DURANGO, Colo. – ASYM PRECISION National Match Target ammunition is a match winning, extremely accurate load that tells the shooter just how well their tuned 45 can perform.

Featuring the Nosler 185 grain JHP – a bullet prized among serious bullseye shooters for its gilt-edged accuracy – the National Match Target is a mild shooting target round. Utilizing ASYM match brass, which is custom drawn brass made to ASYM’s specifications, and propelled by premium VihtaVouri powder, the round is loaded to 775 fps, a velocity proven to be a sweet spot in accuracy and function.

“As a custom 1911 maker whose customers expect uncommon accuracy, I looked to the Camp Perry National Matches for the inspiration behind our National Match Target ammunition. We built this round from the ground up using only premium components, assembled on state-of-the-art equipment customized to my own standards and hand-inspected and individually chamber checked as part of a quality control process that insures outstanding performance,” explained Stan Chen, president of Stan Chen Customs and ASYM Ammunition.

The National Match Target is available in a box of 50 or a case of 500 and will run in most 1911s using a stock 16 lbs. spring. For more brisk ejection, springs from 10 to 14 lbs. can be used.

The load is a premium target load and although it uses a JHP projectile, the bullet is not designed to expand at the given velocity. Those looking for a premium defensive load should consider the ASYM SOLID DEFENSE XTM (SDX) load featuring the Barnes solid copper TAC-XP bullet.

“Besides being the definitive accuracy load for competition, the National Match Target is an extremely pleasant load to shoot, especially in extended training sessions,” observed Chen. “So much so that we warn our customers to beware, because this round will make them fall in love with their 45 all over again.”

For more information on the National Match Target 45 ACP ammunition, the full line of ASYM PRECISION ammunition or to place an order, visit www.ASYM-Ammo.com.

GW: These tips from the National Shooting Sports Foundation…

The holidays are just around the corner. As hunters, shooters, collectors or just plain plinkers, it’s a natural instinct to want to share our enjoyment of firearms with others. What better way to do that than to make a gift of a firearm to a family member, close friend or relative?

The first thing to remember if you’re thinking about giving someone a gun is that . . . it’s a gun! You already know that ownership of a firearm brings with it some serious legal and ethical obligations that other consumer products don’t. So let’s look at some questions you may have about giving a firearm as a gift.

The first question you have to ask is whether the intended recipient can legally own the firearm where he or she lives. With more than 20,000 different gun laws on the books, even the kinds of firearms that law-abiding citizens can own vary from place to place; for example, juveniles (under age 18) generally speaking are precluded by law from possessing a handgun. Check out the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) website for an overview of local laws and, whatever you do, don’t forget that you can never under any circumstances transfer a firearm to someone you know or have reasonable cause to believe legally can’t own one. That’s a federal felony, so be careful.

Though there’s no federal law that prohibits a gift of a firearm to a relative or friend that lives in your home state, some states-California for example-require you to transfer the gun through a local firearms dealer so an instant background check will be performed to make sure the recipient is not legally prohibited from owning the gun.

The ATF recommends that if you want to give someone a new firearm, rather than going to a gun store, buying it on your own and giving it to, say, your father, consider instead purchasing a gift certificate from that retailer and giving that to Dad as his present. That way he’ll get exactly the gun he wants, and there’s no question about who is “the actual buyer of the firearm,” which is a question any purchaser must certify on the Federal Form 4473 at the time of purchase.

You can only ship a handgun by common carrier (but not U.S. Mail) and a long gun by U.S. Mail or common carrier to a federally licensed dealer but not to a non-licensed individual. With all carriers, federal law requires you to declare that your package contains an unloaded firearm. To be safe, always consult your carrier in advance about its regulations for shipping firearms.

What if you want to give “Old Betsy,” your favorite old deer rifle, to your son or daughter as a college graduation gift? Again, in most states, there’s no law that says you can’t, but some states require even interfamily transfers to go through a licensed dealer. Remember, you can never transfer a firearm directly to another person who is a resident of a different state. In that case, you must transfer the firearm through a licensed dealer in the state where the person receiving the gift resides. Using a gift certificate from a firearms retailer near where the recipient lives might be a good solution. Pre-1898 antique firearms are generally exempt from the dealer requirement. Be safe and check with your dealer or local law enforcement before you hand over your prized possession.

