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March 2nd, 2025

Sunday GunDay: Modern Air Rifles for 3-Position Competition

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precisision competition CMP

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMPThree-Position Air Rifle (3PAR) shooting is the most popular and fastest-growing form of shooting sports competition for junior shooters (High School age and younger). The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) conducts two primary Three-Position Air Rifle events. First, Precision Air Rifle is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of specialized target rifles and equipment. Second, Sporter Air Rifle is designed for new competitors or those who desire to compete with a minimum of equipment and expense.

In both types of shooting, competitors fire at targets at a distance of 10 meters in three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. Three-Position Air Rifle provides young competitors with competitive shooting sports opportunities that can be offered on a wide variety of easily accessible or easily constructed ranges, with equipment that is commonly available at affordable costs.

crosman challenger pcp air rifle with sights
Teen three peat GAI Gary Anderson Invitational air rifle match Katrina winnner
CLICK HERE for large Pardini GPR1 photo.

The CMP actively promotes Three-Position Air Rifle shooting as a premier youth marksmanship competition by providing low-cost equipment and pellets as well as training materials and competition activities. In addition, other air gun events for juniors and adults are hosted by CMP throughout the year. CMP facilities have Open Public Shooting evenings, and matches for air rifle and air pistol take place at the CMP Marksmanship Centers. CMP ranges are equipped with OpticScore Targets featuring technology by Kongsberg Target Systems.

crossman challenger PCP Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

The new-generation Crosman Challenger PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) Air Rifle is a preferred .177 Sporter Class air rifle for competitive marksmanship programs throughout the country, including the Marine Corps JROTC, Army JROTC, Air Force JROTC, Navy JROTC, American Legion, and 4-H. The $799.90 Challenger PCP is a three-position rifle with a fully adjustable stock, a two-stage, adjustable match grade trigger, a hooded front aperture sight, micro click adjustable diopter rear sight, patented ambidextrous pull bolt, and a floating Lothar Walther™ barrel. The Challenger PCP boasts a 3000 PSI reservoir for 200+ more shots per fill and good velocities. A pressure regulator aids shot-to-shot consistency. The Challenger PCP meets requirements of National Standard three-position air rifle competitions.

CLICK HERE to Download this illustration of Olympic Shooter Ivana Maksimovic as a POSTER.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Young American Wins Gold Medal in Air Rifle at 2021 Olympics

William Shaner 10m Air Rifle NBC 2021 Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal shooting

William Shaner won a Gold Medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The University of Kentucky marksman, then age 20, captured Gold in the 10-meter (10m) Air Rifle, setting an Olympic record in the process. Shaner scored 251.6 points in the 10m final to set a new Olympic Record just 1.2 points shy of the world record. Will scored 10.5 or above on 13 of his 24 shots in the final. At the Tokyo Games, William was shooting a Walther air rifle.

Watch Will Shaner capture Gold with a stellar shooting performance, broadcast by NBC Sports:

William hails from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started his shooting career at age nine in a 4H program in the appropriately named town of Rifle, Colorado.

CMP Records 500+ Entries During 2024 National Air Gun Events at Camp Perry
Air rifle shooting is a very popular activity throughout the nation. Air rifle matches can draw a huge number of competitors. Last summer, the 2024 National Air Gun events, held as part of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s National Matches, welcomed over 500 air rifle and air pistol entries. The events were held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry, Ohio.

Gary Anderson Competition Center
Gary Anderson Competition Center
Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry.

Special CMP Air Rifles from Anschutz
Back in 2009, the CMP ordered a special run of Anschutz Air rifles. These had laminated wood stocks and the CMP logos on the buttstock.

CMP Air Rifle match

The CMP currently offers Precision Air Rifles and Sporter Air Rifles for sale via the CMP Website.

CMP Precision Air Rifles from Walther

The new Walther LG400 Bluetec was specifically designed for 3-position air rifle shooting. The barreled action and trigger are the same as the top-of-the-line LG400 models. It comes without an absorber but it can be retrofitted with one. The barreled action will fit into any of the higher end stocks if you wish to upgrade it. The accuracy is the same as the higher-priced LG400s. With a top-tier marksman, this rifle can put 10 shots through the same hole at 10 meters.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP walther lg400 bluetec

The LG400 Bluetec is sold by the CMP with the Walther Basic rear sight, Walther 22mm front sight and a 200/300 bar steel cylinder. The aluminum stock comes with an ambidextrous grip, trigger guard, and an adjustable cheekpiece and buttplate. This rifle is sold by the CMP but shipped via Walther Arms.


