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.
With the success of Top Shot on the History Channel, and other shooting-themed television shows, it seems Hollywood has finally discovered the audience appeal of shooting sports. Now NBC is stepping into the fray with a vengence, launching Hot Shots on the new NBC Sports Outdoor Network (which replaced the Versus Network on January 2, 2012.) Hot Shots airs Sundays at 8:00. The first episode debuted January 8, 2012.
NBC Sports Network has assembled some of the best shooters on the planet for its new Hot Shots program: Jerry Miculek, K.C. Eusebio, Patrick Flanigan, and Randy Oitker. Miculek, an expert with rifle, pistol, and shotgun, has won 14 International Revolver Championships and is a top 3-Gun competitor. Our Friend K.C., formerly with the USAMU, was the youngest USPSA Grandmaster at the age of 12. Patrick is a world-class shotgunner who has re-defined the world of exhibition shooting. Randy is a true phenom with bow and arrow, having won over 17 National Pro Archery titles.
Every Sunday morning at 9 AM eastern, NBC Sports Network (previously known as the Versus Network) follows these four men across the nation as they compete in their respective fields. On NBC’s Hotshots website, the show’s Emmy-winning producer Brian Speciale explains: “You don’t have to be a gun nut to understand what we’re doing. We want you to get to know these guys, see their ups and downs, the personal struggle and sacrifice that’s molded them into champions.”
New Chief Executive at Remington Arms
Robert L. Nardelli has been selected as the new CEO of Remington Arms Company. Remington is part of the Freedom Group, Inc., which is owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private holding company. Prior to taking over the reigns at Remington, Nardelli has served with Cerberus as a leading executive.
Nardelli’s Chrysler Years
Mr. Nardelli joined Cerberus in the spring of 2007, and, shortly thereafter, was named Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Motors Company, LLC. He was noted for aggressive cost-cutting at Chrysler and for improving build quality which reduced warranty claims. Nonetheless, Chrysler filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009, and Nardelli was replaced as Chrysler CEO by Italian Sergio Marchionne who has guided the Detroit automaker from bankruptcy to profitability.
Nardelli Aggressively Cut Costs and Streamlined Operations at Home Depot
Before his stint at Chrysler, Nardelli served as Home Depot’s Chairman and CEO. Prior to that, Nardelli was CEO of General Electric Power Systems. Nardelli’s tenure as head of Home Depot was controversial. Using the Six Sigma management strategy he learned at GE, Nardelli dramatically overhauled Home Depot. He streamlined operations, most notably implementing a computerized automated inventory system. Many of those moves were effective (revenues rose from $46 to $81.5 billion in six years) but Nardelli’s autocratic management style turned off employees and the public. Nardelli was notably criticized for cutting back on knowledgeable full-time employees with experience in the trades and replacing them with part-time help with little relevant experience. This move reduced costs, but hurt customer service. Home Depot’s stock price stagnated, and the company lost market share to Lowe’s. Nardelli left Home Depot with a massive $210,000,000 severance package — a “golden parachute” that drew criticism from Home Depot shareholders (and members of Congress).
Changes Ahead for Remington? Will Nardelli shake up Remington the way he did Home Depot, streamlining operations and laying off senior employees? Will we see further consolidation of manufacturing among Freedom Group brands? Only time will tell. Nardelli’s policies will be formulated, to be sure, to match the larger objectives of Cerberus. But Nardelli has a reputation as a tough cost-cutter, so changes may be in store for Remington Arms Company, the oldest continuously-operating manufacturer in North America.
About Freedom Group, Inc.
Freedom Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of firearms and ammunition. The Freedom Group embraces multiple brands including Remington, Marlin, Harrington & Richardson, New England Firearms, L.C. Smith, Parker, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, EOTAC, and INTC.
Here’s a notable product for the truly hard-core gun guys out there. Bushnell Outdoor Products markets an Air Freshener with the classic scent of Hoppe’s No. 9 bore-cleaner. Brett and Kate McKay, authors of the book “The Art of Manliness” list Hoppe’s No. 9 as one of the top 15 manly smells. We kid you not…
Bushnell’s product Press Release declared: “In 1903, when Frank Hoppe developed a mix of 9 different ingredients to create the original Hoppe’s No. 9 gun solvent, he had no idea that history was being made. Over the last 107 years the smell of Hoppe’s No. 9 has evoked fond memories of fathers, grandfathers, memorable hunts and great days in the field.
