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July 25th, 2019

CRPA Seeks Injunction to Halt California Ammo Restrictions

California Ammunition sales restrictions injunction rhode becerra CRPA lawsuit
Photo from Ault Ammo Depot.

Earlier this week, the California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA), filed a motion requesting an injunction against enforcement of California’s recently implemented ammunition sale/purchase laws. The injunction motion is part of the Rhode v. Becerra case filed in April of 2018. That lawsuit challenges California’s new ammo sale regulations which went into effect July 1, 2019. Lead Plaintiff and Olympic Shooter Kim Rhode and other Plaintiffs have asked the court to block the new ammunition-purchase laws on Constitutional grounds, and because of myriad practical issues with the new ammo sale controls.

Basically this burdensome new law requires filling out multiple forms, paying fees, and securing Birth Certificates or other proof of citizenship (which, of course, is NOT required for voting in California).

Kim Rhode California ammo sales injunction CRPAThe NRA-ILA states: “The entire system has been shown to be an [unconstitutional] excessive burden on law-abiding gun owners with little to no law enforcement value. California ammunition retailers were given little if any guidance from the state explaining the procedures for processing ammunition sales, amounting to mass confusion throughout the state.”

We talked to Californian (and lead Plaintiff) Kim Rhode at SHOT Show. The Olympic Gold Medalist explained to us that she can no longer mail-order the high-quality shot shells she uses in Olympic and World Cup competition, and she is not able to find that ammo in California retail stores. This limits her ability to practice in California.

If the court grants the Plaintiffs’ request for injunctive relief, it will prohibit California from enforcing its confusing and burdensome ammunition sales restrictions while the Rhode case is fully litigated. A hearing on the motion for injunction is scheduled for August 19th, 2019. A decision is expected sometime thereafter.

Kim Rhode California ammo sales injunction CRPAThe CRPA would also like to thank the following California ammunition retailers who supported Monday’s filing by providing declarations regarding the effect California’s ammunition sales restrictions have had on their businesses:

Turner’s Outdoorsman (27 CA locations)
LAX Ammunition OC (Huntington Beach)
Norco Armory (Norco)
Foothill Ammo (Shingle Springs)
Guns, Fishing and Other Stuff (Vacaville)
Royal Loan (San Diego)
Mosquito Creek Outfitters (Placerville)
Discount Gun Mart (San Diego and Santee)

The lawsuit is also supported by out-of-state retailers who are banned from shipping ammunition directly to California citizens, based on the provisions of the new legislation. These include Able’s Ammo (Texas), and Ammunition Depot (Florida).

Stand and Fight in California
Visit the NRA-ILA California Stand and Fight web-page for updates on the Rhode v. Becerra case as well as other issues impacting Second Amendment rights in California.

California Ammunition sales restrictions injunction rhode becerra CRPA lawsuit

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October 23rd, 2017

Team USA at ISSF World Cup Final in India this Week

Team USA Trap Mixed Team Ashley Carroll Derek Haldemann

Ten USA Shooting athletes compete this week at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final in New Delhi, India. Some 160 shooters from 15 countries will compete in this year’s invitation-only World Cup Final which runs October 22-30, 2017. Most of the Team USA squad in India are shotgunners. This year our Skeet/Trap shooters, including six-time Olympic Medalist Kim Rhode (above left), have garnered 26 top-10 finishes plus 12 individual medals and eight team medals.

The new Olympic events of Air Rifle Mixed Team, Air Pistol Mixed Team, and Trap Mixed Team kick off this ISSF World Cup Final in India. The USA has two pairs in the Trap Mixed Team event: Kayle Browning/Jake Wallace and World Championship bronze medalists Ashley Carroll/Derek Haldeman.

Browning and Wallace won a team silver at the World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico. Ashley Carroll (Solvang, California) and Derek Haldeman (USAMU, Sunbury, Ohio) won team bronze at the World Championship in Moscow, Russia. Interestingly, Ashley and Derek have a life together away from the trap range — they have been dating for two years now.

