Harvey and Irma Damage or Destroy More Than 63,000 Recreational Boats

“It could have been much worse”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters, estimates that more than 63,000 recreational boats were damaged or destroyed as a result of both Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, with a combined dollar damage estimate of $655 million (boats only). These numbers are strikingly close to 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, which remains the single-largest industry loss with more than 65,000 boats damaged and more than $650 million in estimated losses.

Breaking down the 2017 season storms, Hurricane Irma damaged or destroyed 50,000 vessels with approximately $500 million in recreational boat damage. About 13,500 boats were damaged or lost costing $155 million in boat damage as the result of Hurricane Harvey. Read more

Fishing

Hi-Lux Introduces New Rifle Scope for Precision Long Range Matches

Specifically designed for the long-range precision shooting matches, the High-Lux Phenom 5-30X is a first focal plane scope featuring the illuminated CW-3 reticle. Designed with the feedback and insight of professional competitive shooters and military-trained marksmen, the CW-3 is a mil radian-based reticle that enables quick ranging and holdovers. Available in both red and green illumination, the CW-3 is a first focal plane reticle – accurate at every magnification setting and allows the shooter to visibly trace the bullet’s path down range. Read more
Optics

New Model 686 and 686 Plus Revolvers Join Performance Center® Brand of Firearms

New Model 686 and 686 Plus Revolvers are Purpose-Built for Competition

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Smith & Wesson Corp. announced today the launch of two new Performance Center revolvers, the Model 686 and Model 686 Plus, to the company’s line of competition firearms. The new Model 686 and 686 Plus revolvers feature premium Performance Center enhancements for a competition-ready package, such as a speed release thumbpiece for quick reloads, interchangeable sights, and a Performance Center tuned action.

Tony Miele, General Manager of the Performance Center, said, “When we began designing these revolvers, we wanted to develop an out-of-the-box solution for those seeking a revolver for competition shooting. Equipped with a speed release thumbpiece, tuned action, and unique visual appearance, these new revolvers have attractive features for bothnew and seasoned competitive shooters. The new Performance Center Model 686 and 686 Plus feature Performance Center enhancements that provide an excellent foundation for shooters looking to customize and gain a competitive edge in the shooting sports, or for those who are new to the sport and looking for an excellent competition-ready value.”

The new Performance Center Model 686 and 686 Plus revolvers feature a stainless steel frame, cylinder, and barrelwith a matte silver finish. Built for competition, these revolvers include a Performance Center speed release, interchangeable orange front sight, and a Performance Center tuned action. These revolvers also feature a unique visual design, including an unfluted cylinder, vented ribbed barrel, and a chromed custom teardrop hammer.

Chambered in .357 Magnum and .38 S&W Special +P, the new Performance Center Model 686 revolver is equipped with a 6 round cylinder and 4-inch barrel, while the Performance Center Model 686 Plus revolver features a 7 round cylinder, 5-inch barrel and features a cylinder cut for moon clips. Both Performance Center Model 686 and 686 Plus have an MSRP of $966. Read more

Firearms

The Prime Centergy X1 Target Bow


The Prime Centergy X1 Target Bow:
Unrivaled tunability in a true center-grip bowMemphis, Michigan —Prime Archery®, by G5® Outdoors—the leading manufacturer of premium technologically advanced archery equipment, is proud to introduce the X1 series of Prime compound bows. Designed as a premium competition bow and available in 36″ and 39″ axle to axle options, the X1 bows feature the superior performance of a true center-grip bow with tunability that is unmatched.

The superior performance of the X1 is achieved via three key technologies:

True Center Grip Riser Design. The center grip design creates a more stable platform to aim from while under load. The riser is balanced with an equal amount of the bow below your grip and an equal amount above the grip, delivers significantly reduced pin movement at full draw – resulting in a better aiming bow. Read more

Archery

SAF: Second Amendment Enabled Armed Citizen to Intervene in Texas

BELLEVUE, WA – For the third time, a legally-armed private citizen has intervened in a church shooting, once again underscoring the importance of the right to keep and bear arms, the Second Amendment Foundation said today.

Sunday’s tragic mass shooting might have been even worse, according to some officials, had not an armed “good Samaritan” fired at mass shooter Devin Patrick Kelley. It was that exchange of gunfire that caused the killer to flee Sutherland Springs with the armed citizen and another man in pursuit, eventually veering off the highway, where he apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“What happened Sunday in Sutherland Springs once again demonstrates that armed, law-abiding Americans will step forward when the need arises to defend their neighbors and their communities,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “This is not the first time an armed citizen has engaged in a heroic act at a church. Read more

Gun Control

BirdSpotter Photo Contest: Give Us Your Best Shot

Grab your camera and your keyboard and submit your photos and bird-watching stories to the BirdSpotter contest run by Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Ithaca, N.Y.–As the temperature falls with the autumn leaves, birds begin flocking to their favorite backyard feeders. Grab your camera and your keyboard and submit your photos and bird-watching stories to the BirdSpotter contest run by Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This year marks the 31st season for the citizen-science project, which collects observations about feeder birds from November through early April. Wild Birds Unlimited is sponsoring the current FeederWatch season and the BirdSpotter contest. Anyone can participate in the photo contest, whether they are a FeederWatch participant or not.

The 16-week contest opens on November 6 with the photo category “Birds with Food or at the Feeder.” Every two weeks the photo category changes. Check the contest website for the category schedule. Winners in each of eight categories will be chosen through public voting (People’s Choice) on the FeederWatch website and by internal judges (Judges’ Choice). Bi-weekly winners will receive Wild Birds Unlimited gift cards plus other prizes from the Cornell Lab, such as the All About Backyard Birds book and a tote bag. Read more

Wildlife

HSUS Execs Live High on the Hog

According to its tax return, last year the Humane Society of the United States spent about 50 percent of the money it raised simply trying to raise more money. It’s a case of “factory fundraising”: A charity that cares more about its bottom line than its mission. And with the amount of money its executives make from this scheme—and the houses it affords them—it’s no wonder.

HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle has taken center stage in HSUS ads begging for cash. “63 cents [a day] can make all the difference to an animal, like this little guy,” he says, petting a dog. It can also make a difference to Pacelle’s bank account. Pacelle pulled in $411,000 last year. On top of that, he apparently got to travel around the country promoting his poorly performing book—which he personally profited from—on HSUS’s dime.

Some others:
Mike Markarian, Chief Operation Officer: $251,945
Tom Waite, CFO: $244,547
Andrew Rowan, CIO: $235,319
Betsy Liley, CDO: $222,242
Judith Reed, VP Human Capital: $224,682
In total, 44 staffers at HSUS earned over $100,000 a year in compensation.

Pacelle recently purchased a house for $1.1 million in cash in Chevy Chase, Md., just inside the Capital Beltway. Another exec lives in a $1.7 million estate in Potomac, Md., the most affluent town in America, with another exec in Potomac owning a home valued at close to $1 million. Another has a $1.4 million mansion in Falls Church, Va.
Who says nonprofit work can’t be lucrative? Unfortunately, it comes at a cost: Less money available for the animals.

Animal Rights

Sighting In Checklist

By Glen Wunderlich

With the possible exception of experience, nothing can prepare a person for the rush of adrenaline a hunter may feel when an opportunity to take a whitetail deer is at hand.  Recalling an incident in a treestand with a bow years ago, I realized I was out of business when the shivers hit me.  Call it buck fever or what you will; it happens.

However, missed shots can have many root causes and often they can be traced to the mounting system of optics.  As an example, a friend described how he had purchased a new slug gun, mounted a scope and headed to the practice range to sight it in.  Box after box of slugs were shot and each group resembled a 40-yard shotgun pattern, rather than any kind of group.  The culprit was a loose scope base, which had been poorly installed at the factory.  Check them and tighten to 35 inch-pounds.

If all is well, check the screws that hold the scope to the base.  Then move on to the screws that secure the scope in the rings.  In John Barsness’ book, Modern Hunting Optics, the author states that an awful lot of ring marks and bad scopes can be blamed on screwdriver crunching, or as he aptly puts it, “farmer tight.”  Modern hunting scopes are slightly flexible along the main tube, and it’s because of this that only 20 to 28 inch-pounds of torque are necessary.  The flex in the tube results in pressure against the rings and that will hold them securely in place under recoil.

If you were a good scout and cleaned your firearm after last season, congratulations!  But, before heading to the range, you’ll want to run a clean patch through the bore to remove any residual oil or grease and to ensure there are no barrel obstructions.

Even if you’ve not changed any scope settings on the gun, it’s still a good idea to check its zero.  If your ammo stock is low, now is a good time to get a new supply.  Just make sure to get more than one box of the same lot numbers in the event the sighting-in process burns up more ammo than you thought it would.  Do not trust that your old ammo will shoot to the same point of aim as new ammo.  Also, do not mix different brands or different weight bullets, because they probably will shoot differently.

When you finish sighting in, leave the firearm uncleaned in the bore.  Cleaning it before hunting, can change the point of impact, which defeats the purpose of sighting in.  After the season, give it a thorough cleaning.

Practicing at the range has another distinct advantage:  familiarity with the gun.  Most deer guns are single-purpose tools in that they are used very little in the course of a year.  Many opportunities are blown afield because a hunter fumbled around for the safety.

In summary, stock up on some ammo and gain the confidence that only hands-on experience can provide.

Firearms

NovX Ammunition Distributed through MidwayUSA

November 2017 – NovX is now being distributed by one of the largest online retailers in the firearms industry, MidwayUSA. NovX offers the consumer a bullet that has the firepower of a .45 packed in a 9mm round.

NovX ammunition combines two innovative technologies by marrying the intellectual properties of a polymer/copper ARX® bullet with the Shell Shock Technologies™ (SST) stainless steel casing and aluminum primer base, operating on the principle of Aero and Fluid Dynamics, not hydrostatic shock or mushrooming. The NovX technology is replacing old-world brass with a stronger, lighter and more consistent cartridge, creating possibly the most accurate defensive handgun ammunition on the market. Read more

Ammunition

New Textron Off Road Havoc™ Side-by-Side


Havoc Powers Up the Fun With 100HP, Class-Leading Suspension SystemAUGUSTA, GA — Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, continues to expand its Textron Off Road brand by creating Havoc, a new side-by-side for riders who want to push the limits of adventure on the trails and get hard work done around the homestead.

Leveraging Textron’s vast resources and built with precision engineering, Havoc delivers power and performance with its 100HP EFI engine and a class-leading suspension system with 2.5-inch King Piggyback Reservoir Shocks, 12.8-inch front and 12.9-inch rear suspension travel and 13 inches of ground clearance. Coupled with a class-leading 2,000-lb towing capacity and 600-lb dump bed, Havoc has the muscle to handle the toughest jobs.

“Bottom line, our new Havoc side-by-side is designed for work and play, and allows you to have more fun while driving off road, whether you’re getting after it on the trails, doing chores on the farm or ranch, or going on a hunt,” said John Collins, Vice President, Consumer for Textron Specialized Vehicles. “As a Textron Off Road vehicle, Havoc is a dynamic new addition to the Textron family of advanced machines for adventurers and workers all over the world.” Read more

General
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