Remember when a hunter was measured by how well he shot, and not how much he spent? When memories were measured in curly tails, not dollar bills? We do. And that is why we created the Spandau S2. A reliable, extremely well balanced waterfowl gun built around the Inertia operating system for unmatched performance at a price that shows that you still know the true measure of a hunter.
WHATEVER YOUR ADVENTURE IS, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
HELICE “ZZ BIRDS”
“Finally, a fun and captivating Helice shooting range is available near San Antonio at Joshua Creek Ranch. Shoot it once and you’ll be hooked. Bring your favorite shotgun and enjoy shooting solo, with a group of friends, or enter one or more of the ZZ-Bird Top Shooter tournaments this summer.”
-Luiz Z.
ZZ-BIRD TOP SHOOTER SUMMER HELICE TOURNAMENTS
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE BEAUTIFUL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
SATURDAY FUN SHOOTS
SUMMER SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENTS
SPORTING CLAYS
“Most beautiful sporting clays course in Texas. Great challenge and mix of targets. You won’t find a more welcoming place to shoot sporting clays.”
-Scott C.
Over the years we’ve heard all the excuses as to why folks don’t wear hearing protection: “I can’t hear anything” or “too uncomfortable” or “too cumbersome.”
Electronic Shooters Protection has specialized in one thing for 30 years: custom-fit digital hearing protection. Their latest and most popular model, the APEX, offers hunters and shooters optimal sound protection with allday comfort and the ability to hear your surroundings with on-the-fly controllable volume. Now you can “tune in” to natural sounds that provide a tactical advantage like birds flushing or the release of a trap. While wearing your ESPs, you’ll also enjoy the luxury of having effortless conversation with your hunting buddies or squad mates — allowing you to fully enjoy your day and the company you keep.
What truly sets the APEX apart is technology that has overcome the issue of “wind noise” that plagues other electronic hearing devices. ESP’s patented wind noise management system continuously monitors the environment, automatically stifling unwanted sounds.
For those of you currently experiencing hearing loss, your new ESPs can be tuned to your hearing test results bringing all the frequencies back into balance.
Save yourself from a lifetime of hearing issues and experience the ESP advantage.
Three Texans are part of the team of eight shotgun athletes who will represent Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — Vincent Hancock, Conner Prince, Austen Smith, Dania Vizzi, Derrick Mein, Will Hinton, Rachel Tozier and Ryann Phillips.
Hancock, of Eatonton, Georgia, qualified in Men’s Skeet and is looking to make history at the Games. Hancock is a four-time Olympian and a three-time Olympic gold medalist.
Prince, of Burleson, Texas, is joining Hancock on the Men’s Skeet Olympic team. Paris will be Prince’s Olympic debut where he will also compete in Mixed Team Skeet. Smith, of Keller, Texas, will be making her second Olympic appearance in Women’s Skeet. Smith will also pair up with Hancock in Mixed Team Skeet. Smith, who is currently studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, was most recently crowned champion at the 2024 ISSF Baku World Cup. Hancock now trains and coaches Prince and Smith at his North Lake Shooting Sports Range in North Texas.
Vizzi, an Odessa, Florida native, is making her first Olympic appearance in Women’s Skeet and will also be competing in Mixed Team Skeet with Prince.
Mein, of Paola, Kansas, is making his second Olympic appearance in Paris for Men’s Trap. Mein grew up hunting with his family and began shooting sporting clays at 8 years old.
Hinton, of Dacula, Georgia, is making his Olympic debut in Men’s Trap. Hinton grew up in a family of avid bird hunters and his dad was a bird dog trainer.
Tozier, of Pattonsburg, Missouri, qualified for her first Olympic Games in Women’s Trap.
Phillips, of Gail, Texas, will be making her first Olympic appearance in Women’s Trap. Phillips, who is currently attending Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, was introduced to the sport of shooting in the third grade through a 4-H program.
The first shotgun event for Paris 2024 is Men’s Trap on July 29. All finals events will be live streamed on Peacock.
—USA Shooting
By Craig Nyhus Lone Star outdoor newS
During his freshman year at Dallas’ Jesuit College Preparatory School, Austin Larson didn’t know what to do when it came to participating in a sport. He noticed a list for the Jesuit Competitive Shooting Team and put his name down.
The next year, he got serious about practicing, and by the time he reached his junior year, was ready to compete on the team.
At the recent Scholastic Clay Target League state championship, held June 11-13 at San Antonio’s National Shooting Complex, he finished fourth in the Double Trap event, and his team finished fourth overall.
Students in the league participate in Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays and Super Sport (sporting clays with three different targets that are shot in any order). Larson has embraced both the practice (the team practices at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville) and the competition, and many of his best friends are his fellow shooters.
“There are a lot of people to improve and grow with,” he said. “We help each other out. Our younger kids are doing well and the junior varsity is really good.”
More established high school teams in the area, including Allen, Keller and Southlake Carroll, have hundreds of shooters, while Jesuit took 17 to the state competition.
“More recently, we’re placing closer and closer to those teams,” Larson said.
