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June 29th, 2007
At AccurateShooter.com, we like to see innovative new designs, particularly when they allow shooter to perform critical functions with greater precision and efficiency. Does that mean, however, that we need to replace our rifles every couple of years, as we might upgrade a kitchen appliance or cell phone? Noted writer Col. Jeff Cooper cautions that we should not always buy into the latest fad or marketing hype when it comes to rifles:
| “Of all sorts of possessions, the personal firearm is the most nearly unique. This is because of its permanence….This makes the marketing of firearms a frustrating enterprise.
[T]he marketer must aim at making a prospective purchaser unhappy with what he already has. You wear out clothes and automobiles, you drink up wines, you shoot up ammunition, but your gun is still there, just as desirable and efficient as it ever was, assuming that you chose it wisely in the first place.” |
Cooper’s words are worth considering. Readers of this website do like to learn about new products, and new rifles. But at the same time, we should not forget the value of classic designs that have stood the test of time. So if you have a great older rifle–shoot it, don’t sell it.
June 26th, 2007
Dateline: Montezuma, Iowa–6/26/2007
Late Breaking story–Today Frank Brownell confirmed that Brownell’s is acquiring the business and all the assets of Sinclair International, one of the leading vendors for the precision shooting market. More than a catalog and online retailer, Sinclair designs and manufactures many of its own specialty reloading products. Sinclair Int’l will function as a separate entity of Brownells, and Bill Gravatt will continue as the President of Sinclair Int’l. Sinclair will maintain its facilities and operations in Indiana, and will continue to sell its full product line as a Brownells-owned enterprise.
Here is the official press release:
“Brownells® Purchases Sinclair International
Brownells, the World’s Largest Supplier of Firearms Accessories and Gunsmithing Tools, is extremely pleased and proud to announce the acquisition of Sinclair International, Inc. Sinclair International is one of the most respected manufacturers and suppliers of high quality reloading tools and shooting accessories in the world. Sinclair International, located in Indiana, is in its 22nd year and provides products to customers around the world. Brownells, operating out of Iowa, is in its 68th year and also supplies customers world-wide.
The joining of these two highly-respected companies brings to the firearms world the top-quality selection of the very best products, the exceptional personal customer service and the absolute guarantee of customer satisfaction their customers expect. ‘It was a very natural decision,’ said Frank Brownell, President of Brownells, ‘for us to join with another very successful, highly regarded company with the same values, the same care and concern for their customers and the same quality and service standards we hold dear.’ Bill Gravatt, president of Sinclair remarked that, ‘With Brownells Sinclair will continue providing the very best products available, and will strengthen our product line for shooters of all disciplines. I’m extremely excited about the future for both companies.’
Sinclair International will function as a separate entity of Brownells, and Bill Gravatt, will continue as the President of Sinclair International. The focus of Sinclair International will continue to be on providing high-quality products to their customers along with exceptional, personal customer service. For more information, please contact Larry Weeks at (641) 623-5401 or larryw@brownells.com or Bill Gravatt at (260) 493-1858 or billg@sinclairintl.com.”
June 26th, 2007
Well folks, we don’t have to be shy about being shooting enthusiasts–you can join the crowd. A recent 3-year study shows shooting sports, including handgun, rifle, and shotgun disciplines, are more popular than many other highly advertised and promoted outdoor sports.
Photos courtesy NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) commissioned a long-term study by American Sports Data (ASD), a consumer research firm for the sporting goods, fitness and health club industries. Statistics gathered over the past three years show that target shooting–with rifle, handgun and shotgun–is actually more popular than many pastimes historically considered mainstays of warm-season recreation.
In fact, participation in shooting sports tops tennis, softball, jet skiing, water skiing, mountain biking, most team sports and virtually all of the technical sports like rock climbing and kayaking, according to the most recent numbers from ASD. ASD has tracked rifle and shotgun shooting participation for many years, and began tracking handgun target shooting in 2003.
ASD research shows more than 18 million Americans enjoy the shooting sports. In a 2006 survey commissioned by NSSF, 17 percent of Americans, or about 50 million people, said they had been shooting with a rifle in the past two years. Fifteen percent went target shooting with a handgun and eight percent with a shotgun.
In overall numbers, California is No. 1 with over 2.1 million shooters, including the most rifle, handgun and shotgun shooters of any state. Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio follow. Per capita, ASD shows Idaho as the most avid shooting state (18 of every 100 people participate), followed by Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Arkansas.
For more info on the ASD survey, visit the NSSF web site, huntandshoot.org. The NSSF also offers an interactive database showing shooting ranges and clubs nationwide (See AccurateShooter Bulletin, March 18, 2007).
June 25th, 2007
As of 11:00 am June 25, the folks at R.W. Hart report they have more Vihtavuori N133 powder in stock. Currently Hart has Eight 8-lb jugs ($149.99 per jug), and a couple dozen one-pound ($23.99/lb) containers. The N133 powder arrived 5 days ago and is going fast. If you are in dire need of Vihtavuori N-133, give Hart’s a call at 1-800-368-3656.
Act quickly. Hart’s expects this to sell out right away.
