Looking for a job in the gun industry? The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) launched its Industry Career Connection two years ago as a free service for member companies. It has proven to be immensely popular with both employers and job seekers. “It’s a very helpful and beneficial tool for our members,” said Bettyjane Swann, NSSF member services manager. “On several occasions, our Webmaster has had to pull job postings early because of the overwhelming response.” The NSSF’s Career Connection is regularly updated with new positions from solid companies such as Brownells, Remington, and Smith & Wesson.
Currently, here are some of the job positions offered:
How to List Available Jobs
The Career Connection is designed to serve both job-seekers AND companies needing additional manpower. If you have a shooting-sports-related business and need to hire new personnel you can add openings to the job board (NSSF membership required). NSSF members (mostly manufacturers and wholesalers) can easily post jobs by logging into the members-only section of NSSF.org. For more information on NSSF’s Industry Career Connection, contact bswann@nssf.org.
Louisiana has adopted a program we’d like to see state governments copy nationwide. From September 4th through 6th (Fri-Sun), Louisiana shoppers can buy guns, ammo, and hunting supplies without paying a penny of sales tax. The Sales Tax Holiday is authorized by a new Louisiana statute that waives gun-related sales and use taxes each year on the first consecutive Friday through Sunday in September. Now that’s a “stimulus program” all shooters can support.
The sales tax holiday will take place Friday, September 4, through Sunday, September 6, pursuant to the Louisiana Second Amendment Weekend Holiday Act. This law (Act 453 of the Regular Session of the 2009 Louisiana Legislature) provides a three-day exemption from state and local sales and use taxes on consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies.
Business Purchases Still Taxed
During Louisiana’s Sales Tax Holiday weekend, the sales and use tax levied by the state and its political subdivisions shall not apply to any consumer purchases (by individuals) of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies. However, sales and use taxes will still be due on business purchases of guns and ammo. Also sales tax will still apply to sales of animals used for hunting purposes .
Shooting at Williamsport, PA on August 15th, our own Jason Baney shot a remarkable 100-6X, 4.864″ ten-shot group at 1000 yards, breaking the previous 100-5X, 4.900″ Light Gun Score record set by Ed Kenzakoski in June. And yes, Jason was shooting the diminutive 6mmBR cartridge (no-turn neck) with pointed 105gr Berger bullets and a stout load of Alliant Reloder 15. Baney’s 6BR Broughton-barreled Light Gun (Stiller Diamondback action) was smithed by Mark King, who also built Ken Brucklacher’s record-breaking Heavy Gun.
Jason’s glory was short-lived however. The very next day, August 16th, Andy Murtagh shot a 100-4X, 4.2766″ group during match 5 of the Reade Range (Allemans, PA) 1K Benchrest League. Though Andy had only four Xs to Jason’s six Xs, Andy had the smaller group. By Williamsport rules, group size trumps X-count (even in score shooting) so Andy is the new Light Gun 1000-yard Score record-holder. Andy’s record-setting 6.5-284, smithed by Sid Goodling, has a Master 1000 stock and Bat action. Andy’s load was 47.5 grains of H4350 pushing 142gr tipped Sierra MKs in Winchester brass.
Congrats to both Andy and Jason for some great shooting last weekend! It’s impressive to see such small, ten-shot groups all centered up. Hey Jason — OK, we’re convinced. That round-robin Ladder Testing Procedure must really work.
As if there isn’t enough coverage given to AR-platform rifles already, Grand View Media Group announced it will roll out an AR-specific digital magazine later this year. The new AR Guns & Hunting “E-Zine” covers “gear and tactics” for AR sporting and hunting applications. Its creators intend AR Guns & Hunting to be much more than a conventional print mag re-packaged for the web. According to Grand View, AR Guns & Hunting will provide interactive content and a true “multimedia experience”. You’ll also find gear reviews, tactical news, and first-person hunting accounts.
For those interested in this new web resource for AR platform shooters, AR Guns & Hunting is currently offering FREE digital subscriptions. Just supply a valid email address to get access to the content. Grand View Media plans to distribute the first editions via direct email to subscribers. (Hmmm, you may want to check the privacy policy before you sign up.)
