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September 12th, 2011
 MGM Tactical has been selected as the bullet trap, target and range equipment supplier for the largest indoor shooting range in the country, the planned Colonial Shooting Academy (CSA) in Richmond, Virginia. Construction is scheduled to be completed in February 2012. The Colonial Shooting Academy choose MGM Tactical because MGM offers state-of-the-art bullet containment systems with unique capabilities. These include:
- “Impact” system rifle-grade Shoot House
- “Deep V” bullet traps with .50-caliber capability
- “Shoot Close” granulated rubber bullet trap for the tactical range.
The facility will have multiple ranges, a shoot house, retail selling area, offices, café, classrooms and member lounge. The facility will have five separate ranges: one 11-lane tactical range; two 25-yard mezzanine-level ranges (one with 11 lanes and one with 14 lanes); and, two additional private 7-lane ranges. All ranges will have acoustical tiles for sound deadening. The building’s basement will house a high-tech, 1590-square-foot, multi-room shoot house with multiple entries and breach doors.
September 9th, 2011
 The 2011 IBS Nationals were held at the White Horse Center Range near Peeltree, West Virginia. This was a 3-target Aggregate match for both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) with six (6) targets total. The big winner was Shooters’ Forum member Tod Soeby (aka 4Xforfun). Tod, who hails from North Dakota, drove a long way to the match, but his journey was well worth it, as he topped a large, highly-competitive field of 117 shooters. Soeby won BOTH the 2-Gun Overall as well as the Light Gun Group+Score Overall (In Light Gun, Tod was #1 for Group and #6 for Score, shooting a 6mm Dasher). Soeby’s Light Gun Group Agg was a remarkable 3.884″, nearly an inch smaller than the next best Light Gun Group Agg, a 4.724″, turned in by Salley Bauer. Gordy Gritters finished second in 2-Gun Overall, while David Powell secured third place in 2-Gun Overall.
Tod’s three, 5-shot Light Gun groups were: 4.489″, 3.760″, and 3.283″. That yielded an average of 3.884″ at 1000 yards. Think about that — Tod’s average is barely over one-third MOA, which is 3.49″ at 1000 yards — seriously small. Yes, those Dashers can shoot!
Wesley Springman was the top Heavy Gun Shooter, placing second in Group and third in Score, to finish first Overall in Heavy Gun class. Don Rabun was second in HG overall, with Eric Springman taking third in HG, edging Don Nagel on a tie-breaker (both Eric and Don racked up 14 Agg Rank Points). As noted above, Tod Sobey won the Light Gun Overall, with Donald Whitlock second in LG, and David Powley third. Notable other performances were Jeffrey Morten’s first place finish in LG Score, and Eric Springman’s outstanding Group shooting in Heavy Gun. Eric finished #1 in HG Group, with an impressively small 5.925″ Agg (that’s for ten-shot groups). And Sharon Ruben nailed the small group for the match, a mind-blowing 2.686″ on her second Light Gun (5-shot) target. For reference, one-quarter MOA at 1000 yards is 2.617″. Amazing.
Winning Rifles: 6mm Dasher Light Gun, 300 WSM Heavy Gun
Tod Soeby provided this equipment rundown for his Nationals-winning rifles.
Light Gun (6mm Dasher): Smithed by Greg Wahlstrom, Straightline Customs, in Ogilvie, MN. Greg also did the stock work and bedding. Action is a BAT “M” multi-flat, 8.5″-long, R-L-R dual port. Stock is a Shehane ST-1000. Barrel is 30″ Krieger 1:8″ twist, chambered as 6mm Dasher with 0.267″ neck. Optics are: Nightforce NSX 12-42X in BAT +20 MOA aluminum ring/bases.
Heavy Gun (300 WSM): Smithed by Clay Spencer. Action is BAT “L”, 10″-long, 2″-round, dual port. Stock is a Bruce Baer 5″-wide thumbhole, with custom rails by Greg Wahlstrom of Straightline Customs. The barrel is a Hart 1:10″ twist chambered in 300 WSM. Optics are: Nightforce 12-42X Benchrest model. Tod is not sure about the source of Picatinny rail and rings.