Video from the U.S. Army Junior Air Rifle Nat’l Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia. This invitation-only event features top 30 precision and sporter individuals, and top 30 teams in both disciplines.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Sporter Air Rifles

The largest and fastest-growing segment of junior shooting today, Three-Position Air Rifle Shooting, uses a class of target air rifles called Sporter Air Rifles. These Sporters now constitute a special class of junior shooting competition, and are used extensively in JROTC programs.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Sporter air rifles are characterized by their light weight (5-7 lbs.), low cost (from $180 to $600), basic target features (adjustable sights, adjustable length stocks, adjustable sling attachments) and good accuracy (rifles sold through this program must be capable of consistently shooting tens on the standard competition targets).

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Shown above is the budget-priced Daisy Model 599 10-Meter Competition Air Rifle, a .177-caliber gun that allows competitors to shoot the entire match without having to recharge.

Permalink - Videos, Competition, Gear Review, Shooting Skills No Comments »
February 19th, 2025

NRA World Shooting Championship on Shooting USA Today

shooting usa show television nra world shooting championship walther 2024

Shooting USA TV will broadcast a great show today, 2/19/2025. Shooting USA’s Wednesday Night episode features the NRA World Shooting Championship held last year at Camp Atterbury. This unique competition features multiple disciplines shot with firearms supplied by sponsors. All of the guns were provided and when the match finished the stage firearms become prizes. There were also cash prize awards for the top Pro Class competitors. SEE NRA World Championship Program.

Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.

shooting usa show television nra world shooting championship walther 2024

The NRA World Shooting Championship was held April 3-6, 2024 at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. Presented by Walther, this challenging event involved rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting with a dozen disciplines — from short-range action pistol to long-range rifle. Topping the field among lady shooters was the talented Lanny Barnes, a 3-Time Olympic biathlete and professional 3-Gun competitor. We congratulate Lanny for her great 2024 performance at the NRA Championship, which earned Lanny the title of NRA World Shooting Lady Champion!

2024 world shooting championship nra camp atterbury lanny barnes

2024 nra world shooting championship
The NRA World Shooting Championship
This championship is designed to test individuals through multiple different disciplines over a period of three days of shooting. Competitors compete in Professional and Amateur categories for cash and prizes of over $250,000. Walther and other sponsors supplied ALL firearms equipment and ammunition required for the 12 stages of competition.

To do well, competitors must be highly proficient in all shooting skills — rifle, pistol, shotgun, both rapid fire and precision. The stages were: Sporting Clays, Precision Standing Air Gun, NRA Americas Rifle Challenge, NRA Precision Pistol, FITASC, 3-Gun, Mid-Range AR-Tactical, Biathlon, SASS (Cowboy Action), PRS, Scholastic Action Shooting, and USPSA.

There were also seven (7) side matches with different disciplines including falling plates.


SEE 2024 World Shooting Championship Program »

2024 NRA multi-gun championship world rifle pistol shotgun 3-gun

Permalink - Videos, Competition, Handguns No Comments »
July 12th, 2024

Ladies’ Favorite Handgun Types and Shooting Accessories

girl and gun shine 2024 cameo conference pistol product survey

What type of handguns, holsters, and gear do female shooters prefer? That question was answered by a survey of lady shooters at SHINE 2024, the Annual Conference of the “A Girl & A Gun” organization. The SHINE 2024 event took place this past May at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex near Grand Junction, Colorado. The 706 lady attendees ranged in age from 17 to 78 and hailed from 45 different states. The 700+ lady shooters included both novices and seasoned shooters — 28% of the attendees were relatively new shooters, 41% were intermediates, and 31% were advanced. The annual event sold out last September and had more than 500 women on the waiting list.

All the participants were required to go through a ‘Gear Check’ process where their handguns, belts, holsters, and mag pouches were all reviewed and function checked. In total, the 706 women brought 976 handguns for training. For today’s article, we reveal the favored handguns, holsters, sights/optics, and other accessories. Glock was the #1 gun choice with 22.75% with Walther a close second at 20.29%. CLICK HERE for complete gun/product survey results.

