At the IWA trade show (European SHOT Show) in Germany, Anschütz introduced a slick new black version of its model 8002 S2 air rifle. The 8002 S2 “Black Air” IWA Special air rifle features an over-molded soft black polymer coating over a base wood stock. Those who were able to handle the stock at IWA came away very impressed. Jason Goldsmith, who runs the PimpMyAirGun.com website, reports: “[The] ‘SoftTouch’ black finish [is] velvet smooth to the touch and a stunner.” Anschütz claims that its “SOFT-Grip stock combines the outstanding vibration-damping and recoil-absorbing characteristics of a naturally-grown wooden stock with the characteristics of an easy-care and weather-proof plastic stock.”
If Anschütz decides to export the Black Air IWA special model 8002 S2 to the United States, it should be available from PyramidAir.com. We expect the price to be about $2,300, but that’s a guess. Current price for a standard wood-stock m8001 is $1599.00, while a m8002 in metal stock is $2,370.
This week’s edition of Shooting USA, which airs Wednesday, March 21st, features the 2011 Bianchi Cup. This competition is one of the most prestigious and popular events in the world of handgun shooting. Officially, the annual competition in Columbia, Missouri is known as the National Championship of NRA Action Pistol. But to everybody, world-wide, it’s the Bianchi Cup, the trophy named for one of the founders, John Bianchi. In the past 30 years the match has become the richest handgun tournament in the world, with cash and prizes for the best scores on four stages of fire. Shooting USA will spotlight top male and female Bianchi Cup competitors in both wheelgun and and semi-auto pistol divisions. Along with North American shooters, the Bianchi Cup draws top handgun competitors from around the globe. Shooting USA airs Wednesday Nights, on the Outdoor Channel, at 3:00 pm, 8:00 pm, and 12:00 midnight (Eastern Time).
Bianchi Cup — Classic Course of Fire
The MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup is a combination of Speed and Accuracy. Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. Stages may combine stationary and moving targets. As conceived by former police officer and holster-maker John Bianchi, the Bianchi Cup originated in 1979 as a Law Enforcement Training match. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
Based on Report By Kyle Jillson forthe NRA Blog
Over the past few days, the NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship has been held at Fort Benning, Georgia, home of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). The rifle competition began with Air Rifle matches. The USAMU’s indoor range was large enough to accommodate every rifle shooter into one relay. Lead by Amos Peck (590), Tyler Luce (577), and Clayton Peck (566), Michigan State took the Air Rifle Team Title with a 2285 Aggregate, followed by Penn State (2216) and Michigan (2201). Amos Peck (photo below) was the top individual Air Rifle Shooter.
Spartans Win Smallbore Title
The next phase was the Smallbore Rifle Championship. Although heading into the finals of team competition with a 69-point lead, Michigan State needed strong performances from Tyler Luce and the Peck brothers if the Spartans were going to win the 2012 NRA Smallbore Rifle Championship. The Spartan shooters delivered. Amos Peck finished first in smallbore, edging Michigan’s Anne Sullivan by one (1) point. Amos Peck’s win, combined with strong showings by teammates Tyler Luce and Clayton Peck, carried Michigan State to victory in the smallbore Team event.
Michigan State Wins Both Team and Individual Combined (Air Rifle/Smallbore) Titles
That smallbore victory, on top of the Spartans’ impresssive win in the Air Rifle event, secured Michigan State the overall title. Michigan State took the combined Intercollegiate Rifle Championship with a final score of 4457 — 96 points better than second place Penn State (4361). Michigan again finished third with a 4306. Michigan State’s Amos Peck took the Aggregate individual title, with a score of 1149, following by Spartan Teammate Tyler Luce with an 1130 total score.
