“Rumble on the Range”, the 3-Gun Nation (3GN) Championship, takes place today, October 25th at the U.S. Shooting Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 2014 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Pro Series culminates in this season-ending event. This is a big money match, with serious prize money going to the winners. Top 3GN Pro Series competitors will duel in a head-to-head, no holds barred shoot-off for cash, prizes and the championship title.
There are 40 competitors — 32 men and 8 women — with separate classes for the guys and the gals. In the men’s championship, the top 32 male finalists will compete for a $50,000 cash payday sponsored by Leupold and NRA Sports. Shooters will use pistols, AR-platform rifles, and shotguns — all tricked out for maximum speed and high capacity.
The 3-Gun Nation Ladies Professional Series, sponsored by Samson Manufacturing, concludes with the top eight (8) ladies competing for $25,000 Cash. The shooters to beat are 2013 Mens’ Champion SSG Daniel Horner of the USAMU and 2013 Ladies’ Champion Lena Miculek (at right).
Watch Video from 2013 3-Gun Nation Championship
HOW IT WORKS:
The event will feature 3 stages of fire (shoot-off stages). Each of the top 32 (males) and 8 (females) will be paired against each other based on series rank. The first of the paired competitors to complete the course of fire will advance. Stage 1 will feature 32 males; 8 females. Stage 2 will feature 16 males; 4 females. Stage 3 will feature the final 8 males; final 2 females. The final male will win the $50,000 cash prize. The final female will win the $25,000 cash prize.
Where:
U.S. Shooting Academy
6500 East 66th St N
Tulsa, OK 74117
(918) 948-7856
When:
Saturday, October 25
All Day 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Grand Finale: 4:00-6:00 PM
3-Gun Nation Side Stage
A special Side Stage will be open to the public with guns and ammo provided. Spectators can try their hands at 3-Gun, shooting pistols, AR-type carbines, and shotguns. The top score wins a DPMS AP4 Carbine!
Machine Gun Shoot
A machine gun demo featuring a wide variety of full-auto firearms with be open to the public, under the direction of the U.S. Shooting Academy Range staff. Ammo fees apply.
Sneaky Ladies. Maggie Reese (left) and Janna Reeves (right) try to steal the big $25,000 check!
It’s “rebate season” for rifle scopes. Leica recently announced a $200.00 trade-in rebate offer, and now Leupold is joining in on the fun with a $50.00 rebate on VX-2 scopes.
Here’s how you can save fifty bucks on a Leupold VX-2.
From August 1 to September 1, 2014, hunters and shooters can receive a $50 rebate on the purchase of select Leupold® VX®-2 riflescopes. To receive the rebate, submit a rebate form with a valid receipt and the original UPC bar code cut from the product packaging. Forms can be obtained at Point of Purchase. The VX-2 rebate forms must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2014.
Alternatively, you can fill out Leupold’s Online Rebate Form. After filling in your personal info, then upload a photo of the sales receipt, plus a photo (or scan) of the product UPC code. If you have a smart-phone, that should be easy, and you don’t even need a stamp or envelope.
It’s official. No more “vaporware”. In 2014, Leupold will sell a 7-42x56mm VX-6 scope for approximately $1800.00. This scope will be “coming out this summer”. This is a very impressive optic that will give other premium high-magnification competition scopes a run for their money. The new 7-42 features a 34mm main tube. That large diameter tube helps the scope deliver an estimated 70 minutes of elevation (final specs subject to change). There is a side parallax control, and target turrets with 1/8th-MOA click values and built-in zero stop. We were pleased to see that the scope features a “fast-focus” eyepiece with plus/minus diopter adjustment. Initially the scope will be offered with two (2) reticles, the TMOA and TMOA Plus. These feature MOA-based hash marks, with a small gap in the very center with a target dot at the aiming point.
We did get a chance to test the scope. Jason successful engaged targets at 960 yards using a .308 Win Colt modular rifle fitted with the new 7-42x56mm Leupold. Jason reports that the clicks are tactile and positive. The scope is sharp and bright all the way out to the edges of the viewing circle, even at max 42 power. We liked this optic, and can’t wait to get our hands on a final production version.
Leupold has just introduced a new second focal plane reticle with MOA-based hashmarks, allowing precise hold-overs and hold-offs (for wind). The new TS-32X1 reticle, is a minute-of-angle (MOA) based system designed to allow for precision shots without the need for dial adjustments. The TS-32X1 reticle is designed to work with riflescopes that employ 1/4-MOA target adjustments or M1 dials.
The TS-32X1 is the first in a family of MOA-based reticles that will cover several magnification ranges. The TS-32X1 will be available for a wide variety of Leupold riflescopes. For $159.99, the Leupold Custom Shop can also retrofit this reticle into many existing Leupold scopes. Adding the TS-32X1 to a new riflescope ordered through the Custom Shop will cost $129.99.
