The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), through the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program, awarded 126 youth athletes over $100,000.00 in college Scholarships for this upcoming academic year. The funds were awarded to qualifying applicants. In addition, some young competitors received special sponsor scholarship checks at the 2019 National Championships in Marengo, Ohio last month (see below). CLICK HERE for all scholarship winners.
National Director Tom Wondrash noted, “this is the first time our combined programs were able to award our Youth Athletes and their families over $100,000 in college scholarships. We could not have done it without the generous support of our program sponsors who continue to step up and support this initiative”.
In addition to the scholarships awarded to SCTP and SASP youth athletes who apply for these awards, at this year’s National Championships special scholarships were awarded by Browning, Beretta, and Blaser USA. In order to be eligible, athletes must have shot a Browning shotgun in 16-yard singles trap, a Beretta shotgun in the skeet event, or a Blaser shotgun in the sporting clays event.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is 501(c)(3) public charity responsible for all aspects of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) across the United States. For more information, visit SSSFonline.org.
Many of the best rifle competitors in the United States will be heading to Indiana next week to compete at the 2019 NRA National High Power Rifle Championships which commence Monday, August 5, 2019. The Across-the-Course Championship, Mid-Range Championship, Long Range Championship, and Extreme Long Range Championship will all take place August 5-21, 2019 at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Indiana.
Day By Day Planner for 2019 Nationals at Camp Atterbury
Monday, August 5 will be the First Shot Ceremony, and squadded practice will also begin.
Tuesday, August 6 marks the beginning of the Team Matches. They will conclude on August 7.
Thursday, August 8 is the start of High Power Across the Course competition. They last until August 11.
Monday, August 12 is the Mid Range Team Championship, lasting until August 13.
Tuesday, August 13 is the first day of the Mid Range Individual Championship. They last until August 16.
Saturday, August 17 will be the Palma Team Match day.
Sunday, August 18 begins the Long Range Championship which continues through August 21.
Wednesday, August 21 is the registration day for the NRA Extreme Long Range Championship. The match will be fired over the next two days, finishing on August 23.
Lodging at Camp Atterbury and Nearby
Camp Atterbury offers on-base lodging — rooms and cabins will be available to all competitors 18 and over. Camp Atterbury lodging includes suites and standard rooms as well as the MWR Campground and the MWR Cabins. Lodging is controlled by the Camp Atterbury Lodging Office, not by the NRA. Entry fees DO NOT include lodging costs. There are also a number of hotels nearby, including Charwood Suites. Nearby campground Johnson County Park also offers special rates for High Power competitors.
With the CMP hosting important matches next year at Camp Perry, many rifle competitors will be “commuting” between the two venues this summers, driving 4.5 hours from Indiana to Ohio.
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) has produced an excellent series of videos, which collectively cover the Basic Rifleman’s Course. If you are getting started in High Power shooting, or want to improve your position shooting skills, this series is well worth watching. And these videos are not just for service rifle shooters — even bench shooters can benefit from these videos, particularly Part 5, which explains how to estimate wind speed and direction. The lead instructor for these videos is SFC Brandon Green, the reigning National High Power Champion, and Service Rifle Champion at the 2017 CMP Trophy Matches. When SFC Green talks, you should listen.
SFC Brandon Green is a shooting superstar. Green won his third NRA National High Power Rifle Championship in 2018 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He dominated the HP Championship cycle, finishing eight points and ten Xs ahead of his nearest competitor. Brandon also won High Power National Championships in 2015 and 2013. And in 2017 he set new records at the CMP’s National Trophy Matches at Camp Perry. One of the greatest marksmen in the nation’s history, SFC Green has no weaknesses, excelling at all positions, both rapid-fire and slow-fire.
Part 5 — Wind and Weather Estimation (Very Useful for All Shooters)
Note: This video includes a hit location “target analysis” in the first 6 minutes.
