-grade targets that provide sharp-edged bullet holes that can be measured with great precision. We are fortunate that Kruger produces official NRA targets for a wide variety of shooting disciplines — air pistol, air rifle, smallbore pistol, smallbore rifle, and centerfire competitions. These targets can be purchased through Kruger-US-Targets.com.
Kruger uses the best paper stock, and operates state-of-the-art printing machines, including one automated printing press that cost over two million Euros. The high quality of Kruger’s 210-gram board made from short-fiber raw materials, ensures that shot-holes have clean, well-defined edges. This makes a big difference, particularly with the low-velocity pellets used in airgun competition.
Vince Bottomley, editor of Target Shooter online magazine, is one of the UK’s best shooters. Vince has excelled in both “point-blank” benchrest and long-range target shooting (F-Class and Benchrest). We had a chance to chat with Vince while he attended Media Day and SHOT Show in Las Vegas. During his SHOT Show sojourn, Bottomley enjoyed a week of American firearms freedom. On Media Day, Vince sampled a wide selection of firearms now banned in Britain, including black rifles, full-auto AKs, and assorted handguns. Vince even got to shoot his favorite Smith & Wesson 586 revolver under the tutelage of legendary wheelgunner Jerry Miculek. Watch the video below for a Brit’s take on SHOT Show, and the Second Amendment freedoms we take for granted here in America. Vince also chats about his work on the Target Shooter web site.
Each year, at SHOT Show, we get a chance to meet up with the Kelbly clan. Jim Kelbly and his family-run operation always have something new and interesting on display, and this year was no exception. Jim explained to us that 2012 marks the historic 40th Anniversary of the Firearms Industry Super Shoot. Jim is expecting the largest turn-out ever for the short-range benchrest event, held annually at the Kelbly Range. And Jim said that 50-60 foreign shooters may join the fun in 2012. The Super Shoot already has the highest attendance of any 100/200-yard benchrest match on the planet — even more than the World Championships. Jim said he is planning some extra surprises to help celebrate the 40th Super Shoot anniversary.
On the hardware side, Kelbly’s had some some new March scope options on display and Jim noted that Kelbly’s now produces 30mm and 34mm scope rings for both Davidson and Picatinny-type scope rails. These new rings have an improved clamping design with a floating side clamp piece providing direct lateral tension. This strong design replaces the squeezing-type ring base found on Kelbly’s older rings. This provides more positive clamping force and it also allows more repeatable tensioning.
$2,300.00 Kelbly Atlas Custom Rifle
Ian Kelbly provided the big news — Kelbly’s is now offering a “factory custom” rifle. The Kelbly Atlas Custom Rifle features a Stolle Atlas action in a bedded Bell & Carlson T-1000 stock with aluminum chassis. Each gun will feature a precision-chambered, Krieger cut-rifled barrel. (You won’t find those on other “factory customs”). You have a wide choice of chamberings including: .223 Rem, 22-250, .243 Win, .308 Win, 300 WSM and 7mm WSM. The Atlas rifles come with a crisp, Rifle Basix two-pound trigger.
The good news is that this complete package — with your choice of stock finish — is just $2,300.00 complete. That’s a good price considering the quality of the components. We’ve seen other vendors asking $3,500.00 or more for rifles with “plane Jane” Remington actions and “no-name” barrels. And we were pleased to hear that you don’t have to wait a year or more for a Kelbly Atlas Custom Rifle. Kelbly’s has over two dozen rifles in stock, ready to ship right now.
Montana X-Treme has an impressive line of aluminum-handled, coated cleaning rods. Introduced in 2010, these rods feature twin thrust bearings in hardened stainless steel retainers to ensure the coated, steel shafts spin smoothly even under heavy load. That’s good news for us. This ham-fisted Editor has managed to “stuff up” the bearings on both Dewey and Bore-Stix Cleaning Rods. If the Montana X-Treme thrust bearings are more durable, that’s a huge plus. We also like the fact that the machined aluminum handles have a slim profile for better clearance on the rear of the stock. The handles are long enough to get a good grip while a radiused section in the front allows you to push with your thumb. All rods have female-threaded tips, allowing use of most commercial jags without adaptors. The shafts have a proprietary non-embedding coating. Montana X-Treme claims its shaft coatings should be very long-lasting. Time will tell. These new cleaning rods look very well made — but they are pretty pricey. MidwayUSA is currently selling the new rods for $49.99.
Color Coding and Big-Bore Sizes up to 56″ Long
Montana X-Treme cleaning rods come in 12 different, color-coded sizes, with lengths up to 56″. Currently, however, 42″ is the max length for a a 17-20 or 22-264 (6mm) rod. We would like to see at least a 46″ 22-264 rod for use with 30-32″ barrels.
