Bill Gravatt, President of Sinclair International, has chosen to leave his current position with Sinclair International, where he has served for 22 years. Bill told us “I sold Sinclair International to Brownells, Inc. in 2007 and have completed my five-year contract as part of the transition process. I had the opportunity to remain as President after my contract expired but, after giving the matter a great deal of thought over the past six months, I felt it was time to move in a new direction. I wish everyone at Sinclair International and Brownells all the best in the future.”
In Sinclair’s Reloading Press Blog*, Bill thanks Sinclair customers for their patronage and assures readers that Sinclair will continue to provide same high level of customer service.
Message from Bill Gravatt As you know, I sold Sinclair International to Brownells a while back. Pete and Frank Brownell and I had known each other for years, and we all agreed that the two companies would be a good fit, both in the way we treat customers as valued friends and the way our respective customer bases are complementary, similar but not identical. We also agreed that I would stay on as President of Sinclair for five years to help manage the transition.
The five years ended last summer, and now under the Brownells stewardship, Sinclair will continue to serve its customers — you — with the same care and consideration my father-in-law Fred Sinclair and I would give you. I consider it a privilege and a pleasure to have been able to serve you over the years.
Now it’s time to move on with the next (actually the third) phase of my adult life (some of you may know the first phase was the nuclear power industry). I’m certainly going to be around… I plan to continue working in the firearms industry, and you’re going to still see me at competitions and events — maybe more than before. I hope to see you at an NRA Show[.]
In the meantime, I plan to spend Christmas the way I hope you do — with friends and family, relaxing and celebrating the blessings of this life. And maybe getting started on that big winter reloading project. Wouldn’t it be great to head into the 2013 shooting season with your ammo loaded up and ready to go? Spring is closer than you think! But first [comes] Christmas — all my best wishes to you and those close to you.
Good Shooting — Bill Gravatt
*Geoff Esterline, a key member of the Sinclair team for over 15 years, has agreed to take over as Contributing Editor of the Reloading Press Blog. Bill has “every confidence” in Geoff’s capabilities.
Sinclair International has just released its 2012 Christmas Catalog. The 24-page catalog is filled with hundreds of sale items. Among the holiday bargains found inside are special offers on Hornady and Redding presses, Lyman case cleaning equipment, bullets from Berger, Norma, and Sierra, in addition to brass from Lapua and Nosler – just to name a few. The sale prices shown in the catalog are valid through January 14, 2013.
Customers who didn’t receive a print holiday catalog in the mail are encouraged to view the interactive digital version, which is an exact replica of the print edition.
Cyber Weekend Deals at Sinclair Int’l and Brownells
In five days, starting at 12:01 am on November 22, 2012 (Thanksgiving Day), Sinclair International kicks off its Cyber Weekend Sales Promotion. Through the holiday weekend, you’ll enjoy special savings on a wide variety of merchandise — bullets, brass, reloading tools, shooting accessories, and more. Along with the deals on the Sinclair Int’l website, Brownells.com will be offering special savings as part of Brownells’ “Black Rifle Friday” sales event, which actually starts on Thursday, November 22nd.
This month, Brownells is running a “30 Days of Thanks” Sweepstakes. Each day during the month of November, one lucky winner will receive a thank-you gift courtesy of Brownells. Prizes include riflescopes, holo-sights, AR15 Accessories, Shooting Glasses, and more. In all, Brownells will give away nearly $4,000 in total prizes throughout the month.
Daily prizes will be revealed at 9:00 AM (CST) on the Brownells Facebook page and the sweepstakes area of the website. Winners will be announced the following day at 12:00 PM (CST). Friday, Saturday and Sunday winners will be named at 12:– PM (CST) on Mondays. The sweepstakes ends on Saturday, December 1, 2012. CLICK HERE for Sweepstakes Official Rules.