Handgun Choices by Lady Shooters

Leading Pistol Brands

GLOCK / 22.75%
SIG Sauer / 20.29%
Walther / 17.01%
Smith & Wesson / 9.63%
Heckler & Koch / 5.94%
CZ / 5.33%
Springfield / 4.51%
Canik / 4.41%
Staccato / 3.48%
Ruger / 0.82%
Beretta / 0.61%
Shadow Systems / 0.61%
Kimber / 0.51%
STI / 0.51%
Wilson Combat / 0.51%
Taurus / 0.41%
FN / 0.31%

Favorite Pistol Models

Walther PDP-F / 17.23%
GLOCK 19 / 11.56%
Sig Sauer P365XL / 5.44%
GLOCK 34 / 4.54%
GLOCK 43X / 4.31%
HK VP9 / 4.31%
Sig Sauer P320 / 4.31%
Sig Sauer P365 / 3.85%
GLOCK 17 / 3.40%
Walther PDP / 3.40%
GLOCK 48 / 2.49%
GLOCK 45 / 2.27%
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ / 2.27%
Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 / 1.81%

walther pdp girl and gun shine 2024 cameo conference pistol product survey

Shooting Gear and Accessories Choices

Holster Brands

Comp Tac / 17.16%
Haven Defense / 7.59%
BladeTech / 6.27%
We The People / 5.83%
Black Scorpion / 5.72%
Safariland / 4.40%
PHLster / 3.52%
Dara / 3.19%
Alien Gear / 2.42%
Blackhawk / 1.98%

Hearing Protection

Walker / 36.09%
Howard Leight / 13.00%
Axil / 11.62%
AKT1 Sport / 5.96%
Peltor / 4.28%

Eye Protection

SSP / 16.23%
Oakley / 9.69%
Hunter’s HD Gold / 7.07%
WileyX / 6.02%
Ray-Ban / 3.14%

Iron Sights Vs. Pistol-Mounted Optics
While there are more pistol-mounted optics each year, they still have not yet surpassed iron sights among women. 54.4% of the ladies’ pistols had iron sights compared to 45.6% of the handguns which were fitted with Red Dot-type slide-mounted optics.

walther pdp girl and gun shine 2024 cameo conference pistol product survey

Training Sessions at AG & AG SHINE Conference
During this shine event, training sessions were run at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex. With 28 live-fire bays, 25 field classrooms, a 5-Stand course, and 2,003-yard rifle range, 3D archery loops, and natural terrain for other training options, AG & AG was able to provide training classes on a wide variety of shooting and self-defense topics.

Permalink - Videos, Gear Review, Handguns, News, Optics No Comments »
May 21st, 2024

NRA World Shooting Championship on Shooting USA This Week

shooting usa show television nra world shooting championship walther 2024

Shooting USA TV will broadcast a great show tomorrow, 5/22/24. Shooting USA’s Wednesday Night episode features the NRA World Shooting Championship held last month at Camp Atterbury. This unique competition features multiple disciplines shot with firearms supplied by sponsors. All of the guns are provided and once the match is over the stage firearms become prizes. There are also cash prize awards for the top Pro Class competitors. SEE NRA World Championship Program.

Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.

shooting usa show television nra world shooting championship walther 2024

The NRA World Shooting Championship was held April 3-6, 2024 at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. Presented by Walther, this challenging event involved rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting with a dozen disciplines — from short-range action pistol to long-range rifle. Topping the field among lady shooters was the talented Lanny Barnes, a 3-Time Olympic biathlete and professional 3-Gun competitor. We congratulate Lanny for her great 2024 performance at the NRA Championship, which earned Lanny the title of NRA World Shooting Lady Champion!

2024 world shooting championship nra camp atterbury lanny barnes

The NRA World Shooting Championship
This championship is designed to test individuals through multiple different disciplines over a period of three days of shooting. Competitors compete in Professional and Amateur categories for cash and prizes of over $250,000. Walther and other sponsors supplied ALL firearms equipment and ammunition required for the 12 stages of competition.

To do well, competitors must be highly proficient in all shooting skills — rifle, pistol, shotgun, both rapid fire and precision. The stages were: Sporting Clays, Precision Standing Air Gun, NRA Americas Rifle Challenge, NRA Precision Pistol, FITASC, 3-Gun, Mid-Range AR-Tactical, Biathlon, SASS (Cowboy Action), PRS, Scholastic Action Shooting, and USPSA.


