SSSF Staff, Author at SSSF - Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation

Ruger auctions rare Mini-14 in support of SASP

Written by SSSF Staff on March 18, 2020. Posted in SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Ruger Firearms has generously donated a very rare Ruger® Mini-14 to benefit the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). The rifle is being auctioned on Gunbroker.com now through April 1st at 12:30 pm.

This week’s auction is a stainless, .223 Rem. caliber Ruger® Mini-14® Ranch rifle with serial number 196-26439. The roll mark date of this rifle is March 21, 2000. This rifle was never sold and has not been fired beyond normal testing during manufacture. This model rifle was manufactured for sale in the United Kingdom. The “straight-pull” only (also known as bolt-action only) models were manufactured for the UK because the semi-auto version of the Mini-14 was not legal there. This Ruger® Mini-14® rifle has an 18-1/2 inch barrel with flash suppressor. It also features a fold-down rear peep sight (adjustable for elevation and windage), and fixed front sight with bayonet lug. Other features include a zytel stock with a rubber butt pad, a heat-resistant ventilated fiberglass handguard, and a 5-round magazine. The receiver has a factory-machined scope mounting system to accommodate the included scope rings. NOTE: This firearm may not be available in all states and locales due to feature-based restrictions. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale. The rifle is being sold “as is.” The purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The Mini-14® Ranch rifle will be shipped in its original rifle box along with the original instruction manual, marketing materials, and locking device. Please note that the winning bidder of this auction is responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $33.32. The rifle is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction.

View this rare Mini-14 rifle on GunBroker and place your winning bid!

Ruger has committed to supporting the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) through a series of Gunbroker.com auctions running through mid-April, with a new auction beginning each Wednesday at 12:30 pm EST. ALL proceeds go towards SASP and upcoming auctions will include many rare “one-of-a-kind” sample firearms!

SSSF Program Participation Regarding COVID-19 Concerns

Written by SSSF Staff on March 16, 2020. Posted in SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Updated 5/8/2020

SCTP and SASP members,

It has been a challenging spring for all of us as a community. Although there has been time away from the range, our teams, and competitions, we remain optimistic, as a number of states are gradually reopening at this time. We have seen our SCTP and SASP members come together as a whole, encouraging each other to remain positive and stay focused towards the sport you love. The SSSF is proud to see our community embody values that the SCTP and SASP programs are founded upon.

While the bulk of competition seasons for some of our teams have been delayed, or in some cases canceled, we are happy to report there are still opportunities to compete for our members yet this season. As a reminder, seasons run through August 31st, and virtual competitions will be offered this summer. These competitions will be open to every member team across the country and will allow athletes to compete virtually from their home shooting range against other teams.

SCTP will be conducting two, four-week virtual competitions before and after the National Championships:
SCTP Summer Virtuals Round 1: June 1st and runs through July 5th.
SCTP Summer Virtuals Round 2: July 20th and runs through August 30th.

SASP will be conducting two, four-week virtual competitions before and after the National Championships:
SASP Summer Virtuals Round 1: May 25^thand runs through June 21^st
SASP Summer Virtuals Round 2: August 3^rd and runs through August 30^th

The SCTP and SASP Nationals will be conducted in July. At this point, it is to be determined if the championships will be in-person at the Cardinal Center in Ohio or conducted virtually from your team's home range. The SSSF will make an announcement as to which format the championships will follow by June 1, 2020.

We realize that this restricted season has been disappointing, but in appreciation of the incredible positive outlook we have seen displayed by our community, we have a couple of exciting new benefits to provide our members:

Member Rewards Drawing: The SSSF and its generous program sponsors have assembled an exciting package of items to go back to our members. There are no tickets to buy, no entry forms to fill out….all you have to do is be a current member of the SCTP and/or SASP. This is open to both athletes and member volunteers alike. Prizes will include pistols from Ruger, GLOCK, and some heavily upgraded rimfire and PCC race setups from Ruger that have been Tandemized by Tandemkross. We are working hard to increase the size and variety of these prizes available to our members and will provide updates as we get closer to the drawing. We will be announcing the winners of the Member Rewards Drawing on September 1^st, 2020.

*Any winner under the state and federal age required for firearm ownership requires a parent or legal guardian, legally permitted to own a firearm, to assume the role of transferee pursuant to 18 U.S. Code § 922(x).

