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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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A MERIC A N
SHOOTING JOURNAL Volume 5 // ISSUE 4 // December 2015 PUBLISHER
James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Dick Openshaw GENERAL MANAGER
John Rusnak EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Andy Walgamott EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Danielle Breteau LEAD CONTRIBUTOR
Frank Jardim CONTRIBUTORS
Robert Campbell, Larry Case, Tom Claycomb III, Ron Gill, Walt Hampton, Steve Joseph, Alex Kincaid, Mike Nesbitt, Troy Taysom, Joe Trevithick, Tatiana Whitlock, Caylen Wojcik, John Woods SALES MANAGER
Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Donna Caskey, Mamie Griffin, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER
Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS
Ciara Pickering, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum Jackson Conard, Kaitlyn Chapman PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Kelly Baker OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING
Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER
Lois Sanborn WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING
Jon Hines EDITORIAL MINION
Erica Deshaies DIGITAL MINIONS
Victor Hernandez, Zak B. Mohamed, Sam Morstan CIRCULATION MANAGER
Heidi Belew DISTRIBUTION
Tony Sorrentino, Gary Bickford, Barry Johnston ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
ads@americanshootingjournal.com
ON THE COVER Cam Zink holds two Guinness Book Of World Record titles in mountain-bike sports and is an avid gun enthusiast. (ADRIAN MARCOUX PHOTOGRAPHY)
MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S. Ste. 190 • Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com
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CONTENTS MEET OFFICER NORMAN
VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 4 • DecEMBER 2015
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Bravery Is Colorblind War history is often forgotten, but not for the Montford Point Marine Association. They’re dedicated to preserving the legacy of the first African Americans to serve in the Marine Corps – learn about their brave feats at the battle of Iwo Jima!
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SHOT Show Golden Ticket Giveaway! Heading to SHOT Show next month? Visit us at booth #408 with your Golden Ticket and spin the prize wheel for a chance to win .308 rifles, a crossbow and countless high-grade prizes, as well as an opportunity to shake the hands of celebrities who will be standing by just to meet you. How do you get a Golden Ticket, you ask? Everything you need to know is on page 36!
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Advanced Field-shooting Positions Magpul’s director of training for precision rifle operations and former Scout Sniper Caylen Wojcik walks us through how to make those impossible shots from far far away.
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Patton For A Day What’s it like inside a World War II tank? Cramped, according to writer Frank Jardim, who participated in the annual tank shoot at a famous Kentucky range. Crawl inside an M5A1 Stuart light tank, feel the power and pop a Panzer – or at least a Pontiac!
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Jumping The Gun Gap World-record stunt mountain biker Cam Zink isn’t the first person you’d think of as an average gun toter. Therein lies the point – not only is he a gun enthusiast, he’s sponsored by one of the biggest names in the industry.
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Neutralizing Threats From Cover Engaging an active shooter from behind cover is a tactical angle worth learning, teaches our Robert Campbell.
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BEHIND THE BADGE: The media seems to only showcase the negative extremes, even though our law-enforcement community is rife with everyday heroes. Tommy Norman is one of those extraordinary officers, and he’s changing the dynamic in his Arkansas community – and the nation. (TOMMY NORMAN)
120 SCATTERGUN: Fire In The Holler! Blackpowder shotguns live on in the Appalachians. Meet the people dedicated to preserving the heritage and history of these venerable firearms. 131
Spec Ops Blade-only Hog Hunt When Special Operations Wounded Warriors take to the swamps armed solely with knives, the Takin’ Bacon event sizzles.
AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2015 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.
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CONTENTS Also inside 27 53
101 108 111 147 148 155 163 165 171
GUN REVIEW: Century Arms C39v2 Q&A: Steve Elmenhorst Of Precision Rifle Series, Third Generation Shooting Supply D.A.R.P.A.’s Dart Gun Tribute To Our Troops Charity Focus: Meet Frank Lauria of Battlefield Recovery Product Feature: American Tactical’s Omni Hybrid MAXX Series GUN REVIEW: S&W Model 329PD Air Lite .44 Mag GAMO’s 2nd Squirrel Master Classic Q&A: Karl Findling of Oregon Packs BLACKPOWDER: Lock and Load What To Get Preppers For Christmas
DEPARTMENTS 17 19 21 22 140
Editor’s Note Competition Calendar Gunshow Calendar Top Shooters Holiday Gift Guide
©2015 Olin Corporation
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THE A.T.F. LABYRINTH
National guns laws are a daunting maze to navigate, much less understand. But attorney Alex Kincaid knows the way. Follow along as she takes us through the labyrinth that is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the myriad of rules it’s bound to enforce. (AMANDA ALLARD)
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
EDITOR’S NOTE ere we are, the end of 2015. Many would say that it is time to reflect on the past year, and to savor the memories of each passing month, the achievements, the failures, the learning curves – some more drastic than others – but I say pththththhtpt! I say, seize today and anticipate an epic 2016! Our year-end issue is stocked with tributes to heroes along with the organizations that support them, crazy squirrel hunting competitions, precision shooting advice from the best of the best, an introduction to fellow shooters who come from the most unlikely of places, dynamic gun reviews, an exclusive interview with one of today’s coolest cops, and insight into the ATF. This issue will have you bouncing from one gun-industry topic to the another – we certainly had fun putting it together. Looking ahead, all I can see are four letters: S.H.O.T. This annual trade show has proven to be the ultimate in our industry as the best place to release the newest, latest, coolest – some weird but all fun – gadgets, guns and gear. People across the nation anticipate this show for just those things. This will be our fifth year at SHOT, but the first time under the new American Shooting Journal name. We are very excited!
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Get ready for big prizes! We will be issuing “Golden Tickets” to SHOT Show attendees via mail, email and on our website before the show. With this ticket, attendees will be able to come by booth #408 anytime during the show and spin our great prize wheel. Among the multitude of prizes: two .308 rifles – yes, two! – one by RTD Mfg. and the other by Layke Tactical; a 1911 from Inland Mfg.; an MXB Sniper Lite crossbow from Mission by Mathews; Hogue hatchets; SpyderCo, Cold Steel, OKC, TOPS, SOG and Coast knives; a chronograph by The Shooting Executive editor Danielle Chrony; gift certificates to The Strip Breteau (ICHIRO NAGATA) Club Gun Club in Vegas – the list is endless and every spin wins! We intend to make SHOT 2016 a blast, and we hope you will stop by to meet the team. We would love to hear your story.
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Bryan Morgan 2014 PRS Points Champ
PRECISION RIFLE SERIES - A nationwide competitive points race featuring the best precision rifle matches and most competitive riflemen in the country. • • • •
Points Series Race To The Championship Regional Qualifier Matches Earn Your PRS Shooting Classification Sign Up Today & Become A Member
Presented By:
Ryan Kerr 2014 Match Winner
For More Information Visit:
www.precisionrifleseries.com
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Bradley Allen LRH Division Winner
COMPETITION C A L E N D A R
Professional competitor Sarah Yarbrough, who goes by the nickname Lead Head Red, is rising to fame in the 3-Gun Nation series. (3-GUN NATION)
Dec 6
Dec 12
Dec 26
Dec 5
Dec 5
Dec 11
Dec 4 - 6
Dec 12 - 13
Dec 19 - 20
CCPRC Monthly Match Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi Pistol & Rifle Club
Factory Gun Classic Clearwater, Fla. Wyoming Antelope Club
2015 Florida Trap And Skeet Championships Gainesville, Fla. Gator Trap & Skeet Field
CHRPC Monthly Match Cleveland, Tenn. Cleveland Hunting, Rifle & Pistol Club
The Swamp Challenge Gainesville, Fla. Shoot GTR Range
Air Rifle, Prone & 3-Position Rifle Challenge Charleston, S.C. The Citadel
Dec 5 - 6
Peacemakers Holiday Shoot Beggs, Okla. Tulsa RV Ranch Arena
4th Todd Jarrett Caribbean Championship Negril, Jamaica Negril Gun Club
All Pistol Open and Air Rifle Open Dallas, Texas Shooting Stars Range
Dec 12 - 13
Skeet & Sporting Clays Open Decatur, Texas Fossil Pointe Range
Dec 5
MVSG Monthly Match Vandalia, Ohio Miami Valley Shooting Grounds
Skeet & Sporting Clays Open San Antonio, Texas The National Shooting Complex
Dec 11 - 13
Peacemakers Holiday Shoot Eugene, Ore. Oregon Horse Center
Dec 19
Peacemakers 7th Cavalry Lady Lake, Fla. Lady Lake Equestrian Center
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY
PRIMER
GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R A stunning 1911 with color-case frame and hot blue slide built by Guncrafter Industries of northwest Arkansas, and engraved by Jim Downing. Visit them at GuncrafterIndustries.com. (JOHN MAY)
Wes Knodel gun shows
Dec 12 - 13 Dec 19 - 20 Dec 19 - 20
Centralia, Wash. Tacoma, Wash. Medford, Ore.
Southwest Washington Fairgrounds The Tacoma Dome Medford Armory
Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows
Dec 12 - 13 Dec 12 - 13 Dec 19 - 20 Dec 19 - 20
Del Mar, Calif. Reno, Nev. Ventura, Calif. Las Vegas, Nev.
Del Mar Fairgrounds Reno Convention Center Ventura County Fairgrounds Cashman Field Center
Tanner Gun show
Dec 5 - 6 Dec 19 - 20
Denver, Colo. Denver, Colo.
Denver Mart Denver Mart
C&E Gun shows
Dec 5 - 6 Dec 5 - 6 Dec 12 - 13 Dec 12 - 13 Dec 19 - 20 Dec 19 - 20 Dec 19 - 20
Fayetteville, N.C. Fairmont, W.Va. Fishersville, Va. Harrisburg, Pa. Salem, Va. Raleigh, N.C. Columbus, Ohio
Crown Expo Center National Guard Armory Augusta Expo Farm Show Complex Salem Civic Center State Fairgrounds Westland Mall
R.K. gun Shows
Dec 5 - 6 Dec 12 - 13 Dec 19 - 20
Ashland, Ky. Oklahoma City, Okla. Springdale, Ark.
El Hasa Temple Oklahoma Expo Building NW Convention Center
northeast gun shows
Dec 12 - 13
W. SpringďŹ eld, Mass.
Eastern State Exposition
To have your event highlighted here send us an email at Dani@AmericanShootingJournal.com.
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PRIMER
TOP SHOOTERS 1.
”I’m hunting wabbits!” says Sheila McQuade with her camouflaged .243 Win. We almost couldn’t see her!
2.
Kolby Claycomb proves that there is a woman behind every good decision, or in this case, a Savage .25-06.
3.
Alan Campbell says “Heck, yes!” to shooting a S&W M&P .308.
4.
The headbox of that paper target has no chance when Christine Gray is around. Her Ruger commander-style SR1911 is the only backup she needs.
5.
Cameron Gray, sporting a .25-20 Winchester, can systematically take down his targets, thanks to the mentorship of our contributor and his grandfather Norman Gray.
6.
Do not attempt to enter Martina Lull’s house while she is in charge of security. We repeat, do not even try!
7.
Pink is the new badass! Gina Blancaflor is on target and on trigger with her Glock 20 short-frame 10mm. Look out boys, she’s got this.
8.
Training at a hunting camp in Burns, Ore., Maddi Johnson will steal your heart and take first place at the next best-shot competition.
9.
Looks like someone needs to make room in their freezer! Gary Morkin took this 10-point buck in the woods of Minnesota.
10.
Windham Weaponry should hire Christy Junker for their T&E department. After evaluating their carbon fiber SRC at the Rio Salado Range in Mesa, Ariz., she tells us it is good to go!
To have your photograph(s) featured here, email Dani@AmericanShootingJournal.com with all the pertinent details!
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BRAVERY IS COLORBLIND The Montford Point Marines STORY BY RON GILL
WAR STORY WWII The Montford Point Marines fought in two wars, one abroad and one at home, and broke through racial barriers with heroism and dedication still admired today. (NATIONAL ARCHIVES)
In February 1944 a Coast Guard-manned transport in the Pacific carried Montford Marines to face the war against Japanese gunners. (NATIONAL ARCHIVES)
Facebook friend of mine posted about a World War II Marine Corps boot camp located at Montford Point in North Carolina. In the Jim Crow days of the early 1940s, there was a segregated USMC facility there, and it was where 20,000 African Americans trained, men now highly regarded as the Montford Point Marines. Today, Montford Point is commemorated by a group of veterans who formed the National Montford Point Marine Association to preserve the legacy of those Marines. The social media post took me back to 1972 when I heard a story about some of those Marines in a Pacific battle that took place 27 years earlier. A man named Boyd Hammond taught the kids in our town to shoot at the junior rifle club. He knew every kid who wanted to learn. We all referred to him as Mr. Hammond, and we knew he was retired from the Marine Corps. Those of us who continued our education with him, in order to gain expert and distinguished badges, became his friend. Mr. Hammond told us that he had enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1930. In those days, during the Depression, 30 men including Hammond reported to the induction center, but only two were accepted. In 1936 he became a quartermaster in Shanghai, and by 1945, Warrant Officer Hammond was assigned to a supply unit in which all of the enlisted men were black and all of the officers were white. The enlisted men loaded and unloaded ships, in addition to their other soldier duties, and their next port of call was going to take place on an island called Iwo Jima.
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I VISITED HAMMOND just before I shipped out for Vietnam in 1972. He showed me an annotated aerial photo of Iwo Jima that he had been given before the invasion and asked me what I thought of it. I said the Marines must have met much more resistance than the photograph showed. He pointed to two places that were about a half an inch apart on the image and said, “It took a week to get from one point to the other.” That week must have felt like an eternity. Hammond talked about the area, and how the Marines struggled to get their trucks over the dark sandy beaches. “They slept in holes and endured nightly bombings until the fighter aircraft came in and intercepted the night raiders. The Marines watched as tracers came out of the black sky, and the unseen raiders disappeared in bursts of fire. The Japanese launched a night banzai charge to knock out an airfield. They not only swept over the airfield, but went on to where the troops were bivouacked for the evening. For an hour and a half the fighting was hand to hand.” Hammond went on, “ I thought I was going to be killed when a Japanese soldier ran up to me with a smoking grenade, and at the last moment chose to use the grenade to kill himself. During all of this, the Montford Marines stood their ground and fought the charge even after it had decimated several American units. Two black Marines earned the Bronze Star Medal with valor for their bravery during those days.” “Did they stop the charge,” I asked. “Of course,” he answered, “they were Marines!” ASJ Editor’s note: If you would like to know more about the Montford Point Marines, visit them at MontfordPointMarines.com.
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Century Arms’ new C39v2 offers many upgrades from their earlier versions, and is California-law compliant.
