U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., says he has assigned four investigators to look into the escapade of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that has become known as “Project Gunrunner.”
Issa made the statement in a live broadcast interview with talk-radio host Roger Hedgecock. The case centers on allegations of a flow of guns into Mexico orchestrated by the federal agency, including a weapon that later was used to kill a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Investigators will examine allegations that the ATF encouraged gun shops to sell guns to questionable customers so it could track the weapons as they were smuggled into Mexico.
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform spokesman Seamus Kraft says Issa's committee is launching the investigation because of the people's right to know what their government is doing.
“Americans have a right to know who let this program happen and why. Our investigation seeks to deliver the facts so taxpayers can decide who should be held accountable,” Kraft explained.
In the Hedgecock interview, committee chairman Issa said he intends to find out who lied about the firearms smuggling operation.
A California State Senate Committee has been considering a proposal to give a concealed carry permit to, “any applicant who is a member of Congress, a statewide elected official or a Member of the Legislature.”
These elected officials could carry a gun, “for purposes of protection or self-defense.”
As an editorial in the Washington Times noted, “The measure highlights the growing rift between the bureaucratic class and taxpayers who don’t have the luxury of exempting themselves from bad laws.”
The Times added that, “Ordinary Californians who want a concealed carry permit need to apply to the local sheriff. In practice — outside of conservative, rural counties — only celebrities and the well-connected end up obtaining the coveted document. In a state of nearly 37 million, about 40,000 permits were issued in 2007.”
The proposal was made by, “a pair of pro-gun state Senate Democrats…” In a state with such restrictive gun laws, including a ban on high-capacity magazines and so-called “assault weapons,” you might think any law which seems pro-Second Amendment should be supported by gun owners.
However, “Exempting politicians [from unfair concealed carry laws] may be the exception,” the Times argued. “Coddled lawmakers living in gated communities may think they face heightened risk, but it’s unlikely poor residents in sketchy urban neighborhoods have any less of a need.”
An excellent representation of sniper rifle technology from the 1940s, the Springfield M1904A4 is still plenty enjoyable and accurate today.
The beginning of World War II found the United States short of many weapons, not the least of which was an inventory of sniper rifles. Armorers in France converted sniper rifles from both M1903 and M1917 rifles during World War I, but between the wars sniping was one of many things that was neglected. In fact, even after American entry into World War II in December 1941, sniping continued to be neglected and it wasn’t until January 1943 that the Army issued a directive to Remington Arms to set aside 20,000 M1903A3 receivers for conversion to sniper rifles.
There were no formal accuracy requirements for the M1903A4; at least we couldn’t find any standards in any of the four reference books we consulted in preparing this article. According to Bruce Canfield, there was no special care taken in manufacturing the M1903A4 rifles and their accuracy was no better than standard service rifles.
The trigger on our test rifle, for example, was the same as our standard Remington M1903A3, hardly sniper-grade, with two-stage 5.5-pound break and significant overtravel. There were other shortcomings, as well. Since no sights were fitted and the commercial Weaver telescopic sights were easily damaged, a damaged scope left the sniper with a very expensive club!
Moreover, the scope wasn’t moisture resistant – a real problem in the South Pacific Campaigns. The Redfield “Junior” mount was nothing more than a commercial unit and the retaining screws reportedly loosened and fell out regularly, and replacements were difficult to obtain through the supply system. To ensure that the screws of our personal M1903A4 stayed put, we removed them and put Loctite on them. Moreover, the gross elevation of the Redfield mount was adjusted by inserting or removing shims.
We had to shim the mount on our M1903A4 in order to properly boresight and zero it, since it had never been fired when we purchased it. Initial windage was set by adjusting the large screws visible at the rear of the scope mount. Whatever shortcomings it might have had, the M1903A4 was the only version of the M1903 to have been manufactured at the factory as a sniper rifle. All others were field conversions. The M1903A4 was intended as a stopgap until the M1 Garand could be redesigned as a sniper rifle, but in the end only a very few M1C sniper rifles saw action in World War II, while the M1903A4 was used in every theater of operation throughout the war.
Because there was no way of predicting whether or not a M1903A3 being manufactured as an M1903A4 would deliver acceptable accuracy, all M1903A4s were marked, “US Remington Model 03A3,” but the markings were different from standard M1903A3s in that they were offset to the left so they would not be covered by the Redfield scope mount. The idea was that if the rifle wasn’t sufficiently accurate, open sights would be installed and the rifle issued as a standard M1903A3. Thus, there are no M1903A4s marked as such as far as we have been able to determine. We should also note that every M1903A4 was made by Remington. Smith Corona, the other M1903A3 manufacturer, didn’t make any M1903A4s.
Like all M1903A3s, the M1903A4 may be found with any number of variations. Most had four-groove barrels, but some two-groove barrels were fitted as is the case with our rifle. According to Major General Julian Hatcher, probably the foremost authority on early- to mid-20th Century military small arms, the two-groove barrel had little, if any, negative effect on accuracy.