Editor: While we applaud any effort to expand the information available to shooters, we’ll withhold judgment until AR Guns & Hunting actually launches. It may be more flash than substance, created mostly to exploit the current market craze for black rifles and accessories. We also are not big fans of “digital edition” formatting — where you flip pages as with a paper magazine. It seems cool at first but then you realize the pages are slow to load, and you don’t have the flexibility of a “normal” web page with vertical scrolling, outbound web-links, and Google searchability.
The web is truly a different medium than print. Forcing readers into a “print magazine experience” is a bit like taking the wings off an airplane so passengers can experience bus travel.
If you’re a bargain hunter, check out the Sample List maintained by SWFA.com. Here you’ll find scores of optics items and accessories at below wholesale prices. Many of these products are new (never been sold) items, that were used in trade shows or as demos.
SWFA has recently revamped its website, making the Sample List easier to navigate. Now with one click you can find the Latest 25 Additions. Here are some of the recent bargain offerings:
Leupold 8.5-25×50 Vari-X III, Stock #10767
Matte finish, target dot reticle, 30mm tube, long range, side focus, light ring marks. $699.95 (Regularly $987.00).
Leupold 25×40 FX-3 Silhouette Scope (Fixed Power), Stock #10413
100% new 2009 demo model, used for current SWFA.com web pictures. Matte finish, Leupold Dot reticle, 1″ tube, adjustable objective (50 yards-infinity), target knobs. $539.95 (Regularly $810.00).
Leica 10×42 Geovid HD (LRF/Binocular), Stock #10611
Black rubber armored, center focus, roof prism, scan mode, built in 1400-yard range finder. Certified Pre-Owned, close to new condition. $1999.95 (Regularly$2,875.00 new.)
Swarovski 8×30 Laser Guide Rangefinder, Stock #s 1368-1371 (multiple units)
Green rubber armored finish, measures yards and meters, great optical quality, close to new condition. $799.95 (Normal ‘street price’ is $999.00).
Zeiss 85mm Diascope T* Flourite Body, Stock #10425
Top-of-the-line Zeiss spotting scope. Green body only (no eyepiece), angled view, Flourite (HD) lenses, LotuTec Coatings, retractable sun shade, standard focus wheel and fine focus wheel, lifetime transferable warranty. $1,499.95 (Regularly $2,185.00).
It’s not unusual for a shooter to acquire a nice, custom hunting rifle that spends nearly all its life as a safe queen, getting used only once every few seasons, if at all. That’s why we like to see hunting guns that “earn their keep” in regular field use.
Forum member Andrew from Geelong, Australia has two matching hunting rifles that definitely get serious use, harvesting a wide variety of wild game. Both guns are built on Winchester Model 70 actions, fitted in Australian-crafted Wild Dog camo stocks. One rifle is chambered in .243 Win, while the other is a 270 WSM. Andrew has fitted Leupold VXL 4.5-14×50 scopes to both guns. That is the scope with the odd-looking cutaway front objective that lets the scope sit lower on the gun.
Wild Dog Stocks and Custom Rifles from Australia Wild Dog Australia, based near Brisbane, Queensland, produces both innovative high-tech stocks, as well as complete rifles. Wild Dog’s staffers are all active shooters and hunters. They build stocks that are light, but very strong, employing carbon fiber and advanced composites. The folks at Wild Dog aren’t afraid to think “outside the box”. One of the clever signature features of Wild Dog hunting stocks is a trap-door ammo caddy integrated into the buttstock. Smart eh? The flip-open ammo storage keeps your ammo clean and secure. You don’t have to mess with clumsy strap-on ammo sleeves that can slide around and collect debris and thorns.
Wild Dog Does Tactical Too
In addition to its hunting and varmint stocks, Wild Dog now produces a variety of rugged tactical stocks. The carbon-fiber reinforced thumbhole LA-TA2 and SA-TA2 feature clean lines with no protrusions. (These stocks run about US $900, plus another US $125 for custom camo paint.) Ergonomics are excellent and we think the grip/thumbhole area fits the hand better than an Accuracy International thumbhole stock.