2012 Rifle Team Championship
1. Michigan State – 4457
2. Penn State – 4361
3. Michigan – 4306
4. Clemson – 4155
5. Wisconsin-Oshkosh – 4135
6. Purdue – 4026
7. North Dakota State – 3857
8. Indiana U of Penn – 3416
2012 Individual Aggregate Championship
1. Amos Peck – 1149 Michigan State
2. Tyler Luce – 1130 Michigan State
3. Abi Winegarden – 1129 UNC-CH
4. Anne Sullivan – 1128 Michigan
5. Clayton Peck – 1118 Michigan State
6. Tonya Kocher – 1110 PSU
7. Kyle Freeley – 1095 PSU
8. Brandon Godbout – 1094 NDSU
9. Rebecca Picone – 1093 PSU
10. Kevin Tuten – 1085 Clemson
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has introduced a “No-Fault Policy” to supplement its current limited lifetime transferrable warranty. This “No-Fault Policy” is being initially offered to customers who purchase new Conquest HD Binoculars or Conquest Duralyt Riflescopes from Zeiss dealers in the USA or Canada. Under this new No-Fault Policy, Zeiss will repair or replace any of these new models for free for the first five years of ownership if they are damaged during normal and intended use. NOTE: The new policy is for original owners only and is not transferrable.
“This policy is being introduced at a time when customer service expectations are at their highest level in history. Asking consumers to pay for a repair soon after they have just invested a considerable amount of money for a high quality product is simply no longer acceptable,” said Michael A. Jensen, President of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. “Anybody who purchases equipment at this quality level always takes great care of it. However … serious hunters and birders are hard on our optics, and accidents happen. This new policy simply allows those who purchase Conquest HD or Conquest Duralyt products to pursue their passion with extra peace of mind.”
Product Registration Required for “No-Fault” Coverage
Customers must register all new Conquest HD Binoculars and Conquest Duralyt Riflescopes with Zeiss within 60 days of purchase to qualify for the No-Fault Policy. Scope owners will then be covered for five (5) years from the initial date of purchase. Visit www.zeiss.com/register to register these products online. This No-Fault Policy is in addition to the limited lifetime transferrable warranty. To learn more about the No-Fault Policy for Conquest HD Binoculars and Duralyt riflescopes, visit www.zeiss.com/sports or call 1-800-441-3005.
Get ready for the 7th Annual Shilen Swap Meet. Rain or shine, the Swap Meet will be held from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, April 7th, in the Shilen parking lot (Ennis, TX). The event is open to “all comers” — both buyers and sellers. There are NO fees or costs. Anyone can set up a table or just back their truck up and drop their tailgate. There will be gun stuff everywhere — buy and sell as much as you like. And there will be FREE FOOD — complementary chili, frito pie, water, tea, or coffee.
Shilen does request advanced notice from Swap meet attendees, especially folks selling shooting gear: “Please call (972) 875-5318 if you plan on attending so we can have a rough head count. If you want to put up a table please call, fax or email us and let us know. We will add you to the list of vendors.”
Big Discounts on Barrels
Shilen’s ‘Swap Meet Barrels’ will be BACK. These are first-quality barrels built for customers who requested a specific contour, twist rate, or caliber, but later changed their minds. Shilen let these customers modify their orders, but some of these custom-ordered barrels remain in inventory. These pre-ordered “orphan” barrels will be sold at deeply discounted prices at the Swap Meet. NOTE: All warranties still apply; these are NOT lower quality or factory seconds.
Factory tours will be given. During the morning tours, the drill, ream and rifle machine will be operating. Schedule so far is that factory tours (with RUNNING machines) will be offered at 8:00 am, 8:30 am, 9:00 am, 9:30 am, 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 11:00 am and 11:30 am. Tours will continue in the afternoon, but no machines will run then.
George Kollitides has been appointed acting Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of the Board for Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI). Kollitides, a hunter, shooter and firearms enthusiast, sits on three NRA Committees, is a trustee of the NRA Foundation and is a director of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association. He is a past director of the Safari Club International Connecticut Chapter. Kollitides was previously a managing director of Cerberus Capital Management, where he was the architect of FGI and its lead director. Kollitides stated, “I am ecstatic to join the FGI team, where we have the greatest employees and a 200-year history of 100% American-made [products].”