CZ (Česká Zbrojovka), the Czech arms-maker, produces some fine, affordable rimfire and centerfire rifles, including the popular CZ 452 (rimfire) and CZ 527 (small centerfire cartridge). CZ-USA now has a new version of its CZ 455 rifle that is ideal for tactical rimfire games and small-bore cross-training. The new-for-2012 CZ 455 Varmint Precision Trainer (VPT) features a CZ 455 action, with .866″ diam. heavy barrel, in a rigid, high-tech Manners Composite stock. Rounds feed through reliable (and affordable) detachable magazines.
The 455 VFT’s list price is $899.00 but expect street price to go lower. This rifle is brand new, so you may have to wait a few weeks on delivery. Stock-maker Tom Manners told us: “We just delivered the first production run of stocks, and CZ is putting the guns together right now”.
The 455 VPT offers the same look and feel of a full-size tactical rifle. This 455 uses a Manners MCS-T4 stock assuring a rock solid platform for the 455 barreled action. The outer shell of the MCS-T4 is made with carbon fiber and fiber glass in multiple layers. The stocks can be custom-ordered with a heavy fill to match your current rifle weight to truly duplicate its feel. Only one color, Coyote Tan, is currently available, but we think this will be popular with most shooters.
Manners Rimfire Varmint/Tactical Stock Sold Separately — Special 5% OFF Promo
Tom Manners noted that versions of the CZ 455 VPT stock design can also be purchased separately and used with other barreled actions: “The 455 VPT stock is based on our MCS-T4 design. We offer this, fully inletted with pillars, for a variety of rimfire actions: Sako Quad, Savage Mark II, CZ 452, CZ 453, along with the 455.” Inletting is complete, so this will be a drop-in solution if you already own one of the listed rimfire rifles.
Tom says: “With this stock, some guys will bed the rear area of their action, but that’s not necessary — you can pretty much bolt ‘em in and go”. Regular price for the Manners MCS-T4 rimfire stock is $475.00. However, if you mention AccurateShooter.com, Manners Composite Stocks will take five percent (5%) off that price through the end of January. That reduces your cost to $451.25 before options.
Field-Testing in the Works We really like the thinking that went into the CZ 455 VPT rifle. We believe there’s a market for a very accurate varminter/tactical trainer in a high-quality modern stock optimized for prone and bipod work. We hope to do a hands-on test of the CZ 455 VPT at SHOT Show Media Day next week.
For what’s its worth, NRA Publications has announced its 2012 Golden Bullseye Product Awards. A few of the honored products, such as the Barrett MRAD, are indeed innovative and well-designed, while others, such as the Keltec KSG shotgun, have been plagued with problems. Some winners seem to have been chosen primarily for the value of their magazine advertising contracts… but that’s business for you. It would be interesting to see how this list would change, if the winners were picked by vote of real shooters and hunters, rather than magazine editors.
Otis Technology, manufacturer of gun care systems and accessories, has assembled an impressive line-up of shooters and celebrities for the 2012 SHOT Show. Starting on Tuesday morning, January 17th, you can visit Otis’ booth #14213 to chat with big name guests, including: Doug Koenig, Kim Rhode, Matt Hughes (UFC), and Patrick Flanigan. In addition to the celebrity appearances, Otis will demonstrate its new products all week.
First up, at 10 am on Tuesday, Vietnam Sniper Chuck Mawhinney and Medal of Honor recipient Jon Cavaiani will be at the Otis booth. In the next hour (11 am – 12 pm), World Champion Pistol Shooter Doug Koenig visits Otis, followed by UFC Hall of Famer and 9-Time Welterweight Champion, Matt Hughes, from 1 pm to 2 pm. Mark Wills, host of 3-Gun Nation TV, signs autographs from 3 pm to 4 pm.
On Wednesday Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani return from 10 am – 11 am. Exhibition Shotgunner Patrick Flanigan appears from 11 am -12 pm, followed by 4-Time Olympic Medalist Kim Rhode from 12 pm – 1 pm. Popular UFC Champ Matt Hughes will be on hand from 1 pm – 2 pm.
Thursday’s lineup begins at 10 am with Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani followed by autograph sessions with Doug Koenig from 11 am – 12 pm. Stop by the booth between 12 pm -1 pm for your last chance to meet Kim Rhode, between 2 pm – 3 pm to meet Matt Hughes, and from 3 pm – 4 pm to meet Mark Wills. The show winds down on Friday with appearances made by Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani from 10 am -11 am and Patrick Flanigan from 11 am through noon.
If you’ve been to SHOT Show at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, you know that navigating the vast multi-level hall can be challenging to say the least. The lower-level booths are packed tightly together, and the numbering system in the upper halls is confusing. To make the SHOT experience less frustrating, we suggest planning ahead with the Online Show Planner. This provides searchable floor layouts with booth names and numbers. You can search for your favorite companies, then “connect the dots” to move efficiently from one location to another.
