DISCOVER: THE NRA ANNUAL MEETING EXPERIENCE

NRA ANNUAL MEETING ISSUE

///FIRST LOOK

THE NEW
BERETTA
PICO
Don’t Call BIG CHANGES WITHIN Also:

Me Junior THE NRA DISCOVER

BATTLEFIELD
THE GUNS OF 3-GUN DIVISIONS VEGAS
INDIANA JONES UNRAVELED
JUNE 2013 GUNUP.COM
CONTENTS

FEATURES 8
don’t call
me junior
8 Guns of
INDIANA JONES
THE GUNS
OF indiana jones
Contributor Rob Reed takes a
look at some of the not-so-period
correct firearms of the Indiana
Jones movies.

14 FIRST LOOK:
THE BERETTA PICO
At the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings,
Beretta unveiled a new .380 ACP
pocket pistol that may not be quite
what you expect.

20 OUTLOOK: NRA
The traditionally traditional NRA has
been making some big changes to
address different demographics.

IMPROVE YOUR GAME

26 3-Gun Division
Breakdown
GunUp sponsored shooter B.J.
Norris gives a basic breakdown of
the different divisions in 3-Gun and
what gear works for each.

30 Workout:
Eat, Lift, Walk
Shooter, writer, GunUp Publishing
General Manager and personal
trainer Caleb Giddings discusses
what’s necessary to be basically fit
and how it can help your shooting.

“Super thin, ultra conceable,

and easy to configure, the
Beretta Pico sets a new
standard for the micro
compact carry pistol.” 14
BerettaUSA.com THE first
look at the
beretta pico

2 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

CONTENTS

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TRAVEL WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND GUNUP?

32 THE NRA EXPERIENCE

Couldn’t make it to Houston for the
2013 NRA Annual Meetings? We’ve
got you covered. Find out what it
was like to be on the floor at the
7-acre gun show.

40 Battlefield Vegas
If you like machine guns and
armored vehicles, you should
probably read about Zack
Warburg’s experience at the giant
Battle Vegas facility in Las Vegas,
Neveda. GunUp the Magazine at the Bianchi Cup
GunUp the Magazine’s Managing Editor, Shelley, and General Manager,
Caleb, both shot in the 2013 Bianchi Cup. Shelley won second in the
Ladies Metallic Division and took home a medal, Caleb got a much higher
score and didn’t win anything.
THE GREATEST GEAR

44 NRAAM:
New Products
There is a lot to see at the NRA
Annual Meetings – here’s what
we found, what we liked and what
products we’ll be keeping an eye on.

48 Vehicles of the
nra Annual Meetings
There’s even more cool stuff to
see at the NRA Annual Meetings
besides the products, like these
awesome vehicles that were parked
on the show floor.

52 SHOOTER’S TECH
Tactical balls, a pocket shotgun and
Sponsored Shooter BJ Norris wins an FN SCAR
B.J. Norris won an FN SCAR at the side match at the Bianchi Cup. It
a shot timer app, read about some
wasn’t cool enough to write a press release about, but he went through
of the more interesting industry
that mini 3-gun match really fast.
gadgets.

Memorial Day
In honor of Memorial Day 2013, we
would like to thank all those who
have served and remember those
who have paid the ultimate sacrifice
doing so.

4 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 LOW PRICES.
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CONTENTS

Contributors NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Rob Reed
Rob Reed is a NRA Training Coun-
selor in the Detroit area. He writes
as the Michigan Firearms Examiner
and Detroit Gun Rights Examiner at
Examiner.com.

B.J. Norris
B.J. Norris is professional competi-
tive shooter and firearms instructor
from Tyler, TX. Though best known
for multiple Steel Challenge World
Championship titles, he also began
shooting 3-Gun in 2012 and earned
a place on the 3 Gun Nation Pro Se-
ries for 2013 season.

