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January 4th, 2014
RCBS is offering $10 or $50 rebates on reloading products purchased in the first half of 2014. Here’s the deal: from January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014, reloaders who purchase $50 of RCBS tools and accessories can receive a $10 rebate, or those who buy $300 in RCBS products can get $50. To qualify, 2014 purchase(s) must be made before June 30th, and the rebate application must be submitted by July 31, 2014. Be sure to save your original receipts and UPCs from the product packaging: “Consumer submits rebate coupon, box UPCs and original cash register receipt and/or dated itemized sales invoice. Photocopies will not be accepted.” CLICK HERE for rebate form and further information.
Rebate tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
January 4th, 2014
 Are you interested in long range shooting … really long-range shooting, i.e. well beyond a mile? Will you be at SHOT Show in ten days? Then consider attending the start-up meeting of the Unlimited Range Shooters Association (URSA), a new organization dedicated to the ultra-long-range game. URSA’s initial, organizational meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 14 during the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, NV. Visit Unlimitedrange.org to learn more about this new organization.
The goal of the meeting will be to lay the groundwork for an organization that will serve the needs of shooters interested in “unlimited range” shooting (i.e. 2000 yards and beyond). The meeting is open to all interested parties, SHOT Show attendees and non-attendees alike. Especially encouraged to attend are those interested in helping to form the Association and further its objectives. The meeting will be in the Marcello Room (#4402), 4th level of the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center. Doors open at 2:30 pm and the meeting begins at 3:00 pm (room reserved by URSA through 6:00 pm).
Anyone wishing to provide assistance, or to provide constructive suggestions, is requested to e-mail webmaster [at] unlimitedrange.org. Corporate supporters are encouraged to provide their logo(s) for inclusion on the Association’s Supporters page. Visit Unlimitedrange.org for the URSA start-up meeting agenda and more information about the proposed association. (Click the “About” link for details).
Oscar Leckliter
URSA Facilitator and Interim Webmaster
webmaster [at] unlimitedrange.org
URSA thanks Desert Tech (formerly Desert Tactical Arms) for its support and generosity. The meeting will be held in Desert Tech’s meeting space.
January 3rd, 2014
Shiraz Balolia has announced that Rick Jensen will take over the reins as Captain of the U.S. F-Class Open Team. Departing Captain Balolia deserves a great deal of praise for his hard work, dedication, and leadership of the team over recent seasons. Shiraz gave generously to the squad, in terms of both time and resources. Under his tutelage, the Open Team raised its standards of training and team-work. Shiraz will be a tough act to follow.
 About Rick Jensen, New Team Captain
Rick Jensen lives in Claremore, Oklahoma with his wife Crystal and his daughters Riley and Zoey. He started shooting local F-Class matches at Tulsa Red Castle Gun Club in 2005. Since then he has competed at the National and International levels. Rick’s first Nationals were in Lodi, Wisconsin in 2008. In 2010, Rick was a member of the winning North America Shooters team at the 4-man National Championship Team matches in Sacramento. Rick has shot at two World Championshipse — the 2009 F-Class World Championships at Bisley, England, and the 2013 FCWC at Raton, NM.
Rick considers one of the most memorable highlights of his career to be in the summer of 2011 when, along with Team USA, Rick won a gold medal in a combined F-Open/F-TR match against Ireland for the Creedmoor Cup. He felt that this was truly a special trip that will never be forgotten, in part due to the cup’s special ceremonies. Rick is honored to be representing the United States as the new Captain of the U.S. F-Class Open Team.
 Shiraz tells us: “Yesterday marked my last day as Captain of The United States F-Class Open Rifle Team. I had indicated to the team several months back that I would not be able to continue serving as the Captain of the team due to time constraints.
I am pleased to state that the NRA has picked a very good replacement for our team. Starting today, Rick Jensen is the new F-Class Open Rifle Team Captain for the United States. Rick has been a member of the U.S. F-Open Team for over six years and knows many of the various functions associated with it. He will make a fine Captain. Please join me in congratulating Rick as the new Captain of our United States F-Open Team. Congratulations, Rick!
