Junior Olympic & World Champs Opportunity Awaits 763 Young Athletes

Posted By on February 21, 2018

By: Kevin Neuendorf (kevin.neuendorf@usashooting.org)

With that invite comes the possibility for an athlete to try and earn a spot to compete for their country at the 2018 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships, set for August 31-September 14 in Changwon, South Korea.  That distinction will go to the top three finishers in each of the eight events.  There’s few things that mean more to youth across America participating in the shooting sports than the opportunity to compete in the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC).  Well, those 2018 presents got unveiled Tuesday with first round invites being sent out by USA Shooting to attend the annual April event in Colorado Springs. 

Junior Olympic Invitations were sent to 763 athletes representing 49 states. They were selected following championship competition at the state level which totaled 2,408 competitors. The NJOSC will feature the top 32 percent of all competitors in 2018 and will feature invitees that either won their state championship or were selected based on a score they attained.  The competitors range in age from 10 to 20 years old, and are classified according to age as J1 (ages 18-20), J2 (ages 15-17) or J3 (ages 14 and younger).

Top scoring qualifiers include five current National Junior Team members. Top qualifiers included: National Junior Team member Emily Stith (Jacksonville, Florida) along with Kestrel Kuhne (Everett, Pennsylvania) in Women’s Air Rifle with a score of 397 while Kuhne was also top scorer in Women’s Smallbore (.22 caliber) Rifle with a score of 586; National Junior Team members Katelyn Abeln (Douglasville, Georgia) in Women’s Air Pistol with a score of 377 and for the second consecutive year Sarah Choe (Los Angeles, California) in Women’s Sport Pistol with a score of 573; National Junior Team member Jacob Buchanan (Spring, Texas) in Men’s Air Rifle with a score of 597; Navy athlete Daniel Enger (Walla Walla, Washington) in Men’s Smallbore Rifle with a score of 590; National Junior Team member Jackson Leverett (Bainbridge, Georgia) in Men’s Air and Sport Pistol with scores of 570 and 574.

Keystone state representative Kuhne is one of 40 athletes that call Pennsylvania home, the most of any state. The top club showing is the National Training Center (NTC) Junior Club with 28 athletes. Ten-year-old Men’s Rifle competitor Cash Willhite (Midland, Texas) earns the distinction as the youngest participant in the field while the 11-year-old pistol competitor Annabell Yi (Diamond Bar, California) is the youngest female competitor. They are among a group of 40 invites awarded to J3 athletes (14 years and younger).

In addition, three Paralympic competitors have earned the opportunity to compete during NJOSC and they include Gracie Hoyt (Mullen, Nebraska), Moira Antal (Bealeton, Virginia) and National Junior Team member Stetson Bardfield (Colorado Springs, Colorado), who will compete for the second consecutive year. 

This year’s competition will feature the new International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) shooting format which means that the women’s rifle and air pistol events will now feature the same number of shots (60) as the men.

Check the complete list of 2018 NJOSC Invites here: 

Men’s Rifle Invites | Women’s Rifle Invites | Pistol Invites 

Hear Olympic medalists and former NJOSC competitors Matt Emmons (Browns Mills, New Jersey) and Ginny Thrasher (Springfield, Virginia) welcome this year’s Junior Olympic attendees.  

EMMONS | THRASHER

The 20-day spectacle of youth competition begins Saturday, April 7 with Men’s Rifle, which leads into Women’s Rifle beginning April 14 and concludes with the Junior Pistol program and Paralympic Air Rifle starting April 20. All competitions give athletes the opportunity to train and compete at the USA Shooting indoor ranges on location at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  

2018 NJOSC Schedules 

Men’s & Women’s Pistol/Paralympic Air Rifle: April 21-27

 

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GUN SAFETY – With Lyman Products

Posted By on November 29, 2017

Practicing with firearms indoors using “Dry Fire” (no rounds in the firearm) can be very beneficial but it can also be dangerous if live ammunition is anywhere in the area. Remove all live ammunition. Clear the firearm by removing the magazine FIRST, lock the slide back and physically check the chamber to ensure that there is nothing in it. Remove any ammunition from the magazine and store all ammunition far away.

SAFETY should always be your NUMBER 1 priority!

Get your SNAP CAPS from Lyman AZOOM AMMO Snap Caps. You get these in a variety of calibers. You can now load these in your magazine and rack the slide again checking to make sure that both the chamber and magazine have only dummy cartridges. I like to keep one magazine filled with snap caps and marked so. However, each time before practicing, I empty it completely and then refill it with snap caps. This not only keeps you safe but helps protect the firing pin when practicing using “Dry Fire.” www.lymanproducts.com

SAFETY should always be your NUMBER 1 priority!

