Get a video view of 1000-yard Benchrest competition tomorrow on Shooting USA television. This week’s Wednesday episode of Shooting USA features the 2017 IBS 1000-Yard National Championship held at the Whitehorse Shooting Center in Peeltree, West Virginia. This Shooting USA episode takes you to the Whitehorse 1K Range in September 2017. You can see the action on the firing line and the Shooting USA team also interviews many competitors. Watch this episode on the Outdoor Channel at these times: 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central.
If you want to learn about the 1000-yard Benchrest game, definitely tune in to Shooting USA on September 26, 2018 (tomorrow) to watch last year’s IBS action. There were nearly 120 shooters competing (118 in Light Gun, 107 in Heavy Gun).
To learn more about on this event, read our detailed 2017 IBS 1K Nationals Match Report. At the 2017 Nationals, conditions were challenging to say the least, with rain storms, spiraling winds, and fog. In fact, rain and fog on Saturday (with cancelled relays) caused the Nationals to be extended by one day through Monday. What’s more, of the 107 shooters listed in the Two-Gun Overall results who actually shot both guns, there were dozens of DQs. (Yes, the wind was very tricky at this year’s Nationals.)
Top Guns at the 2017 IBS 1000-Yard Nationals were Edward Kenzakoski (Two-Gun Overall Champion), Mike Gaizauskas (Light Gun Overall, plus LG Score Agg), and Mike Brennan (Heavy Gun Overall, plus HG Score Agg). Group Agg winners were Richard Schatz for LG, and Charlie Lentz for Heavy. Two ladies also deserve mention. Sally Bauer shot the smallest group of the match, a 1.923″ 5-shot group in LG — that’s 0.184 MOA! Ruth Edwards drilled a 2.104″, also mighty impressive. Here’s Sally below with her very patriotic Heavy Gun…
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Shooting USA will broadcast a great episode today, August 1, 2018. There are three segments worth watching. First the TV show spotlights the popular GAP Grind, a Pro-Am PRS event at the K&M Precision complex in Tennessee. Then this episode covers the CMP Western Games at Ben Avery in Phoenix. Finally John Scoutten reviews two new 6.5 Creedmoor Savage rifles.
This Shooting USA Episode airs August 1, 2018 (Wednesday) at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 Central.
Part One: GAP Grind Pro-Am PRS Match
Lots of Action, with 20+ Stages
The GAP Grind, the biggest PRS match in the country, is a notoriously challenging, “high tempo” match with minimal down-time between stages. Over the course of 20+ stages, competitors will fire 200+ shots at a variety of steel, paper, moving, and reactive targets out to 1,200 yards. Targets vary in size/difficulty based on the shooter’s position, distance, and time allotted. Most stages include “stressors” — i.e. time limits or required movement(s).
The GAP Grind attracts over 300 competitors — half experienced shooters and the other half newcomers to the sport. The key to growing the shooting sports is attracting new shooters. The best way to bring in “new blood” seems to be the Pro-Am type format. At the GAP Grind, experienced shooters guide the new shooters through the competition and hopefully keep them coming back.
Here is Shooting USA Host John Scoutten (in Blue/White shirt)
John Scoutten is paired with new shooter Kevin Nassery who says he thinks the biggest advantage is not necessarily the course of fire, or the targets, it’s the spotting. “Pros don’t get any support to know where they hit or missed. They have to see everything themselves. I think that’s the biggest difference between the courses of fire”.
Part Two: CMP Western Games
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) was established by act of Congress in 1903, with the purpose of teaching shooting skills to American citizens. The Western Games at the Ben Avery Facility North of Phoenix draws enthusiasts from many Western states for competition with Service Rifles, vintage military rifles, M1 Carbines, and Rimfire Sporter rifles. Along with numerous matches (including the Vintage Sniper Team match), the Western Games features Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) shooting clinics.
“Our mission is to teach marksmanship and give the citizens of the United States the opportunity to learn marksmanship, with an emphasis on youth”, states Mark Johnson, CMP Chief Operating Officer.
Vintage Sniper Rifle Match competitors try to keep cool
A Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) is conducted each year.
Checking out the line-up of M1 Garands at the CMP Sales tent.
The CMP’s rifle and ammo sales programs fund the CMP activities. The M1 Garand has been the CMP’s most popular centerfire rifle over the years. Mark Johnson calls it “the ’57 Chevy of firearms. If you like firearms, you have to have an M1 Garand.”