Part 4 — Minute of Angle Explained
Part 3 — Ballistics and Zeroing
Part 2 — Positions, Sight Alignment, and Natural Point of Aim (Very Useful)
Part 1 — Aiming and Sight Picture
Three-time National High Power Champion SFC Brandon Green (left above) set four new National Records at Camp Perry in 2017.
The mainstream media hates guns. So you won’t find pro-firearm content on NBC, CBS, CNN, or ABC. Thankfully we have independent cable networks such as the Outdoor Channel. And Wednesday nights are a visual feast for shooting sports enthusiasts.
On Wednesday nights, from 7:30 to 11:30 pm, the Outdoor Channel delivers an entire evening of great gun programming. You can watch FIVE different shows: American Rifleman, Guns & Ammo, GunnyTime, Shooting USA, and Shootout Lane. Here are some popular samples from these shows:
Shooting USA — Understanding Parallax in Scopes This Shooting USA Pro Tip defines parallax and explains how to adjust your scope.
Guns & Ammo TV — Hornady Bullets, Nikon Black Force Scopes, Suppressors 101 This episode reviews multiple products — bullets, optics, and suppressors.
American Rifleman — The Guns of The Vietnam War, Part 3 Major John L. Plaster discusses Marine snipers in Vietnam and their rifles.
No, that’s not two shots — it is FIVE shots, with basically four in one hole and a fifth very slightly over. If that’s not impressive enough, consider this stunning 0.110″ group was shot at TWO HUNDRED yards — the length of two football fields. This amazing group was shot by Jack Neary at the 2019 World Benchrest Championship (WBC) held in Calgary, Alberta earlier this month.
Neary’s 0.110″ 200-yard group establishes a new WBC world record in the Light Varmint (LV) rifle class (10.5-lb max rifle weight). Jack was competing with Team USA “C Squad”, which also captured the WBC 2-Gun Gold Medal in the 4-man Team Championship.
World Benchrest Championships
The World Benchrest Championships are held every two years and attract competitors from over 20 countries. Jack Neary’s .110″ group is now a confirmed WBC 200-yard World Record for smallest 5-shot group. Neary was shooting a 6mm PPC hand-loaded with Vihtavuori N133 powder.
NOTE: This is a record for WBC competition. However, it is slightly larger than current NBRSA and IBS 200-yard Light Varmint (LV) records. The NBRSA LV 200-yard record is 0.075″ set by Johnnie Stewart in 2009. The IBS LV 200-yard record is 0.091″ by David Farrar in 2006. Still, Neary’s 0.110″ 5-shot group is a great accomplishment, set at the highest level of competition, at a match which had very challenging conditions.
Jack stated, “Vihtavuori’s temperature stability and cleaning burning attributes have been instrumental for competitors to achieve world record accuracy in the furthest corners of the world.”
Vihtavuori powders (predominently N133) were used by nearly every competitor (over 90%) during the World Benchrest Championship. VV N133 continues to dominate the short-range benchrest game. Notably, Vihtavuori powders have also been successful in the Extreme Long Range game, with VV powders used by recent KO2M winners. The next World Benchrest Championship will be held in Fall of 2021 in South Africa.
Neary Helps Team USA Win Gold at World Championship
Team Lapua’s Jack Neary, along with his Team USA “C Squad” teammates Harley Baker, Gary Bristow, and Jeff Graves, won the 4-Man Team Gold Medal at the 2019 World Benchrest Championship held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada this past week. Neary’s squad had the best overall Grand Aggregate, 0.2598, for the WBC combined 2-Gun Championship. Team USA “A Squad” took second place with a 0.2646 2-Gun Aggregate. CLICK HERE for WBC Team Championship Results.
All Team USA Gold Medalists used Lapua cartridge cases exclusively at the WBC. Lapua cartridge cases are known for superb quality of construction, using only the finest raw materials and superior annealing processes. Each case is machined to exacting dimensions. Lapua brass is renown for its superior consistency and longevity. The best brass also lasts the longest.