At the competition, in Double Trap, Larson broke 89 out of 100 targets, missing third place by one clay.
SCTP is run by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, and Madeleine Maggard is a teacher, Jesuit’s coach and the SCTP state advisor.
“It’s a program that focuses on building fundamentals and discipline, responsibility, leadership and teamwork to help form the future of youth in general, not just in shooting sports,” she said. “The students can be part of a team and compete, and when it comes to scores, the girls are right up there with the boys. It’s the great thing about shooting sports.”
At the state competition, 40 registered teams competed, with a total of 396 athletes, 77 who were female. Larson plans to continue practicing this summer to compete during his senior year, and he’s thinking about attending the University of Alabama.
“They have a shooting team there,” he said.
He’s also completing his hunter safety, and plans to start hunting with his dad, Sidney, this year.
“I’m really looking forward to that,” he said.
June 11-13
Varsity Results
Sporting Clays
Men:
1. Reed Baldwin, Keller
2. Justin Doran, North Texas Claybusters
3. Zachary Garrett, Arp Clay Target Team
Ladies:
1. Malyah Reeves, Waxahachie
2. Ruby Daily, Midlothian
3. Abigail Hinckley, Southlake Carroll
Super Sporting
Men:
1. Grant Rainey, Cardinal Claybusters
2. Riley Frank, Southlake (shoot-off)
3. Miles Zinyard, Jesuit
Ladies:
1. Ruby Dailey, Midlothian (shoot-off)
2. Malia Reed, Waxahachie
3. Abigail Hinkley, Southlake Caroll
Trap
Men:
1. Western Smith, Prosper (shot the only 100 of the event)
2. Blake Tyler, Southlake
3. Winn Moore, Jesuit (five-way shootoff)
Ladies:
1. Katherine Cismas, Southlake Carroll
2. Malia Reeves, Waxahachie
3. Olivia Simmons, Marcus Clay Target Team
Skeet
Men:
1. Dominic Marotta, Southlake Carroll
2. David Hennecke, Hill Country Clay Shooters (shoot-off)
3. Coy Losawyer, Midlothian
Ladies:
1. Olivia Simmon, Marcus
2. Abigail Hinkley, Southlake Carroll
3. Ruby Dailey, Midlothian
Team
The High Overall Team is compiled from regular sporting, skeet and trap, with classifications for High Schools and Overall, which includes club and combination teams.
High School
1. Southlake Carroll Target Team
2. Keller Clay Target Team
3. Spartan Clay Target Team
4. Jesuit Competitive Shooting Team
5. Waxahachie Shotgun Team
Team
High Overall
1. Southlake Carroll Target Team
2. South Texas Competitive Shooting Team
3. Keller Clay Target Team
4. Midlothian Clay Target Team
5. Waxahachie Shotgun Team
The Italian Firearms Group and the Italian gun manufacturer Fabbrica Armi Isodoro Rizzini are excited to bring the new SLX 600 Black “Trifecta” to the American hunting market. Now, upland hunters can quickly switch to their preferred sub-gauge chambering, all on the same precision receiver.
The SLX 600 Black Trifecta, imported exclusively by the Italian Firearms Group, is a testament
quality, offering upland hunters the ultimate in versatility at an unbeatable price.
The key highlight of this offering is the inclusion of a complete three-barrel set, encompassing 20 gauge, 28 gauge, and .410. Each barrel set is crafted with precision and expertise at the state-of-theart production facility of Fabbrica Armi Isodoro Rizzini in Marcheno, situated in the Lombardy Region of Italy.
“We are thrilled to introduce the SLX 600 Black Trifecta to the American hunting community,” said Chris Sherman, general manager at the Italian Firearms Group. “This shotgun represents the perfect synergy between Italian heritage, precision engineering, and practical versatility. It allows hunters to elevate their shooting experience with the unmatched quality and adaptability that F.A.I.R. is
renowned for.”
The SLX 600 Black Trifecta is meticulously engineered and designed to meet the highest standards of performance, combining cutting-edge technology with the timeless elegance of Italian craftsmanship.
From the steel-shot tested 20 gauge barrels to the gold inlay and engraved monobloc receiver, each component reflects the dedication to precision and quality
that defines F.A.I.R.’s legacy. Features such as the Sporting Schnabel forend, fine-pitch lasercheckering, and a gold single selective trigger round out this elegant and functional platform.
F.A.I.R. is the second most prolific Italian over-and-under manufacturer and the largest Italian manufacturer of side-byside firearms.
Barrels:
• Steel-shot tested (20ga only), tri-alloy, chrome-lined barrels with X-CONES
• Fiber optic front sight
Receiver:
• Bright black bluing
• Engraved and gold inlay
• Monobloc design
Mechanical:
• Coil springs and hammer with a double safety notch
• Fret-worked top lever
• Gold single selective trigger with auto-safety on the tang
Stock and Forend:
• Sporting Schnabel forend, European walnut of superior quality
• Sporting stock with bright oil finish, select European walnut
Checkering:
• Fine-pitch, laser-checkering with double grip
• Black Bakelite base plate
Additional Features:
• Ejectors
• Barrel Length (BBL): 28” (Optional: 26” or 30”)
• Length of Pull (LOP): 14.5”
• Overall Weight: 6.83 lbs.