Team USA Trap Mixed Team Ashley Carroll Derek Haldemann

“The way the team event goes, it’s still a pretty individual game,” said Haldeman, who will make his World Cup Final debut in New Delhi. Haldeman, a Double Trap specialist, converted to Trap this season upon Double Trap’s elimination from the Olympic program. “It’s hard to help each other out during the actual competition. Ashley came down to Fort Benning to work on stuff. We worked on how we can work together, what we can say and what we can’t say, and that’s kind of how we were getting ready for World Cup Final. We’ll shoot together, have fun with it and see what happens!”

Ashley will compete again later in the week as the lone U.S. competitor in Women’s Trap. Carroll had a breakout year in 2017, winning her third National Championship win in a row, along with a gold-medal win and world-record finish at World Cup Acapulco.

Thrasher is Sole American Rifle Shooter at ISSF World Cup Final
2016 Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher (Springfield, Virginia) is the sole USA Rifle competitor at the 2017 ISSF World Cup Final. Thrasher, who earned her berth by virtue of winning Olympic Gold in Rio, took Bronze at the 2016 World Cup Final in Bologna, Italy.

Ginny Thrasher ISSF World Cup Final Olympic gold medal

ISSF World Cup Final
Competition commenced Sunday and concludes on October 30. The ISSF World Cup Final runs each year at the conclusion of the World Cup season. Athletes earn points through finishes throughout the season, with the eight best athletes in each event earning invitations to this match. Wild card invitations are also granted to title defenders, and in years of the Olympic Games and World Championships, to the three medalists in each event.

Finals will be streamed live on the ISSF website, on the Federation’s Livestream channel, on its official Facebook page and on the Olympic Channel.

ISSF World Cup Finals Schedule (All times USA Eastern Time)

Tuesday, October 24th: Trap Mixed Team at 4:30 am
Wednesday, October 25th: Skeet Women at 5:30 am
Thursday, October 26th: 10m Air Rifle Women at 2:30 am; Skeet Men at 5:30 am
Saturday, October 28th: Trap Women at 5:00 am
Sunday, October 29th: 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men at 12:45 am

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June 26th, 2017

Top 50 Female Competitive Shooters — the SSUSA.org List

Top 50 Fifty female lady competitive Shooters

While the majority of competitive shooters are male, some of the very best shooters are female. Competitive shooting is one sport where men and women do compete head-to-head at the highest level. You won’t see that in tennis, or cycling, or basketball, but in shooting, it’s not unusual to see a talented lady on top of the podium. There still are gender-based classifications in some shooting disciplines, but in F-Class, NRA High Power, and Benchrest women can and do compete on a par with men. These talented ladies have proven themselves capable of winning National and International Championships against all comers.


Top 50 Women in Competitive Shooting on Shooting Sports USA »

To celebrate the skills and talent of lady shooters, Shooting Sports USA recently created a great article showcasing 50 of the most talented female shooters in the USA. This list includes Olympic gold medalists (in shotgun and air rifle), Pistol champions, Palma rifle shooters, PRS competitors, and 3-gun specialists. Here are some of the 50 notables from the list. CLICK HERE to see the whole list.

Kim Rhode Shotgun Top 50 Lady ShootersKim Rhode: One of a few household names on this list, Kim Rhode and her Olympic bronze medal performance in Rio last year made her a six-time Olympic medal recipient. Kim has won an Olympic medal on five continents. Additionally she won the Women’s Skeet Final at the 2016 ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Rome, Italy. She plans to “definitely [go] for Tokyo in 2020. If Los Angeles gets the bid for the next one, (even if they don’t) I’ll probably go to the 2024 Olympic Games. There’s no reason for me to stop at this point.” Kim was recently elected to the NRA Board of Directors. Editor: Kim is a once-in-a-generation shooter; we support her work with the NRA.