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gun reviews
FROM RUSSIA AMERICA WITH LOVE Century Arms C39v2 Semi Auto Rifle, 7.62x39mm
REVIEW BY TATIANA WHITLOCK • PHOTOGRAPHS BY OLEG VOLK
well-made, accurate and good-looking AK-47 that is 100 percent made in the USA with no imported parts actually exists. Century Arms introduced the C39v2, 7.62x39mm semiautomatic rifle in 2014, and it continues to exceed our expectations. After receiving quite a bit of user feedback from the original C39, Century Arms made some intelligent changes and upgrades, resulting in the C39v2, which has set it apart from other AKs on the market. Even AK purists are having a hard time finding fault with their latest C39 variant. While elegant isn’t a term usually associated with an AK-47, the C39v2 earns the descriptor. With a milled receiver machined from a solid 11-pound block of 4140 ordnance-quality steel and lightening grooves on each side, gone is the rough industrial look of the traditional stamped AK. Marry this receiver to the high-quality wooden forend furniture and Warsaw-length stock, finish the receiver and barrel inside and out in black nitrite, and you have one classy-looking rifle! The obvious upgrades to the v2 include the sights, magazine release and safety that have been changed from the original Century Arms C39. After much feedback they brought back the traditional AK iron sights, allowing those with standard AK sight tools to breathe a sigh of relief. The new oversized T-shaped extended magazine catch might appear to be cumbersome at first glance; however, just as oversized controls on pistols and shotguns have proven useful, the v2’s large release proved an asset for aggressive and fast magazine changes. Proof in point that bigger can be better. The safety has a very positive, crisp feel, and includes a notched detail that receives the charging handle and locks it in place, keeping the bolt open. In combination with the modified dust cover the C39v2 safety won’t over-rotate past the dust cover, as with some stamped AKs, and is easy to remove for servicing.
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CENTURY ARMS DIDN’T CUT CORNERS when it came to components. Green Mountain makes the C39v2’s 16.5-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist and a concentric left-hand 14x1 metric thread that comes equipped with a chevron muzzle break. They chose a high quality barrel and used black nitrite to coat it inside and out, which ensures longevity and accuracy over the life of the gun. Similarly, the double-stack bolt design and lightening slots in the bolt carrier – whether you are a fan of that feature or not – americanshootingjournal.com 27
gun reviews
Century Arms has streamlined the lines of this AK by engineering a milled receiver using 4140 ordnancequality steel and lightening grooves on each side.
show quality machining throughout. Century Arms answered the demand for a better trigger in the v2 by creating and manufacturing the RAK-1 trigger group. Using a double-hook single-stage trigger with Wolf springs, the RAK-1 is arguably the closest thing to an AK
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match-grade trigger on the market. An innovative relief cut allows the RAK-1 to be used in receivers designed to only accept single-hook triggers. Most AK triggers require polishing on the top to eliminate bolt hang up. The RAK-1’s top-profile design is already optimized, making additional tweaking unnecessary. For an AK trigger the RAK-1 has very little uptake, breaks at 5 pounds and has a crisp reset. While this trigger is nothing fancy compared to what the M4 market is accustomed to, it is well made, does the job and fits other AK-variant rifles and pistols such as the RAS47, WASR, N-PAP and C39s.
BUT HOW DOES IT SHOOT? Get the rifle off the bench and onto the range! Zeroing from the prone position at 100 yards with Wolf ammo, the C39v2 shot a consistent 2-inch group. Why zero at 100? Because friends don’t let friends zero AKs at 7 yards! Century Arms claims that the C39v2 shoots one minute of angle out of the box,
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gun reviews By finishing the barrel and receiver with
which very well may be the case in black nitrite and using fine wood for the forend, this AK not only depicts its the hands of a more experienced AK roots, but it feels and looks classy. enthusiast. Over the 500-plus rounds fired through this gun while testing, there were no malfunctions other than the most infuriating and common AK malfunction: running dry! The rifle cycled with boring reliably and smooth operation without interruption, as is expected of a well-made AK. If you love AKs, you probably love a pump shotgun for the physical handling required to effectively run both. Reloads are the best example: rocking the empty mag out with a new one and slamming the next one home isn’t a delicate operation. Simply put, the more aggressive you are with this AK, the better it performs. Concerning the C39v2’s durability: It’s an AK. They were end while conducting pushups – all the weight, pressure designed to be driven over, dropped, submerged, survive the and balance point is on the magazine resting on the ground) Russian “push up test” (where the person doing the pushup and run as intended, depending on the volume of gravel balances the AK upright on the magazine, and holds each accumulated in the action. That being said, it’s easy to tear
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gun reviews down, clean and get back up and running because, well, it’s an AK. Being made with quality components only stands to increase the C39v2’s durability and longevity in the hands of a hard-use discerning shooter. Downsides to the C39v2? For some, the additional weight from the milled receiver that brings the rifle to a whopping 8.2 pounds may be an issue. Because Century Arms designed
the receiver to be compatible with after-market modern Kalashnikovs (slight modifications may be required) and polymer furniture, these components can be changed out if weight is that critical. Gym memberships may also be an option for consideration. The chevron muzzle break may be the only component that some would wish to change out. That being said, it’s a simple procedure, and arguably the only metal component on the rifle that may not suit an AK shooter’s tastes. A contemporary AK shooter will wish there was a side mount for optics while AK traditionalists may shed a tear when they find the C39v2 lacks a bayonet lug and cleaning rod. However, this allows it to adhere to California laws, and is available in a bullet button version to make West Coasters leap with joy. Out of the box the v2 already has The integrated Green Mountain the majority of value-added upgrades barrel has a most enthusiasts look to change in stock 1:10 twist and a concentric leftversions. Century Arms has delivered hand 14x1 metric an affordable, quality AK with the thread that comes equipped with a added patriotic benefit of sourcing and chevron muzzle making it entirely in the US. Given our break.
The Original Drop In Trigger — Designed for hard use and long life! LIFETIME WARRANTY
817.563.6611 • WWW.CMCTRIGGERS.COM
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gun reviews nation’s ever-changing import bans and regulations, having an AK-47 manufacturer stateside that listens to its customers and is willing to evolve their product is a great asset to the US firearms community. As more shooters experience the C39v2 and appreciate it, the only question that remains is, can Century Arms keep up with demand? ASJ
SPECIFICATIONS Century Arms International C39v2 RI2245-N Semi Automatic Rifle 100 percent American made Caliber: 7.62x39mm Barrel: 16.25-inch, 1:10 twist, nitride-treated barrel Barrel thread: 14x1 metric left-hand thread Overall length: 35.25 inches Weight: 8.2 pounds Receiver: Milled 4140 steel Finish: Black Furniture: Wood Grip: Plastic Included: Two 30-round Magpul magazines MSRP: $739
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According to Tatiana, the only malfunction she encountered while testing the C39v2 was running dry.
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WIN ON BOOTH #408
MXB SNIPER LITE CROSSBOW
OR ONE OF THESE!
RT-10 7.62 NATO/.308 RIFLE
MEET US!
BRITTANY BODDINGTON, renowned big-game huntress and TV celebrity with fans all over the world, will be signing autographs for lucky guests! Catch up with her during SHOT Show before she takes off to find her next exotic prize. WEDNESDAY 11 a.m. 36
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LOUIE TUMINARO, star of Outdoor Channel’s THE GUNFATHER, and owner of the The Custom Shop in Hamilton, Mont., will be standing by to shake hands and sign autographs. WEDNESDAY 2 p.m.
CARMEN BOURSEAU is the sweetheart of the Legends Football League (LFL) who plays for the Los Angeles Temptations and was recently named the Temptations MVP after running 160 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Meet one of LFL’s beautiful athletes! THURSDAY 2 p.m.
E OF THESE! LAYKE TACTICAL LT10 .308 WIN
1911 GOVERNMENT PISTOL American Shooting Journal patches
AR pistol cheek weld
Target from
Backpacks from
Sample packs of lube from
Cleaning Kits from
Gift Cards from:
Glock cleaning brushes Defense Alert Devices from Holsters from
Barrel and action kit for 1911 Shoe dryer
Ulticlips from
Shooting Chrony chronograph
BOOTH #408
who Everyoneze Wheel Pri e h t s n i p s ize! wins a pr
Your access to all these great prizes at SHOT Show! 1. Go to americanshootingjournal.com to download your ticket 2. Bring your ticket to Booth #408 at SHOT Show 3. Spin the Prize Wheel and walk home with a great prize Prizes given away only at SHOT Show.
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Tommy Norman is a patrol officer who spends a great deal of time on and off duty with the community he serves. Images like this one he's posted on social media pages have gone viral.
BEHIND THE BADGE
IT TAKES AN OFFICER Tommy Norman And The Community He Is Raising ommy Norman grew up in North Little Rock, Ark., a medium-sized town north of Arkansas’s capital city of Little Rock. Like many, Norman didn’t have any direction or burgeoning career aspirations at the time. He worked as a hospital orderly and provided the basics for his small family. Service was always a part of what Norman did. Long before he became a police officer, Norman volunteered with Big Brothers, Meals-onWheels and any other group that helped and looked out for the underserved part of his community.
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“I CHALLENGE EVERY OFFICER TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AND WALK, TALK, DANCE, PLAY AND INTERACT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY.” Growing up, Norman had an uncle who was a chief of police for a small town, but he never even considered a
STORY BY TROY TAYSOM • PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOMMY NORMAN
career as a cop until he was 26 years old. The youngest of nine children, he eventually decided to apply to the North Little Rock Police Department, was hired and went through the law enforcement academy. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the patrol division, where he still serves today 17 years later — with no desire to ever leave. WHEN NORMAN STARTED PATROLLING the streets of NLR, his mother would call him each night at 2:00 a.m. to make sure he was safe. No matter how old one gets, a mother will always worry, and she wouldn't be denied knowing her child was well. SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO terms like tweet, viral video, post, Instagram and Facebook either didn’t exist in our lexicon, or meant something completely different. Times have changed. Smart cops have embraced that change and use social media to their advantage. Tommy Norman did just that and became, unexpectedly, a Facebook superstar and Instagram sensation. He has always been a great guy and americanshootingjournal.com 39
BEHIND THE BADGE
On weekday mornings, you can find Officer Norman at school bus stops, where kids wait for him with anticipation.
Tim Tim and his brothers needed a bit of help when they first arrived in Norman's community. People who followed Norman's posts sent shoes and clothing for them as a gift.
Kids, adults and senior citizens alike trust Norman and know they can count on him to be there for them.
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compassionate cop according to his community and peers. From the beginning Norman understood that to be a successful cop required public trust. The same people who often have valuable information for the police can be the same people who trust the authorities least. Gaining this trust, while not impossible, takes years to build and can be destroyed in seconds. Officer Norman knew that the way to be a part of a community was to be a part of its lives and without prejudice. This is not to say that Norman won't arrest someone who broke the law. On the contrary, part of gaining his community’s trust is by being fair and keeping the streets safe for the law-abiding citizens; final judgment is left to the judge and jury. Norman works around people who have difficulties and sometimes need to be punished. This allows them to learn, move forward and change. OFFICER NORMAN IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. A man named Willie was recently arrested in NLR for stealing copper piping from an abandoned house. Norman (not the arresting officer), spoke with Willie while he was in jail and discovered that he had stolen the piping to pay his rent. While it was clear that Willie needed to be arrested because he had commited a crime, Norman also saw a chance to help him out and showed him other ways to get help without breaking the law. Norman mentioned this incident on one of his social media accounts and received a check from a woman in Pennsylvania to help Willie pay his utilities. Norman took the money and paid Willie’s utilities. When he presented the receipt to Willie and explained what had happened, Willie cried. "I had no idea people cared," Willie said. Recently a couple from New York contacted Norman to tell him about their wedding anniversary gift. The wife, Kim, wanted to buy clothes and shoes for one of Norman’s best little friends, Tim Tim and his brothers. Tim Tim and crew were new to the area and in need of help. Another video that Norman posted shows him meeting up with Gloria, a former drug user and homeless woman, whom he would see walking the streets late at night and early in the morning. On the day of the video, Gloria had been clean for three years, employed and living in an apartment. She and Officer Norman danced a little jig in the lobby of a local fast-food restaurant to celebrate her sobriety. A couple, Deborah and Jay, who both have special needs had met in a homeless shelter. Because of their financial situation they move regularly, and always picked a dwelling in Norman’s patrol area simply because they felt safe with him around. Norman was their best man for their wedding vow renewal. Several years ago Norman saw an opportunity to get to know the kids in his patrol area. Many of them stand around at school bus stops, but instead of being bored they wait with anticipation. Will today be the day that Officer Norman comes? Will he dance? Sing? Will he ask about grades? The
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BEHIND THE BADGE answer is, “Yes.” Norman is reknowned for posting videos on social media of dancing and singing with kids at their bus stops. He doesn't care that the kids laugh at him when he doesn't know all the dance moves, or that they think he looks silly doing the "NaeNae," a type of celebratory dance. He also doesn't discriminate when it comes to the age of what he calls his "victims." Browsing through his video catalog one can see him dancing with fellow officers, senior citizens and young and old alike. All of his videos have one thing in common – everyone is smiling. A smile is really a snapshot of the heart, a physical demonstration of what is happening on the inside. For a brief moment in time, these people have forgotten their everyday worries and stresses.
Among the many items Norman carries in his patrol car for the kids, he makes sure he has snacks and juice for those who he knows do not get breakfast in the morning. Seventeen years after graduating from the law enforcement academy, Norman still works on a patrol unit, and says he never wants to leave.
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
THERE ARE MANY HARD realities that a police officer must deal with, but the most difficult of all is a child in need, says Norman. Many of the bus-stop kids come from homes that cannot afford to feed them breakfast in the morning. One of the first questions Norman asks is if anyone is hungry. You’ll never see this part of his visits on his videos simply because, I imagine, Norman wouldn’t want any of these kids to be embarrassed. He carries Pop-Tarts and juice in the trunk of his car in case any of the kids haven’t eaten. He could refer these kids or their parents to a social programs and call it good enough, but he realizes that he can feed a child right here and now. This love goes beyond police work and speaks to Norman’s humanity and caring. While a Pop-Tart and a juice box won’t solve world hunger or poverty, it helps a child know that there are people who care, and many of them wear a lawenforcement uniform. One of Norman's favorite pastimes is reading to the kids, and he carries books in his car so he is always ready. Kids usually see reading as a boring exercise. Norman is teaching these kids that someone cool loves to read, and because he has gained their trust, his example has value to them. The quickest way out of poverty is by having dreams and an education. Books provide both. Among the stops along
americanshootingjournal.com 43
BEHIND THE BADGE Norman takes the time to read to kids in an effort to inspire them to be educated.
