This week at the National Firearms Museum ...

The National Firearms Museum is always a busy place, but Jim Supica's arrival in early October seems to have the wheels turning even faster than usual. The museum played host to several tour groups this week, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America. An international TV crew stopped by for a quick Q&A with Phil Schreier about the history of firearms.

And, as pictured above, NRA News Executive Producer John Popp was on the premises yesterday to film a few segments of the "Curator's Corner," a weekly segment on NRA News featuring NFM Senior Curator Phil Schreier. Schreier chooses a gun to showcase for each segment and gives the piece's history and plenty of context.

The first piece taped Thursday is one of the Museum's central pieces: the moving, spinning, shooting range, pictured at left. It was built in 1903 and actually was used in an arcade at Coney Island. A gun collector in Ohio kept it in his garage, allowing neighborhood kids to plink at the moving rows of ducks every 4th of July.

When the Museum first acquired the panel, it had to be rebuilt, Schreier says, but the Museum itself was being constructed. "The Museum was literally built up around this range," he says. Schreier described the effort to restore the piece to its original lustre.

Listening to him talk reminded me of something the international news producer had told me after hearing Phil tell a few stories from the American Civil War. "You can tell by the way he talks that he is passionate about what he is doing," he said.

Supica seemed to be thinking the same thing. "He can give this much information about every piece in here," Supica told me in awe as Phil was telling the story of the shooting range.

Tune into NRA News every Thursday evening either through NRAnews.com or on Sirius radio to hear what Phil has to say.

Remember to stop by the Museum's Trick or Treat between 4 and 6 p.m. if you're in the area!

This week's Friends events

Friends of NRA is entering what might be best described as its open season.

Every weekend banquets and auctions are happening all over the nation. The fine people over at Friends are providing us with a calendar of upcoming events; watch for it here on NRABlog.com each Wednesday from here on!

Upcoming Friends of NRA Events

10/30/2008

Wynne, Arkansas

Santa Maria, California

Lake City, Florida

Pompano Beach, Florida

Arlington Heights, Illinois

Franklin, Indiana

Swansea, Massachusetts

Brimley, Michigan

Warrensburg, Missouri

Georgetown, South Carolina

Manchester, Tennessee

Mission, Texas

Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

11/01/2008

Chandler, Arizona

San Diego, California

Vincennes, Indiana

Bridgeton, New Jersey

Clovis, New Mexico

Minot, North Dakota

11/02/2008

Winter, Wisconsin

Can't find your state on this list? Visit the Friends of NRA website to find events in your area!

Paralyzed Veterans of America visit NRA

Army veteran Ryan, of Fort Belvoir, shares a laugh with Disabled Shooting Manager Vanessa Warner at the NRA Range Wednesday.

NRA's Disabled Shooting Services teamed up with the Washington, D.C.-based Paralyzed Veterans of America yesterday to welcome two wounded veterans to NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. Andy MacDonald of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and Vanessa Warner of Disabled Shooting Services coordinated the day's activities.

Terry, a Marine veteran who is now in the Army Reserves, and Ryan, were treated to lunch before they toured the National Firearm Museum with senior curator Phil Schreier. The men then joined former Marine and NRA National Pistol Manager Brian Zins on the NRA Range to shoot a variety of pistols as well as and Andy's .308.

"It's always a pleasure to be able to partner with a group such as PVA," Warner said. "The day was a great one and we hope to continue to expose our nation's honored veterans to NRA programs in any way possible."

2009 National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit

The NRA 2009 National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit will be held at Camp Perry, OH July 1-3.

Air Gun Coordinator Jessi McClain points out that two things have changed.

"No invitation needed!" she said. "This Championship will now be open to anyone, with no requirement for sponsorship."

Another change to the current program is that competitors no longer need a team in order to compete. Individual competitors are welcome.

Any questions? Contact McClain at (703)267-1477 or jmcclain@nrahq.org.

NRA Basic Firearm Courses

You might remember Helen and Peter Evans from the Northern Virginia Friends of NRA Dinner on October 3. I meet a lot of people at NRA events, and as you might imagine, I never hear from a lot of them.

But Helen and Peter got in touch. They e-mailed to ask if I could arrange a tour of the National Firearms Museum. They're taking a day off in celebration of Peter's birthday, and what better way to celebrate than a trip to the Museum?

In our correspondence regarding the details of their tour, they shared a photo essay from a recent rifle safety course with NRA-certified instructor Scott Meyer. And their essay prompted me to write a little about our wonderful Education and Training Department.

The Evanses take firearm courses whenever they are able. "Always try to use your bones, i. e. elbows, knees, etc. for stable support whenever possible," Peter and Helen write in the review of their most recent course.

When you choose an NRA-certified instructor, you know you're learning from the best.

To find an NRA Firearms course in your neck of the woods, visit this site.

Disciplines offered are Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home Firearm Safety, Personal Protection In The Home, Personal Protection Outside The Home, Muzzleloading Pistol, Muzzleloading Rifle,
Muzzleloading Shotgun, Metallic Cartridge Reloading, and Shotgun Shell Reloading.

NRA World Action Pistol Champions next week

The Sixth NRA World Action Pistol Championships will be in Hamilton, New Zealand, November 5-8.

Modeled after the NRA Bianchi Cup, the WAPC feature the world's most skilled action pistol competitors.

Twelve competitive shooters from the United States will compete, and NRA Pistol Coordinator Tom Hughes will accompany them to New Zealand. We're hoping to even get a few guest blog posts out of him.

Read more about it here.

Trick-or-treat at the Museum

The National Firearms Museum is hosting a special, after-hours Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 31.

From 4 to 6 p.m., each exhibit in the museum will hand out candy and toys as part of its first-ever "Trick or Treat" at the Museum.

The costume-optional party will feature Museum staff in disguise — as well as our very own intern, shown at left in his most recent holiday outfit.

"This is another way for children to learn about the influence of firearms on our nation's history," National Firearms Museum Director Jim Supica said. "We hope to make this an annual event."

The Museum is located at 11250 Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, Virginia.

See you there!

Supica stars at VGCA's meeting

Jim Supica of the National Firearms Museum was the star of the show at the Virginia Gun Collectors Association's monthly meeting last night.

Senior Curator Phil Schreier introduced Supica and pointed out that Supica was addressing the group for a second time. The first time was almost a decade ago, when Supica was invited as the co-author of the newly published Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, now on its third edition.

Now the director of the Museum, Supica started out with a prepared presentation and transitioned smoothly into an open feedback session with the 50 or so attendees.

