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April 7th, 2011
John Weber, a 70-year-old from England, was given a metal mug by his grandfather in 1945. Though his grandfather had a “good eye” for antiques, John never thought the metal mug was worth much. He played with it as a child, and even used it as a target for his air rifle. The mug, assumed to be brass, has languished in a shoe box under Weber’s bed for decades.
Well, it turns out Weber’s old mug may be the world’s most expensive plinking target! The cup is actually made of solid gold, and is a rare, ancient artwork, crafted over 2300 years ago. The unusual mug, decorated with twin, opposite-facing female heads, was appraised with a value exceeding one-quarter million dollars ($250,000)!
According to news reports, Weber decided to have the old mug (thought to be brass) appraised when he moved from his house. He was shocked to learn that the mug is a Persian gold treasure, beaten out from a single sheet of gold before the time of Alexander the Great. Experts said the type of gold and the way the cup was hammered was “consistent with Achaemenid gold and gold smithing” dating back to the third or fourth century BC. The Achaemenid Empire ruled most of the Middle East and was conquered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. Could this cup be one of Alexander’s war trophies? What stories could it tell from the past 2300 years?
Ancient Gold Cup Brings £50,000 at Auction
The rare cup was sold at auction by Duke’s Auction house in southwest England in June, 2008. Though the Cup was valued much higher by experts, it only fetched £50,000, or roughly $99,000 U.S. Dollars (at 2008 exchange rates). John Webber said he was still very pleased with that result.
CLICK HERE for Auction Description (Item 378).
Achaemenid Empire (in green)
April 2nd, 2011
 The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) will host rifle, pistol, and High Power rifle beginning- and intermediate- level coach’s courses at Fort Benning, GA this fall. The Rifle Coach’s Course will be conducted Sept. 10-11, the Pistol Course Sept. 17-18, and the High Power Rifle Coach’s Course will be held Oct. 1-2, 2011.
Certificates Awarded to Class Graduates
Cost of each course will be $125.00. Classes start at 8 am each day and conclude at 4 pm. Upon successful completion of the course, each participant will be eligible to be awarded a NRA Level 1 Coach Certificate. Each participant must provide their own transportation, lodging and meals.
To learn more about the Coaching Classes, contact Coach Richard Hawkins at (706) 545-7022, or email richard.hawkins [at] usaac.army.mil or rnh1953 [at] aol.com. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.
April 1st, 2011
 The U.S. Border Patrol Agency has been ordered to “give up its guns”, starting this summer. In a surprise directive issued this morning, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), parent agency of the Border Patrol, announced that up to one-half of U.S. Border Patrol Agents will be required to turn in their firearms, starting August 1, 2011. The current issue sidearm of the Border Patrol is the HK P2000 LEM in .40 SW, but Agents many also carry rifles and shotguns. Duty Weapons will be replaced by non-lethal dye markers, similar to paintball guns.
Agents to Be Disarmed in Border Areas
 Speaking at a Washington, DC press conference, Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano stated that stripping the Border Patrol of lethal weapons reflects the “long-stated objective of this Adminstration to value human life over all other lesser considerations.” Napolitano stressed that the Border Patrol would not be required to give up all its firearms. The Patrol would still maintain pistols, rifles, and shotguns in “secure lock-ups” removed from the “immediate border area”.
The goal of the policy shift, Napolitano stated, is to eliminate the risk of accidental or unintentional injury to “wayward travelers and undocumented citizens”. Napolitano denied that confiscation of Border Patrol Agents’ firearms was a response to “trigger-happy men in green”. Napolitano stated: “I have the greatest faith in our men and women in the Border force”, adding that “we are now giving those Agents viable non-lethal technologies with which they can carry out their duties”.