It’s often an emotional moment when a treasured family heirloom is passed down to the next generation. These moments are part of what our cherished enjoyment of firearms is all about and represent that unique bond that sportsmen have with their fellow enthusiasts.

So enjoy the holidays and do it right!

GW: Check my earlier post on this matter for details of the incident which is the subject of Alan Gottlieb’s visit and talk…

BELLEVUE, WA – Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation will travel to New Jersey Dec. 12 to join speakers at a rally in Toms River in support of Brian Aitken.

The New Jersey man has been imprisoned for essentially having two legally-owned handguns in his car, parked at his parents’ home, along with other belongings he was moving to a new residence in another city.

Gottlieb will join Scott Bach, president of the Association of New Jersey Association Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) at the microphone, along with radio personality Dennis Malloy, attorney and author Evan Nappen, and members of the New Jersey Legislature, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll and Assemblywoman Allison Little McHose. Also scheduled to speak are firearms training expert Anthony Colandro and Gene Hoyas of ConservativeNewJersey.com.

“Brian Aitken’s case is a clear demonstration of how easily New Jersey’s restrictive gun laws can be abused,” Gottlieb stated. “SAF and ANJRPC recently filed a federal lawsuit aimed at how the state’s Draconian gun law is administered. How could I not be there on Dec. 12 to support a man whose case amounts to a civil rights outrage?”

The rally is sponsored by the New Jersey Second Amendment Society, which is raising public awareness about Aitken’s plight. Their goal is to petition Gov. Chris Christie to grant clemency and release Aitken from prison before Christmas.

The rally begins at 2 p.m. at the American Legion Post 129 at 2025 Church Road in Tom’s River.

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

FINDLAY, OH – The case against eight Williams County, Ohio residents came to a close on November 10, 2010. A total of 31 deer related charges were filed, including one felony, in Williams and Fulton Counties. The total fines and costs were $5,241.00.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, on December 6, 2009, Williams County Wildlife Officer Tom Kochert responded to a spotlighting complaint and contacted Derek E. Meyers, age 23, and four Michigan residents. This spotlighting stop snowballed into a search warrant served in Fulton County at a hog composting pit where the remains of 12 untagged deer were discovered. This led to numerous interviews by Division of Wildlife Officers. 122 packages of deer meat, misc. deer parts, a .270 rifle, and a 12ga. shotgun were seized and forfeited to the Division of Wildlife.

As a result, eight individuals, six Ohio residents and two Michigan residents, were charged with a variety of third and fourth degree misdemeanors all related to deer hunting.

Derek E. Meyers, 23, of West Unity, was found guilty on each of 15 charges and fined $100.00 per charge plus court costs in Bryan Municipal Court, for a total of $2,048. His hunting rights were suspended for five years. The charges included deer tagging violations, deer checking violations, deer zone violations, deer over limit violations, hunting deer with a rifle, spotlighting, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, shooting from the road, crop damage permit violations, and purchasing a license without attending hunter course. Two of the charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Meyers was also found guilty and fined $100.00 plus $78.00 court costs in Fulton County Western District Court for possession of untagged deer parts. He was charged as well with one felony for possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle in Williams County Common Pleas Court. Meyers was placed into the diversion probation program. As part of his probation he is required to complete a hunter safety class and is required to speak at the class about his violations. No hunting is allowed during his probation and he is not to be around any hunting activity. Other conditions of his probation include, $360.00 court costs, 100 hours of community service, and he is not to possess or have under his control any firearms, bows, crossbows or muzzleloaders. All evidence seized was forfeited.

Philip E. Dunson, 29, of Jasper, MI, was found guilty on four charges in Bryan Municipal Court. His charges included falsified temporary deer permit, fail to check in a deer, and two counts of attempting to take more than one deer in Deer Zone A. He paid a total of $1,058.00 in fines and costs. He also lost his hunting privileges for 2 years. All evidence seized was forfeited.