Begin mapping out your SHOT Show visit on the main Show Planner Page on your browser. This allows you to search exhibitors by company names and to create a personalized list of booths you want to visit (you must set up an account to save search results). There is even an integrated event calendar that helps you keep track of meetings, demos, and special appearances.
You can also move directly to the SHOT Show Floorplan and search for booth locations. This can help you visualized the placements of exhibits on different levels. Note locations of stairwells and escalators so you won’t have to cross an entire floor just to change levels. We suggest keeping a note pad as you jot down booth numbers. Then plot an “itinerary” one level at a time. We generally start on the ground floor and work upwards. That’s because many of the smaller, precision-focused companies traditionally exhibit on the ground floor. You’ll find the mega-sized booths for Leupold, Mossberg, Smith & Wesson etc. on the upper floors.
One last tip — some of the most accurate match and hunting rifles will be found in the clustered “co-op” booths for particular European countries. The interactive Show Planner may not necessarily list ALL the individual exhibitors from a particular nation. So if you’re looking for a small company from a particular region (e.g. Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland), you can often navigate to the host country’s central “encampment” and find what you seek.
Technology keeps moving forward, and the NRA is moving with it. You may be surprised, but now the NRA has its own App that runs on iPhones and iPad tablets. This App provides instant access to the latest gun-related content from the NRA News, the NRA-ILA website, the NRABlog, and NRA social media sites (such as the NRA’s Facebook page). You can also download and watch NRA videos, search for NRA activities, check event schedules, and much more.
NRA App is Free for a Limited Time
If this sounds like something you’d like to add to your digital arsenal, then head on over to the iTunes store and add the NRA app to your collection. But don’t hesitate — this NRA App is FREE for a limited time only. As with other opportunities in life, you snooze, you loose.
Note the link above only goes directly to the NRA App order page if you already have iTunes installed on your computer. Otherwise the link sends you to the iTunes home page.
The 3-Gun Nation Championship is the culmination of a 10-event series involving nearly 2,000 match competitors across the country. The Championship finale will be held at night, under the lights, in front of an invitation-only SHOT Show crowd in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 pm at the Clark County Range. The 3-Gun Nation elimination series began in November, with a field of 64 competitors. The top eight were selected to compete in the Championship match.
Winner Earns $50,000 — Courtesy Leupold and NBC Sports
Leupold has made sure the 2012 3-Gun Nation Championship finale features one of the largest payoffs in shooting history. The Oregon-based optics manufacturer has put up a $25,000 first-place prize. A matching offer from TV host NBC Sports brings the winner’s check to an unprecedented $50,000.
Man-on-Man Competition in Finals
The eight finalists will compete in a man-on-man shoot-off using rifles, shotguns and handguns. The first competitor to knock down all the steel targets, including the final stop plate, wins the match. Watch the Video below to see last year’s 3-Gun Nation Finale from Las Vegas:
The 3-Gun Nation Tour is the only point series and qualification standard-setting body in the sport of 3-gun and is sanctioned by the National Rifle Association. 3-Gun Nation matches can be seen on the new home of Versus, NBC Sports Network.
At SHOT Show 2012 we met with Andreas Krüger, managing director of Kruger Premium Targets, a family-owned business that has printed high-grade targets for over 40 years. Andreas takes great pride in the quality of his company’s targets. Andreas explained: “My family’s name is on every target we sell, therefore we want the quality to be the very best”. Kruger is the official target supplier for the International Shooting Federation, and FITA, the International Archery Federation. And now Kruger is producing official NRA targets for American shooters.
Vince Bottomley, editor of 
For what’s its worth, NRA Publications has announced its 2012 Golden Bullseye Product Awards. A few of the honored products, such as the Barrett MRAD, are indeed innovative and well-designed, while others, such as the Keltec KSG shotgun, have been plagued with problems. Some winners seem to have been chosen primarily for the value of their magazine advertising contracts… but that’s business for you. It would be interesting to see how this list would change, if the winners were picked by vote of real shooters and hunters, rather than magazine editors.
First up, at 10 am on Tuesday, Vietnam Sniper Chuck Mawhinney and Medal of Honor recipient Jon Cavaiani will be at the Otis booth. In the next hour (11 am – 12 pm), World Champion Pistol Shooter Doug Koenig visits Otis, followed by UFC Hall of Famer and 9-Time Welterweight Champion, Matt Hughes, from 1 pm to 2 pm. Mark Wills, host of 3-Gun Nation TV, signs autographs from 3 pm to 4 pm.
If you’ve been to SHOT Show at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, you know that navigating the vast multi-level hall can be challenging to say the least. The lower-level booths are packed tightly together, and the numbering system in the upper halls is confusing. To make the SHOT experience less frustrating, we suggest planning ahead with the 