Personally, I will continue as a team member — doing whatever the Captain asks of me. I am actually looking forward to simply showing up and shooting or coaching at matches and various events.”
January 3rd, 2014
Texas is a haven for hunters and shooting enthusiasts, so we’re not surprised that the Lone Star State leads the nation in online ammo sales. However, you might be surprised that California, with its liberal, anti-gun politicians, is a close second. Yes, California was the second-most active source of online ammo purchases in 2013, according to statistics from LuckyGunner.com, one of the nation’s leading online ammo vendors. In fact, California was number one in 2012. For 2013, Texas edged California for the top spot, followed by Florida, Michigan, and (surprise) New York.
More Online Ammo Buyers are Using Mobile Devices (Tablets and Smart Phones)
More and more people are connecting to the internet via mobile devices. And, apparently, they are using those devices to shop for ammo. Luckygunner.com saw a significant increase in orders from mobile devices in 2013. Fully 22.7% of Luckygunner’s visits were made via mobile devices in 2013, compared to 18.8% in the preceding year. AccurateShooter.com has seen a similar rise in the number of visitors connecting to our site via mobile devices (particularly smartphones).
January 2nd, 2014
Ana Pereira, from Portugal, is a Field Target World Champion. In the three videos below, Ana explains her sport and interviews other Field Target shooters. Field Target competitors shoot air rifles from a variety of positions over a multi-station field course. Targets are typically placed 9m to 50m distant (minimum distance rules vary country-by-country). Targets are usually small animal shapes that fall down when hit. There are a variety of air gun classes for Field Target, with the most exotic pre-charged pneumatic rifles costing many thousands of dollars.
Watch Interview with Ana Pereira
Field Target Shooters use very high-magnification scopes fitted with large side-wheels that control the parallax. The shooters use the parallax control to range the distance to the target and then adjust their elevation accordingly. In the video below, featuring the Steyr LG110 Field Target Air Rifle, you can see how the large side wheels are used for distance-ranging.
In the United Kingdom, most shots may be taken in any stance, but the seated position is the most popular due to its stability (and often one must shoot over logs or tall grass, so the prone position is not practical). Most competitors carry a small beanbag or cushion to sit on while shooting. It may also be used under the knee or to support the ankle during kneeling shots.
Targets are shot from “gates” in a firing line, and are divided into “lanes” of two targets each. Targets are often placed at about the same height as the shooter, but it is not uncommon for them to appear high up banks or in trees, or down steep slopes. The hit zone of a target is circular, usually 40–45 mm in diameter, although “reducer” targets as small as 25 mm may be employed for closer-range shots.
Ana Periera Interviews Springer Class World Champion Heli Jalakas in Estonia.
This Video Also Shows Shooting Sequences from International Competition:
January 2nd, 2014
Here’s an interesting product from Radians — 25 NRR earmuffs that include a built-in AM/FM radio. No, this is not what you want during a shooting match — because you want to be able to hear the match directors’ commands. However, we can see situations where the ability to receive radio programming can be beneficial. These could be handy for long practice sessions when you are spotting for fellow shooters, or these AM/FM muffs could be useful if you are spending the afternoon working with noisy power tools on your property.
The $69.99 (MSRP) Radians AMFMD1C features an LCD display with digital tuning. Eight stations can be stored in memory for both AM and FM bands. An Auxiliary Input Jack and included ‘patch cable’ make it possible to use a smart phone or MP3 player as a audio source. Radians will showcase its new digital radio hearing protector at the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
Other Earmuffs with Radio and Music Capabilities
If you are interested in audio-capable “enhanced” earmuffs, Howard Leight, Peltor, and Stanley all make similar products. The Howard Leight has digital AM/FM tuning, a comfortable headband, Hi-Viz Color, and a NRR 25 rating. The 3M Peltor offers seek/scan, gel foam inserts, and a NRR 23 rating. The Stanley RST-63005 has a durable, light-weight shell, auto shut-off feature, and a NRR 23 rating.
January 1st, 2014
Download free wallpapers from goodfon.com.
