The President's rifle comes with the usual Roosevelt bells and whistles — the crescent buttplate, no raised check piece, as well as a little something extra; a threaded barrel. Yes, you guessed it, Roosevelt's '94 Winchester comes with it's very own suppressor.
This was the rifle that Roosevelt used to clear the estate of varmints. While this might generate a shrug on your end, please note that the estate was on the North Shore of Long Island. There's little doubt that his neighbors (the Duponts, the Tiffanys, etc...) failed to appreciate the crack of gunfire on a weekday afternoon. So, in consideration of the neighbor's piece of mind, Teddy took care of the problem as quietly as possible.
The 1894 Winchester lever-action, designed by John Browning, was the first commercial repeater created for smokeless powder. Primarily chambered for the .30-30 Winchester cartridge, there were more than 7,000,000 of the rifles manufactured throughout the years.
For more on Roosevelt's Winchester, tune in tonight as National Firearms Museum Senior Curator Phil Schreier joins John Popp at 10:40 eastern time on NRANews.com and Sirius/XM's Patriot Channel.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — In showcasing the U.S. Army and the very best of Army Soldier skills, Soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit are expected to win regardless of the competition around them. Since joining the unit in 2006, Staff Sgt. Daniel Horner has embodied that notion and worn it on his sleeve.
Horner is a member of the unit’s Action Shooting team and in the sport of Multi-gun shooting there is Horner and then there is everybody else. Horner recently won his fourth consecutive United States Practical Shooting Association Multi-gun National Championship in Las Vegas and his fifth overall.
“A champion expects to win every match,” said Horner. “A winner goes to compete and see how it turns out. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he doesn’t. A champion goes to a match and tells everybody to start engraving the trophy, because it’s mine.”
Shooting was in Horner’s blood from the very beginning, being handed a hunting rifle by his father at the age of six and competing in his first action pistol match at the age of 12. The Suffolk, Va. native saw the sport of Multi-gun shooting taking off and gave it a try.
“I went out to a match with some friends and it was a lot more fun than straight pistol competition,” he said “We saw it as a very fast-growing sport so we kind of envisioned it as the best way to go for the future.”
He won a few pistol championships and some of the bigger multi-gun matches around the country. Then in 2006 Horner enlisted in the Army and became a member of the USAMU.
“The whole lifestyle at the unit is positive,” Horner said. “The resources here make it much easier and the team helps me more than anything. They watch me and I can compete against top-quality shooters on a daily basis instead of going out and shooting by myself not really knowing how I did.”
A year after joining the Army, Horner won the first of his five national titles. In fact, he has won the title every year since enlisting except for one year when he didn’t compete due to the demanding Army Soldier of the Year process after winning TRADOC Soldier of the Year.
“Our champions are Soldiers first and members of the U.S. Army, the greatest team on Earth,” said Lt. Col. Dan Hodne, USAMU commander. “Our Army expects our Soldiers to be the absolute best – always. Winning is what champions do, without having to be told to do so.”
Excellence on the range has enabled Horner and his teammates to thrive when it comes to instructing other Soldiers in marksmanship proficiency. Soldiers from Special Forces, Ranger, and regular Army units repeatedly request the assistance of USAMU Soldiers prior to deploying to combat.
“I get a lot of satisfaction out of that,” Horner said. “I really like teaching Soldiers and guys getting ready to deploy.”
The fundamentals Horner uses in his sport--rapid fire engagement, engaging targets at varying distances, engaging moving targets, shooting in alternate positions and weapons manipulation—relate to the teaching points he uses to instruct other Soldiers.
“We don’t tell them how to get to the target because they already know how to do that,” Horner said. “Once they recognize the threat, we instruct them on how to engage it and neutralize it as quickly as possible, regardless of the distance.”
Only 25-years-old, Horner finds himself as the old, wily veteran on a very young team. He was the first one from the team to volunteer for deployment to Afghanistan when the unit began sending cross-functional teams to teach marksmanship to Afghan Soldiers. As the standard bearer in the sport teammates look to him for guidance. Horner said he relishes their camaraderie and pushes them to be at their very best even if it means knocking him off his pedestal along the way.