CLICK HERE for Full 2011 IBS 1K Nationals Results
117 Shooters Competed at 2011 IBS Nationals
Overall, shooters commented that West Virginia’s White Horse facility was a nice range, and many folks hoped that other major events might be hosted there in the future. Despite the predicted hot, humid weather, there was a great turn-out for the event, with 117 registered shooters in Light Gun and 115 Heavy Gun Registrants. The match organizers at White Horse did a good job with such a large field of shooters. The excellent turn-out proves there is a growing interest in long-range benchrest.
September 8th, 2011
Here’s a positive success story about a family that shoots together. Shooters’ Forum member Troy (aka ‘TTFreestyle’) is a competitive shooter whose 15-year-old daughter Michele is following in his footsteps. It looks like Michele is a born shooter, with exceptional natural talent — she won her first-ever F-Open match, shooting a 450-22x without dropping a point. Marksmanship definitely runs in the family. (Interestingly, Michele has a twin sister who also shoots, but according to Troy, “Michele’s twin doesn’t crave shooting the way Michele does.”)
Troy reports: “My daughter Michele shot her first F-Open match today at Chattanooga rifle club. It was a three-relay, mid-range match with 15 shots at 300 yards and two more 15-shot relays at 500 yards. Michele shot 450-22x out of 450 with her Savage 6BR.” Troy revealed: “I was worried that I had not done enough load development for her, but I but guess it was good enough!” Troy added: “I helped Michele get set up with the rest and rear bag. I told her to have fun and follow-through. She did the rest. We were fortunate that the conditions were favorable for her relays — not too breezy and with little mirage. The wind really kicked up later while we were in the pits.”
Michele’s Rifle Specs — a Hot-Rodded Savage 110
Michele’s winning rifle, which Troy just completed two weeks ago, has some key upgrades. The barrel is a 28″ 6mmBR pre-fit Criterion from Northland Shooters Supply. Troy noted: “My wife’s gun also has a Criterion pre-fit barrel. Both Criterions shoot great — 2.5″ at 600 yards with minimal load development.” The Savage 110 action on Michele’s rifle now sits in a a href=”http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/LRBR_Stock.html” target=”new”>Sharpshooter Supply Long Range Benchrest stock, pillar- and skim-bedded by Troy. One of the new Sightron tactical 8-32x56mm scopes rides on top on an EGW +20 MOA rail. The gun has the old three-screw Savage trigger with some tweaks done by Troy, who says “I prefer the old trigger (with some mods) to the new Accutrigger.”
Troy tells us: “Michele and I are both just starting in the mid/long range game. We have so much to learn and have met some very helpful friends. At Oakridge, I met Danny Biggs who gave us some advice I’ll never forget: ‘Matches are won in the reloading room’.” The load Troy developed for Michele was 30.2 grains Varget and 107 SMK into the lands running about 2850 fps.
Father, Mother, and Daughter All Love to Shoot
Troy is quick to credit Michele’s trigger-pulling skills: “Michele is solid — 45 shots in a row and she kept going. I don’t think I can out-shoot her.” Troy added, “My wife Tammy also shoots. In fact, at Chattanooga, Tammy also cleaned the 300-yard match with 150-9X but dropped a few points at 500. After seeing how well Michele and Tammy did, maybe I just need to put the guns together and watch.”
Congrats to Michele, Tammy, and Troy! A family that shoots together is a great inspiration.
September 8th, 2011
 The Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club (Williamsport) has cancelled its two-day match this weekend, September 10-11, due to severe flooding in the immediate area. The National Weather Service has advised that the Susquehanna River will crest at 25′ on Friday.
Our friend Jason Baney tells us: “The situation is as bad as I’ve ever seen it, but we expect the waters to recede in a few days. This weekend’s match, the 9th of the season, will be re-scheduled for a double match later in the month.” The re-scheduled Match 9 will be held concurrently with Match 10, on September 24-25, 2011.
September 5th, 2011
Our Shooters’ Forum is one of the most popular features of the AccurateShooter.com website. On September 4th, our Forum registered our 15,000th Forum member — a significant milestone. Since its debut in 2004, our Shooters’ Forum has grown to become one of the most active precision shooting message boards on the internet. The Forum offers a wealth of information, and we provide FREE classified ads for registered members.
