Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Why use silencers on your firearms? Once they fire a silencer-equipped firearm, and realize how much better the shooting experience is, the real question most shooters ask is: why haven’t I been using a silencer all along?
Guns don’t have to be loud. And with silencer-equipped guns, plinking, hunting, home defense and competition shooting are all made better. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
The .50 Caliber World Championships held July 2-4 at NRA’s Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico included an event in which Scott McRee was looking forward to: The King of Two Miles. As co-owner of Mcrees Precision (www.mcreesprecision.net), makers of precision long-range rifles, Scott wanted to test his skills with one of his custom .300 Winchester Magnum Remington model 700 rifles.
As it turned out, Scott was chosen to be the first shooter – a guinea pig in his words – allowing other competitors to modify their game plans. Let’s just say Scott didn’t win this one.
However, he was offered an opportunity to compete in the Rookie Class of the .50-caliber competition and qualified by never having shot the massive 770-grain round in competition; in fact, Scott had never shot a .50 caliber firearm in his life!
As a 55 year-old man, Scott never thought of himself as a rookie. After all, he began shooting at the age of 7 years with a single-shot rifle handed down to him by his father. With Scott’s military career in combat search and rescue with the Navy and later command of the F/A-18 Hornet, Scott seemed over-qualified for any rookie moniker. But, rules are rules.
One problem though: Scott had no .50 caliber weapon. When word got around, one unselfish competitor provided half a gun and another shooter the other half. Scott got busy with a tool kit from his van while others had already begun shooting. Then, Randy Powell, owner of Thunder Ammo donated some custom ammo. Although totally overwhelmed at the chance, Scott didn’t know what to expect and thought to himself it would either be a broken collar bone or a lot of fun.
He didn’t break any bones, although shooting the 50-pound behemoth kept slamming the 160-pound novice right off his shooting mat with each pull of the trigger for the first three matches. By day two, Scott borrowed a shooting mat with canvas stirrups to secure his boots and staked the mat to the ground. Game on!
Even though Scott thought he was doing poorly, he was merely trying not to make mistakes. Then equipment issues surfaced on the first day when his muzzle break came loose and at the end of first day his extractor claw broke – both of which he had to repair. He had been told he was doing great but his insides were utter turmoil.
Scott shot with Team Thunder Ammo 1 and kept pace with his three teammates to take the Team World Championship title. But, here’s a peculiar twist to the tale: This winning team had been a man short and had placed Scott on their team without his knowledge! 
Imagine Scott’s state of mind when winners of the awards were announced at the banquet following the events. He also earned the coveted Rookie of the Year Award, placed second in the Hunter Class for Score and 5th in the Hunter Class for Group. All in all, “rookie,” Scott McRee, came home with four awards.
When asked about his surprising performance, Scott stated that it came down to recoil management and shooting positions – all principles of good marksmanship Scott had learned shooting smaller firearms over the years.
When asked if he would compete again, Scott’s response was, “Oh, yes I am.”
Next week will be a behind-the-scenes perspective on McRees Precision and how the firm goes above and beyond the call of duty to support our troops.
SUFFIELD, CT- Savage Arms™ has issued a recall notice on B.MAG rifle bolts (17 WSM) after discovering that the bolt on some B.MAG rifles may inadvertently catch the safety button and slide it forward into the “fire” position. Savage has received no reports of accidents due to this condition and has identified a simple bolt handle and cap retrofit, which is available free of charge.
To avoid possible unintentional discharge or injury, Savage Arms has asked that consumers not use their B.MAG rifle until the bolt has been retrofitted. The company has established a dedicated website (http://www.savagearms.com/recall/bmagbolt/) and hotline (844-784-3301, Monday through Friday 8 am to 10 pm EDT) for consumers to identify the affected firearm, file a claim and receive a free retrofit kit. The kit includes simple, step-by-step instructions to replace the bolt handle and cap. Only B.MAG rifles with a serial number below J800928 are included in this recall. No other Savage firearms are affected by this condition.