“Spc. Tyler Payne won in West Virginia last year and is one of the very few people who have beaten me since 2007, and I was so happy for him,” Horner said. “I always want to win, but if for some reason I get beat it better be by one of my teammates. I want them to win just as much as I want to win.”
Besides his national championship, Horner has also dominated both 3Gun Nation Matches in 2012. There are still Soldiers to train. He wants to go to Ranger School and Airborne School in the near future. He and his wife Joanna may be ready to add to their family a few years down the road. But today he is poised to continue his superiority in the sport for years to come, vowing to compete “forever.”
“I just simply love to win,” he said. “I don’t feel any pressure out there. This is too much fun. The Army has helped me mentally as much as physically and I will continue to go to matches expecting to take home that trophy every time.”
Fairfax, Virginia - For the better part of a week, Chicago actor Joe Mantegna has been calling the NRA's National Firearms Museum home. Here to film segments for Season 2 of Gun Stories, Mantegna and the crew have been methodically working their way through the Museum while highlighting some of our treasures. How's that for a plum gig?
Gun Stories, another runaway hit for Outdoor Channel heavyweight Michael Bane, "looks at the operation and performance of each gun, from classics like the Mauser bolt-action, to cutting-edge firearms like the Adaptive Combat Rifle. Throughout the series, historians, shooters, trainers and industry experts place these weapons in their historical and social context, making Gun Stories a unique and definitive collection on the history of firearms."
But it's not just about this guns. While here, they've also sat down with our cadre of experts including Museum Director Jim Supica, Senior Curator Phil Schreier and American Rifleman Editor-in-Chief Mark Keefe.
Once we get the go ahead from decision makers overseeing the show, we'll provide a break down of the firearms they focused on and share some shots of Joe and the guns ... like that AK he's sporting in the pictures above.
Like I said, how's that for a plum gig?
Our next spotlight on this year's Region Volunteers of the Year is a twofer. Jeremie and Stephanie Wallace, together, are the 2011 Southern Region recipients.
A select committee of senior NRA staff choose the Region volunteers from the pool of Field Rep-selected Area volunteers. To call attention to their exception service, the Region Volunteers of the Year were brought up on stage during the National NRA Foundation Banquet at this year's Annual Meeting and were recognized as honored guests.
Jeremie & Stephanie Wallace call Valdosta, Georgia, home and are the current chairman and treasurer, respectively, of the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA committee. With only five years of service these two are relatively new members of the Friends of NRA family, but they've made quite the impact in their short time.
The Wallaces raised over $43,000 for their committee in the 2011 banquet season, a number that includes banquet tickets sold, sponsorships, underwriting, and donations. Formed in 1996, the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA committee hosted 63 attendees at its inaugural banquet, raising about $3,000. By 2011 both of those numbers had leaped considerably, with the committee sporting 158 attendees and over $22,000 raised at its 2011 banquet. All in all the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA have had 2,085 attendees to its 16 banquets and has raised $174,195 for NRA programs.
“Jeremie and Stephanie embody the spirit of the Friends of NRA mission. They are truly working solely to raise funds for the future of the shooting sports. Their passion and determination is infectious and wonderful to be around," Brad Ward, NRA Field Rep, Georgia. "This team deserves our recognition and our sincere thanks, as they are the heart and soul of the Friends of NRA."
Jeremie and Stephanie have run Georgia's most successful banquet for the last three years, accomplishing this by securing underwriting for the entire cost of the event prior to opening the doors - impressive. Wanting to share the wealth - literally - the Wallaces stepped up to lead their committee as well as educate other committees in Georgia on how to obtain underwriting and run the event like it is a business.
Outside of the NRA, the two are both extremely active within community organizations such as the 4H, Boy Scouts, and almost any local youth education program or event.
NRA's Life of Duty takes a look at California Game Wardens.
California State Department of Fish & Game Wardens are tasked with tracking poachers. Their primary concern focuses on wildlife preservation and conservation and emphasize the importance of hunter education. Now their mission has changed. For today, these Wardens are fighting for our national security and quality of life.
As one Warden said, "We still do the regular Fish and Game work, but then we get into the Drug Trafficking organization cartel gunman who isn't going to stop and talk … that's the direction Fish and Game has gone, to do those hard heavy jobs."