In the case of our M1903A4, we have to agree, since it has a two-groove barrel and delivers very good accuracy. M1903A4 stocks were generally the Type C full pistol grip, but many, like ours, were fitted with the semi-pistol grip “scant grip.” About the only constants were the lack of open sights, the unusual markings, the bolt handle that was forged with a concave shape to clear the telescopic sight and the stock notched to accommodate the non-standard bolt handle.
There were two telescopic sights used, both variants of the 2.5x Weaver 330. The first scopes were marked commercially and had either tapered post or crosshair reticles. Later scopes were marked M73B1, the military designation for the Weaver 330. Our M1903A4 was fitted with the tapered post version of the commercial 330, although our rifle’s serial number indicates that it was in the last production batch of 6,300 M1903A4s. The final M1903A4s were manufactured in June 1944 when the M1C started being delivered in sufficient numbers to begin replacing the M1903A4.
There seems to be disagreement among the M1903 authorities on total numbers of M1903A4s manufactured. According to Canfield and Clark Campbell, the number was 28,365. On the other hand, Brophy states that 29,964 were produced.
We probably will never know exactly just how many were manufactured, except that the M1903A4 represents a tiny fraction of the more than 1 million M1903A3 type rifles produced by Remington during World War II. When Smith Corona production is added to the mix, the total M1903A3 production rises to nearly 1.5 million. So it is clear that the M1903A4 is one of the rarest production M1903s ever made, which has driven prices into the $3000 range for an example in good condition.
The M1903A4 soldiered on after World War II, despite M1C and M1D sniper rifles that supposedly replaced it. M1903A4s were drawn from storage for the Korean War and surprisingly also saw service in Vietnam during the early stages of the conflict before other, more modern sniper rifles could be procured.
This made the A4 the last version of the M1903 to remain in military service. The M1903A4 thus saw active military service for over 20 years, indicating that it must have had some positive attributes. Just how good was the M1903A4 for its intended purpose?
According to Brophy, the M1903A4 was “…at best a poor excuse for a sniper rifle.” The M1903A4 had no special attention given to its accuracy or its suitability for use as a sniper rifle. The Weaver scope had the benefit of being cheap and available and little else other than being simple to install. But in the context of the time, the M1903A4 wasn’t really significantly inferior to sniper rifles from other nations. The Russian PE and PU sniper rifles with their 3.5x scopes were really no better, nor was the German 98K.
The British Number 4, Mark 1(T) wasn’t either. All were essentially bolt-action service rifles that were pressed into sniper service, except for a few 98Ks that were specially made up as sniper rifles. The M1903A4 was actually no better nor worse than other sniper rifles of the time.
When compared to sniper rifles from the Vietnam era, the M1903A4 comes off as inferior, but at the time of its introduction it did its job and from what research we have conducted, did it relatively well.
As mentioned, our test M1903A4 was unfired when we discovered it in a local gun store and purchased it at a very reasonable price. Since it was new, we were advised by some that the rifle should remain in unfired condition to preserve its collector value. Nonsense.
We don’t own firearms that we don’t shoot and so shortly after obtaining our M1903A4, we boresighted it and headed to the range to zero it. We zeroed the rifle using Black Hills 168-grain match grade ammunition, but for this evaluation we also tested the ‘03A4 with Greek 1985 production military M2 Ball, duplicating the World War II 150-grain military load.
We also tested Serbian Privi Partizan 180-grain ammunition, imported by Wolf. The Black Hills match delivered 1.25 minute of angle (MOA) at 100 yards. Translated into layman’s terms, that is 1.25 inch at 100 yards, 2.5 inches at 200 yards, etc. For what it is worth, MOA (one inch at 100 yards) accuracy is considered acceptable for modern sniper rifles, so the ‘03A4 – at least our ‘03A4 – gives up little to modern precision rifles in terms of accuracy.
Surprisingly, the Greek 150-grain ball ammunition was as accurate as the Black Hills 168-grain match, probably because the M1903A4 was designed around the M2 ball round. The Seriban Privi Partisan was about two MOA at 100 yards. The bottom line is that our M1903A4 delivered acceptable accuracy that would probably improve once the barrel was broken in by having a couple of hundred rounds fired through it.
The M1903A4 is an excellent representation of sniper rifle technology of the 1940s. As we have mentioned, sniper rifles of both our allies and enemies weren’t superior to the ‘03A4 in any meaningful way and the rifle delivers good accuracy using quality modern match or service grade ammunition. World War II snipers didn’t have access to match-grade ammo like their modern day counterparts, so the Greek ball ammunition test groups are probably more in keeping with battlefield reality.
Probably the most significant shortfall of the M1903A4 was its scope, but it must be remembered that during World War II, everything was in short supply and the Army had to get its scopes from a company that could deliver the necessary quantities within a short time, so it went with the Weaver 330, which was good enough for the task at hand. All in all the M1903A4 was satisfactory for its intended purpose and like most soldiers and Marines of the period served its country well.
Everyone who shot our “old soldier” was overjoyed at being able to shoot a rare piece of American military history. We probably will not shoot our M1903A4 frequently, as it is too rare and valuable for frequent trips to the range, but rest assured that it will continue to do what it was designed to do – shoot with reasonable accuracy from time to time and deliver some enjoyment in the bargain.
