IDPA members and others interested in the scenarios and stage designs featured in this year’s match, as well as those from past matches, should visit IDPA’s DOWN ZERO blog.

Fueled by the surging demand in concealed carry permits and the increasing need for personal protection, IDPA is now the country’s fastest growing shooting sport with matches like the Comp-Tac Republic of Texas IDPA Championship selling out in record time.

The Texas championship match will take place this Saturday, May 25 on the northwest side of Houston at the Impactzone Range in Hempstead. The competition, which is sponsored by ACADEMI, Armadillo Concealment, GLC Shooting Academy and Comp-Tac Victory Gear, the title sponsor of the match, will feature 218 top shooters from throughout Texas.

For more information on IDPA, the 2013 Comp-Tac Republic of Texas IDPA Championship or to join the more than 22,000 members competing each week all across America, visit www.IDPA.com. You can also connect with IDPA online by following @OfficialIDPA on Twitter, like ShootIDPA on Facebook, watch IDPA TV, or check for regular news and updates on the DOWN ZERO Blog.

The King of New England, presented by Apex Tactical Specialties, will feature four stages from each of New England’s three biggest IDPA competitions. Match directors from the 17th Annual Massachusetts State IDPA Championship, presented by Smith & Wesson (June 1-2), the 2013 Smith & Wesson New England Regional IDPA Championship (August 16-18) and the Smith & Wesson Live Free Or Die State IDPA Championship (October 18-19) are working together to provide IDPA members with this unique and fun specialty title challenge.

“Apex is very pleased to be the presenting sponsor of the King of New England contest. This new format encourages cooperation between match directors and offers local IDPA members a competition structure that promotes increased match participation. Apex is proud to be working with local leaders to help grow shooting sports participation in these three great New England matches,” said Scott Folk of Apex.

The first leg of the King of New England challenge will take place June 1-2 at the Rod & Gun Club of New Bedford when competitors gather for the 17th Annual Massachusetts State IDPA Championship, presented by Smith & Wesson.

“Thanks to the support of Apex Tactical Specialties, this year’s Massachusetts State IDPA Championship will have special meaning for many area shooters,” said John Catterall. “We’re looking forward to kicking off the King of New England and encourage all New England IDPA members to take a run at this new title.”

The second leg of the contest will take place August 16-18 during the Smith & Wesson New England Regional IDPA Championship at the Harvard Sportsmen’s Club in Harvard, Mass.

The King of New England series will wrap up at the Smith & Wesson Live Free Or Die State IDPA Championship being held at the Pioneer Sportsmen Club in Dunbarton, New Hampshire, October 18-19.

The King of New England title will be awarded in each of the five IDPA divisions and is based on the best combined score from the 12 selected King of New England stages. In order to win the title of King of New England a shooter much compete in the same IDPA division in all three participating matches.

For more information on IDPA, the King of New England presented by Apex Tactical Specialties or to get started in this fun and exciting defensive pistol shooting sport, visit www.IDPA.com. You can also stay connected with the growing IDPA community online through @OfficialIDPA on Twitter, ShootIDPA on Facebook, IDPA TV, or the Down Zero Blog.

You can also listen to DR Radio on Stitcher and download it to your mobile phone.

GOT A QUESTION FOR MICHAEL TO BE ANSWERED ON
DOWN RANGE RADIO?

Send Michael Bane a voice message!

Down Range Radio Sponsors:

Ruger Firearms * Liberty Safes * Crimson Trace Laser Grips
Daniel Defense * Double Star

Reference Links:

The Michael Bane Blog

MICHAEL BANE’S CONCEALED CARRY DVD

The new Model 1873 Short Rifle from Winchester

The Music of Godzilla
All I can suggest is go to iTunes, search “Godzilla”
Two albums, VOLUME and TRUE LOVE…I think they’re Ukranian…seriously

The Music of the Osborne Brothers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_Brothers
http://www.osbornebrosfestival.com

The Music of Bob Seger

…and what the heck…Tone Loc

You can also listen to DR Radio on Stitcher and download it to your mobile phone.