See more on NRA Life of Duty ... Presented by Brownells.
St. Louis, Missouri - Julie Golob is known for shooting. After winning the USPSA Ladies Single Stack National Championship two weeks ago in Illinois, she now holds more than 20 National titles along with 7 World championships. Results like that don't come easy — especially when you consider her recent success in the 3-gun arena. To achieve those heights, you have to commit to the training.
"The shooting season kicks off for me with the USPSA Single Stack Nationals and of course Bianchi — one of the most intense matches to train for, so I've definitely put a lot of time into that to make sure everything is ready to go."
Getting ready to go is more difficult these days. In recent years, Julie has ventured into the world of 3-Gun competitions. While she can always count on her pistol shooting, getting back to the days of rifle and shotgun training can be challenging.
"I just train for the event - that's how it goes," Golob explained. "You can't focus on one thing all year long. It's dynamic and always changing. Sometimes you feel as if you're cramming for a match. You study everything you need to do, focus on all the skills and hope there are no surprises."
"My marketing background means I'm always looking for way to spread the word about shooting and shooting sports," she started. "Having a social media presence means I have access to anybody who might have an interest in starting."
Having a social media presence is one thing. Anyone can get put up a Facebook or YouTube page. The trick is to make your content compelling enough for people to keep coming back. That is something that Golob has mastered.
"Getting my name and message out there seems like a no brainer. I'm so surprised more people don't do it. That's the way we connect. And what a wonderful way for gun owners to connect and go forward so we're all unified by the world wide web."
"I'm a huge Top Shot fan," said Golob. "I've watched it every week since the very first season."
After collecting contestants and assembling challenges, there was a need for experts to oversee the practice rounds in each episode. Who better to fill that role during the episode 4's Smith & Wesson M&P 40 elimination challenge?
"The hardest part about my time on the set was seeing a challenge and not shooting it," she laughed. "That was literally insane."
But that's the life of a competitive shooter. Unlike most professional athletes, shooters can continue racking up wins far beyond their 20s. Jerry Miculek, a man of 57, continues to be one of the more feared competitors out there. It's about training, conditioning and a little bit of luck.
How long Julie continues on the circuit is anyone's guess. There's the pull of family, future literary obligations and the constant requests from Social Media entities. In time, one could prove too enticing to pass up. But as far the little girl who learned the art of shooting at her father's side is concerned, it won't be anytime soon.
After pouring through hundreds of applications and a couple scheduling hiccups, 45 students have been selected to attend the 2012 Youth Education Summit.
The week-long educational experience in Washington, DC will have students tour most of the memorials and monuments surrounding the nation’s capital as they learn the significance of the American Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the importance of being an active citizen. These kids can expect to find themselves touring the Capitol Building, experiencing boot camp with Marines at Quantico, getting some target practice at the NRA Range and much more.
The summit isn't just about taking pictures in front of the Washington Monument, though, students will participate in individual speeches and debates during the week which can get them up to $10,000 in college scholarships at the end of the week. After the summit has ended, attendees will have eight months to compete for an additional $20,000 in scholarships by creating a portfolio describing how they promoted NRA programs, such as the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program or Refuse To Be A Victim, in their community.
The Youth Education Summit began in 1996, hoping to encourage America's youth to become active and knowledgeable citizens at the national and local level. Growing in popularity with each passing year, Y.E.S. is a once in a lifetime event for every high school sophomore and junior in the country. The summit is funded by the NRA Foundation with monies raised from generous donors at Friends of NRA events.
Without further ado, here is this year's class:
Friends of NRA events are vital to supporting the mission of the NRA. Not only are they great fund raising tools, but they also provides you with the opportunity to meet fellow Second Amendment supporters, play a few games and maybe even take home an NRA gun, appliance or accessory.
Senior Event Services Coordinator Nicole McMahon sends us an email every Wednesday morning with a list of the weeks events. For the folks out in California, Mississippi, Vermont and many more states, this is your chance to fill your weekend with a little NRA fun. If there isn't an event near you this week, take a look at the Friends of NRA website to find out the schedule for your area and sign up today.