Ginny Thrasher Top 50 Lady ShootersGinny Thrasher: This Olympic gold medalist needs little introduction. Quietly arriving on the scene after years racking up smallbore and air rifle victories, Ginny Thrasher arrived at West Virginia University and made history. Not only did she win the smallbore championship at NCAA in 2016, but her performance at the Rio 2016 Olympics started a media frenzy. Winning the first U.S. Gold Medal of the Games will do that. Prior to glory on the international stage, Ginny was winning NRA smallbore championships as a member of Northern Virginia’s own Junior Acorns team.

Lena Miculek Top 50 Lady ShootersLena Miculek: The daughter of master shooter Jerry Miculek, Lena burst onto the competitive shooting scene in 2005 with five consecutive Sportsman’s Team Challenge Junior national titles. Moving on to 3-gun, by 2015 she had an astonishing 89 percent win rate. Lena was the 2016 NRA World Shooting Ladies Champion. Recently, she traveled to Russia to compete at the inaugural IPSC World Rifle Championship, along with her mother Kay Miculek, Ashley Rheuark, and Maggie Reese. Lena and Team USA’s women’s team won Gold in the women’s Open division, and Lena won a second Gold Medal as the Ladies Open Division Individual Champion.

Lanny Tracy Barnes Top 50 Lady Shooters

Lanny and Tracey Barnes: Both highly decorated Olympic biathletes, the identical Barnes twins have been on the World Cup circuit for over a decade. At the age of 18, they made their first World Junior Championship team and medaled in the World Junior Championships the next year. Lanny competed in the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, and Tracy competed in the 2006 and was an alternate in 2010. Lanny posted the best U.S. finish in 16 years in 2010 with perfect shooting. These days, the twins compete in 3-gun and Sportsman’s Team Challenge—and also are serious hunters.

Kirsten Joy Weiss Top 50 Lady ShootersKirsten Joy Weiss: Before making great trick-shot videos on YouTube, Kirsten Weiss was a smallbore rifle champion, winning high lady and second place overall at the NRA 3-position smallbore nationals in 2012. Remarkably, Kristen shot the any sight match with iron sights, while many of her fellow shooters were using scopes. For those new to rimfire, Weiss says, “It is almost always better to start with iron sights rather than a scope. Scopes can be a crutch, but interestingly enough they can also help in developing bad habits if your fundamental marksmanship skills aren’t developed yet.”

Nancy, Sherri, and Michelle — The Tompkins/Gallager Clan

There are three more ladies, champions all, who should be included in the Top 50 list. We would definitely add Nancy Tompkins, and daughters Sherri Gallagher and Michelle Gallagher to this list. Nancy and Sherri are the only two women in history to have won the National High Power championship. Michelle Gallagher has won the Long Range National championship and she also serves as the coach of the U.S.A. F-Open team at the 2017 F-Class World Championships. Nancy Tompkins has rightly been called the “First Lady of American Shooting” and rightly so. You won’t find a nicer person, or a more talented shooter. Sherri, currently with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute Team, was an ace shooter with the USAMU squad who earned U.S. Army’s Soldier of the Year honors in 2010.

Accurateshooter.com Nancy Tompkins Sherri Jo Gallagher Michelle Gallagher

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August 20th, 2016

U.S.A. Shooting’s Women Bring Home Medals

Ginny Thrasher Gold Medal Rio Olympic Games 10m Air Rifle

The Rio Olympics shooting competition has ended, and USA Shooting Team’s medalists are all women. Ginny Thrasher of Virginia got the USA medal count off to a great start by winning the first gold medal of the 2016 Olympic games in Women’s Air Rifle, and Corey Cogdell-Unrein repeated as bronze medalist in Women’s Trap. By winning a bronze medal in skeet last Friday, 37-year-old Kim Rhode became the first female and summer Olympian ever to win medals in six consecutive Olympic Games. Read coverage in the LA Times, USA Today and Associated Press. Kim Rhode’s Olympic Odyssey.