Grow your team endowment account at the MidwayUSA Foundation via our member incentive program and realize 5:1 and 7:1 matching! See link for more details: https://sssfonline.org/save-up-with-member-matching-from-the-sssf/

We appreciate our members standing by us during this difficult time. While we hope our teams spent time on the range before the pandemic or can get to the range before the end of August, we realize circumstances are different from state-to-state and team-to-team.

Please contact the following program staff for more information:

Scholastic Clay Target Program:
Director Of Development, Eastern US:
Chet Tuinstra
Phone: 262-498-4260
Email: ctuinstra@sssfonline.com

Director Of Development, Western US:
Jeff Morrison
Phone: 712-330-6115
Email: jmorrison@sssfonline.com

Scholastic Action Shooting Program:
Kelvin Walton, Director of Development
Phone: 262-693-7374
Email: kwalton@sssfonline.com

We look forward to getting through this together and seeing you back on the range.

While we wait out this unprecedented season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please know that our members’ safety is, and always has been our #1 priority. Never have we had to deal with a situation like this and, quite frankly, we hope that we will never have to deal with something like this again.

As of this writing, many of the stay at home bans are in place through April 30 and some are into May. We have noticed that some gun ranges are starting to reopen on a very limited basis with strict cleaning and no contact rules in place. We are hopeful that this situation will turn itself around sooner rather than later and as a result, we are planning on the National Championship being held July 9-18 at the Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio as originally scheduled. Of course, this situation is fluid and we will certainly do the right thing to keep all our athletes’, teams’, parents’ and coaches’ safety our #1 priority.

To be clear, the SASP and SCTP National organizations have not suggested to any state groups to cancel their state championships at this time but postpone and reschedule when restrictions are lifted. For many of our young athletes, 2020 is their last season with us. We want to responsibly and carefully address members’ concerns of prematurely canceling events, which would bring their last season to a disappointing and abrupt end. Additionally, if state matches are canceled, athletes would lose the opportunity to compete for All-State honors. To accommodate any postponements and social restrictions, the SASP/SCTP National organizations have relaxed the “6 practice” requirement for this year as outlined in the SASP and SCTP Official Handbooks. The SCTP has relaxed the “must attend their state shoot” requirement as outlined in the SCTP Handbook.

Due to delays and cancellations related to COVID-19, SSSF is extending the grace period between the time of online course completion and range day attendance. Those completing the online portion of the SSSF Basic Shotgun Coach or SSSF Basic Action Shooting Coach course will now have 12 months to attend the required in-person range day component.

As concerns of the COVID-19 virus evolves, our commitment to our members includes keeping communication clear, transparent, and current. The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation is actively monitoring recommendations at the national level and is keeping regular communications with our coordinators and coaches at the state level. At this point in time, we do not anticipate canceling any regional or national matches in the SCTP and SASP programs.

In order to further accommodate our members in areas where conducting practices are currently difficult due to state mandates regarding COVID-19, we will be waiving the rule in each program that states team members must attend a minimum of six (6) team practice sessions to be eligible to shoot in State, Regional, or National Championship events representing that team.

Please refer to your program state advisor for information regarding events held in your local state to be held in the immediate future as we adjust to these uncertain times. As a reminder, our shooting sports are inherently low risk for transmission. Our matches and shoots are always held at outdoor ranges and athlete participation in limited numbers per squad for sake of match flow also lends to avoiding congregation of large amounts of individuals. We recommend referring to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding COVID-19.

As a youth shooting sports organization, the SSSF and its SASP and SCTP programs continually put safety at the forefront of participation and continue to do so in light of current events. Please refer to this document for updates as recommendations from the CDC regarding COVID-19 affect participation in SCTP and SASP events.

CDC resources for COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Ruger auctions GP100 Revolver in support of SASP

Written by SSSF Staff on March 13, 2020. Posted in SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Ruger Firearms has generously donated a Ruger® GP100 to benefit the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). The revolver is being auctioned on Gunbroker.com now through March 25th at 12:30 pm.

Up for auction is a stainless Ruger® GP100® 357 Magnum caliber, double-action revolver. The serial number is 174-67970, and the test fire date is May 21, 2002. This revolver has never been sold. The GP100® Revolver was introduced in 1986 and “Designed as the ultimate .357 Magnum for police and personal defense use.” This particular model, KGPF-340, was introduced as “New for ‘89” in the 1989 Ruger Firearms Catalog. The revolver features a 4” barrel with a short ejector rod shroud; fixed sights; a round butt cushioned grip with walnut inserts; satin-polished stainless finish; and 6-shot cylinder. The revolver will be shipped in its original gray plastic box along with an original instruction manual and cable lock. The GP100 is being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The revolver is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction. Note: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $34.09.