Caleb Giddings
Caleb Giddings is a gun writer and This last week I had the opportunity to It really makes you think: why are we here?
competitive shooter based out of attend my first ever Midway USA/NRA What gets us so invested in our shooting?
Sioux Falls, SD. When not shooting Bianchi Cup. The match is historically For many of us it’s more than a sport or a
guns or writing about them, he is held right around Memorial Day and fea- hobby, it’s a lifestyle. I realize that this is
probably asleep. tures the top prize table in U.S. Action what GunUp the Magazine is really trying
Zack Warburg Pistol sports. Many of the top shooters to embody; the lifestyle of the shooter, no
Zack Warburg is a firearms and mov- turn out for the opportunity win cash, matter what shooter that is.
ie enthusiast who works for GunUp’s guns and other cool prizes. I hope moving forward we can continue to
partner site, imfdb.org. The match was emotionally charged, provide information and entertainment for
and watching Tiffany Piper and Jessie those who are invested in their shooting and
Duff duel it out for the women’s title on firearms ownership – whether it be for sport,
PRODUCTION
their final event, the Mover, was one of self-defense, hunting or whatever has driv-
Dan Hall, Marcus Brody
the most intense events I have witnessed en you here. It’s important to us to hear from
Caleb Giddings, Short Round
in the shooting sports. Going into it, Tif- our readers and know what motivates them
editorial fany was a few points ahead of Jessie, and what they want to see. So we’re asking
SHELLEY SARGENT, but Tiffany dropped 15 points on her 25 for you to talk to us, whether it be through
Marion Ravenwood yard target. Tiffany still walked away with email at [email protected] or by signing on
ART the Junior title, but you could feel her dis- to our GunUp the Magazine Facebook page
STEVE RUML, appointment in not winning the Women’s at facebook.com/gunupthemagazine we
[email protected] Cup as well. want our readers to be a part of the mag-
Grail Knight azine and to share their passion the same
SALES way we have had the opportunity to.
JOHN TIAHRT,
Sallah

For information on rates and advertising

in GunUp the Magazine, contact Caleb
Giddings at [email protected]. Shelley Sargent, Editor
[email protected]
For information on reviews or product
placement, contact Shelley Sargent at
[email protected].

6 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 GUN SAFETY FOUR BASIC RULES

1 TREAT ALL GUNS AS IF THEY ARE LOADED.

2 KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL

YOUR SIGHTS ON THE TARGET.

3 NEVER POINT A GUN AT ANYTHING YOU’RE

NOT WILLING TO SHOOT.

4 ALWAYS BE AWARE OF YOUR TARGET AND

WHAT IS BEYOND IT.

WE BELIEVE IN SAFETY FIRST.

FEATURES

THE GUNS OF

INDIANA
JONES
By Rob Reed

The Indiana Jones movies

are action classics created
in the tradition of 1930’s
pulp serials.

The four movies feature

mysterious artifacts,
exotic locations, evil
villains, ever-escalating
cliffhangers, and
a variety of not-always-
period-correct firearms.

8 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 THE GUNS OF INDIANA JONES

TO LEARN MORE
To read more about the
guns in the Indiana Jones
movies, please visit our
partner site IMFDB.org
that showcases firearms
in movies, video games,
television, and anime.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 9

 FEATURES

Rentals in California is one of the relatively set of gold S&W medallions.

/// THE GUNS OF
rare commercial Model 1917 revolvers. This This is the only movie where Indy carries
INDIANA JONES is the gun Indy surrenders to Belloq at the a second handgun. In the Raven bar gun-
start of the movie. It is seen again in a close- fight he uses both his six-shot revolver and a
We first meet Harrison Ford as the ar- up insert when Indy unwraps it to toss it 13-shot 9mm Browning High Power pistol.
cheologist and adventurer in 1981’s Raid- in his suitcase while packing. (Although the In fact, he seems to switch from the revolver
ers of the Lost Ark. In this movie Indy’s other prop gun is the one that actually lands to the semi-auto, and then back again, in
primary weapon, aside from his whip, is a in the suitcase as the rest of the scene was consecutive shots. He uses this pistol again
large-frame, double-action, Smith & Wes- filmed in the U.K.) The revolver has rather when he investigates why the engines have
son revolver. There were actually two prop worn bluing and checkered wooden grips. stopped on the freighter “Bantu Wind,”
revolvers used in the filming: One for the The original 5 ½” barrel was replaced with a only to discover a German U-boat alongside
scenes filmed in the U.S. and a second for cut-down 4” barrel. The gun’s most distinc- the ship. His gun in these scenes appears to
the scenes filmed overseas. tive feature is the shiny metal finish on the be the variant manufactured by the Inglis
The U.S. gun is a Smith & Wesson Model barrel under the rounded front sight. This company in Canada during World War II.
1917 revolver in .45 ACP. The Model 1917 is a metal band covering a portion of the The High Power is the brainchild of leg-
was created during World War I to make barrel that had been turned down on a lathe endary firearms designer John Browning
up for shortfalls in Model 1911 produc- for some reason. and Dieudonne Saive at the Belgian firm
tion. When the government asked S&W to For the overseas filming, including the Fabrique Nationale (FN). This single-action
modify their existing Hand Ejector, Second shootout in Marion’s Raven bar, the hilar- pistol was used by both the Germans and
Model (HE 2) revolver to fire the military ious duel with the swordsman, and all the Allies in WWII and was later adopted by
standard .45 ACP cartridge, the company other scenes where the revolver is fired on- over 50 countries. Most likely the Browning
invented the spring steel “half-moon” clip screen, the prop gun came from Bapty & was picked because it is easier to make 9mm
to allow the rimless cartridges to headspace Co. in the United Kingdom. This gun was a pistols function with blanks than .45 ACP
correctly in the revolver. The half-moon British military contract HE 2 in .455 Eley, pistols like the 1911A1.
clips hold three rounds each and also make that had its original barrel replaced with a The next weapon Indy uses definitely did
loading quicker. shorter 4” barrel with a ramped front sight. not exist in 1936. When Indy threatens to
The gun provided by Stembridge Gun The checkered commercial grips feature a blow up the Ark on the island sub base he

This S&W Model 1917 revolver

was provided by Stembridge
Gun Rentals for Raiders of
the Lost Ark. The gun sold at
auction in 2007 for $65,000.
Photo courtesy of Desi at Screenused.com.