Shooting Sports USA profiled Ginny Thrasher, winner of the very first Gold Medal awarded at the Rio Olympic games:

Ginny Thrasher Gold Medal Rio Olympic Games 10m Air Rifle

For 36 hours, Thrasher was the face of Team USA as the lone gold medalist, winning the first medal of the 2016 Olympic Games. The 19-year-old WVU sophomore was propelled into the media spotlight…

Thrasher explained how she coped with the pressures of competing in the most important sporting event on earth:

“I think this competition is one where you can mentally out-think yourself, and that’s the danger. For me, just being very focused. During the match I started out with some struggles, and I had to come off the line and my Olympic coach down there said, ‘Ginny, all you can do is shoot the best you can.’ I got back on the line, and that’s what I did. I shot the best that I could. I had a very bad hold, but it didn’t matter. Once I got into the final, I was very much focused on my breathing, and that was the point where all the training and all the discipline just came through for me. All I did was focus on my breathing and let my body do what it knew how to do.”

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August 5th, 2016

Olympic Shooting Sports Schedules and Coverage

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games kick off today with the Opening Ceremony. Shooting sports will be a part of these Olympics with competitions for rifle, pistol, and shotgun. From August 6 though August 14, Olympic shooters will compete in Brazil’s ultra-modern Olympic Shooting Center, originally created for the 2007 Pan-American Games at a cost of $53.5 million.

CLICK HERE for USA Shooting Olympic Preview with Team Profiles

SFC Michael McPhail Team USA
SFC Michael McPhail, shown above, is currently ranked #1 in the world in the smallbore 50m prone rifle discipline. He’s one of the favorites to win Gold in 2016.

2016 Olympic Media Coverage — TV and Internet
There will be some broadcast television coverage of shooting events. But the best way to follow the shooting matches is through streaming on the internet. NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App will live stream 4,500 total hours of Olympics coverage — covering every event. Each day you can click the NBC Live Stream Schedule for Shooting Sports Events to see what’s running. CLICK HERE for complete shooting sports schedule.

With Rio just one hour ahead of the Eastern Time zone, Americans will enjoy great “real-time” coverage of the 2016 Summer Games. NBCUniversal will present 2,084 hours of Olympic programming across 11 affiliated TV and Cable networks.

Olympic Shooting Event Schedule

Note: All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time, one hour AFTER Rio Local Time. These are events with USA competitors.

Friday, August 5
7:00 pm Opening Ceremony

Saturday, August 6
7:30 am – 10m Air Rifle Women
9:30 am – Finals 10m Air Rifle Women
12:00 pm – 10m Air Pistol Men
2:30 pm – Finals 10m Air Pistol Men

Sunday, August 7
8:00 am – 10m Air Pistol Women
8:00 am – Trap Women
10:00 am – Finals 10m Air Pistol Women
2:00 pm – Finals Trap Women

Monday, August 8
8:00 am – 10m Air Rifle Men
11:00 am – Finals 10m Air Rifle Men

Tuesday, August 9
8:00 am – 25m Pistol Women Precision Stage
11:00 am – 25m Pistol Women Rapid Stage
2:30 pm – Finals 25m Pistol Women

Wednesday, August 10
8:00 am – 50m Pistol Men
8:00 am – Double Trap Men
11:00 am – Finals 50m Pistol Men
2:00 pm – Finals Double Trap Men

Thursday, August 11
8:00 am – 50m Rifle 3-Position Women
11:00 am – Finals Rifle 3-Position Women

Friday, August 12
8:00 am – 50m Rifle Prone Men
8:00 am – Skeet Women
9:30 am – Skeet Men Day 1
10:00 am – Finals 50m Rifle Prone Men
11:15 am – 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men Stage 1
2:00 pm – Finals Skeet Women

Saturday, August 13
8:00 am – 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men Stage 2
8:30 am – Skeet Men Day 2
11:30 am – Finals 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men
2:00 pm – Finals Skeet Men

Sunday, August 14
8:00 am – 50m Rifle 3-Position Men
12:00 pm – Finals 50m Rifle 3-Position Men

