Tarl Kempley is the 2012 NRA 3-Position Smallbore National Champion. Tarl combined a second-place finish in the Any Sights (scopes allowed) event with a fourth-place finish in the Metallic Sights event to end up winning the overall championship with a combined 2295-108X score. (The NRA 3P Smallbore National Championship is based on combined scores of the Metallic Sight Match and the Any Sight Match.)
NRA Smallbore Rifle 3-Position Championship (Combined Metallic Sight and Any-Sight)
Tarl has been a top smallbore competitor for many years. He won the 2011 NRA Metric 3-Position National Championship, and, in 2009, Tarl won the 3-Position Metallic Sight Championship at Camp Perry. This year he pulled it all together to win the 3-Position Overall Championship, chalking up high X-Count along the way. Interestingly, the next three finishers were women: Kirsten Weiss (2287-96X), Amanda Luoma (2281-92X), and Reya Kempley (2276-107X).
Weiss Shoots Iron Sights in Any Sight Match Yet Finishes Second Overall
Team Lapua’s Kirsten Weiss provided the come-from-behind story of the match. Shooting through extremely adverse conditions during the Any Sight Match on Day 2, Kirsten rose from eighth place to finish Second Overall and High Woman. This is particularly remarkable because Weiss shot the Any Sight Match with metallic (iron) sights! The majority of the other shooters opted for scopes. With the winds howling at over 20 mph, and the temperatures 25 degrees cooler than on Day One, Weiss shot consistently in the prone, kneeling, and standing portions. Weiss captured the standing segment and finished consistently near the top in prone and kneeling. Weiss uses a well-traveled Anschutz rifle with old-fashioned wood stock.
Weiss Used Ammo Tested in Lapua Tunnel
“I was very happy with my shooting, especially in the tough conditions on Day Two,” reported Kirsten. “Back in April I was at the Grand Opening of the Lapua Rimfire Service Center in Arizona and was able to comparison test some lots of Midas+ and X-ACT with my rifle.” Weiss says the lots of ammo she selected for her gun “performed great”, as her performance proved.
The 2012 London Olympic Games commence this Friday, July 27th. Among the thousands of Olympic athletes competing in London will be talented American rifle, pistol, and shotgun competitors. America fields a very strong team, and Team USA hopes to earn medals in many shooting events. To help fans back home follow our team members, USA Shooting has created an excellent 66-page guidebook that profiles America’s 2012 Olympic Shooting Team. This provides background info on all our 2012 U.S. Olympic/Paralympic shooting Team members. To view the USA Shooting Olympic Preview eZine, click the cover photo at right or the link below. Or, if you become a supporting member of USA Shooting, you can get a hard copy edition. USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the U.S. Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in the United States.
Wounded Warrior Will Compete for Team USA at London Paralympic Games
The video below is an inspirational story about 2012 Paralympic Team USA member SFC Josh Olson. Now serving with the USAMU, wounded Iraq war veteran Josh Olson recently qualified to represent Team USA in shooting at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. In this video, Josh talks about his service in the military and the night in Iraq when he lost his leg during an ambush. Josh, who took up shooting as a sport during rehab at Walter Reed, hopes he can inspire other wounded veterans through his performance in London. Editor’s NOTE: This really is an outstanding video. I strongly recommend you take the time to watch it.
Do you have a nice scope mounted to a “safe queen” rifle that never gets used? Or maybe you have a set of premium binoculars you bought for that Alaskan hunting trip you never got to take?
Now you can convert those valuable optics into cash with the SWFA Trade-In Program. You can either sell your gear outright to SWFA, or trade your items in on new products. Just fill out an online appraisal form, upload a photo, and SWFA will evaluate your submitted product. You can designate whether you want to sell your item outright, or trade it in on new gear.
Trade Your Pre-Owned Optics or Firearms
While SWFA specializes in optics, you can also trade-in firearms, or even barter hunting holidays. SWFA says: “We gladly accept trades on just about anything of value (firearms of any type, scopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, hunts). You never know unless you ask!”
Note, you must submit an Online Appraisal Form for all items submitted for trade-in. In addition, SWFA needs a digital JPEG photo of each item, 400 pixels wide and 300 pixels high.
Score one for Australian shooters. After a lengthy legal battle, the New South Wales Rifle Association (NSWRA) has preserved its rights to use the historic ANZAC Range on the outskirts of Sydney.
