FRI | APRIL 5, 2019

SIG SAUER, Inc. adds to its Elite Match ammunition line with the addition of a 30-06 Springfield round. Featuring a 175gr Sierra MatchKing bullet, the SIG SAUER 30-06 Win Open Tip Match round has a muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps with a muzzle energy of 2,833 ft-lbs.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program announces the CMP Three-Position Regional Air Rifle Championships, to be held at the world-class South CMP Competition Center.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) introduces a new, compact version of the popular Security-9 pistol. The Security-9 Compact has an overall length of 6.5" and weighs in at just under 22 ounces.

DeSantis Gunhide introduces ten holsters made for the Taurus G2S and G2C pistols. These include the Mini Scabbard and Cozy Partner.
Lyman Products introduces the Pachmayr Alume Series grips by Raffir for the 1911. A master of materials, both natural and composite, Raffir is a Danish company with over a decade of experience in developing and treating materials.

Hornady has been granted two utility patents related to the RFID technology used in their premium line of RAPiD Safes. Hornady began incorporating RFID in lock boxes in 2013.

Walther Arms and Panteao Productions announce the release of the new documentary, “The History of Walther.” In the twenty-two-minute documentary, Larry Vickers with Vickers Tactical, ventures to the Walther Factory in Ulm, Germany.
Leica Sport Optics will be expanding their internal sales team with the creation of 3 new sales positions - National Accounts Manager, Key Accounts Sales Manager, and Sales Administrator.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation applauded the introduction of H.R. 2079, the Freedom Financing Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Roger Williams (R-Texas). The legislation would ensure large financial institutions cannot deny service to certain constitutionally-protected industries that are fully compliant with all laws and statutes. 

Birchwood Casey announced the Gun Plumber Handgun Tool. A folding tool set, it has all the tools you need to keep a revolver, 1911 and/or striker fired handgun in operation.
TAC SHIELD announces the release of their new “Low Profile Admin Pouch,” made of 1000 denier Cordura. The pouch features a flapped exterior pouch that will accommodate flashlights or pistol magazines, and the two slots on the front will hold a wide variety of gear like pens, multi-tools, and more.
Birchwood Casey announced the Gun Plumber Handgun Tool. A folding tool set, it has all the tools you need to keep a revolver, 1911 and/or striker fired handgun in operation.

Viridian Weapon Technologies has expanded its popular X Series Gen 3 offerings to give long-gun users the X5L-RS Gen 3 green laser sight and taclight for rifles and shotguns. The all-new X5L-RS Gen 3 models are now shipping.
The Pope and Young Club recently reaffirmed their staunch support of youth conservation efforts by naming the Scholastic 3-D Archery Association as the recipient of a $10,000 sponsorship.
New 3-dimensional and field archery targets at the Triple N Ranch Shooting Range give bowhunters and those who want to fine tune their competitive archery shooting skills a great place to practice.

To celebrate Judge Roger Benitez’s ruling XTech Tactical is offering a special sale on its website through this Sunday. XTech Tactical is also offering a MAP holiday to its stocking dealer network for its AK magazines currently in stock through 04/07/2019.
The Board of Governors of the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) is pleased to announce that it appointed Mark Boyadjian to the board during its recent annual meeting.
ERGO is proud to be a National Sponsor for A Girl & A Gun’s Conferences, include the upcoming IMPACT National Conference which sold out quickly. The IMPACT Conference brings together more than 400 A Girl & A Gun members from around the country.

The Scholastic Clay Target Program would like to recognize its continued sponsorship by Kolar Arms of Racine, Wisc. in support of the youth shooting sports. Kolar Arms is a Wisconsin based manufacturer of high-quality shotguns.
At the close of the enrollment window on April 1, 31,251 students were nominated by their coaches as National Archery in the Schools Program Academic Archers from 47 US states, 3 Canadian provinces and two other countries.
RISE Armament will be offering attendees of the Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show the opportunity to receive a free special-edition RISE Armament Oklahoma t-shirt or a RISE Armament logo t-shirt.
This issue of American Frontiersman magazine is the first issue of 2019 and it’s the first quarterly edition. This means more DIY project blueprints, more trapping skills and more helpful insight from your favorite writers.
Ballistic Magazine features Pop Evil’s bassist Matt DiRito, a musician with a deep-rooted love of 1911s who’s involved in charity work with kids battling serious long-term illnesses. There’s also a round table with Pat McNamara and others about how they deal with 2nd Amendment attacks from the inexperienced.
It's positive developments in two different gun rights legal cases - one in New Jersey, one national. Plus, encouraging new hunters and shooters to explore the outdoors, an initiative from a California gun group to help women learn how to protect themselves, and more, this week on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Radio.
Winchester adds to its long-standing commitment to the shooting sports with the title sponsorship of the National Sporting Clays Association Championship Tour.
Hornady will be the title sponsor of the Hornady Precision Rifle Challenge, a PRS Pro Series
 

Today's feature is from Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Zachary watched as his dad and grandpa competed.

