There is probably no type of shooting equipment that provokes more questions than colored shooting glasses. With so many choices, how do you know which colors to buy? In this interview by Field & Stream's Phil Bourjaily, Frank Robertson of Randolph Engineering, maker of the exceptional Randolph Ranger shooting glasses which are offered in numerous colors, explains how to choose the right lens tints for different lighting conditions.
Black Friday is in just two days, and that means Cyber Monday is close behind, kicking off the online holiday shopping season. You can support SSSF with all your Amazon purchases just by using a special link, smile.amazon.com, and designating SSSF as the recipient of a donation from Amazon, based on a percentage of your purchase price. It doesn't cost you a cent!Get started. You can also find just the right holiday gift for the shooter in your life by shopping at the SSSF online store! Shop there for shooting gear and SCTP and SPP logo items like hats, shirts, gun cases, shooting glasses, and much more. Visit the SSSF Store.
SCTP shooter Myles Walker from Burlington, Wisconsin has won the gold medal for bunker trap in USA Shooting's Fall Selection Match. The match was held November 6-11 at the Delta Resort and Spa in Tillar, Arkansas. Myles was one of four athletes awarded a spot on USA Shooting's National Team as a result of his performance at the SCTP National Championship for international disciplines held in July in Colorado Springs. Hank Garvey and Nic Moscetti, who also earned their National Team spots at the SCTP Nationals, placed 4th and 5th, respectively, at the Fall Selection Match. Six bunker trap competitors withstood the intensity of 500 targets and four finals matches to emerge as 2015 World Cup selections for the USA Shooting Team as a result of the four-day competition. The Fall Selection Match served as the second phase of selection for the first three upcoming World Cup competitions to begin 2015, including events in Acapulco, Mexico and Al Ain, UAE in March and Laranaca, Cypress in late April where the top three athletes will compete. Fall Selection Match is also serving as the first of a two-part selection process for the Pan American Games (July), the last World Cup of 2015 in Gabala, Azerbaijan (August) and the 2015 World Clay Target Championships (September). Myles, a sophomore at Lindenwood University, participates in SCTP as a member of his college team's shotgun sports team. The win in Tillar places Myles in a great position to earn USA Shooting Team status come Spring Selection in April. “SCTP has provided me with the opportunity to flourish both as an athlete and an individual," Myles commented. "The benefit of the experience I have had surpasses any other activity I have been involved with.” Congratulations to Myles, Hank, and Nic for earning their National Team positions and representing SCTP well!
See how the four Scholastic Pistol Program stages look from the shooter's eye view. Here's the second, the Focus stage, as seen during the 2014 Collegiate National Championships at Ft. Benning, Georgia. (Video by Ben Lillegard, member of University of Wisconsin - Platteville SPP team)See Stage 1, In & Out
There's no better way to see exactly what the four Scholastic Pistol Program stages look like than from the shooter's eye view. Here's the first, the In & Out stage, as seen during the 2014 Collegiate National Championships at Ft. Benning, Georgia. (Video by Ben Lillegard, member of University of Wisconsin - Platteville SPP team)
From the time you pick up a firearm, you become part of a system over which you have complete control. You are the only part of the system that can make a gun safe -- or unsafe. Here are 10 basics of gun handling that you must know, courtesy of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF):
1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use.
3. Don’t rely on your gun’s “Safety.”
4. Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it.
5. Use correct ammunition.
6. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care!
7. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
8. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.
9. Don’t alter or modify your gun, and have guns serviced regularly.
10. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using.
NSSF has developed a booklet that explains each of these gun safety rules in detail. You can view or download it here. NSSF also offers other safety literature for use by individuals, families, or shooting teams. You can find it atwww.nssf.org/safety/lit/.
MidwayUSA Foundation is working with Winchester Ammunition to provide shotgun ammunition direct from the distributor to your youth shooting teams. They need your help in determining the potential quantity to order. Should they move forward, this program will be offered in 2015 and be limited to the amount agreed upon with Winchester. By answering one quick question, you'll help MidwayUSA Foundation gather information to make this program a success. Here's what the program would offer:
Each order will contain 104 cases (10 boxes/250 rounds @ $59 per case) of Winchester Super Target 12 ga. 1 oz, #8. Total cost, including shipping, would be $6,136. Order MUST be placed by January 1, 2015.
Orders MUST be placed in bulk (pallets only).
Shipments will start in March and run through June and must be delivered directly to a location that is capable of receiving pallets.
MidwayUSA Foundation will provide an order form on its website.
Click here to give your input. By participating in this survey, you are NOT obligated to purchase. If you have already participated in this survey, please disregard.