MOA-Based Hashmarks on Horizontal and Vertical Stadia
On the TS-32X1 reticle, a heavy post and thin stadia crosshair features 1-MOA hashmarks on both the horizontal and vertical lines. Every other hash mark on the horizontal stadia is slightly longer, providing quick and easy 2-MOA measurements. There is a number placed every fourth MOA for quick reference.
The vertical stadia is also set up with 1-MOA tics and longer 2-MOA marks. In addition, every fourth mark is numbered, all the way to the complete 32-MOA elevation range. Wind dots in the lower half of the reticle are spaced in 2=MOA increments, both vertically and horizontally.
This new TS-32X1 reticle is currently available for most second (rear) focal plane VX-3, VX-III, Vari-X III and Mark 4 4.5-14 LR/T riflescopes. Existing riflescopes can be retrofitted for $159.99 through the Leupold Custom Shop. To add the TS-32X1 to a new riflescope ordered through the Custom Shop is $129.99.
Product tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Want to guide one of America’s leading optics companies? Well here’s your chance. Leupold & Stevens, Inc. is seeking a Chief Executive Officer. Leupold is seeking a new CEO to “lead the company as it continues to expand into new markets and experience record growth.” Here’s the job description:
“The CEO at Leupold & Stevens, Inc. partners with the Board of Directors and Corporate Executive Team to ensure short- and long-term organizational goals are achieved. This position is responsible for the strategic leadership and direction of the business, with the objective of providing optimum financial results while maintaining the vision and values of the company.
The Chief Executive Officer also has a key responsibility to ensure that the interests of customers, owner-shareholders, and employees are served in a manner that supports business objectives and in a manner consistent with Leupold & Stevens, Inc. core values. A strong outdoors background is preferred for this highly visible role within the organization and industry.”
Candidates should submit resumes via the Leupold Career Page at Careers.Leupold.com by November 15, 2013. For questions, contact Kimberly King, VP of Human Resources/ Organizational Development. King can be reached at (503) 526-1433 or by email at kking [at] leupold.com.
Chris Cheng, Top Shot’s Season 4 Champion, recently toured the Leupold factory in Beverton, Oregon. You can read about his experiences on The Firearm Blog. Chris was impressed with the scale of Leupold’s operation, particular the huge CNC machines “all cranking out parts for Leupold products. The machines run 24/7, and even at that rate Leupold says they cannot keep up with demand at this time.”
Chris happened to be visiting the Leupold factory while members of the U.S. Marine Rifle Team were present. Here is a photo of Chris (far right) with the Leatherneck marksmen:
While Leupold’s production line is highly automated, Chris said that humans are still vital to the production of modern optics: “I was most impressed with the hand assembly line[.] No matter the industry, slowing things down for TLC usually increases the quality of the product. Additionally, the need for hand assembly produces jobs to help support the local community.”
Cheng was wowed by Leupold’s testing procedures: “Leupold has an intense stress test room where they push not only their products, but their competitors’ products to the limits. The details of their tests are proprietary information, but the lead tester told us stories about how he literally ‘sweeps up the floor’ when competitor’s products fall apart during stress tests.” By contrast, Leupold scopes are tough. Check out this video which shows a Leupold scope which “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” after being strapped to a running jack-hammer for 30 minutes:
Leupold & Stevens, producer of riflescopes, spotting scopes, and laser rangefinders, offer an interesting two-part video showing the production process at Leupold’s Beaverton, Oregon manufacturing facility. Leupold is one of the world’s largest scope-makers. Each year, the Leupold factory machines over two million pounds of aluminum. Laid end to end, as extruded, this aluminum would stretch over 400 miles. That’s a lot of scopes. To see how Leupold produces its riflescopes, using high-tech machinery (as well as old-fashioned human craftsmen), watch the videos below.
Leupold Tour Part One
Leupold Tour Part Two
Leupold Issues Warning About Counterfeit MK4 Scopes
In related news, Leupold has issued a “customer alert” regarding counterfeit Leupold scopes illegally imported from the People’s Republic of China. These products bear many of the marks and trade dress of current Leupold riflescopes making them very hard to distinguish from authentic Leupold products.
Counterfeited Leupold Mark 4® riflescopes have begun to arrive with increasing regularity at Leupold’s headquarters for service. These products are not manufactured by Leupold and are not covered by the Leupold Full Lifetime Guarantee. Leupold employs serial number tracking for all its riflescopes, so if you have a suspect scope, call 1-800-LEUPOLD with the SN, and Leupold can immediately confirm whether the optic is genuine or not.
