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November 17th, 2011
 The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an important self-defense measure that would enable millions of Right-to-Carry permit holders across the country to carry concealed firearms while traveling outside their home states. H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, passed by a majority bipartisan vote of 272 to 154. All amendments aimed to weaken or damage the integrity of this bill were defeated.
H.R. 822, introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), allows any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes.
 This bill does not affect existing state laws. State laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within each state’s borders. H.R. 822 does not create a federal licensing system or impose federal standards on state permits; rather, it requires the states to recognize each others’ carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses and carry permits held by armored car guards.
Editor’s Note: This is good news, but this bill, H.R. 822, has to pass the U.S. Senate AND survive the possibility of a Presidential veto, before it can become law. While being considered in the Senate, the bill could be modified or weakened.
NRA Institute for Legislative Action Supports H.R. 822
“The NRA has made the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act a priority because it enhances the fundamental right to self-defense guaranteed to all law-abiding people,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “People are not immune from crime when they cross state lines. That is why it is vital for them to be able to defend themselves and their loved ones[.]”
November 3rd, 2011
 The 2012 NRA Intercollegiate Pistol Championships and NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships will be held at Fort Benning, Georgia in March. These events run simultaneously. Dates are March 13-17 for the Pistol Championships and March 13-18 for the Rifle Championships. These Championship matches will be conducted as part of the U.S. Army’s Army Strong Collegiate Shooting Championships.
Participation by Invitation Only
Both the Pistol and Rifle Championships are invitation-only events — the Top 30 ranking individuals in each discipline and the Top Ten ranking team in each discipline are invited to attend. Learn more about these events by downloading the NRA’s 2012 Intercollegiate Championship Online Program, a PDF file. There you will find competition Schedules, Courses of Fire, Training Summits and more. Pistol event coverage starts on page 1 while Rifle information begins on page 17.
October 20th, 2011
NRA Competitive Shooting is introducing a simple, low-cost, “novice-friendly” form of competition for shooting clubs, businesses and civic organizations. This NRA’s new NRA Club Champion Challenge program is designed to provide low-key, fun matches with affordable equipment. These events will encourage your members to try a variety of disciplines and courses of fire.
“New grassroots programs such as the NRA Club Champion Challenge are the best way to get shooters, new and old alike, out on the firing line,” said Mike Krei, Director of NRA Competitive Shooting. “This is a recreational and fun event. We want everyone to be able to grab guns out of their closet and come to the range and shoot.”
The Club Champion Challenge is NOT a high-level competition using expensive, state-of-the-art hardware. The idea is to have fun with basic entry-level pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Any club or organization can participate and any range can configure a challenge. NRA membership is not required.
Club Champion Challenge Guidelines — Match Requirements
Here are some of the basic guidlines for running a Club Champion Challenge at your facility:
- Minimum of three courses of fire required. (Competitors must shoot all courses of fire.)
- All courses of fire (except shotgun) are adaptable to metallic/paper silhouette targets.
- At least two different firearm types must be used. (Rifle/Pistol, Shotgun/Rifle, Pistol/Shotgun)
- Firearm support options (sandbags, bipods, benches) may be used.
- Optics are limited to iron sights or scopes of 4 power or less.
- Competition firearms prohibited.
- No competitive shooting apparel. (Gloves, shotgun vest permitted.)
- NRA medals are awarded to category winners with the highest Aggs.
- Fees to NRA are $10 per adult shooter, $5 per junior competitor.
To sign your club up for a NRA Club Champion Challenge event, visit www.nraclubchamp.com. NRA Grants may be available for your event via FriendsofNRA.org.
Story by Karen Brinkman for The NRA Blog.
October 13th, 2011
NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia was recently visited by Raimo Helasmaki of the Nammo Group. Based in Finland, Nammo is the parent company of Lapua, manufacturer of ammunition and reloading components. Helasmaki, Executive VP of Nammo’s Small Caliber Division, was in the Washington, DC area for the annual Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) trade show. We’re glad to see a top European executive travel to the USA where he can get direct feedback from American shooters on his company’s product line.
CLICK HERE for AUSA 2011 Annual Meeting & Exposition Web Site
Lapua was founded in 1923 as a state-owned cartridge company. Over the years, Lapua kept perfecting its product in response to the needs of its worldwide customer base. Lapua remains an industry leader, creating some of the most accurate ammunition, brass, and bullets on the planet. Proof is in the performance — 80% of the Biathlon medals at the 2010 Winter Olympic in Munich were won by athletes using Lapua ammunition.
