Some folks say you haven’t really mastered marksmanship unless you can hit a target when standing tall ‘on your own hind legs’. Of all the shooting positions, standing can be the most challenging because you have no horizontally-solid resting point for your forward arm/elbow. Here 10-time National High Power Champ Carl Bernosky explains how to make the standing shot.
Carl Bernosky is one of the greatest marksmen in history. A multi-time National High Power Champion, Carl has won ten (10) National High Power Championships in his storied shooting career, most recently in 2012. In this article, Carl provides step-by-step strategies to help High Power shooters improve their standing scores. When Carl talks about standing techniques, shooters should listen. Among his peers, Carl is regard as one of the best, if not the best standing shooter in the game today. Carl rarely puts pen to paper, but he was kind enough to share his techniques with AccurateShooter.com’s readers.
If you are position shooter, or aspire to be one some day, read this article word for word, and then read it again. We guarantee you’ll learn some techniques (and strategies) that can improve your shooting and boost your scores. This stuff is gold folks, read and learn…
How to Shoot Standing by Carl Bernosky
Shooting consistently good standing stages is a matter of getting rounds down range, with thoughtfully-executed goals. But first, your hold will determine the success you will have.
1. Your hold has to be 10 Ring to shoot 10s. This means that there should be a reasonable amount of time (enough to get a shot off) that your sights are within your best hold. No attention should be paid to the sights when they are not in the middle — that’s wasted energy. My best hold is within 5 seconds after I first look though my sights. I’m ready to shoot the shot at that time. If the gun doesn’t stop, I don’t shoot. I start over.
2. The shot has to be executed with the gun sitting still within your hold. If the gun is moving, it’s most likely moving out, and you’ve missed the best part of your hold.
3. Recognizing that the gun is sitting still and within your hold will initiate you firing the shot. Lots of dry fire or live fire training will help you acquire awareness of the gun sitting still. It’s not subconscious to me, but it’s close.
4. Don’t disturb the gun when you shoot the shot. That being said, I don’t believe in using ball or dummy rounds with the object of being surprised when the shot goes off. I consciously shoot every shot. Sometimes there is a mistake and I over-hold. But the more I train the less of these I get. If I get a dud round my gun will dip.* I don’t believe you can learn to ignore recoil. You must be consistent in your reaction to it.
5. Know your hold and shoot within it. The best part of my hold is about 4 inches. When I get things rolling, I recognize a still gun within my hold and execute the shot. I train to do this every shot. Close 10s are acceptable. Mid-ring 10s are not. If my hold was 8 inches I would train the same way. Shoot the shot when it is still within the hold, and accept the occasional 9. But don’t accept the shots out of the hold.
6. Practice makes perfect. The number of rounds you put down range matter. I shudder to think the amount of rounds I’ve fired standing in my life, and it still takes a month of shooting standing before Perry to be in my comfort zone. That month before Perry I shoot about 2000 rounds standing, 22 shots at a time. It peaks me at just about the right time.
This summarizes what I believe it takes to shoot good standing stages. I hope it provides some insight, understanding, and a roadmap to your own success shooting standing.
— Good Shooting, Carl
* This is very noticeable to me when shooting pistol. I can shoot bullet holes at 25 yards, but if I’ve miscounted the rounds I’ve fired out of my magazine, my pistol will dip noticeably. So do the pistols of the best pistol shooters I’ve watched and shot with. One might call this a “jerk”, I call it “controlled aggressive execution”, executed consistently.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
⏺ European quality hunting rifle, save $249 with this deal
If you are looking for a refined, well-designed hunting rifle, this Mauser M18 fills the bill. And right now this Mauser M18 in 6.5 Creedmoor is just $449.99 at EuroOptic.com. That’s a huge $249.01 savings off the regular $699.00 price. This M18 rifle features a modern 3-lug bolt with 60-degree bolt lift. Action and barrel are black nitride coated for durability. CLICK HERE for more info and photos.
