This is a “feel-good” story about volunteers who helped build three modern ranges at the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Camp Meriwether facility in coastal Oregon.
For the shooting sports to survive and thrive, we need to train new shooters, particular young boys and girls. Many of us learned to shoot in the Boy Scouts. Now, through the efforts of Union volunteers, thousands of Scouts will enjoy quality marksmanship training at Camp Meriwether. Sixteen skilled volunteers have helped construct a 24-lane rifle range, a 24-lane archery range, and a 10-station shotgun range. An official dedication ceremony is planned later this summer.
Union volunteers teamed with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to help complete an ambitious shooting range-expansion project at the 790-acre Camp Meriwether in Oregon. Sixteen volunteers from the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers (RWAW) Local 49 and Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Locals 737 and 296 donated 260 hours of skilled labor to help complete the $800,000 project, which added three new ranges to the popular Boy Scout camp.
Archery and shooting sports (airgun, rifle, and shotgun) are among the Boy Scout’s most popular activities. Yet for years, Camp Meriwether’s facilities were limited to just eight rifle shooting stations, eight archery stations, and two shotgun stations.
In 2013, the BSA Cascade Pacific Council decided to expand Meriwether’s facilities with new 24-lane rifle range, 24-lane archery range, and 10-station shotgun range. After years of planning and site prep, the project’s final phase began in 2018. This spring and summer, union volunteers assisted in the framing, sheeting, and underlayment for the three new range structures, which triple the camp’s capacity to teach scouts marksmanship.
“The involvement of skilled trade volunteers is so important when a BSA camp takes on a major project,” said Frank Reigelman, BSA’s team lead for outdoor programs and properties. “Kids from southern California to Washington get together here to learn about the outdoors and experience activities like archery, trapshooting, and riflery,” added USA project leader Travis Hopkins, of RWAW Local 49. “This teaches them pastimes they can enjoy for a lifetime.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance CEO Scott Vance added: “The Boy Scouts of America will use these new ranges to teach thousands of youths safe and responsible firearms and archery skills each season for years to come.”
About Camp Meriwether
Located in rugged wilderness along the Pacific coast near Cloverdale, Oregon, 790-acre Camp Meriwether, the flagship of the BSA’s Cascade Pacific Council, can accommodate more than 500 campers each day. Acquired in 1926, Camp Meriwether is one of the few Boy Scout camps fronting the ocean — it boasts two miles of private beach.
Camp Meriwether includes Lake Chamberlain, a fresh-water lake for swimming and boating, a trading post, a .22 rifle range, a shotgun range, an archery range, a black powder range, scoutcraft, and an ecology study center. For experienced campers, Meriwether offers high adventure hikes and a rock climbing program on a 44′ tower.
Click Video to see Camp’s Beaches, Facilities, and Adventure Programs:
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At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
The Browning Buckmark is a classic .22LR pistol. Ergonomic, accurate, and reliable, the Buck Mark is a worthy addition to any gun collection. And now you can get a Buck Mark for under $250.00. Bud’s Gun Shop is selling the Buck Mark Camper UFX for $299.73 (or $291.00 cash price). Additionally, Browning is now offering a $50 Summer Blast Rebate that lowers your net cost to $249.73. But act soon, to qualify for the $50 Factory Rebate you must purchase by July 15. NOTE: Browning is also offering $100 Rebates on shotguns and $50 Rebates on rifles.
2. Amazon — Caldwell Front and Rear Bag Set (Unfilled), $13.70
This is a functional, “field expedient” system that’s easy to haul around and only costs $13.70! Varminters can keep these bags in a vehicle for deployment any time. Act quick — this is a special sale price at Amazon.com. This unfilled bag combo sells for up to $33.00 elsewhere. Yes this is a very inexpensive system, but it works surprisingly well, particularly with “standard” rifles with narrow fore-ends. Rather than sand, you can fill with rice or media to make the bags lighter. This system features a heavy-duty clip and D-Ring for linking the two bags for easy transport. The Caldwell DeadShot bags are crafted from durable, water-resistant 600 denier polyester. The dimensions of FILLED BAGS are: FRONT 11″ x 8.5″ X 6″; REAR 5″ x 5″ x 4.5″.