10 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 THE GUNS OF INDIANA JONES

9mm Browning High Power

uses a Chinese copy of the Soviet RPG-2 Indy gets more use out of his gun in
mocked up to look like a WWII-era Ger- the third movie, Indiana Jones and the Last
man weapon. The only problem is that Crusade, released in 1989. In this movie he
the Germans had not yet developed an- uses a Webley “WG” Army Model revolver
ti-tank rocket launchers during the time in .455 Webley instead of the S&W. (The What some Tweeters
of the movie’s setting. change was apparently made because the had to say when asked
In the second movie, 1984’s Indiana screenwriter saw a Webley in a gun store
about their favorite
Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indy los- and liked how it looked!) This revolver was
es his revolver early in the movie when designed for commercial sale to British guns from the indiana
nightclub singer Willie Scott (Kate Cap- Army officers, who were expected to pur- jones franchise:
shaw) drops the hot gun out of a car win- chase their own sidearms. The gun utilizes
dow during a car chase with Lao Che’s a top-break design that automatically ejects
gangsters. Although seen only briefly the the empty cases when the action is opened. “9mm: when you need
gun appears to be a Colt Official Police This feature can be clearly seen when Indy overpenetration.”
revolver. The Official Police was a popu- breaks the gun open on the beach while be- LES
lar double-action police issue and civilian ing strafed by a German plane only to find @WIILSHOOTCOM
revolver manufactured from the 1920’s six empty chambers. The Webley “WG”
through the 1960’s in several calibers. The Army Model was manufactured from 1895
movie gun appears to be a blued revolver to 1912.
with a 4” barrel. “Something witty about
holster retention.”
Edward Osborne
@TV_PressPass

“Don’t bring a sword to a

gun fight.’ Or ‘Always bring
a gun to a sword fight.”
COLT OFFICIAL POLICE REVOLVER Jamie Franks
@JFshooter

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 11

 FEATURES THE GUNS OF INDIANA JONES

/// THE GUNS OF

INDIANA JONES
Indy also uses a couple captured German
guns in the movie. During the tank chase
scene he shoots through three German sol-
diers with a P-38 9mm pistol. He also uses a
MP-40 9mm submachine gun to shoot sev-
eral German soldiers in the castle. The P-38
is an eight-shot double-action semi-auto
that largely replaced the P08 Luger in Ger-
man service during WWII. The MP-40 is
WEBLEY “WG” ARMY MODEL REVOLVER IN .455
an open-bolt submachine gun that replaced
the earlier MP-38 and even older WWI era
designs in German military service.
This brings us to the latest movie, 2008’s
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal
Skull. Early in the movie Indy picks up an
M-2 Carbine to face off against the Soviet
soldiers disguised as U.S. troops before ulti-
mately getting captured. The M-2 Carbine
is the select-fire version of the semi-auto
M-1 Carbine of WWII fame. Indy later
packs his Webley, but although he draws
and cocks it in one scene, he never actual-
ly fires it in the movie. The only projectile
weapon he uses is when he blows into the
end of a blowgun, causing his attacker to
swallow the poison dart.
There are currently rumors of a fifth
movie. If Indy does return to the big screen, WALTHER P-38 9MM PISTOL
here’s hoping he’ll continue to pack the clas-
sic hardware that fits his tough guy image
and pulp origins.

The author wishes to acknowledge and

thank the Indygear.com site, the Indygear.com
forums, IMFDB.org, and Desi at Screenused.
com for information and help with this article.

TO LEARN MORE
To read more about the guns in the
Indiana Jones movies, please visit our
partner site IMFDB.org that showcases
firearms in movies, video games,
television, and anime.