GOT A QUESTION FOR MICHAEL TO BE ANSWERED ON
DOWN RANGE RADIO?

Send Michael Bane a voice message!

Reference Links:

Daniel Defense

Build Your Own DDM4

Competitors greeted with lessons from today’s top pro shooters

Rob Leatham joins in a welcoming hug during a recent Bianchi Cup Championship

Columbia, Missouri – The easiest part about participating in the Bianchi Cup is the travel. About 1,000 miles from the East Coast, 1,700 from the West Coast, it’s about as close to middle of the country as an NRA National Championship gets. If you decide to go by way of plane, and have all your TSA documentation in line, there’s still a two hour drive once you reach the nearest commercial airport. That’s the easy part. The hard part is mustering the gumption to enter.

A record number of entrees found such gumption this year. To step upon the stage of the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club, take on the four stages of Bianchi and deal with the results. For most, dealing with the results is the second hardest part.

Most arrived late last night. Found the Columbia Holiday Inn, caught a bite to eat and settled in for the evening. Have to settle in as soon as possible. In the morning, the action begins.

Noobs and newbies gather for the Pro Shooter Clinic. Sitting attentively while Koenig explains the mover, Leatham the falling plates, Fowler the practical and Duff the barricade event. Each flawlessly demonstrating timing and technique with pinpoint precision along with standard tricks of the trade. Tricks and tips the most begin visualizing before one speaker transitioned to the next.

While pretenders retreat to the safety of their room, the hopefuls descend upon the practice range to give their new skill set a try. Koenig’s stance or Fowler’s draw — doesn’t look the same when I do it. But it’s still something to add to the repertoire. Something to improve their performance. Something to push them closer to the title.

A few hundred rounds later and it’s back to the hotel. Carouse with old friends, greet the new and ready for tomorrow’s big day.

Day one at the 2013 MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup. It begins tomorrow. And you can follow all the action, stage by stage, right here on NRAblog.

NRAblog is your connection to the programs of the NRA. It is a project of the NRA’s Media Relations Division.
PUBLISHING:
NRA Executive Director: Kyle Weaver

CONTRIBUTORS:
Lars Dalseide. E-mail him at LDalseide (AT) nrahq.org.
Kyle Jillson. E-mail him at KJillson (AT) nrahq.org.
Justin McDaniel E-mail him at JMcDaniel (AT) nrahq.org.

From Brownells
Many companies market electronic ear protection, but only recently has Brownells introduced a brand of their own. Looking suspiciously as though they are made for Brownells by Pro Ears, one of the top companies in the field, the Brownells version has stereo microphones, a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 26, include batteries and have a lifetime guarantee. These electronic ears work great and with a list price of $139, they are a bargain.
Bottom Line: If you’re not using electronic ears, you should be. They’re a must for range work, instructing and to keep handy with your home defense firearms should an emergency arise.

Brownells sells a huge selection of shooting accessories, parts and gunsmithing tools through their monster catalog and superb website. I recently discovered they have begun marketing their own brand of 7 and 8 round 1911 pistol magazines. Featuring a slick black coating over stainless steel called Xylan to smooth operation and prevent corrosion, the 7 round magazines I have been using feed and function flawlessly in two Ruger SR1911s I have been testing. The 7 round magazines have a flat, non-removable base plate drilled for bumper pads and the 8 round magazine has a removable, extended base-plate.

Bottom Line: Priced competitively at $19.99 for the 7 round version and $24.99 for the 8 round rounder, these are excellent 1911 magazines that should last a lifetime.