2. Natchez Shooters Supplies — Sig Sauer Whiskey 5 Scope Sale
⏺ Best Sale in many months on quality Sig Sauer riflescopes
This week Sig Sauer Whiskey 5 riflescopes are on sale at Natchez. Rugged and reliable, these Whiskey 5 scopes are justifiably popular with tactical shooters and hunters. Right now you can get huge savings — $300, $400, even $500. For example, the 5-25x52mm Whiskey 5 is now $889.99, marked down from $1399.98 — a $509.99 savings! Use the money saved for a spotting scope, Kestrel, or other gear.
⏺ Cannon Safes offer solid construction and good value
Cannon makes good safes for the money — and this big 38 cubic-foot safe is on sale this week. Save $250 on the Cannon Landmark 38 cu. ft. Safe with Electronic Lock. This safe is big, measuring 59″ Tall x 40″ Wide x 24″ Deep. The safe is rated to hold 64 long guns in the main area plus a dozen pistols on the upper shelf. (NOTE: This capacity figure is based on thin, unscoped rifles, such as lever guns. Nonetheless this is a very capacious safe.) This safe has a 60-minute fire rating. Extra features include a dual AC power outlet, and a door organization system for 8 pistols/1 rifle, plus a hanging pistol rack. NOTE: The $949.99 SALE price includes curbside delivery to your location.
⏺ Top bullet choice for F-Open Competitors — Accurate and High BC
These days, popular loading components are hard to find. For those who have been anxiously seeking top-grade .284 (7mm) match bullets, head to Creedmoor Sports which has Berger 184gr Hybrid bullets in stock at good prices. You’ll also find a large selection of Berger bullets at Bullet Central.
5. Costco — Timber Ridge Magnum Range Bench, $199.99
⏺ Truly portable shooting bench — great savings now at Costco
Many so-called “portable” shooting benches are very heavy and difficult to move around. This Timber Ridge Range Bench is truly portable. Grab a Timber Ridge Magnum Range Bench and not only will you have a stable and versatile shooting platform that folds up into an easy-to-carry bag.
6. MidwayUSA — Lyman Brass Smith Case Trim Xpress, $119.99
Trimming brass is critical to precision reloading. However, with most case trimmers it’s a pain to adjust trim length, plus the hand-cranking becomes tiresome. A better, more efficient case trimming solution is offered by the Lyman Brass Smith Case Trim Xpress. This easy-to-use tool comes with 10 interchangeable bushings for the most popular calibers. The smart design allows for .001″ trim length adjustments with the click of a dial. To see a video of the Case Trim Xpress in action, check out our Lyman Case Trim Xpress Review.
⏺ Good value use for pistol loads or initial rifle load before final trickling
Even with modern electronic powder dispensers, every reloader can use a good, manual powder measure. This crank-style dispenser works great for pistol charges. And, with the micrometer-style meter, you can throw rifle powders within a tenth or two — and then you can trickle precisely with a scale. This Frankford Arsenal Powder Dispenser features a “Quick-Disconnect” screw that allows you to take the powder measure off the mounting assembly quickly to pour excess powder back into the powder jug. And this dispenser kit includes TWO different mounting stands with 7/8-14 threads.
⏺ Incredible deal — Impact protection and dust/debris protection.
Good eye protection is essential for all shooting disciplines. You want Z87.1-rated eyewear that is also comfortable. The Radians XT1-11 Extremis Full Black Frame Safety Glasses. IMPORTANT: These Radians feature a foam ring around the inside of each lens. This provides extra protection in dusty environments and protects the wearer from powder blowback when shooting handguns. These safety glasses meet ANSI Z87.1+ standards and provide 99.9% UV protection. Top choice for pistol shooters.
9. Amazon — Allnice Digital Calipers, $21.99
⏺ Effective digital calipers at bargain price
Every handloader needs a set of calipers for multiple reloading/measurement tasks. In fact we recommend you have at least two sets of calipers, one being an inexpensive unit that you can take to the range. These $21.99 Allnice Digital Calipers fill the bill. These calipers have a stainless steel construction and a large digital readout. User reviews have been quite positive, with 88% four- or five-star ratings.
Vihtavuori is introducing a new double-base powder for magnum and large-size cartridges. This should be good for large hunting cartridges, such as the .300 Winchester Magnum, and bigger cartridges used for ELR competition, such as the .338 Lapua Magnum. VV N568 reloading data will soon be available on both the Vihtavuori website and Vihtavuori Reload App.
