The International Benchrest Shooters (IBS) will hold its Annual Meeting this month. It will be a virtual meeting, done via the Zoom internet service. The 2021 IBS Annual Meeting will be held online, via Zoom, on Saturday, January 16th at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Outgoing President Jeff Stover tells us “This is an IBS meeting but anyone [with an interest in benchrest competition] can get on the Zoom virtual meeting.”
To participate in the meeting, you’ll need to Register with Zoom. Here is the link to register:
Jeff Stover notes that members can send in questions for the meeting: “Participants can use [email] to send in questions which I (or someone) hope to be able to answer online. The email address for questions will be sent out (via email) to those who register. Also there will be a ‘raise hand’ feature and chat with the administrator function.”
There will also be specific agenda items to be discussed at the meeting. These agenda items will be voted on, by the membership, on-line after February 1, 2021.
After the meeting outgoing President Jeff Stover, who has ably served as IBS president for 12 years, will turn over his position to new President David Matthew of North Carolina. And IBS Treasurer Bill Gebhardt will retire after 28 years of service. The new Treasurer will be Sally Bauer of Kansas.
The IBS anticipates that some of the IBS Shooter of the Year winners will participate, and perhaps share some of their secrets of success.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is running a new Smallbore Postal Competition this spring. The event, open to both Adults and Juniors, will feature 3-Position and Prone matches, fired from a distance of 50 feet. Individuals and clubs can register and fire in both events. There are two (2) specific events:
3-Position (3×20, Kneeling, Prone, Standing) – USA 50 Foot Target
Prone (60 Shots – Sling and F-Class) – USA 50 Foot Target
The CMP will print customized targets for each registered competitor and mail them to the club or individual. After firing, your targets shall be returned to the CMP or you may opt to score your own targets using the Orion Scoring System and send results to the CMP electronically. The cost for each competitor is $5.00 per event. Payment must be received before targets are mailed.
What’s a Postal Match? The concept is that shooters compete in different locations and then “mail in” their targets, hence the term “postal match”. Of course these days the results can also be transmitted electronically, but the concept is the same — shooters around the country complete a specific course of fire and then the results are tabulated, with final rankings based on scores. Competitors can compete individually or in groups, at the location of their choice. Competitors can shoot the targets at a time of their choosing, but all targets must be RECEIVED by the CMP no later than April 16, 2021.
“The CMP has a lot of experience with conducting postal competitions, and with everything going on in the world today, running a smallbore postal seems like a logical step for our program,” said Brad Donoho, CMP smallbore manager. “We’re happy to be able to provide a place for smallbore athletes everywhere to continue their growth on the range.”
Smallbore shooter Lauren Phillips won the Junior Olympic Shooting Championships in 2014.
Important Dates for the CMP Smallbore Postal Competition:
January 11, 2021 – Online Registration Begins
March 23, 2021 – Online Registration Ends
April 16, 2021 – Targets must be received by CMP
April 19, 2021 – Preliminary Results Posted
April 23, 2021 – All results are final
Jessie Harrison — one of the greatest female pistol shooters on the planet. In the video below, Jessie offers good tips on safe handgun mag changes.
In this Pro Tip Video, Jessie Harrison talks about Dry-Fire Pistol Training:
One of our Forum members asked: “Are there any good books on pistol marksmanship? I’m looking for a book that covers techniques and concepts….” Here are eight recommended titles that can make you a better pistol shooter. These books run the gamut from basic handgun training to CCW to Olympic-level bullseye shooting.
Good Guidebooks for Pistol Shooters
There are actually many good books which can help both novice and experienced pistol shooters improve their skills and accuracy. For new pistol shooters, we recommend the NRA Guide to the Basics of Pistol Shooting. This full-color publication is the designated student “textbook” for the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course.
