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July 6th, 2014
 The popular Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match returns to Camp Perry on July 18, 2014, as part of this year’s National Matches. The Sniper Team Match was first held at Camp Perry in 2011, after being “test-fired” at the Eastern and Western CMP Games in 2010. The match tests competitors’ shooting abilities in a controlled environment and requires precise communication between teammates. Fierce competition and great camaraderie have made the Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match a hugely popular event.
Two-person teams will fire 10 rounds in 20-second intervals from scoped vintage military rifles set on sand bags. One team marksman shoots from the prone position at 300 and 600 yards, while the other serves as a spotter to relay shot position. Marksman and spotter switch positions on the firing lines, allowing each teammate to play both roles. Scores are then combined for an Aggregate team total.
CLICK HERE for more info about the Vintage Sniper Match and other National Trophy Rifle Matches. These CMP Photo Gallery images are from the 2011 Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match.
Dennis DeMille (G.M. of Creedmoor Sports) with spotter Don Rutherford.
Two M1 Garands, fitted with scopes and lace-on cheekpads.
Who can identify this rifle, with its unusual scope mount?
Here’s an old Swedish Mauser, chambered for the 6.5x55mm cartridge. These old Swedes can shoot!
Wounded Veteran participates in Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match.
Hornady’s Dave Emary (left) with “Gunny” R. Lee Ermey (right).
A good time was had by all. This is a fun competition.
July 6th, 2014
Next weekend, July 11-13, Crosman Corporation will welcome 100 competitors to the largest airgun event of its kind in the United States. The Northeast Regional Field Target Championship will feature participants from fourteen states and Canada competing.
Now in its fifth year, the Northeast Regional Field Target Championship (NRFTC) is the country’s largest regional championship with nearly 100 shooters participating in nine shooting disciplines. Open to professionals, amateurs and families, the NRFTC offers a challenging yet forgiving shooting course in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. The event will be held on the Crosman Corporation campus in Bloomfield, NY from July 11-13, 2014.
“[This] has turned into the top open competition in the country for Field Target,” said Mark DeBoard, Crosman Shooting Services Manager. “Technically it’s a regional competition but we draw participants from across the U.S. and we have international competitors as well. Age, height, and weight don’t offer any advantages, so we see both adults and youth performing at high levels,” says DeBoard. The public is invited to come and watch the action — this is a great opportunity to learn about Field Target.
The rifle event takes place over two days with competitors taking 60 shots each day. The event runs under American Airgun Field Target Association rules. Field target competitors attempt to knock down a variety of steel targets set at distances ranging from 15 to 50 yards. Competitors shoot in a variety of divisions and classes based on the equipment they use, taking both their airgun and support equipment into consideration.
CLICK HERE for Online Registration, Event Rules, and Lodging Options..
“Spots are limited, so please register soon,” says Mark DeBoard, Shooting Services Manager for Crosman. “Field target is a fun event for all skill levels. Participants will benefit by shooting alongside members of Team USA and other [top shooters] from across the country.
Field Target Competition Explained — Video from 2013 World Championship
July 6th, 2014
 This holiday weekend, Grafs.com has been offering value-priced combos of powder and primers. AR guys and varmint hunters should like the combination of Hodgdon CFE223 powder and CCI 400 (small rifle) primers (item #July4combo01). This combo gives you six (6) pounds of CFE223 powder plus 5,000 CCI 400 primers for $265.99, plus a single $28.50 hazmat fee.
If you prefer Winchester powder, you can get 6 pounds of Winchester 748 powder plus 5000 CCI 400 primers for $269.99 (plus hazmat). Lastly, if you prefer to purchase by the jug, Grafs.com is offering a combo pack (item #July4combo03) with one 8-pound jug of IMR4064 plus 5,000 CCI 400 primers for $299.99 (plus hazmat). Take your pick — these are all pretty good deals.
July 5th, 2014
The digital version of the Vihtavuori Reloading Guide (13th Edition) has been updated. It can be downloaded for FREE in PDF Format.
CLICK HERE to Download Vihtavuori Reloading Guide (Updated June, 2014)
 In this latest update, two new calibers have been added: .221 Remington Fireball and .300 AAC Blackout. (Lapua now makes .221 Fireball brass.) In addition, there is updated data for the popular .260 Remington cartridge. That’s good news as we know that many of our readers are looking for load data for the .260 Rem. Vihtavuori makes a variety of powders well-suited for both hunting and match loads in the .260 Rem.
The Vihtavuori Reloading Guide covers more than 20 different types of VV reloading powders. It was most recently updated in June, 2014. The online reloading info database at Vihtavuori.com has also been updated.
Data Tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
July 5th, 2014
Darrell Buell, past captain of the world champion F-TR Team USA, just received an impressive new piece of kit. A custom flat sheet was created by Kent Rush for Darrell, complete with cool graphics and sponsors’ logos. As soon as we saw this on Darrell’s Facebook page, we knew this would be popular with our readers. Heck, this Editor wants one too — with “AccurateShooter.com” emblazoned on it.