"My name's Jim, and I'm a gun collector," Supica started out. "I started in the soft stuff, just a pistol for personal protection …"

Supica continued the humorous analogy of gun collecting as an addiction and said the audience should procure a 12-step recovery plan. "Look at the similarities," Supica said. "I went through denial, rationalization, and then I started dealing to support my habit!"

Supica spoke of his career and described gun collecting as the best job on earth — second only to his new position as director of the Museum. A self-described "recovering lawyer," he decided in 1991 to "see if I could make a living out of my hobby." Supica passed around examples of his company's magazines and talked about how they changed over the years.

He says what draws him to firearms collecting is history, variety, and technological revolution.

The museum's mission is preservation and conservation, Supica said, but it can expand into education and communication. He asked the VGCA members what feedback they had for him and said that while he knows it takes time to create change, he will slowly bring new events and ideas to the Museum. "But my number one job," he reiterated, pointing to the visual on his flip chart, above, "is to not screw up the wonderful job that's been done so far."

Check back to NRAblog.com tomorrow for a preview of what's sure to be the first of an annual tradition at the Museum.

A slideshow of winning entries from the NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest

We'd like to share a slideshow of the winners from this year's NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest! (Our thanks again to this year's judges — Meg Guegan, John Robbins, and Harry Jaecks — who picked the winners out of the hundreds of entries we received.)

When Pigs Fly

NRA Collegiate Shooting National Manager Tori Croft has a new marketing tool, and it is a hot commodity around NRA headquarters.

"I'm always trying to come up with new and creative ideas for the college kids," Croft said. "They enjoy stuff that can appeal to not only them, but to their family and friends."



"This year for the championship qualifiers I decided to create a little piggie, which is a stress reliever," Croft said of the foam, pig-shaped stress ball. "My colleague pointed out it could also work as a grip enhancer."

Croft, pictured above with two of her piglets, has about 1000 flying pigs. "Five hundred of them will probably go to the 2009 collegiate shooting championships for rifle, pistol, and shotgun," she said. "The rest we will hand out at events as needed."

If you ask nicely — or maybe if you promise to recruit a few college shooters — you might find yourself in receipt of one.

Ruger Armorer School: Bob Wood

Yesterday I had the privilege of talking to Ruger Chief Armorer Bob Wood, pictured above at front of classroom. He's here at Headquarters through Wednesday teaching an armorer school through the Law Enforcement Activities Division.

The three-day school is covering rifle (yesterday and today) and pistol (Wednesday).

"We do a few in-house up in New Hampshire but most of the time I'm on the road," Wood says of his job. "It's never hard to find people to take the class."

Wood aims for 15 to 20 people in a class.

Seeing different areas and working with law enforcement are what makes his job fun, he says. He sees people from all over the world. "Having a school in Kansas with people from Florida is not uncommon," he says. "They get in when they can get in."

Wood's school aims to educate the officers fully on whichever firearm he is presenting.

"All disassembly and reassembly, as well as parts, cleaning, maintenance.We spend a lot of time on how the firearm operates. It's mostly hands on," he says. "If you know how it works, you can generally figure out how to fix it."

"Some participants have never worked with the sort of gun we'll be talking about," he says. "By the time they're done, they have confidence both in themselves and the firearm, because they know how to make it work."

LEAD Armorer Schools

The National Rifle Association's Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD), in conjunction with many of the leading law enforcement firearms manufacturers and premier industry shooting academies, hosts complimentary armorer/shooting schools and seminars throughout the year. Many of these are at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, VA, while some are held in conjunction with Law Enforcement competitions.

Armorer schools are tuition-free because of the generous sponsorship of the firearms manufacturers.

Yours truly will be looking in on an armorer school taking place at headquarters tomorrow.

In the mean time, if you are a law enforcement officer, look into the next available schools:

November 2008
13
Glock Pistol Armorer
14
Benelli M1/M2 Shotgun Armorer

December 2008
11 - 12
Sig Sauer 'P' Series Pistol Armorer


Officers are selected to attend by random drawing due to the program's limited space and intense popularity. We'll keep you posted as additional opportunities arise!

Kyle's visit to the National Firearms Museum

On Friday the 10th, in addition to visiting the indoor shooting range at the NRA Headquarters I took a tour through the National Firearms Museum. While visitors of the museum go through an excellent self-guided tour, I had the privilege of being given a full tour by none other than our very own Jim Supica, the new director of the museum.

Jim led me through each of the unique galleries at the museum and took time to explain the importance of many of the firearms on display. I even got an abridged history lesson on Samuel Colt’s, Horace Smith’s, and Daniel B. Wesson’s beginnings as firearms manufacturers.

The museum has quite a few Confederate-manufactured rifles from the Civil War, which are very rare considering how many were produced. One of the galleries is made to look like Theodore Roosevelt’s study, and displays many guns from his era, including a few he used in Cuba. Another temporary gallery is about the Wild West and how it "was, is, and could have been." There are three sections showing off firearms actually used in the era of westward expansion, ones used in modern times for reenactments and stage shows and current-day cowboy action shooting, and various guns used by Hollywood in western movies. The display even features a gun used by a member of the infamous James Gang. I really liked that exhibit and it is a shame they will cycle it out with something, albeit equally as interesting, in a short time.

As far as something I was not expecting to see, there is an actual shooting gallery from Coney Island set up in a section about boy’s rifles (and yes, both the sound and targets still work).

The set up of the galleries takes you chronologically through the history of firearms in America, from colonial times to modern. It is as much a story of how firearm production and usage evolved in our country as an exhibit of the many fine firearms and their unique histories. Most of all, I was impressed by the sheer number of firearms on display at the museum. I know that sounds like a no-brainer at the National Firearms Museum, but upon entering the westward expansion gallery and expecting to see a couple Winchesters and Colt .45s I was greeted by about thirty of each. That goes for all the other exhibits as well, so don’t get startled by the number of rifles in the case dedicated to Mausers.

And what would the National Firearm Museum be without a .44 Magnum (modified to 9 mm since the blanks were easier to come by) used in Dirty Harry? That case, dedicated to firearms in Law Enforcement, also shows off a couple Tom Selleck and classic gangster guns.

Being a sucker for history, I was disappointed when the tour ended and there was nothing left for me to gawk at, but the great thing about the museum is many of the galleries change to parade something new after a few months. This keeps the exhibits fresh and guarantees I will be returning many times. 

If you're in the area, visit in person. Find directions here. The next best thing to being here in person? The virtual tour.

Oh, and don’t forget the gift shop! It's got something for everyone, from T-shirts to books.

2008 NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest winners

Here's the list of winners of this year's Youth Wildlife Art Contest!