June 25th, 2007
Forum member Danny Reever gave the new Berger 108s (See Bulletin, 6/23/07) their first taste of competition this past weekend at Shippensburg, PA. Shooting his 6BR in the Heavy Custom class, Danny won the match. Along the way he posted an impressive 1.509″ group at 500 meters (547 yards). Here’s what Danny had to say: “Yesterday I shot the new 108s in Shippensburg’s monthly Ground Hog Match. Conditions were a bit rough with switchy, gusting winds in the 5-10 MPH range and some very heavy mirage at all yardages being particularly bad at 300 and 500 meters. In fact at 500 meters you couldn’t see the scoring rings on the target let alone bullet holes. At 500 meters (547 yards) I managed a 41 score and a real nice 1.509 group considering the conditions. My total score was a 140 out of a possible 150 which was good enough for first place in Heavy Custom class for the day. This was the 108’s initial baptism by fire so to speak and they came through with flying colors.”
June 23rd, 2007
 Our AccurateShooter Forum is a cornerstone of this website, attracting over 5,500 visitors per day, and generating nearly 700,000 page-views per month. For the past two years we offered the Forum in two formats–a standard format that fit within the same, general layout of the editorial pages, and a “full-screen” format that dispensed with the navigation buttons on left and top in the interest of providing more “real estate” for the readers.
We found that, once users became familiar with the Forum they almost universally preferred to use the wide layout version of the forum. This reduced the need to scroll around, and it also allowed you to view large photos better. In light of this user preference, we have now officially switched over to an “all-wide, all the time” Forum format.
In addition we’ve added some significant upgrades. A Forum FAQ + HELP section was added today. In addition, we have added a very powerful poll module. This allows us to run multiple, photo-illustrated surveys at the same time. The polls are set to randomly rotate each time the main forum page is refreshed. The ability to provide photos of products and allow users to voice their preferences should yield some fascinating results. At right (above) you see one of six polls actively running on the forum. Below is a screen shot of the new Forum displayed at nearly full extension on a 19″ monitor. As you can see, there’s lots of room. Hopefully readers will value this upgrade and the change will demonstrate that “bigger is better” when it comes to web pages.
June 22nd, 2007
In an effort to reduce inventory (and expand its customer base), Remington Arms Co. announced a major product rebate campaign to commence August 1, 2007. Remington’s “Load Up on Savings” campaign will be the largest firearms-related consumer rebate program ever offered in a single season. (This is one of the first major moves by the new executive team recently installed at Remington by Cerberus Capital Management, Remington’s parent holding company.)
Remington hopes the promotion will stimulate sales during the fall and winter hunting seasons, as rebates will be offered on purchases from Aug. 1 through Dec. 31, 2007. A full list of rebate-eligible products (including rifles, shotguns, and ammo) will be posted on the Remington website. Our readers will be most interested in the following offers:
$50 rebate on Rem Model 700 and Model Seven Bolt Action Rifles (700 SPS™ and 700 ADL™).
$30 rebate on Rem Model 700 SPS, Model 700 ADL, Model 770, Model 710 and Model 715 Bolt Action Rifles.
$30 rebate on Model 798 and Model 799 Mauser Action Rifles.
$30 rebate on Model 870 Express Pump Action Shotguns.
Ammo: There will also be rebates on shotgun and rifle ammunition, including Express Core-Lokt ammo.
June 15th, 2007
 It’s time to pay our respects to our patriarchs. This Sunday, perhaps take your dad to the range, or spend a day with him doing his favorite activity–whether shooting, golf, fishing, or just firing up the grill in the backyard. If you’re looking for a special gift for Father’s Day, both Cabelas.com and Orvis.com have some excellent promotions running right now.
June 13th, 2007
Over the past decade and a half we’ve seen a definite trend to smaller calibers in both Highpower and long-range benchrest competition. Smaller projectiles have allowed a whole new style of bench-shooting, where you don’t have to hold the rifle at all. In the Service Rifle discipline, the .223 “Mouse Guns” changed the sport forever. Many would say this “downsizing” is all for the good. But have we lost something in the process? In engineering away recoil, have we “neutered” the sport and made it less exciting?
 Here’s what the legendary Col. Jeff Cooper had to say:
“Do you enjoy recoil? A recent article in Magnum magazine from South Africa points out that the retroactive shock delivered by the shooting of a firearm is not necessarily punishment. The sock you feel when your racket centers a tennis ball, or when you floor the throttle on a highly-bred car in third gear, or when you hit the water from the boat deck of your fishing cruiser–these things are exhilarating. It seems possible that this tendency to mitigate the shock of recoil maybe overlooking something. Personally I enjoy shooting a full-sized weapon more than I do a 22, and if I can remember that far back, I used to anticipate with distinct pleasure an unavoidable tackle when running back a kickoff. Perhaps we should think further upon this.” — Jeff Cooper Commentary
Is the Colonel right? Is recoil part of the fun of the sport, like the heeling force of a sailboat when it catches a puff of wind? Have we gone too far in reducing recoil in our “full-bore” match calibers? Has shooting become a sport for wimps?
What are your views?
To comment, click the “comments” link below.
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