Part Three: Savage 6.5 Creedmoor Rifles Review
In this review segment of today’s Shooting USA episode, John Scoutten reviews two new 6.5 Creedmoor rifles from Savage Arms. The Model 10 BA Stealth is a short action bolt gun priced at $1,207 MSRP. The MSR 10 Long Range is am AR-platform semi-auto priced at $2,284 MSRP. Both rifles showed good accuracy with factory ammunition. For this test both Savage rifles were topped with Bushnell Elite LRTS optics.
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This a special offer through our friends at Shooting USA television. NOTE: The shorter term 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year NRA memberships are also discounted. For example the basic 1-year membership is discounted to $30.00, a $10 savings.
No FREE NRA Insurance — That’s a Change
Please note, the NRA membership no longer includes $2500.00 in free ArmsCare Insurance for your firearms. The NRA stopped offering this insurance earlier this year, some time in May as best as we can determine. The NRA has not issued an explanation for the change in insurance availability. However it may be related to actions by the State of New York. The NRA is suing New York, claiming state officials coerced banks and insurance companies to withhold services from the NRA. (READ Story Here).
We wish the NRA would issue an official statement about insurance. However, we advise our readers to please take note that you will NOT get free Armscare insurance with any newly purchased NRA membership, even a Life Membership. Got that?
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The GAP Grind is one of the most popular tactical matches on the planet. So popular, in fact, that this 3-day Pro-Am event will likely “sell out” this year — with more interested shooters than available slots. To ensure you get a spot at the 2018 GAP Grind, which runs October 5-7, 2018, register early. GAP Grind Registration opens June 1st, 2018 at 9:00 am CST. The 2018 Grind will take place at the K&M Precision Rifle Training Shooting Complex in Finger, Tennessee.
If you haven’t experienced major PRS Pro-Am event like the Grind, with hundreds of talented shooters, check out this video from ShootingUSA. Show host John Scoutten provides a competitor’s perspective.
Lots of Action, with 20+ Stages
The GAP Grind is a notoriously challenging, “high tempo” match with minimal down-time between stages. Over the course of 20+ stages, competitors will fire 200+ shots at a variety of steel, paper, moving, and reactive targets out to 1,200 yards. Targets vary in size/difficulty based on the shooter’s position, distance, and time allotted. Most stages include “stressors” — i.e. time limits or required movement(s).
Josh Temnnen Facebook photo
The GAP Grind is held at the impressive K&M Shooting Complex in Tennessee:
GAP Grind Hardware Shelley Giddings, a skilled shooter of both firearms and cameras, snapped these images of state-of-the-art tactical rifles at the 2014 GAP Grind. See more firearms images on Shelley’s Facebook Page.
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Can’t get enough gun content on your home computer? Now you can stream informative audio broadcasts to your mobile device. In addition to its popular weekly TV shows, Shooting USA now offers podcasts on gun topics. These podcasts feature interviews with ace shooters, notable gunsmiths, and leading firearms industry executives. There are now 123 Shooting USA Podcast episodes available for streaming. Or you can download a podcast to your mobile device for later listening. All Shooting USA Podcast content is free. Use these links to access all Shooting USA Podcasts (123 audio shows):
Now you can listen to timely and entertaining Shooting USA Podcasts, hosted by Jim and John Scoutten. They are available on both Podbean and iTunes.
Here are four (4) of our favorite Shooting USA Podcasts. These include interviews with legendary shooter Jerry Miculek, and ace pistolero Max Michel, perhaps the fastest handgunner on the planet. Click each graphic to launch the PodBean player page for that Podcast.
Watch Max Michel Speed Drill (This Guy is Blazing Fast!)
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If you watch just one episode of Shooting USA TV this year, it should probably be this week’s hour-long SHOT Show Special. Tonight, March 14, 2017, enjoy a full hour of SHOT Show coverage. Jim Scoutten’s team of gun journalists work hard every January, bringing you highlights from the gun industry’s largest trade show. Jim, son John Scoutten, and other staffers prowled the 12 miles of aisles in the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, visiting many of the 1,600+ exhibitors. This episode provides a “first look” at the new guns, optics, and gear introduced for 2018. Click HERE to learn more about this week’s 2018 SHOT Show episode.
