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April 28th, 2010
 One of the great things about ordering an M1 Garand or rimfire Target Rifle from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is that, if you satisfy all the purchaser requirements, the gun can be shipped directly to your home (in most states). You are NOT required to receive a CMP surplus rifle through an FFL, at least in most jurisdictions.
Unfortunately, that situation has changed in New Jersey. The State of New Jersey is now requiring that CMP guns be first shipped to Federal Firearms License-holders who also have a current New Jersey State License.
New Jersey Now Restricts CMP Firearms Transfers
Orest Michaels, CMP Chief Operating Officer, reports: “On April 12th, CMP representatives met with representatives of the NJ State Police and the NJ Attorney General’s office. At issue was the fact that CMP customers were receiving rifles at their home and not from a firearms dealer licensed by the state. It was the opinion… of both the NJ State Police and the AG’s office that NJ requires all firearm transactions be face to face and the transfer of a rifle be made to the customer by a NJ licensed dealer. Therefore, NJ residents cannot certify paragraph K on the CMP order form that reads: ‘I further certify that I will not be in violation, by reason of my receipt or possession of a rifle, of any state law or published ordinance applicable where I reside’.”
Effective immediately, rifles sold and shipped to NJ residents must be shipped to NJ licensed firearms dealers. Customers should provide the CMP with copies of the dealer’s FFL and NJ State license, along with the CMP order form. This applies to all rifle orders the CMP has already received and not yet shipped. [However], New Jersey residents who visit either CMP store may purchase and pick up rifles without the necessity of going through a NJ licensed dealer.
April 27th, 2010
 The final results of the 2010 NBRSA 600-Yard National Championship held at the Sac Valley Shooting Center on April 23-25, 2010, are now available. Click the link below to download an MS Word file with complete scores.
Official Scorer Jim O’Connell reports: “On Friday Billy Copelin was presented his NBRSA Long-Range Hall of Fame Jacket. He joined a very elite group of shooters. Congratulations to Billy. The weather was fairly nice and the wind (light brezze) was manageable. Robert Hoppe and Don Nielson both broke the 6-target Light Gun score record with a 278-3X. Don beat Robert because Don had the smaller group. Richard Schatz broke two records, the 6-target Heavy Gun group (3.045), and the twelve target Two-Gun group (2.782). Don Nielson was the 2010 National Champion with a score of 12 (8-Heavy Gun Score, 2-Heavy Gun Group, 1-Light Gun Score, and 1-Light Gun Group). Congratulations to Don. Thank you all for your participation and support of the Sloughhouse Benchrest Shooters. Hope to see you all at the NBRSA 1000-Yard Nationals.”
CLICK HERE to Download 2010 NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals Scores (MS Word file)
April 26th, 2010
 After Olympian Kim Rhode, Ace handgunner Jessie Abbate is probably the most popular and marketable female shooter in America. A member of Team Glock for many seasons, Abbate split with the Austrian pistol-maker after Glock refused to allow her to wear a secondary sponsor’s logo on her competition jersey. Now all the major action shooting sponsors will be vying for Jessie’s services. Smith & Wesson will likely pursue Abbate, but Jessie might end up with Sig Sauer whose team is lead by multi-time National Champion Max Michel. If Sig can sign Abbate, Sig Sauer would arguably have both the #1 male shooter and #1 female shooter on the same squad.
 On DownRange.TV, Paul Erhardt notes: “Now that the women’s division shooting powerhouse has said Auf Wiedersehen to the Haus of Glock, the question is who will [sign her]?
Smith & Wesson — This is the obvious #1 choice. If I were [S&W’s team managers], I’d be hell bent for election to sign Jessie. The 158 year-old juggernaut has already assembled a very strong shooting team, the largest of any firearms company. They are still smarting from having lost out on Max Michel who went to Sig due to bad timing with S&W’s budget year.
Sig Sauer — This company finally got into the competition world with Max Michel who promptly won the USPSA Open Nationals and the Steel Challenge. He’s a lock for both titles in the future. Jessie would bring titles in Production, Limited-10, Steel Challenge, Single Stack and Open if they build a Sig Open gun for her on an STI body.”
April 26th, 2010
On Wednesday, April 28, the Shooting USA TV show reprises its special “Old Sniper” broadcast. In this popular episode, 84-year old WWII veteran Ted Gundy, who served as a U.S. Army sniper in the Battle of the Bulge, meets with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at Fort Benning. For a week, the “Old Sniper” (and his son) were honored as VIP guests of the USAMU at Fort Benning.
At the end of the show Gundy received a new replica of the 1903 Springfield A4 Sniper rifle. The rifle, complete with vintage-type scope, was presented by Val Forgett of Navy Arms. Then, shooting from a rucksack rest, Gundy proceeded to hit steel at 300 yards. CLICK HERE for Full Story with details.
 
This Shooting USA Special broadcast helps viewers remember our remaining WWII veterans, while showing the dedication and hard work of the modern-day USAMU. Broadcast times (on the Outdoor Channel) are shown below (check your local listings).