CATEGORY I (Grades 1-3)
First Place: Will German, Asheville, North Carolina
Second Place: Angela Wang, Canton, Michigan
Third Place: Catherine Chen, Fremont, California

CATEGORY II (Grades 4-6)
First Place: Oliver Bai, Palatine, Illinois
Second Place: Sara Ye, Fremont, California
Third Place: Jacqueline Ge, Fremont, California

CATEGORY III (Grades 7-9)
First Place: Cindy Huang, Johns Creek, Georgia
Second Place: Jordyn Brenneman, Tigard, Oregon
Third Place: Nathan Sipantzi, Forest, Virginia

CATEGORY IV (Grades 10-12)
First Place: Alex Clark, Houston, Texas
Second Place: John Powell, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Third Place: Monica Burtley, Grants Pass, Oregon

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Amos Adams, Marthaville, Louisiana
Tanner Besosa, Asheville, North Carolina
Condelo Botello, Pasadena, Texas
Hannah Cross, Buckingham, Virginia
Cole Curtis, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho
Tiffany Fang, Plainsboro, New Jersey
Peter Gao, Newark, California
Lydia Han, San Jose, California
Abraham Hunter, Vienna, Illinois
Jason Hwang, San Diego, California
Joyce Kim, Portland, Oregon
Kyuri Kim, Vancouver Washington
Pamela Lau, Milpitas, California
Esther Lee, Vancouver, Washington
Nicole Lim, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Kelly Liu, San Jose, California
Laura Luo, Novi, Michigan
Jessica Mar, Fremont, California
Laura Ng, Campbell, California
Aashna Patel, South Barrington, Illinois
Annie Rong, Urbana, Illinois
Jessica Sheng, Palo Alto, California
Yingqi Tu, Fremont, California
Shirley Wu, Novi, Michigan
Richard Yong, Castro Valley, California
Catherine Zeng, Fremont, California

We'll be posting some pictures of the winning entries at www.nrahq.org/youth/wildlife.asp soon!

Maryland Monster Joins NRA’s Whitetail Collection

Justin McDaniel over at NRAHuntersRights.org brings us the following:

In 2006, while hunting on private farmland near his home in southern Charles County, Md., Bill Crutchfield, Jr., killed a non-typical whitetail buck that he and his friends thought might rival the Maryland state record.

As it turns out, the previous record—a more-than-respectable 228 4/8-inch non-typical buck taken in Montgomery County by Jack Poole in 1987—never stood a chance against the bruiser Crutchfield bagged on the third day of Maryland’s modern firearms season that year. The Crutchfield buck, with its 28 scorable points, was certified at 268 1/8 inches by Boone and Crockett, making it the largest buck ever killed in Maryland—and the entire East Coast, for that matter.

After watching the bedded buck from his ladder stand not far from the Potomac River for more than an hour, another nice buck cruised past Crutchfield’s stand, sending the monster from his bed and Crutchfield into the record books.

“At 3:45 I looked past the bedded monster and shivered,” Crutchfield said in the Oct. 2008 issue of American Hunter magazine. “A large, white rack moved from left to right through the marsh. I put my scope on the deer—a 20-inch-plus 8-pointer with tall G-2s. A shooter any day but today.

“I focused back on the big buck. He was still bedded, but something told me to get ready. Suddenly the giant stood up. He was severely quartering away, looking into the patch of 6-foot-tall marsh grass in front of him, wanting to go where the 8-point had gone. I knew that if he got into the thick grass he’d be gone.

“I placed the crosshairs of the scope on the back of the buck’s rib cage, took a deep breath, said a little prayer and squeezed the trigger.”

The buck sped off through the marsh, but the slug from Crutchfield’s Remington 870 had found its mark, and he soon found his trophy only 75 yards from where it had stood.

“Shooting a buck like that changes your life, makes you want to give something back to the outdoors,” Crutchfield said.

And give back he will. Crutchfield is slated to present a replica of his record-book buck to the NRA Hunter Services Department later this month at the Kids Hunting for a Cure event at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville, Tenn. The event is being held Oct. 24-26 in conjunction with the Tennessee Youth Whitetail Deer Season.

Crutchfield, a firefighter by trade, has volunteered to become executive director of Kids Hunting for a Cure, a non-profit organization that offers financial support to research hospitals and foundations dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and other childhood diseases.

The Crutchfield titan will become a part of NRA’s Great American Whitetail Collection, a set of nearly 50 replica mounts from some of the most well-known, highest scoring whitetails ever harvested or found in North America. Other bucks in the collection include the legendary “Hole in the Horn” buck and Boone & Crockett’s No. 1 typical of all-time, the 213 6/8-inch Milo Hanson buck.

The Great American Whitetail Collection is made available to the public each year at numerous hunting and outdoors shows across the country through the NRA Great American Hunters Tour. Twelve heads from the collection are chosen for showing at each stop on the tour.

The Kids Hunting for a Cure event will be the tour’s last stop for 2008. The dates and locations of the 2009 Great American Hunters Tour will be made available later this year at www.nrahq.org/hunting/greatamerican.asp.

With a little luck, the new Maryland non-typical record might be headed to a hunting show in your neck of the woods sometime soon.

Fincastle WOT follow-up with Gene Strickler

Gene Strickler of the Ridge Rifle Association was kind enough to grant me a follow-up interview on the topic of his club’s recent Women On Target clinic, which my mother and I attended. Strickler is pictured above with the Range Safety Officers shortly before the start of the clinic.

When Strickler told me the Ridge Rifle Association was an NRA Gold Medal Club, I was embarrassed to have to ask what that meant.

What does it mean to be a Gold Medal Club? Well, in this club’s case, it means a full half of the club’s members — 75 of approximately 150 members — devoted an entire Saturday to helping out at the club’s recent annual Women On Target® event. (Actual requirements are 100% Club membership; a Club newsletter; belonging to the NRA State Association in Club's state; incorporating an NRA Youth Program into the Club's activities; and participating in membership recruitment.)

Strickler, who has chaired the clinic for the past three years, says the day went swimmingly. “What was so satisfying and gratifying for our club members and their wives was to see how interested the women are learning to safely shoot,” Strickler said. “The hunger these women have to participate in these events is huge.”


Also huge: the crowd at the clinic. Seventy-eight participants gathered on Saturday, October 11, at the Association’s range. Eighty-six women had registered for the event, which is a large number for a clinic. Strickler credits the Association’s advertising in the local paper, but says most women heard about the event through friends and coworkers.

Strickler said his club is happy to be doing outreach to women. “You could see the women were interested but had never even had an opportunity to handle a pistol or a rifle before,” he said. His club is comprised mostly of males, but their wives are an integral part of the membership. He hopes to get more of the club’s female members out on the range as Range Safety Officers.