This week, the “Sons of Guns” TV show features a grudge match between Brownells and Hornady. On tonight’s episode of the popular Discovery Channel TV series, the sons (and fathers) of two legendary, firearms-industry families square off in a 3-gun match, with “bragging rights” at stake for Brownells and Hornady. The “Corporate Shootout” episode airs Wednesday, October 17, at 9:00 pm (EST).
Long-time friends Pete Brownell of Brownells, and Jason Hornady of Hornady Mfg., both executives at their third-generation family-owned companies, team up with Red Jacket Firearms to do something special for their famous fathers. In the process, they’ll settle a generations-old grudge match over which family shoots better. “I only have to outshoot Pete Brownell,” said Jason. “He’s a long-time friend, but there are no friends when it comes to competitive shooting.”
Pete, pairing up with Frank Brownell, Chairman of Brownells, and Jason, joining Steve Hornady, President of Hornady Mfg., will engage in a friendly Brownell vs. Hornady 3-gun competition using 1911 pistols, AR-15 rifles, and Saiga shotguns built by Red Jacket Firearms.
Echoing Hornady’s sentiments, Brownell jokingly responded, “Jason’s a great guy, but he’s always known that I’m the better shot. In all seriousness, we had a great time competing with our fathers. I want to thank the Hornadys, as well as the crew at Red Jacket Firearms for an incredible experience. The show settles the bragging rights question once and for all.”
TV Guns Featured on Brownells Website
The AR-15s used by the Brownell, Hornady and Red Jacket teams for the filming of “Sons of Guns,” along with a list of products used for their builds, will be displayed in the Dream Guns section of the Brownells website following the show.
Jerry Schmidt, an avid shooter and hunter from Montana, has created a tool designed to help install single-dovetail or double-dovetail rings on hunting rifles. Jerry’s invention, the Scope-Tru Alignment Bar (patent pending), is unique. Unlike most other alignment systems, this is a single, long precision machined rod with a pointed forward end. You work on one ring at a time, first setting the front ring in the dovetail and then setting the rear ring. The process is shown by Jerry in the video below.
Jerry explains: “The Scope-Tru Alignment Bar is a tool designed to install both standard ring/mount systems, and dual dovetail ring/mount systems. The tool provides significant leverage to turn the dovetail rings into their bases. By observing the pointer on the end of the bar, it is easy to align the ring with the center of the barrel, thereby assuring that the ring is installed at 90 degrees to the axis of the bore. Because the bar is a one-piece tool, it is possible to get the rings into nearly perfect alignment with each other, and near perfect alignment with the bore axis.”
The photos above show how the tool is used to install and align a set of standard hunting rings (with rear windage adjustment). You start with the front ring, rotating it 90 degrees in the dovetail, and then align with the center of the barrel. Next, slide the tool rearwards and loosely set the rear ring in place. With both rings adjusted correctly, the alignment tool will be perfectly centered and both rings with be subsequently squared at 90° to the bore axis. Schmidt says he can install conventional rings with this tool, tighten them to spec on a rifle scope, and there will be virtually no marks on the scope tube. (Of course this would require that the rings are extremely well made with no burrs or highspots on the trailing and leading edges.)
The Scope-Tru Alignment Bar is CNC-machined from TGP bar stock, and will be offered in both 1 inch, and 30mm diameters. The durable bar is designed for regular, long-term use by the professional gunsmith, the home gunsmith or “gun crank”, and retail or wholesale sporting goods store staff. The 1″-diameter, all-steel Scope-Tru is can be purchased for $135.00 plus shipping and handling. The version for 30mm rings AND a new combo 1″/30mm Scope-Tru tool are both in final development, and could be available in the near future. To place an order for a 1″-diameter Scope-Tru, CLICK this LINK.
For more info, visit Parabola-LLC.com, phone (406) 586-1687, or email info [at] parabola-llc.com. CLICK HERE for a shorter video that shows the entire mounting process in a compressed time format.
As a Labor Day Weekend Promotion, Brownells is offering FREE SHIPPING on domestic orders of $150 or more! To get FREE shipping on your purchase order, Use Code DSW at checkout. Note, this offer ends September 3rd, 2012 (9/3/12) at 11:59pm CST. Given shipping costs these days, this special offer could save you $10, $20 or more on the total cost of your purchase.
