USAMU shooter SFC Jason Parker, the 2011 Continental American Champion, won the 50m Three Position (3P) Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan, Italy. With an overall score of 1273.1 points, Parker topped runner-up Niccolò Campriani (Italy), by almost three points, earning the American soldier his fifth ISSF World Cup Gold medal. Jason apparently likes Italy — in 2001 SFC Parker won an ISSF World Cup Gold medal in Milan.
SFC Parker told reporters: “I won my first international medal ever here in Milan, so it’s great to be back on this podium. We have our national Olympic trials kicking off in a few days: the 2012 Olympic team will be decided there. It’s good to walk into the trials knowing that everything works fine, and that I can score well under pressure.”
Despite extremely windy conditions in Milan, SFC Parker shot a great match. Parket noted: “I am quite confident with the wind. I adjusted my sights with a couple of clicks and knew how to react. I had no problems.” Team USA shooting coach, Major Dave Johnson, praised Parker: “This was a vintage performance from Jason today. There wasn’t anything truly big or flashy about the way he shot, but he made no mistakes all day and was just very consistent.”
Watch Highlights from Mens’ 50m 3-Position in ISSF World Cup Milan
Twenty-one USA Shooting athletes, including 10 Olympians, are in Italy for their final International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup event before the London 2012 Olympic Games. The ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol events continues tomorrow with Women’s 50m Three-Position Rifle, Women’s 25m Pistol and Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol. Through three days of competition, the USA Shooting Team has earned three top-10 finishes following a sixth-place finish for Sarah Scherer (Woburn, Mass.) and a 10th-place finish by Jamie Gray (Lebanon, Pa.) in Women’s 10m Air Rifle.
Tomorrow, May 19, you can try out the electronic targets used in the Olympics at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Gerrardstown, WV. The event is a part of the NRA’s effort to increase awareness of Electronic Target Systems and their use for recreational shooting. Provided by ShotResponse (a dealer for the Swiss SIUS AG company), the electronic targets instantly record and score every shot fired down-range. The new NRA Portable Box Target provides a 4′ x 4′ scoring zone (with multiple target options) and remote display at the shooter’s location. The wireless version works out to 1,000 yards without a signal repeater.
Next Target Demo in Williamsport, PA
The next demonstration of the SIUS electronic targets will be September 8, 2012 at the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club, in Williamsport, PA. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Williamsport event this fall. If your club is interested in hosting an electronic target event in the future, contact NRA Range Services at (877) NRA-RANGE or email range@nrahq.org.
About the Equipment
The SIUS Portable Bullet Sensor (PBS) is a Portable Single Lane RF (wireless) automatic electronic precision target scoring system. SIUS PBS employs Acoustical Projectile Locating (detection). Accuracy is 1 – 2mm at the target center and 5 – 7mm at outer scoring zones. Any small arms firearms from .22-caliber to .308 caliber can be used with the system. It works with both subsonic and supersonic projectiles. The ShotResponse NRA Box targets with multiple target “skins”, including standard bullseye targets along with deer and boar hunting targets. There are 12 different Target Facings with Firing Exercise Software plus the Rifle Grouping/Zeroing Exercise.
The PBS system consists of a collapsible Precision Target with an RF (wireless) Battery Pack, a Target carrying/shipping case and a Shooter’s RF Wireless Control Unit/Monitor with Keypad, Battery Pack, Carrying/Shipping Case and a Laptop computer for downloading and printing of firing data. This portable system employs technology developed by SIUS, the official supplier of electronic targets for the Olympic Games and ISSF competition. CLICK HERE for SIUS video.
The video below shows a variety of SIUS/ShotResponse indoor and outdoor electronic targets in use. There are systems for airguns and pistols as well as rimfire and centerfire rifles.
Bryan Litz has just released AB Mobile, a new, state-of-the-art Ballistics App for Android OS devices. (An iOS version for iPhones/iPads is in the works, but ETA is not yet set.) For those familiar with the Shooter App for Android and iOS, the $29.95 AB Mobile App is basically an extended/advanced version of Shooter. AB Mobile was coded by the same programmer, and uses the same solver, but this new AB App has an enhanced interface, plus many additional features that extend capabilities beyond any ballistics App currently on the market. In the video below, Bryan explains the features of the AB Mobile App and shows how to navigate through the various function screens.
Accounts for all major and minor trajectory variables
Built-in library of Litz-measured G1 and G7 Ballistic Coefficients for popular bullets.
Access weather data and latitude from GPS or Kestrel via blue-tooth link.
Web-sync feature stores rifle/ammo libraries online for quick retrieval.
Features custom drag curves for specific bullets as in-app purchases ($1.99).
Displays single shot solution in HUD view or Reticle view.
Displays multi-shot solution in Reticle view, table, and graph.