Darrell loves his new shooting accessory: “Here’s the whole enchilada! Savage rifle, 2014 Nightforce Competition Scope, Berger Bullets (185 Juggernauts), Seb Lambang’s new Joy-Pod (plus “Pod-Pad” mat), a new shooting mat courtesy of Scott at Red Star Targets, and an awesome new rear-bag sheet by Kent Rush for the Edgewood bag. This new sheet allows for friction-free rear bag adjustments — Thanks Kent Rush!”
Darrell Leads North American Junior F-TR Team
Though he has stepped down from his role as Captain of F-TR Team USA, Darrell hasn’t given up his coaching duties entirely. Darrell is the coach (and adult leader) of the North American Junior F-TR Team. Darrell is lending his world-beating long-range shooting knowledge to young competitors who are making a mark for themselves already. Here is Darrell with one of his young marksmen.
July 4th, 2014
 Today, July 4th, we are celebrating a special birthday — the launching of a new nation that would become the world’s greatest exemplar of freedom and democracy. It is easy to lose sight of the challenges that faced our fore-fathers, and the continuing burdens we all share, as Americans, to maintain freedom at home and stand as an example to other peoples engaged in the struggle for democracy. It is more important than ever that we remember the ideals on which the nation was founded, and remember that our nation became great through the efforts and talents of a free citizenry.
In the Beginning — Overcoming Great Odds
In a July 4th speech, Navy Lt. Ellen Connors wrote: “Our nation declared its independence in order for our families to live free –- not just for one generation but for future generations. And what odds [the founding fathers] faced. It must have seemed impossible. Our forefathers went up against the world’s most colossal empire since ancient Rome. No colony had ever successfully left a mother country to set up a self-governing state.”
The National Guard, Heritage Paintings Collection. Battle of Long Island by Domenick D’Andrea.
The Price of Freedom… The Pride of A Nation
Here is a selection from Daniel Webster’s July 4th, 1851 Oration. His words ring true even now:
On the 4th of July, 1776, the assembled Representatives of the United States of America in Congress declared that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE and INDEPENDENT States. This Declaration, made by most patriotic and resolute men, trusting in the justice of their cause and the protection of Heaven, and yet made not without deep solicitude and anxeity, has now stood for seventy-five years, and still stands. It was sealed in blood. It has met dangers, and overcome them; it has had enemies, and conquered them; it has had detractors, and abashed them all….
Every mans’ heart swells within him… as he remembers that seventy-five years have rolled away, and that the great inheritance of liberty is still his — his, undiminished and unimpaired, his in all its original glory; his to enjoy; his to protect; and his to transmit to future generations.
July 4th, 2014
Think you need a custom action and a custom-chambered barrel to set records? Well think again. Recently, a potential new 300-yard National record was set — 200-30X. That’s a truckload of Xs. But here’s the kicker. That 200-30x score was shot with a Savage-actioned rifle no less — a Savage with a screw-on, “no-gunsmithing” pre-fit barrel from Criterion Barrels Inc. (CBI). The shooter was David Mark Honeycutt, shooting F-0pen at the Catawba Valley Rifle & Pistol club in Conover, NC. The chambering was a favorite of ours — the 6mmBR Norma.
Check out this score sheet — no shortage of Xs here! Honeycutt fired a 200-30X relay using a CBI Savage Pre-Fit chambered in 6mmBR. This should be a new National 300-yard F-Open record, provided it was shot in a registered match.*
Mike, one of our readers, witnessed Honeycutt’s impressive marksmanship: “I was there. F-Open at 300 Yards. [Honeycutt] put on some show. Another thing that makes this so impressive is that after twenty Xs, you have … no waiting on conditions.” Shiraz Balolia, the current F-Open, 300-yard record holder (with 200-26X), explains: “You do not get an extra minute per shot once you reach 20 Xs. All shots still need to be fired within the allotted original time of the match, which I suspect was 22 minutes total.”
NRA National records can be accessed at http://compete.nra.org/national-records.aspx. We checked that website, and saw nothing that would rival Honneycutt’s 200-30X. The listed record for F-Open at 300 yards is 300-26X shot by Shiraz Balolia on 4/26/2008.
*Note: We won’t see this 200-30X as a listed record unless the appropriate paperwork is done. National record reporting forms must be submitted to NRA by the statistical officer of the registered tournament in which they were fired after being certified by the jury chairman or referee. National records can only be set in registered matches that have a minimum of two ROs running the match.
July 4th, 2014
Here’s a stunning rifle that’s perfect for the July 4th edition of the Daily Bulletin. Forum member CaptSurly from Florida posted his .223 Rem “Old Glory” in the Pride and Joy thread in our Forum. In that thread Forum members have posted photos of their favorite rifles. When we saw “Old Glory” for the first time, we knew this gun deserved more exposure.