Here's this weekend's events:
05/16/2012
Woodlake, California
5/17
Clinton, South Carolina
Harvey, Louisiana
Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Morganton, North Carolina
Plymouth, Michigan
05/18/2012
Christiansburg, Virginia
Grass Valley, California
Hillsdale, Mississippi
Hollister, California
Mountain Home, Idaho
Napa, California
Norwich, New York
Panama City, Florida
Southaven, Mississippi
05/19/2012
Atascadero, California
Bradenton, Florida
Conway, Arkasas
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flasher, North Dakota
Great Falls, Montana
Kelso, Washington
Kingman, Arizona
Logan, Utah
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Medford, Oregon
Portola, California
Silverthorne, Colorado
Soda Springs, Idaho
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Ukiah, California
Vista , California
Wytheville, Virginia
05/21/2012
Tarrytown, New York
Tom Hughes and Jon Leighton are back behind the desk for the second episode of the 2012 MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup Preview Show. This time, the pair are discussing a variety of topics related to the Bianchi Cup including major sponsors, the history of the championship, and some breaking news on which top shooter has dropped out of the competition due to injury. We're just a week away from the Bianchi Cup, so stay tuned for live coverage beginning next week including more episodes of Bianchi TV live from Columbia, Missouri.
Continuing with our highlights of this year's Region Volunteer of the Year award winners, we bring you the Eastern Region's Diane March.
Friends of NRA's Region Volunteers of the year are chosen by a select committee of senior NRA staff from the pool of Field Rep-selected Area Volunteers of the Year. These exceptional volunteers for Friends of NRA were invited to the NRA Annual Meeting as honored guests where they received special recognition at the National NRA Foundation Banquet.
Diane March is a resident of Wappinger Falls, NY, serving as co-chairman of the Mid Hudson Friends of NRA committee. Approaching its twenty year anniversary, the committee's inception in 1994 saw an impressive 432 attendees at its first banquet, raising over $12,000. Since then, there have been 9,964 attendees at their events who have helped raise a cumulative $1.18 million. Diane raised over $50,000 for the 2011 banquet season alone through tickets sold, sponsorships, underwriting, and donations.
“A visit to Diane’s home prior to a Mid-Hudson banquet is an experience and an eye opener. It looks like Friends of NRA Merchandise Central with Standard Package items and lots of donations stacked high in each and every room.," said Jay Rusnock, Senior NRA Field Rep, Upper New York. "She is truly a unique and dedicated volunteer and worthy of our highest recognition.”
Over her 19 years of service with Friends of NRA, Diane has assisted, attended, and helped train other committees for banquets throughout New York as well as committees in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Florida; all this in addition to helping coordinate a Friends of NRA committee training seminar at NRA Headquarters. Diane is a NRA Certified Pistol Instructor and was one of the first Refuse to be a Victim© instructors in New York. She has attended the NRA Annual Meetings for the past 17 years and has volunteered to assist Membership, the NRA Store, Sportsman’s Lunch, and the National NRA Foundation Banquet for the past 10.
Fairfax, Virginia - Joe Mantegna's first trip to the National Firearms Museum occurred almost a year ago today. Along with Michael Bane and the Outdoor Channel crew, he was here to shoot segments of the soon to be debuted television show Gun Stories. Fast forward eleven months and a couple of Golden Moose awards later, Joe and the crew are back at the NRA for season two.
"Today (Monday the 14th) we're going to start with the Thompson Machine Gun, the Garand and the Luger," said Director Tim Cremin. "Later in the week we'll move on to your Hollywood Guns exhibit and maybe get a look in the museum vault."
Officially known as MidwayUSA's Gun Stories, the show provides viewers with the history of a specific firearm "from the heart of the design through its use on the range." That means Mantegna and Cremins, along with Bane and company, are hopping from location to location in their quest to 1) find the right experts and 2) interview the with the firearm's designers/manufacturers.
Recent stops include Columbia, Missouri for interviews with experts at MidwayUSA and Paulden, Arizona to put the particular firearms to the test at the famed Gunsite Academy.
Now I don't know about you, but high up on my list of manufacturers to visit would be Kalashnikov and Beretta. The first because I've always had a fascination with Russia and the second because, well, who wouldn't want to spend a few weeks in Italy during the summer?