The Vihtavuori website states: “We are proud to introduce a new heavy weight champion in our N500 rifle powder series: the N568. The slow burning characteristics and short-cut grains of the new Vihtavuori N568 high-energy gun powder provide extremely consistent metering for long range competitive shooters, accuracy enthusiasts, and hunters alike. Vihtavuori’s N568 excels with heavy-for-caliber projectiles and provides exceptional temperature stability. As with all our reloading powders, new N568 is also insensitive to humidity changes.”
Vihtavuori N568 looks to be a good choice for popular large capacity cartridges, including 6.5 PRC, .300 PRC, .338 Lapua Magnum, and an assortment of classic belted magnums such as 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum. Reloading data for various calibers and bullets will be coming soon.
Vihtavuori N568 will be available in Q2 of 2021 from major retailers such as Grafs.com, Bruno Shooters Supply, Midsouth, Powder Valley, and Precision Reloading.
Visit Vihtavuori.com to Learn more about Vihtavuori’s propellants, download Vihtavuori reloading data, or install Vihtavuori’s Reload App. N568 Reloading Data will soon be available on both the Vihtavuori website and Reload App (click below).
Above: FN’s new 509 LS Edge is a 9mm Long Slide “factory custom” with Low-Profile Optics-Mounting System, slotted slide, and 5″ hammer-forged target-crown barrel.
In the latest February 2021 edition of Shooting Industry Magazine you’ll find Part III of the publication’s 2021 New Product Showcase. This latest installment of SI’s features over 40 new products, all presented with photos and product details.
If you missed the previous showcases, visit ShootingIndustry.com to see the December 2020 and January 2021 issues or click the links above. Across all three editions, hundreds of products from more than 120 companies were featured in Shooting Industry’s 2021 New Product Showcase.
From the Shooting Industry Part III Showcase, we present four notable handguns:
1. Colt Mfg. and Davidson’s — Engraved 6″ Stainless Python
Davidson’s has collaborated with Colt’s Manufacturing on a special edition Colt Python revolver. Automated Finishing has created a deluxe engraved version of Colt’s new 6″ barreled stainless Python. The engraving is armory-grade cut and encompasses the barrel, full underlug, frame and backstrap. The top of the rib is left matte stainless to cut glare while sighting. The special Python is chambered in .357 Magnum, and has a walnut grip, red-ramp front sight and adjustable rear sight.
2. Volquartsen Black Mamba-X .22 LR Pistol
The Black Mamba-X .22 LR Pistol from Volquartsen features a LLV-4X upper with multiple mounting locations allowing for red dot sights. The pistol has a 1/2×28 threaded stainless steel 4.5″ barrel with stainless steel laser-hardened breech in a type III hard-anodized aluminum shroud. Additional features include the Volquartsen Accurizing Kit for a 2.25-lb trigger pull, DLC coated Volquartsen Competition Bolt and Volquartsen Single-Port Compensator. The LLV-4X Upper will be available as a stand-alone product and is compatible with both the Volquartsen Competition Bolt as well as the Ruger MK IV factory bolt.
3. Heckler & Koch VP9L 9mm Pistol
Combining optics-ready features for competition use, the Heckler & Koch (HK) 9mm VP9L OR (Optics Ready) is based on the popular VP9 platform. HK supplies an O-Ring bushing on the longer 5″ barrel to tighten the lockup, aiding accuracy. This ships with 20-round magazines provide additional rounds for longer stages. A machined slot in the slide accommodates most popular red dot pistol sights with one of 5 available mounting plates (sold separately).
MasterPiece Arms now offers the Freedom Gunworks double-stack 1911 pistol line. The handsome 9mm DS9 Hybrid Pistol shown above is machined from barstock and billet. It boasts an FGW slide serrations with slide lightening cut, Koenig hammer/sear, with a 2-lb. trigger pull. Notably, Each FGW pistol is hand-built, including lapping the slide/frame interface, and comes in a custom MPA single pistol case with one MPA 140mm magazine. A variety of configurations are available, including iron sights or optics-ready models.