This article appeared in the January 31, 2011 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Before attempting to ship a gun to a buyer or a gunsmith for repair, it pays to brush up on the laws and policies in use by the major shipping companies. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auctions – rockislandauction.com
My editors have been hearing from some readers who are running into trouble when attempting to ship a firearm they sold through GDTM. These are non-licensed individuals who might be shipping only a gun or two, not dealers. Seems they are being refused service or given incorrect information when attempting to ship through the US Post Office, or a common carrier such as UPS or Fed Ex.
Since I ship several firearms every week, I was asked to provide some information on the legal ways to ship firearms. What follows is not legal advice and is provided as information only. If you are going to ship any firearms, I urge you to verify this information at the sources.
The first things a gun shipper needs to know are the Federal rules regarding the inter-state shipment of firearms. Rather than cut and paste a bunch of legalese from a BATFE website, I will attempt to give a basic outline. The government regulations state that only an FFL (Federal Firearms License) holder may receive firearms in inter-state shipment.
This is when shipping a firearm from one state to another. If a firearm is being shipped within a single state, or intra-state, the rules are a bit different. Shipping a firearm within a state does not require the involvement of an FFL holder, unless there are state regulations governing private sales of firearms.
The sender does not need to have an FFL to ship a firearm to an FFL holder. However, some FFLs refuse to receive a firearm from a non-FFL shipper. That is their own policy, not backed up by the regulations. It is suggested that a non-FFL shipping a firearm to an FFL holder include a copy of their ID or drivers license. The receiving FFL must have this information to enter the firearm in their records. I have had transfer firearms show up with nothing to indicate who sent it beyond a return address on the box.
If an unlicensed person is shipping a firearm they need to verify that the person or business they are shipping to has a valid FFL. This can be done by getting a signed copy of the recipient FFL mailed or faxed to the sender. Be aware that you might run across a dealer who refuses to provide a copy of their FFL if they are receiving the firearm from a non-licensee. Not a problem if they will give their license number to check on the BATFE website at a page called FFL EZ check.
This is the best way to verify that an FFL is current, whether you have a mailed copy or just an FFL number. Try www.atfonline.gov/fflezcheck/ Just type in the FFL numbers and it will display the shipping address and date the license expires. The EZ check site does not work to verify Curio and Relic type 03 licenses. The C&R information is not considered public, while regular dealer FFLs are. You must get a signed copy mailed to you from any C&R FFL holder.
Other Federal requirements are that the package containing a firearm NOT contain any markings indicating the contents and that the package require an adult signature at time of delivery. There is no Federal requirement that the shipper be notified that the package contains a firearm if it is being sent to an FFL.
Muzzle loading firearms and antique firearms made before Jan. 1, 1899, are exempt from Federal regulation. They can be shipped freely, unless in violation of state law.
Now we see that it is legal under Federal law for an un-licensed individual to ship a firearm to an FFL address. The problems come up when uninformed clerks refuse to accept the firearm presented for shipment. Or they add their own rules to make it impossible to comply. This can happen at any shipping venue.
Most of the time it is due to ignorance of their own rules and fear of firearms. The only thing one can do is ask to speak to the clerks’ supervisor. Ask to see the relevant regulations in the shipping rules, or tariff. Having your own copy of these rules and the recipients’ FFL copy can sometimes help. Just remember, even though you know you are in compliance with the regulations, you can not force a reluctant shipper to accept any package.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
Non-licensed individuals can ship rifles or shotguns to any FFL location. Just be sure there is no ammunition included in the package. It is against USPS regulations to mail ANY ammunition at any time. The postal clerk will ask if there is anything liquid, fragile or hazardous in the package. As long as there is no ammunition in the box, you can answer no to this question. An unloaded long gun poses no threat to any freight handlers or truck drivers.
Handguns can only be sent by an FFL holder to an FFL holder. A postal form PS 1508 is filed with each handgun shipment where the sender certifies that they and the recipient are FFL licensed dealers, manufacturers or importers. Because the wording on the PS-1508 does not specifically mention C&R it has been assumed that USPS does not recognize a C&R FFL for the purpose of mailing handguns. In fact, the term curio & relic or C&R never appears in any official USPS document.
I think it was omitted because they were hardly ever used when the PS-1508 system was devised. It might be nice if someone could get an official opinion on this. Many postmasters have never dealt with firearms shipments. My local USPS folks have actually called me when a customer came in asking questions about gun shipping. A violation of Postal service rules concerning firearms could be considered a Federal crime with all the nasty results that can involve.
My USPS notes: USPS would be my first choice for a non-licensee to ship a long gun. Shipping a firearm with insurance will require the receiver to sign for it when delivered. This satisfies the signature requirement.
However, I recommend also adding the return receipt card. This post card is signed by the recipient and then mailed back to the shipper. If you need to ship a handgun it might be a good idea to ask a local FFL holder to ship it for you. Even with paying an FFL for his time to ship, USPS will cost less than UPS or Fed Ex which require handguns be sent next day air. Some dealers will do this. Some will not.