Category: Action Pistol, Guns & Acc., Merchant Links, Miscellaneous, Modern 3 Gun, Olympics & USA, Pistol / Revolver, Plinking Fun, precision shooting, Product Reviews, Rifle | No Comments »
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ELEY® Ammunition Supports High School Shooters

Posted By on November 27, 2017

By: Jamie Corkish
2012 Olympic Gold Medalist

Growing up as a competition shooter in Eastern Pennsylvania I was extremely lucky to be able to compete almost every weekend. It wasn’t until I moved away from PA that I realized the lack of opportunity in sport shooting in other states. When I retired from competitive shooting I was fortunate enough to be hired by ELEY® ammunition as their PR and Marketing Manager for North America. This gave me a fantastic opportunity to grow competition shooting throughout the United States, making it more accessible to all, but especially to our younger shooters

I soon realized that shooting was not as recognized as other high school sports such as football, basketball, swimming and cross country, where student-athletes are awarded a high school All-American. We decided shooting athletes deserved that recognition as well and in 2015 launched the ELEY® high school All-American award.

The ELEY® high school All-American award recognizes the top high school sport shooting athletes for their athletic and their academic abilities. In rifle and air rifle disciplines, the top ten shooters are appointed to the ELEY® high school All-American team. These individuals will receive an ELEY high school All-American coin and certificate

The top calculated average in smallbore will be awarded 2500 rounds of selected ELEY® tenex and the opportunity to either visit our test facility in Winters, TX to test the ammunition or ship their gun to the facility. In 2018, with the launch of ELEY® ventus pellets, the top air rifle average will receive a selected ELEY® ventus pellet test along with 2500 rounds of pellets. As an Olympic medalist, testing was integral to my success and I am delighted to be able to offer this service to our up and coming athletes.

The 2017-2018 season is underway and ELEY® has published the current matches that will be used in calculating the ELEY® High School All-American award. Please note that this list may change as matches are added to the schedule. For eligibility please visit https://www.eleyammunition.com/hs-all-american . This program has been cleared with the NCAA Clearing House for eligibility. To apply for the ELEY® high school All-American a student-athlete must complete the required forms and submit them by May 31, 2018. We encourage all high school aged shooters to apply regardless of their results. We hope to be awarding you as part of the next ELEY® high school All-American team

2017-2018 ELEY® High School All-American match list

  • Dixie Double (Nov 3-5, 2017), Air Only (2 matches)
  • Winter Airgun (Dec 1-3, 2017), Air Only (3 matches)
  • Junior Olympic State Qualifier (Dec 2017/Jan 2018), Air and SB (1 match each)
  • Camp Perry Open (Jan 12-14, 2018), Air Only (2 matches)
  • IWK Hochbrueck 2018 in Munich (Jan 2018), Air Only (2 matches)
  • Robert Mitchell Rifle Championship (Feb 4-11, 2018), Air and SB (2 matches each)
  • Spring Selection (March 27-April 4, 2018), Air and SB (2 matches each)
  • National Junior Olympics (April 5-27, 2018), Air and SB (2 matches each)
  • USA Shooting Nationals (June 10-17, 2018), Air and SB (2 matches each)
  • CMP Monthly Matches (Sept, Oct, March, April, May), Air only (1 match each)
  • All ISSF World Cup competition only that lie before May 31, 2018 (MQS and Elimination rounds will not count)

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Through the Eyes of a Father and Son: The Affinity of Marksmanship

Posted By on October 26, 2017

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer

LTC Jerry Lewis, 48, and his son, Josh Lewis, 16, of Fayetteville, GA, both attended and competed in the Talladega D-Day event together.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – With late fall soon approaching, there are only a few more chances to enjoy outdoor marksmanship fun in 2017. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), an organization passionately dedicated to marksmanship safety and competition, has delivered several events all year long to both teach and provide exciting outlets for friends and families to come together and enjoy.

The CMP’s last outdoor marksmanship event of the year will be the Talladega 600 – set to fire Dec. 5-10 at the organization’s own Talladega Marksmanship Park. Talladega is a 500-acre facility that houses rifle, pistol and shotgun opportunities, along with CMP’s special electronic targets – designed specifically for the organization. The park is a place suited even for those who prefer to stay off of the firing line, with the 13,000 square feet of the CMP Club House holding a retail store, lounge chairs and large television monitors that keep guests entertained through cable channels or with a live view of current scores on the 600-yard range below.

A mecca for firearm enthusiasts, the Talladega Marksmanship Park is an ideal setting for enhancing abilities, reiterating safety practices and creating unforgettable memories. Just ask father/son duo Dusty and Terry Mathy who used the facility both as a small getaway and as yet another way to participate in one of their favorite pastimes – shooting.

Back in June, SSG Dusty Mathy, 44, of the U.S. Army, set his eyes on Talladega’s grounds for the first time. Along with an eagerness to get onto the range, Dusty also brought along all four members of his family: his wife, Rachel, son Terry (9) and daughter Olivia (8). The Mathy family traveled all the way from their home in Kansas to the Alabama facility to attend the Talladega D-Day matches – a multi-day marksmanship event that commemorates World War II through competitive matches, with some individuals even garbed in period costume.