Retro is back — at least in the CMP’s Standard Modern Military Rifle AR class. Though Service Rifle competition has evolved to allow optics and heavy barrel profiles, the Standard Modern Military Rifle (AR category) is truly a “blast from the past”. Overall weight is limited to 7.5 pounds, and the rifle must be equipped with iron sights (Rule 5.2.3). In addition, the rifle “be based on the M-16 rifle or be based on an AR design” with “exterior configuration similar [to] the original military or military-type rifle”. See Rules.
With this in mind our friend Dennis Santiago recently put together his own AR-platform Standard Modern Military Rifle for matches run under CMP Competition Rules. This is not quite a classic AR, as it has a metal free-float handguard (vs. plastic handguards), but it IS light (7.3 pounds), and it does have iron sights — a key requirement for Standard Modern Military class rifles.
Here is Santiago’s CMP Modern Military Rifle (Standard Class) with an ultralight free float tube that has a titanium barrel nut, and mechanical, center-able front sight. The barrel is an AR-Stoner brand 20″-long 1:7″ Government contour chambered in 5.56×45 NATO. Dennis says: “This makes the 7.5-lb weight limit with a few ounces to spare. We’ll see how well it drives soon enough.”
Dennis explains: “The Standard Modern Military (AR) is a category of military-style rifle that shoots the 200-yard, 30- or 50-shot courses alongside the M1 Garands, Springfields, Vintage, and M1 Carbines. This one boasts a Midwest Industries (MI) ultralight Free-float Handguard and a Yankee Hill folding front sight. Any Government contour or thinner profile rifle-length gas tube barrel with a 0.750″ gas block will work.” Colt makes a suitable Government Contour 20″-long, 1:7″-twist barrel, sold by MidwayUSA.
To test the accuracy of his rifle, Dennis fitted a Mantis-X unit on the top of the float tube. The Mantis-X records the movement of the rifle to interpolate shot placements. Dennis reports: “I spent some extra time at the range grabbing a decent zero for my Modern Military rifle. I stuck a Mantis-X on it to record a few shots shooting offhand at the plates at 200 yards. It drives very easily even with no shooting coat or glove.” The Mantis-X is attached just forward of the carry handle, on top of the MI free-float handguard. The Mantis-X works with live fire as well as dry fire. It communicates via BlueTooth to a smartphone App.
Rifle Shoots Well with 77gr Sierra MatchKings
The gun is presently zeroed with 77gr Sierra MatchKing ammunition. Dennis reports his rifle “can easily hold the X-Ring on an SR target for both 100-yard and 200-yard CMP Modern Military Games matches. And it’s fun to shoot!”
CMP Standard Modern Military Rifle (AR Class)
This rifle is built from carefully selected and fitted parts to conform to the CMP’s 7.5-pound weight limit iron-sighted rifle rule. Officially, this is a CMP Standard Modern Military Rifle, Class “A” (AR type).
1. S&W M&P lower receiver
2. White Oak Armament match upper receiver with 1/4×1/4-MOA pinned rear sights
3. AR-Stoner 20″ 1:7″-twist 5.56x45mm NATO Government contour barrel from MidwayUSA*
4. MidWest Industries ultralight free-float handguard with a Titanium barrel nut
5. Yankee Hill Machine folding front sight with a 0.072″ square front pin
6. RRA 2-stage trigger
7. A2 length buttstock
Easy Rifle Build Using Mostly Existing AR Parts, Plus New Barrel and Free-Float Handguard
Dennis was able to put his Modern Military AR together using components he had collected over the years: “Most of these parts were already in my bin of old AR parts available to be recycled. The barrel and free-float handguard were the only new acquisitions.” And with the AR’s modular format, this was an easy build: “Assembly time was about 30 minutes. I’ve done these parts swaps so many times now.”
Key Rules for Standard Modern Military Rifle (AR Type)
Dennis Santiago’s new AR rifle was built as a “Standard U.S. Modern Military Rifle”, Class A (AR Type), as specified in the CMP Competition Rules.