3. Natchez — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit, $279.99
Everything you see above can be yours for just $279.99. Great Deal. Right now, Natchez is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $279.99, a great price considering all the hardware you get: Press, Primer Tool, Scale, Powder Measure, Loading Tray, Reloading Manual and more. Heck, the Rock Chucker press alone is worth $160.00+. This is good starter kit for any reloader with sturdy items (like the Rock Chucker press), that will last a lifetime.
4. Midsouth — Major Brand Blem Tipped Bullets — Up to 30% Off
Midsouth is now offering big savings on major-brand blem bullets. These are overruns, cosmetically blemished jackets or tip discolorations, or factory second bullets from a major bullet manufacturer (Midsouth isn’t allowed to name the company). NOTE: Some projectile tips are misshapen, other packages may contain bullets which vary by grain weight. No matter what, you’re getting tipped hunting, or tipped match bulk bullets at huge savings. Many options in .224, .243 (6mm), .257, .264 (6.5mm), .277, .284 (7mm), .308, and .338 calibers.
5. Whittaker Guns — Howa Mini Action .223 Rem, $349.99
This is hard for a varmint hunter to resist. You can get a complete Howa .223 Rem rifle for $349.99 — about the price of a replacement barrel blank for a Remington. This little gem has a smooth, short-throw Mini Action with Howa’s excellent two-stage trigger. The .223 Rem is a fine choice for prairie dog work, with good barrel life and great factory ammo options. Yes we’d prefer a heavier barrel for extended shooting sessions, but this is still a great price on a fine little rifle.
6. Stocky’s — LR Stocks with Aluminum Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a good deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with handsome hydrographic or web-pattern baked-on textured finishes for $199.99.
7. NRA — Life Membership $600 — Limited Time Offer
Here’s a great deal on NRA Life Membership. Right now you can get the NRA Life Membership for $600.00 — that’s a $900 savings over the regular $1500.00 NRA price. This a special offer through 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. NOTE: NRA Memberships no longer include $2500 Armscare Insurance.
A strong argument can be made that the best home defense firearm is a 12 gauge shotgun. This Mossberg 500 is a reliable 12ga pump-gun with useful upgrades including ghost-ring sights and barrel heat-shield. This Model 500 Tactical boasts an 8-shell capacity and weighs 7 pounds unloaded. Order now from GunBuyer.com for $309.00. User reviews have been positive: “This unit… fires smooth, and operates perfectly out of the box. There’s an odd beauty to the tactical pump that is hard to describe. The action is smooth and repeatable.”
9. Midsouth — 250 Adhesive Precision Targets on Roll, $12.49
Midsouth offers 250 self-adhesive Benchrest Targets on a convenient roll. These stick-on targets work great for load development. The aiming diamond helps align the cross hairs of your scope for consistent shot placement. If you set your Point of Impact to the 1/4″ grid pattern at the top it’s easy to eyeball your group size. At the bottom are fields for your load info. Each Target sticker measures 6″ x 4″ with a 4.5″ x 2.5″ printed area. Midsouth sells the 250-target roll for $12.49, discounted this week from $14.99.
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Running out of space in your gun safe? Here’s a clever product that will allow you to store more long guns in your current vault. The plastic Rifle Rods from Gun Storage Solutions slip in long-gun barrels and then grip the shelf above using Velcro pads. This allows you to nestle your rifles and shotguns much closer together than with the conventional racks provided with most gunsafes. The rods are offered in bright orange or basic black. We prefer the safety orange rods (shown above with the Velcro “receiver” shelf liner provided with the Rod Kit).
Rifles with narrow furniture (such as lever guns) can be placed very close together, saving lots of space. For benchrest or varmint rifles with wider fore-ends, you won’t benefit as much. Note that, in the photo above, all of the guns are fairly slim — none have wide fore-ends. Still we think these Rifle Rods could open up 12″ or more horizontal clearance in a medium-sized safe — that could easily allow you to store six (6) more guns in two rows, as shown.
Rifle Rod Kits Starting at $34.50
A kit with 10 Rifle Rods and loop fabric shelf liner costs $34.50 on Amazon.com, while the 20-Rod Kit with liner costs around $55.00. That’s a lot cheaper than buying a new safe. A six-pack of additional black Rifle Rods costs $15.25 on Amazon. NOTE: To get the safety orange rods you may have to pay a few dollars more and order directly from Gun Storage Solutions.
WARNING: Always REMOVE Rod from barrel before taking gun to the range. Never place live ammunition in a gun with storage Rod in the barrel!