You’ll find more information on Team USA and Olympic Shooting Competition on these websites:

usashooting.org
nbcolympics.com/shooting
teamusa.org

issf-sports.org
Rio2016.com
olympic.org

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January 22nd, 2016

SHOT Show Day Three

Shot show Day 3 Three Las Vegas

SHOT Show, the firearms industry trade show, is a huge event. There are more guns and shooting accessories than you can possibly imagine. On Thursday we saw everything from a giant CADEX .50 BMG with a 24″-long suppressor to a tiny Kahr .380, the thinnest carry gun in production. Here are some highlights from Day Three, a combination of old and very, very new. McMillan has a new, as-yet-unnamed tactical stock, Walther showcased an amazing electronic trigger, and Uberti revived America’s Wild West heritage with a line of single-action revolvers.

CZ 455 Tactical/Varmint Rimfire Rifles

CZ tactical rimfire 455

CZ USA still continues to offer some of the best .22 LR rifles for cross-training and tactical rimfire games. The CZ 455 Varmint Tacticool and Varmint Precision Trainer (Camo) feature proper, full-size stocks (with adult-scale ergonomics) so these rimfires look and feel like a centerfire tactical rig. CZ 455s have smooth actions and crisp triggers.

Walther LG400 Air Rifle with Electronic Trigger

Walther .22 lr Rimfire electronic trigger

Look carefully — this Walther LG400 Alutec air rifle is different than any gun you’ve ever shot. You see it has an ELECTRONIC trigger. This sophisticated, battery-powered trigger offers a super-precise, super-light release (it’s more a “touch” than a “pull”). For top-level international and Olympic shooters, the electronic trigger can offer a competitive advantage. Later this year Walther will offer an electronic trigger in its top-of-the-line smallbore rifle.

“Name This Stock” — New Tactical Stock from McMillan

Kelly McMillan Name this Stock NTS Tactical

Kelly McMillan, president of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks is holding the latest tactical stock from McMillan. It features a girder-style open fore-end that fits any barrel contour. At the rear, the stock boasts an adjustable cheekpiece along with a straight toe for riding a sandbag. Interestingly, this stock has no name (as yet). At SHOT Show, McMillan is running a “Name This Stock” contest. The winner will receive a free stock.

Giant Super-Sized Scope at Zeiss Booth

Zeiss big scope booth Victory

At its booth, Zeiss displayed what must be the world’s largest rifles-scope replica. This giant scope, as big as a totem pole, certainly did draw the attention of anyone who walked by. The big news at Zeiss this year is the Victory V8 line of scopes with 8X zoom ratio.

Uberti Classic Single Action Pistols

Uberti Single Action Pistol line

We love vintage-style revolvers. This year Uberti offered a beautiful array of single-action pistols in a variety of styles. Along with its line of “Wild West” repro pistols, Uberti makes excellent lever guns based on classic Winchester designs. This editor owns two Uberti lever-action rifles, and they are both beauties.

Anschutz Model 9015 Competition Air Rifle

Steve Boelter Anschutz 9015 Air Rifle

Our friend Steve Boelter, President of Anschutz North America, showed us the latest and greatest competition rifles from the respected German gun-maker. In this photo, Steve is holding the new Anschutz 9015 air rifle. Above is the new, top-of-the-line Anschutz smallbore target rifle. In a week or so we’ll release a video showing the details of both these rifles.

SHOT Scenery — From Russia with Love

Pretty 
Girls Shot Show Russia

It wouldn’t be SHOT without a few Booth Babes, or should we say Booth Babe-bushkas. These charming young ladies really ARE from Russia. Yuliya, on the right, hails from far-away Vladivostok in Siberia. She said she appreciated the warmer weather in Las Vegas.

Tikka T3 Compact Tactical Rifle for the Canadian Rangers

Tikka Canadian Rangers Rifle

On display at the SAKO booth was the Tikka T3 Compact Tactical Rifle which has been adopted by the Canadian Rangers. This will replace the Ranger’s beloved, but antiquated Lee-Enfield rifles. The Canadian Rangers, an element of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserve, serve as the CAF’s eyes and ears in sparsely-settled northern and coastal areas of Canada. The Rangers have helped secure Canada’s hinterlands since 1947.