View this GP100 Revolver on GunBroker and place your winning bid!

SSSF Launches Modernized Coach Education Programs

Written by SSSF Staff on March 12, 2020. Posted in New SSSF, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) understands the vital role that volunteer coaches play in the success of youth shooting sports. With new teams being activated through programs such as the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) every day, the need for a simple, efficient and comprehensive path to coach certification is realized as the SSSF Basic Coach Certification Program.

The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation has worked in partnership with Kalkomey Enterprises to create ShootingSports-Ed.com, a platform for shooting sports education needs. Current course offerings include Basic Shotgun Coach and Basic Action Shooting Coach certification programs. SSSF anticipates launching other educational offerings for shooting coaches and athletes in the future.

The Basic Coach Certification Program is designed for prospective coaches wishing to start or join a youth clay target or action shooting sports team as a coach or an adult volunteer. The intuitive, primarily online-based curriculum certifies coaches to work with beginning and novice athletes involved in the shotgun sports of American Trap, American Skeet, and Sporting Clays, as well as the pistol and rifle disciplines of Action Shooting. The curricula covers information and skills needed to guide a shooting sports team such as Safety and Risk Management, Fundamental Marksmanship, Coaching Standards and Ethics, Publicity and Fundraising, and more.

The affordable, online-based curriculum is mobile-friendly and can be completed on your favorite devices anywhere in the world, 24/7/365. Both courses consist of 13 units packed with images and videos. Coach candidates can start and stop coursework at their convenience from the comfort of their home.

Coach candidates must complete a range day within 6 months of completing the online portion of the course to finalize their certification. The SSSF typically works with state partners, including DNR/Game & Fish agencies to provide the half-day range portion of the training. Range days are entirely hands-on with coach candidates shooting and coaching to learn skills that cannot be taught in a virtual environment alone.

Current state partners hosting range days in 2020 include Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, and New Mexico. If there is not a range day in your immediate area, you may travel to the next closest range day session, even if it is in another state. If there is adequate, local demand (minimum 20-30 coach candidates), SSSF will work with you to bring a trainer to your area.

In an effort to grow volunteer coach participation on local shooting teams, SSSF will be providing funding to team endowment accounts held at the MidwayUSA Foundation for coaches who complete an SSSF Basic Coach Course and join a local SCTP or SASP team. Teams will receive $200 in team endowment funding for each coach who successfully completes the online and range day portions of the course then subsequently registers for the first time on an SCTP or SASP team.

The SSSF Basic Coach Education Program was made possible, in part, by a multi-state grant through the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The grant project had involved numerous partners including Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, New Mexico Game and Fish Department, Amateur Trapshooting Association, National Skeet Shooting Association, National Sporting Clays Association, Pheasants Forever and Larry and Brenda Potterfield.

Curricula support for the SSSF Basic Coach Education Program was provided by Adam Jardines, Annie Unsell, Blaser, Browning, Cardinal Shooting Center, Centerburg Youth Shooting Sports, CZ-USA, David Miller, Dean Townsend, Eliot Jardines, Ed Fitzgerald, Tom Yost, Steel Target Paint, GLOCK, Gnosis Solutions, Hodgdon Powders, Kalkomey Enterprises, Action Target, Ruger, NextLevel Training, Kansas City Steel Raiders, Liquid Image, Inc., Mantis, Matt Hopkins, Michelle Cerino, Mid-Carolina Young Guns, Mill Creek Rifle Club, Promatic, Rock Road Productions, SCHEELS, SIG SAUER, Thaddius Bedford, Tony Monzingo, White Flyer and Winchester.

For more information or to start your Basic Shooting Coach Certification, go to www.ShootingSports-Ed.com.

SCTP International Skeet Athletes Best Performances at Olympic Trials Part 2

Written by SSSF Staff on March 11, 2020. Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

As the USA Shooting Olympic Trials Part 2 drew to a close with the conclusion of the Skeet event on March 8^th, SCTP International Skeet athletes earned two podium finishes and posted several personal best scores.