Accokeek, MD, August 24, 2015 – Just in time for waterfowl season, purchase a new Beretta A400 Xtreme by October 31 and you’ll can get a free Tactacam camera to mount on the gun barrel.
The Tactacam camera, valued at $289, both records video and captures stills. It is Facebook and YouTube ready so you can share your most brag-worthy shots with hunting buddies who aren’t there to see for them selves. Read more
FAIRFAX, VA– If you’ve been participating in shotgun sports for much of your life, proper target acquisition and follow through are by now second nature. So what happens when a predominantly rifle and pistol shooter finally takes to the clays course? Find out as American Rifleman Managing Editor Joe Kurtenbach heads to the range after getting some expert shotgun lessons at Nilo Farms during his recent visit to Winchester.
Later we’ll review the Smith & Wesson M&P C.O.R.E.—the Competition Optics Ready Equipment version of the M&P; and “I Have This Old Gun” is the FN FAL, one of the greatest infantry rifles ever designed.
Watch a preview here: http://bit.ly/ARTVAUG19_15
And you asked for it: Many more of American Rifleman TV’s “I Have This Old Gun…” and other segments from past seasons have now been uploaded to AmericanRifleman.org. Find them at AmericanRifleman.org/Videos. Read more
Like to own a Weatherby® Mark V® Arroyo™ RC rifle, with a hand-laminated Monte Carlo composite stock and done up in KUIU® Vias camo? Plus enough gear for years of hunting adventures?
All it takes is a quick and easy entry at KUIU’s Ultimate Western Hunting Package contest at: giveaway.kuiu.com. Nothing to purchase, and sponsored by Petersen’s Hunting, camo-maker KUIU, Weatherby, and Cogburn. Read more
PRESCOTT, Ariz.- Davidson’s is now offering an exclusive line of SCCY Blue (turquoise) pistols. The four new Davidson’s Exclusives are the SCCY CPX-1-CBSB and CPX-2-CBSB along with the two-tone stainless slide versions of each, the CPX-1-TTSB and CPX-2-TTSB.
“The SCCY Blue pistol is the newest color option to hit the shelves at Davidson’s. This very unique color option presented on the reliable, affordable SCCY pistol design is going to be a fast mover for us,” stated Vice President of Sales at Davidson’s, Matt Nicholson. Read more
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (August 17, 2015) – Colt, the firearms industry leader and original producer of both the M16 rifle and M4 carbine for the US Government, has once again partnered with accessory manufacturer Magpul to offer an upgrade to Colt’s popular Magpul Edition series of carbines.
Featuring Magpul’s exciting new MOE Slim Line furniture in your choice of Black or Flat Dark Earth, the LE6920MPS comes equipped with Magpul’s new narrow design MOE SL parts including the handguard which has M-LOK™ mounting slots at the two, six, and ten o’clock positions, the buttstock which features anti-snag dual-side release latch, and the aggressively textured grip. Other accessories include a Magpul M-LOK vertical grip, MOE trigger guard, Magpul MBUS Gen 2 flip-up rear sight and a PMAG® 30 round magazine. Read more
Henderson, NV – If you’re a proud owner of a 1911 Government Model autoloader and you’re considering a new set of grip panels, Hogue Incorporated cordially invites you to take it the next level with one of their Magrip Kits (http://www.hogueinc.com/search.php?q=magrip&x=0&y=0).
Each kit includes two extended grip panels and a matching mainspring housing. “Once installed, a Magrip Kit integrates a magwell into your 1911 grips.” said Pat Hogue. “That makes for quicker, easier magazine changes – a must have in competition. Plus, it’s a great way to unify the look and feel of one of America’s most popular sidearms.” Read more
An interesting piece by Frank Miniter on the rationale for stun guns and Tasers in place of, or in addition to, handguns is here…