Norman’s beat are the senior-citizen assisted living centers where there are people who suffer from disabilities, along with the homeless and downtrodden. He has even deputized
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
two men who have cerebral palsy and are wheelchair bound. He refers to them as Officer Pickens and Officer Sharp. He reports in with them regularly, bringing smiles to their faces and to the faces of the thousands who see the pictures. Norman can be seen in his videos pulling over children in their toy cars and issuing citations – unless they escape! He’s been locked in the back of his police car by an unforgiving child officer, and laughed at by citizens of all ages as he tries to do the Quan, yet another type of dance. More importantly, he inspires others. SADLY, NOT ALL OF NORMAN’S experiences have had a happy ending. During our interview, Norman told me of a young man named Tupac whom he had known from the street. In the beginning, this child would
americanshootingjournal.com 45
BEHIND THE BADGE
It's images like these that have inspired a nation to follow Norman on social media.
smile, wave and run to meet up with him. As the child grew older, he would look away when Norman approached. Pretty soon the kid wanted nothing to do with him or any other police officer. He had mixed in with the wrong crowd and started making poor decisions. A couple of months
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
Honorary officer King Jennings is ready to back up Norman on his next call.
americanshootingjournal.com 47
BEHIND THE BADGE
The kids have learned to trust Norman, but sadly, he says he has lost a few to the darker side, and they have died on the streets.
prior to our interview this young man was shot and killed in the street. OFFICER NORMAN HAS BEEN ON CNN and The Today Show, and has been recognized by multiple community organizations for his work with the citizens of NLR. He has inspired people
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
from New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and many other locations who were willing to get involved. More importantly, he is inspiring other officers at the community level. He doesn’t expect everyone to get involved the way he does, but he does give sound advice to fellow officers via Instagram: “Bring back the human factor and stop creating an us-against-them mentality. I challenge every fellow officer to get out of their cars and walk, talk, dance, play and interact with their community. There will be less lives lost and more mutual respect.” Will all of this matter in the big picture? Will it matter that he gave out Pop-Tarts, sang and danced at bus stops? It matters to those children. Those kids love him and one day when they need him most, they will know that they can count on him. ASJ
Editor's note: If you would like to see Officer Norman's videos and images, or follow his daily routine, you can visit: Instagram at TNorman23 or Facebook.com/Tommy. Norman.944.
americanshootingjournal.com 49
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This R8 from Performance Center offers a tuned action, scandium frame and the company’s own trigger-stop trigger. Performance Center products are the ultimate expression of oldworld craftsmanship blended with modern technology. Our guns originate from either standard designs or are created from the ground up. From hand cutting and fitting to fine tuning for precision, these firearms are top performers.
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American Shooting Journal How did you get started in the Precision Rifle Series? Steve Elmenhorst I started shooting the PRS in 2013, although I had been competing in long-range shooting several years before that. Around 2006 Rick Reeves, currently a senior pro-shooter with the PRS, was running a 500-yard balloon shoot and he approached a couple of us about attending. There were several smaller shooting events around Oklahoma in those early years, but after a while I drifted away from the competitions for a couple years and focused mostly on hunting. A few of my friends shot in the inaugural PRS, and after seeing them apply an across-the-course style of shooting to a hunting situation, I decided I wanted to get back into the sport. That following spring I was shooting in my first PRS event in Missouri and placed 19th.
400 yards in windy conditions, and these guys make it look simple. The advice they give is grounded in years of shooting experience and practical application. You will not find a better opportunity to learn. Everyone is out there to win, but they will bend over backwards to help out other shooters if there is an issue with equipment or other problems. ASJ How did Third Generation Shooting Supply start, and what are your goals going forward? SE We founded TGSS around 2008. Four of us were working at our family shooting store, and our focus was primarily as an FFL dealer and sales. Around that time, long-range shooting and hunting was gaining popularity around Oklahoma and other surrounding states, and with three of us competing and heavily tied into that community, we started to focus more on optics, reloading equipment and custom rifle components. What I feel has set us apart in the industry is we mostly only sell equipment that we use and we know works. Being competitive shooters and avid hunters we are lucky enough to be in a position to try a lot of different equipment, and we really enjoy passing that knowledge on to others so that they can make the correct purchase the first time. Setting someone up with the proper equipment to effectively extend their hunting range and having the customer responsibly harvest an animal at distance has been the best part of my job. ASJ
ASJ The sport is becoming wildly popular, and with that there are many newbie long-range shooters interested in getting into the series. Do you feel there is still room for novices? SE Absolutely! My advice to anyone would be to buy a quality setup, and then to not think about upgrading anything until you have burned out at least a couple of rifle barrels. Buy a quality rifle platform in whatever practical-sized round you choose – though a 6.5 Creedmoor is the best option for factory ammo, if they don’t want to reload – and then purchase the best optic platform they can afford. Assuming someone has a quality rifle and optics, the best thing they can do at that point is practice, practice, practice! Too many shooters, myself included, get too wrapped up in the best round, the best bullet, the best gear, etc., and they would be much better off spending that time shooting. There is no doubt that some of the amazing equipment we have available to us now can help you be a better shooter, but when someone is starting out fresh in the sport, more than likely their equipment is not holding them back; it’s their own skill level. My other advice would be to talk and listen to some of the older and more established shooters. At any given PRS match you will probably be shooting with some of the greatest marksmen in the country, and generally all of them are more than happy to help out new shooters. On any given Justin Shireman shooting for Third Generation Shooting at the Shoot For The Green Precision Rifle Series course of fire you may be asked to engage an Supply Competition in the Gloss Mountains of Oklahoma. (TGSS) 8-inch target from a standing barricade at
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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Caylen Wojcik uses a 55-gallon drum as a support during the 2015 Sniper’s Hide Cup. Notice the points of contact on the shooting elbow, the chest and bipods – that’s solid contact. (JOSEPHAT OROZCO)
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
REACH OUT AND TOUCH THAT BUCK Field-shooting Positions That Expand Your Hunting Limits
STORY BY CAYLEN WOJCIK
T
he ominous and almost haunting realization that it’s the last day of the season hangs over your head as you make one last hike up to your glassing perch with hopes of catching a glimpse of the animals that have been so elusive in the preceding days. Hours pass, and in the fading light you glass across the sage into the glare of the sun. Catching some movement your eyes focus on an ear flick; low and behold it’s a shooter buck. He’s far, but your heart is soaring with the hopes of success as you range him before he feeds out of view into the dark timber just a couple dozen yards away. At 460 yards, your .300 WSM is more than capable, but you can’t lay down in the high sage, and the only shooting support you have is your pack and a set of Stoney Point sticks that you’ve used only once or twice. You know you can shoot that far, but only from a bench or prone. That elated feeling quickly drains as your gut tells you “No, you can’t make that shot,” and you watch what you thought was your buck walk away. I know some of you are thinking, “460 yards off of sticks is too far, anyways; you shouldn’t take that shot even if you feel good about it.” How far is too far? The truth is range is just a number for a shooter who practices regularly. It’s as simple as “range, dial, hold for wind, and press” for someone who is confident with their rifle and, most importantly, their ability to apply the fundamentals of marksmanship in field conditions. I routinely see students successfully and consistently hit targets at greater distances than the above scenario with a little bit of instruction and training. Now, let’s be clear; there is a big difference between training on steel targets that are stationary and a living, breathing animal. It’s OK to miss steel, but as hunters, our quarry deserves the utmost respect with a quick and humane expiration from a well-placed shot. With animals we play for keeps, and staying inside of your limits with a rifle afield should be our primary concern. So, how can we extend our comfort zone? How can we push those limits with confidence so we don’t have to see those bucks walk away? It’s going to take dedication and lots of time on the range. Here are some pointers on how to do it effectively: The first thing we should identify right off the bat is what our rifle can do under ideal conditions. Spend a day with your rifle shooting it at distance and record your data. If you’re using hold-overs, that’s fine, make sure you write down the range to the targets and the hold you used to get center hits. If you’re dialing your turrets, record the turret settings it required to hit center. Ideally, you should do this from the prone position to remove as much shooter error as possible. This raw data you’re gathering is what you’re going to use to make your drop chart. It’s also going to build your confidence with the rifle, knowing that it’s going to do what you tell it to do, under ideal conditions. If you have the space available, this is also a great opportunity to push americanshootingjournal.com 61
Students use barricades and tripods to engage targets out to 1,200 yards. (JAKE BLICK, MAGPUL CORE)
the limits of distance. You can do this safely knowing that misses are only going to result in creating a little bit of self motivation and not a wounded animal. Once we know that the rifle is doing what we want it to do in a general sense and we’ve established that confidence, it’s time to get ourselves out of the prone and into field-shooting positions, and I mean a lot of different positions. We want to focus on the fundamentals of marksmanship, and accept nothing less than perfection. The fundamentals in a nutshell are: creating a solid body position relying on either bone or artificial support, aligning our sights and aiming, proper breathing, getting a natural
Richard Mann uses his trekking poles to build a supported sitting position. (MACKENZIE CRAWFORD)
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
point of aim, trigger control and follow-through. It’s a lot to remember, but if you go about it in a systematic way by applying all those items in that order, your shooting will improve drastically. The main thing to really focus on in field-shooting scenarios is establishing a natural point of aim. This is where the rifle wants to go in any given shooting position while the shooter is relaxed. Relaxation is key; we can’t relax without bone or artificial support, so make sure you’re honest with yourself when you build your shooting position. If you close your eyes, breathe and relax, the crosshairs should be right where you left them before you closed your eyes. If they’re
Mann receives instruction on the use of trekking poles as support in a kneeling position. Note the position of the sling on the shooter’s right arm. This assists with keeping the rifle butt firmly in the pocket of the shoulder. (MACKENZIE CRAWFORD)
Wojcik demonstrates the use of bipods to build a stable shooting platform from an unusual structure. (JAKE BLICK, MAGPUL CORE)
americanshootingjournal.com 63
Magpul CORE students demonstrating the versatility of the bipod while shooting from fence slats. Note the straight legs, locked out knees and a forward center of gravity. This is used to create bone support and relieve muscular tension. (MACKENZIE CRAWFORD)
The Backcountry Hunter Course in the Washington Cascades is the perfect location to work on angles and an odd range of positions. (JAKE BLICK, MAGPUL CORE)
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
not in the same place then you don’t have a natural point of aim, and you need to adjust your body to get the rifle to go where you want it to go. It takes lots and lots of practice. When you head out to practice, focus on the tools you’re taking afield first, such as your shooting sticks or a tripod. Shoot from them in as many different positions as you can think of so you can identify your weaknesses and your strengths. Once that’s comfortable, move on to shooting off of weird things that could mimic field scenarios, like stumps, logs, branches and fence slats. You’ll be surprised at how effective you are after a little focused practice. You don’t need long ranges or steel either. If your range only has 100 yards, that’s fine, just shrink your target size. Start with 6-inch rounds or squares, then reduce the size as you gain confidence and proficiency. A good standard is a 3-inch target from 100 yards. If you can consistently place shots into that size target, you’re in good shape and are applying the fundamentals. Putting everything together and building confidence in your rifle will translate into building confidence in yourself. It’s a great feeling going afield knowing that you’re
americanshootingjournal.com 65
A student using his trekking poles as field-expedient shooting sticks in a fairly severe declined angle shot during the Backcountry Hunter Course. (JAKE BLICK, MAGPUL CORE)
Notice the contact point between the shooter’s right elbow and the right knee. This is essential to supporting the upper body and the spine in a seated position. (MACKENZIE CRAWFORD) A student uses a cable reel on an angle to simulate using a downed log as a support. Notice the use of the bipods to create a more stable platform on the curved and sloped surface of the reel. Also, the shooter is using his nonshooting hand to grab a handful of shirt material to further enhance stability. (MACKENZIE CRAWFORD)
prepared for a wide variety of conditions. Something else to consider is looking for outside instruction from a reputable and professional organization. Having a second set of eyes watching you and offering constructive criticism will pay off in a big way when you head off on your own. You’d be surprised what a couple days of instruction will do for your shooting. Training for field-shooting positions is easy and a fun challenge. Use your imagination and be creative. Bottom line: enjoy yourself! ASJ
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
PATTON FOR A DAY STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY FRANK JARDIM
What It’s Like To Blow Up Panzers (Or An Old Pontiac) In A WWII Tank
The M5A1 Stuart light tank in action with the author in the commander’s position giving instructions to the driver using the original 1943 intercom system. Without the intercom, communication in the tank is very difficult.
M
ilitary arms collecting is among the most popular facets of the shooting hobby, and at the apex of military arms collectors you will find those who specialize in historic tanks. It is completely legal to own a military tank and they require no special license to drive. Many collectors use their vehicles in parades and only drive on public streets with permission from the municipality. Collectors who choose to equip their tanks with live-firing cannons and machine guns must go through the usual process to obtain National Fireams Act (NFA) categorized weapons and pay the $200 per-item tax, just as you would for The radio and tank intercom system takes up the entire turret bustle behind the gunner and commander’s heads.
a silencer, automatic firearm or short-barreled rifle. Ammunition costs for machine guns pale in comparison to the price tag for a main-gun cannon round. This ammunition needs to be hand loaded into original cases – Redding Reloading does not make resizing dies for 37mm rounds. Each projectile also need to be fabricated and are limited to nonexploding solid shots. A single 37mm round (the smallest cannon you’ll find on an American tank in World War II) costs $45 to reload into a $45 original casing. Add the cost of fuel needed to run a tank – economy is usually expressed in gallons per mile – the personal liability insurance policy you must prudently carry to operate it and the semitractor trailer needed to get it from home to range and back, and your 3-Gun shooting bag on match day doesn’t seem like such a big deal anymore. In Bullitt County, Ky., there are some unique resources that came together and gave me the opportunity to participate in a WWII tank live-fire shoot. The place to shoot was provided by Knob Creek Gun Range in West Point, which you may know from the somewhat fictionalized Guntucky TV show on the Outdoor Channel. It is one of the best and most versatile private ranges in the country, and hosts the biggest machinegun shoot and military gun show in the country twice a year. The tanks came from the 14th Armored Re-creations historical reenactment group in nearby Shepherdsville, which americanshootingjournal.com 69
The 37mm gun breech with the recoil shield in place. The ammo can for the co-axial machine gun is on the left with belted ammo, and on top of the breech is the gyro-stabilizer system that allowed US tanks to fire on the move with reasonable accuracy.
Looking down and forward from the commander seat is the bowgunner’s seat. The M5A1 had dual controls so he could take over as the driver if needed. The extra gas pedal is folded flat on the floor.