Happy New Year to all our readers worldwide, and especially the 23,500+ members of the AccurateShooter Forum. We hope 2014 brings you happiness in your lives and success in your endeavors. And we wish for small groups, good scores, and successful hunts in the New Year.
We hope that, in 2014, you’ll enjoy your precision rifles, spending “quality time” at the range with good friends. We upgraded our site this year, acquiring new high-speed dedicated servers. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our feature articles, our Daily Bulletin, our match reports, and our Free Forum Classifieds. The formula seems to be working — our audience is bigger than ever and it just keeps growing, with over 130,000+ unique users visiting the site every week.
Forum Membership Grows 18% in 2013
We experienced big growth in our Shooters’ Forum in 2013. Membership grew by 18% as ranks swelled to over 23,500 members! More people are successfully buying and selling in our FREE Forum Classifieds section than ever before.
Daily Bulletin Is a Big Hit
The AccurateShooter Daily Bulletin has become a “must read” for anyone interested in serious rifle accuracy. In the Bulletin you’ll find money-saving sale notices, timely match reports, and a host of reloading and accurizing tips. The Bulletin has become THE source for exclusive “scoops” on new products and new shooting technologies. Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets says: “You guys have become the ‘USA Today’ of the precision shooting market.” 365 days a year we offer a unique combination of shooting tips, gear reviews, industry news, and highlighted bargains and special sales.
Big Plans for 2014 — With Your Help…
In the months ahead we plan to do a complete overhaul and upgrade of the Daily Bulletin. This will make the stories easier to read on mobile devices, and home computer users will benefit from a more spacious layout, easier navigation, and faster searches. We’ll continue to offer serious field tests, photos and videos of important shooting matches, and inside “scoops” on the latest precision shooting products.
We need your support. For over nine years the site has relied largely on volunteer efforts by dedicated shooters. But as the site grows, adding new types of content and more sophisticated features, we need the assistance of professional gunsmiths, writers, and movie editors. Those guys don’t work for glory alone.
Consider this — what do you pay for a movie ticket these days? Probably $8.50 or more for 90 minutes of escapism. For a buck a month ($12 a year) you can help this site provide a YEAR’s worth of info, tests, and shooting news that you won’t find anywhere else.
 In the past quarter about 150 site users have donated to the site. We want to thank all those who have generously contributed (at any time). But that still leaves tens of thousands of users who access the site regularly without contributing.
Here’s our proposal. First, if you have used our FREE Classifieds to successfully sell your rifles or shooting gear, consider sending in a dollar or two from your sale proceeds. Second, for those who use the site regularly, consider donating One Dollar a Month. That’s less than the price of a cup of coffee.
How to Contribute
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If you don’t like Paypal, you can send a check. Make the check payable to our “Answerman” Jeff Williams. Please list your Forum Log-In Name (if any), and mail the check to:
Jeff Williams
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Evergreen, CO 80437-2409
December 31st, 2013
 Californians have one more day left before Long Gun Registration takes effect. Starting on January 1, 2014, every long gun sold in California must be registered in a permanent State government database. With the threat of registration looming, Californians are lining up in record numbers to purchase rifles and shotguns. At many gun stores, sales of long guns are up 30-50% compared to last year, as Californians try to “get their guns” before mandatory registration takes effect.
Under current law, a Californian (with no criminal history) may purchase a rifle or shotgun, subject to a 10-day waiting period. At least in theory, once the background check was approved, the gun store owner could destroy the sales record. However, that will change under the terms of AB 809, passed in 2011. AB 809 mandated that, starting in 2014, California shall maintain a permanent record of all new long guns purchased within the state.
Under the new law, each new long gun must be registered. A state firearms registry will track the make, model and serial number of the gun, as well as the person who owns it. In effect, long guns will be treated like handguns, with every gun sold being recorded for all eternity in a state database. According to CBS News: “Previously dealers would destroy personal information on long gun owners after a background check had been completed. Now they’ll register those purchases with the state.”