Custom Ballistic Calibration Based on Observed Drops
In addition, Applied Ballistics’ AB Mobile App offers Ballistic Calibration, so you can enter your observed drop at range and the program will calibrate your muzzle velocity, projectile drag (BC), and drop scaling over various segments of the trajectory. This is great for tactical shooters who need highly accurate drop tables for unknown distance matches. For those without access to chronographs, Ballistic Calibration also give you a fairly reliable MV baseline.
Starlight Cases has introduced a new SC-081454 Double Rifle Case featuring a deeper, 3″ lid. We’re very pleased with this upgraded, thicker design. The increased clearance provided by the deeper lid provides additional protection, without creating side loads on your scope that can cause reliability issues. What’s more, making the lid taller allows the hard case to better fit wide-forearm rifles and rifles with attached bipods.
Internal dimensions of the SC-081454 Double Rifle Case are 8″ Deep X 14″ Wide X 54″ Long. That’s long enough to hold rifles with barrels up to 32″ — so this case can hold Palma, Long-Range Benchrest, and F-Class rifles. Case weight, unladen, is 26 pounds and the price is a hefty $320.00. But when you’re hauling up to $7000.00 worth of rifle and optics, that’s money well spent for the added protection it provides, particularly during airline transport. You can custom-fit Starlight’s foam lining by cutting the layered foam with a hot knife. The SC-081454 hard-case also includes a molded-in recessed wheel kit for ease of transport. These cases are offered in black, Olive Drab, and “flat dark earth” colors.
Why the Deep Lid is a Good Thing: We’ve seen issues with bulky rifles (with large scopes) jammed into cases with insufficient clearance from top to bottom. This can put side-loads on your scope turrets that can lead to problems down the road. While you don’t want your rifle to shift during transport, at the same time you don’t want the case lid and bottom pressing on the rifle optics. We do recommend cutting the foam to create a fitted recess for your rifle.
The patented Latch-Lock™ System (with O-ring seal) on Starlight Cases ensures an airtight, watertight, chemical resistant protective case. Fitted with a pressure equalizer valve, Starlight cases are tested watertight and airtight to 400′ pressures. These durable hard cases are temp-tested from -65° to 200°. ATA-approved Starlights exceed the stringent Military MIL-C 4150J testing standards. All Starlight cases are backed by an Unconditional Lifetime Warranty and Made in USA. In addition, If for any reason you are not satisfied with your case when it is delivered, you have 7 days to return the case to the manufacturer for a full refund.
Here’s an oddball item cited on The Firearm Blog. There’s a new service that loads a decedent’s ashes into shootable ammunition. This story will shock some readers, amuse others, and have some saying, “Well why not?” Thanks to Holy Smoke LLC, when a person passes away, and is cremated, his ashes can now be loaded up into commemorative ammo, and fired off in tribute… or used on one “final hunt”.
Choose Shotshells, Rifle Rounds, or Pistol Cartridges for Your Decedent
We kid you not… Holy Smoke LLC is offering a service by which a loved one’s ashes can be placed in shotshells, rifle cartridges, or pistol cases. Holy Smoke says: “One pound of ash is enough to produce 250 shotshells (one case).” If the decedent is not a shotgunner, you can also chose either 100 rifle cartridges or 100 pistol cartridges. We’re told that “Wildcat cartridges” are no problem (for a slight extra fee). So, if you want to make your “final flight” propelled by a Dasher or 300 Boo-Boo, that’s possible.
Could “one final trip downrange” be the perfect send-off for the avid rifleman, shotgunner or hunter? Perhaps. This option could appeal to some folks. And if you really don’t feel too good about blasting old grand-dad’s ashes into the air, Holy Smoke LLC also offer “mantle-worthy wooden carriers with engraved name plates”.
Having attend some ceremonies where ashes were distributed at sea, or cast to the winds, I think a “final salute” with shotshells could be handled with dignity. But 250 shotshells or 100 rifle cartridges is a lot to shoot on one occasion. Maybe the better idea would be to have all the ashes fired off in a cannon in one big bang. Now that would be impressive! As for you 3-gunners, Holy Smoke doesn’t list a “mix and match” option with shotgun, rifle, and pistol rounds, but that might be a future option. Heck, you could even have a memorial 3-gun match — with ammo supplied.
How did Holy Smoke LLC get started? Well the company’s founders are both game wardens who love shooting and hunting. One day the subject of burials came up:
“We were discussing the passing of one of our relatives and the topic of conversation turned to our own demise and whether we preferred burial or cremation. I told my friend that I had some cost, waste of space and ecological issues with burials and that I thought I wanted to be cremated and in some fashion, have my ashes tossed into a river or spread through the woods.