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is the only club in the country to specialize in realistic portrayals of a light tank platoon for public education programs, air shows, parades, memorials and a few private battle reenactments, as well as commercial projects for television and the video-game industry. Jon Shoop, the
American Shooting Journal // December 2015
owner of the tanks, and Tim Garrett, who Shoop calls the club’s driving force, invited me out to fire the guns from one of his veteran M5A1 light tanks. This little tank only weighs 31,000 pounds and is powered by two prewar Cadillac V-8 car engines. It was unique at the time because, like the Cadillac automobile, it had an automatic transmission. Using the powerful off-the-shelf car motors in the tank was industrial genius because it allowed the radial-style engines, that the light tanks were originally designed for, to also be used in military aircraft. The tank is fast and much more nimble than one would expect. It needed speed because it didn’t have much armor, and was a poor match for the more heavily armed and armored German tanks. However, in its defense, from a doctrinal standpoint American tanks were never intended to fight other tanks. That is a story for another time. All tanks are crammed full of equipment: radio and intratank communication gear, ammunition boxes, tool and spare parts boxes, blowers, periscopes, wiring harnesses, hydraulic hoses, pumps, electric motors, mechanical linkages and the vehicle’s fighting guns. This leaves very little room for the crew. The M5A1 was a small tank by the standards of WWII, and the inside was absolutely claustrophobic. I am pretty fit and lean, but when I squeezed myself inside, I was in full-body contact with every cold, hard interior surface. The tank’s 37mm cannon can be laid and fired by the gunner or the commander. I sat in the gunner’s seat on the left side of the turret and used the manual controls. My left hand turned the elevation hand wheel, which was in front of me, and my right turned the traverse handle located behind my right hip. The gunner aimed through an M4 periscope, which included a small telescopic sight with a rangeestimation scale. I pressed my face against its padded shield and laid the crosshairs on an old car 300 yards downrange. You can’t get a platform much steadier than a stationary tank, and my sight picture through the periscope was perfectly clear. I pressed the mechanical foot-pedal trigger, and the gun breech jumped back under recoil inside the heavy sheet-metal shield between me and the tank commander on the right side of the turret. It was a hit, but shooting a car with a 37mm is like shooting an aluminum can with a .22LR. It just went straight through and didn’t even move the target. There is also a .30-06-caliber M1919 machine gun mounted coaxial to the 37mm gun that is fired with an electric solenoid. Without changing
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my aim, I chewed the car apart with several bursts. Unlike the main gun’s round, I could see the bullets beating the car, as well as the ground in front and behind it. I found that the tracer gave me a very good idea of where my shots were going. In fact, with the bow machine gun in the lower right hull codriver position, the tracer is the only way to aim the gun. The BOG (bowgunner) had a very limited range of fire with his ball-mounted machine gun, and by the 1950s American tanks eliminated them. Firing “buttoned-up” inside the tank I felt an acute lack of situational awareness, which made me recall conversations I’ve had with several The gunner and commander sit on small round seats inside the turret basket separated by the WWII tank crewmen. They told me 37mm gun-recoil shield at shoulder level and the armored ammo box at their feet (removed in how blind they felt in battle, never this photo to make the turret easier to clean). The radio sits behind them. knowing what threat had escaped the still felt brought into sharp focus the magnitude of the narrow field of view of their periscopes. For Jon Shoop, Tim Garret and the other club members, accomplishments of WWII veterans. ASJ the most rewarding experiences aren’t on the range but in Author’s note: For more information on Knob Creek Gun Range, the public programming they do at home and abroad. During visit them at knobcreerange.com, and for an in-depth look into the 70th anniversary of WWII celebrations in France, they the 14th Armored Re-Creation group, you can visit them at met not only veterans, but grateful civilians who still recalled 14tharmoredre-creations.net. their liberation. After all that time, the gratitude these people
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STORY BY ALEX KINCAID • PHOTOGRAPHS BY OLEG VOLK
he Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE, or more commonly referred to as the ATF) is going the extra mile to win your enthusiasm. Check out the agency’s Internet K-9 page, portraying the playful side of the dogs that are responsible for sniffing out the next bomber. You’ll be greeted by a cute and fluffy retriever holding an ATF ball, and while you’re there, click the link to go to the Kids Page with pictures to color and word games. This reminder of your own family is just a click away from pages showing the grim truth of what can happen when firearms wind up in the hands of murderers and drug dealers. The message is clear: It’s a wonderful world – but everything you deem precious could be taken away. The ATF wants you to believe its agents are here to help. Despite the failings and negative media exploitation of the ATF as a whole (Waco, Ruby Ridge, Operation Fast & Furious, ammo bans, new gun-trust rules and the enforcement of numerous executive orders come to mind), the individual agents who process our National Firearms Act (NFA) and Federal Firearms License (FFL) paperwork are usually kind, helpful and often sympathetic human beings. Many of them are not anti-gun. I know ATF agents who have served our country through military service, or have operated their own gun-related businesses. The truth is, many gun owners loathe the ATF. Gun business owners fear they will fail to dot an “i” or cross a “t,” and lose their livelihood. Gun owners unabashedly abhor the unrelenting infringement on our constitutional protections by our own government, and many fear they will accidentally commit a felony and face prosecution for their ignorance. One of the ATF’s assistant directors suggested that no matter what side you are on, we can all agree that we do not want the bad guy to have a gun. If we can agree on that, then we’re working together. The problem, of course, is the law’s ever-expanding definition of bad guy, and what,
The ATF was originally a division of the US Department of Treasury, which was formed in 1886 as a division of the Treasury Department’s Bureau of Internal Revenue.
(DAVID BOOKSTABER)
(As interpreted and enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, or ATF, 2015)
*(27 CFR 478.11) But: ATF requires that it have originally been manufactured or transferred as a pistol. Converting a rifle to a pistol is illegal. The National Firearms Act of 1934 implemented the first tax on machine guns (like this Browning 1917 machine gun), short-barreled shotguns and suppressors (silencers).
exactly, constitutes public safety. In the 1920s, public safety meant not allowing hardworking Americans to enjoy a beer at five o’clock. A tax on alcohol in 1789, rather than any criminal activity, gave birth to the agency and it was nestled under the Department of Treasury. While prohibition ended in 1933, the NFA passed Congress in 1934, implementing America’s first tax on firearms and giving this tax-enforcement agency another reason to exist. At that time the NFA imposed an outrageous $200 tax – the equivalent of over $3,526 in today’s value – on gangsters’ favorite firearms: machine guns, shortbarreled shotguns and suppressors (silencers). Rather than expect the criminals to obey the law and register firearms – which no one actually expected would happen – Congress intended to remove these weapons from circulation amongst the citizenry by taxing them into infinity. If citizens could not afford them, they could not buy them; if they could not buy them, they could not get into criminal hands. By passing the NFA, our government officially allowed criminals to dictate the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, and concurrently targeted the firearms possessed by responsible gun owners in a severely misguided effort at crime control. Today, nothing sends chills down the backs of lawabiding gun owners quite like a federal law-enforcement agency specifically trained to spot and apprehend people for violating firearms laws. This chill is not because these gun owners intend to commit crimes – it is because they do not. FIREARMS LAWS ARE NOT like speed limits where there are clear signs posted along the highway to tell you what the limitations are and when you might be facing a violation. Instead, gun owners are left to their own devices to sort through the many levels of federal, state and local laws, as well as the ever-expanding interpretations of those laws by the ATF and judges who do not always agree. 78
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Because the ATF classifies this as an NFA Title II item, the gun’s receiver must first be registered as an AOW. This requires payment of a $5 tax and ATF approval, which currently takes 10 months. Possession of an unregistered AOW is a felony punishable by 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
SBRs are also NFA Title II items. The gun’s receiver must be registered as an SBR. This requires payment of a $200 tax and ATF approval, which currently takes 10 months. Possession of an unregistered SBR is a felony punishable by 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
A CZ Scorpion with a Sig Arms brace. One of the latest controversial components on the market is an arm brace for an AR-style pistol. However, if used as a shoulder mount, as seen here, that might turn your simple pistol into a potentially illegal short-barreled rifle, according to the ATF.
The American gun owner suffers from the affliction of so many laws, and most have little, if any, comprehension of all the ways they can run afoul of the imbroglio comprising America’s gun law system. There is no cure for criminal conduct. Once you have violated the law, accidentally or not, you cannot simply undo the criminal behavior. In other words, you cannot give a gun back to the person who sold it to you in another state without using an FFL, and make things OK. I have posed this question to ATF agents, who confirmed that there is no way to undo criminal behavior and make it right. While firearms prohibitionists cannot understand how a person could accidentally commit a crime, it is actually pretty easy to transgress in the world of gun laws and face imprisonment or a hefty fine. DO YOU THINK YOU OWN AN ORDINARY PISTOL? Take your ordinary pistol (less than 26 inches in length) and add an angled foregrip. You still legally own a pistol. Add a bipod, and you still legally own a pistol. Add a vertical foregrip, and you have suddenly manufactured a firearm subject to the NFA – which is subject to enforcement by the ATF – that exposes the accidental transgressor to federal felony punishments. You now own a firearm known as an AOW, or any other weapon. Because the firearm is now subject to the NFA, the gun’s lower receiver must first be registered, or serial stamped and recorded, as an AOW. Registration requires payment of a $5 tax and ATF approval. Possession of an unregistered AOW is a felony punishable by 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines. If you take the same pistol, but add a full stock to it so it is
then designed to shoot from the shoulder, you have unlawfully manufactured a short-barreled rifle, or SBR. SBRs are NFA firearms as well. The SBR’s receiver must be registered as an SBR, a $200 tax must be paid and ATF approval must be issued before the rifle is manufactured. Possession of an unregistered SBR is also a felony punishable by 10 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Another hot topic is the Sig Arms brace, a device that looks similar to a buttstock, but operates solely as an arm brace, based on the design. Wrap it around your forearm for stability, and you have an ordinary pistol; use it to shoot from your shoulder, and you may have an SBR, according to the ATF. Did you inherit a collection from your grandfather? If grandpa brought something back from the war, such as a fully automatic rifle, and never registered that rifle with the
The Maxim PM1910 was invented by the Americanborn British inventor Sir Hiram Maxim, and is a machine gun subject to the NFA requirements for anyone who wants to own one.
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ATF, you are in unlawful possession of an NFA firearm. DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW whether you possess a machine gun? Did you know that Congress changed the definition of machine gun when it passed the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) in 1986? Since then, you own a machine gun if you simply own a part “designed and intended solely and exclusively” to convert a weapon into a machine gun. This has come as a shock to some of my clients who have been greeted by ATF agents asking to collect their machine guns. You see, until the 1980s, it was fairly common to purchase a part known as a drop-in auto sear (DIAS), which, when installed into certain AR-style rifles with M16 internal components, would convert the rifle into a fully automatic firearm. Up until 1998, the ATF’s position was that any DIAS manufactured before 1981 was not subject to the NFA. In 1998, however, a federal judge decided that the ATF does not have the authority to make such an exception to the law, and that all firearms dealers “would do well to assume” that any transfers of DIASs are subject to the NFA, regardless of when they were manufactured (United States versus Cash, 149 F.3d 706, CA7 1998). The problem does not stop with simply having too many laws. It is one task to decipher thousands and thousands of laws that regulate firearms, many of which defy common sense, but it is a completely different task to have to battle the amorphous beast that is the ever-changing American
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Even though Hirim Maxim designed numerous sound suppressors for all types of industrial equipment, only the suppressor designed for use with a firearm has been subject to an extra tax and approval by the ATF since 1934.
gun-law system. The ATF may make a decision one day and change it the next. This is the same with federal court. A federal court on one side of the country may decide a case
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The AR-15 and M16 rifles are almost identical except for one minor detail: the M16 comes standard with an auto sear, making it an automatic rifle, and subject to rules of the NFA.
one way, and a federal judge in another district may decide differently with a very similar set of facts. It is no wonder that when most people think about the ATF, they think about rules, restrictions, enforcement of rules against people who didn’t mean to break the law and iron-fisted enforcement of rules that make no sense. If you have the sense that the gun laws that apply to individual gun owners are daunting, think about all the rules, regulations and penalties that apply to gun businesses. AFTER THE ASSASSINATIONS of President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congress passed another federal law that I frequently see folks unintentionally violate: the Gun Control Act, or GCA. This law imposed stricter licensing
and regulations on the firearms industry, established new categories of firearms offenses and prohibited the sale of firearms and ammunition to felons and certain other persons. This law prevents young soldiers who may sacrifice their lives for our country from purchasing a handgun from a gun shop to defend their own families until they reach the age of 21. It also prevents a gun owner from transferring firearms across state lines without using a dealer. There is no exception for family. If you want to give a firearm to your brother who lives in another state, you must send it to an FFL in his state instead of handing it to him at the Christmas family dinner. If you don’t, you have committed a felony, and so has he. Gun owners frequently ask if ATF agents actually pursue such cases. The answer is: it depends. Many times, either no one is the wiser or ATF has more important things to do. However, I have been told by ATF agents that they will pursue cases against people who ignorantly violate the law. History also tells us that the ATF has been known to go after the unsuspecting gun owner or gun business owner. After the passage of GCA in 1968, a Senate subcommittee in 1982 concluded that 75 percent of ATF prosecutions “were aimed at ordinary citizens who had neither criminal intent nor knowledge, but were enticed by agents into unknowing technical violations.” The subcommittee’s report supported the passage of the Firearm Owner’s Protection Act in 1986. Compromises to the proposed new law led to some harsh
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Alexandria Kincaid is a nationally renowned ďŹ rearms law attorney. Her expertise on gun laws is relied on by gun owners, gun businesses and gunrights organizations across America, and her clients include wellknown ďŹ rearms and ďŹ rearms accessories manufacturers. Kincaid’s history with ďŹ rearms started when she was a young child, when her law enforcement father taught her to shoot at the age of ďŹ ve. During her career, she has relied on ďŹ rearms for self protection amidst threats from the criminals she prosecuted while serving as an elected district attorney. Her favorite ďŹ rearms are WWII collectibles, and her favorite shooting activity involves long-distance challenges from her deck at home in Emmett, Idaho. Visit alexkincaid.com for more information or any ďŹ rearms-related legal advice.
outcomes for gun owners, such as the ban on post-1986-made civilian machine gun sales. This ban was passed despite the fact that over 175,000 machine guns were registered with the ATF at the time, and not a single one had been used in a crime. Under federal law, the federal government is not
supposed to maintain a registry of gun owners. In fact, the FBI is required to destroy background check records for gun purchasers before the start of the next business day. The truth is, the federal government still has several hundred million records of gun owners, including multiple sales reports, trace records and the records of dealers who have gone out of business. WHEN I ASKED A FORMER ATF director of industry operations about her opinion of the ATF’s reputation, she explained that the ATF has a diďŹƒcult job. People are trying to do the right thing, but too often, there are misunderstandings about the laws. This former director conďŹ rmed that people are “on their ownâ€? to ďŹ gure out how to correct gun-law violations. Having sat through my own FFL licensing inspection meeting, I can conďŹ rm that it is impossible, in a few hours, for an agent to thoroughly review and educate new gun dealers on the laws. They hit the highlights, ask if you have any questions – questions which most people won’t even know to ask – and check the boxes that they went over a particular law with you and that you had no questions about it. She also recognized that based on her prior experience working for the ATF, very few people actually intend to break the laws, but there are too many rules and regulations, especially for dealers and manufacturers, to do things perfectly on a daily basis.