Product tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
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There’s a new service for firearms aficionados who want to fill their gun safes with an impressive collection of pistols, rifle, and shotguns, for a few dollars a day. The new SafeQueen service offers gun guys a wide selection of replica arms at a fraction of the cost of the real thing. These can be exchanged for new “toys” every year, and you can quickly build your collection through a low-cost monthly subscription. “It’s like a Book-of-the-Month Club, but for guns” said one SafeQueen subscriber.
While SafeQueen “faux firearms” are non-functional, it turns out that doesn’t matter to the vast majority of gun collectors, who rarely (if ever) shoot their firearms. “It’s all about pride of ownership” said a satisfied SafeQueen customer. “I wanted to fill up my safe quickly with a lot of bling. SafeQueen lets me do that. To be honest, I like looking at my collection more than shooting real guns. This way I never have to drive to the range, and better yet, never have to buy or load ammo. It’s the best of both worlds — I get to enjoy the look and feel of guns, with none of the responsibilities. Thank you SafeQueen!”
SafeQueen Founded to Enhance Gun Ownership Experience
Josh Ryder, founder of SafeQueen Inc., started his company after determining that the vast majority of gun guys are much more into the ownership experience than into actual shooting. “We found that 98% of firearms are total ‘Safe Queens’ that never get used, and never leave the house. When we realized this, a light bulb when off — why not provide ‘faux firearms’ that look and feel like the real thing, but can be acquired, at low cost, without FFLs, waiting periods, or background checks. That’s how SafeQueen Inc. got started. And it has been hugely popular.”
Can’t afford a beautiful match rifle like this right now? Safequeen has you covered. With an affordable SafeQueen membership, you can fill your gun vault with an impressive collection of beautiful (faux) firearms for a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Order a new gun every month, or swap out items for just the cost of return shipping. SafeQueen offers all kinds of rifles (tactical, hunting, F-Class) plus shotguns, and pistols.
How about a Barrett Model 82A1 .50 BMG — that will earn you some serious respect. But the real thing would cost nearly nine thousand dollars. Sign up for the SafeQueen service you can lease a look-a-like Barrett for a few dollars a week.
We talked with Josh Ryder, SafeQueen’s President (and founder). He explained that most firearms are rarely if ever shot, but gun-owners enjoy acquiring new products and building their collections: “Our research revealed that over 98% of firearms are never shot. Yet their owners continue to purchase more guns, at considerable expense. Those owners enjoy the process of collecting, and they feel genuine pride filling up their gun safes. It’s a bit like a woman who has 100+ pairs of shoes — of course she doesn’t need them all, but she enjoys buying shoes and admiring her collection. We wanted to make it easier to build a large collection of gun-type toys, AND allow the collector to trade in items without the hassle and expense typically associated with transferring real guns.”
SafeQueen offers impressive faux handguns as well as replica rifles. This faux Colt Python can be leased for a small fraction of the cost of the real thing.
Wish you had a super-deluxe shotgun in your safe, but don’t want to fork over $10,000 or more? With SafeQueen you can add a stunning scattergun to your collection for a few dollars a week.
SafeQueen Gun Lease Services Start at $99/month
SafeQueen offers various subscription plans starting at just $99.00 per month (for four faux rifles and four faux pistols — 8 total). And you can lease other faux firearms for just $99 each per year. These SafeQueen guns look every bit like the real thing. However, because they are not capable of firing live rounds they are not actually considered firearms by the ATF or local authorities. Therefore, SafeQueen can deliver the faux firearms straight to your front door — no FFL involved. And there is no problem with shipping, waiting periods, or background checks.
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This story appears courtesy NRABlog.com.
Looking to get started in Multi-Gun competition? The NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School is a two-day course covering all the skills you’ll need to compete in the 3-Gun game. The course, hosted at Peacemaker National Training Center in West Virginia, provides hands-on training for pistol, rifle, and shotgun. Participants experience a fast-paced mix of lessons and firing drills, including actual 3-Gun stages. For 2018, two sessions are scheduled: April 21-22, and June 16-17, 2018.
Video Shows Highlights from NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School Training Sessions:
You don’t even have to bring guns or load your own ammo. The NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School includes everything you need with the $1600.00 price of admission. You don’t need to bring any guns, ammunition or gear! The NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School provides all firearms, ammo and equipment used for the course, including Armalite AR-pattern rifles, Benelli shotguns customized by Hayes Custom Guns, SIG Sauer pistols, and Vortex Optics.