If you’re interested in bullseye shooting, you should get the USAMU’s The Advanced Pistol Marksmanship Manual. This USAMU pistol marksmanship guide has been a trusted resource since the 1960s. Action Shooters should read Practical Shooting: Beyond Fundamentals by Brian Enos, and Practical Pistol by Ben Stoeger. Brian Enos is a well-known pistol competitor with many titles. Ben Stoeger is a two-time U.S. Practical Pistol shooting champion. Julie Golob’s popular SHOOT book covers pistol marksmanship, along with 3-Gun competition. Julie holds multiple national pistol shooting titles.
Here’s a handy product from Midsouth Shooters Supply: 250 self-adhesive Benchrest Targets on a convenient roll. Not just for benchrest competitors, these handy stick-on targets work great for anyone doing load development. We’ve used then and they work well. Each target offers a precision 1/4″ grid at the top with diamond aiming box below. This is similar to official targets used in Benechrest matches, with the addition of the upper grid lines which allow you to instantly estimate group size. These targets also include an area to list your load components. Midsouth Shooters sells the 250-target roll for $12.49. That works out to just five cents per target!
This target was designed for benchrest shooting, developing new loads or cataloging existing ones. This easy-to-use target has a 1/4″ grid pattern at the top which helps measure groups. The vertical aiming square at the bottom helps align the cross hairs of your scope for consistent shot placement. At the very bottom of the target there is room to record your reloading information. Each Target sticker measures 6″ x 4″ with a 4.5″ x 2.5″ printed area.
Today marks a New Year. 2020 is behind us (thank goodness!). We should start “Having Fun in 2021″. With that spirit, here are five “fun and games” targets. While each requires good conventional marksmanship skills — hitting a small aiming point — there are other strategies involved, such as playing darts or “making change” by hitting the right combination of coins. Most of us started shooting as kids, just plinking for fun. Here’s an opportunity to be like a kid again — to spend a day at the range just having fun with friends and family members.
Dartboard Target with Colored Rings
This printable Dartboard Shooting Target has the numbers inside the outer dartboard ring to allow a larger target. With this target you can shoot for the center bull, or actually play pub-style dart games, aiming for numbers and particular rings. If you don’t know how to play traditional dart games, visit NiceDarts.com for complete darts rules. One popular game is “Around The World”. The object is to hit the numbered zones, starting with number 1. Then you try for 2, 3, and so on. After hitting all the numbers 1 through 20, then hit the bullseye to win. CLICK HERE for Other Dart Board Color combinations.
American Coins Target — Make Change
This unique American Coin Target features actual-sized Eisenhower Dollars, Susan B. Anthony Dollars, and Kennedy Half Dollars in the top row. Below are rows of Quarters, Dimes, Nickels, and Pennies in descending order. NOTE: A U.S. Quarter has a diameter of approximately 1 inch, so it’s One MOA at 100 Yards. NOTE: When printing, select “100%” value and landscape mode — NOT “fit to page”! That will keep the dimensions of the coins accurate. Combining math with marksmanship, this target lets kids practice their math skills while having fun. Choose a money amount (such as $2.57 or $3.73), and “make change” by shooting a combination of coins.
NSSF Billiards Table Target
This Billiards Table Target offers 15 brightly-colored numbered balls with the cue ball at the bottom. Aim for the numbers, shooting 1-15 in sequence, or alternate between stripes and solids. You can also draw an “X” on the white cue ball (or attach a paster), and use that to set your zero. This target is fun for shooting outdoors with rifles at 50 or 100 yards or indoors with pistols.
This billiards target is part of a set of 12 Fun Targets from the NSSF. These were issued a couple seasons back for National Shooting Sports Month, held in August of each year. The other free targets include Golf Links, Bowling Pins, Fireworks, Baseball Diamond, Dutch Windmill, Water Balloons, Light Bulbs, Dartboard, and three Bullseye targets.
Flies in Circles Target
Now you can boast to your buddies that you hit a fly on your target — 16 times. On this target, 16 flies with bright red eyes are arranged in a inside circles, 16 to a page. There are various ways to use the fly targets. Some shoot to hit the head only — so aim for those red eyes. There are 11 other variations of this Fly Target available on the Targets.WS website.