5.2.3 Standard U.S. Modern Military Rifles, Class A
Category A Standard Modern Military Rifles must comply with these requirements:
a) Rifles must be based on the M-16 rifle or be based on an AR design;
b) Rifles must be manufactured by a USA manufacturer;
c) Rifles must be equipped with issue-type metallic front and rear sights; rear sights with adjustments finer than one minute of angle are permitted;
d) Total rifle weight, with sights and without sling, may not exceed 7.5 pounds;
e) Rifles may be fitted with a float tube or free-floating handguard. A nonadjustable sling swivel may be attached to the forward end of the handguard; and…
f) The rifle must be chambered for the 5.56x45mm or .223 Remington cartridge.
Also, from Rule 5.2.2:
a) The exterior configuration of the rifle must be the similar to that of the
original military or military-type rifle;
b) The trigger pull may not be less than 4.5 lbs.;
Comments from other Modern Military Rifle Shooters:
“I built a Modern Military [Standard]. It was tough getting below the 7.5-lb [limit]. I had to carve off a bunch of the 20″ barrel diameter but wanted to stay with it for sight radius (over a 16″). I would just as soon shoot that little iron-sighted rifle at 200 yards as my 15-lb Nightforce-scoped Service Rifle. I love that little rifle.” — Kenneth S.
“I’m building one of these that will make 7.5-lb [Standard Modern Military] weight limit, with the long barrel and long sight radius. This has been on my list this winter.” — Tom K.
“We found that turning down a National Match barrel and taking a few inches off of it made a very accurate rifle.” — Jack A.
“My old (complete) A2 upper has been sitting forlorn on a shelf for a couple of years now. Perhaps I need to do a [Standard Modern Military] build of my own.” — Derek D.
Dennis Santiago replied: “Derek — that’s the reason I was attracted to this. I had bought a brand new WOA A2 pin upper receiver to make a new upper then the scope rule was adopted and it was all flat tops. This gives new purpose to the old parts.”
CMP Rules Defining Modern Military Rifles
Standard vs. Unlimited, Class A vs. Class B
There are actually two different classes of Standard Modern Military Rifles, Class A for AR-type rifles and Class B for other military-style rifles, such as the M1A and FN-FAL. Ok, got that? Now, in addition, there is also a second division for UNLIMITED Modern Military Rifles, again with two classes (Class A — AR-type and Class B — other military rifles). These unlimited rifles can have optics, heavier weights, modern-design adjustable-length stocks, and other upgrades. Here is Rule 5.2.2 from the current CMP Games Rifle and Pistol Competition Rules:
The Gun Digest 2021 Annual, 75th Edition, is available now for $24.28 on Amazon. This 592-page resource covers rifles, shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders, airguns, optics and more. We like the print edition, but there is also an eBook PDF version ($17.49 on Amazon) you can read on your tablet or computer. Both provide hundreds of photos with new product roundups, in-depth product tests, and scores of articles and stories.
NOTE: Gun Digest is offering a great two-for-one deal right now. If you order the Gun Digest 2021 Annual you can also get a full year’s subscription to Gun Digest Magazine. Get Book AND Magazine Subscription for just $39.99. That gives you the 2021 Annual PLUS the 12-issue magazine for just $15.71 more than the book by itself (with $24.28 Amazon price).
Gun Digest 2021 debuts Phil Massaro as its editor-in-chief. Massaro, the seventh editor in the book’s history, has assembled a wide and varied roster of leading industry authors for the new book, including Craig Boddington, Joe Coogan, Ron Spomer, Terry Wieland, Rick Hacker, Jim Wilson, Larry Weishuhn, Wayne van Zwoll, Bryce Towsley and many more.
Gun Digest 2021 covers hunting, personal defense, target shooting, gunsmithing, and collecting. Historical articles look at the role played by firearms in our country. There are Updated Ballistics Tables, and the catalog section shows off the industry’s newest offerings in rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders and air rifles. Reports from the Field cover the newest firearms and accessories. A Testfire section brings readers up to date on product performance. FYI, you can also pre-order the upcoming 76th Edition Annual (2022), slated for release in August, 2021.
Other Good Books from Gun Digest Media
Gun Digest Media produces numerous other quality books for rifle, pistol, and shotgun owners. Here are four volumes we recommend. These are offered in both paperback and eBook versions:
Sierra Bullets has released very complete load data for the popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. This medium-sized cartridge has become one of the most popular chamberings for tactical and PRS shooters. The 6.5 Creedmoor combines excellent accuracy, good mag-feeding, good barrel life, moderate recoil, and reasonable component cost. That’s why this cartridge has caught on quickly.