In an interview with John Zent, editorial director for NRA Publications, Kollitides was asked how the Freedom Group can support hunting, the shooting sports, and gun-owners’ rights. Kollitides answered: “Our job is to build the best products possible, provide good manufacturing jobs for Americans and represent our investors’ best interests. If our efforts succeed in growing our user groups, shooters, hunters, the military and law enforcement, they will have a much louder voice in public policy. The key for us is to strengthen our industry and strengthen our users, customers, and partners. Doing that by making relevant, quality product, along with education and access, we think, is the right way to go about it, and so we are working with state and local governments, not-for-profit hunting and shooting organizations, and, of course, the NRA.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a bulletin on March 9, 2012 regarding web-based services that promise that the purchaser of an commercial application package will be issued a Federal Firearms License (FFL). ATF notes that such commercial services are not sponsored or approved by the ATF, and these service may use non-authorized forms which the ATF will neither accept nor approve. Here is the exact language of the Notice, highlights added:
Private Application Services and Non-Approved Application Forms
ATF has recently become aware of web-based companies which guarantee the issuance of a Federal firearms license (FFL) if a prospective applicant purchases the company’s application packet and advice about how to obtain a FFL. Anyone considering applying for a FFL should be aware that the fees paid for such consulting services and materials are not required, endorsed, or received by ATF. Any fees for application consulting services and materials are paid voluntarily by a prospective applicant, who should understand that such fees are in addition to the license and permit application fees required by law and collected by ATF. ATF collects no application fees online at this time. All ATF-required fee payments must be made by check, money order, or credit card and accompany the paper application form sent to ATF by the applicant.
It is also important to note that ATF does not guarantee the issuance of FFLs. Each application is reviewed on its merits under the qualifying criteria set forth by law.
Some private application services provide their own version of license application forms. Please note that ATF will not accept any application form not approved for use by the Office of Management and Budget and will return without action applications submitted on unauthorized versions of ATF forms. All ATF application forms are provided free of charge and may be obtained from the ATF website or forms Distribution Center by calling 202-648-6420. You may also contact the Federal Firearms Licensing Center at 1-866-662-2750 for assistance in completing FFL applications.
Forum member Marcus Åström from Sweden has come up with a perfect luxury item for style-conscious shooters: bullet-shaped silver cufflinks. Just the thing to impress the guys at your next range session (or corporate board meeting). Who wouldn’t like silver bullets on their cuffs? Silver bullets did the job for the Lone Ranger didn’t they?
Cast from a mold taken from your sample bullet, the silver bullet cufflinks can exactly replicate your favorite projectile, right down to the ballistic tip. For considerably less money, the Swedish jeweler can create a set of cufflinks from an all-copper bullet you supply. A silver T-bar is attached, giving you a two-tone cufflink (see lower photo).
Marcus reports: “Check out these amazing cufflinks I have had made by Sofia Winberg, a jewelery smith in Stockholm. The silver links in the photo above are based on a Hornady 7mm Interbond 139gr bullet. I choose this bullet since it was the one with which I shot my first deer. Here’s how these are made. When Sophia receives your sample bullet, she makes a mold from it and then casts the silver bullet body. If the bullet has a tip, she attaches a small silver cap and shapes it to match the original tip. She can also make links from copper bullets or finish the metal so the bullet-cufflinks appear moly-coated. Sophia can also make cufflinks from cartridge cases. She replaces the primer with one in silver, with or without the firing pin mark.”
Price depends on the design and material options selected by the customer:
Silver Bullet Cufflinks, with or without silver tip, molded from bullet sample: $475 USD
Copper Bullet Cufflinks, with silver tip, molded from tipped bullet sample: $350 USD
Copper Bullet Cufflinks molded from Hollow-point or FMJ bullet sample: $300 USD
Solid Copper Bullet Cufflinks, no molding, with silver T-Bar attached: $140 USD
Cartridge Case Cufflinks: $350 USD
Special materials, jewels, etc.: Request Pricing
Turn-around is roughly four (4) weeks from the time when Sofia (the jeweler) receives the bullet. No payment in advance is needed — the customer gets to approve the product via pictures before making payment. Once payment is received, the item ships. If you are interested, contact: Sofia Winberg Jewellery Design, sofia [at] sofiawinberg.com .