Firearms Replaced by Non-Lethal Alien Immigrant Marker System (NLAIM)
The technologies cited by Director Napolitano include the new Non-Lethal Alien Immigrant Marker (NLAIM) which will be provided to Border Patrol agents on the “front line”, i.e. those who actively patrol the southern border. The NLAIM is a pneumatic device that propels small, liquid-filled marker balls at effective ranges up to 50 feet. Once released, the liquid inside the balls leaves a highly-visible, long-lasting dye mark on anything it contacts. In addition, the dye marker solution is activated by body heat so it literally “glows in the dark” when viewed through night-vision optics.
Is NLAIM Technology Really Something New?
 Critics of NLAIM technology claim that NLAIM devices are merely over-priced versions of recreational paintball guns, many of which sell for under $200.00. NLAIMs, which will be provided in both pistol and carbine configurations, cost nearly $2700.00 each, not including transport modules. A total of 10,000 NLAIMs will be delivered to the Border Patrol under a no-bid DHS contract valued at $26.8 million dollars. Some of that cost will be offset by revenues earned from the recycling of current Border Patrol firearms which will be decommissioned, melted down, and sold for scrap.
Chief Border Patrol Agent Randall Sikes (Del Rio Sector) defended the switch from conventional firearms to NLAIMs. Sikes stated that: “Hey, these aren’t just run-of-the-mill paintball guns — I mean these babies are state-of-the-art. Plus you can’t buy our day/night ammo balls in any paintball store. You think glow in the dark capability comes easy? The NLAIM is a sophisticated law enforcement tool, not a toy.”
Sikes also said that the NLAIM lets an Agent respond more effectively than ever before to a border incident. “Look, with a real gun, I mean you can either point it, or shoot it, and we don’t want the latter. The border-crossers we face know we won’t shoot them, so they just run away. At least now we can color-tag them and the choppers can chase ‘em down. We get the job done and no one gets hurt. Plus the NLAIMs are a hoot to shoot. It’s a win-win.”
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Currently, the U.S. Border Patrol employs over 20,200 agents, who are specifically responsible for patrolling the 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian international land borders. Agents are assigned primarily to the Mexico–United States border. There are 20 Border Patrol sectors, each headed by a Sector Chief Patrol Agent. Currently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has more sworn law enforcement officers than any other agency in the U.S. Federal government.
April 1st, 2011
 A recent scientific discovery in Washington State suggests that North America once harbored large colonies of giant, man-sized rodents — distant cousins to today’s prairie dogs. Earlier this month, while searching for dinosaur fossils, a field team of Yale University paleontologists uncovered a startling find — the skull of a massive prehistoric rodent, along with other skeletal remains.
The skull, nearly the size of a horse’s head, is almost identical in form to the skull of a modern-era prairie dog, though it is is more than 50 times as large. Apparently today’s Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs had some very large predecessors. Based on the size of the skull and other bones, scientists estimate that the giant prairie dogs could stand up to 7′ tall and weigh up to 350 pounds. In other words, this critter was man-sized. The giant rodents lived much like modern prairie dogs do today — grazing on vegetation and nesting underground in burrows. The giant skull was unearthed in Washington’s Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. View More: Mima Mounds Aerial photo.
Mystery of Mima Mounds Finally Solved
Southwest of Seattle, near Littlerock, Washington, you’ll find the Mima Mounds, a vast field of clustered earthen mounds covering over 600 acres. Since their discovery (by whites) in the 18th century, the Mima Mounds have confounded scientific explanation — until now that is. The location of the giant prairie dog skull and bones inside one of the Mima Mounds indicates, with great certainty, that the mound field was created by a large colony of giant burrowing rodents. Scientists now believe that the Mima Mounds area is a prehistoric prairie dog field, created by the creatures scientists have nicknamed “Big Dogs”.
 NW Indian Legends Spoke of Giant Prairie Dogs
The presence of the giant prairie dogs at Mima Mounds is confirmed by Northwestern Indian legends describing a giant burrowing beast that stood as tall as a man, when raised on its hind legs. Researchers, who transcribed oral histories of the Sauk-Suiattle tribe, have recorded numerous references to a large, man-sized creature that burrowed underground. In the Suiattle language the beast was called “Chok-lahtle-wachook”, which, literally translated, means “Standing Man-Mouse”. A number of ancient Indian carvings and artifacts have depicted this creature (see photo at right), but cultural historians had not understood their significance. For decades the historians presumed Chok-lahtle-wachook was a wholly fictional man-beast, not a real species. Such mythical hybrid creatures are commonly revered as important totemic spirits by many Native American cultures. However, it now appears that Chok-lahtle-wachook really existed, and did so in great numbers.