MP-40 9MM SUBMACHINE GUN

12 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 FEATURES
THE GUN LOCKER

beretta
first look:

pico
14 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013
 THE GUN LOCKER: BERETTA PICO

“Super thin, ultra conceable, and easy to configure,

the Beretta Pico sets a new standard for the micro
compact carry pistol.”
BerettaUSA.com

THE FACTS BERETTA PICO SPECS

The Beretta Pico was a last-minute introduction made at the 2013 NRA CALIBER .380 ACP
Annual Meetings. It was developed for ease of use and concealment, and
therefore has a low profile, snag free design that can accommodate either
CAPACITY 6
right- or left-handed use. The semi-automatic pistol uses a barrel locking ACTION DOUBLE
system and is double-action, hammer-fired.
The steel sub-chassis is the serialized part number, allowing the grips, BARREL LENGTH 2.7”
sights and caliber to be interchangeable. Drop in barrels allow users to OVERALL LENGTH 5.1”
switch between .380 ACP and .32 ACP with minimal effort. The frame, made
from a fiberglass-reinforced techno polymer, is available in a variety of colors, FRAME WIDTH .73”
depending on the user’s preference, including white, purple, pink, flat dark OVERALL HEIGHT 4.0”
earth and black.
The Pico will ship with two 6-round magazines one of which will give shoot- WEIGHT 11.5 OZ
ers the option of using a finger extension. The magazines are capable of
SIGHT RADIUS 3.3”
holding both .380 ACP and .32 ACP ammo so that users may switch be-
tween the calibers more easily. MSRP $399

A FIRST LOOK AT
THE BERETTA PICO

WATCH FOR REVIEWS AND

READ MORE ON THE
GUNUP BLOGGER NETWORK

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 15

 FEATURES
THE GUN LOCKER

“These pistols
appear to be
extremely com-
pact, so they
WE LIKE
definitely can
increase the The Beretta Pico fits neatly into the pocket pistol category, and is comparable, even smaller, in size to its
likelihood that competitors. For example, the little handgun is .09” thinner and .06” shorter than the popular Ruger LCP.
someone would The frame is smooth and rounded to prevent snagging and to keep corners from printing during carry. The
carry it, and size would make it ideal for a pocket holster, a bra holster, or for those with a smaller frame who have trouble
therefore have concealing larger compact guns.
it on hand if The .380 ACP and .32 ACP pairing in the Beretta Pico is a brilliant idea for an easy-to-shoot pocket gun.
they needed it.” In this small of a gun, larger calibers such as the popular 9mm Luger would be difficult to control and would
gunsholstersandgear.com require a lot of practice to stay proficient with. The ability to switch easily between calibers also gives shooters
the option to decide which they are more comfortable with, for both practice on the range and carry.
The different colored frames are also a nice touch for the Pico, allowing shooters to further personalize the
gun to their liking. The interchangeable grips allow shooter to make the Pico more comfortable for them
depending on their preference. This is a great addition to the pocket gun, since often people are looking for
different sized grips not only depending on hand size.
Unlike its big brother, the Nano, the Pico has a slide lock lever. The level is flush with the frame, so that it
does not extrude from the gun, giving the Pico the same smooth surface that helps make the Nano so con-
“If you’re look- cealable, but with the increased functionality of having a slide lock.
ing for a small Beretta has set themselves up for success by working with manufacturers to make sure accessories will
gun, this is it. be available when the Pico hits the market. The gun is going to be available, for example, with a LaserMax
The best part integrated laser or light, an ideal option for a carry gun. The sights were also made to be easily adjustable or
about it is the replaceable, so that changes can be made without the help of a gunsmith. Beretta has also teamed up with
LaserMax inte- a variety of holster manufacturers, including DeSantis and Gould & Goodrich, as well as Trijicon, whose night
grated laser or sights can be found on the Pico.
light that will If you don’t like the three-dot set up that comes stock on the Pico, Beretta has a system that is not only
be available for easy to swap, but is compatible with multiple other systems. Because they used the quick-changed dovetail
the PICO.” system, it will be possible to mount much larger sights than is found on many other pocket pistol. Many of the
womensoutdoornews.com Pico’s competitors don’t even bother with a legitimate sighting system, so it’s a nice change to see a 3-dot
system, much less than one that can easily be swapped out for other systems.

16 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 THE GUN LOCKER: BERETTA PICO

WE DON’T LIKE
Since the Pico is such a new release, it’s hard to say for sure with larger hands, that’s the nature of the beast.
what all the upsides and downsides are. Some concerns have There have also been some concerns raised about the gun’s
been raised though, as bloggers and other internet media-types reliability. The truth is it’s impossible to tell without putting rounds
begin to express the opinions they had the opportunity to form down range, but the good news is Beretta has a reputation for
during their first look at the NRA Annual Meetings. building reliable handguns, after all the Beretta M9 is the standard
For some, the Pico is just going to be too small for their hands. issue sidearm for the US Armed Forces. The .32 and .380 ACP
It’s a common problem among pocket pistols; the smaller con- swap out does raise some interesting concerns in this department
trols can be difficult for those with larger hands to manipulate, and though, since the only other gun that swaps calibers like this is
maintaining a good firing grip on the tiny guns can be extremely the Sig Sauer P250, which never really took off in popularity. It will
difficult for some. The flush slide lock lever, for example, is posi- be interesting to see if the little pocket gun can perform equally
tioned perfectly for carry and makes the gun smooth to prevent well with both calibers, or will be best served sticking with the
printing and reduce the possibility of snagging. However, because .380 ACP it comes chambered in.
of its position it can also be more difficult to manipulate for those