SEE 2024 World Shooting Championship Program »

2024 NRA multi-gun championship world rifle pistol shotgun 3-gun

2024 NRA multi-gun championship world rifle pistol shotgun 3-gun

Permalink - Videos, Competition, News, Tactical No Comments »
April 15th, 2024

Lanny Barnes Wins Lady Division at NRA World Championships

lanny barnes oakley nra world shooting championship 3-gun pistol rifle

The NRA World Shooting Championship was held April 3-6, 2024 at Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana. Presented by Walther, this challenging event involved rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting with a dozen disciplines — from short-range action pistol to long-range rifle. Topping the field among lady shooters was the talented Lanny Barnes, a 3-Time Olympic biathlete and professional 3-Gun competitor. We congratulate Lanny for her great 2024 performance at the NRA Championship, which earned Lanny the title of NRA World Shooting Lady Champion!

lanny barnes oakley nra world shooting championship 3-gun pistol rifle

Lanny provided this report on the NRA World Shooting Championship event:

“This match definitely is challenging. I was fortunate to shoot with the greatest shooters on the planet and we battled challenging weather, tough stages, foreign to us firearms while shooting 12 different disciplines that tested your skills in picking up a firearm and making the most of it. We shot rifles, pistols, and shotguns and anything from short range to long range to speed to accuracy to shooting on the move to moving targets and everything in-between.

lanny barnes oakley nra world shooting championship 3-gun pistol rifle

If you want to see how well rounded a shooter you are, come out and give this match a shot. Congrats to all who competed and survived this tough event. I want to especially give a shout out to my squad. I learned so much from your guys. My shooting sisters Dianna Muller, Becky Yackley, and Gabby Franco who despite working their tails off with life’s challenges, they are out there pushing themselves hard. Awesome to shoot with Tristin Burris who is just a beast and is really improving her shooting and then there is the guys, Jerry Miculek and Bruce Piatt among many legends who are not only great guys and incredibly humble, they are a rare breed of champions that has set themselves apart and will go down in the history books as the greatest shooters in the world.

lanny barnes oakley nra world shooting championship 3-gun pistol rifle

I also don’t think I’ve laughed as much in the last year as I did the last few days with my squad. Thank you guys. Thank you to the NRA for bringing this match back and focusing on shooting sports and to all those you volunteered and put those into this match. Huge shout out to Walther Arms for putting so much effort and great guns into this match.”

Above Lanny (aka “Lanny Oakley”) is shooting a stage at the NRA World Shooting Championships. Lanny notes: “It was a PRS Stage using a Ruger Precision .308 shooting 8 targets at 411 yards. You were allowed 3 sighted shots but couldn’t touch the scope. I ended up using all 10 shots but was happy to get the hits. Thanks to Ruger for sponsoring the match. I actually won one of their precision rifles from this match[.]”

lanny barnes oakley nra world shooting championship 3-gun pistol rifle

Permalink Competition, Handguns, Shooting Skills 1 Comment »
February 29th, 2024

IWA Outdoor Classics Trade Show — 50th Anniversary Year

IWA outdoorclassics outdoor classics trade show Nuremberg germany 50th year

This year the IWA Outdoor Classics, aka “Euro Shot Show”, marks its 50th year as Europe’s leading outdoor, hunting, and target shooting trade show. The event opened today February 29, and runs through Sunday March 3, 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany. For the next four days, the Nuremberg metropolitan region will once again focus on hunting, target shooting, and the outdoor adventure market. In its 50th year, the IWA Outdoor Classics is a huge event, drawing over 1,080 exhibitors from 53 countries.

IWA outdoorclassics outdoor classics trade show Nuremberg germany 50th year

In 2024, the IWA Outdoor Classics celebrates its Golden Anniversary. For more than 50 years, outdoor and shooting industry companies have come together in Nuremberg to present the latest products and services for hunting and shooting sports. For 2024, Europe’s leading outdoor trade show will host more than 1,080 German and international exhibitors in nine exhibition halls. In addition, there will be a wide variety of seminars, meetings, and interactive demonstrations.

IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary

Stefanie Leege, Exhibition Director of IWA OutdoorClassics posted: “This year we are particularly honored to welcome exhibitors, visitors, and press representatives to IWA Outdoor Classics. Our 50th anniversary is definitely an honor for us, but even more so for the commitment of our customers and [exhibitors]. We … look forward to an unforgettable Anniversary edition.”

Manufacturers and vendors from the hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor segments offer a vast range of products this year. From hunting, sport shooting, and airsoft firearms to optics and technologies, ammunition, knives, hunting accessories, clothing and outdoor equipment, there is plenty to discover in the nine halls at IWA Outdoor Classics 2024. IWA Outdoor Classics allows buyers and retailers from around the world to see thousands of new products from international manufacturers all in one convenient setting.

Handguns, Shotguns, Rifles, and More

IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary

Wheelgun Showcase at Korth Arms

IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary

Modern Scopes and Optics on Display

IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary

Outdoor Gear, Shooting Equipment, and Hunting Accesories

IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary
IWA outdoors classics 50th Year anniversary

Along with the firearms, optics, stocks, and reloading products, there were many booths features outdoor clothing, hunting gear, and shooting accessories.