Last week, the New South Wales Supreme Court ruled that the Commonwealth Government could not shut down NSWRA shooting operations at ANZAC Range (and sell the 100-hectare Range site) because the Commonwealth had not provided a suitable alternative facility. The Court held that, under the terms of a 2000 License Agreement, NSWRA could not be evicted from the ANZAC Range until such time as a suitable new range was provided for use by the NSWRA and affiliated shooting clubs.
The ANZAC Range, the largest rifle range in the southern hemisphere, is located on the Malabar Headland, south of Sydney. The ANZAC Range has been a revered venue for Australian marksmen for more than a century and a half. It is headquarters to the New South Wales Rifle Association (NSWRA), and hosts the annual NSW Queen’s Prize. The range is shared among various shooting associations and clubs with the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA) occupying the “southern” end of the complex. The range is also extensively used by clubs affiliated with the SSAA and NSWRA. The ANZAC range is steeped in history. It has been used for recreational shooting since the 1860s. The term “ANZAC” comes from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The early Australian Defense Corps trained at the Malabar Range, and Allied troops trained there during World War II.
In recent decades, the New South Wales Rifle Association has been embroiled in a court case against the Commonwealth Government over the Malabar Headland, the land on which the ANZAC Rifle Range is located. In July 1986 the Commonwealth Government resolved to sell the ANZAC Rifle Range. Since that time the NSW Rifle Association and the dozens of gun clubs that regularly use the ANZAC Rifle Range have been facing closure. There were a series of eviction notices and legal proceedings, culminating in a year 2000 License Agreement under which the NSWRA was allowed ongoing use of the ANZAC Rifle Range at Malabar until an alternative site became available. There were plans to open a new public range for the NSWRA at the Holsworthy Army Base. However, those plans were scrapped and the Commonwealth never acquired and built a new facility. (Under the terms of the License Agreement, the Commonwealth was to give the NSWRA part of the Holsworthy Barracks and $9 million to help it relocate there.)
Commonwealth officials assert the ANZAC Range would be converted to a National Park once shooting activities were terminated. The Range property would be deeded to the NSW State Government for Park use.
Though there were a number of lesser issues involved in the ANZAC Range litigation (including asbestos abatement and structure maintenance), the NSW Supreme Court’s decision turned on the failure of the Commonwealth to provide an alternative facility: “The Commonwealth has not given a Relocation Notice. Apparently it was decided that it was not appropriate that the Holsworthy Army Base be made available to provide a range for private shooting clubs. Although other potential rifle ranges have been identified, so far as appears, no steps have been taken, other than the carrying out of studies, to relocate the ANZAC Rifle Range.”
Under the terms of the Court’s ruling, the NSWRA can continue to use the ANZAC Range (but not necessarily forever). The Supreme Court’s ruling specifically blocks the Commonwealth from evicting the NSWRA from the ANZAC Range… for now. And likewise the Commonwealth is enjoined from selling or transferring the range property on the Malabar Headland. A range closure is still possible in the years ahead, but the Commonwealth must first provide a suitable replacement range complex.
Aussie Shooters Celebrate Legal Victory
Australian shooters are hailing this court decision as a major victory. The editor of Shooting.com.au, a leading Australian shooting sports website, tells us: “The NSWRA has won its case against the Government, thereby establishing [an important] precedent for shooters in Australia. Where previously we were trod upon without care, we now have a strong precedent with which to challenge, and hopefully prevail over, future legislative changes and government actions. It’s been a long time since Australian shooters had anything to celebrate about.” For more information, visit www.saveanzacrange.com.
On July 13th, Brunos Shooters Supply (Bruno’s) launched its first-ever FREE Shipping promotion. This promo proved so popular with customers that Bruno’s has decided to extend the sale another week (through 7/27/2012). So, through next Friday, July 27th, Bruno’s is offering FREE Ground Shipping on all orders over $250.00 (Continental USA only). To order, visit www.brunoshooters.com or call 1-800-455-0350 or (623) 587-7641. Please mention you saw this promo in our Daily Bulletin.
NOTE: Purchasers will still pay a $3.00 handling fee on all orders. In addition, the FREE Shipping offer does NOT include Haz-Mat fees where required for powder, primers or other hazardous materials. FREE Ground Shipping will be via Bruno’s choice of flat-rate USPS Priority Mail or UPS ground. Free Shipping offer applies to continental USA only.