Serious shooters from around the world rely on our Shooters’ Forum for answers to questions about precision shooting, reloading, and varmint hunting. You’ll get the “straight scoop” on shooting gear from Forum members who post their real-world experiences with reloading components, barrels, optics and other hardware. Many champion shooters participate in our Forum, and you’ll also find helpful advice on rifle projects in the Forum’s gunsmithing section. If you’re looking for great deals on rifles, barrels, stocks, optics, and shooting accessories, check out our Reader Classifieds. The latest Classifieds are also posted on the AccurateShooter.com home page.
September 3rd, 2011
 Surgeon Rifles, the successful action and rifle manufacturer based in Prague, Oklahoma, has been sold to Strategic Armory Corps. The transaction closed on August 19, 2011.
“Both entities worked hard to construct a deal that would be beneficial to both parties and maintain the sterling reputation of Surgeon Rifles,” said Terry Mackin of Generational Equity, a mergers and acquisitions company that brokered the sale. “Surgeon Rifles was an excellent acquisition for Strategic Armory Corps,” added Generational Equity President Ryan Binkley. “Being able to capitalize on Surgeon’s reputation and services truly presents Strategic Armory with a competitive edge in the arms manufacturing industry.”
Preston Pritchett founded Surgeon Rifles near Prague, Oklahoma. Based on input from fellow shooters and friends, Surgeon Rifles manufactures a variety of the highest quality rifles, actions and other accessories for custom hunting and tactical rifle enthusiasts. All Surgeon Rifles and actions are built using the latest and most innovative equipment to ensure quality control and maintain specifications. Pritchett will remain with the Company and assist Strategic Armory in the expansion of its other products and services.
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Surgeon Rifles: A Success Story Based on Commitment to Quality
 The story of Surgeon is one of hard work, dedication, and commitment to quality. Surgeon was one of the very first sponsors of this website. This Editor recalls when, some six years ago, Surgeon founder Preston Pritchett called us on the phone and said: “I’ve been building some high quality new actions, and I need to get the word out… can you help?” Well over the next few years, Preston built his company into one of the elite manufacturers of custom actions and tactical rifles. Not willing to just build copies of factory actions, Preston “improved the breed” by including integral recoil lugs and Picatinny scope rails along with other innovative features.
Using state-of-the-art CNC manufacturing technologies, Surgeon actions are built to exacting tolerances, yet they are rugged and “dead nuts” reliable in adverse conditions. We are proud of what Preston and Surgeon Rifles has accomplished in such a short time. Surgeon actions have earned an enviable reputation for outstanding reliability, accuracy, and long-term durability. With Preston continuing as part of the Strategic Armory team, we’re confident that Surgeon Rifles will continue to produce outstanding products. |
The 1581 XL Action, at 1.450” wide X 9.5” long, is the largest of the Surgeon line of actions. It features a full-length 30 MOA integral 1913 Picatinny rail, a huge .450″ integral recoil lug, and a large 1-1/8” X 16 tenon thread, which requires the use of a 1.350” diameter barrel.
September 3rd, 2011
 MidwayUSA has launched its new Facebook Page and an enhanced Twitter Feed. These online offerings will provide exclusive discounts and special promotions. At the top of MidwayUSA’s Facebook page, you’ll see a “Like” Button. If you click the “Like” button, you get access to exclusive Promo Codes that provide: $10 off a $50 order, $15 off a $100 order, $25 off a $200 order, or $35 off a $300 order.
MidwayUSA’s Larry Potterfield explains: “MidwayUSA has been on YouTube for several years now. I’m excited about our launch into Facebook and Twitter. When we started the business, we’d communicate with our customers through face-to-face conversations or over the phone, but with these new social media channels, we’ll be able to communicate, nearly instantly, [with] more and better information.”
Latest Sales and Promos Listed on Twitter
MidwayUSA will provide “tweets” on current sales and the latest MidwayUSA video releases. Simply log on to http://www.twitter.com/midwayusa to get the latest info. For example, right now MidwayUSA’s Twitter Feed links to a Labor Day Special which runs through September 5 (sale ends at 11:59 pm Central Time). The following Labor Day Special codes provide discounts on regular, in-stock products.