The Scholastic Pistol Program launched a new pistol range at the Carroll County (TN) Shooting Sports Park in Huntingdon with its Southeast Regional Fall Match last Saturday, November 8. Six states were represented with 104 athletes on 13 teams. A total of $30,000 in MidwayUSA Foundation endowment account funds were awarded to participating teams. The match opened four premier new pistol bays at the park that were designed to accommodate SPP matches. In addition, the shooting park has four trap/skeet overlays, a 300-yard rifle range, and a sporting clays course in the planning stage. The park is home to the McKenzie Shooting Sports SPP and SCTP teams. The range was spearheaded by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) officer Lance Rider and was built with assistance and sponsorship from TWRA, Carroll County, and local and state businesses. TWRA has turned over management of the park to Carroll County. As the first event for the pistol bays, the SPP Southeast Regional Fall Match featured a ribbon cutting by Carroll County Mayor Kenny McBride, who also served as one of the Safety Officers for this inaugural event. Also at the event, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) was named the SPP state advisor. The TWRF announced the hiring of Lacey Lane to coordinate the SPP statewide.
College teams attending included Bethel University, Eastern Kentucky University, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, Southeastern Illinois College, Michigan State University, and University of Kentucky.
Junior/Senior teams participating were McKenzie Shooting Sports (TN), William Blount Shooting (TN), Tipton County Pistol (TN), Plateau Pistol Shooters (TN), Blue Grass Sportsmen’s League (KY), Arnold Junior Shooters (MO),and Alabama Privateers (AL).
Winners included: College Centerfire: 1st – Kentucky Squad A
2nd – Texas A&M
3rd – Bethel Squad 1 College Rimfire: 1st – Michigan State
2nd – Kentucky – Rimfire Squad A
3rd – Kentucky Rimfire Squad B Junior Rimfire: 1st - Arnold Red
2nd - Blue Grass Sportsmen’s League
3rd – William Blount Squad 1 Junior Centerfire: 1st - McKenzie Cobras Senior Rimfire: 1st - Plateau Pistol Shooters Squad 2
2nd – McKenzie Crushers
3rd - Alabama Privateers Senior Centerfire: 1st – William Blount Squad 3
2nd - McKenzie Cazadores High Overall Rimfire: Tanner Pond – Michigan State High Lady Rimfire: Katie Loida – Arnold Junior Shooters High Overall Centerfire: Zach Williams – Texas A&M High Lady Centerfire: Sarah Webster – Arnold Junior Shooters
You can see full results on the SPP Match Results page.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is implementing some changes in how the organization conducts background checks on participating volunteers. Individuals registering with the SSSF as a volunteer (i.e., head coach, assistant coach, or other adult volunteer) must now conduct a secure background check that includes local county checks for a seven-year address history. In the past, SSSF has conducted checks only with the National Criminal Database (NCD). However, due to the variability of information across states, the NCD may or may not reveal all pertinent criminal history concerning eligibility of a volunteer. Thus, the new county-level background check will be used in addition to the national check.See Our Background Check FAQs With the changes in screening comes a price increase. Starting December 12, 2014 volunteers will be required to pay a portion of the cost directly to our background check provider, Intellicorp, when they submit to a check. Volunteer fees paid to SSSF will remain at $30. SSSF volunteer registration is not considered complete until background checks are completed. The SSSF wants to ensure it upholds the highest standards in youth protection on behalf of its programs and young athletes. The SSSF also must ensure that all of its volunteers are screened with the same level of background check, regardless of their state of residence or past residence history. To complete or renew your check go tohttps://sssf.volunteerportal.net/ and enter password scholastic.
This week, Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation made a donation of $246,500 to the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. The funds were deposited into the endowment accounts of 75 member teams of the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Pistol Program representing 26 states. The money was earned by the teams through participation in recent SCTP and SPP regional shoots. Of the total contribution, $216,500 was deposited into SCTP teams' accounts and $30,000 went to SPP teams' accounts. This week's donation brought SSSF's total MidwayUSA Foundation contributions for 2014 to $1,751,645. SSSF has funded accounts for 273 teams in 40 states this year. The purpose of the MidwayUSA Foundation endowment program is to provide sustained financial support for youth shooting teams. Teams with an endowment account are able to draw a grant each year to use for team expenses. SSSF regularly makes endowment funds available for SCTP and SPP events and contributes them to participating teams’ endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation. Since 2011, SSSF has donated funding to several hundred team endowment accounts across 48 states.
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to providing shooting-sports education and opportunities to school-age youths around the United States to encourage young athlete personal growth and development. Tax-ID number 20-8484121.