“Next year we hope to incorporate more of our ladies into the actual range operation,” he said. “Kathy Cofflin has been an outstanding example of a WOT volunteer. She does so much! You can always count on her. I want to incorporate people like her into running the firing line.”

Aside from that minor transition, Strickler doubts much will differ at the Ridge Rifle Association’s 2009 Women On Target® clinic.

“Why mess with a good thing?” he asks.

It's Boss's Day!

Just a reminder to everyone: be sure to tell your boss happy boss's day!

Check out the jobs available at NRA by clicking here.

Refuge's "No-Wake" Rule Locks Out Hunters

Check out Michael D. Faw's latest over at NRAHuntersrights.org:

Fall is in the air and waterfowl hunters are turning their eyes to the skies overhead. Unfortunately, in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, the waterfowl hunters are turning their attention to the many “Closed Area” and “No-Wake Zone” signs that are going up all over the refuge. Things have changed in the upper stretches of one of the major U.S. migratory waterfowl flyways—the Mississippi—and hunters are left asking why.

Continue reading here.

Kyle visits the NRA Range

If you've been keeping up with NRAblog.com, you might remember my mother flew in from St. Louis to attend a Women On Target clinic this past Saturday. Mom came along to NRA Headquarters on Friday, and I arranged for her and Kyle to spend a very exciting morning together: they were treated to a tour of the National Firearms Museum by newly appointed Director Jim Supica. They went from the museum to the NRA Range, where talented NRA-certified instructor Vinnie served as their personal range safety officer.

Kyle will be writing a review of the museum as well. Here's his take on the range:

This past Friday I ventured down to get my first experience with the NRA’s indoor shooting range, located right in the basement of the NRA's Headquarters. When I entered I was greeted by the incredibly friendly and helpful range staff at the front desk.

Having never been to the range before, I had to take a short Range Test. It wasn’t too long and anyone with experience handling a gun should have no problem passing. Upon completing the test, I received my Range Card which gave me official access and needed to be presented every time I came to use the range.

The front desk has everything you need (except your firearm, of course). Targets, hearing and eye protection, a wide selection of popular caliber ammunition, cleaning supplies, and various knick knacks you can bring home as souvenirs are all available for purchase at the range. If you still don’t quite feel comfortable to go out after the Range Test there is additional safety and training material to go over or you can ask one of the staff for help, which they will gladly do. After getting everything together and donning the eye and hearing protection, I went out on to the range.

There are 15 lanes and plenty of space to move around once you are out in the main room. Each lane has a small table. Use it to place your firearm and ammunition, use as a position to fire from, or simply move it out of the way.

Once you place your target on the automatic track you can use the programming panel to set the target anywhere from 3 to 150 feet away. The programming panel is easy to use and you can even set it to edge and face the target for timed intervals so you don’t have to interrupt your shooting.

My aim needs a lot of work, and after firing off a good amount of ammunition, I decided I’d had enough blow to the ego for one day. I packed up my pistol and used one of the push brooms provided at the range to sweep my spent casings out onto the floor so no one who came after me would step on them.

I walked out through the exit doors and was able to take off my hearing and eye protection in the lounge provided for people to sit and watch others shoot without worrying about their ears. I returned the equipment I had borrowed from the front desk and thanked them for all their help before washing my hands at the sinks in the main hallway on my way out.

Overall I had a great time at the range and was very impressed with how it was run, especially the emphasis on practicing proper safety. The place is well lit and extremely clean. I will definitely be heading back. With all pistol calibers and centerfire rifles up to .460 allowed at the range, I don’t think I will be getting bored of having to fire the same gun over and over again anytime soon.

Be a 100th Anniversary Jamboree Shooting Sports Volunteer

Youth Programs falls into the Education and Training Division because — you guessed it — our programs are tailored to teaching young people how to safely use firearms.

The folks in the Youth Programs department are always partnering up with existing youth organizations such as 4-H and Boy Scouts to reach more youth with the message of firearm safety. If you know of an organization that might benefit from NRA Youth Programs support, contact Youth Programs Coordinator Chip Lohman at (703)267-1550 or clohman@nrahq.org.

Chip wanted to pass along the following recruitment message to potential National Scout Jamboree volunteers, which celebrates 100 years of Scouting. "We want to give potential volunteers a heads-up on becoming qualified to participate in the shooting events — well ahead of time — to avoid a crunch in 2010," he writes.

During July 26 – August 4, 2010, the administration of the shooting sports Merit Badge Midway and the various discipline-specific Action Area ranges (shotgun, air rifle, black powder rifle) will depend heavily on NRA-Certified Range Safety Officers (RSO) and Instructors.

If you would like to participate and have not yet attained your NRA certifications for RSO or Instructor, do it now! Log on to the following site(s), attend an Instructor or RSO Class during 2008-2009, and submit your name and a copy of your credentials to John Alline, Jamboree Division Director, at jalline@netbsa.org.

Become an NRA instructor: Call 703-267-1430 for information about becoming an NRA Certified Instructor. Non-NRA instructors seeking an RSO certification may also use this phone number to sign up for an RSO class.

NRA instructors who want to become an RSO through Home Study: Order NRA packet EF 13520 from the Program Materials Center or by phone at 800-336-7402.

Joye Brown's WOT experience

After having my mother experience her first Women On Target clinic this past weekend, it was refreshing to read a mainstream journalist who also took the opportunity.

For a clinic near you, look here.

Dates set for 2009 Women’s Wilderness Escape

After a spectacular debut in 2008, the NRA Women's Wilderness Escape will return to the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M., September 24 to October 2, 2009.

Women interested in attending this year's event should contact Patty Zollman in the NRA Women's Programs Department at 703-267-1378 or pzollman@nrahq.org. The cost to attend is $1,250.

The Wilderness Escape provides women 18 and older with a nine-day "get away" opportunity to experience firearm education, with exposure to a wide variety of shooting sports activities and an array of enticing hunting and outdoor related activities.

Women will learn to shoot smallbore rifles, scoped/tactical carbines, center-fire rifles, pistols, shotguns, historic firearms and archery equipment. Other activities being planned may include an NRA Wild Turkey Hunter Clinic, Refuse To Be A Victim seminar, survival training, game calling, tree stand safety, mock hunts, stargazing and GPS navigation. It's a hands-on learning experience set in the ruggedly beautiful southern Rocky Mountains.

To get a taste of what last year's sold-out inaugural event was like, visit www.nrahq.org/women/wilderness_escape.asp and flip through the scrapbook. You’ll be glad you did!

Women On Target in Fincastle, Virginia

When my mother said she wanted to come to northern Virginia for a visit, I knew the time was right for some exposure to firearms. My first Women On Target clinic was a wonderful experience, but then again, I wasn't my mother.

