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March 6th, 2010
It’s already March 6th, and that means the 2010 U.S. F-Class Championships is less than three weeks away. That’s right, this year the F-Class championships will be held in March instead of October. The venue is the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center range in Sloughhouse, California, just east of Sacramento. 2010 Match dates are: March 25, 26, 27, and 28.
We know you east-coasters may still be shoveling snow, but it’s time to pack up those F-Class rifles, start loading ammo and get prepared for one of the biggest long-range shooting events of the year. There will be shooters from across the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, and likely from Australia and South Africa. Match organizers expect upwards of 150 competitors.
 This year the course of fire is at two distances: 600 and 1000 yards. There will be three days of individual competition and a one-day team match. Lunch will be served at the range each day, and a huge barbecue is included for Saturday. The awards for placing high in the standings will be great, but the prizes drawn randomly from all of the competitors participating will be even better.
If you’re curious about the location and how the Nationals are run, check out this report on the 2006 F-Class Nationals previously held in Sacramento.
UNITED STATES F–CLASS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2010
DATES: March 25, 26, 27, 28, 2010
LOCATION:
Sacramento Valley Shooting Center
P.O. Box 1407
15501 Meiss Road
Sloughhouse, California
Ph. 916-354-9668
Web site: www.sacvalley.org
March 4th, 2010
Southwick Associates compiles statistics for the hunting/shooting industry and public wildlife agencies. Based on 2009 survey results, Southwick has ranked the most popular shooting/hunting brands and products. These rankings were based on HunterSurvey.com and TargetshootingSurvey.com online polls completed by nearly 45,000 hunters and shooters. The polls asked the hunters and shooters to list the outdoor products they purchased most often.
 There were some interesting results among rifle shooters. Remington is still the #1 rifle-maker, and Remington also leads the way in rifle ammunition. Hodgdon is the top reloading powder vendor with 36.5% of reported purchases. Top bullet-maker is Hornady with 30%, but remember this is for hunting AND target shooting. CCI makes the most popular rifle primers. We were somewhat surprised to see that the top scope brand for all firearms was Bushnell, which held a 17.3% share.
Southwick Associates’ HunterSurvey.com also measured buying activities over time. As you might expect, hunters spent the most money on gear in November. However the peak month for target shooters was June. We would have figured most of the spending would have taken place earlier in the spring — at least for rifle shooters who reload.
Rifle Shooting & Hunting
• Top rifle brand: Remington (16.5% of all purchases)
• Top muzzleloader brand: Thompson Center (29.5% of all purchases)
• Top scope for firearms: Bushnell (17.3% of all purchases)
• Top rifle ammunition brand: Remington (28.8% of all purchases)
• Top reloading bullet brand: Hornady (30.2% of all purchases)
• Top reloading powder brand: Hodgdon (36.5% of all purchases)
• Top reloading primer brand: CCI (36.0% of all purchases)
• Top shooting target brand: Shoot-N-C (38.9% of all purchases)
Shotguns
• Top shotgun brand: Remington (22% of all purchases)
• Top shotgun ammunition brand: Winchester (32.0% of all purchases)
• Top clay brand: White Flyer (34.3% of all purchases)
• Top balls, bullets, or shot brand: Hornady (26.2% of all purchases)
Handguns
• Top handgun brand: Sturm Ruger (16.6% of all purchases)
• Top handgun ammunition brand: Winchester (22.0% of all purchases)
• Top holster brand: Uncle Mike’s (21.4% of all purchases)
• Top blackpowder brand: Pyrodex (51.5% of all purchases)
Hunting Gear
• Top binocular brand: Bushnell (19.5% of all purchases)
• Top knife brand: Buck (16.7% of all purchases)
• Top scent or scent covering brand: Scent-A-Way (24.5% of all purchases)
• Top game call brand: Primos (34.8% of all purchases)
March 4th, 2010
Hornady has started shipping its new .308 Winchester Superformance™ match ammo. Loaded with a high-BC 178gr BTHP, the new ammo, which employs a proprietary blend of propellants (some of which are NOT commercially available), has shown outstanding velocities. One shooter reported 2820 fps from a 26″ barrel, while Hornady claims 2775 fps from a SAAMI-spec 24” test barrel. Hornady says this .308 match load is approximately 175 fps faster than any comparable factory .308 load.