Most of the counterfeit scopes appear to originate from the People’s Republic of China, and have “Leupold Mark 4” laser engraved on the bottom of the turret in a silver etch, while the black ring on the objective is etched in white and does not include the name “Leupold.” The scopes also do not bear the Leupold medallion, a mark all Leupold scopes will always possess. An authentic Mark 4 riflescope will always be engraved black on black and have the name “Leupold” engraved on the black ring.
At SHOT Show, Leupold displayed its latest VX-6 scope, a 3-18x50mm. The new 3-18x50mm scope comes in both illuminated and non-illuminated versions. Leupold also confirmed that a 4-24 power VX-6 will be introduced in mid-year 2013. The new 4-24X will have side-parallax, with Varmint Hunters’ and Fine Duplex reticle options. Also new for 2013, Leupold is adding an illuminated version of its 2-12x42mm VX-6.
The new 3-18x50mm VX-6 scope from Leupold comes with all the features you could want. It offers side parallax adjustment, pop-up resettable dials, “diamond-coat” scratch-resistant lenses, a European-style true diopter eyepiece, and illumination control via gold push-button in the center of the left-side turret. There are 11 different illumination settings, so you can adjust the brightness to the conditions. Additionally, when you purchase a 3-18x50mm VX-6 you get one free tuned BDC dial from the Leupold Custom Shop. Reticle choices for 3-18x50mm include: Duplex, Boone & Crockett, Fire-Dot Illuminated Duplex, and illuminated Boone & Crockett.
Now through September 2, 2012, you can save big bucks on “factory blemished” Leupold VX-3, VX-L, VX-7, and Rifleman series scopes at MidwayUSA. Prices are slashed by as much as $260.00, and MidwayUSA is offering free shipping as well. These scopes may have minor cosmetic blemishes (small scratches, dents or ring marks) which do not impair function or reliability. All these “blem” scopes still carry Leupold’s full lifetime transferrable warranty.
The scopes on sale are mostly mid-power hunting scopes (2.5-10X, 3-9X, 3.5-10X, 4-12X etc.) with 1/4-MOA clicks. Savings can be substantial. For example, the 3.5-10x50mm VX-3L Rifle Scope was marked down to $519.99 from the regular $699.00 price — a $180.00 savings. If you want to take advantage of this special “factory blemished” Leupold scope sale, act soon — these are selling out quickly. The sale expires September 2, 2012.
Sale tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Leupold is now offering an $80.00 rebate on select VX-3 rifle scopes. The qualifying optics are: Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40mm (SKUs 59260, 66090, 66110) and Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40mm (SKUs 59270, 66215, 66220, 66225). This offer is limited in time. The scope(s) must be purchased from August 2nd through September 30, 2012.
To get your $80 rebate, complete and return the Leupold Rebate Form with the original on-line or store sales receipt, plus original UPC bar code cut from the product packaging (originals only, copies not accepted). Mail these materials to: Leupold VX-3 Riflescope Promotion, Dept. # LS12-8710, P.O. Box 472, Scottsdale, AZ 85252-0472. CLICK HERE to download Leupold Rebate Form.
There are 40 competitors — 32 men and 8 women — with separate classes for the guys and the gals. In the men’s championship, the top 32 male finalists will compete for a $50,000 cash payday sponsored by Leupold and NRA Sports. Shooters will use pistols, AR-platform rifles, and shotguns — all tricked out for maximum speed and high capacity.
Leupold has just introduced a new second focal plane reticle with MOA-based hashmarks, allowing precise hold-overs and hold-offs (for wind). The new TS-32X1 reticle, is a minute-of-angle (MOA) based system designed to allow for precision shots without the need for dial adjustments. The TS-32X1 reticle is designed to work with riflescopes that employ 1/4-MOA target adjustments or M1 dials.
At SHOT Show, Leupold displayed its latest VX-6 scope, a 3-18x50mm. The new 3-18x50mm scope comes in both illuminated and non-illuminated versions. Leupold also confirmed that a 4-24 power VX-6 will be introduced in mid-year 2013. The new 4-24X will have side-parallax, with Varmint Hunters’ and Fine Duplex reticle options. Also new for 2013, Leupold is adding an illuminated version of its 2-12x42mm VX-6.
Now through September 2, 2012, you can save big bucks on “factory blemished” Leupold VX-3, VX-L, VX-7, and Rifleman series scopes at 
Leupold is now offering an $80.00 rebate on select VX-3 rifle scopes. The qualifying optics are: Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40mm (SKUs 59260, 66090, 66110) and Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40mm (SKUs 59270, 66215, 66220, 66225). This offer is limited in time. The scope(s) must be purchased from August 2nd through September 30, 2012.