Eastern Time: 2:30 PM, 10:30 PM, 2:30 AM (Thursday); 4:30 PM (Saturday)
Central Time: 1:30 PM, 9:30 PM, 1:30 AM (Thursday); 3:30 PM (Saturday)
Mountain Time: 12:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 12:30 AM (Thursday); 2:30 PM (Saturday)
Pacific Time: 11:30 AM, 7:30 PM, 11:30 PM: 1:30 PM (Saturday)
April 22nd, 2010
 America’s four-time-Olympic medalist Kim Rhode won the Gold Medal and equaled the existing world record at the 2010 ISSF World Cup in Beijing, China. Chinese shooters Shi Hong Yan and Wei Ning finished second and third, respectively.
Rhode was nearly perfect throughout the competition. By nailing 74 of 75 targets in the first three rounds and shooting a final round of 24, Rhode won the competition by two targets. With this victory, Rhode has earned more valuable points in her quest to again represent the United States in the 2012 London Games. If Rhode does participate in the 2012 Games, she could become the first American Olympian from an individual sport to earn medals in five consecutive Olympic Games. Rhode was pleased with her performance: “This is an exciting time for me. I was hoping to get a 99 [to set a new record] but it just was not meant to be.” On competing again in Beijing, Rhode declared: “This city is so incredible. Things are a lot different now than they were during the Olympic Games but it still is such an amazing place to compete.”
April 21st, 2010
 The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has released the results of a survey of Americans 18 years or older. The study showed that 34.4 million adult Americans (11.2% of the U.S. population*), went target shooting in 2009. This number surpasses all previous survey estimates of annual sport shooting participation. The study, “Shooting Sports Participation Survey in the United States in 2009,” was conducted for the NSSF by Responsive Management through a random digit dialing telephone survey of 8,204 U.S. residents ages 18 and older.
Mark Duda, executive director of Responsive Management, declared: “This was a highly scientific study with the sample meticulously developed on a state-by-state basis to construct the national number. Both landline and cell phones were utilized in the actual proportions they exist within the American population.” Duda said this type of telephone survey yields a 95 percent confidence level. The report’s sampling error is ± 1.08 percentage points. Added Duda, “This study measured all shooting participation— from hunters sighting in, to friends going shooting with friends who own firearms, to women practicing their self-defense skills. This study measured the full range of shooting activities across America.” CLICK HERE for NSSF Survey Report.
24 Million Adult Rifle Shooters and 22 Million Adult Handgunners
In the NSSF survey, respondents were asked about their use of particular types of rifles. An estimated 24 million adult Americans shot traditional sporting rifles, while 22 million adults shot handguns. Users of AR-style rifles (aka “modern sporting rifles”), numbered an estimated 8.9 million adults. Interestingly, however, the AR owners went shooting more often than did sport shooters using other types of firearms. The estimated 8.9 million adults who shot a modern sporting rifle in 2009, did so on 22.9 days per year on average. Though more people shot other types of rifles (24 million) and handguns (22 million) than shot modern sporting rifles, they ranked below modern sporting rifle shooters in activity, with traditional rifle users participating on 17.3 days and handgun shooters 16.7 days.
AR Shooters Outnumber Trap/Skeet Shooters
More people shot with modern sporting rifles (ARs), and more often, than with shotguns in the established sports of skeet, trap and sporting clays. As noted above, 8.9 million Americans used their ARs for sport shooting. The survey showed 7.6 million people went trap shooting on 14.8 days, 7 million went skeet shooting on 15.5 days and 8.4 million participated in sporting clays on 13.7 days.
The survey sought to define the demographic makeup of those who shoot with a modern sporting rifle, such as an AR-15. As expected, men represented 84 percent of modern sporting rifle shooters and women 16 percent. Most modern sporting rifle users reside in small cities or towns (25 percent) and non-farm rural areas (25 percent) compared with urban areas (19 percent), suburban areas (16 percent) and farms/ranches (15 percent). Modern sporting rifles appealed to younger shooters, with 64 percent of users ranging in age from 18 to 44. Modern sporting rifle users were 86 percent white, with Hispanic/Latinos the next largest ethnic group at 5 percent.
*The US population was 307,006,500 in July 2009, according to U.S. Census Bureau Data.
April 21st, 2010
 Tired of filling out forms, making copies, purchasing stamps and waiting to hear if your application arrived on time? Wait no longer! Entries for the National Rifle and Pistol Championships — as well as the various junior camps — are now being accepted online.
Just go to the NRA Camp Perry Sign-up webpage, fill out the appropriate fields (enter your NRA ID if you have one), and your application will automatically be entered into the system. According to John Park of the NRA’s Competitive Shooting Division, “We’ve had a lot of requests for an online system and [we] can’t wait to start using the new system.” Parker advises that, for the system to function correctly, users should employ Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher or Netscape 6.0 or higher. You can also access the impressive 100-page Camp Perry digital Program & Entry Information, which contains maps, schedules, Courses of Fire, Rules and much more. Click the first link below to read the Program online. Click the second link to download the Program as a PDF file.