CLICK HERE for Technical Info on Superformance ammo.
New Projectile Developed for this Match Ammo
With a 0.530 BC bullet moving around 2800 fps, the new Superformance™ ammo offers impressive ballistic performance — better than many reloaders may be able to achieve with their handloads. Accuracy has been very good also, according to Hornady Engineer, Joe Thielen, due in no small part to bullet design: “The new 178 grain BTHP Match bullet was purpose-built, and optimized specifically for the .308 Winchester chamber. It features an aggressive ogive as well as an extremely efficient boat tail that makes this projectile highly effective aerodynamically, [with] less wind drift and … flatter trajectories. Accuracy results were excellent. We shot a .680″ group at 200 yards with our test equipment, and field tests out to 1250 yards yielded 8″ groups (8 inches at 1250 yards is 0.611 MOA).”
The 178gr Superformance .308 ammunition should stay supersonic to approximately 1,275 yards. That’s a lot farther than any other factory .308 load for 175-180gr bullets. The ability to stay supersonic well past 1000 yards is a boone to long-range .308 shooters.
| Here is how Hornady has achieved high velocities with its new Superformance ammunition:
1) Superformance ammo uses advanced new Ball Powders (not yet for sale).
2) The powders are BLENDED, with different “recipes” for different cartridges.
3) The new powders maintain high-energy longer in barrel (like Reloder 17).
4) The new powders burn almost completely, reducing ejecta, for less exit pressure, and less felt recoil.
5) Superformance ball propellants pack very densely, so more grains of powder can fit inside a case, compared to typical extruded stick powders. |
Can Reloaders Replicate the Superformance .308 Match Ammo?
Forum members have asked: “How can we duplicate the Superformance ammo with our handloads?” Unfortunately, this will not be an easy task. The Superformance line of loaded ammo uses special blends of propellants customized for each cartridge/bullet combination. Hornady spent a lot of time and effort “tweaking” the blends to achieve maximum velocities. In addition, Hornady “commissioned” some new propellants expressly for the Superformance ammo. Therefore there’s no easy way to replicate Superformance loads with a single, off-the-shelf powder, and we caution strongly against “blending your own”. REPEAT: do NOT attempt to blend commercial powders to try to replicate Superformance velocities with your handloads.
March 3rd, 2010
GunsAmerica.com, a leading gun classifieds website, has launched a web magazine to complement its firearms for sale listing. Featured in the new webzine is a lengthy profile of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, authored by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO. This article is full of interesting facts, and the video below is definitely worth watching.
Located at Ft. Benning, Georgia, the USAMU includes many current world and Olympic champions. Members of the unit compete in every major international shooting competition. They very often win, and for that reason the USAMU is referred to as “The Home of the Champions.” When not training, or competing in shooting events, USAMU soldiers serve as marksmanship trainers for other U.S. Army units and even allied forces overseas. Recently, a USAMU group was deployed to Afghanistan where they worked with allied Afghan (ANA) units to improve the ANA troops’ shooting skills.
The USAMU also conducts numerous clinics throughout the year. The USAMU teaches more than a thousand novice and experienced shooters at the small-arms firing school every summer at Camp Perry, Ohio. The International Rifle, International Pistol, and Action Shooting teams all host popular youth camps each summer.
USAMU is composed of six competitive shooting sections: Service Rifle, Service Pistol, Action Shooting, International Rifle, International Pistol, and Shotgun. International Rifle, International Pistol, and Shotgun are Olympic sports. The USAMU’s world-class facilities (for both training and competition) consist of 260 acres with 7 ranges and 18 buildings.
Since 1956, members of the USAMU have won hundreds of individual and team national titles, more than 40 World Championships, and 23 Olympic medals. Two noncommissioned officers in the unit, Sgt. Vincent Hancock and Sgt. Glenn Eller, are current Olympic Champions. Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson is the reigning National Pistol Champion and holds countless records in service pistol shooting. Sgt. Daniel Horner is the National Multi-Gun Champion. Spc. Joe Hein is the National smallbore prone Champion.
CLICK HERE to Read the Complete Story….