Official INTRO Video for IWA Outdoor Classics 2024


Permalink Gear Review, Hunting/Varminting, News, Optics No Comments »
May 7th, 2023

Sunday Gunday: Modern Air Rifles for 3-Position Competition

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precisision competition CMP

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMPThree-Position Air Rifle (3PAR) shooting is the most popular and fastest-growing form of shooting sports competition for junior shooters (High School age and younger). The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) conducts two primary Three-Position Air Rifle events. First, Precision Air Rifle is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of specialized target rifles and equipment. Second, Sporter Air Rifle is designed for new competitors or those who desire to compete with a minimum of equipment and expense.

In both types of shooting, competitors fire at targets at a distance of 10 meters in three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. Three-Position Air Rifle provides young competitors with competitive shooting sports opportunities that can be offered on a wide variety of easily accessible or easily constructed ranges, with equipment that is commonly available at affordable costs.

crosman challenger pcp air rifle with sights
Teen three peat GAI Gary Anderson Invitational air rifle match Katrina winnner
CLICK HERE for large Pardini GPR1 photo.

The CMP actively promotes Three-Position Air Rifle shooting as a premier youth marksmanship competition by providing low-cost equipment and pellets as well as training materials and competition activities. In addition, other air gun events for juniors and adults are hosted by CMP throughout the year. CMP facilities have Open Public Shooting evenings, and matches for air rifle and air pistol take place at the CMP Marksmanship Centers. CMP ranges are equipped with OpticScore Targets featuring technology by Kongsberg Target Systems.

The updated Challenger PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) Air Rifle is a preferred .177 sporter class air rifle for competitive marksmanship programs throughout the country, including the Marine Corps JROTC, Army JROTC, Air Force JROTC, Navy JROTC, American Legion, and 4-H. The Challenger is a three-position competition rifle that features a fully adjustable stock, a two-stage, adjustable match grade trigger, a hooded front aperture sight, a micro click, adjustable diopter rear sight, a patented ambidextrous pull bolt, and a floating Lothar Walther™ barrel.

CLICK HERE to Download this illustration of Olympic Shooter Ivana Maksimovic as a POSTER.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precisision competition CMP

Young American Wins Gold Medal in Air Rifle at 2021 Olympics

William Shaner 10m Air Rifle NBC 2021 Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal shooting

William Shaner won a Gold Medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The University of Kentucky marksman, then age 20, captured Gold in the 10-meter (10m) Air Rifle, setting an Olympic record in the process. Shaner scored 251.6 points in the 10m final to set a new Olympic Record just 1.2 points shy of the world record. Will scored 10.5 or above on 13 of his 24 shots in the final. At the Tokyo Games, William was shooting a Walther air rifle.

Watch Will Shaner capture Gold with a stellar shooting performance, broadcast by NBC Sports:

William hails from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started his shooting career at age nine in a 4H program in the appropriately named town of Rifle, Colorado.

CMP Records 580+ Entries During 2022 National Air Gun Events at Camp Perry
Air rifle shooting is a very popular activity throughout the nation. Air rifle matches can draw a huge number of competitors. Last summer, the 2022 National Air Gun events, held as part of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s National Matches, welcomed over 580 air rifle and air pistol entries. The events were held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry, Ohio.

Gary Anderson Competition Center
Gary Anderson Competition Center
Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry.

Special CMP Air Rifles from Anschutz
Back in 2009, the CMP ordered a special run of Anschutz Air rifles. These had laminated wood stocks and the CMP logos on the buttstock.

CMP Air Rifle match

The CMP currently offers Precision Air Rifles and Sporter Air Rifles for sale via the CMP Website.

CMP Precision Air Rifles from Walther

The new Walther LG400 Bluetec was specifically designed for 3-position air rifle shooting. The barreled action and trigger are the same as the top-of-the-line LG400 models. It comes without an absorber but it can be retrofitted with one. The barreled action will fit into any of the higher end stocks if you wish to upgrade it. The accuracy is the same as the higher-priced LG400s. With a top-tier marksman, this rifle can put 10 shots through the same hole at 10 meters.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP walther lg400 bluetec

The LG400 Bluetec is sold by the CMP with the Walther Basic rear sight, Walther 22mm front sight and a 200/300 bar steel cylinder. The aluminum stock comes with an ambidextrous grip, trigger guard, and an adjustable cheekpiece and buttplate. This rifle is sold by the CMP but shipped via Walther Arms.