Developed in 2007 by Dennis DeMille and Dave Emary, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a shortened and improved 30 TC cartridge case that was inspired by the .308 Winchester design. This short action design was created to maximize case capacity and a wide range of loading lengths, while still fitting in standard short action magazines. With the correct twist barrel, the versatile 6.5 Creedmoor can take advantage of the wide range of bullet weights available in 6.5 mm (i.e. .264 caliber). Reloaders should keep in mind that the 6.5 Creedmoor works best with medium to medium-slow powders such as H4350, Varget, Win 760, and RE-17. The light recoil and adaptability of the efficient 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has already proven itself in high power, precision rifle series and benchrest competitions. Couple that with respectable barrel life and its intrinsic accuracy potential and you have a recipe for success which should insure its legacy for decades to come.
Here are three tables from the Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual (5th Edition). IMPORTANT — This is just a sample!! Sierra has load data for many other 6.5mm bullet types, including FB, Spitzer, SBT, HPBT, and Tipped MK from 85 grains to 142 grains. To view ALL 6.5 Creedmoor DATA, CLICK HERE.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
Two More Great 6.5 Creedmoor Reloading Resouces
Want More 6.5 Creedmoor Load Info? View Starline’s 6.5 Creedmoor Guide by Gavin Gear:
PRB 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor Load Survey
The Precision Rifle Blog compiled Load Data from PRS Competitors, for both 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor. This is a good place to start. PRB surveyed the match loads for “173 of the top-ranked precision rifle shooters in the country”. CLICK HERE.
Many shooters, particular those who shoot vintage military rifle matches, reload once-fired military cartridge brass. This brass may be high-quality and stout, but you may encounter a primer crimp that interferes with the seating of a new primer. There are a variety of dedicated, military-crimp tools on the market, such as Dillon’s excellent Super Swage 600 tool that “rolls the crimp away”. But the Dillon tool costs $119.99 and takes quite a bit of room on your reloading bench. If you don’t want to drop a C-note and give up valuable bench space — here’s another (much cheaper) solution.
If you already have a Wilson case trimmer set-up, you can ream away those military crimps using an affordable Wilson accessory — the Primer Pocket Reamer (large #PPR210, small #PPR175). This $32.65 accessory is used in conjunction with a Wilson case trimmer and case-holder as shown above.
In the respected Riflemans Journal website, the Editor, “GS Arizona”, showed how to use the Wilson primer pocket reamer to remove military crimps on Lake City .30-06 cartridge brass. He explains: “The case goes into the Wilson case-holder, the same one used for case trimming, and the reamer replaces the trimmer head in the tool base. The threaded rod on the left side, which is normally used to regulate trim length has no use for this operation and it is simply backed out. Hold the case-holder as you turn the reamer into the primer pocket, it cuts easily and quickly. The reamer will stop cutting when the proper depth is reached.”
Do you really need to do this operation with military-crimped brass? Yes, and here’s why: “Any attempt to prime the case without removing the crimp will simply result in a mangled primer that cannot be expected to fire and certainly won’t fire reliably.”
Vintage Military Rifle shooters often utilize surplus military brass with primer pocket crimps.
Why does military brass has a primer crimp? GS Arizona answers: “The crimp is nothing more than an intentional deformation of the case around the primer pocket, the purpose of which is to retain the primer in the case despite high pressure situations in machine guns and other automatic weapons where a loose primer may cause a malfunction. As reloaders, our task is to get rid of the remnants of the crimp in order to allow re-priming the case.”
Every month, GunGenius.com publishes a Top Selling Report. This reveals the Best Selling Guns for each category of firearms sold on GunBroker.com. This culminates in a GunGenius year-end report on the Top Selling Firearms of the Year in a dozen categories, both new and used. As a special Feature, GunGenius now offers the “Top 20 of 2020″ for each category.
Here are the top-selling handguns for the year 2020, with the Top 20 Semi-auto pistols and Top 20 Revolvers listed separately (all first-time sale, not used). Visit the GunGenius Top 20 Page for more details.