Joey L. Pretzer, 30, of Chesterfield, MI was found guilty on two charges in Bryan Municipal Court. His charges were fail to tag and fail to check a deer. He paid a total of $529.00 in fines and court costs. He lost his hunting privileges for 1 year. All evidence seized was forfeited.

Steve R. Knecht, 22, of Montpelier, was found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of fail to tag and fail to check a deer. He paid a total of $568.00 in fines and costs. All evidence seized was forfeited.

Kyle W. Knecht, 25, of Helena, was found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of possession of untagged deer meat. He paid a total of $125.00 in fines and costs. All evidence seized was forfeited.

Kyle R. Miller, 19, of Montpelier, was all found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of purchasing a hunting license without attending a hunter education course. He paid a total of $125.00 in fines and costs.

Dave B. Barnum II, 35 of West Unity, was all found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of purchasing a hunting license without attending a hunter education course. He paid a total of $125.00 in fines and costs.

Jackie N. Meyers, 19, of West Unity, was all found guilty in Bryan Municipal Court of purchasing a hunting license without attending a hunter education course. He paid a total of $125.00 in fines and costs.

The Division of Wildlife was made aware of the activity through a tip. Anyone with knowledge of a wildlife violation is encouraged to call the TIP hotline at 1-800-POACHER. The caller can remain anonymous and all calls are confidential.

Every treestand hunter should own the patented Rescue One CDS™ by Mountaineer Sports, Revolutionizing Fall Protection.™ This unique full body harness contains a controlled descent system that enables the hunter to lower safely and easily to the ground in the event of a fall.

A secondary safety feature built into the Rescue One CDS™ is the suspension relief strap. Some full body harnesses do not include a suspension relief strap, or the hunter may discard the strap. This strap plays a vital role in keeping the hunter from succumbing to blood pooling and potential death from suspension trauma while hanging suspended in a harness. The Rescue One CDS has this strap built in, keeping it accessible in the event of a fall.

Keep your loved one safe in the treestand with the gift of a Rescue One CDS this Christmas.

For a video demonstration of the Rescue One CDS II™ and more information about avoiding suspension trauma and ways to stay safe in your harness visit www.rescueonecds.com or call 1-877-683-7678 or Email mountaineersports@live.com. Mountaineer Sports, Revolutionizing Fall Safety™

Contact: Dr. Norman Wood 1-877-683-7678 mountaineersports@live.com

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Muzzleloading season is underway and more and more Michigan deer hunters are enjoying its rewards. In the Southern Lower Peninsula (Zone III), the season runs from December 3 – 19 – a week longer than in years past. The Northern Lower Peninsula’s season (Zone II) is December 10 – 19, while the Upper Peninsula’s (Zone I) season covers December 10 – 19. Reasons for the increased favor of smokepoles are many but most of all, it boils down to effectiveness.

At the top of the list has to be the technological advances in modern muzzleloaders, propellants, and bullet choices. While traditionalists may look down their noses at the growing contingent of modern, in-line muzzleloaders, they are here to stay. The modern front-loading rifles pack more punch than their black-powder counterparts at longer ranges and do it with accuracy and simplicity – both elements of their popularity.

I don’t refer to the season as black powder season any more than I do to the rifles as black powder rifles. It’s muzzleloading season and it’s muzzleloaders! The black powder of yesteryear stinks, is filthy, fouls bores quickly and destroys them routinely with its sulfur content, if not thoroughly cleaned immediately after use. Is it any wonder that today’s muzzleloading enthusiasts opt for black powder substitutes that eliminate the inherent caustic properties of real black powder, or even Pyrodex? Move over Daniel Boone!