Laws and shipping company policies regarding handguns and ammunition often differ from shotguns and rifles. Never assume yesterday's policy remains the same today – always check.
Firearms will be transported only between licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors, as defined in the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, law enforcement agencies of the United States or of any department or agency thereof and law enforcement agencies of any state or department agency, or political subdivision thereof, and between persons not otherwise prohibited from shipping firearms by federal, state or local law and when such shipment complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws.
You must ship your packages that contain handguns with UPS Next Day Air Early A.M., UPS Next Day Air, or UPS Next Day Air Saver services. Your packages that contain firearms will not be accepted for shipment at UPS Drop Boxes, with UPS SonicAir service, at locations of The UPS Store or any third-party retailer, or with international services.
Your packages that contain handguns must be separated from other packages being delivered to UPS. Ammunition cannot be included in your packages that contain firearms (including handguns).
When you are shipping your package that contains a firearm with UPS, you must affix a UPS label requesting an adult signature upon delivery.
You can only ship your package that contains a firearm from UPS daily pickup accounts and through UPS Customer Centers. When you are shipping a package that contains a handgun, you must verbally notify the UPS driver or UPS Customer Center clerk.
See the terms and conditions in the UPS Tariff for shipping firearms.” This additional sentence is contained in the UPS tariff: UPS, in its sole discretion, may require the shipper select Next Day Air service for any shipment containing a firearm.
My UPS notes
UPS only accepts firearms at a UPS customer center and this is inconvenient for many people. Customer centers usually are located at the UPS truck terminals where the local drivers are based. That could be a hundred miles or more from some locations. Some UPS employees are interpreting the first sentence in the Shipping Procedures for Firearms document to mean only FFL holders can ship firearms. I think the final clause “and between persons not otherwise prohibited from shipping firearms by federal, state or local law and when such shipment complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws” leaves the door open for non-licensees to ship firearms.
Federal Express
“Federal Express can only accept and deliver firearms between areas served in the U.S. under the following conditions: (1) you agree to tender shipments of firearms to us only when either the shipper or recipient is a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, licensed dealer or licensed collector and is not prohibited from making such shipments by local, state or federal regulations; (2) the shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable state law.
Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service. FedEx cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. or with a signature release. Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx is required to notify the FedEx employee who accepts the package that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm. Firearms shipments cannot be placed in a FedEx Express Drop Box.
You also agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package. Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as dangerous goods. The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.”
I have never shipped a firearm through FedEx. The nearest FedEx office is 50 miles from me. The next day requirement on all guns makes FedEx a costly option for firearm shipments. I have heard they sometimes will want to inspect a firearm to insure it is unloaded. This is a pain if you have already boxed the gun up. Some clerks are even requiring that a firearm be broken down, but I can find nothing about it in their tariff.
Packing Hints
In over 600 firearms shipped since 1998, when I started doing mail order and Internet sales, I have had only seven damaged shipments. All were with UPS, because I use them for most long guns. All damage involved broken stocks. In all cases but one, they paid the insurance claim. I use a 6 x 6 x 48 inch heavy cardboard shipping carton.
The gun is put in a padded gun sleeve and foam packing peanuts are used to fill up the empty space in the box. I have had no damage claims since I started using the packing peanuts. Do not use wadded newspapers as packing.
If you are only shipping a few long guns I suggest just buying a plastic hard case with foam padding. These can be had for around $20 at most Mart marts. Keep the cardboard box the case comes in.
Gun in hard case, case in box, tape it up and cross your fingers.
Good luck with your firearm shipping adventure. The situation could get worse. If UPS and FedEx decided to not allow any non-FFL firearms shipments it would leave USPS as the only option. It could happen.
Syracuse, NY – A Syracuse man shot while trying to rob the owner of a store in September admitted his guilt in court today.
Rayshawn Johnson, 29, pleaded guilty before state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti to felony charges of attempted first-degree robbery, attempted second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Johnson admitted being armed with a knife when he tried to rob an employee of the Los Amigos convenience store at 204 W. Brighton Ave. Sept. 27.
Assistant District Attorney Kari Armstrong said Johnson was threatening owner Ruben Colon with a large knife when Colon pulled out a gun to defend himself.
The prosecutor said Johnson tried to grab the gun away from Colon and was shot once in the side when the gun went off during a struggle over the weapon. Read more
Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews and practical how-to instructions. With your Subscription, you’ll also learn about threats to your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside this issue:
Shotguns: SXS vs. O/U
Gun Review: Beretta AL390
Gun Collecting: The Soviet TT-33
Colt Handguns Revived
Gun shows, auctions, classifieds and more!
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The Alabama Gun Collector’s Association is sponsoring an “Honor the Veteran” Gun Show on March 26-27 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The show will feature a reunion of the last three remaining B29 airmen of the 509th Composite Group which participated in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan on August 5, 1945. Also featured is Earnest Craigwell, Jr, of the famous Tuskegee Airmen.