Since it was such a long journey and the family’s first to the CMP facility, they treated the excursion like a summer vacation, staying in nearby Lincoln and even making a run to the South CMP Store in Anniston to purchase a few rifles. They also took a tour of the CMP’s armory, where the company stocks all of the vintage rifles, M1 Garands, and equipment the company is famous for selling. The family even attended the large barbecue the CMP hosts as a “thank you” to its competitors and guests.

Talladega Marksmanship Park is a 500-acre facility located in Talladega, AL, that features cutting edge technology for rifle, pistol and shotgun shooting.

“It was outstanding,” said Dusty of his family’s experience. “We met some really great people at the matches. The staff there was really great, very friendly and helpful.”

Dusty expressed how the group looks forward to spending time together as a family, and how the Talladega Marksmanship Park’s accommodations made it all the more enjoyable for everyone, particularly the ladies in the family.

“We’ve spent enough extended time apart to understand how important it is to take full advantage of every opportunity to spend time together,” he said. “Rachel and Olivia really appreciated the relaxing environment in the Club House and also being able to sit at the little covered bleachers during the matches.”

Besides being his first trip to Talladega, Dusty also took his first shots on outdoor electronic highpower targets, which are exclusive to CMP’s facility – and it’s an experience he won’t soon forget.

“That alone was worth the trip, for me anyway,” he said. “Shooting an entire EIC match, start to finish in about 90 minutes, with no pit duty – priceless.”

Terry Mathy (right) watched as his dad Dusty (left) fired on electronic targets for the first time at Talladega Marksmanship Park.

Mathy is a seasoned marksman who has enjoyed shooting most of his life, beginning as a young hunter at 7 years old with a classic BB gun. Over the years, he has belonged to the Hawkeye Rifle and Pistol Club near Sioux City, Iowa, and the Mill Creek Rifle Club near De Soto, Kansas.

“I’ve enjoyed participating in various matches and leagues at both clubs to include both rifle and pistol shooting,” he said. “I particularly enjoy shooting and collecting vintage military firearms.”

“It seems my son has caught this bug as well,” he added.

His son, Terry, helped his dad at Talladega by recording his scores – carefully keeping a watchful eye on every shot his dad sent downrange. Though thrilled to be spending time with his dad on the firing line, Terry also took the time to admire the aspects of the CMP range.

“I thought it was very fun. I marked my Dad’s shots in the data book, and looking at the electronic targets saved time from looking through the spotting scope,” Terry said. “It was very nice, the match was much faster, and it was easy to see how my dad was doing. And easy to mark his shots.”

The electronic targets at Talladega were designed specifically for use at Talladega Marksmanship Park – making them unlike any other in the country.

He went on to say, “The lobby (of the Club House) was very nice. The shop and South Store were very fun to look through. I loved the BBQ, the M1 Garands were cool, and the best thing was hanging out with my dad – watching him shoot and seeing all the cool costumes and rifles.”

For Dusty and Terry, marksmanship is more than putting shots through a target – it’s a way of building character and reflecting on the liberties that make life so meaningful. And, it’s a way of, simply, enjoying life together.

“We enjoy spending time at the range as often as we’re able. We also enjoy hunting,” Dusty said as he described Terry’s habit of cutting pictures of elk, deer and other animals out of magazines and gluing them to cardboard. “He put several squirrels on the table this year with his little 410 Mossberg Bantam, and he has shown an interest in clay targets shooting.”

Terry also likes to compete at a variety of matches at Mill Creek. He caught the marksmanship bug at a young age, starting, like his dad, with a BB gun at age 5, as Dusty supervised. That same year, Terry got his first bow for Christmas.

At age 6, he moved up to a .22 rifle, with Dusty holding each round for young Terry until he was ready with his gun secured in a shooting sled on the bench, repeating the phrase his dad taught him – “Bolt to the rear, safety to the rear.”

Jerry and Josh Lewis are just two of many family members who often travel to Talladega for recreational fun and new experiences.

“There, he learned to always put the safety back on after a shot, and also to keep his finger off the trigger until he had a proper sight picture. Both are habits he maintains to this day,” Dusty said.

When Terry was 7, the two shot at their first Project Appleseed event, where they learned about American history as well as marksmanship. Now the father and son pair regularly shoots at their local 300-yard Vintage Sniper Match using Terry’s .223 Savage Axis in the Open class. Terry’s skills continue to improve each time he fires, scoring his personal best in a Vintage Sniper match with 97-3x.

“In my opinion, there is no better way to teach responsibility, self-discipline, integrity and to build trust,” Dusty said. “There are so many lessons in shooting sports, and in hunting, which apply to other areas of life. It’s also an opportunity to build an understanding of the freedoms we enjoy, why we have those freedoms and why we must act responsibly to preserve them.”

During the D-Day event, Dusty Mathy earned a medal for his Carbine Match performance and posed with his son, Terry (left).

He added, “It makes me proud when others approach us at the range and compliment Terry on his safety and etiquette. There are no stronger bonds between father and son than those formed in the woods, on the water and at the range.”