Neary stated, “Lapua cases are the foundation [for] our competition hand-loads[.] When competing at the highest levels against the most talented shooters in the world, we need the absolute best components available. There’s no doubt Lapua helped secure the Gold for Team USA.”
About Lapua and Vihtavuori
Lapua produces the highest-quality small caliber cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Vihtavuori is renowned for smokeless powders with superb lot-to-lot consistency that deliver superior accuracy Lapua and Vihtavuori are part of the Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Lapua.com and Vihtavuori.com.
The SCATT MX-02 is an electronic shooter training system that is capable of operating outdoors with live, centerfire ammunition, at distances from 25 yards to 600 yards. Tony Chow tested this product for AccurateShooter.com. As fitted to his AR-15 Service Rifle, Tony concludes this is a very useful tool that can help High Power competitors refine their technique and shoot higher scores. CLICK HERE for MX-02 3000-word Review.
How the SCATT MX-02 Works
The SCATT sensor mounted on the end of the barrel has a digital camera that recognizes the black bullseye in the target, even in broad daylight outdoors. Using the bullseye as a reference, the SCATT software tracks the movement of the muzzle relative to the center of the target. The unit can plot these movements as a continuous trace, which appears on a monitor as a squiggly, colored line. By sensing the exact moment of shot release, the SCATT can also interpolate relative shot placement (for a single shot or series of shots) — but this is not the same as an electronic target which actually records the exact shot impact location on the target.
Some time ago, we reviewed this product from the perspective of a smallbore competitive shooter. (Read Previous Review.) Here we test SCATT MX-02 again, this time on an AR-15 service rifle, in order to assess its suitability for the High Power competition community.
We put the MX-02 through its paces in all three High Power shooting positions and in various environmental conditions. We wanted to find out whether the system can reliably operate in the harsher outdoor settings and withstand the recoil of a centerfire rifle. We also wanted to assess whether it provides added values for High Power shooters over older generation of electronic trainers such as SCATT’s own venerable WS-01.
On both counts, we came away impressed. The SCATT MX-02 stood up to centerfire recoil after hundreds of shots and was able to consistently recognize the often less-than-pristine High Power target faces. Both indoors and outdoors, the MX-02 acts as SCATT should and dutifully captures useful aiming traces and other data. It does that even during outdoor live-fire sessions, where shooter performance often differs from indoor dry-firing due to the sensation of recoil and environmental factors.
SCATT Rapid Fire Results (paper target on left, screen on right).
In particular, SCATT MX-02 allows shooters to effectively troubleshoot and improve their rapid-fire performance, a service that no previous-generation trainers are capable of providing. The unit isn’t perfect — the SCATT MX-02 had some mounting issues with small-diameter barrels, but a cardboard shim provided a quick and effective solution.
Overall, performance was impressive. In most realistic training conditions that High Power shooters experience, the system performed well. We can certainly recommend SCATT MX-02 as an extremely valuable tool for High Power competitors looking to take their performance to the next level.
For more information or to order SCATT products, including the MX-02, visit ScattUSA.com or call toll-free: 1-855-57-SCATT (72288).
Get ready folks! August, National Shooting Sports Month, is less than a week away. During August, we’d like to see all our readers introduce at least one new person to the shooting sports. To keep our freedoms and help the shooting sports thrive, we need to bring in new participants, particularly younger men and women.
An estimated 50 million Americans participate in target shooting sports, and millions more have expressed interest in learning about rifle, shotgun, and handgun shooting, according to NSSF research. But those numbers will shrink unless we bring new shooters into the game.
To help our readers have more fun during National Shooting Sports Month, here are a dozen FREE Targets from the NSSF. Along with Bullseye targets, there are some very cool specialty targets here, including a Golf Course Target, Baseball Diamond Target, Billiards Target, Light Bulb Target, Bowling Pin Target, and even a Windmill Target. Enjoy the myriad possibilities with these 12 fun targets.