Tic-Tac-Toe Fun Game Target
This Tic-Tac-Toe Shooting Game Target lets you challenge your shooting buddies at the range. One player can shoot the red triangles, while the other shoots the white zones, taking turns. You proceed just like a regular Tic-Tac-Toe game, alternating shots, with the goal of getting three of the same color in a row. This is a fun game for a parent and a young family member. You’ll find other fun targets on Targets4free.com.
Special BONUS — AccurateShooter.com Load Development Target
Our Load Development Target has been used by tens of thousands of shooters. It has proven very popular, since all your load data fits neatly in the boxes under each target. In fact this target is being employed by both rifle-makers (Bergara) and barrel-makers (including Criterion) to test their products. The target was designed for aiming efficiency. The red diamonds have 1/2″ sides and you can align your cross-hairs on the horizontal and vertical lines. It is a clean design that is easy to see even at 200 yards with a 20X scope. NOTE: When we test, we usually crank in a little elevation, setting the point-of-impact higher, so our shots fall in the gray circles. That way you leave the red diamonds intact for precise aiming.
As we release this story, the New Year — 2021 — is just 12 hours away. Perhaps you’ve been eagerly awaiting for the big event, getting champagne (and sparklers) to celebrate the New Year. 2021 will hopefully be a much better year than 2020, what with the Pandemic, riots in the cities, and controversial elections. To mark the dawning of 2021, with hope for a much better year, we expect many folks will open a bottle of champagne. You could pop the cork the traditional way, or read on and learn how to release the celebratory champagne with a rifle shot, as demonstrated by the talented Kirsten Joy Weiss.
Recently at Thorton Winery in Temecula, California, a champagne vintner, we were shown the best way to open a champagne bottle. We were told you should hold the bottle nose up at an angle then rotate the BOTTLE slowly while holding the cork. That works great… but it’s not as stunning as the way sharpshooter Kirsten Joy Weiss opens a bottle of bubbly.
A former competitive smallbore rifle shooter, ace trigger-puller Kirsten Joy Weiss tried a special New Year’s trick shot a few seasons back. In keeping with the festive New Year’s spirit, Kirsten attempted to shoot the cork off a champagne bottle. After a few unsuccessful tries, she managed to hit the cork with at least two shots. But alas the cork did not fly. She actually hit the cork, but it did not release. That was surprising…
Undaunted, Kirsten changed her strategy, aiming for the neck of the bottle. This duplicates the process of “sabering” a champagne bottle — a method of liberating the bubbly by slashing off the end of the neck with a blade. Aiming for the neck of the bottle, Kirsten successfully blew off the top of the bottle. (Apparently, when “sabering” it is actually the pressure within the champagne bottle which does most of the work).
SFC Emil Praslick III is now retired from the U.S. Army, but he left a great legacy as one of the USAMU’s greatest coaches and team leaders. A highly-respected wind expert, Praslick also was known for his ability to help his shooters master the “mental game”, which is so important at the highest levels of competition. Here is an article from the CMP Archives in which Praslick explains how to focus your mind to achieve greater success.
Thinking Your Way to Success by SFC Emil Praslick III (Ret.)
Why does it seem that the same small group of shooters wins the majority of the matches? Within the Army Marksmanship Unit’s Service Rifle Team, the same effect applies. On a team filled with uncommonly talented shooters, the same two or three are consistently at the top of the final results bulletin. What is the difference among shooters who are technically equal? Confidence. A confident shooter is free to execute his shots without the fear of failure, i.e. shooting a poor shot.
Negative thoughts (can’t, won’t be able to, etc.) will destroy a skilled performance. The mind’s focus will not be on executing the task, but on projecting fear and self-doubt. Fear is the enemy, confidence is the cure.
How does a shooter on the eve of an important match (the President’s or NTI, for example) attain the confidence needed to perform up to his potential? A pre-competition mental plan can assist in acquiring that positive mental state. The plan can be broken down into a few phases.