Video from the U.S. Army Junior Air Rifle Nat’l Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia. This invitation-only event features top 30 precision and sporter individuals, and top 30 teams in both disciplines.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Sporter Air Rifles

The largest and fastest-growing segment of junior shooting today, Three-Position Air Rifle Shooting, uses a class of target air rifles called Sporter Air Rifles. These Sporters now constitute a special class of junior shooting competition, and are used extensively in JROTC programs.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Sporter air rifles are characterized by their light weight (5-7 lbs.), low cost (from $180 to $600), basic target features (adjustable sights, adjustable length stocks, adjustable sling attachments) and good accuracy (rifles sold through this program must be capable of consistently shooting tens on the standard competition targets).

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMP

Shown above is the new Daisy Model 599 10-Meter Competition Air Rifle, a .177-caliber gun that allows competitors to shoot the entire match without having to recharge.

Permalink - Articles, - Videos, Competition, Gear Review, Shooting Skills No Comments »
May 6th, 2021

Modern Air Rifles for Three-Position Competition

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precisision competition CMP

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precision competition CMPThree-Position Air Rifle (3PAR) shooting is the most popular and fastest-growing form of shooting sports competition for junior shooters (High School age and younger). The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) conducts two primary Three-Position Air Rifle events. First, Precision Air Rifle is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of specialized target rifles and equipment. Second, Sporter Air Rifle is designed for new competitors or those who desire to compete with a minimum of equipment and expense.

In both types of shooting, competitors fire at targets at a distance of 10 meters in three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. Three-Position Air Rifle provides young competitors with competitive shooting sports opportunities that can be offered on a wide variety of easily accessible or easily constructed ranges, with equipment that is commonly available at affordable costs.

crosman challenger pcp air rifle with sights
Teen three peat GAI Gary Anderson Invitational air rifle match Katrina winnner
CLICK HERE for large Pardini GPR1 photo.

The CMP actively promotes Three-Position Air Rifle shooting as a premier youth marksmanship competition by providing low-cost equipment and pellets as well as training materials and competition activities. In addition, other air gun events for juniors and adults are hosted by CMP throughout the year. CMP facilities have Open Public Shooting evenings, and matches for air rifle and air pistol take place at the CMP Marksmanship Centers. CMP ranges are equipped with OpticScore Targets featuring technology by Kongsberg Target Systems.

crosman challenger pcp air rifle with sights

The Challenger PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) Air Rifle is the preferred .177 sporter class air rifle for competitive marksmanship programs throughout the country, including the Marine Corps JROTC, Army JROTC, Air Force JROTC, Navy JROTC, American Legion, and 4-H. The Challenger is a three-position competition rifle that features a fully adjustable stock, a two-stage, adjustable match grade trigger, a hooded front aperture sight, a micro click, adjustable diopter rear sight, a patented ambidextrous pull bolt, and a floating Lothar Walther™ barrel.

CLICK HERE to Download this illustration of Olympic Shooter Ivana Maksimovic as a POSTER.

Three Position 3p air rifle airgun precisision competition CMP

Permalink Competition, Gear Review, Shooting Skills 3 Comments »
May 2nd, 2021

Need Work? Quality Gun Industry Jobs Listed on NSSF Website

NSSF gun industry jobs employment center openings hire work

Firearms Industry JobsA number of interesting jobs in the firearms industry have become available in recent weeks. The NSSF maintains a regularly-updated listing of employment opportunities with gun-makers and shooting sports organizations. On the NSSF’s job board right now there are financial openings, account manager positions, engineering jobs, sales and marketing positions, and media/digital marketing opportunities. Here are some of the jobs we found this week posted on the NSSF Website. CLICK HERE to visit the NSSF Career Center with all current listings

NSSF gun industry jobs employment center openings hire work

Firearms Industry Jobs — Current Openings

Partial selection — SEE MORE JOBS HERE

Vice President of Sales — Webster, Texas
U.S. Law Shield, 3 Days Ago

Digital Marketing Coordinator — Kansas City, Kansas
CZ-USA, Inc. 4 Days Ago

Field Sales Support Specialist — Nationwide USA
Leica Sport Optics, 5 Days Ago

Sales Operations Coordinator — Allendale, New Jersey
Leica Sport Optics, 5 Days Ago

Director of Mfg. Engineering — Fort Smith, Arkansas
Walther Manufacturing, 4 Days Ago

Director of Marketing — Accokeek, Maryland
Benelli USA, 3 Weeks Ago

Winchester Product Management Specialist — East Alton, Illinois
Olin Winchester, 3 Weeks Ago

