News

There’s a new breed of action rifle in Cowtown. Instead of the diehard lever gun of old, many Cowboy Action shooters looking to shave the last seconds off their time will soon be using a pump rifle. In the quest for speed in that game, top shooters are posting winning scores with the old Colt Lightning design, or clones thereof. Because top shooters use them, that means everybody wants one, whether or not they work better than the ol’ lever action mainstay.The all-blue AWA Lightning is available in a variety of calibers including .32-20, .38-40, .38 Spl., .44-40, or .45 LC. If you want it with an octagonal barrel in either the test rifle’s 20-inch length or with a 24-inch barrel, the price is $890. Russ Simpson, president of AWA, informed us that there were many options available for original Colt Lightnings, so the crescent butt plate here, and the buckhorn rear sight on the Beretta carbine, might have been found on originals. No originals, however, have been found or documented with color-case hardened receivers.

Remington has been notified by its supplier of 17 HMR ammunition that 17 HMR ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm could result in property damage or serious personal injury.

Smith & Wesson Corp. has begun shipping the new M&P15-22 tactical rifles.

SOUTHPORT, CT – Between August 15, 2009 and December 31, 2009, customers who purchase any new Ruger bolt-action rifle will receive a free Ruger-branded Carhartt jacket.

ACCOKEEK, Md. -- Benelli's latest consumer offering--the MR 1 rifle--uses the ARGO (Auto-Regulating-Gas-Operated) system developed for the M1014 rifle used by the United States Marine Corps.

RATON, NM -- Army Marksmanship Unit shooters Specialist Daniel Horner and Sergeant First Class Robby Johnson won the Tactical Scope Class and the Tactical Iron Class championships, respectively, at the 2009 JP Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Competition held August 6-8 at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton.

MADISON, NC – Remington’s Premier Copper Solid Rifle, Premier Copper Solid Sabot Slugs and Premier Disintegrator Varmint lines of ammunition have been approved by the California Department of Fish and Game for use in the hunting zones within the range of the California condor, pursuant to its July 2008 law prohibiting ammunition containing lead in those areas.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation has launched a new grant program to strengthen existing target shooting programs and help form new collegiate club and varsity teams in shotgun, rifle and pistol.

FAIRFAX, Va. -- Silhouette shooter Cathy Winstead-Severin won the Smallbore Rifle Silhouette and Smallbore Hunting Rifle Silhouette divisions at the 2009 NRA National Smallbore Silhouette Championships, held August 2-4 at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico.

The 2009 Shotgun National Junior Olympics came to a close on August 1 with Collin Wietfeldt (Hemlock, Mich.) and Rachael Heiden (Clinton, Mich.) earning titles in the Trap event.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that according to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report released last week by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $109.8 million in the first calendar quarter of 2009; up 43% over the same time period reported in 2008.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced last week that for the second quarter of 2009, the Company reported net sales of $72.4 million and earnings of 46¢ per share, compared with sales of $38.7 million and earnings of 5¢ per share in the second quarter of 2008.