To view upcoming events at the CMP Talladega Marksmanship, visit http://thecmp.org/talladega/ and click on “Calendar of Events”.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

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The First Deer Hunt

Posted By on October 25, 2017

Brody Loftin (10)

Brody happily displaying his shotgun at port arms.

I didn’t realize how much work Mule Deer hunting was (mentally and physically). Don’t get me wrong, it was a spectacular day that I will never forget. My first hunting trip was with my Dad and his friend, Mick, in Unit 38, Payette Islands. This was personal property and to be legal, Mick contacted his boss to verify it was approved for us to hunt on his land.

It was not perfect weather, but I was excited about my first deer hunt. The air was chilled, and sprinkling rain fell down my camo onto the soggy ground.  I had a tag for either sex, but my first deer was going to be a buck.

Brody’s 870 Remington Wing Master 12-gauge shotgun.

As we moved through the brush, I saw 4 deer behind the bushes; it was hard to see what sex these were with the rain and the brush in the way. The deer ran out, and they were all 4 does. Good choice, not to shoot so early in the morning. I decided to move on with my 12-gauge shotgun, an 870 Remington Wing Master, carrying that 1.5 ounce slug for my first deer.  My Dad pointed out a 4-point buck that was in the clearing; this was not a safe shot. Mick was in front of me, and all I could do is watch the beautiful buck take off out of sight.

Brody excited and holding his young buck prize.

All three of us were very wet, and we went back to the pickup for lunch and to get warm. At this point, I was a little disappointed since it was getting later in the afternoon and I could possibly not get a deer in 2016. Went back out for the last try of the day. I spotted a deer, I could see horns but couldn’t see how many it had, to me it looked like a monster deer. I put the sneaky pete on him, and then he heard me. I held perfectly still without breathing.  He started to run, I asked myself “Was this a safe shot” then I thought back quickly to Hunter’s Education. I made my decision then I shot. I made a connection with my deer in the shoulder blade. Excited with fear running inside me, I went to find my deer. It was a spike, but he was not dead. I didn’t want him to suffer and asked my Dad if I could borrow his .380 pistol and shot him in the back of the head.

Brody’s 870 Remington Wing Master 12-gauge shotgun. 

After I had confirmed that he was dead, I filled out my tag and placed the tag in his mouth. As my Dad and Mick showed me how to dress the spike, I thought to myself…I felt bad for killing an innocent animal and not sure if I could do it again in the near future. For now, I will not waste my meat, we decided to make jerky out of him. My grandpa prepped the horns for my memory of my first deer hunt.

 

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Mossberg MVP-LC (Light Chassis) Combo

Posted By on October 16, 2017

Ben Moody (17)

Ben Kneeling with Mossberg MVP LC 308 aiming down range.

Precision rifle shooting is a great sport to participate in. But, you need a rifle and a scope worthy of the job; that also doesn’t break the bank. Mossberg’s MVP Light Chassis Package accomplishes both. I was able to test the MVP when we first started shooting precision long-range as a group. It was an easy transition. Shooting primarily 3-Gun, I was extremely familiar with the AR-15 platform, and the MVP rear-end is set up just like the AR. Using the same Magpul adjustable stock and grip as most Ar-15s, I got nearly the same sight picture. This cut down on a large chunk of new training that I had to do with this long-range rifle.

Ben accurately aiming the Mossberg on the ground in the shrubs.

The light chassis aspect of this rifle is great for matches, with a lot of walking between stages or hunting, and having to carry it for long periods of time. I was a bit apprehensive at the even ten pounds of rifle and accessories. Chambered in .308, I thought the recoil would be extreme. Recoil was not an issue once I learned the correct position.  The rifle already comes with a muzzle break, is threaded for a suppressor, and is mounted with a Caldwell bipod.

The right side view point of the rifle Ben used. The Mossberg MVP LC 308

The MVP LC Package includes the Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16 power scope. This scope comes with a MRAD reticle as well as MRAD turrets. For me, just getting into this sport the simple increments were easy to understand.  I used the Mossberg in a few different matches and found that it maneuvered very well around the various barricades. It made for a very stable shooting platform when used with the bipod.  

A great close up of the Vortex Scope atop the Mossberg rifle.

I was impressed with its accuracy at a match when we were checking zero before our first stage. Two shots on the same target were barely discernible from each other. This consistency showed itself all day during the match, even out to 1,000 yards, it was still holding well. This rifle package is a great choice for someone trying to get started in the sport of long range shooting or for someone just looking for a modern hunting rifle.  

I would like to thank Junior Shooters magazine and Mossberg for the chance to shoot this great product.

Editor’s note: The MVP LC // Vortex HS-T Scoped Combo is available in both 5.56 NATO (.223 Remington) and 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester). The rifle without the scope is also available in 6.5 Creedmoor. The combo models have an MSRP of $1,995.

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2017 KWCBC Kennewick Washington Cold Bore Challenge Team Rifle Match.