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I entirely agree with this point. It has been my experience as both a prosecutor and a civil-law attorney that most lawabiding gun owners who have run afoul of the law did so not because they were attacked and had to defend their lives, but because they violated a law they didn’t know existed. The gun laws affecting most gun owners every day are those that pertain to how a person can carry (open, concealed, loaded, unloaded), where they can carry (illegal in a guided federal park cave tour but legal in the open park area), who can
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possess a firearm (age restrictions, state law restrictions, permitting restrictions), and how they can transfer a firearm (in state, across states, sale, inheritance) without committing an accidental felony. AT THE END OF THE DAY, the ATF is charged with public safety and helping gun owners and gun businesses comply with the laws. Many of the agents who work for the ATF try to do just that. The Department of Justice’s direction to the agency, à la Operation Choke Point, an initiative that investigated US banks and the businesses believed to be a high risk for fraud and money laundering, or Operation Fast & Furious, where the ATF purposely allowed licensed firearms dealers to sell weapons to illegal straw buyers, hoping to track the guns to Mexican drug cartel, has recently left a growing section of the public who are disquieted by the motives, character and actions of ATF. The recent proposals for more gun control and the country’s great divide on the protection to be afforded by the 2nd Amendment further enhances this distrust, and keeps the pro-gun community on the defensive. The enlightened gun owner must remember that it was not the ATF that passed the tax act in 1789, or the NFA in 1934, or even the GCA in 1968; Congress did. If we could just agree on one more thing – what that little word “infringed” really means – we might gain an agency that could focus entirely on its intended purpose, and protect the law-abiding citizens from the true criminals. ASJ
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Cam Zink is an extreme mountain biker who holds two world records, among others, and he is an avid shooter. (ADRIAN MARCOUX PHOTOGRAPHY)
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INTERVIEW BY DANIELLE BRETEAU
S STATISTICS Name: Cam Zink Discipline: Freeride MTB Birthdate: March 1986 Height: 5 foot, 10 inches Birthplace: Carson City, Nev. Sponsors: YT USA, Monster Energy and SilencerCo. Guinness Book Of World Record titles: Longest dirt-todirt mountain bike jump and longest dirt-to-dirt mountain bike backflip Daily carry gun: Ruger LC9 Dream firearms: Kimber Solo, .300 AAC Blackout
o, why would a shooting magazine reach out for an interview with a world-record-holding mountain bike rider/jumper/guru? Well, because he also totes a gun and hunts. In fact he comes from a family of hunters and totes many guns. That’s why! Another reason we reached out to this young man was to demonstrate that gun owners, CCW carriers and hunters come from some of the most unlikely places. Think of the new generation of youth shooters who are paving the way for an ever-growing firearms-friendly community. Cam Zink represents that new generation, and while his livelihood is not in the industry, he is a brother in arms. I would like to introduce the shooting community to Cam Zink who made the Guinness Book of World Records – the first time – by completing a 100-foot, dirt-to-dirt backflip jump on a mountain bike. However, that wasn’t enough, so he followed that up by completing an astounding 120-foot straight-air jump, at the same location, earning him a second world record title for the longest dirt-to-dirt jump. Stand by for a second – just announcing that feat left me out of breath. Enjoy getting to know Cam Zink.
American Shooting Journal Hello, Cam, thanks for talking to us. Cam Zink My pleasure. ASJ Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started with guns, or where the influence came from? CZ Well, it was a family thing. My father was an avid shooter and started taking us out hunting when I was pretty young. The first gun I ever shot was a .22, but the very first deerhunting rifle I ever owned was a .243 Winchester.
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World Record Dirt Bike Champion Cam Zink Is A Brother In Arms americanshootingjournal.com 91
One of Cam’s favorite firearms is his Tikka T3 Tactical .308. (ADRIAN MARCOUX PHOTOGRAPHY)
When he is not shooting, Cam and his brother Howie run YT USA, a mountain bike manufacturing company based in Reno. (IAN COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY)
ASJ What does your father do? CZ He used to run a T-shirt, embroidery and screen-printing business, but is now semiretired. He is currently remodeling the house they live in to flip it. He has done everything in his life, including being an electrician, which helps with his new semivocation. ASJ And your mother? CZ My mom was a real estate agent, so she couldn’t take off work to take us to races like my dad could, but she came when she could, and we loved it!
ASJ What did you think about hunting when you first started? CZ Like I said, it was a family thing. It’s just what we did together. My brother Howie and I were just happy to be out with our dad. 92
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ASJ How did you get started with mountain bikes? CZ I started out like any other kid, riding bikes around the neighborhood. We had some school yard jumps, and I guess I realized around then that I had a bit more of a natural talent for riding. Later, one of my dad’s friends, Stan Fail, started a bike-component company called Kooka. He brought some high-end bikes into my dad’s shop, and my dad was super intrigued. That’s when my dad bought us our own mountain bikes, and Stan brought
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us to some races. The rest is history. ASJ Does your brother hunt and ride as well? CZ He does, and is currently the chief operating officer for YT USA, the North American franchise for YT Industries, which is the bike company that also sponsors me. Howie was always my hero growing up because he was so naturally gifted in all types of riding. When he got older and bought his first car, he started hanging out with girls. Bike riding took a back seat for him then. ASJ Tell us more about YT USA. CZ YT is a German-engineered mountain bike manufacturer that was solely in Europe until recently. They have now expanded to North America, Australia and New Zealand. What sets them apart is their bikes are sold directly to the public via the internet. No middleman, which keeps costs low. My brother and I run the North American franchise for them out of Reno, Nev.
Among activities such as extreme mountain bike riding, film making, shooting and his new family, Zink works hard running his and his brother’s business. (IAN COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY)
ASJ So, when you say low prices, what are we talking about? CZ Prices range from around $900 to $5,400. ASJ Wow, it sounds like there is a full range of bikes for all levels. Tell us about your favorite guns, or better yet, the guns you own. CZ I have several different models, all for different reasons. My daily carry is a Ruger LC9, but the trigger is a bit annoying. Other than that, I have a S&W .40-caliber handgun and .22 revolver, a Remington 20-gauge shotgun and .243 rifle, a Tikka T3 Tactical .308, an H&K .45 and, of course, an AR-15.
With a father who was an avid hunter, Cam (left) and Howie were raised to be shooters. This and mountain bike riding was always a part of family outings. (IAN COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY)
ASJ What type of guns are you looking to add to the family? CZ I really want a Kimber Solo. My dad has one, and it is the best subcompact I’ve ever seen. I also want to get a .300 AAC Blackout as well, especially now that I am sponsored by SilencerCo., an industry leader in silencers for firearms. ASJ You mentioned that you have hunted. Tell us about that. What have you hunted so far? CZ I have only successfully shot one deer with my dad under a junior tag, and have been on several antelope and deer hunts with friends. I love duck hunting too, and in the next few years I’m going to make it up to Montana to hunt deer again. 94
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ASJ I know you are involved with the creation of a charity that means a lot to you. Can you tell us why you started it and what it offers? CZ It’s called Sensus RAD Trails, and I simply started it to build better bike trails. There are many organizations out there that build questionable trails, and take an equally questionable amount of money to build them. I know we can do far better with far less to get more people into the sport, as well as keeping those already involved interested. The website is SensusRADTrails.com. ASJ You have a huge following of fans who look up to you. Who inspires you?
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ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS IAN COLLINS Raised on an idyllic farm in upstate New York, Ian was surrounded by nature from a young age. Not long after moving to southern California he picked up his first camera and began a journey behind the lens. Ian’s work can be found throughout media outlets around the world. Although best known for capturing iconic mountain bike imagery, his skill set extends well beyond two wheels. You can see more of his work at IanCollinsPhotography.com ADRIAN MARCOUX Adrian Marcoux considers himself a mixed bag photographer with emphasis on commercial, editorial sports and sport lifestyle, with a side of world wandering and people watching. You can see more of his work on Instagram at amarcouxphotos.
CZ I look up to many different people, all for different reasons. I have a lot of diverse goals with my business, riding, life, family, writing, film making, shooting, etc. The people I look up to most are: Shaun Palmer, a professional snowboarder, skier, mountain biker and motocross rider who USA Today once put on the cover titled The World’s Greatest Athlete; Hunter S. Thompson, the late journalist, author and founder of the gonzo-journalism movement; Corey Bohan, an Australian BMX X-Games super
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star; Rob Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder who founded Street League Skateboarding and holds 21 separate Guinness Book Of World Records for skateboarding; Travis Pastrana, X-Games goldmedal champion in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross and rally racing, but mostly known for being an outrageous daredevil; and Johnny Knoxville, who is an actor, comedian, film producer, screenwriter and stunt performer.
Cam and Howie on one of their family’s many camping and outdoor trips. (CAM ZINK)
Even at this age, Cam was already destined for the extreme. (CAM ZINK)
ASJ Do you have any regrets in life so far? CZ I try not to have regrets, but if I did, it would be some of the stupid things we did as teenagers. It’s impossible to change the past, so it’s hard to harbor regrets if you plan on changing the future [grin]. Amazon Video and a few other places. ASJ Do you have any new projects up and coming or anything we should be watching for? CZ I completed a movie that just came out called Cam Zink: Reach For The Sky, and you can see it on iTunes, Google Play,
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ASJ We will definitely check that out, Cam. Thanks for talking to us. CZ Thanks for having me. ASJ
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XLMR-003’s muzzle device (top) was designed to strip off the sabot of the flechette round on the XM216 cartridge. This was eventually replaced with a modified M16A1 flash hider (below).
TWR Systems created six different prototypes of the lowmaintenance rifle (LMR), numbered XLMR-001 to XLMR-006 in an attempt to create a better option to the M16 rifle being used in the Vietnam war at the time. Here, the LMR’s ejection-port XLMR003’s cover is fully forward (top), as it would be when the bolt is in battery, and the XLMR-004’s cover (below) is fully retracted as it would be when the weapon is cocked.
The rollstamp on XLMR-003’s receiver acknowledged the manufacturer, TRW Systems, along with noting the weapon’s serial number and unique 5.6mm chambering.
D.A.R.P.A.’S DART GUN The Pentagon’s Early Attempt To Replace The M16 n 1971, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) kicked off the development of a lowmaintenance rifle (LMR). The Pentagon’s interest in such a weapon came largely from lessons learned from the conflict in Southeast Asia, plus a desire to follow the maxim keep it simple, stupid. The fighting had exposed serious flaws in the design of the M16 rifle family, as well as how the rifles were purchased. On the other hand, the war in Vietnam showed Soviet designs such as the AKM, along with derivatives, to be very successful. DARPA’s LMR concept held the promise of a solution for both sets of issues.
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FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, the story of the M16 rifle has been painfully complex and highly politicized. The debate continues to this very day, and it would be impossible to give a proper overview of all the points in this piece. The whole saga of the weapon’s early life is better covered in longer works such as R. Black Steven and Edward Ezell’s seminal work on the subject in the book The Black Rifle: M16
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOE TREVITHICK
Retrospective. It is safe to say that the M16 quickly presented at least a public relations crisis for the Pentagon, both among troops in the field and the general public. Specifics aside, troops and others quickly derided the new “plastic” weapons as fragile and a maintenance nightmare. Anecdotes that the rifles were getting soldiers and Marines killed became far more damning and even prompted congressional hearings. The services and the American people both wanted to know why troops were dying while the enemy fielded automatic wonder weapons that could reportedly work under even the most abusive conditions. The US Army’s various arsenals and laboratories responded with a steady stream of tweaks and fixes for the new guns. The Pentagon remained interested in alternatives despite the improvements, which made the M16 a functional weapon if nothing else. In the late 1960s, the groundwork was laid for the LMR program and TRW Systems, a major defense contractor at the time, was hired to develop a prototype. DARPA funded the project, but the Army’s Small Arms Systems Agency americanshootingjournal.com 101
(USASASA) directly managed TRW’s work.
with accuracy. Perhaps most interestingly, the new gun would fire small 5.6mm darts. Engineers had cooked up the XM216 flechette cartridge as part of the abortive Special Purpose Infantry Weapon (SPIW) program. The Army had theorized that rapidly firing smaller projectiles would improve the chance of soldiers hitting their mark. The XM216 ammunition used in the tests of the LMR came from stockpiles manufactured in 1965 for the SPIW experiment.
TRW’S OFFICIAL HISTORY of the LMR’s development, produced in 1973 for DARPA and USASASA, says the resulting weapon was “characterized by (1) simplicity of construction and operation; (2) extensive use of corrosion and erosionresistant materials and surface finishes; (3) semi-permanent solid film lubrication; (4) gas-powered, roller-locked breech mechanism; (5) exceptionally low dispersion in automatic fire.” These requirements speak to the shortcomings of the M16 and the benefits of the AKM design. The initial mock-up showed the emphasis on simple construction that would dominate the design. The conceptual design was effectively a square pipe that would house the basic operating mechanism. In stark contrast to more common bottom- or even topfeeding configurations, TRW’s weapon would feed from a detachable magazine inserted into the left side of the gun. To keep costs low and make the new gun familiar to soldiers, this initial prototype featured components from the existing M16A1 rifle, such as the pistol grip, carrying handle and the triangular front-sight post attached to the barrel. TRW also proposed an openbolt design that would allow for automatic fire only. The weapon would have a rate of fire of just over 400 rounds The progression of changes created in each batch of prototypes is very clear per minute – almost half that of the M16A1 – to help when presented side by side. The XLMR-003 (top) and the XLMR-004 (bottom).
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Plans were in the works for a carbine and light machine gun variant. The XLMR-004 was even tested in the latter role with a standard M2 bipod fitted at the muzzle.
DARPA WAS SUFFICIENTLY satisfied with TRW’s proposal and ordered three working prototypes of the new LMR. These weapons received the serial numbers XLMR-001 through XLMR-003. The initial plan had been to build and test the three weapons simultaneously. In the end, XLMR-001 was fabricated first to act as a sort of test bed for the other two guns. With so few prototypes, TRW found it was more prudent to discover any potential issues with this first weapon and then incorporate the fixes into the other two rifles. The decision paid off. TRW realized that the simplified design was way too simple and fragile as a result. The 400-series stainless steel used for the bolt, slide, extractor and other parts was prone to cracking,
and the special boride coating exacerbated the problem. In its history, TRW explained that it quickly switched to chrome plating for these parts to toughen them up. To reduce wear and tear on the components, engineers also modified the gas system to make the weapon’s cycling less violent. The most serious problem was that the rifles even with their special coatings and dry-film lubricants were “sensitive to solid contaminants in the breech mechanism.” This complaint had been one of the more serious problems identified with the M16. TRW found that the breeches had to be cleaned after troops fired 1,500 rounds or less through the guns. Gunpowder residue, brass shavings from the cartridge cases, pieces of the sabot from the dart inside the XM216 round and peeling lubricant all contributed to “sluggish operation.” This sensitivity carried over to environmental contaminants as well. The rifles survived the Armymandated tests to withstand the effects of rain, extreme hot and cold temperatures and being dunked in a saltwater bath. However, the prototypes ground to a halt after being buried in sand and mud and subjected to heavy dust. Evaluators used XLMR-002 for the initial tests, along with some additional experiments to determine how easy it was to maintain the gun. The Army put XLMR-003 through the remaining environmental testing. DARPA WAS NOT INITIALLY deterred by these lackluster results and subsequently asked TRW to produce another three improved prototypes. This next batch of prototypes had
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serials in sequence from XLMR-004 through XLMR-006. They differed in many significant ways from the initial design. Most importantly, the available XM216 ammunition had been expended during the first phase of testing. In turn, DARPA asked TRW to chamber the new guns to fire the standard 5.56mm M193 cartridge used in the M16. The original prototypes needed a special flash hider designed to strip the darts from their sabots as they left the barrel. With the change in caliber, the new weapons had a more traditional flash hider. XLMR-004 originally had a proprietary muzzle brake to further help control the weapon during fully automatic fire. The muzzle blast was excessive, and the entire device failed completely from overheating during firing tests. In the end, the company fitted all of the new prototypes with a modified version of the standard M16 flash hider. The new design welded the two bottom ports shut. With the new muzzle device the LMR could accommodate the standard M7 bayonet used on the M16 series. Interestingly enough, Colt would use a similar feature on the improved M16A2 rifle and the M4 carbine. Unfortunately, the improved LMR still had some problems functioning reliably. Designing the weapon to have a low rate of fire – and therefore better accuracy – also meant that the operating mechanism could easily misfire because of light strikes on the cartridge primers. Still, TRW said in their final report that the weapon was easier to operate than the M16 and simpler to maintain. The ultimate design was shorter
but more controllable when compared to the service rifle when fired in the fully automatic mode. TRW did concede that their new gun was also heavier than the M16 by a half a pound, and was limited by its lack of a semiautomatic fire option. The side-mounted magazine well also made it difficult for left-handed shooters. TRW STATED AT THE END of their final report that “the full potential of the basic LMR design has not been reached in the present prototype rifles.” The company proposed further development as an infantry weapon and suggested additional configurations. Plans existed for a carbine and light machine gun variants. XLMR-004 was even tested in the latter role with a standard M2 bipod fitted at the muzzle. The LMR program effectively came to an end in the spring of 1974. The Pentagon clearly felt that upgrades for the M16A1 rifle had made it at least adequate for a military facing major budget cuts following the end of the war in Vietnam. The cost of replacing the thousands of standard infantry weapons was quickly scrubbed under the circumstances. The remaining prototypes appear to have had some life afterwards, however. Currently, the Naval History and Heritage Command at the Washington Navy Yard has three of the six prototypes in their vault. The Navy’s elite SEALs, well known for their interest in all manner of experimental small arms, could easily have tested these weapons at one point or another. Whatever the case, the LMR largely slipped into obscurity while the M16 series soldiered on. ASJ
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The American Shooting Journal and American Tactical salute all members of the Armed Forces who have served, fought and currently fight to protect our nation’s freedoms.