You will have the opportunity to meet and talk with Dutch Van Kirk — navigator of the Enola Gay (lead B29 Bomber); Ira Weatherly — pilot of the B29 Straight Flush (Weather Plane); Russell Gackenback—navigator of Necessary Evil (Photography Plane).
Gackenback snapped the only two photos of the actual atomic blast.
Craigwell, who joined the famous Tuskegee Airmen in 1945, flew over 400 missions over Korea and Viet Nam and served as an instructor to the South Korean National Air Force.
This show will have over 650 tables devoted to displays and collections of military arms, accouterments and edged weapons from all wars fought by American Forces. Many weapons will be for sale.
And a special part of this show will be the participation of over a dozen veteran organizations and groups, including The Veterans Administration, The Disabled Veterans Association, The Wounded Warriors, The American Legion, and VFW, as well as recruiters for the Armed Forces.
For additional information, email: [email protected], or call 334-279-9895
Once the head comes off the gun, the rear (eyes) and front (bead) sights on the gun are no longer aligned. This will most certainly cause a miss. Since the shot has been taken, was the cheek pressure released early or after the shot?
Poor Timing
A major problem that many shooters seem to have when shooting afield is poor timing. This can be a result of virtually anything from having the gun out of position to get it on the shoulder properly, to an inconsistent gun pace relative to the pace of the target or an overzealous trigger hand racing to mount the gun.
Poor timing can be a reason for missing that might occur at any time, and can be most easily cured by proper target focus, a good gun mount and solid technique. The problems with a shooter’s timing are most often caused by a lack of concentration and an inconsistent gun swing relative to the speed, angle and distance of his target. When a shooter fails to recognize and react to these target characteristics, chances are that a miss is imminent.
Timing is based on how a shooter moves relative to the movement of his target. Chances are if he overreacts to a flushing or passing bird, for instance, he will rush the gun past it before the trigger can be pulled. On the other hand, if he is slow to swing the gun when a bird presents itself, he will invariably wind up behind his target.
Let’s not forget that the most accomplished wingshooters you will ever see look to be in slow motion. They only react to the speed of the bird they are attempting to harvest, and they can change their speed to compensate for the speed of the target. They do this by making sure that step one in the shot process is visual focus on a chosen target. When the birds are fast, they move fast. When they are slow, they move slow. Once a shooter’s eyes have focused on a bird, the most important part of the shot sequence is to move as the bird moves, and then a bit more to execute a chosen shooting style and complete the shot.
By matching up his initial pace with that of the bird, the shooter will always be able to comfortably get his gun in position to make a clean kill, and he will find that keeping his target in view with the gun mounted will be much easier. This will be the case regardless of which shooting style is used, since the speed of the gun for pull away and swing through don’t increase until the insertion point is made.
Since the rear sight on a shotgun is the shooter’s eyes, and a proper gun fit allows the gun to shoot where the shooter is looking, it is important to bring the gun to your face and focus on the target through the beads on the gun.
Focusing on the Gun and Not the Target
One of the more common reasons that shooters miss in the field is because they focus more on the gun than on the target. In other words, they are in effect aiming at the bird. Most shooters got their shooting legs at an early age by plinking away with a .22 caliber rifle. Unfortunately the only similarity between rifles, shotguns and pistols is that they are all classified as firearms. Shooting them is as different as day and night.
In order to consistently hit a target using a precise aiming point with a rifle or pistol, the shooter must align front and rear sights with a focus primarily on the sights. In most cases the targets for rifle and pistol shooting are stationary, which allows the shooter the time to make his precise sight alignment. Herein lies the main difference between these three types of firearms.
In wingshooting the targets fly at various rates of speed, and a successful shot requires the shooter to focus on the target and not the gun. Since a shotgun has no visible rear sight, the shooter’s master eye serves as the sight. As a result, the eye and the front bead on the shotgun have to align perfectly when the gun is mounted to the face and shoulder if the gun is to shoot where the eyes look.
In many instances, however, the shooter wants to make sure that this alignment is correct, and the tendency is to transfer the eyes from the target back to the gun. Once the eyes shift to the gun, the shooter loses touch with his target. When this happens, the shooter will attempt to find the bird again. Since the eyes lead the hands in shotgunning, the gun will go to the bird rather than to the proper lead, which in turn affects the timing of the shot.
The correct procedure for the shooter to be successful is to focus on the bird while having a soft focus on the muzzle of the gun. In other words, the shooter must be aware of the gun without aiming at the target, and by looking beyond the gun and to the target, the gun should shoot where he looks. Can you see now how important visual focus is to a successful shot? Having an idea of the type of lead picture required will certainly simplify this procedure, but as we have already established, it is amazing how the eyes find the proper lead picture when the shooter does everything else right.
Many rifle shooters struggle with focusing on the target, since they learned to shoot by focusing on the sights of the rifle. The learning curve to move these rifle shooters to shotgun shooters could be significant.
Poor Gun Mount
Once a shooter has fitted his gun properly, a large number of his misses will be a result of a poor gun mount. As alluded to earlier, the mechanics of a proper gun mount are critical to shooting success.