Posted By on October 16, 2017

By: Ricky Marston (16)

Ricky aiming precisely down range with his 6.5 Creedmoor Ashbury Precision Ordnance (APO).  The scope is from Leupold with an MRAD reticle.

Recently, I attended the 2017 KWCBC Kennewick Washington cold bore challenge team rifle match. It was a two-man team, long-range, precision rife match. A shooter and a spotter made up the team and we traded off from shooter and spotter positions all day. It was awesome. It was a true blind-stage match so you wouldn’t be able to watch other teams in front of you. You also had to get your hide, dope and ranges on the clock and you only had eight minutes to engage all targets by both team members.

Ricky Marston, and Ben Moody working together during the KWCBC.

It was a wet rainy day on that Saturday morning. The first three stages were okay, but not our best ones of the match. The rest of the different blind stages were awesome and we cleaned house on most of them even when my rifle broke. My partner, Ben Moody (18), and I shared one gun on that last mover stage. We jumped back and forth to get all our engagements.

This match was a two-day match it ran Saturday and part of Sunday, but on Sunday morning, the fog was really thick and we couldn’t see any targets. We were hoping it would lift by 9 o’clock, but unfortunately it didn’t, so they decided to call the match at that point. Our team’s scores weren’t the best, but we did well for our first ever team long-range shooter/spotter match.

Ricky Marston, and Ben Moody using a barricade to assist in the steadiness of their shooting.

This match was awesome and I can’t wait to shoot it again with my team next year.

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Volunteering for Scooters Youth Hunting Camp

Posted By on September 28, 2017

By: Ashley Rumble ()

Ashley Knocking back an arrow in preparation to send it fourth down range.

Three years ago I was able to participate in The Scooters Youth Hunting camp held each May in Emmett, Idaho.  Scooters is a camp set up so that young kids can learn and experience firearms, survival, archery, knife sharpening, and gun cleaning.  It was a lot of fun and to pay back the camp in some way I decided to volunteer to help out.

Scooters call us volunteers “The Orange Army”.  All volunteers wear bright orange shirts with the camp logo.  

Everyone in the Orange Army is assigned a task, and mine has been archery for both years.  I enjoy archery a lot, so being at that station makes for an even better day. My dad has been on the .22 station showing kids how to shoot .22’s.  The gateway gun.  It’s how I got started in all this.

Tables set up with the random prizes given to the people whom came to/participated in the event. 

My duties are to make sure everyone is following directions, and retrieving arrows after each round.  It’s not glamorous, but it is fun watching kids shoot, and seeing their faces when they succeed.  As a bonus, between each group of kids we have some time to do other things, and this year I brought my own bow, and shot it as much as I could. There are some great 3D targets for me to practice on, and I was able to get more accustomed to my bow.

Another bonus is we get lunch like all the other campers.  If you leave this camp hungry, you’re doing something wrong.  In the morning there are donuts, and for lunch; burgers, hot dogs, finger steaks, and chicken wings.  There’s something for everyone, and enough for everyone to fill their stomachs to the max.

At the end of the day, there is a large drawing for prizes the campers can get.  All the kids walk away with an armload each year.  The prizes may be anything from a fully loaded Cabela’s camping set, guns, cleaning kits, fishing poles, almost anything outdoor related, and all useful.

Everyone who came to the event to participate or watch participants shooting.

All the junior volunteers get an envelope with money for us to buy our hunting and fishing license.  It’s really kind of them, and something that I took care of as soon as I could.

I feel honored to be a part of this camp.  I see it is for a good cause, and is a lot of fun.  I get to watch all sorts of kids try their hands at new things.  It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, scooters is a great place to be.  In the end, we hope the kids take what they learned and go outside on their own to use the new knowledge with their love of the outdoors.

About six weeks after the actual camp, and Scooter has had a chance to recover a bit, we have a volunteer BBQ and trap shoot to thank everyone for their help, and it all begins again for next year.

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Hatsan Alfa

Posted By on September 24, 2017

Ben Moody (17)

The Hatsan Alfa is a must for back yard pests and plinking. Its compact design allows for easy storage and its lightweight for easy mobility. I found these features very useful while working at our farm. The Alfa is a break barrel pellet gun that uses .177 caliber pellets. The biggest advantage to this caliber is its availability, you can buy .177 at most sporting goods stores and even most hardware stores. And it is inexpensive, you can find two hundred and fifty rounds for as low as three bucks. That’s a cheap source of entertainment!

 

Ben Moody holding the Hatsan Alfa.

The crowning feature of the Hatsan is the adjustable trigger. I was able to take up trigger pre-travel, which increases the trigger pull, and vis-versa with one simple screw. The rifle also has a unique feature for a break barrel. Out of all the break barrel pellet rifles I have owned and tested none of them had a self-resetting safety. The Alfa safety resets when you break the barrel to reload. This added safety feature makes it great for

The precise first person shooter angle displaying     a wide range of shooters. The  the fiberoptic sights.                                                 accessories are also very good. The fiberoptic sights front and rear are easily adjustable. Both sights are very well made; the rear sight is solid with almost no wobble and the front sight is hooded to prevent breaking. The hood also doubles as a shield for the crown of your barrel, preventing damage to the crown and debris in the barrel.