From Dewey
Many years ago I was attempting to clean the bore of an AR-15 rifle with an aluminum screw-together cleaning rod found in a cheap, generic cleaning kit. As might be expected, the rod bent, then snapped off, prompting me to purchase my first Dewey cleaning rod. Since then, I have bought and used nothing but Dewey one piece rods for all of my rifle cleaning. J. Dewey Mfg. Co. offers just about everything you need to clean a rifle, from their superb cleaning rods, to patches, rod guides, cleaning jags and specialty kits. A new field kit for the AR-15 features a nylon coated flex cleaning cable and everything else you need to clean the rifle, all in a 4″ X 5″ nylon belt pouch. It’s so small and handy that it has become a permanent part of my range bag. Suggested retail is $39.95 and it’s a lot of gear for the money.

Bottom Line: Junk the discount store cleaning kits. Buy quality rods and cleaning gear that won’t break, won’t wear out,  protects your firearm and makes your cleaning chores a lot easier.

From Ruger
As everyone knows by now, the little Ruger LCP .380 pocket pistol has been wildly successful and remains in high demand. The pistols come with a 6 round magazine with a flat baseplate and an additional slightly extended baseplate that can be installed on the magazine. The gun is so small, and the grip so abbreviated, that it tends to be hard to hang onto with just a couple of fingers. Now, Ruger has produced an extended baseplate model of the LCP magazine that provides extra purchase for the fingers and holds one more round of ammunition, making the LCP an 8-shooter. Available at www.shopruger.com, and selling for $39.95 this magazine looks good, with the checkering pattern exactly matching the pistol, feels good in the hand and functions flawlessly.

Bottom Line: What’s not to like? The pistol is easier and more comfortable to shoot with this magazine and there’s the added benefit of one more round. It’s the magazine I use in my carry LCP.

If you have a flat-top AR-15 rifle you may want to fix it up with a set of back-up iron sights. Referred to as BUIS by the tactical crowd, who have an acronym for everything, iron sights that fold down, flip up when needed and can be easily removed from the rifle when mounting long riflescopes are the way to go. Weight being a consideration on tactical rifles, most of the BUIS being offered these days aren’t “iron” but are made from durable forms of polymers (okay, its plastic). Ruger has now introduced their Rapid Deploy front and rear sights weighing a scant 2.1 ounces per set. These sights clamp onto the Picatinny rail in any position you might like. Folded down, they are out of the way of your optical sights and won’t snag, yet can be popped up (deployed) with the push of a button. The rear sight is adjustable for windage and the front sight is a standard AR pattern post that turns and adjusts for elevation.

Bottom Line: Available through www.shopruger.com, the front sight assembly lists for $29.95 and the rear for $49.95. These are well made, rugged and versatile AR pattern sights. I have added them to my flat-top Ruger SR556E rifle.

I use these products and recommend these three companies to you. All make high quality gear and are a pleasure to deal with. Good to go.

About the Author:

Ed Head is a regular on Shooting Gallery and Down Range TV. He has worked for almost 30 years in law enforcement, first in the United States Air Force and then with the United States Border Patrol, retiring as a Field Operations Supervisor. During his Border Patrol career, Ed worked in a variety of patrol, investigative and training capacities. Ed has an extensive background as a firearms instructor, having trained thousands, ranging from beginners to police, military and special operations personnel. Having taught at Gunsite for 20 years, Ed first trained there under the world famous shooting school’s founder, Jeff Cooper, then later ran the school as the operations manager for more than five years. Ed lives in Chino Valley, Arizona, where he continues to teach and write.

NRA Instructor looks on at Women on Target event.

“Women prefer to be taught by women,” says Diane Danielson, NRA’s Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic Coordinator. “They have an instant connection that makes events like NRA’s Women on Target so successful.”

And she would know.

Since Danielson stepped on board a few years back, NRA Women’s Instructor Training Courses have been springing up all over the United States. At the 2011 NRA Annual Meeting, for example, the first Women’s Instructor Training Course took place under the watchful eye of Diane and two of her top female instructors. The success of that event, held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and the Allegheny Country Rifle Club, has lead to an impressive increase in the number of female Certified NRA instructors.

The most recent course took place at the 2013 Annual Meeting in Houston. After this event, almost twenty very enthusiastic young ladies joined the ranks of NRA Women Instructors.

