Winchester Ammunition Launches New Web Site, Enhanced Ballistics Calculator

EAST ALTON, Ill. June 25, 2018 – Winchester Ammunition announces the launch of the new Winchester.com, its most dynamic digital platform in the brand’s history. The new website is fully loaded with enhanced technologies and functionality and also features an enhanced ballistics calculator and redesignedgear store.

“We have made it a major priority to be a leader in the digital space, which is a major investment worth making,” said Matt Campbell, vice president of sales and marketing. “One of our core values at Winchester is a belief that success comes from continuous improvement and innovation.  Whether it’s finding creative new ways to serve our customers, designing cutting-edge new ammunition products or in this case, providing the very best digital resources possible; innovation is a driving force behind all we do.”

The new website will feature an enhanced Ballistics Calculator and Pattern Board™ app, as well as volumes of rich content that is second to none in providing customers with the very best experience when learning about the Winchester brand and products. Read more

Mulberries from Chestnut Hill Outdoors

It’s June. Newborn fawns are putting tremendous nutritional stress on nursing mothers. Meanwhile, antler growth rates have kicked into overdrive and rapidly growing wild turkey poults, not to mention the dozens of other bird species, are scouring the landscape searching for food.

One of the best ways to attract and hold more wildlife on your land, including deer, turkeys and a host of other wildlife species, is by providing the proper amount and type of natural food to meet their year-round nutritional needs. Food plots are one way, but you can widen the window of attractiveness significantly by establishing mast orchards.

Planting a perennial summer fruit plot of mulberries from Chestnut Hill Outdoors is a great way to fill potential nutritional gaps that are occurring right now. Mulberries are the very first soft mast shrub to fruit in spring, providing ripe fruit as early as April and May in the deep south and early June further north. Read more

Operation Dry Water Emphasized for Michigan Boaters

As the July 4th holiday nears, DNR conservation officers will focus on keeping boaters safe through heightened awareness and enforcement of “boating under the influence” laws.

It’s part of the Operation Dry Water campaign, June 29-July 1, in coordination with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the U.S. Coast Guard and other partners. The annual campaign starts before the holiday weekend, when more boaters take to the water and alcohol use increases.

“The best way to safely enjoy a day on the water is to avoid alcohol,” said Lt. Tom Wanless, Michigan’s boating law administrator. “Using alcohol impairs reaction time, balance and judgment. Please don’t put yourself and others at risk. Be smart and stay sober when boating.” Read more

Coast Guard Reminds Boaters of Hypothermia Danger on Great Lakes

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard is reminding mariners of the Great Lakes, Saturday, on the dangers of cold water.

The Coast Guard considers water temperatures less than 77 degrees to be cold and capable of quickly causing hypothermia.

In addition to wearing a lifejacket, the Coast Guard strongly recommends dressing for the water temperature and not the air temperature.

The maritime environment can be dangerously unpredictable and can lead to unexpected entry into the water. Unexpected entry into cold water can trigger a sympathetic gasp reflex, causing the inhalation of water and lead to drowning.

Regardless of the water temperature, it is important for mariners to file a float plan as well. It is as easy as telling a trusted, shoreside source, where you plan to go, how long you think you’ll be there and when you expect to return. Having a point to start a search from can make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful rescue.

Lake Michigan: 59 degrees, Lake Superior: 38 degrees, Lake Huron: 39-44 degrees, Lake Erie: 65-70 degrees, Lake Ontario: 54 degrees.

Current lake temperatures and forecasts can be found at NOAA.gov

Thompson Auto-Ordnance Offers 1911 in 9mm

(Greeley, PA) – Thompson Auto-Ordnance, maker of the famous “Tommy Gun” and other classic firearms throughout history, is excited to introduce the new 9mm 1911 pistol.

The 1911 pistol is the iconic American Military handgun, serving members of the United States Armed Forces for over 100 years. Its dependability and stopping power are legendary, in no small measure demonstrated by the fact that many shooters today select it as their primary form of self defense. Auto-Ordnance furthers that tradition of excellence by offering GI model guns based on the original military model 1911s. Auto-Ordnance 1911s are manufactured using modern equipment to exacting engineering standards, and are equipped with the best barrels available to ensure both superb reliability and accuracy. These pistols provide shooters with an opportunity to own and shoot one of the most legendary firearms of America’s military history!

For the first time, Auto-Ordnance is now offering the 1911 in 9mm. In response to growing interest and customer demands, Auto-Ordnance developed the new product and first introduced it at the 2018 SHOT Show. The 9mm 1911 features the classic GI Model 1911 look. It has brown checkered plastic grips, a 5″ barrel and 9-round magazine. MSRP for the 9mm 1911 (1911BK09) is $673. Auto-Ordnance also has plans to explore a compact model in the future with a 4.25″ barrel. Continue following Auto-Ordnance on social media for more news and updates. Read more

Historic Vehicles, Amputee Skydiver Headlines CMP’s 2018 Nationals

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer
CAMP PERRY, Ohio – The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is proud to announce the lineup for the 2018 First Shot Ceremony, set to take place Monday, July 9, at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility, near Port Clinton, Ohio. The ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. on the base’s Rodriguez Range and is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome to come and witness the parade of historical vehicles, aircraft and pyrotechnics that pay homage to history while also spectacularly initiating the 2018 National Matches season.
The First Shot Ceremony serves as a greeting event for guests, participants, volunteers and staff conducting the 2018 National Matches at Camp Perry, which feature the finest pistol and rifle shooters in America.
Firing the ceremonial First Shot down Rodriguez Range will be Maj. Gen. Clark W. LeMasters, Jr. – Commanding General of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command and the Senior Commander of TACOM Life Cycle Management Command, U.S. Army Garrison-Detroit Arsenal, Mich. The First Shot marks the official start of the National Matches.
The National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches have assembled talented marksmen and women at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility since 1907. The first CMP National Matches of the 2018 season will fire on July 14, beginning with the pistol competitions, and will conclude on August 8, following CMP’s new Long Range matches. Several other pistol, rifle and air gun competitions and clinics are scheduled throughout the National Matches to accommodate the thousands of visitors expected to participate in the annual event.