Brownells now offers a full line of name-brand reloading equipment and supplies — all backed by Brownells unconditional lifetime guarantee. The new Brownells reloading product line features Dies, Presses, and Tools from RCBS, Lee Precision, Lyman, Redding, Sinclair International, and many more. Along with reloading tools and equipment, Brownells will offer reloading components (Brass, Bullets, Primers, Powder, etc.) from major manufacturers including Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, Hodgdon, Remington, Winchester, and others.
To kick off the launch of its new Reloading product line, Brownells is running a limited-time promotion. For orders containing reloading products, customers can receive a $10 discount on orders totaling more than $99, a $20 discount on orders totaling more than $199, or a $30 discount on orders totaling more than $299. Don’t delay. These special discounts are valid Thursday, August 16, 2012 through Monday, August 20, 2012. Use product codes DRR ($99+), DRS ($199+), or DRT ($299+) during check-out.
“We are excited to launch our new reloading category,” said Pete Brownell, President/CEO of Brownells. “Much like the addition of our ammunition line last year, the ‘You asked, we listened’ philosophy played a major part in our decision. We found that many of our customers enjoy reloading and find it to be a cost saver, so we’re happy to provide them with the supplies they want.”
Brownells’ 6th Annual Gunsmith Career Fair will be held at the Des Moines Marriot Downtown in Des Moines, Iowa, April 27-28, 2012. The Sixth Annual Gunsmith Career Fair is expected to draw hundreds of attendees along with representatives from three dozen potential employers. As in past years, the Career Fair will include gunsmithing seminars along with opportunities for individuals to interview for jobs with arms-makers and government agencies.
Gunsmith CareerFair.com.
In addition to industry and government representatives, many trade schools and colleges offering gunsmithing programs will be exhibiting at the 2012 Gunsmith fair. These include:
If you’re planning to make a big purchase at Sinclair International or Brownells, we’ve got the latest discount coupons here. These can easily save you 10 to 20 bucks, depending on the size and weight of your order. During check-out, use code DF9 at Sinclairintl.com, and use code DEG at Brownells.com. These codes entitle you to FREE ground shipping on orders of $150.00 or more.
We reported last week that both Sinclair Int’l and Brownells have commenced selling loaded ammunition. Both vendors now carry a full selection of rimfire and centerfire ammo, for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. This is the first time in Brownells’ 70-year history that it is selling ammunition. To promote the new ammo sales program, Brownells is offering a 5% discount on your entire order, if it includes ammunition. That’s right — if you purchase some ammo, you get 5% off EVERYTHING in your order (which can include tools, gun parts, supplies, you name it). But wait, there’s more — for all orders over $199.00 that contain ammunition, Brownells’ will also kick in FREE SHIPPING.
Use Discount CodeCXL
To get the 5% off and Free Shipping on $199.00+ orders, use Code CXL on check-out. To make this perfectly clear, so long as you purchase at least one box of ammo, you get 5% off your whole order. Can’t complain about that! But be advised — this is a limited time offer — Brownells is reserving the right to terminate these special offers after next week. So act now if you want to save 5% on your entire Brownells order.
As you know, I sold Sinclair International to Brownells a while back. Pete and Frank Brownell and I had known each other for years, and we all agreed that the two companies would be a good fit, both in the way we treat customers as valued friends and the way our respective customer bases are complementary, similar but not identical. We also agreed that I would stay on as President of Sinclair for five years to help manage the transition.
Long-time friends Pete Brownell of Brownells, and Jason Hornady of Hornady Mfg., both executives at their third-generation family-owned companies, team up with Red Jacket Firearms to do something special for their famous fathers. In the process, they’ll settle a generations-old grudge match over which family shoots better. “I only have to outshoot Pete Brownell,” said Jason. “He’s a long-time friend, but there are no friends when it comes to competitive shooting.”
Gunsmith CareerFair.com.