Mom's never been a fan of firearms. Quite the contrast with my Marine Corps machine gunner of a father, Mom wasn't so sure of my decision to join -- and eventually apply for a job with -- the NRA. But she's always supported her children, and when I mentioned I'd like her to come along to the Oct. 11 Women On Target clinic, she booked her plane ticket without hesitation.

I don't want to give away the whole story -- which will, by the way, appear in Traditions and Club Connection -- but the experience was awesome. Mom almost outshot me on the rifle course. And she couldn't stop smiling. "That was fun!" she said. She talked to other ladies who had never before touched a gun. She sat through a few seminars on firearm safety and had an NRA-certified instructor by her side at the Ridge Rifle Association's range for both pistol and rifle sessions.

I took a ton of photos, of course, and I'll post a slideshow so you can go through them all if you have the time. But I want to highlight a few things in particular, so I've posted the following photos:


Gene Strickler and Kathy Cofflin, pictured above, were hosts extraordinaire to both mom and me. They put a lot of work into the clinic but insisted the Ridge Rifle Association should get the credit. "It's these members, and their wives, who make this happen," Strickler said.

The day was sponsored by the Ridge Rifle Association and the NRA, of course, but Gene was sure to point out the generosity of the local Sportsman's Warehouse which donated a ton of gift certificates.


And lunch was delicious -- check out the extensive array of home baked desserts, above, we chose from in the Association's club house before picnicking on the lawn, below.


The entire slideshow can be viewed below. Notice the fog, which thankfully dissipated as the day progressed.

I warned you, it's a ton of photos!



For a clinic near you, look here. And stay tuned! I'll talk to Gene this week and post his thoughts on the clinic.

NRA's National Police Shooting Championship Wrap-Up

The following comes to us from our very own Kyle Jillson, who begins writing for NRAblog.com this week.

The 46th National Police Shooting Championships wrapped up in Albuquerque, New Mexico on September 25. Home to the NPSC for the past three years, Albuquerque is a "great location with close-to-perfect weather," according to Glen Hoyer, Director of the Law Enforcement Activities Division, pictured below with Cam Edwards of NRAnews.


Approximately 400 law enforcement personnel came out from all reaches of law enforcement in not only the United States, but the world as well. This year the NPSC incorporated new events into its schedule, appealing to the varying preferences of its competitors. In addition to the Police Pistol Combat a new event called the New Mexico Challenge, a duty handgun and equipment match for those new to shooting, was added, and a Tactical Police Competition was held in the days leading up to the NPSC.

This year's competition could not have been possible without the continual support from great sponsors, including Brownells, ProForce Law Enforcement, BlackHawk, Beretta USA, SIG Sauer, FNH USA, Colt, Smith & Wesson, DPMS Panther Arms, and Glock, among others.


More than $250,000 was given out in trophies and prizes during the awards ceremony on September 24th, presenting one of the finest prize tables in law enforcement competitive shooting.

"The 2008 NPSC was an outstanding success thanks to the competitors in the Police Pistol Combat, Tactical Police Competition, and the New Mexico Challenge," Hoyer remarked. "Next year will only be better, so come on back."


U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert M. Vadasz, pictured above, masterfully shot his way to the title of champion of the 46th NPSC with a cumulative score of 2980-195x, adding the competition to a growing list of accomplishments. (See entire results here.) Earlier this year at the NRA Bianchi Cup in Columbus, Missouri, Agent Vadasz took home first place in the Metallic Sight championship. Vadaz has also won the Semi-Automatic Pistol Championship in last year's NPSC and placed third overall in 2006.

Held since 1962, the National Police Shooting Championship matches are just one of many programs directed by NRA's Law Enforcement Activities Division (LEAD). These programs are supported by the Davidson's Law Enforcement Endowment and the Law Enforcement Training Endowment of The NRA Foundation, including a generous $251,000 donation from Brownells, Inc., as well as donations from more than 100 other firearm and equipment manufacturers and businesses.

For more information about NRA's National Police Shooting Cham­pi­on­ships or to register for these matches, or call (703) 267-1632, or e-mail lead@nrahq.org.

Recipe of the month

Hunter Services' recipe of the month is Nana Lia's Sweet and Sour Rabbit.

(For more recipes, pick up a copy of the NRA Members' Wild Game Cookbook!)

National Firearms Museum welcomes new director

Jim Supica, the newly-appointed Director of the NRA's National Firearms Museum, is currently giving Media Relations Intern Kyle an exclusive tour of the Museum. Kyle will be blogging his impressions of the Museum on Monday, so be sure to check back!

I had the opportunity to interview Supica briefly for a press release on his new position. He joins senior curators Phil Schreier and Doug Wicklund on the Museum's staff, and I must say, I'd love to attend a Firearms Trivia night with the three of them! All three are infinite resources of firearms-related knowledge.

Supica comes to the Museum from Kansas, where he ran Old Town Station, LTD. Supica brings a wealth of wisdom with him to the Museum. In addition to being a renowned firearms expert, Supica is an NRA Certified Instructor and contributor to the Blue Book of Gun Values, Standard Catalog of Firearms, Combat Shotguns, and S&W Sixguns of the Old West, among others. Supica earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas and has served on the NRA's Board of Directors since 2001.

Supica said it was hard to top his job at Old Town Station, where he ran the successful web site ArmChair Gun Show. "It is an honor to join an organization I believe in as much as the NRA," Supica said. "I told my family the NRA offered me the only job I could love more than my current one of firearms dealer. I'm looking forward to serving the cause of the National Firearms Museum."

New at NRAHuntersRights.org

NRAHuntersRights.org announced a revision to the already-popular site this week: the Hunters' Blog now accepts tips and subject suggestions from readers.

A few weeks ago, another interactive feature was added: "Open Season" is now a forum where the blog's talented editors, J.R. Robbins and Justin A. McDaniel, introduce a topic and invite readers to share their feedback.

"Both sections provide ways for hunters to communicate their ideas, concerns, and opinions to us," Robbins said. "Some of the most important stories we've done at NRAHuntersRights.org have been based on leads from our readers."

Hunters, submit your photo to the site's Trophy Gallery. While you're there, check out what others in your area have harvested.

Bookmark the site and visit often! Something new is always cooking at NRAHuntersRights.org.

Women's Awards nomination deadline approaching

The deadline for nominations for the NRA's recognitions for women — the Sybil Ludington Women's Freedom Award and the Marion P. Hammer Woman of Distinction Award — is coming up soon!