Can Science Revive the Giant Prairie Dog?
The discovery of the giant prairie dog has electrified the scientific community because it appears that bone samples may contain recoverable DNA. And that means — you guessed it — there is a small chance that Chok-lahtle-wachook could be cloned. Geneticist Amy Moorwall of the Univ. of Washington explains: “These are not 100-million-year-old dinosaur bones. This creature lived in relatively recent times, so there is much more genetic material remaining that hasn’t completely fossilized. Initial inspection of bone marrow samples suggest that there may be viable, complete DNA strands that could be recovered. If that’s true, this could be one of our first opportunities to revive an extinct species.”
 Varmint Hunters Hope for Successful Cloning
Could Chok-lahtle-wachook once again stand tall upon America’s prairies through the application of modern genetic cloning technology? If so, that would be exciting news for the nation’s hunting community. Varmint hunting is hugely popular in North America, and the possibility of bagging a man-sized prairie dog would be a dream come true for avid varminters. Ryan Stanley of the Varmint Hunters’ Association (VHA) told us that his members hope that the giant prairie dog could be cloned successfully: “The VHA would definitely support a cloning effort. I bet we could raise the money to do it. Many of our members spend countless days, over many seasons, trying to earn a 1000-yard patch, signifying a confirmed varmint kill at 1000 yards. Getting that patch, for a varminter, is like a baseball player making it into Cooperstown. Needless to say, if VHA members have a chance to shoot at a 7-foot-tall, 300-pound varmint, instead of a puny little prairie dog, many more of our members will finally earn their 1000-yard patch.”
April 1st, 2011
 The Editors of AccurateShooter.com and a pantheon of legendary shooters have collaborated on a new book, Voodoo Accuracy, destined to become the definitive print resource for precision shooting. This new 666-page, full-color treatise compiles the wisdom of today’s greatest Hall of Fame and National Champion shooters. With the Voodoo knowledge of the world’s ‘top guns’ in your grasp, you can and will shoot more accurately no matter what your discipline.
Why do Voodoo? Sure you can spend hours, days, months, heck even a lifetime measuring stuff with calipers and trickling individual powder kernels, but you’re not going to win the big matches without access to the closely-guarded Voodoo secrets of the world’s master marksmen. Remember, there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your reloading manuals!
For the first time ever, Voodoo Accuracy reveals the hidden shooting secrets of the greatest trigger-pullers of all time. Now you too can shoot like a legend! Find out how to win matches without ever practicing! Apply Voodoo reloading techniques with startling results! Voodoo Accuracy contains chapters on all major forms of competitive shooting, from 25m air rifle benchrest to ultra-long range tactical competitions. Whatever your sport — point-blank benchrest, High Power, F-class, Silhouette, Palma, Multi-Gun, Biathlon, 1000-yard Benchrest — you’ll find invaluable Voodoo insights that will transform your shooting abilities overnight. We guarantee it!
Voodoo Accuracy Chapter Highlights:
● Extreme Wind Calling — How to dope a hurricane.
● Barrel Break-In — Sure-fire 50-step, 1000-round method.
● Ogive Talkin’ — More incomprehensible Ballistology by Bryan Litz.
● Point-Blank Pointers — Feng Shui and the placement of Wind Flags.
● Why Weigh Charges? — How to throw perfect charges blind-folded.
● Powder Blending Basics — Have a BLAST with the Mix-Master method.
● For FTR, Size Matters — Six-foot-wide, servo-adjusting bipods by Danny Biggs.
● Hall of Fame Headgear — The effect of dorky hats on Group Size, by Tony Boyer.