My personal smokepoles has been a Knight Revolution (no longer in production), which uses Remington shotgun-style 209 primers but are actually formulated specifically for muzzleloaders. It’s good to experiment with primers, because heat ranges differ, as do results. Same with powder. My current load is 140 grains of Hodgdon fff Triple 7, which pushes a 250-grain tipped Barnes bullet at a sizzling 2175 feet per second. This speed translates into trajectory of 3 inches high at 100 yards and is still in the 6-inch kill zone at 200 yards. That’s serious stuff with retained energy of 1240 foot pounds at 200 yards, too! And, accuracy rivals a decent centerfire rifle.

No accuracy buff uses pellets, which have become almost synonymous with today’s in-line muzzleloaders. Certainly, they are more convenient but consistency can be less than granular style powder. In addition, granular powder can be measured to any fractional level desired. With pellets, the shooter is stuck with increments of 30 to 50 grains. However, loading for hunting is only done once, so what’s the big attraction with pellets anyway?

Measuring granular powder, while bench testing is a bit slower, but speed loaders can assist reloading quickly afield. It’s important to watch the deer as long as you can after firing, then reload. Why should anyone reload? Simple. It should be a rule of thumb after firing afield, even if your deer appears to be down for the count. Many are lost because hunters didn’t reload, while the prize regains its senses and scurries off. Don’t be that guy!

Even though muzzleloader success last year was at 19 percent and only 6 percent of bucks were taken during the season, it’s still a great time to balance the doe to buck ratio by removing some of the does from the herd. Caution must be taken, however, to look for bucks that have already shed their antlers by paying careful attention to the top of deers’ heads. Antler nubs can still be seen with good optics and appear to square-off their heads, while does have rounded heads. Also, remember that button bucks (male fawns) often travel alone and have the telltale squared-off heads.

One of the best features of late-season hunting is that deer are not as jumpy and often present better opportunities. With the single-shot front loaders, hunters are urged to take their time and identify their target, because once that trigger is pulled, the bullet cannot be called back.

For box blind hunters that want an accuracy advantage, check out my blog post of November 25th, “A Tip for Box Blind Hunters” at http://thinkingafield.blogspot.com/2010/11/tip-for-box-blind-hunters.html. You can thank me later.

DNRE check staions indicate about a 15 percent increase in deer kills in the Upper Peninsula during the regular firearms deer season; however, based on the past 10 years, these figures are still below average.

LANSING (AP) — Gov.-elect Rick Snyder plans to re-split the departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources, returning them to separate agencies with their own directors.

Snyder will formally announce the change during this afternoon’s news conference. He also plans to introduce the new directors.

Former agriculture director Don Wyant will become DEQ director, while DNR Science and Policy Office Chief Rodney Stokes will become DNR director. The current director of both departments, Rebecca Humphries, is leaving to work for Ducks Unlimited.

The new agriculture director will be Keith Creagh, a former deputy director who just retired.

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm put state regulation of natural resources and the environment into one department under a 2009 executive order. Republican Gov. John Engler separated the duties into two agencies in 1995.

GW: EOTech’s innovative sighting systems have been around for a long time and at one time were sold under the Bushnell brand: HoloSight. However, Bushnell and EOTech have parted ways. I have used one of EOTech’s HoloSight optics on a custom SSK Industries .45-70 Contender for many years and love the system. The brutal force of the hard-kicking .45-70 custom loads I feed the Contender never upset the zero – and, when I say hard-kicking, I mean over double the force of the “wimpy” .44 Magnum. J.D. Jones, founder of SSK Industries, was correct when he said of his handcannon: “You’ve got a tiger by the tail.”

What makes the sight better than the dimestore red dots is that it works in low light situations – those critical to big game hunters. Cheap red dots, on the other hand, reflect the red light back into the user’s eyes when it starts to get dark, rendering the optics completely useless. In addition, cheap red dots subtend a larger portion, if not all, of long-range targets. Not so with EOTech’s adjustable dot.

Congratulations to a fine Michigan-based company for the military contract!

ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN – L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced today that the EOTech division has been awarded a $25 million firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ), non-competitive follow-on contract to provide its miniature day/night optical sighting systems in support of the U.S. Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM) Weapons Accessories Program. Production of the units will be performed at the EOTech facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“L-3 EOTech offers the only state-of-the-art holographic weapon sights available and fielded for the military market. We are proud to supply the military with innovative technology that provides our warfighters with both increased accuracy and situational awareness,” said Paul Mangano, president of EOTech.