It’s important to keep in mind that mastering the motor skills required to mount the gun consistently in the same spot on the face and shoulder every time does require practice. Unfortunately, the majority of casual bird hunters would never think of practicing gun mounts on a daily, or at least periodic basis, like many of the top clay shooters do.
The difference between that casual shooter and a seasoned sporting clays enthusiast is easily noted, but both of them have to be able to mechanically mount the gun to be successful. Perhaps that’s why most competitive sporting clays shooters often fare better on live birds than their trap or skeet counterparts. Being able to properly control the movement of the gun’s muzzle starts with a mastery of the gun mount, and once the muscle movement for the mount has been memorized the shooter will find it easier to get the gun in position for a successful shot.
Don’t forget that a proper gun mount is a push to the bird and insertion point and a lift of the stock to the face with the trigger hand. The hands work as a team, with neither exerting more push or lift than the other. And since gun mounts can be practiced away from the range and field, getting the proper mechanics dialed in perfectly is simply a matter of time and a desire to do so.
Incorrect Technique
When a shooter misses a bird because of incorrect technique, it is generally accepted that his mistakes were the result of trying to apply a certain shooting style that didn’t comfortably suit the target he was shooting. We have established that any of the various recognized shooting styles used worldwide will work for a shooter as long as the technique is applied properly. The main reason that incorrect technique misses birds is because most shooters don’t fully understand the orthodox use of recognized shooting styles.
A shooter should always keep in mind that the more a bird crosses in front of him, the more forward allowance or lead will be required to successfully hit it. As a result, if he is shooting at a bird that requires a good bit of lead, it would generally be a mistake to start the gun well behind the bird to obtain that lead.
At the same time, if a bird presents itself in a manner that doesn’t take much forward allowance, he can’t expect consistent success if the gun mounts too far ahead of the bird. If a shooter feels that he is well ahead of his target, chances are he’ll have problems slowing the gun to get the right lead.
Regardless of which style he uses, his chances of a successful shot will improve if he remembers to match his pace with that of the bird early in the shot sequence. This will help make a precise insertion point much easier.
The muzzle of the gun should be steered to the lead picture with minimal movement. This is best controlled by positioning the gun just under the armpit, with the muzzle elevation starting just under the line of the bird
Stopping the Gun
Certainly one of the major reasons a shooter misses could be traced to our rifle shooting heritage. Since most shooters learned to shoot by aiming a rifle or pistol, chances are they will occasionally find themselves unable to get the gun sufficiently through or ahead of the bird. When a shooter’s smoothness of swing is interrupted this way, he will invariably stop the gun. If the muzzle ever stops, even briefly, the timing of the shot will be affected and the possibilities of a miss are increased.
A shooter can minimize stopping the gun by heightening his concentration and focusing on the bird, being smooth with the gun swing and remembering to follow through after the shot is taken. By concentrating on these aspects of a successful shot, the shooter can assure himself a good chance every time he shoulders the gun.
Two ways to make certain that the guy doesn’t stop is to watch the bird fall through the beads of the gun or staying in the gun as if you were going to shoot at the bird again. While these two tips sound simple, if you can make them a part of every shot in the field your shooting success will increase significantly.
A great deal of the success or failure experienced by a shooter is determined by the confidence he has in seeing lead pictures. The more often a shooter sees a bird fall or a target break with a lead picture, the more confidence he will have the next time he sees a similar shot.
When the gun is noticeably out of place relative to the target, the shooter rarely has time to recover quickly enough to make a successful shot.
Jerking the Trigger
It’s pretty rare for the average hunter to find himself jerking the trigger or flinching when shooting live birds. This phenomenon is typically found in the intense competitive clay target shooter, who has shot literally thousands and thousands of rounds of ammunition over the years.
A flinch is best described as a mental refusal of a physical act, such as pulling the trigger. In other words, even though the shooter attempts to pull the trigger, the brain sends a message to the muscles in the trigger finger that will not allow it to move. This is most often the result of a fear of missing or the anticipation of recoil, and is almost always followed by the trigger being jerked with little or no success.
When shooting birds, hunters will usually not refuse to pull the trigger, rather they have a tendency to yank the trigger and fire the gun before it is properly positioned on the shoulder. When this happens, of course, the timing of the shot is significantly affected and the target is usually not hit.
This typically occurs on flushing birds or when the shooter is surprised by the sudden appearance of a bird. Sometimes in a rush to get off a shot, the shooter gets into the trigger too quickly. The flinch in hunting can be eliminated if the shooter realizes that he usually has more time to execute a shot than he thinks. There are no gamebirds that can outrun a speeding shotstring, so rushing a shot just isn’t necessary. By slowing down his approach to shooting the bird and giving his eyes time to focus on a specific target, the shooter will have better control of his movements and the technique required to properly mount and swing the gun. If the shooter will stay in the gun by keeping his head down and his eyes through the rib in order to watch the bird fall, he will be less concerned with shooting too quickly.