What Shooters Can Do to Promote National Shooting Sports Month:
The NSSF says: “As shooters, you serve a critical role in the continued growth of gun ownership and shooting sports participation. We urge you to join us this August for National Shooting Sports Month.” There are a variety of ways you can help this August:
— Introduce a family member, friend, or group of friends to the shooting sports by taking them to a local range that’s hosting an event.
— Spread the word to family/friends and encourage them to get out to the range in August.
— Encourage the ranges and retailers near you to host an event this August and add them to the official events calendar at www.ShootingSportsMonth.org.
Find Shooting Sports Events Near You
The NSSF’s ShootingSportsMonth.org website offers a comprehensive, searchable database. This lets you search by state, to find ranges, events, and sales promotions near you. Search for activities, and learn more at www.ShootingSportsMonth.org.
The CMP National Rimfire Sporter Match is a fun competition with affordable smallbore rifles with either scopes or iron sights. All you need are a .22 LR rifle, sling, and ammo.
Each year, the Rimfire Sporter Match attracts hundreds of shooters to the shores of Lake Erie. If there is a single CMP event at Camp Perry that offers the most diverse group of competitors (of all ages), and the lowest cost of entry, that would be the annual Rimfire Sporter Match. This year’s match will be held on Sunday, July 21, 2019 on the Viale Range. The Rimfire Sporter Match is for smallbore rifles that weigh 7 1/2 pounds or less with sights. Firing is done at 25 and 50 yards in prone, sitting and standing positions, in slow and rapid fire modes. The CMP has a special smart-phone App that will help speed up scoring.
Hundreds of shooters will compete in the Rimfire Sporter Match today at Camp Perry.
On Saturday July 20th, Rimfire Sporter Competitors will check-in, have their rifles weighed, triggers checked, and receive their squad assignment. Also on Saturday there will be a free Rimfire Sporter Seminar held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. More INFO HERE.
Rifles may be manually operated or semi-automatic, in three classes: the standard “O Class” for open-sighted rifles, “T-Class” for telescope-sighted rifles, and the “Tactical Rimfire” Class. Firing is done at 50 and 25 yards on a target with a 1.78″ ten-ring. The target is simple enough for a beginner to hit, yet challenging enough that only one competitor in the history of the match has ever fired a perfect 600 score.
Rimfire Sporter Course of Fire
Competitors will complete slow fire prone, rapid fire prone, slow fire sitting or kneeling, rapid fire sitting or kneeling, slow fire standing, and rapid fire standing shot sequences.
FREE Ammo from SK (One 50rd Box per Entrant):
SK Ammunition will provide 50 rounds of SK .22 LR smallbore ammunition for each competitor in the National Rimfire Sporter Match, but this ammunition will not be enough to shoot the entire match. Competitors will need a total of 60 rounds to fire the Rimfire Sporter Match plus any sighters or range alibis. CPM Programs Chief, Christie Sewell stated, “The CMP is excited to announce SK as the Official Ammunition Sponsor for our 2019 National Rimfire Sporter Match. Participants will receive a complimentary 50-round box of SK ammunition at check-in.”
Getting Ready for the 2019 Rimfire Sporter Match
Competitors need to bring their own .22 cal. Rimfire rifle(s) and ammunition. Special target shooting equipment, shooting jackets, or shooting gloves are not permitted, but feel free to bring a spotting telescope and ground cloth or shooting mat. You will be shooting on a grass firing point. Competitors are strongly urged to wear hearing and eye protection. Assistance for disabled competitors will be provided.
A free Shooters’ Clinic will be held Saturday, July 20, from 4:00-6:00 PM.The Clinic covers Rimfire Sporter rules, safety instructions, course of fire, and competition procedures. Shooters who have not previously attended a CMP Rimfire Sporter Match are strongly encouraged to attend.
Do you want to see more match photos? CLICK HERE to view the CMP Zenfolio Archive with 500+ photos from 2016 National Rimfire Sporter Match.
Set aside some TV time tomorrow folks. On Wednesday, July 17th, there’s a GREAT episode of Shooting USA on the Outdoor Channel. Over the course of Wednesday’s hour-long broadcast there are FOUR notable features well worth watching. Show times are 8:00 pm Eastern and Pacific; 9:00 pm Central.