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IMAGE BY NICK SETTING Nick is a community college student who sidelines as a photographer, and clearly has incredible talent. He is passionate about long-range shooting and our military heroes. Nick lives in Bremerton, Wash., and according to him, does the best he can with his old Canon and broken lens. We think his work is pretty awesome! You can see more of Nick’s work on
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BATTLEFIELD RECOVERY Bringing Home Those We Lost INTERVIEW BY DANIELLE BRETEAU
here are endless great causes out there and many dedicated to our veterans. Some are focused on our wounded, others solely to Special Forces and yet others might only address a specific demographic or mission. There is yet another group that many have forgotten, but they are never far from the hearts and memories of their brothers in arms and families. Battlefield Recovery is solely dedicated to locating, recovering and returning the remains of 83,112 servicemen and -women still listed as missing in action (MIA). These are veterans who expand past the barriers of specific groups – they belong to all of us. Meet Frank Lauria, a retired Navy SEAL (over 20 years), former Director of Advanced Training for Navy SEALs with over 35 years in special operations and contract security work on six continents, who has multiple agency high-level clearances and has lead paramilitary operations with up to 2,000 multinational personnel. This only touches on a small portion of Lauria’s background and expertise, but he is now dedicated to the mission of finding our lost and forgotten, and has created a charity organization called Battlefield Recovery to do just that. Lauria’s goal is summed up by their motto: “Let’s bring them home.”
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American Shooting Journal What is Battlefield Recovery? Frank Lauria We are a nonprofit 501(c)3 service-disabled veteran organization solely dedicated to locating, recovering and returning with the honor they earned the remains of the most forgotten and neglected of all veterans – those missing in action. Every service member knows the code: no one left behind! What many do not realize is that tens of thousands of soldiers still remain listed as MIA:
World War II - 73,515 Korean Conflict - 7,839 Cold War - 126 Vietnam - 1,626 Other Conflicts - 6 Unfortunately, for many who made the ultimate sacrifice to their nation, that promise has yet to be honored. Battlefield Recovery is an organization of men and women dedicated to fulfilling that promise. We decided someone has to do something. ASJ This seems like quite a daunting task. Who are the people on your team? FL At our core, the team consists of a highly decorated senior NCO from the Army’s Special Forces and survival expert, a former Marine sergeant, a dedicated law enforcement professional, the families who lost one of their own, and me. A few of us met while working together in Iraq, and through our own experiences in high-threat situations, we know the value of being absolutely certain someone would care enough to come and go to the ends of the earth to bring us home. No one deserves to die alone and forgotten. Battlefield Recovery wants to be there until every story ends. ASJ When do you expect to go on your first mission? FL We are planning two missions starting in the fall of 2016. One to Papua New Guinea, north of Australia, and the other to Guadalcanal in the southwest Pacific. Logistics will determine which mission starts first, and we plan to leverage the latest technology and expertise of dedicated researchers, archeologists and field workers. No stone will be left unturned. No americanshootingjournal.com 111
jungle left unsearched, and no location is too remote. ASJ What if a family member wants your help to find a veteran who is MIA. Can they reach out to you for help? FL Yes! We are already building our mission schedule, and have not even scratched the surface of knowing each and every story. We want to hear from these families, what they know of the final incident and what the impact has been to their families. We want to know their story. ASJ How can people help bring our brothers in arms home? FL There are a few ways to help. Many people have immeasurable expertise to include first-hand knowledge of areas, the backstory and historical data. We will be looking for more people to help with every individual mission. Each one is unique. People can also assist by making a tax-deductible donation so that the equipment, research vessels, dive and expedition gear can be readily accessed so no mission is ever without support. Help us return those who have been waiting for so long. ASJ Thank you, Frank FL My pleasure, thank you. ASJ Editor’s note: If you want to help Battlefield Recovery or have a story of your own, visit them at BattlefieldRecovery.com.
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Twenty-year Navy SEAL and former Director of Advanced Training for Navy SEALs Frank Lauria, sets his sights on bringing home thousands of veterans still listed as MIA. (N. NOWATNEY)
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A vehicle offers multiple locations that can provide protection, but some areas are safer than others. Knowing the differences between these elements can save your life.
NEUTRALIZING A THREAT FROM BEHIND COVER Material Differences Matter –Literally
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT CAMPBELL
hen it comes to understanding the benefits of cover, we have to start by understanding what cover means. Cover and concealment are different. One is encouraged to take cover when involved in a critical incident and under fire, but every year someone is injured or killed within a few feet of cover Standing away from cover and not crowding your that may have made a difference in their survival. barrier will give you more manuverability. Among the most difficult problems faced by defensive shooters is addressing a threat already hiding behind components. Two car doors are better. If the incoming fire comes from a .308 rifle, two car doors are no longer cover. If cover. All sociopaths are not stupid, although most are you are engaged in a gunfight and the adversary takes cover, mentally deficient in significant ways, but most realize the every advantage belongs to him. Solid cover stops bullets, benefits of taking cover. When caught in enfilade fire, you period. are at a serious disadvantage. While neutralizing the threat is important, it is more important to not get shot. Once you CONCEALMENT IS ANOTHER FACTOR. A bush is concealment. A have found cover there should be a compelling reason to large sheet on a clothesline can offer concealment, as can a abandon it. lightly constructed privacy fence. Neither offers cover from service-grade calibers and loads. A tree trunk, for example, COVER IS AN OBJECT that effectively stops incoming fire. The can offer both concealment and cover. validity of cover may depend on what that incoming fire is. Too many of my students have been conditioned by A car door may stop a .38 or 9mm round, especially if the Hollywood and have seen mattresses and other soft material bullet strikes the window regulator mechanism or door lock
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Using cover and bracing for a shot will give you a better chance at hitting your target.
used for cover. These will not stop a bullet. On the other hand, they have also watched a snub-nose .38 shoot through a door lock. This doesn’t occur in real life, and the cinema must be dismissed as soon as possible during your research. IF YOU ARE ENGAGED IN A GUNFIGHT and the adversary takes cover, your immediate tactic should also be to take cover. If the threat takes cover and does not return fire, then feetdon’t-fail-me-now is a reasonable course of action. If you are caught in the open and the adversary is firing at you, distance is your ally. The alternative is to fire very accurately at the exposed part of the adversary. A bad guy cannot fire at you without exposing some part of their body. This means highly
developed marksmanship skills on your part. Hopefully you have these skills in place and the adversary does not. Something else to consider is taking cover and stabilizing your gun. This greatly increases the accuracy of your shot. If the adversary is firing from a braced position, you are at a disadvantage. If the adversary has chosen light cover, it is possible that your bullet may find its mark after traveling through their cover. A full-power 9mm, .38 Special+P or larger caliber may defeat a car door if the projectile meets the thinner part of the door. Sheetrock is vulnerable in a gunfight, but some areas depend on the bracing, or studs, in the wall, and you won’t have time to use a stud finder to find them before firing. Students should understand that when using cover, they should practice a certain offset from cover and crowding cover: Standing directly behind a tree rather than a few steps away from it, for example, severely limits your visibility and options. Crowding cover presents problems with stance, balance, line of sight and may even result in spent cases flying back into your face. If you can stand back from cover, you will present a small target area while firing. If you are caught in the open and an active shooter or spree killer is on the loose, you are at a great disadvantage, but not hopeless if you have decent marksmanship skills. PEACE OFFICERS ARE TAUGHT to fire only at a clearly defined target for public safety; however, there are times when indirect fire is a desperate but worthwhile option. If the adversary has taken cover behind a vehicle and you are able to quickly get low and aim for their lower body, this is direct fire. If they are behind a vehicle and not visible, you might attempt to
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If you are ever in a scenario where shots are being fired, take a moment to find cover not concealment. Cover will provide a solid barrier between you and the shooter, while concealment may only hide your position, not offer protection.
skip a round into his body, hoping for a bullet or fragment to ricochet into them. This is indirect fire. If you are caught in the open and unable to find immediate cover, at least attempt to not present a well-defined target. NO MATTER HOW WELL DESIGNED the bullet, most have ricochet potential, and the angle of incidence is important. This is simply the angle where a bullet meets a surface. A low angle of incidence produces a likely ricochet, and the angle of departure may be low or the bullet may be sent into the air, depending on numerous factors. Among the greatest danger is when the angle of incidence and the angle of departure match. It is rare to see a 180-degree refraction, but it occurs. When a projectile that is stabilized by rifling spin is subjected to certain conditions, spin is canceled. Sometimes the bullet reverses with the base moving forward. This is known as progression or tumbling. A bullet may even ricochet in a lateral direction, depending upon bullet spin, but there is always a loss of velocity and energy when a projectile ricochets. The bullet will always be less stable after being deflected. In closing, some of the following comments may be controversial: Try not to fire at anything but a clearly defined target; suppressive fire doesn’t last forever and you may need those rounds later; firing at a barricaded adversary simply to keep him from firing at you may get you to cover; ricochet or indirect fire is a lost art, much like plunging fire, but perhaps should be given some further thought. ASJ 118
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Muzzleloading shotguns are not just a pastime, they are considered a tradition to many.
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scattergun trail
SMOKE IN THE APPALACHIANS Muzzleloading Shotgunners Keep Black Powder Heritage Alive In W.Va. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY LARRY CASE
ife was hard in 1756, but March of that year didn’t seem too bad. St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated for the first time in New York City at a quaint little joint called the Crown and Thistle Tavern, but things started to go downhill in May when Great Britain declared war on France, and The Seven Years War became the French and Indian War in America. By September, the natives were restless and were raiding settlements all along the frontier. In southwest Virginia, Nicholas Carpenter’s farm was under attack. Nicholas and his wife Kate had settled there and built a cabin on a site near the Greenbrier River. Knowing they could not travel fast enough to elude the Shawnee Tribe, Kate took their young daughter Frances and fled to a nearby mountainside to hide. Nicholas made his way to Fort Dinwiddie, near what would one day be the West Virginia border, to get help, but never returned. Kate eventually made her way off of that mountain and ultimately reached Staunton, Va., almost 100 miles away. Lord knows what she had to endure traveling with a small child, and likely without provisions or a weapon. Life was hard in 1756, especially on the frontier. Kate was a tough, resourceful woman and her legacy lives on in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Today, William “Willie” Perkins and David Gutshall are muzzleloader shooters who keep her name alive by being members of the Kate Carpenter Muzzleloaders chapter of the West Virginia Muzzleloaders Association, which is a charter club within
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the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association (NMLRA). Perkins actually grew up in a muzzleloading household, and his father, Paul “Shorty” Perkins, was a local legend in the muzzleloading world. Shorty was instrumental in starting Gutshall down the muzzleloader trail, 35 years ago, and both of these guys might be proficient muzzleloading rifle shooters, but they are serious muzzleloader shotgunners. “Most people don’t understand that if loaded properly, a muzzleloading shotgun can perform just as well as a modern shotgun,” Perkins told me. “The only disadvantage is that you have to clean it more.” Gutshall said, “Most modern shotgun shells have their powder measured in drams. Blackpowder loads are now measured in grains, so a typical modern shotshell target load is around a 3-dram equivalent. This would be 82.5 grains of black powder (FFG) and give you a standard velocity of most target loads – about 1,200 feet per second. You can load your shotgun for whatever type of shooting you like, including target practice and hunting. You can be very flexible and very precise.” THE DAY I VISITED the Kate Carpenter Muzzleloaders, they were having their monthly shoot at the James Burns Memorial Range near Sam Black Church, W.Va. Burns, whom Perkins counts among his ancestors, was killed by Indians in 1778 defending Fort Donnelly near what is today the town of Lewisburg. Perkins was shooting a load of 120 grains of FFG powder with 1⅜ ounces of 7½ shot. Gutshall shot a similar load but americanshootingjournal.com 121
SCATTERGUN TRAIL
Heritage horns are used to carry gun powder, and this one depicts the history of James Burns, who was killed by Indians in 1778 while defending Fort Donnelly in West Virginia.
with less shot: 1â&#x2026;&#x203A; ounces of 7½. Neither seemed to have much trouble hitting the clays. Gutshall reminded me of the
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old muzzleloader maxim: little powder, much lead, shoots far, kills dead.
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SCATTERGUN TRAIL Willie Perkins (left) and Dave Gutshall (right) mentor youth shooters who can develop into highly talented and skilled competitors like Jason Bostic (behind), who is only 13.
Perkins and Gutshall are members of the Kate Carpenter Muzzleloaders chapter of the West Virginia Muzzleloaders Association and work hard to keep the legacy of their heritage alive.
A clay-target event is always held at the monthly shoot, and the shotguns present would make any early shotgun fan’s mouth water. Perkins shot an English long gun, a Wesley Richards double-barrel 10-gauge, vintage 1880s. Gutshall carried an American-made George T. Abbey 12-gauge made in the 1860s. Pretty awesome stuff for a local
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Gutshall, with his American George T. Abbey .69-caliber fowler, and Perkins, with his English 10-gauge Wesley Richards, clearly prized possessions.
match in the Appalachians. It was great to see the legacy being passed on. A 13-yearold named Joshua Bostic had been shooting muzzleloaders “since he was in diapers,” according to his grandfather, Steven Bostic, also a muzzleloading devotee. Joshua is a very accomplished muzzleloader rifle shooter, and was
americanshootingjournal.com 125
SCATTERGUN TRAIL mentored in the match by Perkins and Gutshall. The muzzleloading heritage being passed on to the next generation is very important to these men. WHEN I LEFT THE RANGE after making new friends and learning new tricks, I thought about how I was only a few miles away from the mountainside, now called Kates Mountain, where Mrs. Carpenter hid that day. Just down below was where her cabin stood, and is now the town of White Sulphur Springs and the location of the world-famous Greenbrier Resort and shooting facility. Many of us like to romanticize about living on the frontier in the 1700s. We love the graceful muzzleloading riďŹ&#x201A;es and shotguns and all of the history and lore that go with them. With men like Willie Perkins, Dave Gutshall, Joshua Bostic and groups like the Kate Carpenter Muzzleloaders around, we will always have that heritage. ASJ
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Most modern shotgun shells have their powder measured in drams. Blackpowder loads are now measured in grains, so a typical modern shotshell target load is about a 3-dram equivalent.