Director of Government Program & Sales — Houston, Texas
Primary Arms, LLC, 2 Weeks Ago

Customer Service Reloading Specialist — Anniston, Alabama
Creedmoor Sports, 2 Weeks Ago

Sales Coach — Prescott, Arizona
Davidsons, 1 Week Ago

eCommerce Website Manager — Fort Smith, Arkansas
Umarex USA, Inc., 2 Weeks Ago

Field Operations Manager — West Bend, Wisconsin
Delta Defense, 3 Weeks Ago

Product Manager — Cheyenne, Wyoming
Stag Arms, 4 Weeks Ago

Permalink - Articles, News, Tech Tip No Comments »
March 9th, 2019

IWA Outdoor Classics Show in Germany — Saturday Special

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

The IWA Outdoor Classics trade show is the biggest gun/hunting/outdoor trade show outside the USA. This year 1622 companies are displaying their products and IWA attendance should approach 50,000. The IWA event, held each spring in Nuremberg, Germany, opened yesterday in the Nürnberg Exhibition Centre. The show runs four days, March 8-11, 2019. Here is our IWA Day 2 report, with more images from the show. Photo Credit for IWA images: NuernbergMesse / Frank Boxler and Thomas Geiger, All Rights Reserved.


CLICK HERE for Over 200 More IWA Show Photos »

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

High-tech Steiner M7Xi IFS 4-28x56mm optic. That box on the end includes a digital display with level and windage/elevation read-outs.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

Spectacular one-of-a-kind Walther Q5 pistol with full engraving and custom grips. Wow.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

More Walthers — These are Olympic-grade competition Air Pistols.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

What’s an outdoor show without a Land Rover and safari gear?

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

How do you make a beautiful gunstock? Start with a beautiful wood blank. Some stunning Turkish walnut blanks were on display at the IWA Show.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

Beautiful Sauer rifle with engraved receiver and presentation grade wood.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

There were plenty of handsome wheelguns on display at the Smith & Wesson booth. Accurate revolvers will never go out of style.

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

We liked this slide-out, mobile gun-locker for rifles and gear. Now that’s some serious storage!

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

Leading American shooting supplies vendor Brownells has a HUGE presence at IWA.

IWA New Products Center

Along with the main displays for 1600+ exhibitors, the IWA Show features a dedicated New Products Center. Here you’ll find a wide spectrum of new items — airguns, electronics, optics, hunting clothing, knives, cleaning products and more…

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

IWA Outdoor Classics Video — New Products Center

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

FK BRNO 7.5 Pistol (Cutaway) with folding stock that fits to bottom of grip, around mag well. Clever!

Parting SHOT — IWA Outdoor Classics Virtual Reality?

IWA Outdoor Classics Germany shot show trade new products Nuremberg

We have no idea what this woman is doing with that gadget, but it has something to do with Swarovski Optik. Maybe some kind of virtual reality? What’s your guess?

Permalink - Videos, Handguns, New Product, News, Tactical 1 Comment »
January 5th, 2019

New Steel-Frame Walther PPQ Q5 Match SF Pistol

Walther PPQ Q5 match steel frame SF pistol handgun optics ready

What was old is new again — metal pistol frames. Walther, which has focused on polymer-framed pistols in recent decades, has come out with a metal-framed version of its flagship Q5 model, chambered in 9x19mm (9mm Luger). We like this pistol, official called the Walther PPQ Q5 Match Steel Frame (SF). The metal frame adds mass to the gun, and lowers the center of gravity. That reduces muzzle flip somewhat, as you can see in the comparison video below. Ergonomics are very good, reports early tester Graham Baates, who tested the “optics ready” Q5 SF pistol with red dot sights.

It’s puzzling though — we wonder why Walther didn’t increase the slide weight too, by simply doing away with all the superfluous ports in the slide. That would increase gun weight, reduce muzzle flip (and perceived recoil) even more, and presumably the gun would be cheaper to produce. But maybe Walther thinks the slide cuts are a defining Q5 styling feature that needs to remain, like the Q5’s distinctive Blue Trigger. We guess styling trumps logic…

The Q5 Match SF features an optics ready slide that comes with a Trijicon RMR, Leupold Delta Point, and Docter Optics compatible mounting plate in addition to the standard competition iron sights. Along with a ported slide and the Carl Walther signature ergonomics, and a blue quick defense trigger, the Q5 SF is the flattest shooting model to date.