Browning “Hell’s Canyon” Gun Vaults

Browning Hell's Canyon gun safe Vault

Browning showcased a series of large gun safes with much-enhanced fire-proofing and thicker steel walls. The new “Hell’s Canyon” Series of gun vaults offer 40% thicker steel plus 2 – 3 times the fire protection of typical gun safes. These “Hells Canyon”-series safes are impressive.

Kim Rhode — Olympic Gold Medal Winner

Kim Rhode shotgun Olympic Gold medals

We had a chance to interview shotgun superstar Kim Rhode, who has won Gold Medals at multiple Olympic Games. She told us some very interesting facts. For example, did you know that roughly 70% of females are left-eye dominant? Kim revealed some techniques that right-handed, cross-dominant shooters can use to improve their scores. We’ll reveal that in an upcoming video interview with Kim, shown here at the autograph table with some of her Olympic medals.

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August 22nd, 2012

Full-Page Ad in USA Today Honors America’s Olympic Shooters

Open today’s (8/22/2012) edition of USAToday, and you’ll find a full-page ad congratulating all members of the USA Olympic Shooting Team who recently competed at the London Olympics. The ad features the four shooter-athletes who earned three gold and one bronze medals in London. This advert was sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). The ad’s headline reads: “Congratulations To All Our Shooters on the U.S. Olympic Team” and continues, “Making history, setting records, showing the world the fun and excitement of the shooting sports: You’ve made us proud.”

CLICK HERE to see full-size advert.

“The National Shooting Sports Foundation is honored to be a sponsor of USA Shooting, and we are thrilled to draw even more attention with this ad to the fine men and women representing our sports on the world stage,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.

Four USA Shooters are featured:

Gold medalist Kim Rhode, who became the first American ever to medal in five consecutive Olympic Games and who set a new Olympic record and tied a world record in women’s skeet.

Gold medalist Vincent Hancock, who became the first skeet shooter to win that Olympic event twice and who set two Olympic records.

Gold medalist Jamie Gray, who set two Olympic records in both the final and qualification rounds of women’s 50-meter, three-position rifle.

Bronze medalist Matt Emmons, who added to his gold and silver medal tally from previous Games in the men’s 50-meter three-position rifle.

Download NSSF Where2Shoot App for iPhone
The NSSF’s USAToday Ad also gives readers an opportunity to download NSSF’s Where2Shoot App for the iPhone, which allows users to search for shooting facilities nationwide, watch video tips on hunting and shooting and keep up with news about the shooting sports. To learn more about USA Shooting visit www.usashooting.org.

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July 31st, 2012

SGT Vincent Hancock Wins Gold Medal In Skeet Shooting

SGT Vincent Hancock Skeet Gold medal London Olympics

SGT Vincent Hancock Skeet Gold medal London OlympicsSGT Vincent Hancock of the USAMU shot a 148/150 to win the Gold Medal today in men’s skeet at the London Olympics. Hancock has now won back-to-back Golds in skeet shooting at two successive Olympics. (Hancock also won Gold at Beijing in 2008). Finishing second with a 146 score, was Anders Golding of Denmark. Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiya won a shoot-off over Russia’s Valery Shomin for the bronze at the Royal Artillery Barracks. Read Related Story on ESPN.com.

After setting a new Olympic Record by hitting 123 out of 125 clays in Tuesday qualifying, Hancock entered the medal round with a one-target lead. He then shot a perfect final round score of 25 for a total of 148 out of 150, which was also a new Olympic record. He is the first men’s skeet shooter in Olympic history to win two Gold Medals.

Hancock is a “young gun” in a field of more experienced competitors. At age 23, he is the youngest in the men’s skeet competition by five years. (The average age of medal-round-qualifying skeet shooters in London is 37 years.) Hancock almost missed the 2012 Olympics altogether. After his 2008 win in Beijing, he thought seriously about retiring from the sport. But after some months considering the options, he resumed his training with a vengence and now he is on top of the world. Hancock’s victory, combined with the Gold-medal performance of team-mate Kim Rhode in women’s skeet, gives Team USA a sweep of the Skeet events at the 2012 Olympics.