The rifle looks great but how does it shoot?  The answer is pretty dang accurate. At twenty-five yards I was hitting a half

The left side of the Hatsan Alpha.                                    dollar sized target every time. Knock down power? The box claims that it runs about 495 Feet Per Second. Great for squirrels, mid sized birds, and other pests.

In the end, I would highly suggest the Hatsan Alfa for this year’s Christmas list whether for a new shooter or just something to plink cans with.

The right side of the Hatsan Alpha.

I would like to thank Junior Shooters Magazine and Hatsan for the opportunity to test this great product.

 

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Sunjack Portable Solar Charger

Posted By on September 19, 2017

By: Ben Moody (18)

Ben Moody’s Sunjack Portable Solar Charger from Gigawatt open for charging.

The importance of electronics in our daily lives has risen considerably in the past decade. In the shooting world, much of our equipment is now battery powered. Everyone has a cellphone and some ranges even use tablets for score keeping. How do you keep everything working at the range when heavy use drains your battery? The Sunjack Portable Solar Charger from Gigawatt is a great solution. Made to be compact and practical the Sunjack is useful in a wide variety of situations. In the precision, long-range discipline many shooters use a ballistic calculator on their phone or tablet to calculate their long range shots. Several matches involve hiking five miles from the truck with no way to charge your phone. The Sunjack folds out into four panels about twenty-six inches long and has clips at one end. The clips, chord, and battery zip into a mesh pocket on the back of the panels. The pocket is big enough for most smart phones as well. The best way to utilize the Sunjack system is to clip the package to your backpack while you’re walking or waiting to shoot. On a clear day, the external battery will charge in as little as five hours. The battery can fully charge up to four devices or sustain one device for an extended period. There is even a built in LED which can be used as a flashlight; very useful at night. The Sun Jack is the best way to keep all your devices running on the range or while traveling in remote areas. The Sunjack Portable Solar Charger is one piece of equipment which has become a staple in my pack. I would like to thank Junior Shooters Magazine and Deep Creek Public Relations for the opportunity to test this great piece of equipment.

Check it out at: https://www.sunjack.com/products/sunjack-14w-portable-solar-charger

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Why I love Cowboy Action Shooting

Posted By on September 5, 2017

By: Grace Masa, my SASS alias is Raindrop Renegade.

The Raindrop Renegade’s first match as a shooter; she just turned 10.

I started shooting when I was 10 years old and have been competing ever since. The gun club that I shoot at is the Griffin Gun Club in Griffin, Georgia. My dad and my sister had been a part of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) since before I could talk. So ever since I can remember, cowboy shooting is just something that we did.  I waited and waited for the day I was allowed to start competing with my dad and my sister. The gun club’s age requirement was 8… so why didn’t I start when I was 8?

Well, when my sister, Lily, started shooting we lived in California, and the age requirement was 10. My sister insisted that I wait the same amount of time that she had to. So, when I turned 10, that very next match, I came in guns a blazin’. Ok. That’s not exactly true…. I was very timid at first. But very soon I got my bearings and was able to compete to the best of my ability. Another thing about first starting, was that I was very, very slow. But to compensate I was also accurate. To this day, I have more clean shoots than my dad. But no matter how slow, no matter how shy I was, my fellow shooters were always so supportive. And that’s what I love about this sport.

Grace’s actual first match, The Plainfield Raid in Sacramento Ca. She was a few months old.

Everyone, including people that I just met are always willing to lend a helping hand. They always have your best interests at heart. If there is something that you’re doing that is remotely unsafe, they are going to let you know. That’s another thing. The value on safety is held above anything else. In this sport, we want to have fun while competing, but you must be safe. In cowboy action shooting, we’re safe while we shoot, and we look cool while we’re shooting. That’s one part of the sport I have always enjoyed. Every piece of clothing and accessory from head to toe looks completely authentic. Well, as close as you can get. Even our guns and leather look straight out of a John Wayne movie.

Another shot of G at the first shoot she actually shot. She had her 22s, but was using her sister’s holsters.

Speaking of guns and leather, I started out with two 22 pistols, a 22 Henry rifle, and a 410 single-shot shotgun (which slowed me down a good bit).  And my leather was just an ordinary belt with two holsters to carry my 22s. But as I’m getting faster and starting to move up a category, I’m getting new guns and new leather. I am patiently waiting for a beautiful brand new pair of 38 Cimarron/Pietta pistols. And I have also received a whole rig from Mernickle Holsters.

The first Doc Holliday’s Immortals match she attended; she was 3.

Talking about Cimarron and Pietta, I was actually selected to be a Cimarron Young Gun for the year of 2017. I was super excited about this because, for one, I got to tell all of my friends. This is also a great way for me to help clear up some of the bad rep that guns and shooting get. In the news, all you hear is shooting this, and shooting that. I do my best to educate others about how firearms can be used for fun.