“We’re not there yet, but we’re coming on fast,” said Danielson.

Firearm manufacturers have been catering to the female market for years. Underserved at first, they are now seen as a dominate force in the industry.

Their passion and devotion to the shooting sports can be seen in the more than 2,600 Women on Target events held over the past twelve years. That translates into an overall attendance of nearly 80,000 women. So popular are the events that a number of the clinics have a year long waiting lists; well worth the wait for these excited shooters.

The NRA is always looking for ways to incorporate more female focused initiatives for their programs. Some a specifically tailored for women while others are another branch to existing programs. With people like Diane helping to lead the charge, they will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.

For more about NRA Women’s ProgramsNRA Women’s Programs, visit their webpage at women.nra.org.

NRAblog is your connection to the programs of the NRA. It is a project of the NRA’s Media Relations Division.
PUBLISHING:
NRA Executive Director: Kyle Weaver

CONTRIBUTORS:
Lars Dalseide. E-mail him at LDalseide (AT) nrahq.org.
Kyle Jillson. E-mail him at KJillson (AT) nrahq.org.
Justin McDaniel E-mail him at JMcDaniel (AT) nrahq.org.

In a statement, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller said, “We mourn the loss of two brave and courageous men. Like all who serve on the Hostage Rescue Team, they accept the highest risk each and every day, when training and on operational missions, to keep our nation safe. Our hearts are with their wives, children, and other loved ones who feel their loss most deeply. And they will always be part of the FBI Family.”

Special Agent Lorek, age 41, joined the FBI in 1996. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 11 and 8. Special Agent Shaw, 40, joined the FBI in 2005 and is survived by his wife; a daughter, age 3; and a son, age 1.

Daniele Perazzi (founder of Perazzi SpA) died last year, and his son Mauro was not in the United States last Saturday.

The Perazzis are not involved in any wrongdoing in any way, shape or form and, to our best knowledge, are not under investigation or scrutiny nor are targets of criminal proceedings.

It is difficult to think that these news are a mistake; there are reasons to believe that somebody who has interests against the company is disseminating false information.

The Perazzi Company, contrarily to what has been reported, is very familiar with the US legislation on weapons, due to its extensive and successful presence in the American market.

Perazzi has already given mandate to its lawyers to promote criminal and civil action with the purpose to protect the brand and company’s reputation and its activities conducted also in the United States.

Perazzi SpA
Roberta Perazzi
CEO

This complete system will allow an individual to attach the MPA Side Folding Stock to an MPA Carbine. The stock will fold toward the shooters left side, away from the ejection port. The side folder locks in both the “open” and “closed” position.

Please specify 9mm / 5.7 caliber or 45ACP when placing the order. The 9mm / 5.7 version will fit any 9mm or 5.7x28mm MPA Carbine (MPA930sst, 20sst, 5700sst). The 45ACP version will fit any 1sst Carbine (1sst).

Please note, if this item is added to any MPA Pistol, it will convert the weapon into an SBR, which is an NFA weapon. A tax stamp will be required to add this item to an MPA Pistol. NFA rules and law apply. Check with your local Class II dealer for details. MSRP is $129.99.

About MasterPiece Arms:
MasterPiece Arms main offices located in Carrollton GA and manufacturing in Comer, GA, combines quality engineering and state-of-the-art manufacturing to design and produce firearms, such as the re-innovated MAC Defender Series.  MasterPiece Arms uses high accuracy CNC machining, turning, laser cutting and bending in its manufacturing process controlled by their ISO9002/TS16949 Registered Quality System.

MPA engineers, tests and re-tests our weapons to provide customers with one of the most enjoyable guns available. With versatile uses such as personal and homeprotection, hunting, and tactical interests, MPA products are one of a kind and backed by a lifetime warranty for original owners. Learn more MasterPiece Arms products a www.masterpiecearms.com, or call 866.803.0000.