Wild Dog also makes an excellent REM-SA-TA1 non-thumbhole tactical stock for Rem-clone short actions. The LA-TA2, SA-TA2, and REM-SA-TA1 all feature adjustable cheekpieces and adjustable length-of-pull spacer systems. Shown below is something you don’t see very often, a snakeskin camo Barnard-actioned tactical rifle. Leave it to the Aussies….
The Tompkins Trophy goes to the overall Long Range High Power Champion. Along with bragging rights, the winner receives a Tompkins Trophy plaque, a goldtone medallion, a gold and diamond National Long Range Championship ring, a $500 Visa gift card, a $500 check from Sierra Bullets, a $500 check from Berger Bullets, and a Remington Model 700 Sendero SF2 300 Ultra Mag Rifle.
With a record score of 1245-62x, this year’s winner is Specialist Sherri Gallagher of the U.S. Army. According to USAMU Head Coach Emil Praslick, she was shooting a 6.5×284 with Sierra 142gr Matchkings and in the Palma matches she shot a 308 with the new Sierra 155gr 2156 Palma bullet.
“This win is not mine, at least not mine alone,” said Sherri. “Its all due to the team (Army Marksmanship Unit).”
Her upbringing probably had a bit to do with it, too. Some might not know that Sherri’s sister (Michelle Gallagher), mother (Nancy Gallagher-Tompkins), and step-father (Mid Tompkins) have all won major National Championships. In fact, there are now 14 National Championships in the family. “It would have been nice to have mom here, but she’s over in England shooting the F-Class Championships.” One could say that shooting is in their blood. This was not Sherri’s first major championship. Sherri won the 2003 World Long Range Championship in Bisley, England.
“Growing up, every summer vacation was spent traveling to the different tournaments and watching my mom compete. After a while, it was either sit in the sun or grab a rifle. It was an easy choice.”
Now that she has a national championship to hang on the wall, what’s next for Specialist Gallagher?
“The shooting season is winding down, so we go into training mode. Most of us won’t even pick up a rifle for a few months. Instead, we’ll travel to different bases, overseas, any place where they’re a group of soldiers with a desire to improve their shot. I think it’s a great position to fill and an incredible opportunity to serve my country.”
Report and photos copyright the NRA Blog, used with permission.
It seems hard to believe you can compete and win at the highest levels of long-range shooting competition with a stock factory rifle, but that’s exactly what Team USA did at the recent F-Class World Championships in Bisley, England. The U.S. F-TR team, which included Team Savage shooters, dominated the F-T/R division, winning a total of 14 medals at the World Championships (and various side matches associated with the event).
Three Oregonians, Darrell Buell, Stan Pate, and John Weil, together with Forum member Monte Milanuk of Wenatchee (WA), crossed the Atlantic to represent the USA and Savage Arms. The competition is held once every four years and features some of the best talent and most expensive custom rifles from around the globe. The matches are held over several days, at distances of 800, 900 and 1,000 yards.
The Savage Shooters used the Model 12 F-T/R from Savage Arms, chambered in .308 Winchester. This exact model can be purchased from any Savage dealer for a suggested retail price of just $1,265. The results speak for themselves: Team Savage came home with seven gold medals, two silvers, and two bronze from the World Championships. The Team also earned two gold medals and a bronze at the associated side matches, including the Bog Oak Trophy Match held in Ireland.
NOTE: In addition to the four Team Savage Members, the full F-TR Team USA included a number of other shooters, using other rigs. The USA F/TR team that traveled to Bisley consisted of 11 shooters: Darrell Buell (Captain), Gary Rasmussen (Wind Coach), Brad Sauve, Dale Carpenter, John Weil, Jeff Rorer, Stan Pate, Mike Miller, Paul Phillips, Warren Dean, and Monte Milanuk. Gary Rasmussen coached F-TR Team USA and Kathy Buell was official record-keeper. Monte Milanuk explained: “While almost half the team was using a Savage-actioned rifle of some sort (Warren, Darrell, John, Stan & Monte), the rest were using four Barnards (Brad, Paul, Dale, and Mike), one Stolle Panda (Jeff), and a Wichita (Gary).”