The new law also imposes new restrictions on the sale of previously-owned long arms (i.e. rifles and shotguns). Now, every time a long gun changes hands, the firearm must be added to the State firearm registry. Previously, nearly all long gun transactions needed to be carried out through an FFL, however, there was no additional registration requirement. After January 1, 2014, when a long gun is transfered via the FFL, it must then be registered. CBS News states: “Guns currently in existence, including heirloom weapons that have been handed down from one generation of family members to the next, will have to be registered for the first time when they next change hands.”
December 31st, 2013
Do you know a high-school senior with a strong interest in shooting, who could use some financial assistance for college? Well, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) may be able to help. Each year, the CMP offers a number of $1000, one-year scholarships to promising students. CMP $1000 scholarships are awarded, on the basis of merit, to selected high school seniors who participate in rifle or pistol marksmanship competitions with a team or club.
Applications are Being Accepted Now for 2014-2015
The CMP is now taking scholarship applications for the 2014-2015 freshman college year. Scholarships are one-year awards that may be used to fund any accredited, post-secondary education or vocational program. The scholarships are paid to the scholarship recipient but must be countersigned by the financial aid offices of the college where the student is enrolled. (Note: Students planing on enrolling in a military academy are not eligible).
The deadline for CMP Scholarship Application is March 20, 2014. Learn more about the program at the CMP Website Scholarship Page. Click the links below to download Scholarship Regulations or a Scholarship Application Form (as PDF files).
CMP Scholarship Regulations | Scholarship Application Form.
Eligibility requirements for CMP scholarships are:
- Be a U.S. Citizen.
- Be of good moral character.
- Be a graduating high school senior.
- Have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
- Can demonstrate acceptance to a university, college, or trade school leading to a diploma or trade certification.
- Have qualified for CMP JROTC Service Championships, OR have demonstrated rifle or pistol marksmanship competition experience.
December 30th, 2013
Glock will sell a small, single-stack .380 ACP pistol in 2014. The new carry gun, designated the Glock 42, was supposed to be a deep, dark secret until SHOT Show 2014, but news leaked out throughout the blogosphere, and Glock has confirmed that this is the real deal. Here’s the good news: the pistol is light (13.4 oz. empty) and slim (0.94 inches wide). Under 6″ in length, it should carry discretely in a variety of holsters. Made in the USA, the Glock 42 has a 6-round mag, and a 5.5-lb trigger pull weight.
First “Un-Boxing” of Glock 42 Carry Pistol in .380 ACP:
Here’s the bad news: It seems Glock fans were hoping for a slim, single stock 9mm, as the .380 ACP cartridge is considered under-powered by many self-defense “gurus”. Some would-be buyers were also hoping that Glock would finally jettison the distinctive bulged-bottom backstrap that many shooters consider uncomfortable at best, and just plain wrong at worst. For many people, that fat bulge in the lower half of the grip causes the gun to point wrong. For many of us, the “hump” on the back of the grip forces an unnatural wrist angle when firing. If you don’t understand, shoot a Glock and a classic Sig back to back and you may experience ergonomic enlightenment.
 Does the Glock 42
Really Represent Progress?
We find it interesting that, in the 105 years since Colt released its m1908 “Pocket Hammerless”, handgun design hasn’t necessarily advanced that far. Let us explain…
Compared to the Glock 42, the slim, .380 ACP Colt m1908 (derived from Colt’s .32 ACP m1903) has a smoother trigger, and boasts a 7-shot magazine (vs. a 6-shot mag for the Glock 42). The Colt also has a better-shaped grip, plus a smoother exterior (with fewer bumps, ridges, and snag-points). Remarkably, the 105-year-old Colt is actually thinner — it is 3/4″ wide compared to just under 1″ for the Glock 42.
On the other hand, at 13.4 ounces, the Glock is much lighter in weight than the 24 ounce Colt, and, yes, the Glock 42 is shorter than the m1908. For some, the Glock’s lighter weight is all-important. Others may prefer the Colt given its all-metal construction, lovely blued finish, and classic styling. Many gun aficionados feel that the m1903/m1908 pistols were the prettiest of John Moses Browning’s self-loading designs. What do you think? Is the Glock 42 really a better .380 ACP pistol than the classic Colt m1908?
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