Looking for the perfect rimfire training rifle, one that has the look, feel, and ergonomics of your favorite centerfire field/tactical rifle? Well here’s a unique opportunity. EuroOptic.com is putting together a special limited edition run of 49 Sako Quad rifles, configured exactly as the buyer specifies, with McMillan Stocks, Lilja Barrels, and Cerakoted Metal. There will only be 49 such rifles available, and the deadline to order is July 31, 2012. EuroOptic.com has a few offerings left, but it expects all 49 Special Edition Quads will be sold by the end of this month.
The Sako Quad was a great concept — one rimfire rifle with a quiver of barrels in different rimfire chamberings. However, many potential buyers didn’t need or want all four barrels. Many potential buyers liked the idea of the Quad as a rimfire trainer, but they wanted a rifle fitted with a full-size, fiberglass stock, so the gun would have the same ergonomics and feel as their centerfire bolt-guns. That would make it the ideal rimfire training rig.
Well, this dream is now a reality. EuroOptic.com has decided to make a special limited run of 49 custom rimfire trainer rifles with premium components.
These Special Edition Quads will feature Sako Quad actions, McMillan fiberglass stocks, Lilja custom barrels, as well as quality third-party scope rails, triggerguards, and bolt knobs. The bedding and coating work will be done by GA Precision.
49 Special Quads — With McMillan Stocks, Lilja Barrels, and Cerakoted Metal
Each rifle will be “made to order” for the 49 lucky guys who sign up before orders close. The pre-order price (including ONE barrel, no optics) is $2195.00 + $30.00 for insured shipping in a hard card. Those who pre-order the rifles will be able to select the colors and special features they prefer. Buyers can chose among six (6) different McMillan stocks (with your choice of finish). Each rifle comes with one (1) .22 LR barrel. For an additional $350.00 per barrel, you can also order extra Lilja barrels chambered for any of these rimfire cartridges: .22 WMR, .17 HMR, or 17 Mach 2.
Each rifle will have the following standard features:
SAKO Quad receiver engraved with EuroOptic Logo and 1 of 49, 2 of 49 etc.
Lilja custom drop-in bull barrel in .22 LR. Other barrels/calibers can be added.
McMillan stock of your choice, bedded by GA Precision.
Cerakote metal color of your choice: Black, Desert Tan, Mil-Spec OD.
Picatinny +20 MOA scope rail by DIProducts.
Billet Aluminum trigger-guard by DIProducts.
KMW bolt knob.
You can choose from a variety of popular McMillan fiberglass stock designs. These include: A2, A3, A3-5, A5, HTG (M40), and Sako Varmint. The purchaser can also select the stock color/pattern. Click here to view some stock color options.
Additional Features (Extra-cost Options)
Threaded muzzle with cap — $125 per barrel
Coating of one additional barrel — $75.00
KMW cheekpiece installed — $150.00
Sling stud — $7.50 | Flush cup — $13.00
Limbsaver butt-pad — $23.00
Adjustable LOP with Spacer System — $116.00
2-way vertical butt-plate — $116.00
3-way butt-plate — $180.00
Saddle Cheekpiece — $116.00
Integral thumbwheel cheekpiece — $142.00
Anschutz fore-end rail — $53.00
Seekins fore-end PIC rail for bipod — $33.25
Ordering Instructions
To order, call EuroOptic at (570) 220-3159 or email: alex [at] eurooptic.com . When ordering, please specify McMillan stock model and color choice, as well as any extras you would like (including additional barrels), along with your choice of metal color. NOTE: Eurooptic.com requires a 25% non-refundable deposit for these rifles. Once the deposit is taken, the stock will be ordered as specified. The Quads are to be delivered by Sako in August 2012, and all 49 rifles should be completed before the end of 2012.
Eurooptic’s special pricing will continue until all 49 rifles are sold or until JULY 31st, whichever comes first. July 31st is the last day to pre-order a rifle to your spec. If any rifles remain unsold at that point they will be sold at normal price reflected on the Eurooptic.com website.
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has made its top-end spotting scopes much more affordable. From August 1, 2012 through the end of the year, Zeiss is offering a whopping $500 rebate on its 65mm and 85mm Victory DiaScope spotting scopes. Those who purchase a DiaScope during this time will also receive a free portable tripod to enhance their viewing pleasure. This rebate offer is part of the Carl Zeiss 2012 Field Days Promotion. Visit Zeiss.com on August 1st for full details of the DiaScope promotion and other Field Days special offers.