In response to consumer requests, Hoppe’s now has an air freshener with the unique No. 9 smell. The freshener has a string for hanging it in your gun room, car, garage, or anywhere you want the nostalgic smell of Hoppe’s No. 9. The Hoppe’s No. 9 Air Freshener will be available at your favorite sporting goods and/or hunting store and will sell for a suggested retail price of $3.99.”
This Report was submitted by Darrell Buell, F-T/R Team USA Captain
The F-Class World Championships are just over a year and a half away. In the past four years, much has changed in the F-T/R game. Most noticeably, participation has increased greatly. We had 60 shooters at the 2011 Nationals in Lodi compared to 19 shooters in 2007. The level of competition has risen as well. There was a mere 3% spread in scores for the top 30 places this year. That’s tighter than it has ever been since I started keeping statistics. The top 15 spots had only a 2% score spread!
F-T/R Team USA Selection Process
With many more shooters and a higher level of competition, selecting the 2013 American F-T/R team was especially difficult. There were many qualified applicants to choose from. The selection criteria have not changed over the years. All of the 40+ applicants’ qualifications were dumped into a matrix to get sorted. The initial sort was done by examining the best data I have that compares all of the shooters side by side, i.e. Nationals scores. More weight was given to those times when I could compare shooter vs. shooter on the same relay, when they were facing the exact same conditions. From there, we used modifiers for International Team experience, and other factors. 50 million calculations later, a ranking was developed. This ranking was used to set the Roster List below.
USA F-T/R Team Roster:
Team Staff:
Captain: Darrell Buell
Vice Captain: Mike Miller
Head Coach: Mid Tompkins
Coach: Steve Cunico
Adjutant: Kathy Buell
Team Members:
Jeff Rorer
John Hayhurst
John Chilton
Chris Ozolins
John Weil
Dale Carpenter
Derek Rodgers
Team Members (cont’d):
Philip Kelley
Warren Dean
Brad Sauve
Paul Phillips
Monte Milanuk
Lane Buxton
Sierra Scott
As with past Teams, this roster will be used for the next four (4) years for International Competitions of every description. These events include (but are not limited to): 2013 F-Class World Championships in Raton, NM; 2013 South African International Matches in Bloemfontein; 2013 Stars & Stripes Challenge 2013; Creedmoor Cup; USA vs. Europe, and others.
Reserve Team Spots
The sharp-eyed will notice that I may seem to be a couple of shooters short. I am reserving a couple of spots to be named after the 2012 Nationals in Raton, in case other shooters are absolutely on fire this year, and would be good additions to the Team.
F-T/R Team USA Sponsors
As with past Team campaigns, the financial challenges (especially for the travel) will be considerable. I am absolutely committed to taking the very best Team I can field, regardless of finances. To this end, some outstanding sponsors are helping take some of the burden off the individuals: Berger Bullets, Nightforce Optics, Surgeon Rifles, Hodgdon Powder, Lapua, Kowa, and Redding Reloading. Many thanks to these and other sponsors for their continuing support.
The popular Friends of NRA TV show, hosted by Jessie Harrison and Matt Duff, launched its second season this past Sunday. In Season 2, Matt and Jesse return for a new year’s worth of adventures that take them across the United States. See Season 2 highlights in the video below:
In this fast-paced TV series Matt and Jesse travel around the country. Along the way they hunt, fish, shoot, and show how Friends of NRA fund-raising efforts help local, state, and national shooting programs. In this entertaining series, the hosts try out new outdoor activities each week — from hog-hunting to tarpon-fishing. Friends of NRA airs on the Outdoor Channel Sundays at 10:00 PM EST.
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 
New Chief Executive at Remington Arms
Changes Ahead for Remington?
Here’s a notable product for the truly hard-core gun guys out there. Bushnell Outdoor Products markets an Air Freshener with the classic scent of Hoppe’s No. 9 bore-cleaner. Brett and Kate McKay, authors of the book “The Art of Manliness” list Hoppe’s No. 9 as one of the top 15 manly smells. We kid you not…