Like my dad always says, “Guns are tools, and like any tool, if you use it in the wrong way, you will end up hurting yourself or others. If you use it in the right way, it will serve its purpose.” In my case, its purpose is to be used as a tool for me to compete with.

 

Grace as the Givhans Ferry SASS Southeast Regional as the Buckarette Champion.

While I’m on the topic of competing, I would like to mention that I have competed at the South Eastern Regional, and placed first in my category. While I was there, I only knew one person on my posse coming in, but when I left I had made many friends. Like I said, people in this sport are always so friendly and helpful. Throughout the time that I have participated in this sport people have always supported me. The support of my friends, my fellow shooters, and my family are the reason I continue to shoot, besides loving what I do. My name is Grace Masa, my SASS alias is Raindrop Renegade, and I love Cowboy Action Shooting.

Category: Action Pistol, Clubs & Teams, precision shooting, Shotgun Sports, Uncategorized, Western Action | No Comments »
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Eighth Grade Competitor Wins Overall During CMP National Three-Position Air Rifle Event

Posted By on July 10, 2017

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer

Texas Hill Country Shooting Club earned the first place spot in the precision competition during the CMP National event.

 

 

 

 

CAMP PERRY, Ohio – Though only in the eighth grade, Katie Zaun, 14, of the Buffalo Sharpshooters from North Dakota, showed exceptional marksmanship maturity as she became the aggregate winner of the National Three-Position Championships after earning third place in the National Junior Olympic match and first over her fellow competitors in the National Civilian Marksmanship Program event.

She was full of smiles as she posed for photos in a USA Shooting jacket as the newest member of its junior team, which was the honor she received for winning the two-day precision aggregate. She was also humble standing next to her family, grateful for her win and still unable to comprehend beating each competitor around her – most much more developed in years.

Katie Zaun, at just 14 years old, became the winner of the USA Shooting precision aggregate competition and also earned her Distinguished Badge.

“It doesn’t really click in my mind,” she said of her win. “It’s crazy, shooting against really good people who are actually older than me – it really is. I’m still in shock.”

Zaun has been shooting since she was eight years old, beginning with BB gun before moving on to air rifle and smallbore, where she’s been practicing precision style shooting for almost five years now. This was her third trip to the Air Rifle Nationals event – and this time, she had goals in mind.

“All I wanted was to get into the finals because I was really close last year. I wasn’t expecting to place or anything,” she explained. “The previous years I’d get like seventh or eight in the finals, and I’d been really excited about that because it’s the finals – it’s important. This year I just kind of stayed in my zone and kept putting [the shots] down.”

Her strategy paid off as she earned qualifying rankings in the finals both days of the grueling three-position junior competitions.

The National Air Rifle Championships for junior precision and sporter air rifle competitors was held June 21-23 and June 24-26 at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center, located on the grounds of Camp Perry in Ohio. The event combines the National Junior Olympic (JO) match with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) competition. Individual and team awards are presented to each day’s winners, along with an award for the overall precision competitor of the two-day aggregate, who receives an honorary place on the USA Shooting junior team.

Unable to settle for just a regular win, Zaun set the bar even higher as she fired a new Age Group 3 National Record for a 3×20 plus Final during her CMP Nationals win, with a score of 697.9 – passing the previous record by 0.6 points. She had also received her Distinguished Air Rifle Badge, needing only one final point coming into the weekend.

“I was pretty excited. I know it means a lot – I worked really hard to get it,” she said.

With an entire high school career ahead of her, Zaun plans to keep on shooting. She doesn’t quite have any set plans, but she knows she’ll enjoy every second of her journey.

“I just want to have fun right now and see where it takes me,” she said.

In the CMP precision match, Rebecca Lamb, 15, of the Arlington Optimist Acorns CJRC from Virginia followed Zaun in second place with a score of 694.4, as individual competitor Jared Eddy, 16, of Midland, GA, finished with an overall score of 692.7.

Graduated senior Jaycie Hoenig finished out her career with the overall win in the sporter CMP Championship match.

In sporter, the ladies of the Zion Benton team from Illinois claimed the top two places in the CMP event as Jaycie Hoenig, 18, passed her teammate, Hailey Smith, 18, with a score of 668.3 for the win.

A graduated senior, Hoenig embraced every bit she could of her final air rifle competition – ending on a clear high note.

“It was definitely one of the most stressful and emotional matches. I don’t think there was a time that I wasn’t crying over the fact that I’m leaving,” Hoenig joked. “But it was definitely one of the most memorable.”

On firing beside one of her teammates during the finals, as she did each day with Smith, Hoenig said, “I always feel confident when I’m with my other teammates. No matter what we place, I’m always proud of them for what they do. It’s never really a race with me.”

She went on to say, “I feel extremely proud to have been a part of this (Zion Benton) program for the last four years. And hopefully later on I can show other family members and other friends around me what the Civilian Marksmanship Program is and have them get involved because it’s such a great program.”