All of the above participated in the FCWC as individuals, and worked together throughout the entire event (both team and individual stages).
The final firing team that represented the USA in the main F-Class Team World Championships, selected according to performance during certain ‘team’ event stages during the Imperial Meeting, consisted of: Darrell Buell (Captain), Gary Rasmussen (Wind Coach), John Weil (Shooter), Paul Phillips (Shooter), Monte Milanuk, (Shooter), Jeff Rorer (Shooter), Dale Carpenter (Reserve/ Plotter).
The remaining four shooters entered in the Rutland Cup, a match held concurrently with the FCWC, primarily for countries which cannot field a full 8-man team for F-Open. The USA F-Open and F/TR teams both used their ‘extra’ shooters in this event. In the Rutland Cup, the USA F/TR team consisted of Stan Pate (Captain/Shooter), Mike Miller (Coach/Shooter), Brad Sauve (Shooter), and Warren Dean (Shooter).
Team Savage poses with the Bog Oak Team Trophy. Team members are, from left: John Weil, Darrell Buell, Monte Milanuk and Stan Pate.
World Championship National Teams Match (F-TR)
Team USA 1st place… World Champions
Full USA F-TR Team Roster: Darrell Buell (Captain), Gary Rasmussen (Coach), Dale Carpenter, Monte Milanuk, Paul Phillips, Jeff Rorer, John Weil, Kathy Buell (register keeper).
Individual World Championships (F-T/R)
900 Yard Day 1 — Stan Pate 1st (gold medal)
800 Yard Day 2 — Monte Milanuk 1st (gold medal)
900 Yard Day 2 — John Weil 1st (gold medal)
1000 Yard Day 2 — Stan Pate 1st (gold medal)
800 Yard Aggregate Match — Monte Milanuk 1st (gold medal)
900 Yard Aggregate Match — John Weil 1st (gold medal)
Individual World Championships Grand Aggregate
S. Pate 3rd (bronze medal), D. Buell 9th, J. Weil 10th, M. Milanuk 13th
Other Major Matches
Duke of Cambridge (900-yard match) — John Weil 1st place (gold medal)
Ireland — Bog Oak Team Trophy
Darrell Buell, Stan Pate, Monte Milanuk, John Weil, Gold Medal
What will ten bucks buy you these days? Not much. Buy a movie ticket and you won’t have enough left over for the popcorn. Well here are three bargain items — all priced around ten bucks or less — that should prove useful both at the range and for other purposes as well.
Stanley 16″ Plastic Tool Box from Lowe’s
Item #174828, Model 016011R, on Sale for $7.98
This is a versatile, compact Tool Box from Lowe’s. It has two convenient flip-top lids to carry small items such as patches, jags, and brushes. Inside you can stow your muffs, cleaning supplies, cleaning rod guides, log books or other range essentials. The box has an external hasp that can be locked with an small padlock.
Plano Soft Tackle Bag from Cabela’s
Item #OG-123603, Reg. $29.99, on Sale for $9.88
Wait a minute, you’re saying — this is a shooting website, not a fishing forum. Well, the four (4) plastic boxes in this Tackle bag are ideal for holding bullets, small reloading tools, patches, jags, bushings and other small items. You can use the bag to store these items conveniently, or bring the bag with a single box to the range and use the rest of the compartment for windmeters, ear muffs, notebooks and other miscellaneous shooting gear.
Diamond Cut Jeans at Sierra Trading Post
Items #23080, 17745, 1933U, on sale for $10.46
At a time when a pair of Levis are running $45 at some stores, can you still get a decent pair of jeans for ten bucks? Well, the answer is yes. In its “Bargain Barn”, Sierra Trading Post is now selling Diamond Cut Jeans in a variety of style and colors (even camo), for just $10.46 per item. The “Relaxed Cut” jeans, item #17745, are offered in stonewashed khaki, dark grey, light blue and dark blue, sizes 30-50. We like the Carpenters Jeans, item #23080, offered in stonewashed blue with plenty of pockets for storage. Sierra Trading Post also offers Diamond Cut Jeans in three different camouflage patterns (all listed as item #1933U): Mossy Oak Break-up, Natural Gear Camo, and Realtree All-Purpose Camo. For hunters needing comfortable, inexpensive camo trousers, these are a good solution. Head to SierraTradingPost.com and check out Diamond Cut trouser line-up. These $10.46 pants have been hot sellers, and the buyer reviews have been postive.