SGT Vincent Hancock Skeet Gold medal London Olympics

Olympics Finals photos by Tim Hipps, IMCOM Public Affairs.

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July 29th, 2012

Kim Rhode Wins Gold in Women’s Skeet, Making Olympic History

Kim Rhode Shotgun SkeetKim Rhode “delivered the goods” on Sunday, winning the Gold Medal in women’s skeet shooting. By earning Gold in 2012, Rhode became the first USA athlete to win an individual medal in five (5) successive Olympic games. Congrats to Kim, who earned her 2012 Gold medal with a spectacular performance, scoring 99 out of 100. This tied the all-time World Record and set a new Olympic record.

Kim hit 65 clays in a row before her first miss. She went 25-for-25 in her first two Qualifying sessions, finishing 74-for-75 in Qualifying, also a new Olympic Record. This gave Rhode a 4-point lead heading into the finals. Not flinching under pressure, Rhode “cleaned” her final run, hitting all 25 Clays without a miss to secure a well-deserved Gold Medal.

“It’s just been an incredible journey,” said Rhode. “And ultimately, I couldn’t be happier for bringing home the gold for the United States.” This is the fifth time Rhode has earned a shotgun shooting medal at the Olympics. As a teenager in 1996 she won the double-trap gold medal at the Atlanta Olympic Games. At the Sydney Olympics four years later she took bronze in double trap. Kim then topped all double-trap competitors to win gold at Athens, Greece in 2004, and Kim took the silver medal in skeet at Beijing in 2008.

At the 2012 London games, Rhode won Gold in dominant fashion, as she went 99 for 100 to win by four points while smashing the old 93-point Olympic Record. Wei Ning of China took silver with 91 points and Danka Bartekova of Slovakia took the bronze in a shoot-out with Marina Belikova of Russia after Danka and Marina tied with 90 points.

Kim Rhode Skeet Gold Medal London 2012

Photo Courtesy USA Shooting.
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January 11th, 2012

Otis Technology Lines Up Big Names for SHOT Show

Otis TechnologyOtis Technology, manufacturer of gun care systems and accessories, has assembled an impressive line-up of shooters and celebrities for the 2012 SHOT Show. Starting on Tuesday morning, January 17th, you can visit Otis’ booth #14213 to chat with big name guests, including: Doug Koenig, Kim Rhode, Matt Hughes (UFC), and Patrick Flanigan. In addition to the celebrity appearances, Otis will demonstrate its new products all week.

Otis TechnologyFirst up, at 10 am on Tuesday, Vietnam Sniper Chuck Mawhinney and Medal of Honor recipient Jon Cavaiani will be at the Otis booth. In the next hour (11 am – 12 pm), World Champion Pistol Shooter Doug Koenig visits Otis, followed by UFC Hall of Famer and 9-Time Welterweight Champion, Matt Hughes, from 1 pm to 2 pm. Mark Wills, host of 3-Gun Nation TV, signs autographs from 3 pm to 4 pm.

On Wednesday Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani return from 10 am – 11 am. Exhibition Shotgunner Patrick Flanigan appears from 11 am -12 pm, followed by 4-Time Olympic Medalist Kim Rhode from 12 pm – 1 pm. Popular UFC Champ Matt Hughes will be on hand from 1 pm – 2 pm.

Thursday’s lineup begins at 10 am with Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani followed by autograph sessions with Doug Koenig from 11 am – 12 pm. Stop by the booth between 12 pm -1 pm for your last chance to meet Kim Rhode, between 2 pm – 3 pm to meet Matt Hughes, and from 3 pm – 4 pm to meet Mark Wills. The show winds down on Friday with appearances made by Chuck Mawhinney and Jon Cavaiani from 10 am -11 am and Patrick Flanigan from 11 am through noon.