My friend smiled and said ‘You know I’ve thought about this for some time and I want to be cremated. Then I want my ashes put into some turkey load shotgun shells and have someone that knows how to turkey hunt use the shotgun shells with my ashes to shoot a turkey. That way I will rest in peace knowing that the last thing that one turkey will see is me, screaming at him at about 900 feet per second‘.”
What does it cost? The price for either 250 shotshells or 100 cartridges (rifle or pistol) is $850.00 (this does not include cremation costs). Could you load a decedent’s ashes yourself for less? Yes, of course, but there may be legal issues involved with the disposition of cremated remains. Even the $850.00 price is a fraction of what typical funeral burial services cost. If you’re interested in Holy Smoke’s unique services, visit www.myholysmoke.com or call (251) 232-4414 or (251) 213-1211.
The Firearms Industry Super Shoot, hosted at the Kelbly’s Range in North Lawrence, Ohio, will be held Wednesday, May 23, through Saturday, May 26th. Now in its 40th year, the Super Shoot is the biggest short-range benchrest competition on the planet, drawing upwards of 400 competitors each year. The Super Shoot attracts the top 100-yard/200-yard Benchrest shooters from throughout the world. Along with Americans, we may see competitors from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
No Rail Guns at Super Shoot — Just LV and HV
The Super Shoot is a two-class-only event, for 10.5-lb Light Varmint and 13.5-lb Heavy Varmint class rifles. Registration fees are normally $110.00 for one gun (2 days) or $240.00 for two guns (the whole event). However, after May 10, 2012, Registration Fees are $130.00 per gun — No Exceptions. Spaces are still available, so don’t hesitate to sign up. It’s not too late to enter. Here’s the schedule:
Match Schedule:
May 23: 100 yards, 10.5-lb class
May 24: 100 yards, 13.5-lb class
May 25: 200 yards, 13.5-lb class
May 26: 200 yards, 10.5-lb class
Trophies Galore, Cash Awards, and Equipment Give-Aways
This being the 40th Anniversary of the SuperShoot, there will be a wide selection of trophies and prizes. This is a rich event — Jim Kelbly says the Overall Winner usually captures $2500.00 or more in cash. Trophies will be awarded for: all match winners, small group winners, Range Aggregates (First 3 places at 100 & 200), Grand Aggregates (Top 3), and Two-Gun Aggregates. There will be special trophies for Top Women Shooter (Grand Agg, 13.5-lb), Top 3 Husband/Wife Teams, Best Father/Son and Father/Daughter Teams, and Top First-Time SuperShoot Competitor. There are even “Aussie Aggregate” trophies for the Top 3 shooters in warm-up matches.
In addition, there will be a variety of Cash Awards for both individual matches (places 1-3) and Aggregates (1-10), and there is the popular “cash option” which can increase the payouts for competitors who participate ($50 buy-in). Gift merchandise will be distributed to competitors on a first-come first-draw basis in the 13.5-lb 100-yard Aggregate. And this year Berger Bullets will offer boxes of its new Benchrest bullets to top shooters.
“Better living through chemistry”? How about better ballistic protection through a new ceramic-based “Spinel” bullet-proof transparent material. Spinel Ceramic Armor, though transparent like glass, is a completely new compound that starts as a powder. Produced by ArmorLine, the amazing new “Spinel Transparent Ceramic Armor” is HALF the thickness and HALF the weight of conventional, laminated “bullet-proof glass” with similar ballistic protection. Being much lighter than “bullet-proof glass”, the Spinel Transparent Armor is ideal for use in vehicles and aircraft where weight is an important factor. By replacing laminated glass with Spinel Transparent Armor plates, hundreds of pounds could be shaved from the weight of a troop transport vehicle without sacrificing any ballistic protection.
As shown in the above video, a “Spinel” ceramic plate can survive a direct hit from a .50 BMG round fired at close range. By all indications, this is an important new technology that should find its way into military vehicles in the near future. ArmorLine’s manufacturing facility, scheduled to come on-line in the first quarter of 2011, will supply transparent Spinel ceramic plates to window, lens, and optical system suppliers and end-users.
The May 2012 edition of Target Shooter Magazine is now available for online viewing. This issue is full of informative articles, with excellent photography. If you prefer the convenience of print magazines, you’ll like Target Shooter’s “eZine” format. Target Shooter displays like a print magazine — so you can enjoy large, wide-format photos, and you can flip pages just like a regular magazine. There is also a handy index (just like a print mag) so you can quickly access all the articles of interest. This month there is an excellent, detailed review of the March-FX 4-40x56mm First Focal Plane (FFP) riflescope. The reviewers were very impressed with this new optic: “It looks like it will set a new benchmark for FFP scopes[.]”
In his article “An Affordable F-TR Rifle?”, talented writer Laurie Holland examines a variety of entry-level F-TR solutions including Savages, Remingtons, and AR-platforms. Laurie explains how the F-TR shooter can get the most “bang for his buck”.