The current Zeiss DiaScope models were launched in 2010 and won Field & Stream’s Best of the Best award, Outdoor Life’s Editor’s Choice award, Petersen’s Hunting’s Editor’s Choice award and the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award. It has many impressive features, including one-piece construction, full armor, and an innovative Dual Speed Focus System (DSF). For those seeking extreme magnification, the DiaScope has an edge over other premium spotting scopes — MORE POWER. The DiaScope’s 20-75x eyepiece remains the most powerful on the market today.
AccurateShooter.com Field Tests: Zeiss vs. Other Premium Spotting Scopes
We have tested the latest Zeiss 85mm DiaScope against high-end scopes from Swarovski, Nikon, and Pentax. Viewed at equivalent 60 power, the Zeiss glass was sharper, brighter, and clearer than both the Nikon and Pentax (showing less chromatic aberration). Contrast and sharpness was very, very close to the Swarovski, with possibly a tiny edge to the Swaro in contrast. Some of our testers prefered the DiaScope’s Dual Speed Focus. It is definitely fast. Others preferred the simplicity of the big, full-diameter ring on the Swarovski. But when we wanted max magnification, the DiaScope offered significantly more power than the Swaro: 75X for the Zeiss vs. 60X for the Swaro. Advantage Zeiss.
How about price? A Swarovski ATM-80 HD (Angled) with 20-60X eyepiece currently costs about $3059.00. The Zeiss Victory DiaScope 85T FL (Angled) with 20-75x eyepiece retails for about $3150.00 before rebate. If you knock $500.00 off the Zeiss with the rebate, you can get the 85mm Zeiss DiaScope for $409.00 less than the 80mm Swarovski. That should secure more buyers for the Zeiss. But anyone looking at ultra-premium spotting scopes should also consider the 88mm Kowa TSN-883/884 Prominar with Fluorite Glass. The Kowa is superb — perhaps the new benchmark for 80+ mm class spotters. The 88mm Angled version is $2450.00 for body only. CLICK HERE for Kowa TSN-880 Series Gear Review.
Report by Lindsey J. Morgan for the NRA Blog.
The NRA Smallbore Three-Position National Championships commenced today at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. The first event, the prone stage of the Metallic Sight Matches, got off to a rainy start Thursday morning. The prone phase consists of two 20-shot stages fired in twenty minutes each, at 50 yards with metallic sights— a total of 40 shots. A light rain started while relay one was shooting, and after about ten minutes, a cease-fire was called due to lightning threats. After about fifteen minutes, the tower announced shooting could resume with a one-minute prep period. Competitors went back to the firing line, set up their equipment and resumed shooting. The weather forecast calls for rain and scattered thunderstorms the rest of today.
At the Smallbore practice session on Wednesday, well-known shooters filled the line: Tarl and Reya Kempley, last year’s 3-Position Champion Joseph Hein, and USAMU paralympic member Joshua Olson. Olson will compete at Camp Perry before heading over to London for the 2012 Olympics. The slide show below features photos by NRA Blog Editor Lars Dalseide, taken during the practice session.
Already respected for her High Power and Long-Range shooting, Nancy Tompkins added the 2012 NRA National Metric Prone Smallbore Rifle National Championship to her impressive shooting resume.
The weather was very hot and breezy for the 2012 Metric Prone National Championships conducted at the Wa-Ke’-De Rifle Range, Bristol, Indiana. Forty-two competitors were on hand for this third Annual Metric Prone Nationals. On Monday the 1200-point Iron Sights Aggregate was held, followed by the Any Sight Aggregate on Tuesday. Winds began mild and built throughout the day. The range is sheltered by high trees, but as the wind increases, it swirls, making this range a very difficult place to shoot (especially given the use of the more difficult Olympic metric targets). The 100-yard stage of each day was the determining factor!
Tompkins won the Iron Sight Aggregate with a score of 1172-55X to beat young Garrett Spurgeon by four points and Katie Bridges by 13. Kevin Nevius said: “Nancy was amazing — her 100-yard performance was some of the best shooting I have ever seen.”
Fellow Team Lapua member Kevin was shooting great himself. In the Any Sight competition, Kevin captured the National Title with an aggregate score of 1176-56X. Runner-up was Ron Wigger with 1169-54X, while Tompkins was High Woman at 1165-46X.