Otis Technology

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October 22nd, 2011

Shotgunners Eller and Rhode Win Gold at Pan American Games

Pan American Games Glenn EllerSGT Glenn Eller of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit has won the Gold medal in Men’s Double Trap at the Pan American Games. Eller started well, hitting 49 out of 50 targets. Eller then shot a perfect 50 targets in his second round and 48 targets in the third round for 147 targets total. That was a new Pan American record, and just one target less than the world record. Eller’s total score of 195 targets (including the Final) smashed the existing Pan American record of 187 targets, and again, was just one target shy of the world record.

Needless to say Eller put up an amazing performance — one of the best ever by a Trap shooter. Eller’s Gold marks the twelfth shooting medal for the U.S. at the Pan American Games, and sixth Gold medal. Eller’s win was especially impressive because he had to overcome two trigger-related malfunctions in the Final. “We were fortunate to have good conditions and the Jalisco Hunting Club is the nicest venue in the Americas,” commented Eller. Puerto Rico’s Jose Torres won the silver medal with 136 match targets and 49 targets in the final for 185 total targets. Luis Da Graca of Brazil won the bronze medal with a perfect final of 50 targets for 182 total targets.

Pan American Games Kim RhodeKim Rhode Wins Women’s Skeet Gold Medal
Four-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode added yet another major victory to her resume, winning gold in Women’s Skeet at the Pan American Games. Rhode ran her first round with a perfect 25 targets in Women’s Skeet. Rhode, currently ranked #1 in the world in Women’s Skeet, continued to shine with two rounds of 24 targets for a total of 73 targets headed into the final. By the time she was finished, Rhode, the first American nominated to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, had set a new Pan American qualification and final record with 98 total targets. The silver medalist was Francisca Crovetto of Chile (89 targets) and the bronze medalist was Gil Melisa of Argentina (88 targets).

Rhode, who switched from Women’s Double Trap to Women’s Skeet after her original event was removed, has medaled in every major world championship in both events. Rhode’s grandmother passed away while the team was en route to Mexico. Rhode said, “I’d like to dedicate this medal to my grandmother because she taught me to work hard and stick with it.”

For more information on Team USA shooters at the Pan American Games, visit USAShooting.org.

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December 10th, 2010

Rhode and Richmond Named USA Shooting Athletes of Year

USA Shooting Athletes YearUSA Shooting has named Kim Rhode and Staff Sgt. Joshua Richmond as the 2010 Female and Male Athlete of the Year. Rhode had an outstanding year with a World Championship title, a National title, two World Cup gold medals, a World Cup Final silver and an equaled world record. Just three weeks after Nationals, Rhode took on the top shooters in the world at the World Shooting Championships in Munich, Germany. Rhode won the gold medal and World Champion title with 97 out of 100 targets. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson said, “Kim is a dominating force on the international scene and has been for years.”

Rhode currently leads the point total in U.S. Olympic Team selection, and unless another shooter equals or exceeds her point total, she will compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. That would be her fifth consecutive Olympic Games appearance (she has medaled in the previous four). In London, Rhode would have a chance to become the first individual-sport American athlete to medal in five consecutive Olympics.

Richmond Rises to Top in 2010
Staff Sgt. Joshua Richmond was a world-beater in 2010, finishing as the ISSF World Champion in double-trap. Josh began his impressive year in Acapulco, Mexico at the first shotgun World Cup of the season. Richmond scored 192 out of 200 targets for the gold medal. In Colorado Springs, Richmond won the silver medal at the USA Shooting National Championship with 333 out of 350 targets.

In the video below, you can watch Richmond win the Gold Medal for Men’s Double-Trap at the 2010 ISSF World Shooting Championship in Munich Germany. In Munich, Richmond was on fire. He nailed 146 out of 150 targets in qualification and shot a perfect 50 in the final. That gave Josh a total of 196 out of 200 targets — equaling the world record, and securing the World Championship.

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Richmond is stationed with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, GA, where he is training in preparation for the 2012 Olympics. Richmond credits the USAMU for his success: “I would like to thank the USAMU for molding me into a champion.”

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