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HOGS, DOGS
BLADES AND
The lowland swamp country of North Carolina was the perfect setting for Special Operation Wounded Warriors’ (SOWW) flagship hunt, called Takin’ Bacon 2015.
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY WALT HAMPTON
H
aving been raised as a hunter, I am guilty of forgetting how important that simple pleasure is to my life. What defines my personality is the ability to take up a weapon and go to the woods to enjoy the sport with never a thought of what it would mean to lose that privilege, or what it would take to regain that part of me if, God forbid, I was so challenged. 130
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Hunting has always been an integral part of my life; it is my connection to God, the land and to those who over the years have meant the most to me. It is a concept that many men far more articulate than I have tried to define over the years. I can only offer my belief that it is the hunt itself and not the kill that adds character to our lives, but the kill necessarily punctuates the act with the finality that completes the experience. When this activity is something you do well, imagine the struggle it would take to regain your soul if it was lost.
HEROES Guns were not used during the hunt. Each hog was taken by using dogs and knives.
Over the course of three days 24 hogs fell to the blades of these operators.
This is the law of the Yukon, and ever she makes it plain: “Send not your foolish and feeble; send me your strong and your sane – Strong for the red rage of battle; sane for I harry them sore; Send me men girt for the combat, men who are grit to the core; Swift as the panther in triumph, fierce as the bear in defeat, Sired of a bulldog parent, steeled in the furnace heat. Send me the best of your breeding, lend me your chosen ones; Them will I take to my bosom, them will I call my sons; Them will I gild with my treasure, them will I glut with my meat … – Robert W. Service, The Spell of the Yukon
There are folks out there who have never been exposed to hunting, never considered taking it up or participated. What I have enjoyed over the years is watching when an introduction to the sport is done correctly and in the company of people with similar backgrounds and values – we gain another good soul to our ranks. Now, when you take men who already have focus and intelligence, such as our special operations personnel, and put them into this scenario, you see a transformation that is smooth and
seamless from warrior to hunter; after all, these are just two different words for the same thing. THE INSPIRATION Bobby Dove was a Green Beret medic who lost his right arm and leg in Afghanistan in 2012; his road to recovery revolved around adapting to his situation so he could get back into the woods. Hunting was that one thing that would define being normal again. Three months after his medevac he was on americanshootingjournal.com 131
Buck Mountain in northwestern North Carolina with us, and I watched him focus on the task at hand with repeated failures as he worked to regain what he thought he had lost. When he was eventually successful in completing his hunt by fair chase and on his own, you could see the transformation. He is a part of my family so I was there to see it, and it was the pinnacle of my hunting career. Not long after that hunt, Dove was selected to participate in an event put together by an organization called Special Operations Wounded Warriors (SOWW) for their flagship event called Takin’ Bacon 2014. This is where wounded special operations personnel are teamed up with some of the finest dog men in the South just to hunt feral hogs. When Dove and I initially arrived
Each SOWW member was paired up with a master dog handler and swamp hunter guide for the event.
Learning to adapt is half the struggle for these warriors.
The dogs used in the hunt are not considered pets. They are professional members of the hunt team.
hunters. Chris had never hunted before this event, but ended up taking the most hogs – four all together – as well as the largest: 285 pounds! If you are one of those folks who likes to keep score, here is the breakdown of that weekend: eight special operations Purple Heart recipients took 24 hogs in three days. Oh, did I forget to mention that there were no guns allowed on this hunt – it was conducted solely with knives. This was not meant as a stunt. The knife was Wounded special operations hunters come from all different branches of the military, but out here, they are all brothers and dedicated hunters. one of the first human weapons, and is often the weapon of last resort. It is a symbol of the level of at the event, I was happily surprised to see Chris, an Army commitment that each special ops person makes to ensure Special Forces wounded veteran who I had met in Dove’s the job gets done – simply put, to never quit. A specialized hospital room when he first returned from overseas. Chris, knife was designed for this event by Mil-Tac Knives and a double amputee, was attending the event as one of the Tools, and each of the hunters were presented with one of 132
American Shooting Journal // December 2015
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Each operator invited to join the hunt received a knife designed and manufactured by MilTac Knives and Tools.
their own. It is a serious tool for men who understand the importance and value. If you look at many special ops logos – Green Berets, Rangers, Navy SEALs, even the center of the Purple Heart – you will find the bladed weapon.
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THE HUNT The hunt was purposely made to be difficult. It was imperative that these intensely committed individuals were challenged. If you were to take this group to a canned-hunt area and sit them in a box blind over a bait pile so they could pull a trigger on a released pig, they would laugh in your face. To be worthy, a thing must be earned. I have attended several charity events over the years. The most remarkable impression I have from this experience was SOWW’s approach with these hunters; they were not going to be able to blend into the surroundings. Each was given a blazeorange cap and told the only requirement of the weekend was that they wear them, so the focus of all other participants and visitors would be on them. Once the hunt began, they would be turned over to the dog-handler guides. The rest was easy; they were here to enjoy themselves. I also found that the warm family atmosphere represented by the presence of some very respectful kids made it feel as if I was attending a family reunion more than a charity function. THE DOGS If you are going to do something, you should do it right. It was no coincidence that SOWW masterfully orchestrated this event by pairing the hunters with dedicated dog men who know what they are doing. The low-country swamp is no place for amateurs, be they man or dog, and to watch the performance of both at the top of their game was a rare privilege for me. These dogs are not pets; they are just as
americanshootingjournal.com 135
dedicated and professional as the operators who followed them into the impenetrable brush and waist-deep muck. The demonstration of their singularity of purpose was, in a word, magnificent! Doing what their kind has done for man for thousands of years, these animals made the connection of swamp, man and dog to represent the very essence of hunting. For a moment this changed the focus of a wounded man from what he thought he couldn’t do to what he can. The swamp does not care how many legs you have or who you are; you must earn your place here and when you have done this, in the company of men and dogs that must prove themselves every single time they face these obstacles, you become accepted into their circle, and the accomplishment makes an indelible mark on your soul.
Some of these operators transform during the hunt, regaining a sense of skill and meaning.
THE TRANSFORMATION For me the purpose of the entire event was captured in this example: One of the hunters, a veteran of Mogadishu – yes, that Mogadishu – who was reluctant to participate in the event at all and initially held back, eventually hit the … Wild and wide are my borders, stern as death is my sway, And I wait for the men who will win me – and I will not be won in a day; And I will not be won by weaklings, subtle, suave and mild, But by men with the hearts of vikings, and the simple faith of a child; Desperate, strong and resistless, unthrottled by fear or defeat, Them will I gild with my treasure, them will I glut with my meat … – Robert W. Service, The Spell of the Yukon
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
Each SOWW member had just one requirement: wear a bright orange cap for easy identification.
americanshootingjournal.com 137
swamp behind the dogs in the dark of night. He emerged from that experience wet to the waist, briar-cut and bruised, his hands stained with the blood of his quarry, and started immediately texting one of his wounded teammates to tell him how he should come to the swamp with him for next year’s event. Each step in the process of a wounded soldier’s recovery has its place and meaning. No one thinks that a single hunt is a cure-all, but there are wounded operators out there who sustain both the physical and mental effects of war, and who we must reach. We have to let them know what could be the most important No one left the event without a smile on message of their lives – you are not alone! their face and plans to return next year. Having had this opportunity to meet and come to know these exceptional individuals has made an impression on me that is hard to articulate. I can only say that my pride in my country and love for our way of life has been reinforced. For those of you looking for what being an American truly means, I know some men who can show you. You can bet that I will be back amongst them next year. With the camaraderie of other wounded operators on that hunt, Dove was so impressed that he became a SOWW board member. Please help support this organization, their events and the fine work they do. ASJ Author’s notes: * Bobby Dove and his Green Beret teammate Cliff Beard operate Hooligan Charters out of Destin, Fla., and provide inshore fishing adventures. Photo 13 * Clint McDaniel, one of the dog handlers who volunteered his time and effort to the SOWW charity hunt, is a top-shelf taxidermist with Candler’s Taxidermy Studio in There were none more eager than the dogs. Pelzer, S.C. * Mil-Tac Knife and Tool created the knives that were presented to each of the hunters. Visit them at mil-tac.com. SOWW’s sole focus is recognizing wounded special operations soldiers, such as Army Special Forces and Rangers, Navy Small Boat Units and SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers and Marine Corps Special Operations personnel. They target the physical and mental effects of both combat and training injuries. One of the goals of the organization is to serve as an example to branches of the US military on how to look after their own folks – a job the special operations community has done extremely well. SOWW conducts many outdoor experiences and organized functions throughout the year, and is unique in the charity world because 94 percent of the proceeds go to the events they sponsor. There are no paid employees, and all of the members of their board are volunteers. If you know a wounded special operator who you think would benefit from this experience, or if you simply wish to give a sincere thanks by financial or other means of support, contact SOWW through their website at sowwcharity.com.
Air Force Special Operations Command
Army Special Operations Command
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Naval Special Warfare Command
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THE BACKCOUNTRY PISTOL The Model 329PD S&W Air Lite .44 Mag REVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM CLAYCOMB III
When in the backcountry, I carry the Model 329PD S&W Air Lite .44 Mag with HKS speedloaders, and a loop carrier for added ammo capacity.
gun reviews ’m a big proponent of carrying a pistol in the backcountry. There are just too many predators out there, and as my buddy always says, “Tom, we’re about fourth on the food chain out here.” We do a lot of bowhunting, and a year or so ago Martin had four wolves circling him while he was in the wilderness. I can also name three friends who have had cougars come to them while they were calling for elk; I’ve stepped in the middle of a sow and three cubs while archery hunting; my daughter and I have had a bear rub the side of our tent while backpacking and then just four days later, had a cub in the tree above us while the sow and another cub were just 50 yards away. I could go on and on. My point is, you need a pistol when you hit the mountains.
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I TAKE A LOT OF KIDS bear hunting, so you can guess who has to crawl into the brush when a bear gets wounded. Bears tend to run into the thickest brambles when injured, and if you are carrying a rifle and it charges, your long gun might get hung up in the brush, and you’ll be toast. A pistol works a lot better in these scenarios because you are more maneuverable. What I often find interesting is the choice of pistols some people carry. I love to carry a high-capacity 9mm in town, but in the mountains they’re worthless. I had a crazy cow charge me one time – it wasn’t until the 13th shot, to the head, that she went down. A 9mm may be good on thugs, but they have zero stopping power on bears, wolves and the like. I used to carry a .357 Magnum, but due to the size of the bears I encounter here in Idaho I switched to a .44 Mag. I know it’s adequate because I have finished off at least two bears without a problem. There are other calibers that should work fine as well, such as .454 Casull or .500 S&W, but I’m not going to spend time demonstrating the best caliber. Let’s talk about the best pistol. A 6-INCH BARREL is more accurate and kicks less than a 4-inch barreled pistol, but is noticeably heavier. I carried a 6-inch .357 Mag in the mountains for decades, and then switched to a 4-incher just to cut weight. If something is too heavy after a hard week of hunting, then you will most likely not carry it anymore. I decided that the best overall pistol to carry when I’m hiking, backpacking, fly fishing or as a backup for any type of hunting is the Model 329PD S&W Air
gun reviews to help avoid this setback, but that would also eliminate the point of carrying it during wilderness excursions. It does exactly what I bought it to do – eliminate weight.
The Model 329PD S&W Air Lite .44 Mag only weighs 25.1 ounces with an empty chamber. (SMITH AND WESSON)
Lite .44 magnum I love this gun. It is so light that you forget you’re carrying it. I’m exaggerating only a little when I say that it doubles in weight when you load it. The downside, and this is a big one, is that it kicks like a mule. I don’t want to sound like a baby, but it’s pretty bad. With the factory wood handles I can barely empty a cylinder without hollering uncle. [Editor: Really? How bad does it kick, Tom?] It kicks so bad that if a little bear was eating on you, it may be less painful to just try hand-to-hand combat first. I was able to correct much of this, however, by switching to Pachmayr grips, which absorbed a lot of recoil. I can now empty it without crying. You may want to try lighter loads
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WHICH HOLSTER should you pick? It’s important to choose one that covers the trigger so a branch can’t slide in and accidently cause a discharge. One option is a shoulder holster. These are especially nice while wearing waders and flyfishing so your pistol is readily available. Another reason I like shoulder holsters is that they hold your gun high enough that it is tucked under any type of raincoat you might have on. This helps to keep the gun dry and ready at all times. Diamond D Leathers out of Alaska makes some really nice ones, as does Triple K Brand. Another item you may want to check out is the Crimson Trace laser light. It is often difficult to see at night, much less see a dark animal against a dark background. A laser might be the difference between hitting him in the dark during a panic situation or not. So, there you have it; I highly recommend the S&W Air Lite .44 magnum. The MSRP is currently $1,159, which might be a bit steep, but I promise it will be well worth the investment. ASJ Editor’s note: For more information, visit smith-wesson.com.
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THE TREE
Things Got A Bit Squirrely At The 2nd Annual GAMO Squirrel Master Classic In Alabama
Congratulations to Team Bone Collector, winners of the 2015 2nd annual GAMO Squirrel Master Classic. They did an outstanding job with a total of 15 bushytails for the day’s take. From left to right: Nick Mundt, Danny Williams, Stephanie Mallory, Jackie Bushman (not a team member), Sarah Phillips, Michael Waddell, Fedor Palacios and Keith Higginbotham (not a team member).
The Sportsman Hunting Lodge did an excellent job of catering to the entire group, complete with heartwarming Southern cooking.
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM CLAYCOMB III
AMO’s marketing and communications manager Fedor Palacios asked if I could attend the 2nd Annual Squirrel Master Classic earlier this year. The inaugural classic in 2014 had been crazy, so I was sure that this year was bound to be even better. All the details were quickly organized and I flew into Montgomery, Ala., where I met up with fellow outdoor writer Tom Tabor and headed to the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge. After we checked in, we grabbed our rifles and stepped out onto the range to sight them in. Last year we used .177-caliber rifles, but this year everyone had .22s,
G
Winners are determined by the number of squirrels per team, with fox squirrels counting as two.
and we used the GAMO Whisper G2 air rifle, known as the quietest quiet gun. Once done, we were off to dinner and pre-game activities. Things got, er, squirrely during the evening announcements when Jackie Bushman, the master of ceremonies, lost control of the group. At one point local 4-H kids involved in the classic stopped the announcements and declared that each team leader was preparing to cheat. With that bold statement they produced fishing weights, which they said were going to be used to stuff into the squirrels’ mouths so they would weigh more; an airpump, which would be used to pump up the squirrels and make them look bigger; and a box of frozen squirrels that yet someone else americanshootingjournal.com 155
intended to use to raise the squirrel count of their hunt. Clearly these shenanigans were a joke, and made for a very funny evening. The following morning was the big day of the event. Each team consisted of a television star (such as Shawn Michaels of WWE wrestling fame and the cable TV hunting show McMillian River Adventures), a dog handler and champion squirrel dog, a GAMO executive, one to two writers and a kid
from the 4-H club. Add in a couple cameramen and that rounded out the eight- to 10-man teams. My team was called Championship Season and headed by Doug Koenig, an excellent shot, so we were lucky. It was unbelievably cold for Alabama – something like 20 degrees – so the dog handlers were scared that the squirrels wouldn’t be moving. At daylight squirrels usually come down to feed. If they don’t come down, the dogs won’t be able to
The welcome sign that greeted us at the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge.