A regular at CMP Monthly Matches and major air rifle competitions, she made a point to give credit to the organization for the experiences she gained from her marksmanship career.

“You guys (the CMP) have given me so many great opportunities every time I’ve come here. So it’s truly been an honor,” she said. “I love it. You guys are the greatest.”

Hoenig will be heading to Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, in the fall to study nursing with plans to hopefully one day become a nurse practitioner.

Behind Hoenig, Zion Benton teammate Hailey Smith fired an aggregate score of 663.8, as last year’s sporter JO Champion, Levi Carlson, 18, of Nation Ford HS MCJROTC from South Carolina, secured the third place spot with a score of 653.6.

Hailey Smith dominated the JO sporter event and went on to earn second place in the CMP match.

Though Smith just missed out on the CMP Championship title, she had earlier made her mark when she fired an astonishing 10.9 on her last finals shot to become the overall winner of the JO competition with a commanding score of 666.8. She beat out last year’s CMP National Champ Emma Thompson, who squeaked by Hoenig by 0.3 points. The girls recorded scores of 656.5 and 656.2, respectively.

In an incredible comeback, Emma Thompson set a new finals record as she jumped from sixth to second place in the JO match.

During her JO finals performance, Thompson also set a new Navy JROTC finals record with a score of 98.5, impressively jumping from sixth place to second. She even fired a difficult 10.9 shot and finished with a 10.7 on her final pellet during her astounding comeback.

Past multi-time winner, Sarah Osborn, received a $1,000 CMP Scholarship to use during her first year at West Virginia University.

In precision JO action, Sarah Osborn, 18, of Patriot Shooting Club from Virginia, outshot her closest competitor by 0.2 points to become the overall champion – recording a score of 691.9.

Also a graduated senior, Osborn left a lasting legacy at the National Three-Position matches over her career. Back in 2013, at just 14, she became the first overall precision winner of the CMP 3P National Championship. She returned the following year to earn second in the event and first overall in the JO championship, earning herself a place on the USA Shooting junior team and setting multiple National Records. After a break from the event in 2015, she restored her place on the podium in 2016 – winning both the CMP and JO National matches.

Next year, Osborn will join the five-time reigning NCAA National Championship rifle team, West Virginia University.

Trailing behind Osborn in second with a score of 691.7 was Justin Kleinhans, 17, of Black Swamp Jr. Rifle from Ohio, followed by Zaun who stuck close with a score of 690.8.

In addition to performance awards, the CMP presents three $1,000 Scholarships to the high scoring seniors of the CMP match. Congratulations to graduated seniors Haley Castillo, Sarah Osborn, Mica Harr, Jaycie Hoenig, Hailey Smith and Levi Carlson in the precision and sporter classes who earned scholarships to use towards their furthering education.

 

Top 3 Winning Teams:

CMP Precision:

  1. Texas Hill Country Shooting Club TX – 2345-162x
  2. Arlington Optimist Acorns CJRC-Gold VA – 2341-157x
  3. Dakota Sharpshooters SD – 2340-165x

JO Precision:

  1. Arlington Optimist Acorns CJRC-Gold VA – 2342-162x
  2. Patriot Shooting Club of VA – 2338-148x
  3. Hellgate Junior Team MT – 2336-155x

Zion Benton was the overall winning team of the CMP match, with two of its members earning first and second place positions.

CMP Sporter:

  1. Zion Benton Team Gold IL – 2210-78x
  2. Nation Ford HS MCJROTC SC – 2203-77x
  3. Gulfport MCJROTC Team 1 MS – 2197-71x

JO Sporter:

  1. Nation Ford HS MCJROTC SC – 2207-84x
  2. Zion Benton Team Gold IL – 2197-75x
  3. Gulfport MCJROTC Team 1 MS – 2186-77x

For a complete list of results, visit https://ct.thecmp.org/app/v1/index.php?do=match&tab=results&task=edit&match=15618&tab=results.

To view photos taken at the event, both within the range and the photo studio, follow the link to the CMP Zenfolio album at http://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f380421275.

Thank You, MidwayUSA Foundation:

As in the past, the MidwayUSA Foundation provided an unparalleled amount of generous endowments to leading teams throughout the Three-Position competition series. The mission of the Midway USA Foundation is to help communities and organizations raise funds to support youth shooting teams and activities, beginning with the generosity of MidwayUSA Foundation president Larry Potterfield and his wife, Brenda. Those within the CMP send sincerest gratitude for all that the foundation has done for youth marksmanship and for the success of the sport for generations to come.

About the CMP Three-Position Air Rifle Championships:

The National Championship is a 3×20 air rifle match where competitors fire 20 record shots from three positions: prone, standing and kneeling. Junior JROTC, 4-H and club team precision and sporter marksmen involved in the competition began their journey with the CMP Postal Competition in November, where CMP-issued targets were mailed into Headquarters in Ohio for official scoring. Top shooters in the Postal Competition were invited to compete in the Regional Championships in March and April, with the overall high individuals and teams from that match qualifying for the National Championship.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

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