3-Gun Comps — What the Multi-Gun Game is All About
Most 3-Gun matches consist of 8 to 12 stages, with shooters engaging as many as 35 targets per stage. You’ll shoot at paper silhouettes as close as 10 feet away, and steel targets as far out as 600 yards. Time is of the essence — all stages are “on the clock”. You’re racing from station to station, your synapses firing as your transition from shotgun to rifle to pistol, close to long range, around corners, and over barriers.
You’ll encounter spinner wheels, swinging bowling pins and zooming clay pigeons, all while rushing through and around a bevy of walls, barrels, windows and even vehicles. Some 3-Gun matches are shot at night (see above), where the artificial illumination creates an entirely different set of challenges.
How to Participate
You can register now for the NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School. The first class of the year is scheduled for April 21-22, 2018, with another session later in mid-June. If you’re interested, register soon — these programs fill quickly.
CLICK HERE for more information about the NRA Outdoors 3-Gun School. Learn about other training courses by visiting the NRA Outdoors website or call (844) 672-6883.
Hardware for 3-Gun Competition — Guns & Gear
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. Cerino also demonstrates pistol techniques and explains the key features of a belt/holster rig.
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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.
“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.
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.
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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On Ammoland.com, there’s an interesting article about the NSSF’s recent 3-Gun Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas. Author Duncan Johnson attended the Camp last month and wrote an “after action report”. He said the Camp was a great experience, and his shooting improved greatly with the expert tutoring from top pros: “If you have ever wanted to try a 3-Gun competition, just go do it, you will quickly find out why this is the fastest-growing shooting sport today. If you are new to shooting and or just getting started in 3-Gun, I 100% recommend you attend the NSSF Fantasy Camp.”
Here are Four Tips/Observations Duncan learned during the 3-Gun Fantasy Camp:
1. Use a Zoom Rifle Optic – “The LWRC 3-Gun ready rifle [provided for the Camp] was topped with a Leupold Mark 6 1-6x20mm riflescope, which made distance shooting much easier than the AimPoint optic [on my own AR]. 3-Gun competitions have rifle stages that can involve distance shooting out to ranges of 500 yards or more. For that reason, most shooters in the 3-Gun TacOps and Practical divisions use magnified riflescopes like the Leupold Mark 6 or the Vortex Strike Eagle.”
2. Use Your Quads and Core Muscles — “There are also a lot of little things that the pros teach you… For instance, some shooters instinctively bend their knees to enter their stance, but once they start firing they tend to follow the recoil with their shoulders and end up leaning back. In order to avoid that, use your quad muscles in your legs to get a solid stance that will absorb more recoil. Also use your core muscles to maintain a strong stance, especially in shotgun stages. The combination of strong quad and core muscles will contribute to controlling muzzle flip and moving onto your next target more easily.”
3. Vision-Based Target Transitions — “Another pro tip from Randi Rodgers on transitioning from target to target with a pistol was using your eyes rather than your sights to switch targets. So imagine it as pull the trigger, the slide starts to come back, using your eyes find the next target, then point with the front sight, find the sight picture, fire, and repeat.”
Editor’s Note: A few seasons back, I attended an action shooting seminar taught by Randi, and she explained the “move your eyes” technique. For multi-target stages, this really works. Move your eyes from target to target, and you’ll find your arms automatically “pull” the handgun into position. You still need to get the sights on target, but this method yields create smoother, faster stage runs.
4. Trigger Control and Use of Support Hand — If you don’t have good trigger control and pull straight back, you can move your sights during the shot. This is a common problem with novice pistol shooters. The solution is lots of dry fire training. Duncan found out he needed work: “In my case, the biggest area where I need improvement was shooting my pistol. There were two different things I was doing that will guarantee a missed shot every time with a handgun. When I pull/squeeze/depress my trigger I have a tendency to also pull the gun off target, resulting in a miss to the low left of a target. I [also] over-apply pressure with my shooting hand. According to the pros, pistol grip should be 40% shooting hand, and 60% supporting hand.”
This article originally appears on Ammoland.com, reprinted here under Creative Commons License.