FOUR FEATURES Worth Watch on Wednesday!
1. Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge. This is one of the best 3-Gun events of the year. If you like fast action, with rifles, pistols, and shotguns, you’ll love this Shooting USA sequence. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia hosts one of the toughest and most challenging multi-gun matches. Watch top competitors move through difficult stages that test strength and agility as well as marksmanship.
Multi-gun competition tests shooters’ skills with rifle, pistol, and shotgun, running stages “on the clock”. You must be fast AND accurate to successfully complete a course of fire.
2. Rimfire Challenge World Championship (RCWC). This is a great family event. The Rimfire Challenge is a timed, short-range event for .22 LR handguns and rifles. In recent years, the RCWC has been held in Alabama with 16 stages, 8 for rifle and 8 for pistol. This major match attracts hundreds of competitors from around the nation. It’s fast and fun with instant feedback from ringing steel plates. The RCWC is family-friendly event that’s great for all skill/experience levels.
3. Classic Arms — The U.S. Army’s Model of 1917 Rifle. The Model 1903 Springfield is perhaps more famous, but more Model 1917 rifles were actually issued to American troops in World War I. This sequence covers the history of this important American battle rifle.
4. AR-Platform 6.5 Creedmoor Precision Rifle. In this segment John Scoutten works with JP Enterprises on a 6.5 Creedmoor semi-auto precision rig using JP’s LRP-07 components. This sequence showcases the AR10-type platform’s abilities with mid-sized cartridges.
Emil Praslick III is widely recognized as one of the greatest wind wizards on the planet — a master at identifying wind value and direction, and predicting wind cycles. As coach of the USAMU and top civilian teams, Emil has helped win many high-level championships. In the three videos we feature today, Emil, who works with Capstone Precision Group (Berger, Lapua, SK, Vihtavuori) and Team Applied Ballistics, explains how to determine wind direction and velocity using a variety of indicators. Praslick, now retired from the U.S. Army, was an 18-time National and 2-time World Champion coach with the USAMU.
Video ONE: Wind Theory Basics — Understanding “Wind Values”
In this video from UltimateReloader.com, Emil explains the basics of modern wind theory. To properly understand the effect of the wind you need to know both the velocity of the wind and its angle. The combination of those variables translates to the wind value. Emil also explains that the wind value may not be constant — it can cycle both in speed and velocity. Emil also explains some of the environmental conditions such as mirage that can reveal wind conditions.
Video TWO: Determining the Direction of the Wind
Key Point in Video — Find the Boil
Emil explains how to determine wind direction using optic. The method is to use spotting scope, riflescope, or binoculars to look for the “Boil” — the condition in mirage when the light waves rising straight up. The wind will generate that straight-up, vertical boil in your optics when it is blowing directly at you, or directly from your rear. To identify this, traverse your scope or optics until you see the boil running straight up. When you see that vertical boil, the direction your optic is pointing is aligned with the wind flow (either blowing towards you or from directly behind you).
Video THREE: The No Wind Zero Setting
In this second video, Emil defines the “No-Wind Zero”, and explains why competitive shooters must understand the no-wind zero and have their sights or optics set for a no-wind zero starting point before heading to a match. In order to hit your target, after determining wind speed and direction, says Emil, “you have to have your scope setting dialed to ‘no wind zero’ first.”
Coach of Champions — Emil Praslick III
SFC Emil Praslick III, (U.S. Army, retired) works with Berger Bullets and Applied Ballistics. Emil served as the Head Coach of the U.S. National Long Range Rifle Team and Head Coach of the USAMU for several years. Teams coached by Emil have won 33 Inter-Service Rifle Championships. On top of that, teams he coached set 18 National records and 2 World Records. Overall, in the role of coach, Praslick can be credited with the most team wins of any coach in U.S. Military history.
World Benchrest Championships
About Lapua and Vihtavuori