2018 SHOT Show Highlights: Ruger Precision Rimfire, Sig P365, M1A in 6.5 Creedmoor, MR-10 Bolt Action Comp Rifle, Colt Competition 1911, and a whole lot more.
Shooting USA Hour AIR TIMES
Shooting USA’s SHOT Show Special will air for a full hour on Wednesday, March 14, 2016 on the Outdoor Channel. Here are the air times, but you should check your local schedule. Look for Shooting USA TV on the Outdoor Channel.
Wednesday Night Schedule:
Eastern Time – 9:00 PM
Central Time – 8:00 PM
Mountain Time – Check Listings
Pacific Time – 9:00 PM
Here are some of the 50+ new products featured on the SHOT Show Special:
Ruger Precision Rimfire
S&W 686 Performance Center
Colt Competition 1911
Springfield M1A 6.5 Creedmoor
Remington M870 Magfed
JP Ent. MR-10 Tactical Bolt Gun
Sig Sauer 9mm P365
Glock GEN5 Model 19X
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The November 29, 2017 episode of Shooting USA TV features the Vintage Sniper Rifle at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Vintage Sniper Rifle matches have proven popular with competitors of all ages, from 18 to 80. These matches are conducted with two-man teams, using vintage rifles with old-style optics. Most shooters use bolt-action rifles such as the 1903 Springfield and Swedish Mauser, but there is also a semi-auto class popular with Garand shooters. You can watch this episode on the big screen or view this episode on YouTube. Click the arrow below to start the 48-minute show:
Broadcast Times: Wednesday 9:30 PM Eastern Time; 1:30 AM ET (Thurs). Earlier in Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time Zones. Check your local listings for the Outdoor Channel.
Vintage Sniper Rifle Competition at Talladega
In this episode, Shooting USA features the Vintage Sniper Match at the CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park. This is a popular two-man team event, for shooter and spotter, using military rifles in service up to 1953. One added challenge is the time limit. The team has only 20 seconds to complete each shot — That’s 20 seconds for the spotter to read the conditions, and for the shooter to pull the trigger.
File photo from Vintage Sniper match at Camp Perry. At Talladega, there are video target monitors at each shooting station.
Guns of Grandfathers…
In this episode two USAMU marksmen, SGTs Daniel Crody and Robert Shoup, compete with an Springfield M 1903 A4 reproduction topped with a vintage optic. “For me it holds a little bit of sentimental value,” says SGT Crody. “I did have two grandfathers in World War II. It is definitely a pleasure holding a piece of history…”
“It’s a match that brings a different type of competitor out. It brings a nostalgic competitor out. You’ll see World War II time-period rifles, sniper-type rifles that were used during World War II, Korean War era,” says the CMP’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Johnson. “The optics are either original optics or current reproduction of old optics.”
Who can identify this vintage European rifle, with its unusual scope mount?
BONUS: PRS Competition — the GAP Grind
NOTE: This 11/29/17 Shooting USA episode is a double feature that includes coverage of the GAP Grind, the biggest PRS tactical match of the year. Official called the Bushnell GAP Grind Pro-Am, this is a tough tactical/practical match in Tennessee with 300 competitors. Conducted in association with the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), the GAP Grind features a Pro/Am format — new shooters partner with an experienced shooters for the two-day, 25-stage event. For the featured event, Shooting USA’s John Scoutten teamed up with novice shooter Jen Hodson.
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This week’s edition of Shooting USA, which airs Wednesday, November 8, features the NRA Bianchi Cup. This competition is one of the most prestigious and popular events in the world of handgun shooting. Officially, the annual competition in Columbia, Missouri is known as the National Championship of NRA Action Pistol. But to everybody, world-wide, it’s the Bianchi Cup, the trophy named for one of the founders, John Bianchi. In the past 30 years the match has become the richest handgun tournament in the world, with cash and prizes for the best scores on four stages of fire. Shooting USA will spotlight top male and female Bianchi Cup competitors in both wheelgun and and semi-auto pistol divisions. Along with North American shooters, the Bianchi Cup draws top handgun competitors from around the globe. Shooting USA airs Wednesday nights, on the Outdoor Channel, at 9:30 pm, and 1:30 am (Thursday) — East Coast Times.