CaptSurly tells us: “Old Glory is the second custom rifle I had built. The first was another 223 built by Bobbie Hart. In choosing 223 it was the result, at the time, of the lack of any familiarity with the BR and PPC custom cartridges. Old Glory is one of a dozen custom rifles I own, 8 of which are built on Bat 6.5″ MF actions, all with Shehane Tracker stocks in 22 and 6mm PPC, 22, 6mm, and 30 BR, as well as 222s and 22-250s built on Rem 700 trued actions. The gunsmiths include: Leonard Baity, Dwight Scott, Kevin Rayhill, Bill Truitt and Doyle Anglin.”
Old Glory is built on a trued Remington SS action. It sports a Shehane MBR Tracker stock, a 1:14″ twist Dan Lilja SS Barrel at 24″, a 1.5 oz. Jewell trigger, a Pacific Tool & Gauge (PTG) bolt, a Leupold 45×45 Competition scope, Davidson bases, and Kelby rings. The chambering is by Kevin Rayhill in Match .223 Rem Match with a .250″ neck. Kevin also pillar- and glass-bedded the action in the stock. The gun is shot with Lapua match brass (.0115″ neck thickness), Bart’s 52gr FB bullets and with Fed 205m match primers lighting off 25.0 grains of VV 133. The gun is very accurate.
CaptSurly tells us: “Old Glory is not shot in organized competition, but competition in absentia. By that I mean I keep track of what is happening in organized competition through PS Magazine and through the IBS web site. Traveling to matches at long distances does not work for me. Extreme accuracy is my passion and I am rarely satisfied with my results regardless of how good they are and more often than not they are good. Old Glory is seldom shot beyond 50 yards due to the range availability here on the island. I shoot on the Florida Keys Shooting Club Range here on Key Largo, FL. While we have 50- and 100-yard ranges, the 100-yard range is available only on Monday afternoons, so I use same for shooting my PPCs and BRs.”
 Artwork by Killer Paint’s Mike Lavallee
The amazing paint job was done by Mike Lavallee of Killer Paint Inc. in Snohomish, Washington. Mike is a featured artist on The Discovery Channel in his own right and in association with Monster Garage (Jesse James). Lavallee is famous for his “Tru-flames” paint effects.
Three of CaptSurly’s painted stocks currently appear on the Killer Paint web site gallery and Lavallee is currently working on two more stocks for CaptSurly and his wife — one will feature a tropical motif and the other will sport a buckskin motif.
July 3rd, 2014
The NRA National Rifle and Pistol Matches kick off next Monday, July 7, 2014 at Camp Perry. There will be something special this year in honor of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who fought in World War II. Here’s the CMP’s notice of the special event:
First Shot Ceremony at Camp Perry
In recognition of the heroism many soldiers displayed 70 years ago to the day, at the Battle of Saint Lo in Normandy, France, and the Battle of Saipan in the South Pacific, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will be bringing the sights and sounds of these great conflicts to the shores of Lake Erie at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 7, 2014. Please join us at the ranges of Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio, as we merge the great sacrifices of veterans everywhere with the friendly rivalry of marksmanship competition.
 Scheduled to appear are a WW II Navy Avenger torpedo bomber and the WW II B-25 bomber “Yankee Warrior”. These warplanes will fly overhead as vintage military vehicles parade alongside the ranges towards the crowd. Leading the ground forces will be a fully-operational M-4 Sherman tank. Other vehicles on display will include a WW II AMTRAC and WW II Army Jeeps.
Gary Anderson, DCM Emeritus, has the honor of firing the First Shot at the Opening Ceremonies. A legendary shooter, Anderson is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who also carries seven World Championships and 16 National Championships in his list of accomplishments. Anderson will fire the first shot of the National Matches with his Model 70 rifle, which he used to win one of his U.S. National Championships.
The First Shot Ceremony and the Range Dedication events are free and open to the public. All guests are welcome. To learn more about the National Matches, CLICK THIS LINK.
July 3rd, 2014
Free Steel. Sound good? How’d you like a fat grant to purchase steel targets for your shooting club? Here’s how that can happen. Shooting facilities willing to host NSSF Rimfire Challenge events can take advantage of the NSSF Rimfire Challenge Steel Target Grant Program being offered in partnership with Action Target. The steel target grant package is valued at $2100, and these targets can be used for other types of matches as well. CLICK HERE for grant application guidelines and information.
NSSF will be able to offer 30 steel target grants to shooting ranges willing to host a minimum of four NSSF Rimfire Challenge events per year. The steel target package is valued at $2,100. “We believe in supporting shooting sports, and this grant program is a great way for us to do that,” said Action Target’s portable target specialist Chad Burdette.
Who May Apply
Any shooting range that hosts NSSF Rimfire Challenge events open to the public at least 4 times a year (NSSF encourages ranges to host events on a monthly basis). NSSF range members shall be given priority. A total of thirty (30) steel target grant packages will be available.
 What’s in the Target Package
Packages will consist of 12 targets, enabling match directors to set up two Rimfire Challenge stages. Each grant package will include the following 12 targets:
3 – 8″ Circles
4 – 10″ Circles
4 – 12″ Circles
1 – 18″ x 24″ Rectangle
Grant recipients will have the option of choosing either the Evil Roy target stand or the PT Static stand and foot package (choice of 1’, 2’, 3’ or 4’ stand height).
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