MON | JUNE 10, 2019

Throughout May 2019, competitive shooters using Walther pistols have earned nearly $14,000 at various IDPA and USPSA matches across the United States.  Walther Contingency dollars are available to 1st and 2nd place winners at most USPSA and IDPA matches. 
USA Shooting’s junior shotgun talent was on full display Saturday from International Shooting Park just outside Colorado Springs. Five mentally draining days of trap competition came to conclusion at the National Championships for Shotgun.
Two first-time National Champions were crowned at the International Shooting Park outside Colorado Springs, as the four-day test of nerves and shooting skill concluded in Men’s and Women’s Trap.  Julia Stallings and Alex Rennert are the 2019 National Champions.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program has announced the enhancement of numerous events scheduled during the National Pistol and Rifle Matches. The recent developments of the National Matches will provide guests with more opportunities to compete, improve and take part in the World Series of Shooting Sports that has inhabited the Lake Erie summer shore since 1907.
Primary Arms announces a new rifle giveaway for June: the company will be giving away a brand new 9mm pistol-caliber carbine. This build features Glock 17 magazine compatibility and many other features.
German Precision Optics USA has created an industry-leading Spectacular Lifetime Warranty.  GPO will take care of any of its products at no charge to the owner, ever. If the product is not functioning properly, GPO USA will repair or replace it with a product that is in perfect working condition. 

Vihtavuori Powder dominated the 47th Annual Firearms Industry Super Shoot with the entire Top 20 competitors using N133 smokeless powder. Each year the F.I.S.S. attracts hundreds of the world’s best competition benchrest shooters.
Reno Cerakote, a high-volume Cerakote applicator, launched their new Supercell production line in Mid- March and has already seen the benefits of the increased daily throughput.
XTech Tactical announces the MAG47mil “Militia Special,” developed in response to a consumer torture test. The company also features the OEM47, an entry level magazine option.

Axeon Optics rail mount Second Zero optical prism devices are now available. Both the 4.3 and 11.5 MOA rail mount versions can be ordered direct from Axeon Optic’s website.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation announced the members of the 2019 All-Scholastic Team. Over 230 student athletes from 24 states have been named to the team this year and will be recognized at the opening ceremonies of the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program National Team Championship event on July 17 in Marengo, Ohio. 
To celebrate Father’s Day, buy dad a Burris optic. Burris has great gift ideas for dad, including an archery accessory, spotting scope, or rifle scope.

Steiner comes to the rescue with a selection of Father’s Day gift ideas sure to make Dad happy. Sunlight adaptive binoculars, Marine binoculars and more great Steiner optics are special gifts he would enjoy.
Now through July 31, 2019, Beretta will be running a promotion in which you will be eligible to receive a $100 rebate when you buy any of these eligible Beretta APX striker-fired pistols: Full-Size, Combat, RDO, Centurion, and Compact (excludes the new Beretta APX Carry).

 

Shortly before the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, I collaborated with Honor Defense to “create” a concealed carry compact pistol.

The goal wasn’t to come out with something exotic or screwball -no metal from meteorites or petrified t-rex grips or such. The goal was an affordable, reliable pistol for personal carry. Something you’d describe as a Frank Lloyd Wright gun for someone who was serious about carrying a gun: no frills, no gimmicks, just something useful and functional.

Here, for the final time (we promise) is the gun that resulted in a collaboration between Outdoor Wire editor/publisher Jim Shepherd and Honor Defense. Today, “Jim’s gun” is headed for its new owner. We hope he enjoys the gun Honor Defense’s Gary Ramey described as “the Winter of 1776” for its decidedly non-mil spec color scheme. Photo by Honor Defense.

OK, I admit I went a little “different” with the color scheme, but I wanted a gun that featured something other than the standard black, blue, OD or coyote tan, but avoided the “rainbow Skittles look” and had a bit of “attitude”.

To get there, I fell back onto the palette that I see best- black and white. There are shades of grey as well, but the gun looks different without being over the top (although I do admit the stars and stripes on the dust cover do look terrific - that’s an Honor Defense offering I couldn’t resist).

Saying I “designed” this gun is like saying I “built my own laser” during a visit to Crimson Trace’s headquarters a couple of years ago. When I “built” that laser, I did so under the rigorous scrutiny of one of C-T’s highly-skilled assemblers. They knew what I was doing; I was simply following instructions.

But it’s still on my favorite rifle -and runs like a champ. And having your name on your gun is pretty awesome- even if it’s a removable part on the rail.

Similarly, Honor Defense did the real design, creating a small pistol that shoots like far larger ones, but allows for owner customization.

The 1911 grip angle is my favorite, so I went with that. Likewise, presbyopia means I’m alwaysgoing to opt for the longest slide possible. Otherwise, the pistol sights are pretty much useless for me. That’s why I’m a proponent of lasers on carry pistols. Although I also believe the type of carry you have in mind has a lot to do with whether or not there’s a laser.

For a small, defensive carry pistol like this one, I didn’t go with a laser. That’s because lasers, especially rail mounted ones, change the carry characteristics of the gun. It necessitates a significantly larger holster in most instances. To me, “larger” and “easily concealed” are contradictions.

Besides, a small concealed carry pistol isn’t something I’m ever planning to use for longer distance shooting. Personal defense, at least in my mental context, means at distances not much more than 10-12 feet. At that distance, and under duress, you shouldn’t be thinking anything other than pointing the gun and pressing the trigger.

And I still believe that the laser isn’t where you begin your training on a handgun, it’s where you end up after you’re proficient enough to “run your gun” without having to look at it. It should be an affirmation of your ability to aim accurately. That may sound like a contradiction, but it’s the same approach I take to driving a car. You don’t go adding performance enhancements until you’re ability to drive matches the improvements. Otherwise, you’re looking to get yourself in trouble.

Trouble with a gun - or a car- isn’t something you look for; it’s something you avoid whenever possible. But knowing your abilities allows you to plan accordingly.

Enough theory, everyone wants to know the answer to a simple question: “who won Jim’s gun?”

Our winner is Tim Schneider from Plainview Minnesota, I’m not going to offer a lot of biography on Tim, because I haven’t spoken with him.

But I will tell you he’s probably going to be pretty well qualified to run the “Winter of 1776.”

Tim’s not only a shooting enthusiasts, he’s the Chief of Police for Plainview.

Congratulations, Tim. Both Honor Defense’s Gary Ramey and I hope you enjoy the gun we enjoyed putting together for you.

As always, we’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd

SHOOTING WIRE
Event Calendar

SEPTEMBER 6-8
NRA Personal Protection Expo

Ft. Worth Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX

www.NRAPersonalProtectionExpo.com

 
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