As with every issue of Target Shooter, you’ll find plenty of information on both Benchrest and ‘belly-benchrest’ competition. This month Les Holgate supplies a special report on F-Class shooting in the UK. This article has great photos from the scenic Diggle Ranges.
Tactical Shooters will be pleased to find a field test of the impressive, yet affordable Savage model 10 BA, chambered in .308 Winchester. Author Chris Parkin writes: “The Model 10 BA is a straightforward… bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle in the ‘Jack of All Trades’ .308 Win chambering. Its robust build shows great ergonomic adjustability.”
Team Comp-Tac’s Randi Rogers won the Women’s Division at the 2012 IDPA European Cup held April 27-29 in Calsivano, Italy. That makes it two Euro-Cup IDPA titles in a row for the talented young shooter, who formerly competed with Team Glock. With a final time of 198.07, Rogers finished first in Stock Service Pistol (SSP) Master class, securing her second straight IDPA Ladies’ European Cup Championship. Rogers also won both stage eight and nine with times of 12.87 and 6.20 respectively.
“This year’s IDPA European Cup really centered on standard shooting requirements. Many of the stages focused on one-hand shooting as well as difficult distance shots. The training I did before the match paid off and I couldn’t be happier to bring home the High Lady title for the second year in a row,” commented Rogers. Next up for Rogers will be the Bianchi Cup, scheduled for May 23 through 26 in Columbia, MO.
International Defensive Pistol Association has had an increased popularity the past couple of years with many Italian Nationals attending matches here in the United States as well as the shooters of Calsivano, Italy hosting their own sanctioned IDPA match for the second year in a row. Comp-Tac supported the IDPA European Cup by sending two members of Team Comp-Tac as well as sponsoring a stage at the 2012 IDPA European Cup.
Alliant’s Powder for 50-Caliber Applications
In 2009 Alliant unveiled Reloder 50, a new powder designed for long-range, 50-caliber rifle shooters. According to Alliant, the burn rate is “a little slower than Winchester 860″ and the powder is showing excellent lot-to-lot consistency. Load density is optimized for the 50 BMG and similar cases. Like Reloder 17, Reloder 50 employs a process which penetrates the kernels with the burn-rate-controlling chemical. This should allow a longer, flatter pressure curve, yielding more velocity than conventional powders can deliver. Alliant says that Reloder 50 offers “superior velocity and the ability to burn cleaner (with less residue).” Reloder 50 comes in both 1-lb (#150527) and 8-lb (#150528) containers.
Giraud 50 BMG Case/Bullet Comparator Giraud Tool makes a comparator for 50-Cal cartridges. The double-ended comparator is quite versatile. In one orientation you can measure base-to-ogive bullet length and also measure cartridge OAL from rim to bullet ogive. When reversed, you can use the comparator to measure cartridge headspace. The $30.00 Giraud 50 BMG Comparator gauge is constructed of 303 stainless and fits most any vernier, dial, or digital caliper. CLICK HERE for more info.
Lyman 50 BMG AccuTrimmer and Forster 50 BMG Trimmer
50 BMG enthusiasts asked for a reasonably-priced 50 BMG case trimmer and Lyman responded with an Accutrimmer designed specifically for that cartridge. Easy-to-use course and fine cut-length adjusters are positioned on the right side (by the handle). The shell head fits into a special holder which centers the case. The unit comes complete the 50-Caliber neck pilot. This case trimmer, including pilot, costs $59.99 at MidwayUSA.com.
Forster Products also makes a dedicated 50 BMG trimmer. Forster’s cutter tip is much sharper than the cutter on the Lyman AccuTrimmer. However, with the Forster tool you will pay more for that superior cutting ability — Forster’s 50 BMG trimmer costs $92.95 at Sinclair International.
USAMU shooter SFC Jason Parker, the 2011 Continental American Champion, won the 50m Three Position (3P) Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle & Pistol World Cup in Milan, Italy. With an overall score of 1273.1 points, Parker topped runner-up Niccolò Campriani (Italy), by almost three points, earning the American soldier his fifth ISSF World Cup Gold medal. Jason apparently likes Italy — in 2001 SFC Parker won an ISSF World Cup Gold medal in Milan.
Tomorrow, May 19, you can try out the electronic targets used in the Olympics at the 
Bryan Litz has just released 
Here’s an oddball item cited on 
Could “one final trip downrange” be the perfect send-off for the avid rifleman, shotgunner or hunter? Perhaps. This option could appeal to some folks. And if you really don’t feel too good about blasting old grand-dad’s ashes into the air, Holy Smoke LLC also offer “mantle-worthy wooden carriers with engraved name plates”.
Match Schedule:
Alliant’s Powder for 50-Caliber Applications