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At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Amazon.com — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit, $279.99
Everything you see above can be yours for just $229.99, after manufacturer’s rebate. Right now, Amazon is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $279.99. That’s a great deal considering all the hardware you get. Heck, the Rock Chucker press alone is worth $150.00+. But here’s the real incentive — this Rock Chucker Supreme Kit qualifies for a Buck$ or Bullets Rebate — choose either $50 or 500 Speer bullets. If you take the fifty bucks ($50), that reduces your net cost to just $229.00 for the entire RCBS Reloading Kit. That’s a total steal. NOTE: Cabelas.com also sells this RCBS Kit for the same $279.99 (before rebate).
Graf & Sons is now offering various Burris scopes with Close-Out Pricing– up to $40% off. If you are looking for a budget-priced, medium-range zoom scope for your hunting or varmint rifle, check out these deals. For example, the Burris Predator Quest 4.5-14x42mm (Side Focus) Scope is now just $199.99 — that a 38% savings. In addition to these optics close-outs, Grafs.com is offering FREE Shipping for a limited time. You can get FREE Shipping with orders totalling $100.00 or more. This shipping deal is valid through 4/18/17 at 11:59 PM.
3. PT&G — Howa Barreled Actions with Trigger, $350.00
Howa makes excellent, smooth-running actions, and the Howa HACT 2-stage trigger is WAY better than most domestic factory triggers. Right now you can save big bucks on Howa barreled actions, complete with HACT trigger and trigger-guard. Pacific Tool & Gauge (PT&G) sourced a truckload of Howa barreled actions, which are now on sale. Available at $350.00 are: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, .22-250, .243 Win, 7mm-08, and .308 Win. Choose from light- or heavy-barrel contours. For $390.00 you can get .375 Ruger, 7mm Rem Mag. These barreled actions would be great for custom hunting/varmint rifle projects — many have factory camo finishes. Howa barrels typically deliver easy sub-MOA accuracy (and often much better). Some of these barreled actions may carry Weatherby or Nosler markings, but they were all made at the Howa factory in Japan.
Headed out for a varmint safari soon? Need inexpensive bullets for your .223 Rem or 22-250? Then check out this deal on from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Get 250 BTHP 62gr .224-Caliber bullets for just $24.99. That’s just $9.94 per hundred. At that price, it doesn’t hurt so much when you shoot 1000+ rounds over a weekend. With good expansion, these bullets work great on prairie dogs and other small critters. Note: These sale bullets ship in a bag. Midsouth also offers bulk pricing on 500-bullet and 1000-bullet quantities.
5. Stocky’s Stocks — Composite Stock with Bedding Block, $179.99
Here’s a killer deal on a versatile Stocky’s Long Range Stock with aluminum V-block bedding system. For just $179.99, order this for Rem/Rem Clone long actions or short actions, with either narrow or wide (varmint/tactical) barrel channel. This would be a good choice for a varmint rifle. This is also offered with a matte black, tan, or olive baked-on textured finish for $199.99.
6. Cabela’s — Mossburg Shotgun in Waterproof Case, $469.99
Here’s the perfect weapon to repel boarders or fight zombies! OK, you may not really NEED a pistol-grip shotgun, but this thing is just so cool. The Mossburg 500 Mariner shotgun has a durable Marinecoat finish and comes in a Int’l Orange storage case that floats. Keep this pump-gun on your boat, in your truck, or make it part of your “bug-out kit”. The floating tube’s heavy-duty synthetic seal is factory-tested to be airtight and waterproof to 40 feet. With a 6-round capacity, this Mossberg shotgun features an 18.5″ cylinder-bore barrel with bead front sight. It even ships with a knife and a multi-tool. There is also a matte black version with a green tube for just $349.99.
7. Amazon — Motorola Walkie Talkies, $48.99 per Pair
Walkie-Talkies are “must-have” items for long-range shooting. They let you reset targets and talk to back to the firing line. These are also very handy on hunts. The Motorola MH230R Two-Way Radio is Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in FRS/GMRS Handheld Radios. This under-$50.00 set offers 22 channels with a claimed range up to 23 miles (We’ve used them and they worked at 3 miles line of sight). The kit includes: 2 radios, 2 belt clips, 1 dual drop-in charger, 1 charging adapter, 2 NiMH rechargeable battery packs. Run-time is about 10 hours — plenty for a full day of shooting. There is also a newer version, the Motorola T260 for $58.99.
We like reactive targets. It’s fun to “ring steel” and see a target move instantly when hit. For just twenty bucks (including shipping), it’s hard to go wrong with this 8″ AR500 Steel Gong. The 8″-diameter size is big enough for zeroing at 200 yards, yet offers a nice challenge at 500 yards and beyond. There is also a 6″-diameter model for just $14.00.