Build a feeling of preparedness. Developing and executing a plan to organize your equipment and pre-match routine will aid you in feeling prepared on match day.
Avoid negative and stressful thoughts. Focusing on “winning” the match or shooting for a specific score (like making the “cut” or making the President’s 100) can cause undue stress. Good shooters focus on aspects that are within their control: their sight picture, their sight alignment, their position. Each shot should be treated as an individual event.
Train stage-specific tasks during your practice sessions. Instead of shooting matches or practice matches only, include some drills that focus on your problem areas. Training in this manner will assist your level of confidence.
As part of your pre-match routine, imagine yourself shooting perfect shots. Visualize getting into the perfect position, acquiring a perfect sight picture, and perfect trigger control.
Let a feeling of calm and well-being wash over you. Spend a few minutes alone thinking positive thoughts. Many shooters use their favorite music to help build the mood.
Once you develop your pre-competition mental plan, stick with it. Through your training you will develop the physical skills to shoot higher scores. The confidence you will need to apply them in match conditions will grow as you develop into a complete shooter; both physically and mentally.
The USAMU’s article archives are a great resource for competitive shooters. Click HERE for more excellent instructional articles by Emil Praslick and other USAMU Coaches and shooters. You’ll find articles on Wind-Reading, Fitness, Equipment, Shooting Positions, Shooting Techniques, Match Strategies and much more.
AccurateShooter’s Target Page provides over 50 FREE downloadable targets. You’ll find all types of targets — sight-in targets, varmint targets, rimfire targets, bullseye targets, tactical targets, load development targets and more. CLICK HERE for all our free targets, including our popular LOAD DEV target.
On this load development target, all your load data fits neatly in the boxes under each target. The diamonds have 1/2″ sides and you can align your cross-hairs on the horizontal and vertical lines. When we test, we crank in a little elevation, setting the point-of-impact higher. That way our shots fall in the gray circles, leaving the red diamonds intact for precise aiming.
Storm Tactical Targets — Hundreds of FREE, Printable Targets
If you want an even greater selection of targets, specialized for PRS and NRL shooters, Storm Tactical offers a vast collection of tactical targets, available in three different versions: MOA, MIL Yards, and MIL Meters. These target sets were created with input from Sniper’s Hide. Storm Tactical also created a great rimfire target set. This includes side-by-side target blocks for fun, one-on-one competition. If you shoot NRL22 or just enjoy shooting with a buddy, we highly recommend the rimfire target set.
Overall there are 299 Storm Tactical Targets in four sets.
CLICK links to launch each Storm Tactical target collection. Then you can click the download icon to save to your hard drive. OR, you can scroll up and down to select the target(s) you like which you can tell your printer to print. We do recommend downloading the complete archives. File sizes are listed.
Here’s a Tikka T3 in Third Eye Tactical cerakoted chassis.
Rimfire Twin Target, for One-on-One Shooter Challenges
You’ll find this fun target on the third page of the Rimfire Target Pack. Just download the PDF file and instruct your printer to deliver page three. Or print out all six (6) rimfire targets if you like.
Every firearms owner should have some basic first-aid/trauma training. Sadly, bad things CAN happen at the range, even if that’s just a blown primer, or a richochet off a metal target that sends shards back at the shooter. That’s why all shooters should always wear ear and ear protection, and be PREPARED for situations requiring emergency first aid.
Thankfully, there is a way shooters can get emergency trauma training for FREE. The folks at Mountain Man Medical offer a FREE Emergency Trauma Course. This 100% FREE online course, entitled “Emergency Trauma Response” (ETR), consists of a 13-module training program conducted via a series of web-hosted videos. It can benefit anyone who wishes to be better prepared for traumatic medical emergencies.