March 2nd, 2010
 Lyle Denniston, reporter for the Scotus (Supreme Court of the United States) Blog, attended the oral argument in McDonald v. Chicago (Docket 08-1521) this morning. Analyzing the comments and questions of the Justices, Denniston concluded that the High Court is very likely to extend the Second Amendment to state and municipal actions, on the basis of the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. However, the Justices were skeptical of the argument that “incorporation” of the Second Amendment was likewise mandated by the “privileges and immunities” section of the 14th Amendment.
CLICK HERE for transcript of Oral Argument
(PDF file, 77 pages, 342kb).
Denniston writes: “The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed poised to require state and local governments to obey the Second Amendment guarantee of a personal right to a gun, but with perhaps considerable authority to regulate that right. The dominant sentiment on the Court was to extend the Amendment beyond the federal level, based on the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of “due process,” since doing so through another part of the 14th Amendment would raise too many questions about what other rights might emerge.”
During the course of the oral argument, the Justices disagreed as to the scope of the Second Amendment — whether it should be limited to a “core right” of self-defense or whether it could be applied much more broadly in future cases. The Scotus Blog explained: “The liberal wing of the Court appeared to be making a determined effort to hold the expanded Amendment in check, but even the conservatives open to applying the Second Amendment to states, counties and cities seemed ready to concede some — but perhaps fewer — limitations. The eagerly awaited oral argument in McDonald, et al., v. Chicago, et al. found all members of the Court actively involved except the usually silent Justice Clarence Thomas. And, while no one said that the issue of “incorporating” the Second Amendment into the 14th Amendment had already been decided before the argument had even begun, the clear impression was that the Court majority was at least sentimentally in favor of that, with only the dimensions of the expansion to be worked out in this case and in a strong of likely precedents coming as time went on.”
We recommend that those interested in Second Amendment issues read the full Scotus Blog Entry, which includes detailed explanations of the key arguments, and analyses of how individual justices stand on the question of how the Second Amendment should be applied to the States — i.e. whether broadly or narrowly.
CLICK HERE to read SCOTUS BLOG re McDonald v. Chicago.
March 2nd, 2010
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in McDonald v. City of Chicago, a major Second Amendment case that will determine whether cities and states must honor the Constitutional Right to keep and bear arms, set forth in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It will be argued that the protections of the Second Amendment should extend to state and local government activity, based on the provisions of the 14th Amendment.
The key words from the 14th Amendment are “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law . . . . ”
You can consider McDonald v. City of Chicago as the sequel to the 2008 landmark case — the District of Columbia v. Heller — in which the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Second Amendment is an “individual” right to keep and bear arms. The Court’s decision, however, applied only to areas regulated by the federal government, such as the District of Columbia. As a result the Heller decision inspired further legal attempts to clarify how the right to keep and bear arms applies to citizens nationwide.
After Heller, many lawsuits were filed to overturn municipal and state laws that prevented individuals from owning handguns. In Chicago, several residents brought suit challenging the city’s long-standing gun ban. These residents, among them 76-year-old Otis McDonald, wanted a handgun to protect themselves and their families. McDonald, interviewed by ABC News, lives in a crime-ridden neighborhood and wants a gun to defend himself in his home: “If I’ve got a gun, and if others have guns in their homes to protect themselves, then that’s one thing that police would have to worry about less.”
How broadly or narrowly the Second Amendment will be applied to state regulations is the key question in today’s hearing in McDonald v Chicago. Today, one hour has been set for oral arguments. Attorney Alan Gura, who won the Heller case, will argue for the petitioners Otis McDonald, et al. Former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement will argue for the NRA, which is also a party to the case. Chicago’s defense will take up the remainder of the time.
Final Decision is Months Away
Legal experts will attempt to predict how McDonald v. Chicago will be decided, based on the questions/comments of the Justices during oral argument. However, we will have to wait many months before the Supreme Court’s actual written ruling. In a case of this significance, we can expect a lengthy written opinion (with dissents), that may not be issued until summer 2010.
Report and Photo Courtesy NSSF
March 2nd, 2010
Brownells has commenced a 37,000 square foot expansion of its Montezuma, Iowa, warehouse. Along with the new space, plans call for the addition of several new warehouse employees, plus more technology to assist order-picking, packing, and shipping.