WATCH FOR REVIEWS AND

READ MORE ON THE
GUNUP BLOGGER NETWORK

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 17

 FEATURES THE GUN LOCKER: BERETTA PICO

THE VERDICT
THE GUN LOCKER

It looks like, on the release of this firearm,

Beretta has done a lot to alleviate the
concerns and complaints that have arisen
from other pocket pistols and some of their
own firearms. There are always going to be
those who swear off pocket pistols, either
due to hand size, since pocket pistols do
work better for those with smaller hands,
or due to questions about their reliability to
stop an attack in a defensive situation. The
design of the Pico, however, shows a lot
of thought put into use and concealability,
Beretta seems to have gone out of their
way to try to appeal to as many buyers as
they can.
While it’s impossible to make a hard
verdict before the gun has even been shot,
Beretta seems to have put a lot of thought
into solving many of the problems of a
pocket gun, and making this gun ideal for
concealed carry. It will interesting to see
how it preforms, but I have no doubt the
inherent concealability of the firearm will
sell plenty of them. The smooth edges
along with the availability of accessories
will make it a great option for those who
are looking for a pocket gun.

HOLSTERS FOR THE BERETTA PICO

Beretta Pico Beretta Pico DeSantis DeSantis

IWB Holster Pocket Holster SOF-TUCK Apache
Made with a thick thermoplastic Designed with an anti-twist sytem, The DeSantis SOF-Tuck is an The DeSantis Apache is an elasti-
(ABS), the Pico IWB from Beretta the soft nylon pocket holster from easily tuckable IWB holster with cized leg band designed to elimi-
includes a hardened steel clip and Beretta will hold the PICO snugly adjustable cant, built from soft, nate the rocking motion associat-
a black leather backing that make in place. The holster is extremely no-slip suede and reinforced from ed with most ankle holsters. They
it ideal for versatile carry inside the affordable and an invaluable part the top to aid in reholstering, the include a sheep skin lining for
waistband. of pocket carry. tuckable holster will suit most on- comfort and a snap-thumb break
the-belt carry positions. for retention.
($39.00, berettausa.com) ($25.00, berettausa.com)
($28.99, desantisholster.com) ($53.99, destantisholster.com)

18 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 FEATURES

NRA LATEST

OUTLOOK:

NRAHIGHLIGHTS, CHANGES, AND MOVING FORWARD...

THIS YEAR, although only half way over, has seen some major
changes taking place in the National Rifle Association.
Even while they continue to support their regular
demographic they have begun to reach out and embrace
their newer, younger and more unique members. A change
that will help them out in the short run, and may become
essential moving forward.

20 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 OUTLOOK: NRA

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 21

 FEATURES

NRA LATEST

THE NRA
NEWS COMMENTATORS
The NRA News has arguably led the way, hiring a set of young and
vibrant commentators to add a different perspective to their network.
In March, NRA News announced that they had hired YouTube per-
sonality Colion Noir, a law school graduate who just recently passed
the bar and refers to himself as “The Urban Gun Enthusiast.”
Colion addresses a lot of issues surrounding the Second Amend-
ment, minorities and posts some really cool pictures on his website.
Colion likes to call out people’s ignorance on both sides of the debate,
and is ready to speak the truth even if you don’t want to hear it. He’s
more than happy to make fun of himself and just about anyone else
and is willing to make controversial statements, including calling out
those who carry a 9mm (like himself ) as afflicted with “capacity obses-
sive compulsive disorder.”
Not too long after Colion was hired, NRA News announced Dom
Raso as a new commentator as well. Dom Raso is a U.S. Navy Seal
veteran who believes very strongly in freedom. In his introduction
on NRA News’ website he’s quoted saying, “As long as humans exist,
there will be weapons in this world. We’re better off knowing to use
them and apply them for the right reasons – than not knowing how
to use them.”
Natalie Foster was also introduced as one of the new NRA News
commentators. Natalie runs the website A Girl’s Guide to Guns
(girlsguidetoguns.com), meant to serve as a comfortable place for
women to find information on the shooting industry. Natalie is (we’ll
say it, hopefully she’ll forgive us) a girly girl from California who we
have had the opportunity to watch grow into a rising star in the gun
industry who is truly passionate about firearms and freedom. Natalie
does an excellent job reaching out to different demographics and peo-
ple who might otherwise be uncomfortable around firearms, and mak-
ing everyone feel included while making excellent points about the
Second Amendment and women’s issues within the industry.
Adding these personalities to NRA News is an excellent sign of the
changes the NRA is making to reach a wider audience.