CAMP PERRY, Ohio – Zachary Wehner, 11, of Valparaiso, Ind., took his first trip to the historic National Matches at Camp Perry last July, 2018.

“It’s amazing,” he said of his experience. “It’s just nice to walk around and tour the place, and it has an air range.”

During his self-tour of the grounds of the Camp Perry National Guard Training Base, which has been home to the National Matches since 1907, Zachary found his way to the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. The facility, maintained by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), contains many fascinating findings within, but most visitors come for its 80-point electronic indoor air gun range.

The range is open to the public all year long and hosts numerous events. The National Matches season gives guests the opportunity to not only try their hand at air rifle or air pistol at their own pace, but also allows anyone the chance to compete in national-level competition.

That’s exactly what Zachary did, competing in the 30-shot sporter Bench League, where individuals fire upon the electronic targets from a fixed, seated position. It was his first time trying air guns, having only fired BB guns in Cub Scouts before getting to Camp Perry.

Zachary didn’t come alone on the National Matches adventure. He brought along with him two other generations of the Wehner family, his dad, Jeffrey, and his grandpa, Gerald.

The idea of a three generation trip originally started with Gerald, a regular to the National Matches since 1967.

“It’s kind of like a disease,” he joked, about the National Matches itch. “My wife says, ‘Before Perry, you get all grumpy, and then you go to Perry and you come back happy.’”

Gerald fired in the 2018 National Matches pistol events using a National Match .45 he had bought at the event years ago. It’s one of many firearms he has accumulated over the years.

“I’ve been interested in shooting all of my life,” explained Gerald, 80, an avid pistol marksman.

Left to right: Gerald, Zachary and Jeffrey Wehner.

Growing up, his brother was the one who got him interested in shooting. Gerald’s first gun came in the third grade – a BB gun his brother gave him after he upgraded to a .22 rifle. A few years later, his brother upgraded again, this time to a shotgun, and Gerald quickly saw an opportunity.

He explained, recalling the story, “I said, ‘So what are you going to do with your .22?’ He said, ‘Well, it’s not mine – it’s yours!’”

“And I’ve still got that gun,” he said as he smiled.

When Gerald was a senior in high school, he bought a single-action revolver for $49 from Colt Frontier Scout. In a moment of shear happenstance, that summer, as he was telling his dentist about the new revolver, the dentist asked Gerald if he would like to shoot on a real marksmanship team.

Apprehensive at first about what he was getting into, Gerald decided to give the team a try and bought a high standard target pistol for $35 later that summer.

“I had to aim it sub-six because of the sights,” he recalled.

That first summer of 1956, he fired in a park league and earned a medal that was, as he described, “a little bit bigger than his thumb nail.”

“I was very proud of that,” he chuckled.

Jeffrey Wehner also competed at the 2018 National Pistol Matches.

Later on, he moved on to a Ruger Mark I, moving up from a high standard, which he shot for several years before getting the National Match .45 at Camp Perry and a Clark Ruger in 1967.

Along the way, Gerald gained a family, which made it harder to make the trip back to Ohio in the summer. But, eventually, he and a new shooting buddy made it back to the Matches – his son, Jeffrey, Zachary’s dad.

Jeffrey didn’t get interested until later in life, into his 30’s, when he started asking Gerald questions about the sport. The two started going out to the local range in Valparaiso, and also visited Bristol and regional events before eventually making it to Camp Perry.

“We were just talking about it one day, and he wanted to know if I wanted to come, so we made an agreement,” Jeffrey said.

Making a weekend trip out of the arrangement, young Zachary wanted to come along as well. And, with his first successful air gun competition under his belt, they were almost unable to get him to leave.

“We could hardly pry him away,” Jeffrey said as he laughed. “He became a competitor this year.”

Now hooked, Zachary is looking forward to coming back out to shoot with his dad and grandpa at this year’s National Matches.

Gerald is in for round two, saying, “Good Lord willing, I’ll keep coming back.”

Jeffrey is also onboard with the idea, ready to make a tradition out of the trip.

“This is because of my dad. And I would like to continue it for years to come,” he said. “It’s a fun place to be. You get a little tired of it after a week, but as soon as you get home, you want to come back.”

He added, “It was a good experience, having three generations here.”

SIGN UP FOR THE 2019 NATIONAL MATCHES TODAY! VISIT HTTP://THECMP.ORG/COMPETITIONS/CMP-NATIONAL-MATCHES/ FOR SCHEDULES, INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORMS.

- - Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer

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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