Both of these recognitions are for NRA members in good standing. Nominees must have demonstrated one or more of the following (for the Ludington, on a national level; for the Hammer, on a local, state and/or regional level):

• Outstanding performance in competitive shooting, outstanding dedication to hunting ethics and conservation, or outstanding promotion of recreational shooting activities;
• Outstanding educational contributions to advancing the purposes and goals of the National Rifle Association, including appearances for the purpose of public education and/or significant writings;
• Meritorious performance under perilous conditions through the lawful use of a firearm in defense of self and/or others;
• Dedication to the protection of the Second Amendment through extensive legislative and/or legal contributions;
• Outstanding volunteerism through personal involvement with, and promotion of, NRA programs and issues with significant recognized impact.

Be sure to have your nomination forms at the NRA Women's Programs Department by November 1. For more information, call Patty at (703) 267-1378.

NRA Club University Event Rates an A+ from Club Members

The latest NRA Club University event in Columbia, South Carolina, was an outstanding success. Enthusiastic club members from across the region attended the forum held on October 4 at Columbia's Radisson Hotel.

NRA Club University events are unique forums where club members and club leaders can learn how to improve and expand their clubs. Fellow club leaders recommend the topics to be covered at these development seminars, and attendees can learn valuable tips for improving efficiency, increasing membership, and interacting with their local communities. Networking with other members is a key element of these events, and allows members to benefit from the experiences of other clubs.

At the Columbia event on October 4, speakers from South Carolina's state association, plus the vice president of a local club, discussed how they market and operate their clubs. Other topics covered at the event were: NRA programs (including Eddie Eagle, Range Services, and the Competitive Shooting Division), NRA Endorsed Insurance, and coordination of club range facilities with JROTC programs at local high schools.

A registration fee of $30 was required for this one-day seminar, and covered the cost of all event materials, a Range Source Book CD (a $19.99 value), breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

Future NRA Club University events are planned for the following locations: Nashville, Tennessee (March 21, 2009); Albany, New York (July 18, 2009); and Sacramento, California (October 3, 2009).

Keep an eye on the NRA Blog for more information about these upcoming events! You may also contact the NRA Clubs and Associations Department for information about NRA Club University by visiting their website or by calling Kirsten Bradley at (800) NRA-CLUB, extension 1345. Kirsten may also be reached by e-mail at kbradley@nrahq.org.

New Jersey's 2008 NRA Day

Kerrin Brinkman of the NRA's Education and Training Division was kind enough to act as our New Jersey correspondent this past weekend. She attended the sixth annual NRA Day on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Salem County Sportsmen's Club.

Here are her reflections:

"When I drove up to the facilities I noticed it was really beautiful. I drove up to a picturesque scene of a lake and gorgeous stone clubhouse.

What struck me was the incredible variety of activities — pistol, rifle, trapshooting, air gun — available to NRA Day participants.

There were a lot of people out there trying to shoot new disciplines and trying different sorts of guns.

The representation for their club was fantastic. They created a welcoming, family atmosphere that was apparent from the minute I pulled into the parking lot. Throughout the day these people were so willing to help me — as well as anyone — to make sure everyone had a good, safe, and fun time."

Kerrin said the drive took about three hours from the greater Washington DC area. New Jersey is lucky to have NRA Day Coordinator and NRA Board member Bob Viden on hand, but the potential for an annual NRA Day exists wherever NRA members are willing to get together to offer their club facilities and time.

Kerrin emphasizes the mission of NRA Day as introducing new people to the world of shooting and introducing shooters to new disciplines. "The mission was definitely met," she said.

"There was a gentleman who came with his son Ryan and they were not very familiar with shooting. His son really enjoyed shooting the 22 pistol as well as the air rifle and his father said if his son was going to get involved in shooting, he needed to get involved and learn about gun safety as well so that it would be something they could do together. He said now they may buy a .22 for his son. There was also a lady named Diane who came out, an avid pistol and rifle shooter who had never participated in any of the sporting clays games. She got out there and began shooting trap and discovered she really loved it. I believe she shot two or three rounds.

They definitely showed that shooting is something that can be a family activity. There were some grandparents out there with grandchildren. Bob Viden's daughter-in-law and grandson even came out for the day."

NRA F-Class Championship: Saturday's Conclusion + Walt's Final Report

This is the final report from the field for this year's F-Class Championship, and we at NRAblog.com wish to thank Mr. H.J. "Walt" Walters for making this information available to us. We hope to have you as a correspondent again next year, Walt!

Today was the final day of the F-class national championship for 2008. It was once again 1000-yard day and, as it turned out, it was almost a repeat in all aspects of Friday. Weather was almost exactly the same, as were the scores.

In F-open competition Charles Ballard continued his climb in the standings firing high score for the day posting a 446-20x. This was 2 points better than his next closest competitor: Mike Downey posted a 444-21x and Larry Bartholome 444-16x.

F-T/R competition showed Danny Biggs with a day’s aggregate of 437-18x followed by Dale Rathwell at 433-10x and Darrell Buell at 433-8x.


All firing was complete by 3:40pm. Scorecards were turned in and now it was up to the Stat office to give us the final results. The Winnaquah Gun Club hosted a bar-b-que dinner for all competitors and guests Saturday evening beginning at 6:30 in their indoor range and clubhouse facility. Approximately 120 people came for dinner. We started off the evening with a short competitor’s meeting and then the club started serving dinner at exactly 6:30pm.

Following dinner began the awards ceremony. NRA President John Sigler delivered an eloquent speech and Jan Raab, National Manager of NRA’s High Power Rifle Programs, also said a few words. The speakers thanked the competitors for their participation and thanking Winnaquah Gun Club for putting on such a great national match. The prime movers in planning and running the matches were Earl Liebetrau and his wife Karin. Karin had the hardest job of the tournament: that of Statistical Officer. She did a great job and is to be commended for a job well done.


I had previously reported most of the winners; however, the awards started out with squadded practice which was Tuesday. Aggregate award plaques were given for F-open and F-T/R with special plaques for the 1200-yard match provided by the Wisconsin Rifle and Pistol Association.

Awards for Wednesday’s firing were team medallions consisting of Bronze, third; silver, second; and Gold, third. Next came the trophies and medals for the “Europe USA Challenge Match.” As previously reported Teams USA, F-Open and F-T/R, were the winners against Team Europe. Gold medals were awarded Team USA and Silver medals were awarded Team Europe. Team Europe provided the “Farquharson Trophy” awarded to Team USA F-Open and the USA provided the “J.J. Conway Trophy” awarded to Team USA F-T/R.