Federal Appeals Panel Upholds NYC Gravity Knife Arrests

On Friday a three judge panel of The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. in Knife Rights’ long-running federal civil rights case challenging the City’s policy of treating any locking blade folding knife that can be “flicked” open as a prohibited gravity knife. Knife Rights intends to petition for review of this erroneous decision by the full Court — a process known as en banc review.

In a 45 page decision, the Court failed to focus on the essential constitutional problem with the law — that is, the total inability for anyone to ever determine if a knife they wish to possess is legal. Like the trial court, the Court of Appeals mistakenly focused on the past instead of the key Constitutional Due Process problem faced by folks any time they wish to choose a knife to lawfully possess in the present.

The Court found that the law had, at least once in 2010, been constitutionally applied to Plaintiff Native Leather and that therefore the entire lawsuit had to fail. The Court found that Native Leather did not show that in 2010 its knives responded inconsistently to the wrist flick test and therefore it did not show that that particular application of the law was vague.  But, this approach fundamentally misunderstands the key argument. Read more

Choosing a Michigan Deer Hunting Optic

By Glen Wunderlich

Choosing a deer hunting rifle scope can be a daunting proposition.  To simplify matters, let’s begin with some basics designed to determine what’s best for the task of a typical Michigan hunt.  For purposes of clarity, the focus will be on magnifying optics, rather than crude iron sights or red dots, although both of the latter can be effective under the proper conditions.

 

As we age, our eyesight demands better optics.  Younger people have the advantage of possessing larger pupils – the black circle in the middle of the eye that lets light in through an optic nerve to the brain.  However, at the age of 60, light gathering is a bit more than half as much as that of a 30 year-old; by age 70 it’s less than half.  And, when we think of prime-time deer hunting – when deer are most active – it occurs when light is less than optimal.  This is when the decision to get a bargain at the local Cheap Mart may prove to have the costly unintended consequence of being out of business early.

 

A big objective lens – the lens at the forward end of a scope – can really help a youngster who’s able to use the available light it affords.  But, the old-timer’s light gathering ability is limited by his smaller pupil and thereby gains no advantage.  His money is spent more wisely on better glass and coatings.

 

Often overlooked disadvantages of large objective lenses include the sheer size and weight, plus the center of the reticle requires higher mounting, which in turn becomes problematic for several reasons. 

 

First, having a scope mounted higher will cause the shooter’s cheek to be uncomfortably higher on the comb of the gun.   This may seem relatively inconsequential, but if positioning is unnatural, it can be harder to get aligned.  Secondly, a high line of sight relative to the bore can mean accuracy issues, when a shot is taken at distances unequal to that for which the firearm was sighted in.

 

Target scopes with parallax adjusting capabilities and fine crosshairs may allow a shooter to show off when punching paper at the range; however, a deer hunter’s needs are different.  Low light can mean those fine crosshairs will not be visible, when heavier crosshairs will still be effective afield.  One may not be able to shoot the wings off flies, but deer hunting is the task at hand and the proper optic will pay dividends when the chips are down.

 

Higher magnification may seem to make sense, but it too can be problematic – especially when a close-up opportunity is presented; compromising field of view can mean lost game.  It’s a common problem and completely avoidable with the proper equipment.  If we understand a critical rule of safe gun handling, then we know not to use a firearm’s optic to identify a target.  That’s the purpose of binoculars!

A hunting scope with lower magnification and superior glass is better suited for Michigan’s whitetail deer.  Good glass can be a fair trade-off for complicated features that can hinder effectiveness afield.  Simplicity has its rewards.

Michigan: first case of chronic wasting disease suspected in Jackson County

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced today that a 3-year-old doe in Spring Arbor Township (Jackson County) is suspected positive for chronic wasting disease. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.

Earlier this month, landowners in Jackson County contacted the DNR after a very ill-looking deer died on their property. DNR staff examined the deer to determine the cause of death and submitted tissue samples to Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. After initial tests were positive for CWD, samples were forwarded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation. The DNR is awaiting those results. Read more

European Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Boats Take Effect Today

On Wednesday, The European Commission formally approved 25 percent tariffs on a range of American products, including boats, in response to the Trump Administration’s Section 232 tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports. A 25 percent tariff will be applied to every boat destined for the EU.

The global trade war has intensified in the past few weeks and the recreational boating industry is being targeted on multiple fronts. To help the industry keep pace with this rapidly evolving situation, NMMA has released a frequent asked questions factsheet outlining and addressing these issues:https://www.nmma.org/assets/cabinets/Cabinet517/FAQ%20Sheet_Tariffs%20and%20Retaliation.pdf 

In addition, NMMA recently issued a Boating United alert, calling on all industry stakeholders to take action and tell President Trump to withdraw tariffs targeting boats. Read more

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