- $10 off $100 or more – Use Promo Code 191177
- $25 off $250 or more – Use Promo Code 291177
- $50 off $500 or more – Use Promo Code 591177
September 2nd, 2011
Let’s face it — economic times are still tough, so it’s important to save money whenever possible. Prices are going up, but wages aren’t following (for most of us). Here are seven ways shooters can save money on gear purchases and other shooting-related expenses.
 1. Share a Ride to Matches. With gas costing close to $4.00 per gallon in many areas of the country, fuel has become a significant part of an active shooter’s hobby budget. Yet over 90% of shooters drive solo to matches, often in large, gas-guzzling trucks. If you drive 100 miles roundtrip to attend a match in a 20-mpg vehicle, you’re going to burn nearly $20.00 worth of gas total out and back. By simply sharing the ride with one fellow shooter you can cut your fuel expenditures in half.
 2. Use Discount Codes to Save. It’s always smart to check for discount codes before you buy. In the Daily Bulletin, we regularly highlight important sales, and we provide discount Coupon Codes when available. By using discount codes when shopping online, you can typically save 10-15% on your purchases. For example, right now Sinclair Int’l is running a Labor Day Promo with discount codes. To find recent discount codes, just type in “Coupon Code” or “Discount” in the search box at the top of this page. If you can’t find a Coupon Code for your preferred vendor here, visit RetailMeNot.com and/or SlickGuns.com. Both those sites list current coupon codes, and RetailMeNot.com covers thousands of vendors.
 3. Gang Powder and Primer Purchases. Every time you order powder and primers you’ll need to pay a hazardous materials (hazmat) transport fee, which costs $25.00 – $30.00. If you do a joint buy with other shooters, you can ship more powder and primers on a single hazmat fee, effectively reducing your components cost. For example, if you buy 3 pounds of powder at $20/lb with a $25.00 hazmat fee your actual cost (before shipping) is $28.33 per pound. If instead if you buy 30 pounds of powder at $20.00/lb, the actual cost with hazmat is just $20.83 per pound. Moreover, when you buy in bulk, you can usually save significantly on the powder itself. At Powder Valley, one pound of Varget costs $19.75, while an 8-lb jug of Varget costs $139.50 ($17.44/lb).
 4. Shop for “Demo” Optics. Modern high-quality optics can easily cost $1500.00 or more, often exceeding the value of the rifle on which they are mounted. However, you can often save 20-30% by purchasing demo optics. These are normally display units used at trade shows. They may have slight ringmarks, but otherwise they are “as new”, having never been carried in the field or used on a rifle that has fired live ammo. When purchasing demo scopes, you should always ask about the warranty before consummating the sale. However, most demo scopes from name-brand manufacturers come with full factory warranties. EuroOptic.com and SWFA.com are two respected vendors that offer a good selection of demo optics.
 5. Train with Rimfire Rifles. The true cost of shooting a match-grade centerfire rifle, when you consider barrel wear, approaches $1.00 per round. READ Shooting Cost Article. By contrast .22LR Wolf Match Extra costs just $0.17 per round and other good rimfire ammo can be purchased for even less. Good rimfire barrels last a long, long time, so you don’t have to be concerned about wearing out your barrel quickly. A quality rimfire barrel can retain its accuracy for 7,000 rounds or more. If you run the ballistics, a .22LR round at 100 yards can emulate the wind drift experienced by a centerfire cartridge at long range. This allows for effective cross-training with much less expensive ammo.
 6. Check Out the Forum Classifieds. There are great deals to be found every day in the AccurateShooter Shooters’ Forum. The latest deals are listed on our home page. To see all the listings, browse through the Forum MarketPlace section which has four main categories:
- Guns, Actions, Stocks, & Barrels
- Tools, Dies, Rests, Reloading Components & Misc
- Scopes, Optics, Sights, Rings, Bases Etc.
- Commercial Sales by Paid Sponsors
You can find some great deals on complete rifles, optics, and reloading gear in our classifieds. Before purchasing, however, read our Advice to Online Classifieds Shoppers.