Next were the individual awards. Medallions were awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the 600 and 1000-yard daily aggregates. Recapping, Bob Bock (F-Open) and Danny Biggs (F-T/R) were the 600-yard winners. Friday’s 1000-yard aggregate winners were Charles Ballard (F-Open) and Danny Biggs (F-T/R). On Saturday Charles Ballard was once again high for the day as was Danny Biggs. Plaques were awarded to the High F-Open and F-T/R Senior/Grand Senior. A special plaque was also provided by NRA and awarded to the High International Shooter.

Final awards of the evening were the National Champion Medallions. Our own NRA President, John Sigler, presented these to the winners. In the F-T/R category a bronze medallion was awarded to Darrell Buell whose final score was 1299-26x. A silver medallion went to Dale Rathwell, grand aggregate score of 1300-38x. The National F-T/R Champion for 2008 was none other than Danny Biggs posting a final score of 1305-42xs. He was awarded a Gold National Champion Medallion and the Sierra Trophy.

The last awards of the night were the F-Open National Champion Medallions. President Sigler presented a bronze medallion for third place overall to Larry Bartholome, score 1332-62x. Next came Mike Downey winning a silver medallion and scoring 1333-55x. Final award for the tournament was Charles Ballard of Mebane, North Carolina, posting a great score of 1337-65x and also winning the Precision Trophy. [Charles’ score was also a new national record for this course of fire in the national matches. At a later date he will receive a national record certificate from the NRA.]

All 117 competitors enjoyed the championships. Many lasting friendships were made from Great Britain, Ireland, and the USA. Camp Perry is always exciting but the atmosphere of a smaller range, smaller crowd and country setting only adds to the camaraderie felt by all those in attendance.

I personally enjoyed myself and didn’t fire a single round. Those who didn’t attend missed a great event. Perhaps next year — plan on it!

*Photos courtesy of Mr. Walters.

NRA Youth Ambassador nominations due Dec. 1

The National Rifle Association Youth Programs Office recently invited four Youth Groups (4-H, Boy Scouts of America, Royal Rangers, and the National High Rodeo Association) to submit their 2009 nomination for their Ambassadors to the National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors (NYSSA).

Formerly known as the Youth Advisory Board, the NYSSA offers scholarships, introductions to national shooting sports celebrities, camaraderie, travel, and career opportunities to a representative group of our shooting sports youth from several youth organizations.

"We will extend invitations to our remaining cooperative partners after the initial trial year of 2009," said Larry Quandahl, Youth Programs Manager. "In return, we all benefit from the Ambassadors' perspective and their input on making the sport more attractive to youth, growing the sport, and encouraging increased industry support of youth shooting."

If you know of a 16- to 20-year-old who is active in your organization's shooting sports program, feels comfortable in front of an audience, and can travel, you are encouraged to contact your shooting sports coordinator to meet the December 1, 2008 deadline for submissions to the NRA.

If you have questions, please call the NRA's Youth Programs Department at (703) 267-1552.

Youth Wildlife Art Contest unpacking

Intern Kyle will begin writing for NRAblog.com this coming week.

A very important project Kyle's been coordinating is the 2008 Youth Wildlife Art Contest entries. Friday was the deadline, and judging will be taking place soon. Winners in each grade category will receive $500. Second-place finishers will receive $250, and the third-place award will be $100.


Kyle has witnessed a wide spectrum of packaging, but this carefully packed box was one of our favorites.

Northern Friends of NRA banquet recap

Media Relations intern Kyle and I experienced the Northern Virginia Friends of the NRA Banquet last night at the Waterford in Fairfax, Va. Kyle has been with us three weeks, and this was one of his first opportunities to see a program up close and personal.

Peter and Helen Evans sat with us. Helen was the first attendance prize winner of the evening, but the luck did not continue to the raffles — even though the Evans bought their fare share of tickets. Helen and Kyle are pictured below.

NRA Field Representative Bob Hipple led the evening's activities, and explained what sorts of grants and programs the donated money would fund. He invited a 2008 Youth Education Summit participant from Fairfax named Brigette to speak to the crowd about her experience during this year's Summit.

As usual, the live and silent auctions had an array of NRA gear; pistol and long gun bags, sculptures, commemorative Friends of NRA artwork, and, of course, firearms. But the raffle table included Bluetooth headsets, Home Depot gift cards, an iPhone, and even gift certificates to the NRA's very own state-of-the-art indoor range.

Hipple said everyone at the dinner would walk away friends because of our common bond of appreciation for the Second Amendment. Many faces were familiar, due to the banquet's proximity to NRA headquarters. It was a pleasure to once again see NRA Board members Dwight Van Horn and Tim Pawol, who are in town with committee meetings and attended the banquet as guests of NRA Competitive Shooting Director Mike Krei.

Auctioneer Frank "E." Bolton did a fabulous job of exciting the crowd, reminding attendees everything was for a good cause.

The entire night is depicted in the following slideshow: the silent auction and raffle buckets; the wall of guns; the Boy Scouts' color guard; the dinner and live auction.

NRA F-Class Championship: Walt's Day 4 Write-up

It’s Friday already and we are just one day from completion of the F-class national championships. Today was the first day of 1000-yard competition. The weather cooperated today with clear skies, temperatures beginning in the low thirties rising to the high fifties. Wind was light to medium in strength but very tricky to read as it was shifting direction very quickly from 200 yards to the targets. Three matches were fired with each 15 shots for record. It was possible to score 450-45x. Going into today’s F-T/R competition Danny Biggs was leading with his score of 444-19x. After the day’s firing was completed, Danny was still leading with an aggregate score of 868-24x, having fired individual match scores of 140-0x, 141-1x and 143-4x, for a day’s total of 424-5x. That was 2 points better than Darrell Buell’s aggregate score of 866-18x. It appears the championship will be determined amongst 4 competitors in that there are only three others within 5 points of Danny.

In the F-open championship the day began with Bob Bock leading with his score of 444-22x. Bob was knocked out of first place by Nick Taylor who fired three scores of 150-7x, 150-6x and 145-3x for a daily aggregate score of 445-16x. Larry Bartholome, Jim Murphy, and Bret Solomon bested Bob Bock’s score and also moved up in the overall aggregate for the championship. Charles Ballard started being noticed as a contender for the championship when he moved up in the standings firing three excellent scores of 150-8x, 149-8x, and 149-8x to post the best aggregate of the day, 448-24x. Going into Saturday, Charles is just 1 point behind Nick with Mike Downey in third just 4 points out of first. There are just 5 shooters within 6 points of the top score and the championship will probably be decided amongst those 6 competitors.

NRA F-Class Championship: Walt's Day 3 Write-up Competitive Shooting

It's day three at the NRA's F-class National Championships at the Winnaquah Gun Club range in Lodi, Wisconsin, and NRA Board member H.J. "Walt” Walter is once again serving as our NRAblog.com correspondent:

Today was 600-yard day at the F-class nationals. Three matches with five relays were fired. There were 34 F-T/R shooters as well as 83 F-Open shooters.