Kyle Fleck; photo courtesy of US Army Marksmanship Unit

Preston Bailey, Jordan Sapp, Kyle Fleck, and Erin Lokke produced solid performances in spite of daily Tucson winds that, at times, reached a sustained 20 mph. Bailey’s 227 x 250, a personal best, won him the bronze medal in the J2 junior men’s category; Lokke’s 224 x 250 would give her the Collegiate Women’s silver medal. Both Sapp and Fleck put up personal best performances with 216 x 250.

Members of the 2019 SCTP International Team will be preparing for their next major competition (USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships) with a training camp in Kerrville, TX next month.

Congratulations to the USA Shooting 2020 Olympic Skeet Team members Vincent Hancock, Phillip Jungman, Amber English, and Austen Smith!

Magpul Renews As Silver Sponsor Of SASP

Written by SSSF Staff on March 10, 2020. Posted in SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Industry giant, Magpul has continued their support of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program for the 2020 season.

Director of Marketing, Scott Creed commented, "Once again, Magpul is proud to support the SSSF and its Scholastic Action Shooting Program. The SSSF’s commitment to youth development through shooting sports programs and its emphasis on character building make it much more than just a firearms training organization for young shooting enthusiasts. We’re proud to be a part of its efforts to train youth both in firearms and citizenship."

"Magpul has shown their dedication to supporting youth shooting sports and have signed on again this season at the Silver Sponsor level," said Kelvin Walton, Director of Devlopment for SASP. "Support of SASP from Magpul and the other huge names in the industry shows just how important shooting sports is not only from a philanthropic aspect of youth development but also as an effort to grow and foster the next generation of responsible firearm owners. This really validates our efforts here at SASP as we work with these young athletes, helping them become the very best version of themselves they can be."

SCTP International Team Athletes Compete in U.S. Olympic Trials Part 2

Written by SSSF Staff on March 6, 2020. Posted in SCTP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Read our previous story of how the SCTP International Team prepared for the U.S. Olympic Trials

SCTP International Athletes Peter Meola, Alexa Paxson, Ella McLerran, Sydney Krieger, Camron Burks — Left to right: Peter Meola, Alexa Paxson, Ella McLerran, Sydney Krieger, Camron Burks

As the trap competition drew to a close in Tucson on March 2^nd, SCTP International Team trap athletes, past and present, made quite a splash. 2019 Team athletes Sydney Krieger and Alexa Paxson took home medals in their respective categories; Krieger earned J2 Gold and Paxson earned Collegiate Bronze with their performances.

Left to right: Emilio Carvalho, Joey Richards, Stephen Brown

Emilio Carvalho, 2018 SCTP International Team alumni athlete, finished second in the Junior Men’s category and his silver medal earned him a slot on this year’s Junior World Championship Team. Emilio will travel to Suhl, Germany in July to compete against juniors from around the world.

SCTP Alumni athlete, Madelynn Bernau makes the 2020 U.S. Olympic Shooting Team — Left to right: 2020 US Olympic Trap Team athletes Brian Burrows, Derrick Mein, Kayle Browning, and Madelynn Bernau

2017 SCTP International Team alumni athlete, Madelynn Bernau, has made perhaps the biggest splash yet for the SCTP International Team program; Maddy’s exceptional performance throughout the Olympic Trials process has earned her a berth on the 2020 U.S. Olympic Shooting Team. Maddy will compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.

Congratulations to all the SCTP International athletes on their performances in Tucson! Next up – USA Shooting Junior Olympic Championships in June.

Ruger Auctions P94, Donating Proceeds to SASP

Written by SSSF Staff on March 5, 2020. Posted in SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Ruger Firearms has generously donated a Ruger® P94 to benefit the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP). The pistol is being auctioned on Gunbroker.com now through March 18th at 12:30 pm.