Chris Cheng's ascension to Top Shot was not without obstacles. Unassuming, untrained and understated in almost every aspect of the competition, he was not a popular choice when the show began. Eleven shows later, he stood alongside a Civil War Re-enactor, a Federal Officer and a Triple Nickel Award Winner … things didn't look good for the IT guy.
Though a professional shooting contract and a hundred thousand dollars waited for the winner, the four worked together to ensure that each were at the top of their game.
"What was really great was how much Greg, Gary, Augie, and I were helping each out, spotting for each other, giving each other tips and general observations on how we were shooting," explained Cheng. "Going up against the best is what I think competitive people want to experience. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you fall short, but either way you grow from the experience and figure out how to win the next time around."
"We actually got off-camera practice time beforehand," said Cheng. "This was primarily for safety reasons. You can’t be expected to approach a grenade launcher and automatically remember how to operate it."
Competitors also had to figure out the guns. Did the shot go high, low, left or right? Was it a simple tap rack bang or was there more to it? Getting the sequence right could make all the difference. With only one magazine or round (what ever the gun holds on a single load), their practice was limited, but valuable.
"I told the art department that one reason why I struggled (against William with the Henry Rifle) was because the backdrop was light grey color. That blended in with the teal colored rings. I had no idea they were using that challenge in the finale and I’m sure glad I told them to make that backdrop darker!"
Running neck and neck with fellow finalist Gregory Littlejohn, Cheng arrived at the final stage (hit two targets with a Milkor USA M32A1 grenade launcher) a few seconds off the pace. Littlejohn, a World Champion Grenadier, fired first. Unfortunately for Littlejohn, his shot skipped short. Ready to grab the advantage, Cheng stumbled before securing the win.
"When I brought up the grenade launcher, I saw the target, but no bright orange hash marks in the reticle … . I forgot to turn on the scope! I burned a few seconds lowering the launcher and turning the scope on, but luckily I didn’t get rattled by the small slip-up on that epic final stage."
"I think the only person who thought I had won from the moment I came home from filming in mid-September was my sister. She kept pressing and pressing me saying things like I know you won. You won, didn’t you? Didn’t you?”
Now matter who believe what, Cheng was surrounded by friends and family as each episode aired. The crowds grew larger and more started to believe. A new fan base was born. Soon all started to see that victory was possible. This scrawny IT guy just might walk away with the History Channel title. After the victory, following the praise and cheers and yelps of glee, the only remaining question was what to do with the money?
"The first thing I plan to do is send NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre a check to upgrade my NRA membership to Life status and thank the NRA for all the hard work they do to make competitions like Top Shot possible."I want my first investment to symbolize how important it is for all of us who love the shooting sports to support the National Rifle Association in whatever capacity we can, whether it’s with money, with our time, or by simply sharing our love for shooting with friends, family and colleagues. In the end, it is my hope that winning Top Shot will provide a different and unique face of the entire shooting community. One that shows marksmen and women who have day jobs like mine in an office, and shoot for the sake of pure fun. "
NRA's Business Alliance is filled with piles of benefits for every everyday entrepreneur. There are shipping discounts available from Federal Express, reasonable rates on website and software designs from Wild Apricot, lower processing fees from Payment Alliance and more. Now you can throw SoundGear hearing protection into the mix.
SoundGear provides 100% digital, instant-fit hearing protection product for shooters. Without earmuffs or earplugs, SoundGear combines the instant-fit convenience one finds in a behind-the-ear device with the comfort of a customized device. And even though it's sure to block out the dangerous decibels derived from the booms and bangs associated with all kinds of gunfire, it won't block out the rustles, releases or commands.
The benefit, available to members of the Business Alliance, is the right for you to become a distributor of this great new product. As an officially licensed product of the NRA, SoundGear would be the perfect addition to any firearm related outfit or store. And given the small size and easy care, it's the perfect addition to any firearm owner's range bag too.
Items in the SoundGear catalog include the complete kit as well as replacement sleeves, batteries and a battery removal tool.
If this sounds (no pun intended) like an opportunity you'd like to explore, visit their website at www.soundgearhearing.com or contact Lance Kraemer at lance_kraemer@starkey.com.