Today’s weather was almost a repeat of yesterday. The temperature was once again in the low 40s; however, the winds were howling just a little bit more that yesterday. Many competitors were exasperated and had no coach to help, as this was individual match day. Most points were lost today due to the inability of the competitors to keep up with the wind changes.

In Match #1, Brad Farrell, an F-T/R shooter, led the way firing a 150-9x (with a perfect score being a 150-15x). In the F-Open category Shawn Ahrens had a perfect 150-13x. During the firing of this match the wind cooperated and was not bad to neither read nor keep up with the changes. Beginning with Match #2 the wind was a different story. It picked up in velocity and was tricky at times to read and keep up with the changes. At the completion of firing Dale Rathwell had the high F-T/R score firing a fine 148.7x. Open shooters Larry Bartholome, John Gaines and Bryan Otey all chimed in firing a perfect 150 with 10x.

Match #3, the final match of the day, saw the wind calm down and be more forgiving on the shooters. However, only Rick Jensen fired a perfect score firing a 150-8x.

In the aggregate for today’s 600-yard matches consisting of Matches #1, #2 & #3, F-T/R shooter Danny J. Biggs, firing 149-7x, 149-5x and 146-7 triumphed over all other F-T/R shooters, establishing an aggregate score of 444-19x. In the F-Open category, Robert Bock scored 150-9x, 150-6x and 149-7x respectively to end the day with and aggregate of 449-22x and was declared match winner.

Gong into the first day of 1000-yard matches the F-Open shooters have 15 competitors bunched up less than 7 points off the pace. F-T/R shooters on the other hand have only 4 competitors within 7 points of the leader. Tomorrow and Saturday will be the 1000-yard phases of the national championship and anything is possible but those within the 7 points of the leader are in the best position to overtake the leader.

Don't go anywhere! Tomorrow Walt will once again report live from Lodi, Wisconsin.

NPSC Match Results

The match results from the 2008 National Police Shooting Championships are now available online.

NRA Women's Wilderness Escape: 2008 Scrapbook

Want to see what the 2008 NRA Women's Wilderness Escape was like? Just take a look at this scrapbook!

The Wilderness Escape provides women 18 and older with a nine-day "get away" opportunity to experience the softer side of firearm education with exposure to a wide variety of shooting sports, hunting, and outdoor activities. It's hosted at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico.

The Women's Wilderness Escape will return to the Whittington Center on September 24 - October 2, 2009. Space is limited to just fifty participants, and reservations will fill quickly — so request an NRA Women's Wilderness Escape information packet and application today!

NRA F-Class Championship: Walt's Day 2 Write-up

Board member Walt Walters is back with more from the NRA's F-class National Championships, held at the Winnaquah Gun Club range in Lodi, Wisconsin.

"Wednesday started out as a very cold day. It was 40ºF with the sky overcast and light winds out of the northeast. Today was National Championship team day with four-man team matches at 600 and 1000 yards with the “Berger Trophy” awarded to the team with the highest aggregate of both the matches. Also fired concurrently was the Europe USA Challenge Match with 8 man teams vying for the F-Open trophy, the “J.J. Conway Trophy,” and the F-T/R teams vying for the “Farquarson Trophy.” These will be awarded to the winners at the awards ceremony on Saturday at the completion of the national championship.

At 600 yards Team Spindle, coached by Emil Praslick, took an early lead and never looked back. They finished that yard line dropping just 3 points, which won them the “Skip Talbot Trophy.” Their final score was 797-49x. In the runner-up spot was USFC Team Berger scoring 794-45x. Highlights on team Berger were Larry Bartholome and Robert Bock both posting 200’s adding 15 x and 14 x respectively. During the firing the wind picked up slightly varying in velocity and direction just enough to give all the coaches fits in keeping up with the changes.

The teams all moved back to 1000 yards with firing commencing around 11:15am. Shawn Ahrens once again lead his team off to a great start posting an outstanding score of 200-10x’s. He finished the day with an aggregate score of 400-21x. Team Spindle once again led the way firing a 793-32x to win the “Shiraz Balolia Trophy.”

High F-T/R team was Team Sinclair scoring 1544-47x.

For the Europe USA Challenge Match, Team USA forged out ahead early and was never behind in the match. The USA Open Team opened at 600 yards only 32 points down while Team Europe lost 52 points in the initial stage. Open Team USA closed 51 points down at 1000 yards and ended with a final score of 3117-121x to win the “J.J.” Conway Trophy.”

F-T/R Team USA forged to an insurmountable lead at 600 yards dropping only 17 points while F-T/R Team Europe lost a huge number of points, namely 68 points, and the lead was then insurmountable. Final scores for the “Farquarson Trophy” were USA 1535-50x, Europe 1447-16x. It was a great win for F-T/R Team USA with a balanced effort from all shooters.

Tomorrow’s shooting will be the first day of individual competition with the course of fire being 3 matches firing 15 rounds for record."

Check back tomorrow for additional updates and photos.

*Photo courtesy of Mr. Walters.

NRA F-Class Championship: Walt's Day 1 Write-up

NRA Board Member Howard "Walt" Walter, who I had the honor of meeting during Camp Perry, was kind enough to contact NRAblog.com with a report from the frontlines of the NRA's F-class National Championships, held at the Winnaquah Gun Club range in Lodi, Wisconsin.

Read Walt's Write-up below:

"I left Flat Rock, North Carolina, and after two long days of travel arrived at the Best Western Motel in Lodi which will be our base of operations for the next 7 days. Yesterday and today were devoted to practice with competitors firing both 600 and 1000-yard distances with an added bonus of an exotic 15 rounds at 1200 yards.

We kicked off the activities on Monday evening at a local restaurant with a “meet and greet” where the United States Team hosted Team Europe and various VIPs, including our own NRA president John Sigler.

Tomorrow will be the team matches. 4-man teams will vie for honors in both open class as well as TR class. In conjunction with these teams there will be an International team match with the USA matched against the European team in both Open and TR categories. The Open teams will be 8-man while the TR teams will be 4-man teams. Distances fired will be 600 and 1000 yards.

The European contingent consists of 10 Republic of Ireland and 9 British shooters. They are all seasoned F-class shooters and will present team USA with a formidable challenge.

Awards were presented for the three stage aggregate match with two members of the North State Shooting Club placing first and second respectively. Nick Taylor, current president of the out of Butner, North Carolina, took high honors at 1200 Yards after firing a range record of 146-7xs."

Check back tomorrow for additional updates and photos.

*Photo courtesy of Mr. Walters.