“The Urban Gun Enthusiast” Colion Noir

22 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 OUTLOOK: NRA

At the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings,

Susan LaPierre, wife of NRA Executive
Vice President Wayne LaPierre, hosted
a New Energy Reception to develop
conversations and relationships among
many of the industry’s leading ladies

NRA Women’s Programs

and New Energy Reception
The NRA has been doing a lot of work to promote their women’s pro-
grams, including launching nrawomen.tv. The website is dedicated to spot-
lighting different women shooters, different events and ways in which wom-
en can get involved in the NRA.
One of these is the Women’s Leadership Forum, which is dedicated to
uniting women of influence to defend the Second Amendment and securing
the future of the NRA through philanthropic leadership. The donation-based
organization hosts events and retreats for influential women in an attempt to
encourage other women to get involved in firearms and get out on the range.
The NRA Women’s organization has also been doing interviews with some
of the top women shooters and influential women in the media and shooting
sports. Their “Tips & Tactics” series features videos by top women shooters
covering topics including shooting, safety, hunting and competition. Com-
mentators include Dianna Liedorff, police officer and member of the FN
3-Gun Team, as well as Kim Rhode, record-setting Olympic gold medal
winner.
Also on their website is the “New Energy” series; videos introducing dif-
ferent women in the NRA who are making a difference. Any women can
submit their story, and they have profiled women such as jazz singer and
firearms enthusiast Aysha Webb.
They also have a space to spotlight women in the firearms industry. Any
women who is a shooter can submit a profile to the site. Their “Armed &
Fabulous” profiles feature some of the most influential women in the NRA,
as well as some of the top shooters. Women can write their own bio, discuss-
ing why they decided to start shooting and what their favorite part about
being a gun owner is, and submit it to the site for the chance to be featured
with these outstanding ladies.
There is a lot of room for NRA Women’s to expand, they have a “Lifestyle”
area that promises to feature gear and grub, “Coming Soon.” There is also
information on the NRA’s Refuse to be a Victim training program where
interested women can discover classes in their area. This section also features
videos of women who have stood their ground and refused to be a victim.
Each week they have an “Armed Woman of the Week” and any can share “New Energy” series hosted by Alysha Webb.
their stories.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 23

 FEATURES OUTLOOK: NRA

NRA LATEST

MEET the new nra president JIM PORTER

The NRA Annual Meetings are a lot more than just a giant gun One of Mr. Porter’s most telling statements from the 2013
show. The meetings provide a forum for members to express con- NRA Annual Meetings, one that brings hope, is that “We must
cerns and, this year, introduced the new NRA President: Alabama support friends who support our cause.” The NRA is a single issue
attorney James “Jim” W. Porter II. A new NRA President is elected organization and their Institute of Legislative Action (ILA) has
every two years, and the NRA Annual Meetings marks the shift in worked tirelessly to preserve the rights of gun owners. The changes
terms. they are making to embrace the new generation of gun owners
Before being elected, each President must go through two years are extremely exciting (at least for those of us who fall into the
as second vice president of the board and two years as first vice pres- category) but there will always be a need for them to preserve their
ident. Mr. Porter has also been the head of the NRA’s legal affairs original demographic – the people who fund the fight and have
committee, has volunteered his legal counsel to the NRA in federal done so for 142 years.
court litigation and has been a trustee of the NRA Civil Right De- The NRA is making huge changes and continuing to fight for
fense Fund. the one thing they were created to fight for: the Second Amend-
There are conflicting opinions about the election of Mr. Porter, ment. As gun owners we should be supportive of what they are
whose views are strongly in line with the traditionally conservative doing, and especially the positive changes they are making in
NRA and less inline with the new, younger crowd that the NRA branching out to different demographics. The NRA may be an-
has started to target. Regardless of how he approaches it though, at chored in tradition, but they are a large organization making some
the end of the day Mr. Porter is dedicated to maintaining our Sec- forward-thinking moves, something that was very apparent at the
ond Amendment freedoms, which is the purpose of the NRA and 2013 NRA Annual Meetings.
a thing that the NRA has done and continues to do extremely well.

The new NRA President: Alabama

attorney James “Jim” W. Porter II.

24 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 Join the Fight...
Join NRA!
Become a member and receive these great beneets:

Receive a free “NRA Bullet Pen”

crafted from back-to-back .308 cartridge casings

SAVE $10 ON ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP!

Join at www.nra.org/gunup
or call 1-800-672-0004
XM027292
 IMPROVE YOUR GAME

/// from THE EXPERTS

Kalani Laker (left)

and Daniel Horner go
head-to-head in a 3-Gun
Nation Shoot-off.

THE
BASICS OF
3-GUN
By BJ Norris
Getting into Multi-Gun Competition can be
daunting. There are more terms and nomenclature
used in 3-Gun than almost any other shooting
sport. What do they mean: “TacOps”, “Heavy
Metal” or any other of dozens of things involved
the sport? Well, by the end of this article, you
should have a good understanding of the basics
of equipment divisions.