Thompson/Center (TC) has started shipping its new, ICON™ Precision Hunter varmint/deer rifle. From what we’ve heard, these guns should be shooters. Five chamberings are offered: 204 Ruger, 223 Rem, 22-250, 243 Win, and 308 Win. TC’s Precision Hunter features a 22″ heavy-contour, fluted 5R button-rifled barrel. The action mates securely to the stock via a machined aluminum bedding block (see photo below). All models feature a 3+1 detachable magazine with single-shot adapter. Tom Manners of Manners Composite Stocks has tested some wood-stocked ICONs with 5R barrels, and he says they “shot really well”. The ICON™ Precision Hunter comes with a 1 MOA accuracy guarantee, and we’d expect it to shoot quite a bit better than that with quality handloads.
The ICON Precision Hunter features a laminated hardwood stock with a beavertail fore-end incorporating vents on the underside. TC claims these vents allow better barrel cooling. Hmm… well those vents can’t hurt. The action, which has a 60° bolt lift, is very smooth to operate. The action comes standard with integral Picatinny-style bases for scope mounting. The trigger adjusts from 3.5 lbs to 5 lbs. On the prototype units we tried, the triggers broke clean and crisp, with very minimal creep. It’s a nice hunting trigger and we expect that with a spring swap you could lower the pull weight a bit.
TC is now owned by Smith & Wesson. It appears both S&W and TC are committed to building a quality varmint rifle with serious accuracy. “Thompson/Center has continued to push the definition of accuracy in a production rifle with the new ICON Precision Hunter, which is certified to deliver sub-Minute of Angle (MOA) accuracy right out of the box,” said Tom Kelly, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson. “We have listened to the bench shooters and varmint hunters, heard their ideas on what a perfect gun for their style of hunting would be and have designed the ICON Precision Hunter to exceed their expectations.”
What’s the price? MSRP for the ICON Precision Hunter is $1,149.00, so we figure street price will settle around $950.00. For more information, visit www.tcarms.com.
Louisiana has adopted a program we’d like to see state governments copy nationwide. From September 4th through 6th (Fri-Sun), Louisiana shoppers can buy guns, ammo, and hunting supplies without paying a penny of sales tax. The Sales Tax Holiday is authorized by a new Louisiana statute that waives gun-related sales and use taxes each year on the first consecutive Friday through Sunday in September. Now that’s a “stimulus program” all shooters can support.
The Tompkins Trophy goes to the overall Long Range High Power Champion. Along with bragging rights, the winner receives a Tompkins Trophy plaque, a goldtone medallion, a gold and diamond National Long Range Championship ring, a $500 Visa gift card, a $500 check from Sierra Bullets, a $500 check from Berger Bullets, and a Remington Model 700 Sendero SF2 300 Ultra Mag Rifle.
Her upbringing probably had a bit to do with it, too. Some might not know that Sherri’s sister (Michelle Gallagher), mother (Nancy Gallagher-Tompkins), and step-father (Mid Tompkins) have all won major National Championships. In fact, there are now 14 National Championships in the family. “It would have been nice to have mom here, but she’s over in England shooting the F-Class Championships.” One could say that shooting is in their blood. This was not Sherri’s first major championship. Sherri won the 2003 World Long Range Championship in Bisley, England.
It seems hard to believe you can compete and win at the highest levels of long-range shooting competition with a stock factory rifle, but that’s exactly what Team USA did at the recent F-Class World Championships in Bisley, England. The U.S. F-TR team, which included Team Savage shooters, dominated the F-T/R division, winning a total of 14 medals at the World Championships (and various side matches associated with the event).