The TCU rifle team used a dominating effort in air rifle to erase a five-point deficit to claim its second national championship in the last three seasons. TCU’s top-scoring Air Rifle shooter, Sarah Scherer, finished third in the air rifle individual finals, which was won by another lady shooter, West Virginia Mountaineer Petra Zublasing. Congrats to Petra!
In addition to the Team National Championship, the Frogs took home the air rifle title after firing a 2,353, topping West Virginia’s team score of 2,350. Kentucky finished the smallbore competition on day one in first place, but the KY Wildcats couldn’t hold off the TCU squad. TCU’s “Horned Frogs” fired a 2,353 in air rifle to record an impressive 4,676-4,661 overall victory over the defending champion Wildcats. Alaska-Fairbanks took third place overall in the team competition behind TCU and Kentucky.
Final NCAA Rifle Championship Team Rankings:
1. Texas Christian University (TCU)
2. Univ. of Kentucky
3. Univ. of Alaska – Fairbanks
4. U.S. Military Academy (West Point)
5. Univ. of Texas El Paso (UTEP)
6. West Virginia Univ.
7. Jacksonville State Univ.
8. Univ. of Nevada – Reno
Ace gunsmith Joe Chambers (aka Joe C), who is best known for his custom pistols, recently joined our Shooters’ Forum. Guns built by Joe have been used to win 49 class championships at the NRA Camp Perry National Championships, as well as many regional, state and local matches. He has built guns for collectors, concealed carry and action pistol competitors as well. Joe’s custom pistols have been featured in American Handgunner Magazine. Chambers’ guns are noted for their outstanding reliability and accuracy. He has built 1911s chambered in .38 Super that will put ten (10) shoots in under 1.00″ at fifty (50) yards. (We’ve seen some factory rifles that can’t do that!)
You can view impressive Chambers-built customs on Joe’s website ChambersCustom.com. Here are some samples:
Chambers Gains Precision Rifle Knowledge Through Forum
While the AccurateShooter Forum’s main focus is on precision rifles, it’s good to know that someone with Joe’s skills and abilities can help forum members who have questions about 1911 pistols and custom pistol-smithing. In return, we invite our experienced rifle shooters to share their long-gun knowledge with Joe. A budding interest in long-range and F-Class rifle shooting drew Chambers to our Forum. He came to the right place. Many of the nation’s top F-Class shooters (both F-TR and F-Open) frequent our board. No doubt Joe will advance his knowledge of rifle shooting through participation in our Forum. Welcome aboard Joe — we are pleased to include you in our community of precision shooters!
Story tip by Tanner F. (aka Flybuster). We welcome reader submissions.
This week’s edition of 
Spartans Win Smallbore Title
Forum member Marcus Åström from Sweden has come up with a perfect luxury item for style-conscious shooters: bullet-shaped silver cufflinks. Just the thing to impress the guys at your next range session (or corporate board meeting). Who wouldn’t like silver bullets on their cuffs? Silver bullets did the job for the Lone Ranger didn’t they?
Marcus reports: “Check out these amazing cufflinks I have had made by Sofia Winberg, a jewelery smith in Stockholm. The silver links in the photo above are based on a Hornady 7mm Interbond 139gr bullet. I choose this bullet since it was the one with which I shot my first deer. Here’s how these are made. When Sophia receives your sample bullet, she makes a mold from it and then casts the silver bullet body. If the bullet has a tip, she attaches a small silver cap and shapes it to match the original tip. She can also make links from copper bullets or finish the metal so the bullet-cufflinks appear moly-coated. Sophia can also make cufflinks from cartridge cases. She replaces the primer with one in silver, with or without the firing pin mark.”
The TCU rifle team used a dominating effort in air rifle to erase a five-point deficit to claim its second national championship in the last three seasons. TCU’s top-scoring Air Rifle shooter, Sarah Scherer, finished third in the air rifle individual finals, which was won by another lady shooter, West Virginia Mountaineer Petra Zublasing. Congrats to Petra!
Ace gunsmith Joe Chambers (aka Joe C), who is best known for his custom pistols, recently joined our 