Tompkins’ consistency paid off as she captured the National Title with a total score of 2337-101X to narrowly defeat Spurgeon (2333-115X) and Nevius (2328-96X). “I was able to visit the new Lapua Service Center in Mesa, AZ about two weeks ago and found the perfect Lapua ammunition for my rifle,” reported Tompkins. Nancy was shooting Lapua Midas+ ammo, while Kevin Nevius competed using Lapua’s X-ACT ammunition. For additional information on the NRA Metric Smallbore Rifle National Championship visit http://www.nrahq.org/compete/nm_metric-prone.asp. To learn more about Lapua products and the Lapua Service Center contact Adam Braverman at abraverman [at] lapua.us.
National Metric Smallbore Championships Results
GRAND AGGREGATE
Nancy Tompkins: Winner, 2337-101X
Garrett Spurgeon: Second, 2333-115X
Kevin Nevius: Third, 2328-96X
Joe Farmer: High Senior, 2318-112X
Michelle Bohren: High Lady, 2310-91X
Katie Bridges: High Junior, 2320-108X
Virginia McLemore: High Senior Lady, 2306-91X
IRON AGGREGATE
Nancy Tompkins: Winner. 1172-55X
Garrett Spurgeon: 1168-60X
Dempster Christenson: 1156-50X
Katie Bridges: High Lady, 1159-55X
Joe Farmer: High Sr., 1153-47X
Amanda Luoma: High Jr., 1138-43X
Virginia McLemore: High Sr., 1148-41X
Sarah Nakata: High Jr. Lady, 1139-36X
Samantha Peterson: High School Jr., 1123-31X
ANY SIGHT AGGREGATE
Kevin Nevius: Winner, 1176-56X
Ron Wigger: Second, 1169-54X
Garrett Spurgeon: Third, 1165-55X
Nancy Tompkins: High Lady, 1165-46X
Joe Farmer: High Sr., 1165-51X
Katie Bridges: High Jr., 1161-53X
Virginia McLemore: High Sr. Lady, 1158-50X
On July 14th, NRA Executive V.P. and CEO Wayne LaPierre addressed the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty Conference in New York. You can see his presentation in the video below.
LaPierre stated: “No foreign influence has jurisdiction over the freedoms our Founding Fathers guaranteed to us….Without apology, the NRA wants no part of any treaty that infringes on the precious right of lawful Americans to keep and bear arms.” LaPierre specifically called for the exclusion of civilian arms from the Treaty’s coverage: “It is regrettable that proposals affecting civilian firearms ownership are woven throughout the proposed ATT [Arms Trade Treaty]. That being the case, however, there is only one solution to this problem: the complete removal of civilian firearms from the scope of any ATT … civilian firearms must not be part of any ATT. On this there can be no compromise, as American gun owners will never surrender their Second Amendment freedom.” LaPierre concluded: “The cornerstone of our freedom is the Second Amendment. Neither the United Nations, nor any other foreign influence, has the authority to meddle with the freedoms guaranteed by our Bill of Rights, endowed by our Creator, and due to all humankind.”
Tarl Kempley is the 2012 NRA 3-Position Smallbore National Champion. Tarl combined a second-place finish in the Any Sights (scopes allowed) event with a fourth-place finish in the Metallic Sights event to end up winning the overall championship with a combined 2295-108X score. (The NRA 3P Smallbore National Championship is based on combined scores of the Metallic Sight Match and the Any Sight Match.)
Weiss Shoots Iron Sights in Any Sight Match
Score one for Australian shooters. After a lengthy legal battle, the 
Commonwealth officials assert the ANZAC Range would be converted to a National Park once shooting activities were terminated. The Range property would be deeded to the NSW State Government for Park use.
Well, this dream is now a reality. 
The current Zeiss DiaScope models were launched in 2010 and won Field & Stream’s Best of the Best award, Outdoor Life’s Editor’s Choice award, Petersen’s Hunting’s Editor’s Choice award and the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award. It has many impressive features, including one-piece construction, full armor, and an innovative Dual Speed Focus System (DSF). For those seeking extreme magnification, the DiaScope has an edge over other premium spotting scopes — MORE POWER. The DiaScope’s 20-75x eyepiece remains the most powerful on the market today.
Already respected for her High Power and Long-Range shooting, Nancy Tompkins added the 2012 NRA National Metric Prone Smallbore Rifle National Championship to her impressive shooting resume.
On July 14th, NRA Executive V.P. and CEO Wayne LaPierre addressed the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty Conference in New York. You can see his presentation in the video below.