Online Course Description — Module Subjects
“Emergency Trauma Response” (ETR) is a comprehensive training program for to help person become better prepared to deal with massive trauma. Building off the popular “Stop The Bleed” program, the online ETR course goes above and beyond to ensure the student has the practical knowledge to use emergency products and gear when dealing with a wide variety trauma emergencies. Of course, in any serious emergency, professional medical assistance (EMTs and First Responders) should be summoned immediately whenever that is feasible.
The Mountain Man Medical ETR Course Features 13 Modules:
1. Trauma Medicine and Combat Mindset
2. The Gear Of A Medic
3. Vital Signs and Anatomy
4. Intro to MARCH
5. Massive Hemorrhage
6. Airway
7. Respirations
8. Circulation
9. Hypothermia and Head Trauma
10. Reassessment
11. Other Injury Types
12. Practical Tourniquet Exercises/Solutions
13. Your Role As A Medic
As a side note, this Editor’s brother was a U.S. Army combat medic in Viet Nam. He received months of special training before being deployed. He told me this online ETR course provides valuable information, but one should always summon qualified medical professionals when presented with serious trauma. But when that is not possible, immediate on-the-spot correct assistance can save lives or prevent further injury.
Credit the Guns America Digest for finding this valuable online training resource.
In this video, former Army Ranger sniper team leader Ryan Cleckner explains how proper head and scope position is a critical component to accurate shooting. Ryan finds that some shooters place the scope too far forward or too far rearward. If the scope is too far back you may have issues with eye relief and stock reach to shoulder. If it is too far forward, you may have cheek-weld problems or get neck strain. Cleckner cautions: “When you are in a good prone position, you don’t want any strain in your neck muscles or back.”
In the video, Cleckner offers a simple method to check your scope position:
“To see if your scope is set up properly … close your eyes, lay your head on your gun, get completely comfortable, and only when you are set-up, then open your eyes. If you can’t see clearly through your scope, CHANGE something [such as comb height or scope position]”.
“When you open your eyes, if you see some scope shadow [i.e. the black ring around the edge of the scope picture], figure out which way you need to move your head to get rid of that shadow, and then make adjustments to either your position, the rifle, or the scope.”
“Very often you’ll open your eyes and realize you need to move further back or further forward. Instead of moving your position [or head], move the scope and get it set up properly.”
Tip on Viewing Your Reticle:
Cleckner: “Sometimes it can be difficult to focus between the target and the reticle, even with the parallax adjusted properly. I recommend you focus only on the reticle. Just like the front sight on a rifle or a handgun, that reticle is what you can control, and it’s what matters. Focus on a crisp, clear reticle, in a stable platform, and all that’s left is trigger control.”
Long Range Shooting Handbook — A Good Resource
Cleckner’s Long Range Shooting Handbook covers a wide range of topics important for precision marksmanship — both shooting skills and technical matters. You can view Sample Chapters from Ryan’s Book on Amazon.com. Cleckner’s book is designed as an intro to key concepts such as MOA vs. Mils, External Ballistics, and Environmental Effects. Included are personal tips and advice based on Cleckner’s years of experience as a sniper instructor and special operations sniper.
The Long Range Shooting Handbook is divided into three main categories: What It Is/How It Works, Fundamentals, and How to Use It. “What It Is/How It Works” covers equipment, terminology, and basic principles. “Fundamentals” covers the theory of long range shooting. “How to Use It” gives practical advice on implementing what you’ve learned, so you can progress as a skilled, long range shooter.
Ryan Cleckner was a special operations sniper (1/75 RGR) and he served as a U.S. Army sniper instructor. Currently he works as a firearms industry executive and practicing firearms attorney.
Good Guidebooks for Pistol Shooters
A former competitive smallbore rifle shooter, ace trigger-puller Kirsten Joy Weiss tried a special New Year’s trick shot a few seasons back. In keeping with the festive New Year’s spirit, Kirsten attempted to shoot the cork off a champagne bottle. After a few unsuccessful tries, she managed to hit the cork with at least two shots. But alas the cork did not fly. She actually hit the cork, but it did not release. That was surprising…
If you want an even greater selection of targets, specialized for PRS and NRL shooters, 