Helasmaki met with several NRA officials in Fairfax, including NRA’s General Operation Executive Director Kayne Robinson. To wrap things up, he toured the National Firearms Museum, guided by Phil Schreier, Senior Museum curator (at left in photo above).
Photos and story courtesy The NRA Blog.
October 13th, 2011
 Competitive shooting is one of the few sports where people with physical disabilities and handicaps can compete side-by-side with their able-bodied counterparts. The NRA’s Disabled Shooting Services has created a way to make it easier for disabled shooters to shoot in NRA competitions. A new Special Authorization Card allows disabled competitors to shoot from a modified position [or wheelchair] based on the type of disability or handicap.
 As Jessi McClain, NRA Disabled Shooting Services Coordinator explains: “Physical limitations may prevent a shooter from getting into a certain position to compete. For example, a paraplegic person can’t shoot from the standing position, so [he] would use an adaptive shooting position to compete”.
To obtain a Special Authorization Card, competitors can download two forms online. The first is to be completed by the shooter, and the second by his/her doctor. Forms can then be sent to NRA Headquarters along with pictures of the modified shooting position and/or adaptive device being used to compete. The Manager of the specific shooting discipline (rifle, pistol, air gun, etc.) then reviews the request. If approved, a temporary card good for one year is issued. For juniors, Special Authorization Cards are issued for several years at a time so that re-evaluations can be completed as children’s bodies change.
To learn more about Special Authorization Cards or the NRA’s Disabled Shooting Services, send an email to: disabled-shooting [at] nrahq.org.
Story by Kerrin Brinkman, courtesy The NRA Blog.
September 17th, 2011
Here’s a great way to be rewarded for joining the NRA, or renewing your existing NRA membership. If you go to a Cabela’s store during Cabela’s 50th Anniversary event this weekend, September 17 & 18, 2011, you can get your annual NRA membership for just $25.00 — that’s $10.00 off the regular fee.
But it gets even better. Cabela’s has sweetened the pot by giving a $25.00 gift card to everyone who joins or renews their NRA membership this weekend. This Cabela’s gift card can be used to purchase in-store merchandise, and other items sold online through Cabelas.com. You can’t go wrong with this promotion. Spend $25 on an NRA membership, and get every penny back in Cabela’s merchandise credit. Nice.
Already an NRA Life Member? You can take part in the celebration as well. The first 50 NRA Life Members to walk through the doors of each Cabela’s store will receive a free Cabela’s 50th Anniversary pistol case with the NRA logo on the handle.
September 11th, 2011
The folks at the NRA Museum have created a new 304-page, photo-illustrated history of firearms. With over 1500 photographs, this new book covers all types of firearms, from small handguns to large rifles. Illustrated are deringers, flintlocks, revolvers, semi-autos, machine guns, muzzle loaders, long rifles — and much more. Researched by the NRA’s historians, The Illustrated History of Firearms is a worthy addition to any gun aficionado’s library. You can pre-order the book now from Amazon.com for just $19.79 (list price is $29.99.) The NRA Museum will be releasing two companion volumes, also available through Amazon: Guns of the Wild West, and Guns of World War II.
August 25th, 2011
 A vast new shooting facility in West Virginia is slated to open by the end of August. The new Peacemaker National Training Center (NTC), when fully completed, will be the east coast’s largest shooting sports complex with a 1000-yard rifle range, a 300-yard practice rifle range, 18 “tactical bays”, pistol ranges, and several shotgun ranges. Plans are underway to equip the 1000-yard range with state-of-the-art electronic target systems.
Located west of Washington, DC, the Peacemaker NTC site is a 60-minute drive from Dulles Airport. The facility is situated in the scenic hills of Glengary, West Virginia, on the far eastern end of the state.
Preview the Peacemaker National Training Center Facilities
Peacemaker to Host 1K Benchrest Match and 3-Gun Nation Championship
The new Peacemaker NTC facility will host future matches for the Virginia 1000-Yard Benchrest Club, an IBS organization. Peacemaker’s directors have stated that the 1000-yard range will have electronic scoring capability, but it is unclear when the electronic targets will be put into place, and whether these will be used for 1K benchrest matches. Assuming the ranges are completed on schedule, Peacemaker will host Match 9 of the 3-Gun Nation series on November 10-12, 2011, followed by the 2011 3-Gun Nation Championship on November 13th. Over 250 multi-gun competitors are expected to attend.