Walther PPQ Q5 match steel frame SF pistol handgun optics ready

TECHNICAL DATA Walther PPQ Q5 Steel Frame Mod. 283001
All Steel Construction
Optics Mounting Plate
Extended Frame Rails
Ported Slide
Model: 2830001
Caliber: 9x19mm
Finish: Tenifer
Magazines Included: 3
Barrel: 5″ long, 1:10″ twist
Trigger Pull: 5.6 lbs
Capacity: 15 rds (or 17 rds mod. 2830418)
Overall Length: 8.7″
Height: 5.4″
Width: 1.3″
Sight Radius: 7.2″
Weight (empty mag): 41.6 oz
Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Handguns, New Product 6 Comments »
August 21st, 2018

Barrel Break-In — Essential Procedure or Total Waste of Time?

Barrel Breakin Break-in conditioning cleaning Wade Hull Shilen Walther Varminter.com Eric Mayer Video interview barrels
Photo courtesy Sierra Bullets.

The question of barrel break-in is controversial. Some folks advocate an elaborate, lengthy cycle of shooting and brushing, repeated many times — one shot and clean, two shots and clean and so on. This, it is argued, helps barrels foul less and shoot more accurately. Others say minimal break-in, with patching and brushing after 10-15 rounds, is all you need. Still others contend that break-in procedures are a total waste of time and ammo — you should just load and shoot, and clean as you would normally.

We doubt if there will ever be real agreement among shooters concerning barrel break-in procedures. And one must remember that the appropriate break-in procedure might be quite different for a factory barrel vs. a custom hand-lapped barrel. This Editor has found that his very best custom barrels shot great right from the start, with no special break-in, other than wet patches at 5, 10, and 15 rounds. That said, I’ve seen some factory barrels that seemed to benefit from more elaborate break-in rituals.

What’s the best barrel break-in procedure? Well our friend Eric Mayer of Varminter.com decided to ask the experts. A while back Eric interviewed representatives of three leading barrel manufacturers: Krieger, Lothar-Walther, and Shilen. He recorded their responses on video. In order of appearance in the video, the three experts are:

Wade Hull, Shilen Barrels | Mike Hinrichs, Krieger Barrels | Woody Woodall, Lothar Walther

Barrel Breakin Break-in conditioning cleaning Wade Hull Shilen Walther Varminter.com Eric Mayer Video interview barrelsDo I Need to Break-In a New Rifle Barrel?
Eric Mayer of Varminter.com says: “That is a simple question, [but it] does not necessarily have a simple answer. Instead of me repeating my own beliefs, and practices, on breaking-in a new rifle barrel, I decided to answer this one a bit differently. While we were at the 2016 SHOT Show, we tracked down three of the biggest, and most popular, custom barrel makers in the world, and asked them what they recommend to anyone buying their barrels, and why they recommend those procedures. We asked the question, and let the camera run!” Launch the video above to hear the answers — some of which may surprise you.

Long-Term Barrel Care — More Experts Offer Opinions
Apart from the debate about barrel break-in, there is the bigger question of how should you clean and maintain a barrel during its useful life. Some folks like aggressive brushing, other shooters have had success with less invasive methods, using bore foam and wet patches for the most part. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. In reality, there may not be one solution for every barrel. Different fouling problems demand different solutions. For example, solvents that work well for copper may not be the best for hard carbon (and vice-versa).

CLICK HERE for Long Term Barrel Care Article »

Shooting Sports Lohman Barrel

Chip Lohman, former Editor of Shooting Sports USA Magazine, has authored an excellent article on barrel maintenance and cleaning: Let the BARREL Tell You — Match Barrel Care. In this article, Chip shares the knowledge of a dozen experts including respected barrel-makers Frank Green (Bartlein Barrels), John Krieger (Krieger Barrels), Dan Lilja (Lilja Barrels), and Tim North (Broughton Barrels).

“Why worry about a little barrel fouling when the throat is subjected to a brutal 5,600° F volcano at 55,000 PSI? To investigate these and other questions about taking care of a match barrel, we spoke with a dozen experts and share their knowledge in this first of a series of articles.

After listening to folks who shoot, build barrels or manufacture cleaning solvents for a living, we concluded that even the experts each have their own unique recommendations on how to care for a match barrel. But they all agree on one thing — the gun will tell you what it likes best. Because the life expectancy of a match barrel is about 1,500 to 2,500 rounds, the objectives of cleaning one should include: preserve accuracy, slow the erosion, and remove fouling — all without damaging the gun. This article doesn’t claim that one cleaning method is better than the next. Rather, we set out to interject a little science into the discussion and to share some lessons learned from experts in the field.” — Chip Lohman

Permalink - Videos, Gunsmithing, Tech Tip 3 Comments »