According to company President, Pete Brownell, “The extra space makes room for the additional inventory needed to maintain our industry-leading in-stock position and to also help us get our orders out even more efficiently.”
CEO Frank Brownell told us, “I remember working for Dad in the basement of the old movie theatre on the town square. We couldn’t imagine filling the current building when we moved in back in the 1970s and we’ve had to add on every five years.”
March 1st, 2010
Creedmoor Sports notified us that they have Geissele Triggers (for AR platform rifles), and Lapua Brass in stock. These triggers are often back-ordered for months, so if you need one, you should give Creedmoor a call at 800-273-3366. Chose the Geissele GT-SR trigger for $279.00, or the new SSA model for $170.00.
If you have been looking for Lapua Brass, Creedmoor has ample quantities for most of the popular cartridges: .223 Rem, .220 Russian, 6mmBR, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5-284 Norma, .308 Win, 30-06, .338 Lapua Magnum.
CLICK HERE for Lapua Brass at Creedmoor Sports
You may want to stock up now while supplies are available. To give you an idea on price, Creedmoor sells a 100-ct box of .308 Win Brass for $75.95.
March 1st, 2010
Eleven members of the 2010 World Championship team were selected following the Spring Airgun Championships, which served as Part II of the World Championship Team selection for the men’s and women’s open air rifle and pistol events. Six air rifle and five air pistol shooters qualified to represent the U.S.A. this August at the 50th ISSF World Championships in Munich, Germany.
 The 2010 World Championship team for airgun was determined by the match scores from the first two days of the 2009 Winter Airgun Championships (held last December), added to the match scores from both days of the Spring Airgun Championships and the best two finals from both matches. For complete results from the 2010 Spring Airgun Championships, please visit www.usashooting.org.
Olympic gold and silver medalist Matt Emmons qualified for the World Championship team in Men’s 10m Air Rifle with an overall score of 2600.7 points. U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) member Matt Rawlings grabbed the second spot in Men’s Air Rifle with a total score of 2584.2 and Jonathan Hall earned the third spot with 2577.1 total points.
Leading the Men’s Air Pistol team will be 2008 Olympian Brian Beaman, who finished with an overall score of 2507.4 points. Two-time Olympian and 2008 bronze medalist Jason Turner will finished right behind Beaman with 2506.2 points. Three-time Olympian and USAMU member Daryl Szarenski grabbed the third spot after firing a total score of 2502.1 points.
Two-time Olympian Emily Caruso lead the way in Women’s Air Rifle with 1800.4 total points. Jamie Beyerle, a 2008 Olympian, took the second spot with an overall score of 1798.8 points and TCU’s Sarah Scherer qualified in third place with 1796.4 points. Teresa Meyer finished first in Women’s Air Pistol after firing 1691.8 total points, while Brenda Shinn, a 2008 Olympian, took the second spot with 1679.0 points.
CLICK HERE for Info on 50th ISSF World Shooting Championship (PDF)
February 28th, 2010
A few years ago, as a custom OEM order, Lapua produced a variety of cartridge cases for Dakota Arms. You may have seen the Dakota 20 Practical brass made by Lapua. Dakota ran out of money, so some of this brass was retained by Lapua. For quite some time, Lapua has been warehousing quantities of .423 Dakota cases and .30-06 Springfield cases, but now the left-over inventories are for sale at Grafs.com. All of Lapua’s remaining 30-06 and .423 Dakota brass (produced originally for Dakota Arms) are being offered for sale at www.grafs.com. Once they’re gone, they are GONE!
Lapua 30-06 100 Years Brass
The .30-06 cases are regular Lapua cases with a unique, 30-06 100 Years head stamp commemorating the 100 years of this cartridge. This special run 30-06 brass is Graf’s item DU4HH7067, prices at $16.57 per 20 cases.
.423 Dakota Brass
While there are few .423 Dakota rifle in circulation, there has been good interest from wildcatters and other. Grafs comments: “This is perfect brass for adventurous wildcatters looking for a large case to play with. They’re a rimless design, having a .585″ head and are 2.475″ in length. After that, they can be anything you want with a little Imperial and some elbow grease.” The .423 Dakota brass, Graf’s item DU4HH4230, costs $19.99 for 20 cases.
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