It’s been said that 60 percent of shooting is confidence. That’s confidence in yourself, confidence in the gun and confidence in your ammo. Having this level of certainty that a successful shot can be made by taking the time to properly position the gun will certainly improve one’s percentages of success afield.
When more than one bird is presented in the kill zone, like here with this covey rise, you must choose your target one at a time. There’s always more time than you think.
Lifting the Head off the Stock
Of all the reasons for missing birds, lifting the head off the stock is probably the the most common of all. Remember that a properly fitted shotgun will allow the eyes and the gun to look and shoot to the same spot. That’s the beauty of pointing the gun rather than aiming it. So when you look through the beads on the rib of the gun, it will shoot where the eyes look. Don’t look at the beads. Just be aware of them, much like you are aware of the white lines in the center of the road when driving. You are aware of them, but your focus never goes there.
This holds true time after time, and successful shots are made consistently unless the eye/barrel/bird relationship changes. But when the head is lifted off the stock or the eyes are lifted above the sighting plane of the gun, this constitutes a change in where the eyes and gun look, which will usually constitute a miss.
A fairly common occurrence with clay shooters is not lifting the head, but merely lifting the eyes above the rib to get a better look at the target. This is especially true on targets that are dropping or have a descending line of flight. The results, however, are generally the same, and they aren’t good. Shooters guilty of lifting the eyes should remember to concentrate on their targets through the rib of the gun. Failure to do so will usually cause the gun to stop.
There are a number of reasons for the head to lift as the trigger is being pulled. If the drop on the stock is too low for the shooter, the eyes will be below the receiver and the face will have to be lifted in order to correctly see the bird beyond the muzzle. Proper gun fit, of course, will cure the problem if this is the case.
If the gun is mounted improperly, it will be difficult for the shooter to get his sight picture adjusted in the short time that a shooter generally has to take a shot at a speeding bird. Since the eyes should attempt to follow the bird, they will want to stay focused on it, so they could leave the stock if it isn’t positioned in the cheek and on the shoulder properly. Consistent gun mount practice will add to the timeliness of a proper picture and shot.
The angle of ascent or descent of a bird in flight will also cause the shooter to lift his head off the gun. If a bird flushes and rises quickly, the shooter’s tendency is to first lift the eyes above the gun to find the bird. If the eyes stay up as the bird rises, there’s a good chance that the head will come up as well. If the bird is dropping or landing, if the shooter allows it to come to the gun, chances are he will lift his head in order to keep it in sight just on top of the rib.
It has been established that in shotgun shooting the eyes lead the hands to the target and subsequently to the correct lead picture. And as long as the gun mount is correct, the head can stay down as the muzzle moves along the target line. If the lead picture is right, a successful shot will be the result.
So there you have it, a series of examples of why you miss. By identifying these individual problems and providing a fix for them, there is a good possibility that your skills in the field will improve significantly.
This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of Shotgunning.
Within the next 90 days, Congress will vote on whether to reauthorize legislation to specifically allow the government potential access to millions of gun records (4473’s).
Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, which must be reauthorized soon, is of particular concern.
This section allows the FBI to seize business records — including the 4473 forms that gun buyers fill out. The only significant caveat is that the FBI must claim that the seizure of records is needed pursuant to “an authorized investigation.”
But since a secret court is required to rubber-stamp the government’s request (unless it fails to make even a specious case), the FBI can easily abuse its authority. The Inspector General found that, between 2003 and 2006, the FBI may have violated the law over 6,000 times with respect to their authority under various provisions of the PATRIOT Act.
So just imagine that it’s your gun records that have been seized. Under such circumstances, the gun dealer is specifically prohibited, under penalty of law, from telling you that the FBI has confiscated the records of your firearms purchases. Under the PATRIOT Act, any limitations on the use of the seized records shall be at the sole discretion of the Department of Justice. Read more
Oregon — We have received a number of communications from gun dealers across the state informing us of long waits and busy signals when they attempt to conduct background checks for gun purchases.
We have also received multiple, credible reports that Oregon dealers are being pressured by ATF to make highly irregular and suspicious gun sales. It would appear to be Oregon's very own “Gunwalker” scandal.
The Oregon State Police are aware of these operations and have chosen to take a “hands off” approach.
If you are a dealer who has been pressured by ATF or the OSP into making transactions you consider suspicious, and are willing to share your experiences, please contact us. Rest assured your privacy will be protected. Read more
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has conducted informal discussions with groups from both ends of the gun-policy spectrum, including law enforcement and gun-rights organizations, and is set to hold formal meetings as early as this week in an effort to chart out a set of new firearms policies, administration officials say.
Spearheaded by the Department of Justice, the talks were described by one individual involved in the discussions as a “feeling-out process.” With more official meetings set to begin shortly, they provide the clearest indication to date that the White House is readying a response to the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 19 others at Tucson in early January.
“As the president said, we should focus on sound, effective steps that will keep guns out of the hands of the criminals, fugitives, people with serious mental illness, and others who have no business possessing a gun and who are prohibited by laws on the books from owning a gun,” Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. “We will be meeting with stakeholders on all sides of the issue to discuss how we can find sensible, intelligent ways to make the country safer.”