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smell and tree them. Most of these little guys are a breed known as a feist dog, which looks similiar to a Parson terrier. When the handler turns one loose, it shoots through the woods and before long is hopefully baying at a tree. This indicates that there is a squirrel somewhere up there. Once the dog has indicated a tree, everyone stands around the base and tries to get a shot. I’m probably exaggerating, but these trees seemed like they were 300 feet tall. Squirrels are unbelievably hard to see, especially when they are in a tree that high. They will often crouch on the upper side of a limb and lay flat. I used my 10x42 binoculars and it still took me 20 minutes to find one, if I could at all. If a shot is true and the squirrel drops, the dog is on it in a hot second. If the dog isn’t on top of its game, the squirrel may run into a hole in the tree or under a root and be lost. Not a respectable outcome. At the top of the morning, around 11:30 a.m., everyone headed back to the lodge for the first weigh-in. Each team piles their squirrels on a scale and the weight and total number of squirrels is documented. The winner is determined by who has the most squirrels – fox squirrels count as two – and if there is a tie, the final decision is based on total weight. The morning hunt had been seriously cold, but luckily the afternoon warmth helped shake off the chill for the rest of the competition. Eventually when darkness fell after a long day, everyone sauntered back in for the final
tally and an amazing Southern-cooked meal, where the winners were announced. Congratulations to the Bone Collector team for winning first place with a total of 15 squirrels for the day! The organization also awarded a trophy for this year’s best dog, which I thought was a great idea. I have to take a minute to mention how polite and well mannered the local 4-H kids were, and what a joy it was to have them in the group and on the hunts. Shannon Andress, who is the state 4-H Shooting Sports program coordinator, did a remarkable job with her group. If you are interested in joining us for this really fun event in February 2016, just visit gamousa.com for all the details. ASJ
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American Shooting Journal // December 2015
GO AHEAD,OregonPACK THE WHOLE Packs Owner, Co-founder Karl Findling Tells How The SHEBANG Modular Backpack System Works INTERVIEW BY STEVE JOSEPH
Oregon Packs are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts who prefer the versatility of a pack that can be a simple lumbar pack or powerful enough to haul much of your kill out.
American Shooting Journal
You state on your website that you have a truly interchangeable, modular, hunting pack system. Tell us more about that system, and how it is different from others? Karl Findling Modularity (OREGON PACKS) lends a pack more options than just, say, a top-loading pack. I call a simple top-loader a one-dimensional pack. If you can attach other pockets or bodies – modularity, if you will – the pack becomes more versatile, or what I call the second dimension. Our system involves a third dimension. By creating a suspension that is interchangeable, we’ve now created more options to mix and match components. Let’s just say the combinations are mind boggling. Our largest pack is called the WholeShabang! It is an expedition-sized pack offering 7,000 cubic inches, and at its
most minimal can be a lumbar-only bag, at its most expanded, a full meat carrier, with 20 variations in between. It’s perfect for single-day, multiday or multiweek use. ASJ Do you have a best seller? KF That would be the Orion. It is 2,500-cubic-inch pack, and can expand up to 5,000 cubic inches, or reduce down to 1,100 cubic inches on a simple lumbar-only pack. It is a convertible like almost all of our packs. Also, our BinoBro pouch and harness is one of the best if not the best design in the marketplace. ASJ Do you outsource the manufacturing or materials? KF All of our products are American made, and we have low margins even compared to Asian-made, mass-produced products. ASJ Aside from the versatility of your packs, what sets you apart? KF Our packs are not for everyone, nor are they made for mass-production or retailers that cannot support providing instructions to get users started. We also offer videos online to help people realize each pack’s full potential. ASJ
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LOCK & LOAD MUZZLELOADERS IN THE MILITARY
The tactics used to handle and reload muzzleloaders in the 1800s differ from how we handle them today, mostly due to safety concerns.
ny real discussion about muzzleloaders in the military will fall into the historical category, because I’m not aware of any military regime where muzzleloaders continue to play a part. Even so, there is plenty to talk about.
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ALL OF THE MILITARY’S small arms or artillery background stemmed from muzzleloaders, and a lot of that history is still with us today, even if we might not give credit to where that heritage began. For example, do you ever wonder where the term ball ammunition came from? The term is used to describe or signify a standard load for any given cartridge. However, that term originated back in the days when all bullets were round balls, and the name ball ammunition was given to rounds loaded with a single ball, not buck and ball or buckshot loads,
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIKE NESBITT
just to be clear. There was enough variety with musket loads that such identification was more than worthwhile, and certain loads had advantages for varied situations, just as they do today. OUR CURRENT REFERENCE to a 20-round magazine or number of rounds fired also comes from the term round ball as a standard bullet. These references were in use long before our military or militia were armed with either cartridgefiring breechloaders or repeating arms. You might also find it interesting to know that the round ball actually remained in our military’s small arms arsenals until about 1850. The last military rifle made and designed for patched, roundball shooting was the Mississippi Rifle of 1841, originally designed to shoot .54 caliber balls. However, many of those rifles were rebored or rebarreled to .58 caliber at a later date. As a historical comparison, this meant that our troops were armed with round-ball-firing muskets and rifles during the Mexican War. A Frenchman named Claude Etienne Minié is credited with codeveloping an elongated hollow-based bullet, which was an improvement over the round ball. The hollow base americanshootingjournal.com 165
BLACK POWDER During the 19th century, when muzzleloaders were used in the military, it was customary for the pan to be primed before the muzzleloader was loaded.
allowed the bullet to be undersized – somewhat smaller than the rifled barrel bore diameter – which allowed the Minié bullet to be loaded with greater ease, even in dirty or fouled barrels. Lubrication was added to the bullets in their grooves around the outside surface, and when the rifle was fired, the expanding gases would fill the hollow base of the bullet and expand the skirt. This, in turn, would engage the barrel’s rifling. In the US, the hollow-based bullets were somewhat improved on by master armorer James Burton at Harper’s Ferry arsenal in the 1850s. Some of his modifications included lengthening the bullet and thinning the skirt. Soon after that, the .58-caliber rifle that fired the Minié ball became our country’s standard, and even though the Minié creation has always been an elongated design, they are still referred to as Minié ball. (See “The Minié Tales,” American Shooting Journal, May 2015, if you want to know more.) I’M NOT SURE if the command to lock and 166
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BLACK POWDER R The term lock and load was a command given to troops when it was time to load their muzzleloaders. This was during the era when shooters lined up, loaded and shot simultaneously. Many used muskets just like this .69-caliber Charleville.
load is still being used, used but b it was often noted and quoted in about WWII. That command came directly from the stories ab military’s use of flintlock muskets when the infantry ranks would load and fire in unison as commanded. But to really understand the term we must take a somewhat detailed look at the paper cartridges used by those troops who were armed with muskets. THE MUSKETMEN of those days were equipped with muskets, of course, plus other pieces of equipment, which included a cartridge pouch. Most of the soldiers in standard uniform
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pouches, nor did were not issued powder horns and bullet pouches they have any priming horns or flasks that h are common for shooters. Instead, they carried a cartridge today’s flintlock shooter pouch that contained a wooden block with a series of drilled holes. Each of those holes would hold a paper cartridge for their muskets. Those cartridges were loaded by putting a round ball in the paper tube, which was then sealed at the end. The paper was twisted below the ball so that the ball was in its own separate area in the cartridge, and the coarse-grained powder charge was added. With the powder in the cartridge, the paper was folded over and then sealed with wax. That wax sealed the paper cartridge, and also became lubricant for the load. The same coarse and granulated powder that was used for musket priming was the same powder that was used in the barrel. This is one reason why the old flintlock muskets had such large locks. They were big and had powerful springs so they were sure to cast a spark onto the primer.
To use the paper cartridge, the soldier would take one cartridge from the pouch and tear off a corner of the sealed end to pour the powder. Before pouring the powder into the barrel, a small portion of the powder was poured into the priming pan of the musketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lock. Once the frizzen and pan cover was closed, the rest of the powder was poured down the barrel followed by the ball â&#x20AC;&#x201C; still wrapped in wax paper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which was rammed down to rest on the powder charge. With that all done, the musket was ready to ďŹ re. The term lock and load was the command to prime the lock and then load the barrel in that order. IN TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SHOOTING SPORTS, it is not recommended to use the old military style of loading a ďŹ&#x201A;intlock simply because there are safety risks involved with loading a ďŹ rearm that is ďŹ rst primed. At the same time we can see where the old routine would have had its advantages by allowing the soldier to quickly load his musket, possibly making the difference between victory and defeat. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enjoy the greater safety of priming our guns after they are loaded, and simply appreciate the military heritage of a bygone era of muzzleloaders. OUR MILITARYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HISTORY was ďŹ lled with muzzleloading up to and throughout the Civil War. That is a heritage that we can enjoy with pride. For one thing, our right to keep and bear arms, as well as our other freedoms, was won while the armies of the world were using muzzleloaders. One way to keep this heritage alive is through reenactors who portray events and battles of the Revolutionary and Civil War, as well as other historical events such as the Corps of Discovery, more commonly known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. We can easily say that our shooting sports today have no richer heritage than what we enjoy with our muzzleloaders. ASJ
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ARE YOU ‘PREPPED’ FOR CHRISTMAS? The Care And Feeding Of Your Prepper During The Holidays STORY BY DR. JOHN WOODS • PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIELLE BRETEAU
f you think Santa has it rough getting ready for Christmas, try shopping for a prepper. There are just too many choices and options to choose from, but that can be a good thing. Actually, this should make it easier to get them gifts. I know that for me getting any new prepper gear is a thrill on Christmas morning. When I was a kid I used to wear the pages out of Christmas catalogs from Western Auto, Sears and Roebuck and others trying to coax my parents into getting me new outdoor gear. It is no different today. After surveying my prepper friends, here are some categories of prime choices for gifting. This is the stuff they want come morning on December 25th. One clue, though: Dig around or ask some probing questions from the people you intend to gift so you have an idea of what they already have. This way you can buy something truly new that they will use.
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BUG-OUT BAGS AND BACKPACKS Really active and serious peppers never seem to have enough bags of the right kind or specialized the way they prefer. There is no reason to be found deficient in having the right bags when so many options are available. If all they need is a basic bug-out bag to slap full of stuff, then go get them a war surplus military duffle bag or pack. These work well. If, on the other hand, your prepper is a cubby gear packer – someone who likes to categorize their gear – then check out specialty packs or bags. There are bags out there designed to carry very specific gear or supplies in order to keep vital gear separated and easier to access, items like medical supplies, hand tools, weapons cases and ammunition. Pouches and optics like binoculars, spotting scopes or rangefinders often require their very own bag or compartment. Look for bags with multiple zippered pockets for compartmentalized organization. Good options can be found from companies such as Oregon Packs, Maxpedition, Cheaper Than Dirt and Midway USA. Often, these smaller bags can be stack packed into larger bags. Gun cases should also be considered in this category, and don’t miss out on the opportunity to gift a discrete gun case – designed to appear as something else.
A prepper would be pretty stoked to see Santa had left these on Christmas Day.
PREPPER BLADES A good quality knife, hatchet or axe is always an appreciated gift, and can be used to trim out a campsite in the woods, drive down tent stakes, chop kindling or even field-butcher game. Preppers can never have enough blades of all kinds, including serious defensive/fighting/tactical, hunting and even food-prep knives. A pocketknife or multitool are quick and easy to find and always appreciated. Excellent blade company options are Ontario Knife Company, Spyderco, A.G. Russell Knives, Smoky Mountain Knife Works and even Hogue now makes great knives and an incredible hatchet. SURVIVAL TOOLS Preppers can always use heavy-duty tools as well. These can include a long-handled double-edged axe or a sledge hammer with a wood-splitting wedge. A good set of basic mechanics tools with screwdrivers, multiple pliers,
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For the proper care and feeding of your prepper, make sure they have a wide range of items such as gun cases, knives, hatchets and tools.
adjustable wrenches, open-end and box wrenches and socket sets make great gifts for the mechanically inclined. Hammers are also needed for bug-in or -out work. A
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well-made claw hammer, hand saw or even a good metal hacksaw with some extra blades should always be a part of their gear. A shopping trip to a well-stocked hardware store
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will give you dozens of useful tool ideas, and none of them would be wrong. SHOOTING SUPPLIES Gifts that will bring a huge smile to any Christmas morning would be anything related to shooting. This could certainly be a new gun – potential owner input would be well advised – or possibly a gift certificate from their favorite gun shop. Ammunition is always welcomed. How about a brick of .22 rimfires for plinking and small game hunting? A box or two of any centerfire ammo or shotgun shells for bird hunting would also be a good idea. Consider self-defense ammo for a chosen concealed-carry firearm. Gun cleaning and maintenance supplies are never out of style. A self-contained, multiple-caliber gun-cleaning kit and/or a new bottle of gun solvent or oil can always be used, and fits nicely in a stocking. Another neat gift might be a variety of paper or light cardboard targets. You could get those colorful zombie targets with a host of crazy characters to pop. There are also targets that register hits, have spinners or jump after each well-placed shot. A company called Jumping Targets actually specializes in targets that do just that; they jump and bounce around. Certainly not the last or least, but get your prepping shooter some extra gun magazines. If they shoot an AR, then check out a few 20- or 30-round magazines, and if you choose the
FOR GOOD PREPPERS Gun store gift cards Boxes of ammo Magazines for each firearm Bottles of gun oil Box of patches for muzzle loaders AR-rifle accessories Flashlights Knife sharpeners Ear pro Eye pro Survival skills books Optics – they’re small Hatchets
FOR BAD PREPPERS Bag of rocks New tie Fruitcake Coal
magazine-gift route, then buy a nylon or canvas mag pouch to hold them. It’s all about accessorizing. Preppers are really easy to shop for and items do not have to be complicated or expensive. Any new gear will being a smile. ASJ
“Where guns are not a hobby, but a way of life” Dennis Gentry
Gentry Custom LLC (406) 388-GUNS www.GentryCustom.com We Build Custom Rifles
QUIET
MUZZLE BRAKES • Directs hot gas and noise down range away from the shooter • Makes guns user-friendly • We offer 5/8x24 threads
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Feather Trigger. Without a great trigger, a rifle’s accuracy is no more than luck. Our crisp and smooth three-lever Feather Trigger gives Browning X-Bolt rifles custom trigger performance straight from the box. It’s a big part of what gives the X-Bolt the total accuracy advantage.
JACK OF PAWNS 1704 E. Marshall Ave, Longview, TX 903-758-0559 www.jackofpawnslongview.com
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