EOTech’s unique holographic weapon sighting system is based on the same target acquisition technology used on aircraft. When viewed through a holographic sight, the soldier will perceive the reticle on the same plane as the target, eliminating critical sighting time and allowing the operator to instantly engage a target. This complex holographic sighting technology is currently only available in EOTech products.

In support of the Weapons Accessories Program, the L-3 EOTech line of sighting systems offers operators faster and more precise target acquisition capabilities when used with the small arms weapons platforms, as well as other individual and crew-served weapons. EOTech sights significantly improve the effectiveness of launchers by providing faster and more accurate targeting abilities through advanced holographic technology.

L-3 EOTech is the exclusive manufacturer and world leader of holographic sighting systems for small arms and is dedicated to continually producing high-quality, battle-tested products for U.S. servicemen and women. The sights are manufactured and distributed worldwide from the headquarters located in Ann Arbor, Mich. These advanced technology sights are used extensively by elite military groups, federal law enforcement, as well as state and local law enforcement organizations. To learn more about L-3 EOTech, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com/eotech.

Bogart, Ga. – Trail-cameras are now one of the hottest-selling items in the hunting industry, but few hunters have unleashed their scouting camera’s full potential for advanced deer management and hunting. The non-profit Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) has published a book that links science with scouting, allowing trail-cameras users to expose new dimensions of whitetail behavior and population dynamics.

“Deer Cameras: The Science of Scouting” is a 242-page, full-color book with 12 chapters written by several of the nation’s top experts in deer management and illustrated with more than 300 trail-camera photos submitted by QDMA members.

A Dream Team of Authors
QDMA selected more than a dozen different contributors who specialize in using trail-cameras for management, research and hunting. They include wildlife biologists, wildlife consultants and a professional wildlife photographer.

Tracking Mature Bucks
QDMA’s “Deer Cameras” contains two dedicated chapters that teach you how to photograph elusive mature bucks. You’ll learn to predict their seasonal movements using the latest scientific knowledge about home ranges and core areas. Then, use the book’s recommended setup techniques to photograph and track mature bucks to enhance hunting success.

The Most Comprehensive Guidance on Trail-Camera Surveys
Trail-camera surveys are simply the most powerful deer management tool you can use that doesn’t require professional assistance. Surveys can reveal deer density, sex ratios, age structure of bucks, and even the impact of predators on fawn recruitment. QDMA’s “Deer Cameras” covers this method like no other source, with four dedicated chapters that take you all the way through interpreting results and applying them to your deer management decisions and hunting strategies.

Get the Most From Your Trail-Cameras
Learn how to choose the right trail-camera for your goals, how to capture the highest-quality photographs, and how to monitor other wildlife beyond whitetails. Additionally, learn stealthy setups for monitoring human intruders without cameras being discovered. Special sections even show you how to build your own “homebrew” trail-camera, and a four-page photo gallery helps you diagnose deer oddities you might see.

Like “Quality Food Plots,” QDMA’s first book, “Deer Cameras: The Science of Scouting” is heavy on photos, diagrams and charts to help illustrate key concepts.

“Deer Cameras: The Science of Scouting” is available for $24.95 plus S/H. To order, visit www.QDMA.com or call (800) 209-3337.

Deer Cameras: The Science of Scouting
• $24.95
• Soft cover
• 242 pages
• Full color
• Produced by QDMA, printed in U.S.A.
• 12 chapters
• 12 different contributing authors
• More than 300 trail-camera photos taken by QDMA members, plus nearly 100 additional support photos.

About QDMA
Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with 50,000 members in all 50 states and Canada, and several foreign countries. Membership in QDMA is open to anyone interested in better deer and better deer hunting, and committed to ethical hunting, sound deer management and the preservation of the deer-hunting heritage. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com.

Contact: Lindsay Thomas Jr.
800-209-3337 or lthomas@qdma.com