The goal is to finalize a set of policy changes, including, perhaps, legislation that could pass through a Congress hostile to abridgments of Second Amendment rights. The last serious bite at the apple occurred following the shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007. Read more
NSSF grants are available to attract new shooters to the sport. Photo by NSSF.
This year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will award up to $500,000 in grants to help public and private shooting facilities attract more participants. This is the fourth year that NSSF will provide funding to qualifying ranges through its Range Partnership Grant Program.
“Having purchased firearms and ammunition in record amounts in the last few years, people are excited about target shooting,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “We want ranges to tap into that enthusiasm and these grants will help shooting range managers test new strategies to attract customers.”
NSSF encouraged owners and managers of target shooting facilities to review the grant guidelines and, if they had a qualifying program or one in mind, to apply for assistance.
Private shooting ranges must have a public-participation option to qualify. The deadline for applications is April 19, 2011. Projects that are awarded grants must be completed by February 1, 2012. Shooting ranges interested in applying for a grant can view case studies of previous grant recipients and learn more about NSSF's Range Partnership Grant Program at https://nssf.org/shooting/grants.
Watch this video review of a 1960 edition of Gun Digest. See the rifles, shotguns, handguns and more — all the things that make Gun Digest books so endearing and collectible.
A controversial operation in which U.S. agents were allegedly ordered not to intervene as American guns flowed to Mexican gangs may have been going on for many years, reports CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.
A photograph obtained by CBS News shows an astonishing display of high-powered weapons put up for suspected Mexican drug cartel gun buyers. It's a rare glimpse into ATF's controversial undercover operations.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allegedly let gun runners walk off with weapons – thousands of them – to see if they'd end up in the hands of the cartels. The Justice Department and ATF have denied it ever happened.
Special Agent John Dodson works in ATF's Phoenix office and has blown the whistle on the controversial strategy, known as letting guns “walk.”
Dodson believes there are other ATF operations going on that have done the same thing.
Multiple sources now tell CBS News the questionable tactics were used in more than one operation, and date back as far as 2008 in the Tucson area. One case was called “Wide Receiver.”
Sources tell CBS News licensed gun dealers often wanted no part of selling to suspicious characters who could be supplying the cartels.
But, sources say, ATF enlisted the gun dealers as paid Confidential Informants and encouraged them to sell even more.
“ATF has asked me to assist in an official investigation,” reads one agreement. Read more
Left to right: Senator Kit Jennings, Governor Matt Mead, Rep. Lorraine Quarberg, Rep. Allen Jaggi, WyGO Director Anthony Bouchard, NAGR Director Dudley Brown
On Wednesday March 2nd 2011, Governor Mead signed Constitutional Carry into law while saying his office had been clogged with emails and phone calls from people demanding he sign the Jennings-Jaggi Constitutional Carry bill.
Even though so called “political experts” say your activism doesn’t matter, this event shows who has the real power in politics… You!
The anti-gun crowd fought this legislation every step of the way. The plain and simple truth is when push came to shove, it was your phone calls an emails that pushed this freedom-restoring bill through the legislature.
This legislation marks a fantastic first step toward restoring your right to self-defense in Wyoming. Now is the time for us to forge ahead and repeal the numerous criminal safe zones in Wyoming.
Even though the Jennings-Jaggi bill has made it possible to carry a firearm without going through a laborious permit process, we are still a long way from being done. Read more
WASHINGTON – Federal agent John Dodson says what he was asked to do was beyond belief.
He was intentionally letting guns go to Mexico?
“Yes ma'am,” Dodson told CBS News. “The agency was.”
An Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms senior agent assigned to the Phoenix office in 2010, Dodson's job is to stop gun trafficking across the border. Instead, he says he was ordered to sit by and watch it happen.
Investigators call the tactic letting guns “walk.” In this case, walking into the hands of criminals who would use them in Mexico and the United States.
Dodson's bosses say that never happened. Now, he's risking his job to go public.
“I'm boots on the ground in Phoenix, telling you we've been doing it every day since I've been here,” he said. “Here I am. Tell me I didn't do the things that I did. Tell me you didn't order me to do the things I did. Tell me it didn't happen. Now you have a name on it. You have a face to put with it. Here I am. Someone now, tell me it didn't happen.”
Agent Dodson and other sources say the gun walking strategy was approved all the way up to the Justice Department. The idea was to see where the guns ended up, build a big case and take down a cartel. And it was all kept secret from Mexico.
ATF named the case “Fast and Furious.”
Surveillance video obtained by CBS News shows suspected drug cartel suppliers carrying boxes of weapons to their cars at a Phoenix gun shop. The long boxes shown in the video being loaded in were AK-47-type assault rifles.
So it turns out ATF not only allowed it – they videotaped it. Read more
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
Issa made the statement in a live broadcast interview with talk-radio host Roger Hedgecock. The case centers on allegations of a flow of guns into Mexico orchestrated by the federal agency, including a weapon that later was used to kill a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Gun Digest 2011, The World's Greatest Gun Book, 65th Edition 