The serial number of this P94™ is 308-07123 and the testfire date is June 9, 1994. These model pistols with the laser light were only available for sale to Law Enforcement agencies in 1994. This pistol has never been fired beyond normal testing during manufacture. The P94™ features a slide made of chrome-molybdenum steel with a custom, compounded polymer frame with molded high impact grip panels. It features a 4.2 inch barrel and high-visibility white-dot inserts on both the front and rear sights. The square notch rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage. Other features include a laser sight. The laser sight does not work. Additional features include an oversized trigger guard, full-time ambidextrous magazine latch, and spurless hammer. This double-action only model has no external safety. NOTE: This firearm may not be available in all states and locales due to laws limiting magazine capacity. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale. The P94™ Pistol will be shipped in a yellow and black hinged cardboard box along with one 9mm 15-shot magazine, a magazine loader, original instruction manual, and locking device. The pistol is being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The pistol is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction. NOTE: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $43.63.The serial number of this P94™ is 308-26987 and the testfire date is September 22, 1995. These model pistols with the laser light were only available for sale to Law Enforcement agencies in the mid 1990’s. This pistol was shipped to a distributor in December 1995 and subsequently returned to the factory in February 1996. There are no notes as to why it was returned. The P94™ features a slide made of chrome-molybdenum steel with a custom, compounded polymer frame with molded high impact grip panels. It features a 4.2 inch barrel and high-visibility white-dot inserts on both the front and rear sights. The square notch rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage. Other features include a laser sight. The laser sight does not work. However, there are extra batteries for the laser light included with this pistol, but that does not guarantee it will work. Additional features include an oversized trigger guard, full-time ambidextrous magazine latch, and manual ambidextrous safety levers. NOTE: This firearm may not be available in all states and locales due to laws limiting magazine capacity. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale. The P94™ Pistol will be shipped in a yellow and black hinged cardboard box along with two 9mm 15-shot magazines, original instruction manual and marketing materials, and locking device. The pistol is being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The pistol is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction.The serial number of this P94™ is 308-07123 and the testfire date is June 9, 1994. These model pistols with the laser light were only available for sale to Law Enforcement agencies in 1994. This pistol has never been fired beyond normal testing during manufacture. The P94™ features a slide made of chrome-molybdenum steel with a custom, compounded polymer frame with molded high impact grip panels. It features a 4.2 inch barrel and high-visibility white-dot inserts on both the front and rear sights. The square notch rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage. Other features include a laser sight. The laser sight does not work. Additional features include an oversized trigger guard, full-time ambidextrous magazine latch, and spurless hammer. This double-action only model has no external safety. NOTE: This firearm may not be available in all states and locales due to laws limiting magazine capacity. Please check with your local law enforcement agency prior to purchasing to verify that it may legally be purchased and/or possessed in your particular state and locale. The P94™ Pistol will be shipped in a yellow and black hinged cardboard box along with one 9mm 15-shot magazine, a magazine loader, original instruction manual, and locking device. The pistol is being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The pistol is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction. NOTE: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $43.63.

View this P94 on Gunbroker.com and place your winning bid!

2020 SCTP Virtual Shoots

Written by SSSF Staff on March 3, 2020. Posted in SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

As the month of March arrives we want to remind you of yet another opportunity to compete against other SCTP teams...this time without the travel! Keep in mind, there is NO COST to be part of any SCTP Virtual Competitions, as they are included in your SCTP membership. The top 3 finishing teams will receive guns and other prizes, so sign up today!

The 2020 Virtual Shoots will be open for the following dates :
March 9th – April 12th
April 20th – May 31st
*Teams must be registered by March 8th in order to compete!

Teams interested in getting started and registered in the SCTP Virtual League can refer to tutorial videos we have prepared for you below:

Federal, CCI To Continue As Platinum Sponsors In 2020

Written by SSSF Staff on February 25, 2020. Posted in SPP Blog, SSSF News and Information, Uncategorized.

Long-time Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) sponsors, Federal and CCI Ammunition have continued their support into 2020 as Platinum-Level Sponsors.

“SASP continues to grow and provide a world-class shooting experience for the next generation reaching thousands of new shooters across the country each year. Federal and CCI Ammunition are proud to again support the organization as a Platinum Sponsor. Safe and structured shooting programs like SASP not only provide a stage for the next top shooters but also an educational setting for those seeking to become proficient in the sport," says Jon Zinnel, Manager of Youth Shooting Sports Programs for Federal and CCI Ammunition.

“We enjoy seeing teams using our products like Federal BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket) bulk packs and CCI Mini-Mag® during their practice sessions and competitions. Participants seeking to be at the top of their game always look to use the best products and Federal and CCI are proud to offer some of the best rimfire ammunition on the market.”

Rick Leach, SASP National Director, commented, "Having Platinum-Level Sponsors like Federal and CCI Ammunition continue their long-standing support into the 2020 season is a reminder of how much importance our industry places on supporting youth development through shooting sports. We look forward to having them with us this year and many more."

Author: SSSF Staff