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Shotgun vs. Handgun — which is better for home defense? That’s a question that inspires strong opinions on both sides. We think the best answer may be “both”. There are some situations where a pistol is most handy, while there are other situations where the power (and lethality) of the shotgun clearly wins out. Some would argue that the shotgun offers an “intimidation” factor that may better resolve a threat without a shot being fired.
The NSSF, in cooperation with Thunder Ranch Training Center, has created an interesting video that examines the Shotgun vs. Handgun debate. As the Cheaper Than Dirt Blog notes: “The primary argument against the shotgun is a longer length leading to less maneuverability. On the other hand, the pistol offers better maneuverability, but lacks the stopping power of a shotgun”. Moreover, the pistol may be less accurate, according to some critics. This NSSF video looks at the question from a logical standpoint — making some surprising points.
As you can see in this still frame from the video, the shooting stance of the pistol shooter (Clint) is NOT much more compact than that of the two shotgunners (compare actual muzzle positions). So a shotgun may actually be more handy inside a home than some people realize. Clint concludes that the gun selection debate “is all very easily solved by only one question: ‘If someone was going to run across a bedroom at you and they had a big knife, would you rather shoot him one time with a pistol or one time with a shotgun?’ When you answer the question you figure out why this [shotgun length] doesn’t really bother us. We simply take these [shotguns] and use them in a slightly different manner…”
In this video, Thunder Ranch Director Clint Smith explains why the overall length of a shotgun, as held in firing position against the shoulder, is not really that much greater than the “shooting stance length” of a handgun held in a proper firing position (with arms extended). Accordingly gun length/size should not be the deciding factor when choosing a firearm for home defense.
Whatever Weapon You Choose — Train with It
Fundamentally, you should use the firearm that is 100% reliable, and with which you have trained regularly. Mastery of a defensive firearm — whether shotgun or handgun — needs to be second-nature. You should be able to operate all the controls (safety, pump, decocker, slide, bolt handle etc.) by “instinct” based on hours of training. Likewise you should know how to operate the light/laser if your defensive firearm is so equipped. Importantly, you should be able to reload in darkness, and clear malfunctions without panicking.
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Hodgdon/IMR has released a new family of clean-burning shotshell and pistol propellants utilizing “green” technology. This series of five, fast-burn-rate powders will work with an extremely wide range of shotshell and pistol cartridges. Each powder was designed to match current shotshell bushing charts, so hand-loaders will already have the appropriate bushings available for each load.
IMR notes: “This new technology burns clean [and] all of these powders are REACH compliant*, meaning these propellants are not harmful to the environment.”
IMR TARGET:
The first powder in this new family, IMR Target, is a fast-burning pistol powder. This fine-grained, small-flake propellant meters superbly, providing very precise loads in even the smallest pistol cartridges like the .25 ACP!
IMR RED:
The second powder in this new family was designed to be an efficient, clean-burning, 12-gauge target powder. IMR Red also performs nicely in various lead pistol target loads, such as match competition loads and Cowboy reduced loads.
New IMR Red powder is well-suited for light Cowboy Action loads with lead bullets. Photo courtesy Uberti.com.
IMR GREEN:
IMR Green, the third in this new family is slightly slower-burning than IMR Red, making it an ideal Trap Handicap powder and soon a favorite with Sporting Clays enthusiasts.
IMR UNEQUAL:
IMR Unequal combines small-sized flakes for uniform metering in all pistol applications and its burn speed accommodates a wide range of shotshell and pistol cartridges.
For loading pistol cartridges on a progressive press, IMR Unequal is a good choice. Photo courtesy Dillon Precision.
IMR BLUE:
Having the slowest burn speed of the five new propellants, IMR BLUE is well-suited for for heavy 12-gauge 2¾-inch, 3-inch and 3-1/2-inch field loads.
These new IMR powders will be available in January 2017 at quality reloading powder dealers everywhere. IMR Target and IMR Blue will be available in one-pound (1 lb.), four-pound (4 lb.) and eight-pound (8 lb.) containers. IMR Red, IMR Green, and IMR Unequal will be offered in 14-ounce (14 oz.), four-pound (4 lb.) and eight-pound (8 lb.) containers.
Complete load data for these versatile and useful propellants is accessible on the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center at HodgdonReloading.com.
* Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union regulation adopted in December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment.
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The folks at Sierra Bullets asked a few staff bulletsmiths a classic question about guns: “If you could own only one firearm which one would you choose?” There were many interesting answers including a “cheater” response — the drilling — which is really two guns in one. The most-often mentioned chambering was the venerable .30-06. Respondents cited its versatility, hunting prowess, and ready availability of ammo. The popular .308 Winchester, as expected, got mentions as did its cousins the .243 Win and 7mm-08. There were quite a few votes for classic lever guns, as well as 12-gauge shotguns. Two bulletsmiths cited the .22 LR, and we can certainly see the logic in that answer. The little rimfire cartridge is versatile, quiet, and inexpensive.
We ask our readers the same question — if you could only have one long gun, what type of firearm would it be? List the gun type and chambering in the comments section.
If You Could Have Just One Long-Gun — ANSWERS:
Media Relations Manager Carroll Pilant answered: “I would NEVER own only one gun. If I HAD to pick one, it would be a drilling in 12 gauge over .30-06.”
Ballistic Technician Rich Machholz answered: “The early tang safety Ruger M77s pretty much have all you could want in a bolt gun, but I do like the Winchester lever guns and the combination guns, particularly the drillings. Since I have the first two, I’m going for a Doug Turnbull 1886 or a side by side 20 gauge over .223 drilling.”
Ballistic Technician Philip Mahin answered: “More than likely it would have to be a bolt action .30-06. The reliability is legendary on a wide range of game animals and factory ammunition has still been available at my local stores even in these tough times.”
Ballistic Technician Duane Siercks answered: “If I had to boil it all down to one gun, it would probably be a .30-06. I have a Remington 700C (custom shop gun) that has worked very well for anything and everything I have ever wanted to do with it.”
Ballistic Technician Paul Box answered: “A .22 Rimfire.”
Chief Ballistician Tommy Todd answered: “Remington 700 in .308 Winchester.”
VP – Sales & Marketing Matt Reams answered: “A light weight Kimber in 25-06.”
Production Toolsetter Brad Vansell answered: “Savage weather warrior 7mm-08 is my rifle of choice.”
Production Toolsetter Dan Mahnken answered: “The .308 Winchester rifle — [based on the] wide range of bullets made and the wide range of things that one can hunt with it.”
Process Engineer David Palm answered: “Savage action 243 Winchester.”
Ballistic Technician Gary Prisendorf answered: “Probably a .22 LR. It may not be the best choice, but you could use it for about anything if you really had to.”
Production Manager Chris Hatfield answered: “Beretta A300 Outlander 12 gauge.”
If you want to see the world’s best multi-gun shooters in action, head to Henderson, Nevada this weekend. Henderson’s Pro Gun Club hosts the 2016 SureFire World Multi-Gun Championships, a challenging day + night, high-round-count match with 16 fast and furious stages. Earlier this week fun matches were held at Henderson, but the main event kicks off Friday, October 21st and runs through Sunday, October 23rd. The main match, with 16 grueling stages, is a real test of shooter and equipment. This unique match combines various Multi-Gun and 3-Gun competition shooting styles, with stages influenced by USPSA Nationals stages, speed stages, outlaw stages, large Ironman-style stages, open-terrain stages, and even low-light night stages (as shown below).
With an extensive prize table and some of the top competitors in the world, this will be one of the most important multi-gun matches of the year. For more match information, visit www.Surefirewmg.com. Match photos and results will be posted on the Surefire Multi-Gun Championship Facebook Page.
While this is an impressive photo of Matt Loganbill shooting last year’s night stage, Surefire lights might actually do a better job illuminating the stage.
Here are two stage maps for this year. Note the number and variety of targets! CLICK to ZOOM.
Ammo A-Plenty — 780 Rounds To Be Fired By Each Competitor Over Course of 16 Stages
The 2016 course of fire includes sixteen (16) stages. All three guns will be used on almost all the stages, except for the night stages. There will be plenty of ammo sent down range this year. Each competitor will be shooting roughly 780 rounds of rifle, pistol, and shotgun ammo:
Rifle: 260 rifle rounds, some 50-yard shots and a spinner. In addition there will be 20 rounds of rifle over the berms with two shots past 350 yards. Pistol: 280 pistol rounds, but there will be many paper and steel options. Shotgun: 200 normal shotgun rounds, plus 15-20 slugs.
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