John Scoutten and S&W shooter Julie Golob report the action from the Bianchi Cup. This year shooters from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan traveled to Columbia, Missouri in search of the perfect 1920 match score. Each round is the aggregate of the four (4) fired events: Practical, Barricade, Falling Plate, and Moving Target Events. Each of the four events requires 48 shots to complete. 480 points possible on each event. Three of the four are scored on the NRA tombstone P1 target. You must hit in the 10-ring or inner X-Ring on EVERY shot to shoot a “clean” 1920.
27 Years ago Doug Koening set the standard with a 1920. Since then, every Open shooter knows that he or she must “clean” this match (i.e. score a “1920”) to have a chance to take the title of “Champion”. The X-Count is the tie-breaker.
Here are the top four women shooting the Practical Event during the Colt Championship Final. From top: 2017 Bianchi Women’s Champion Cherie Blake, third place SFC Katie Bahten, second place Anita Mackiewicz, and fourth place Jessie Duff. Shooting Sports USA Photo
This Bianchi Cup Preview, filmed a few seasons back, offers the perpective of newcomers to the game…
Bianchi Cup — Classic Course of Fire
The MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup is a combination of Speed and Accuracy. Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. Stages may combine stationary and moving targets. As conceived by former police officer and holster-maker John Bianchi, the Bianchi Cup originated in 1979 as a Law Enforcement Training match. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is widely considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
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Here Todd Jarrett nails three steel targets and a pop-up orange clay bird. Watch full video below.
If you are a fan of 3-Gun competition, tune in to Shooting USA this week. The latest episode, which airs Tuesday October 3 and Wednesday October 4, features the 2017 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals in Boulder City, Nevada. You can see many of the nation’s top 3-Gun shooters attacking some very challenging stages with pistols, rifles, and shotguns. CLICK HERE for TV Schedule.
Multi-gun competition has evolved considerably since it started 30 years ago. The firearms are more sophisticated, the optics are better, and the stage times are much faster. Still, the challenge remains the same: How fast can you shoot multiple targets, with the score determined by speed and accuracy? For the best in the sport, the answer is very fast indeed, but Match Director Pete Rinsing has a few tricks up his sleeve to challenge competitors on never-before-seen courses of fire at the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals held in April 2017.
Todd Jarrett highlights from 2017 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. Check out 300-yard prone rifle at 00:30, and blazing rifle-pistol-shotgun transitions at 00:50:
Most people compete in the Tactical Division, including 8-time Champion, SFC Daniel Horner of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Competitors in that division are not allowed a bipod, so many competitors utilize structures on the stage to stabilize their long gun. Regardless of division, the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals is a true test of manipulating three different weapons, under pressure, on run-and-gun courses of fire. And the pressure is definitely on when a National Championship is on the line.
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The 2017 Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge will be held November 16-19, 2017. This year there will be at least 12 stages, plus more than 40 guns on the prize table!
Rifle, pistol, shotgun. More guns = more fun. If you are curious about multi-gun matches, check out this video from Shooting USA. This episode covers the 3-Gun Match at Fort Benning, Georgia. This one-of-a-kind match is the only multi-gun competition where civilians can run-and-gun on an active U.S. Army installation. What’s more, at this match competitors get to ride in a Stryker armored vehicle and shoot Army weapons such as the M249 SAW and M203 Grenade launcher. The lure of playing with military hardware, along with the quality of the stages, makes this a hugely popular 3-Gun event which quickly sells out every year.
Interested in 3-Gun Shooting? Here’s an in-depth report on the Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge:
Getting Started in 3-Gun Competition
Thinking of getting started in 3-Gun competition? In this NSSF video, Top Shot Finalist Chris Cerino reviews the hardware you’ll need for multi-gun matches. Chris talks about carbine configurations — including barrel, handguard, and optics options. In reviewing shotguns, Chris discusses shotshell caddies and the high-capacity extended tubular magazines now available. Cerino also demonstrates pistol techniques and explains the key features of a belt/holster rig for 3-Gun competition.
SSG Dan Horner of the USAMU, a past winner of the 3-Gun Nation Championship, is one of the country’s best multi-gun competitors. Here Horner offers some tips on 3-Gun hardware, and safety procedures:
Adapting to New Equipment
There’s a lot of hardware in 3-Gun Competition. To succeed you need mastery of ALL the tools: “New competitors should know how to operate all their equipment. They should spend time getting familiar with their equipment. I spend exponentially more time ensuring the gear is right than I do shooting.”