● Barrel Tuning — Voodoo Methods demonstrated (results guaranteed non-repeatable).
● Tactical Gearfinder — Be the first on your block with the latest, overpriced Tacticool accessories.
● .30-06 — THE solution to everything, including the economy and Global Warming, by G. Salazar.
● Voodoo Annealing — How to anneal by instinct (worrying about time and temperature is for sissies).
Here’s a sample from our chapter on the Joys of Abrasives: “We all learned as kids that shiny is good. Well it is. And more shiny is even better. Why settle for a bore that has anything less than a mirror finish? Just do a quick high-pressure bead-blast down your bore, followed by few thousand strokes with JB, and your bore will be perfectly slick and shiny. And you won’t have to waste any more time with those annoying lands and grooves that trap carbon and copper. They’re gone for good! Polish your bore to a mirror finish for the ultimate in barrel cleanliness.”
 Order Your Own Copy of Voodoo Accuracy
Voodoo Accuracy comes in a handsome, large-format hardback edition for $49.99. There is also a special, limited-run letterbox edition signed by Hall of Famers so legendary we can’t even mention their names here. The letterbox edition, limited to 250 copies, will cost $299.99. Think that’s too much? Well who can put a price on perfection? We guarantee that if you buy Voodoo Accuracy you’ll win early and often, feeding your self-esteem while reducing your shooting rivals to whimpering, broken shells of their former selves. Remember, as Charlie Sheen said, it’s all about “Winning”! If you want to run with the Big Dogs, and strut your stuff on top of the podium, order your copy of Voodoo Accuracy today!
March 31st, 2011
 When you purchase expensive optics, you need to be careful about who you deal with, and what you buy. There are an increasing number of forgeries coming in from various parts of Asia. Just recently, three executives of Field Sport Inc. were charged with ‘selling a counterfeit mark’, in connection with Field Sport’s importation of fake EoTech riflescopes. Earlier this month, 900 counterfeit EoTech sights/magnifiers were discovered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers inspecting a shipment from China. The Field Sports execs were charged with multiple felonies.
BusinessWeek.com reported:
Now a fugitive believed to be in China, Yongming “Steven” Sui, 53, chief executive officer of Field Sport Inc., was charged by state prosecutors with two felony counts — manufacturing and selling a counterfeit mark (a form of trademark infringement) and possession of an assault weapon. Also charged in the state criminal complaint were Sui’s colleagues — co-owner Isaac Cheuk Hang Tse, 65, of Rowland Heights, and Pao Sheng Yang, 34, of Corona, the firm’s business manager. Both are alleged to have engaged in manufacturing and selling a counterfeit mark and possessing an assault weapon.
Many Counterfeit Optics for Sale on Internet
In addition to this EoTech situation, there appear to be many other examples of counterfeit optics entering the United States. The Firearm Blog did a quick web search, and found numerous imitation EoTech and Leupold scopes advertised on Alibaba.com, a wholesale site part-owned by web giant Yahoo.com. We suspect the fakes found by the Firearm Blog on Alibaba.com are just the tip of the iceberg. Below is just one of many fakes AccurateShooter.com found on Alibaba.com today (3/30/2011). A 3.5-10x40mm Leupold MK4 M3 Scope is advertised for sale for $750.00:
There’s no way you’re going to get a genuine illuminated Leupold MK4 for $750.00 and we can tell you that the real things don’t come from Indonesia, where this seller is located. We confirmed today with Leupold that ALL MK4 scopes are still made in the USA. The genuine Leupold 3.5-10x40mm MK4 LR/T M3 sells for about $1350.00 in the USA:
If you have any concerns about the authenticity of a Leupold scope you plan to purchase, ask the seller for the SERIAL NUMBER. Then call Leupold support at 1-800-Leupold. Leupold will trace the serial number and determine positively whether the scope is genuine or conterfeit.
Credit to The Firearm Blog for flagging this story.