Private Membership Fees Start at $400.00 per year
The facility is private membership facility, with limited public access. The basic membership fee for an individual is $400.00 per year plus a one-time $100.00 initial range improvement fee. NOTE: Membership registration is still open. CLICK HERE to download a membership application.
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Actual and Planned Peacemaker National Training Center Range Facilities
Patriot Rifle Range: Electronic Target Systems and Hanging steel. Target set-ups at 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 yards. 10 shooting lanes. Suited for F-Class, Benchrest, and High Power. Peacemaker says this will be “the only competition-capable electronic 1000-yard rifle range in the USA”.
Liberty Ranges: Tactical Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun facility, with 14-18 interconnected shooting ranges. All ranges are 50 yards deep, some will be 100 yards deep. Bianchi Cup systems (turning targets, movers), steel courses, dueling trees, reactive steel.
Independence Range: General sighting-in and practice range for Rifle and Pistol (Rifle 100 to 300 yards, Pistol 3 to 25 yards).
Homeplace Shotgun Ranges: Trap, Skeet, 5-Stand, Sporting Clays, FITASC.
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Peacemaker plans to offer training classes for rifle, pistol, and shotgun. NRA-certified instructors with be at the facility at all times. To learn more about the Peacemaker National Training Center, visit www.peacemakernational.com. For information on membership, and other details, email info@peacemakernational.com, call 304-262-1986, or write PNTC at 782 Foxcroft Ave #123, Martinsburg, WV 25401. Get the latest updates on Range Availability on Peacemaker’s Facebook Page
Editor’s Note: While Peacemaker has already conducted some tactical and 3-Gun matches, it appears that many of the facilities are still “under construction”. Before you plunk down your money for membership, we recommend you talk to the Peacemaker staff and, if possible, visit the facility in person. If you’re interested in particular range features (such as the electronic target system or the Sporting Clays range), you’ll want to learn the exact dates when these will be ready for member use.
Story tip by EdLongrange. FNH photo courtesy 3-Gun Nation.
August 17th, 2011
If you’re located near Texas, you may want to gas up the family vehicle and head out to Dallas this weekend. The NRA’s 16th Annual National Gun Collectors Show will be held in Market Hall on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21. Hosted by the Dallas Arms Collectors Association, the Gun Show boasts over 2,000 tables of buy, sell, and trade goods. NRA Recruiters will offer free admission for those who sign up as new NRA members on site. The annual display competition and awards ceremony will take place at the show as well. The NRA will award $12,000 in cash awards for the winners of the annual display competition. The E. Andrew Mowbray Trophy for Excellence in Exhibitry will be awarded at a special banquet on Saturday evening with NRA’s Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre as the keynote speaker and guest of honor. CLICK HERE for Gun Show information and Map/Directions, or visit DACA’s Facebook Page for the latest updates.
August 15th, 2011
Iain Harrison of “Top Shot” fame won the inaugural National Defense Match at Camp Perry this weekend. This is a new practical/tactical match designed to mimic real-world training and tactics. Marking a departure from the usual Camp Perry matches, scores are based on both time and accuracy as shooters engage targets positioned at 7, 15, 30, 60, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 yards. The 5-zone NDM5-120 target is used out to 30 yards, while the NRA D-1 Tomestone target is used at 60 yards and beyond. The event is open to AR15s, FN SCARs and other modern defensive rifles with either iron sights or optics. There are three classes: Tactical Limited, Tactical Optic, and Open. The first two classes are limited to 20″ barrels with 4.5-lb or greater triggers. Open guns may have longer barrels, lighter triggers, bipods, and multiple sighting systems. CLICK HERE for Nat’l Defense Match Guidebook.
Harrison, who now works as marketing manager for Crimson Trace, showed the skills that made him the Season 1 “Top Shot” Champion. In a neck and neck race with Team FNH’s Tommy Thacker, the two shot almost identical times during the first half of the match, until Thacker made a procedural error. That gave Harrison the edge he needed to win. Also joining Harrison for the event was fellow Top Shot finalist and Ohio native Chris Cerino.
Match Director and ex-Navy SEAL Trey Tuggle masterminded the event and brought in Swiss-manufactured electronic targets from Shot Response. Although new technology played an important role in the national match, the course of fire is designed to be adaptable to the club level. “We wanted to remove barriers to people enjoying competitive shooting and get more folks involved in the sport,” said Tuggle. “This match is designed to be challenging, but not so overwhelming that the average guy with an off the shelf semi-auto rifle can’t come out and play. We hope that clubs across the country will adopt the new format as a way of getting new shooters involved in competitions.”
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