MSRP: $4,725
The new Boarmaster 40 Pro from Fusion Thermal includes all the special features in its previous model (the 40E), with two important upgrades.
“Fusion added the 18500 batteries, which ups the battery life to 7-plus hours — and it’s rechargeable,” said Ryan Warner, who is an avid hog hunter. “It’s a great little unit.”
Warner said the higher power supply has an added benefit.
“It helps provide more detail,” he said. “The image clarity of the unit is very clear.”
Warner is most excited about the rapid zoom-out technology in the thermal optics, called RAZR.
“When you’re on full magnification and there’s a herd of pigs, you want to zoom in to put that first shot right behind the ear,” he said. “In the past, you would scramble to zoom back out to shoot again.”
Enter the RAZR.
“It detects the recoil and automatically zooms you back out after the first shot,”
Warner said. “I used it hog hunting and it works really well. Fusion plans to include the technology across the line.”
As in the prior model, the Boarmaster 40 Pro utilizes the company’s T3 Three Button Control System, along with the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) menu, in plain English.
“It’s super easy to use,” Warner said. “The owner of the company helped design it after being frustrated with having to look down to focus or operate the thermal. You don’t have to look down, and you always know where your fingers are.”
The lens type and quality also make the Boarmaster models stand out.
“They are incredibly clear, thanks to the use of the higher quality Germanium lens and a larger lens size with more curvature to maximize the amount of heat it picks up,” he said.
The aluminum housing is rock-solid, as before, making the Boarmaster 40 Pro the scope you’ve been looking for, at a great price. The MSRP is $3,359.
Even after you upgrade to a new HK VP9, with its best-in-class trigger pull and ergonomic, customizable grip, you’re not quite done yet. You still need a couple of important accessories. And we’re not talking about holsters, lights and optics either. Training and Practice – They are two different things and we all need more of both. Look into it … and go do the work!
www.hk-usa.com • 706-701-5554
Game-changing simplicity. Industry leading runtime. Onboard video, photo and HD audio recording. Meet the new AVENGER from Fusion Thermal.
AVENGER 40
WAVE12 384 Sensor
9+ Hour Runtime
MSRP: $4099
AVENGER 55XR
WAVE12 640 Sensor
7+ Hour Runtime
MSRP: $5989
Available at fine retailers all across the Great State of Texas
Getting your target into focus quickly and easily is a must, and you won’t find a better system than our Micro Click Focus. Our tactile focus knob is conveniently located on top of the front lens, and unlike the dog collar design used by our competitors you won’t need to perform a circus act just to focus your scope. Plus, you’ll always get your best shot as the micro click adjustments put you on the perfect focus point every time.
ARCLIGHT Ultra HD Germanium Lens
High Purity for Maximum Energy
The single most expensive component of a well-crafted thermal is its germanium lens. If you skimp here, you’re not even in the game. Our high purity ArcLight Ultra HD Germanium Lens is the crowning jewel of our technology package. It perfects the task of collecting and funneling infrared energy into the thermal sensor unhindered by distortion. This clean transition results in an infrared energy dump that unleashes the full potential of our WAVE thermal sensor delivering a user experience well beyond expectations.
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) Menu Industry’s Easiest Menu System
We think you’re really going to like our menu; it uses words, English words. Written for Americans by Americans. That’s why we called it KISS. You’ve heard the phrase, and at Fusion Thermal it’s the reason we can make the industry’s boldest statement: Our operating system is so easy to use you’ll likely never read the instructions.
T3 Control System
Don’t Let Your Fingers Get Lost in the Dark
Our highly intuitive three button control system with center tower makes using your scope simple and easy. Every command is at your fingertips, and the Center Tower evenly splits the control panel, so you’ll never be confused about what button you’re going to press. We thought this a particularly good idea since you’ll be using it in the dark most of the time.
WAVE Thermal Sensor Same Money, Better Performance
Is it possible for one thermal scope to dramatically outperform everything else in its class? Yes, so don’t make the mistake of shopping by specifications alone or you just might get burned. Our WAVE thermal sensors push the limit of what is technically possible and set the standard for image quality, ruggedness, and long life. So, before you plop down your hard-earned cash make sure you do a side-by-side to any similarly priced competitive alternative. We think you’ll find the difference to be clearly obvious.
XGEN Alloy Housing
Plastic is for toys. Metal is for tools. It’s a fact, thermals produce heat, and heat is the enemy of all thermal devices. If you don’t get the heat out operational performance will degrade, and long-term internal damage is a certainty. Our XGEN (Next Generation Alloy Body) shields your expensive investment in a metal clad of armor, and our high-end AL6082 Conductive Structural Alloy displaces heat at an astounding 71,900% better than plastic. You don’t think of your thermal as some cheap plastic toy. Why should it be built like one?