March 31st, 2011
The official centennial of J.M. Browning’s 1911 pistol was March 29th, 2011, 100 years to the day since the legendary handgun was adopted by the U.S. Army. (The U.S.M.C. and U.S. Navy adopted the 1911 pistol roughly two years later). To celebrate the 100th birthday of what many experts believe is the greatest self-loading pistol ever made, Colt created a spectacular, fully-engraved “Anniversary Edition” pistol. It’s pimped to the max, complete with gold inlay and genuine ivory grips. The gun is currently up for auction at Gunbroker.com with proceeds to benefit the NRA Foundation.
Price? If You Have to Ask…
Want it? Well you may have to liquidate your 401(k) to buy it. Current bid price is $33,635.00 and a similar fully-engraved Anniversary 1911 sold for $83,025.00 three months ago. See January Auction.
March 30th, 2011
Mark your calendar. The NRA Annual Meeting, to be held April 28 through May 1 in Pittsburgh, PA, is just one month away. The 2011 NRA Annual Meeting features nearly 500 displays of firearms, shooting accessories, and hunting gear. Most major domestic firearm companies will have their complete line-up on display. With over 310,000 square feet of exhibit space, there’s something for everyone. You can check out new handguns, view tactical and sporting rifles, book a hunting trip, or browse heirloom arms in the gun collector area. The Meeting is FREE for all NRA members (however some special events require ticket purchase). To see the exhibitor list, view the floor plan, check the seminar schedule, or reserve event tickets, go to NRAAM.org, the official NRA Meeting website.
Pyramyd Air Offers Indoor Shooting Range All Four Days
The meeting officially opens at 2:00 pm on April 28. Early birds should head straight to Pyramyd Air’s Air Gun Range for some indoor shooting fun. On the 28th, you can also check out the lobby exhibits, get tickets for major events, and shop at the NRA Store. On Thursday you can beat the crowds by registering early. Attendee Registration on Thursday runs from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Registration resumes at 8:00 am each morning for the next three days (Fri, Sat, Sun).
Major ticketed events at the Annual Meeting include: NRA Foundation Banquet (April 28, 5:00 pm), 5th Annual NRA-ILA Auction (April 29, 6:00 pm, Heinz Field), NRA Celebration of American Values (April 30, 7:30 pm, CONSOL Energy Center), NRA Annual Prayer Breakfast (7:00 am, May 1, Wyndham Hotel).
Volunteers Needed
NRA is seeking volunteers to help at the 2011 NRA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. Volunteer opportunities include working at the Air Gun Range, staffing the membership counters, and stocking shelves in the stores to name just a few. For more information, contact Dennis Eggers, Annual Meeting Volunteer Coordinator, at 270-522-0909.
March 29th, 2011
Tracy Barnes of Durango, Colorado beat the very best biathletes in the world in the Shoot-Out phase the Veltins World Team Challenge in Schalke, Germany. The World Team Challenge, held annually in the Veltins Arena, is the equivalent of the SuperBowl of Biathlon. Tracy grabbed top honors in the prestigious Shoot-Out event, a shooting competition for the top 20 biathletes in the world. In this invitation-only event, 10 women competed head-to-head in a four-stage shooting event duplicating the format for a regular biathlon race (two prone, two standing). In the final round of competition, the top three ladies from the preliminary round face off with the top three men from the mens’ first round. Tracy came in 1st for the women’s round AND 1st in the final competition!
Laser Rifles Used in Shoot-Out
This year, the athletes and the 50,000 spectators at the Veltins Soccer Stadium had to adjust to something new — this was the first time that laser-rifles replaced the traditional .22-caliber rifle. The athletes received their laser-rifles on Saturday and had only one day to practice before the World Team Challenge. Tracy and her U.S. teammate Tim Burke finished 9th in the pairs mass start and 10th in the pursuit race held the same day. Tracy’s personal support team (her husband Gary and her Dad) accompanied her to Germany for this major biathlon event. [Editor’s note: While we don’t want to diminish Tracy’s accomplishment in any way, we think it is unfortunate that event organizers mandated laser guns instead of .22 LR rimfire rifles. Biathlon started as a military training competition. To change from actual shooting to “lasering” is a step in the wrong direction in our opinion.]