Top 20 Handguns for 2020 (Semi-Auto Pistols and Revolvers)
Buying a Handgun? See What Others Choose
Looking to acquire a handgun for personal protection of home and family? There are countless options on the market. Your buying decision may be simplified by seeing what other consumers have chosen, as revealed by nationwide sales trends. You can check firearms sales figures using “Gun Genius”, a new data-crunching service of Gunbroker.com. On GunGenius.com you can select any type of firearm (handgun, rifle, shotgun) and see the top sellers for that category.
Along with pistols and revolvers as shown above, there are separate categories for: semi-auto rifles, bolt-action rifles, lever-action rifles, single-shot rifles, pump rifles, semi-auto shotguns, pump shotguns, over-and-under shotguns and more. You can also filter for sales trends (upwards and downwards). Drill down to see detailed product specifications and current prices.
Does your range or shooting club need money to improve facilities? Would you like to train club members as shooting coaches? Well the MidwayUSA Foundation is offering money to help. Here’s how it works…
The MidwayUSA Foundation is introducing two new grant programs. Starting in February, 2021, the Foundation will begin accepting applications for Range Development and Coach Training grants. These two programs will offer significant payouts — up to $75,000 for range enhancements.
Range Development Grants are available to allow existing shooting ranges to make improvements/expansions to allow for more youth-oriented shooting activities. This grant cycle runs February 1 to April 1 and cash grants will be awarded in June. Range Development grants will not exceed $75,000 or 50% of the proposed project budget and funds must be used within 9 months of receipt. Requesting facilities must be a range utilized by a MidwayUSA Foundation endowment holder.
The MidwayUSA Foundation’s Coach Training Grant Program will be open February 1 through March 1 and grants will be awarded in May. The maximum grant payout is $5,000 and the funds must be used to train entry-level shooting coaches or for train-the-trainer courses within 9 months of receipt. Teams or individuals interested in the Coach Training grant program should reach out to their state organization, as only state agency endowment holders are eligible to apply. CLICK HERE for other requirements.
How these Grant Programs Help the Shooting Sports
Without proper ranges, there could be no shooting sports at all. And qualified coaches are essential for youth marksmanship training. Executive Director, G. Scott Reynolds explains: “We at the MidwayUSA Foundation take great pride in our programs to fund youth shooting teams across our Nation. Without a certified coach to mentor [young shooters] and without a safe range to practice on, teams become dormant and athletes become stagnant.”
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. For more INFO, visit Midwayusafoundation.org.
How to Shoot Standing
5. Know your hold and shoot within it. The best part of my hold is about 4 inches. When I get things rolling, I recognize a still gun within my hold and execute the shot. I train to do this every shot. Close 10s are acceptable. Mid-ring 10s are not. If my hold was 8 inches I would train the same way. Shoot the shot when it is still within the hold, and accept the occasional 9. But don’t accept the shots out of the hold.
Gun Digest 2021 debuts Phil Massaro as its editor-in-chief. Massaro, the seventh editor in the book’s history, has assembled a wide and varied roster of leading industry authors for the new book, including Craig Boddington, Joe Coogan, Ron Spomer, Terry Wieland, Rick Hacker, Jim Wilson, Larry Weishuhn, Wayne van Zwoll, Bryce Towsley and many more.
Developed in 2007 by Dennis DeMille and Dave Emary, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a shortened and improved 30 TC cartridge case that was inspired by the .308 Winchester design. This short action design was created to maximize case capacity and a wide range of loading lengths, while still fitting in standard short action magazines. With the correct twist barrel, the versatile 6.5 Creedmoor can take advantage of the wide range of bullet weights available in 6.5 mm (i.e. .264 caliber). Reloaders should keep in mind that the 6.5 Creedmoor works best with medium to medium-slow powders such as H4350, Varget, Win 760, and RE-17. The light recoil and adaptability of the efficient 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has already proven itself in high power, precision rifle series and benchrest competitions. Couple that with respectable barrel life and its intrinsic accuracy potential and you have a recipe for success which should insure its legacy for decades to come.
In the respected Riflemans Journal website, the Editor, “GS Arizona”, showed how to use the 