26 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 THE BASICS OF 3-GUN

Rifle:
Probably about 99.99% of competitors use an AR-15
pattern rifle, chambered for .223 or 5.56 in TacOps.
They are simple, plentiful, accurate and with a little bit
of mechanical aptitude and basic tools, very easy to
modify to your liking. TacOps allows for the use of a
single optical sight on your rifle. Most people choose a
low-power variable, such as the Vortex Razor HD 1-6x.
This allows you the advantages of a red-dot up close,
while being able to dial up the magnification for long
range. Most matches will also allow the use of a red-dot
or flip-over magnifier combo, provided that the magnifier
doesn’t contain a reticule by itself. Compensators are
allowed, but generally limited to a 1-inch diameter and
3-inch in length. Rifle gear to leave at home? Bi-pods
and drum magazines are almost universally prohibited in
this division.
Shotgun:
The vast majority of competitors use a semi-auto, 12
gauge that holds at least 8, but up to 12 shells in the
tube. Benelli M2, Mossberg 930 and FN SLP are all
Got Glock? This model 34 is a
popular choices and mostly have barrels in the 21-24”
great choice for TacOps and
Tac Irons. range. Most matches will let you start with 8-9 rounds
in the gun and then load to full capacity after the start
signal if you like, though some matches do limit you to 8
rounds in the tube.
EQUIPMENT DIVISIONS Generally, birdshot is the name of the game, and you
One thing to remember about 3-Gun is that since should look for #7 ½ shot at around 1250 FPS. Always
there is no national governing body that controls the check the match website to see if you need to bring slugs,
rules, each match has its own set that it goes by. Most buckshot or both. Be prepared though, some matches
of them have become pretty well standardized over call for slug shots out to 125 yards, so it’s best to have
the past several years, but it’s always important to some kind of low-profile Express-style sights buried into
understand the rules of the match you are heading your vent-rib.
to that weekend. Just recently, a top-level competitor Keeping the shotgun loaded up is always the hardest
was disqualified at the end of the match when it was part, but TacOps does not allow for the use of box
discovered his equipment was illegal for his division at magazine shotguns (like the Saiga or AKA M1919), or
that particular match (at which his score would have speed sticks from Tecloader. Belt caddies or a “Load 2”
earned him the national title). system from a company like Carbon Arms are the way to
go for TacOps.
Pistol:
Anybody have a striker fired, polymer-framed 9mm
Tactical Optics / Tactical / sitting in their safe? Thought so. That style of pistol is by
Tactical Scope DIVISION far the most popular for TacOps. Easy to use, affordable
Call it what you will, Tactical Optics Division (or TacOps) and easy to work on are the reasons why. Grab a few
is by far the most popular division. It always has the extra mags, a 140MM magazine extension so you can
most shooters, the highest number of Pros and the best run 22 to 23 rounds like the big boys and you’re ready
prizes of any other. Rules are pretty straightforward and to go. Since there isn’t a power factor requirement for
I’d be willing to bet quite a few people has suitable guns this division at any match (at least that I’m aware of),
already waiting in their safe. shooting .40 or .45 will simply put you at a disadvantage
in both recoil and round count.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 27

 IMPROVE YOUR GAME

LIMITED / TACTICAL IRONS

Probably the most basic division there is. A place where a
lot of people start, and then come back to for the challenge.
Rifle:
Rules at most matches allow for the use of standard iron
sights or a non-magnifying optic such as an Aimpoint T-1
Micro and other red-dots on your rifle. Hitting targets past
300 yards with no magnification is a huge challenge, and
that’s why some shooters will come back to shooting this
division after trying some others. Having shot Tac Irons
for a season myself, I can say that there is definitely a
sense of satisfaction coming off of the long range stage
with all your hits.
Shotgun: Kelly Raglin competes in
Same as TacOps. Open Division to take advantage
of dual optics on his rifle.
Pistol:
Same as TacOps.

OPEN
Caspian’s Bruce Piatt
“I have a dream!” Well, I think that’s what they said
rounds a barricade about the equipment that now falls into Open division. If
with his pistol.
you can drag it up to the line, you can pretty much use it.
Rifle:
All those pesky rules for optics and things in TacOps?
Gone. Shooters can use both a variable power scope
with a red-dot on an angle mount, bi-pods, drum
magazines and a muzzle break that makes the Barrett
50 Delta design look cheesy.
Shotgun:
Optics are now also allowed on the shotgun, and
most people stick with a red-dot. Also gone are the
capacity limits and prohibition against magazine fed
guns and speed loaders. I’ve seen a 16-round straight
tube, a 28-round XRAIL and 20-round drum magazine
Saiga all on the rack ready-to-go depending on the
user’s choice. Tube-fed guns are still the popular
choice, but as the reliability of the magazine-fed guns
increases, so does the number of shooters using
them.
Pistol:
Probably one of the biggest differences in Open
is the pistol. Instead of being limited to iron sights
and 140mm long magazines, you can now use red-
dot sights and longer magazines, as well as recoil
compensators.
Definitely not for the faint of heart (or wallet), Open is
the fastest and most advanced division there is.