Lanny Barnes Stars in Mammoth Lakes Biathlon Festival
Meanwhile, back in the USA, Tracy’s twin sister Lanny Barnes traveled to Mammoth Lakes, California on friday to help with biathlon clinics for several hundred new biathletes ages 10+ and competed in a race at a new biathlon course in Mammoth Lakes on Sunday. Due to the town receiving close to 10ft of snow during the week, flights were canceled and Lanny wasn’t able to make it in for the clinic. She helped with the kids, adults, wounded warrior, and disabled skier biathlon race on Saturday and competed in an elite race on Sunday. She won the race on Sunday that was filmed by Versus and Outdoor Channel and American Trigger Sports Network. Tracy was impressed by Mammoth Lakes — she says it is evolving into one of the best high-altitude biathlon venues in the country. With over 200+ volunteers that dug out the range buried by mountains of snow, the Mammoth Lakes crew put on one of the most professional and exciting biathlon events ever run in the United States.
Twin Biathletes Continue Training for Next Winter Olympics
The twins ended their seasons after those two events and will now take a two week break before starting up their training again for the 2011/2012 season. With three short years until the next Winter Oympics, the twin will be training hard in hopes of winning gold in Sochi, Russia in 2014.
Photos provided courtesy Tracy and Lanny Barnes, rights otherwise reserved by copyright holders.
March 29th, 2011
CDNN Investments recently released its new 2011-1 Catalog. As we’ve come to expect from CDNN, the new catalog is full of deeply-discounted pistols, rifles, shotguns, optics, magazines, gunstocks — plus myriad other gun parts and accessories. CDNN typically buys overstock or obsolete inventory from manufacturers and then resells these items — often at prices way below normal retail. You should download the 2011-1 catalog and see for yourself. Along with the firearm bargains, we found some amazing deals on shooting accessories. Here are a few…
Sllencio Ear Muffs Just $4.69
First, CDNN is offering Silencio EarMuffs for just $4.69 (or $3.99 for 6 units or more). If you help run a gun club or junior shooting program, and you need a large quantity of ear muffs — here’s your opportunity. You can buy a dozen muffs for just $47.88. Stellar deal.
Quality Kydex Holster for $9.99
Next, CDNN offers Uncle Mike’s molded Kydex straight-drop holster for just $9.99. This Editor owns this very same holster and I use it for general range practice and IDPA matches. I really like the straight drop which allows the holster to be used in multiple strong-side positions as well as cross-draw. This holster fit my Glock perfectly (way better than a $95.00 BladeTech holster I used to own). Don’t be fooled by the low price, this is a very good holster, with a better fit to the gun than many $100 holsters. Check the advert for availability for your Glock, Beretta, HK, or S&W M&P. If you can’t find a CDNN sale item to fit, you can normally get these holsters for under $22.00 at gunshops.
Better Grip for Your AR — Just $14.99
One of the first things many AR15 shooters do is replace the standard plastic pistol grip, with something that fills the hand better. One of our favorite replacement grips for AR platform rifles is the MFG Grip from Israel. Much more ergonomic than the standard grip, the MFG was originally developed for Israeli Special Forces. It features a stippled back, finger groove, and an internal storage compartment with trap door. It’s on sale at CDNN for just $14.99.
Hi-Viz 52″ Rifle Case Only $18.99
The last item that caught our eye is a Burnt Orange 52″-long plastic rifle case. This Plano-made gun case is lockable and airline-approved. Why would you want a bright-colored rifle case? Well, at a well-attended match you’ll often see dozens of virtually identical rifle cases. If your case is orange while all the others are black, there’s less chance someone may walk away with your rifle by mistake. And Airport thieves are less-inclined to grab a bright-colored case that is easy to spot at a distance.
CLICK HERE to Download Latest CDNN 2011-1 Catalog (34 meg PDF file).
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