CLICK HERE to view 2010 Camp Perry Program (Digital e-book)
CLICK HERE to download 2010 Camp Perry Program (PDF file, printable, 11.7 mb)
(After launching this file in browser, click “Save” icon to download to your computer.)
April 20th, 2010
 The United States Supreme Court today struck down a federal law banning depictions of “animal cruelty” on the basis that the law violated the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment. In its 8-1 ruling in United States v. Stevens, the High Court upheld a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision voiding the conviction of Robert Stevens for violating 18 U.S.C. 48, which prohibits depiction of animal cruelty.
The Supreme Court’s majority opinion was authored by Chief Justice Roberts, who declared that that the law was overbroad, and could potentially be used to ban TV shows about hunting, as well as educational videos. At issue was a 1999 federal law that makes it a crime to create, sell or possess videos and other depictions of cruelty to animals. The case arose over the conviction of Robert Stevens, who received a three-year prison sentence from a Western Pennsylvania court for selling videos that included scenes of hunting with dogs. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction on constitutional grounds, accepting Stevens’ argument that his videos were protected under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court upheld the Third Circuit’s decision. Had the Third Circuit’s decision been overturned, all images of legal hunting and fishing could have been deemed illegal under the law.
The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) took a lead role in bringing journalists and outdoor industry organizations together in support of the First Amendment argument presented before the Court by Robert Stevens’ attorney Patricia Millett. “POMA is grateful to the Court for this important decision,” said Laurie Lee Dovey, POMA executive director. “The First Amendment rights of traditional outdoor sports journalists, those who cover legal hunting and fishing and promote the enjoyment of these American heritage sports, are protected. The impact of this decision on POMA members, all journalists, and the outdoor industry can not be overstated.” The ruling in U.S. v. Stevens was a setback for animal rights groups and the Obama Adminstration’s lawyers, who asked the Supreme Court to overrule the Third Circuit and send Robert Stevens to prison.
CLICK HERE for full text of Decision in U.S. v. Stevens
April 19th, 2010
 Today, April 19th, is “Patriot’s Day”, the anniversary of the “Shot heard ’round the world.” Earlier today, in Washington, DC, supporters of Second Amendment gun rights rallied near the Washington Monument. Those dedicated rally attendees came from all parts of the country to demonstrate their support for the individual right to keep and bear arms. The DC rally, along with companion demonstrations in state capitols nationwide, drew the attention of the national print and television media. The reporters recorded plenty of stirring speeches on the subject of gun control and individual rights. Perhaps the TV cameras were seeking greater drama — but there were no fights, no violence, no guns fired into the air.
Those who attended the main DC rally were estimated at a “few hundred” to “as many as 2,000″ (Washington Post). Perhaps the rally could have drawn more attendees, but the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of Heller v. D.C., which recognized an individual right to “keep and bear” arms, may have created a sense of complacency among firearms owners. Indeed, the Washington Post News Blog observed: “The March comes at a time when the trend appears to be toward normalizing carrying of firearms in public. Even before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in [Heller] recognized an individual’s constitutional right to possess firearms, an increasing number of states have allowed citizens to carry guns openly or conceal them on their person. Last year, 24 states loosened restrictions in firearms laws, and Iowa and Arizona passed laws this year easing restrictions on gun possession.”
Related Stories
Second Amendment Rally in DC and VA (USA TODAY)
Gun Owners Rally in Support of Gun Rights (Voice of America)
Gun Rally: Second Amendment Activists Swarm DC, VA Rallies (Huffington Post) VIDEO
April 18th, 2010
 If you’re interested in doing something for our troops overseas, consider donating old or unused cellphones for the Cell Phones for Soldiers (CPFS) project. This program was founded by two teens from Massachusetts, Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, who read about a soldier struggling to pay a phone bill. The goal of Cell Phones for Soldiers is to provide every US soldier with a way to call home for free. This charity welcomes donations of any cell phones in decent condition — whether working or not. Phones that cannot be activated will be recycled with proceeds going to provide talk time for the soldiers. You can also donate money for talk time using PayPal. Cell Phones for soldiers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax-deductible.
 One NRA employee is doing his part to support Cell Phones for Soldiers. Jim Dove, Manager of NRA’s Telecommunications Services, learned about the Cell Phones for Soldiers program from Vanessa Beebe, an assistant in the Executive Vice President’s office. For the past several months, Dove has been diligently collecting old NRA cell phones –- functioning and not –- for a worthy cause. “We want to support our men and women in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Dove told the NRA Blog. Right now his collection numbers 40, and he’s nearly ready to deliver the phones to CPFS.
Cell Phones for Soldiers has also enlisted the help of corporate sponsors. Through the end of April 2010, Little Caesars Pizza Parlors will collect used cell phones to help raise money for CPFS. Also, postage-paid cell phone shipping envelopes will be available to Little Caesars’ customers. In addition, AT&T has donated more than $500,000 worth of prepaid phone cards to Cell Phones for Soldiers. AT&T also provides CPFS drop-offs at its 2,000+ company-owned stores.
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