 7. Take Advantage of Factory Rebates. There are some amazing rebates available right now from quality manufacturers such as Bushnell, Leupold, RCBS, Sightron, and Zeiss. You have to be a bit wary because rebates are typically used to move less-popular merchandise. But some rebates, such as the current RCBS $50.00 rebate, apply to very wide range of merchandise, so it’s hard to go wrong. Just make sure that, when you buy a product, you retain the sales slip and the original packaging. To qualify for the rebate, you may need to mail in a product identification code found on the box, along with your original sales receipt.
September 1st, 2011
It’s time for pistol shooters to load up plenty of ammo and book their plane tickets. Three major pistol championships are scheduled to take place in the next five weeks. The USPSA, IDPA, and IPSC are all holding big events, starting in mid-September.
 First the USPSA National Handgun Championships will be held September 16-24 at the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club in Las Vegas. We’ve shot at that range, tucked in the foothills on the northwest side of Las Vegas. It is a large, well-equipped facility. But it is also a dry, dusty location that can be hot as Hades in September. Bring plenty of water (along with plenty of ammo). Leading up to the USPSA Nationals, the USPSA has scheduled three of its eight regional championships over the first two weekends of September. This ensures competitors will be primed and ready for the National Championships.
 On September 21-24, the IDPA will conduct its first-ever World Championship Match at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, Florida. Because it does not require (or permit) expensive custom “race-guns”, IDPA competition has become very popular. IDPA matches emphasize the use of cover and other “practical” defensive techniques. The idea behind IDPA was to provide a competitive discipline which allowed shooters to perfect their skills with the actual guns they carry or use for home defense. The IDPA expects a big turn-out in Florida, including shooters from a dozen or more foreign countries.
Unfortunately, the IDPA World Championship will over-lap the last four days of the USPSA Nationals. Some shooters hope to compete in both events. In order to allow this, the USPSA and IDPA have worked out a compromise. The Shooting Wire reports: “The [scheduling conflic] was more a result of a lack-of-communication comedy of errors. Each organization announced their championship dates within a short time of each other — and quickly discovered the problem. But Robert Ray at IDPA and Michael Voigt, president of USPSA, quickly worked out a compromise. Shooters competing in USPSA’s Limited and Production division nationals in Vegas on September 21-24 will be allowed to shoot through the match in order to fly out to Florida and compete in the IDPA World Championship.”
 Greece Hosts IPSC World Shoot in October on Rhodes
The IPSC World Shoot XVI in Greece, takes place October 3-8, 2011 at the Kalamonas Shooting Range, on the island of Rhodes. This is a huge event — over 1,000 shooters are expected to attend. There will be five (5) divisions, based on handgun type: Open, Modified, Standard, Revolver and Production. In addition, awards will be handed out to five (5) categories of shooters within each division: Overall, Lady, Junior, Senior and Super Senior. The IPSC World Shoot features some spectacular stages based on Greek history and mythology. These include the Labyrinth Stage and the water-filled Colossus of Rhodes Stage, both shown below.
CLICK HERE for information about the Greek island of Rhodes, with map.
September 1st, 2011
 Lousiana has a once-a-year Sales Tax relief program we wish all the other states would emulate. Wouldn’t it be great if California, Pennsylvania, Texas and other major gun markets had a Second Amendment Tax Holiday? For a few days each year, Louisiana waives all the sales tax on firearms, ammunition, reloading components, and hunting gear. The 2011 Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday takes place Friday, September 2, through Sunday, September 4, 2011.
During these three days, eligible items (for individual use) are exempt from all state and local sales taxes in Louisiana. In Louisiana, eligible items include:
• Accessories designed to be used for hunting.
• Shotguns, rifles, pistols, revolvers, or other handguns.
• Ammunition intended to be fired from a gun or firearm is eligible.
• Animal feed for consumption by game which can be legally hunted.
• Apparel such as safety gear, camouflage clothing, jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, face masks and thermal underwear for use while hunting;
• Off-road vehicles such as all terrain vehicles designed for hunting. The exemption does not apply to golf carts, bikes, motorcycles, tractors, or motor vehicles which may be legally driven on highways.
So if you live in Louisiana, enjoy your tax break, starting Friday September 2nd! For the full list of eligible items and special provisions of the Louisiana sales tax holiday, visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov/secondamendment. NOTE: Louisiana is not the only state with such a program. South Carolina has held Second Amendment Tax Holidays in the past, and other states are considering the idea.
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