Safety in 3-Gun Competition
Everyone practicing with shotguns, rifles and pistols must keep safety as top priority. “Obviously, safety is the No. 1 priority, but after that, the focus should be on developing specific skills,” noted Horner. A good three-gunner must not only be fast, but he or she must also be accurate and be able to adapt to a wide variety of shooting positions. And strategy is involved too. Successful 3-gunners develop a ‘plan of attack’ for each stage.
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If you like accurate rifles and reactive targets, you’ll enjoy this episode of Shooting USA TV, which features long-range varmint silhouette competition in Texas, the Lone Star State. We have participated in these kind of matches on the West Coast — they are definitely a ton of fun. The sport combines the pure accuracy of benchrest competition with the fun of knocking down critter targets. These are smaller than standard silhouettes, so it’s quite a challenge to hit them at 300 yards and beyond. In this episode, host John Scoutten competes with his 6.5 Creedmoor PRS rifle. He found that 1-MOA Coyotes offered plenty of challenge at 385 meters! Most shooters use benchrest-grade rifles with premium front rests.
EDITOR: We strongly recommend you take the time to watch this Shooting USA feature — it shows some top-flight benchrest rifles, and also covers the origins of benchrest varmint silhouette in Pennsylvania. There are even some AccurateShooter Forum members on screen. John Scoutten also does nice job explaining the challenges of shooting this discipline with a PRS rig. We think any benchrest or tactical shooter will really enjoy watching this video.
Full 48-Minute Episode of Shooting USA featuring TX Varmint Silhouette:
Travis Frazier of Field & Cave Outfitters says shooters love the reactive targets: “The most exciting thing is seeing your hits — these [targets] really go airborne”. Yep, that’s the best thing about Varmint Silhouette matches — hits deliver instant gratification. Travis designs and produces these steel targets.
This Texas match features multiple target shapes, 10 at each distance: Tiny Prairie Dogs at 200m, 3″x3″ Armadillos at 300m; 3″x5″ Coyotes at 385m; 5″x4″ Hogs at 500m; Chickens (on swingers) at 600 yards; and Pigs (on Swingers) at 750 yards. Competitors are allowed 10 rounds and 10 minutes to hit each set of targets.
BONUS Features in this Shooting USA Episode
Rimfire Challenge World Championship
This episode also includes the Rimfire Challenge World Championship in Alabama (starting at 33:25). This event attracts hundreds of shooters who ring steel with .22 LR rifles and pistols. This may be the ultimate fun match for the whole family. Many of the top shooters are juniors, who can run the all-steel stages in three seconds. The 16 stages each have 5 to 8 steel targets that can be shot in any order, but the last round must go on the red-marked “Stop Plate”.
History of the Gun: Remington 700
This week’s gun history segment of Shooting USA features the Remington 700, one of the most successful bolt-action rifles ever, with over 5 million produced. The Rem 700 has served hunters, military marksmen, and Rem 700 actions have been used for countless competition rifles.
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The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), in cooperation with Shooting USA TV, has created a series of instructional Pro Tip pages covering a wide range of shooting disciplines. All totaled, there are more than 50 USAMU Pro Tips. Most relate to rifle marksmanship but there are also numerous tips for shotgunners and pistol shooters. Each Pro Tip entry includes multiple photos and 6-15 paragraphs, in an easy-to-follow format. Many Pro Tips also include an instructional video produced by Shooting USA. Here are three Pro Tip videos, and links to seven more Pro Tip web pages.
USAMU TOP TEN PRO TIPS
1. Reading the Wind with SGT Sherri Gallagher.
Apart from gravity, wind has the most pull on the bullet as it travels down range. Being able to accurately read the wind and mirage will greatly enhance your performance on the rifle range. National Champion, SGT Gallagher gives you some of her tips.
2. Angle Shooting with SFC (Ret.) Emil Praslick.
SFC Praslick shows you how to determine the angle to your target, and then how to include that to change your data necessary to hit your target on the first shot.
3. Rifle Grip, Stance and Body Position for 3-Gun with SFC Daniel Horner.
Professional 3-gun marksman SFC Daniel Horner, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), give tips on how to properly handle a semi-automatic rifle, including grip, stance and body position.