28 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 THE BASICS OF 3-GUN

Heavy Tactical / Heavy Metal Optics He Man / Heavy Metal

Now we come to the divisions that have the most rule A division with rules all to itself! This is really where you
differences as you move across the country. The Heavy have to read each rulebook carefully to determine what
divisions are the place to be if you like big bullets! is legal where and what is expected of you.

Rifle: Rifle:
.308 Win is pretty much the minimum caliber you Again, you’ll need a rifle in .308, though now you’re
may fire for Heavy Tactical. Other than that, the rules limited to iron sights only, with very few matches
are generally pretty similar to TacOps when it comes to allowing a red-dot or similar optic.
optics and other equipment. Most matches will limit you
Shotgun:
to 20 rounds in the magazine, which allows platforms like
Get ready to pump it up! You’ll definitely need a solid
the SCAR-H, M1A and FAL to stay on even footing with
12 gauge pump shotgun to shoot He Man.
the AR platform.
Pistol:
Shotgun:
1911’s are an extremely popular choice for He Man,
Be sure to check the match rules! Some venues let you
since you are almost always restricted to an 8-10 shot
stick with the same semi-auto as TacOps, others might
45 pistol.
limit you to an 8-shot pump action gun.
Pistol: Hopefully now you have a good idea what sort of
Same with the shotgun. Sometimes you can shoot your guns you need to get started in your division of
double-stack 9mm, other times you might have to use choice, whether it be full-on race gear for Open, or
a single-stack .45, still others might require a minimum the classic choices in Heavy Metal.
power factor of 165 like USPSA. Until next time, Train To Triumph!

Scott McGregor of FMG

Publications competed in TacOps at
the 2012 Texas Multigun.
(Notice the offset iron sights.)
 IMPROVE YOUR GAME

If you stay up past 1 am or get up before 6 am and turn the

TV on, you’re guaranteed to find an infomercial or two for the
latest revolutionary fitness system to get “sick-ripped” abs

EAT,
in only 10 minutes a day. Most often these are marketed by
professional trainers/fitness models whose sole occupation
is working out and looking good. It’s marketing. Some of
it certainly works, but not because it’s whizzbang miracle
fitness, but because the ones that do work require a high

LIFT,
level of effort and a rigid food intake.
But what if you’re not interested in six-pack abs? What
if you want to lose a little weight so you’re a little quicker
shooting USPSA? What if you want to be stronger so your

WALK
arm doesn’t get tired during bullseye matches? Or what
if you don’t want to get winded hiking the back country
tracking a huge elk?
Getting fit for shooting is just like shooting – there are no
shortcuts, and it takes work. Fortunately, you don’t need
to buy some huckster’s ultimate fitness program. You just
need to do three little things: Eat, Lift, Walk.
GETTING FIT TO SHOOT.
BY CALEB GIDDINGS

30 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 EAT, LIFT, WALK

WALK
Why not run? Well, as it turns out, un-
less you’re training for a running event, if
you want to get in better cardiovascular
condition, you just need to walk. Walk
hard, for sure, but walking is sufficient.
The goal with this exercise isn’t to move
LIFT a specific distance, but rather to elevate
Strength is everything. Being stronger your heart rate to above a certain point
means you’re less injury-prone, have for a certain amount of time. For most
more energy, and don’t tire when hold- people, getting the heart rate above 120
EAT ing out that 2.5 lb. bullseye gun. Before for 30 minutes is sufficient, but again,
This is the first simple step; and it’s also you start any weightlifting program, seek talk to a doctor first. If you’re incredibly
the hardest for a lot of people. The sys- the advice of a medical professional, and out of shape, you may need to work on
tem by which Americans consume food consider hiring a trainer to help coach that. Here’s a simple time based walking
is created to fuel consumption and not you through the lifts if you’ve never schedule to get you started:
necessarily nutrition. But you don’t have done them before. Lifting three days a
to do anything drastic like give up beer week with gradually increasing weight Day 1: Walk 45 minutes or 2.5 miles
or pizza to get healthy, just introduce a amounts will improve your conditioning
concept called “moderation.” In the food Day 2: Walk 90 minutes or 5 miles
for hunting or the shooting sports.
category, there are three simple steps Day 3: Walk 30 minutes or 1.5 miles
that you can take to drastically reduce 1. Bench Press and Squats – the
the amount of garbage masquerading as two most basic lifts. On all lifts,
Add hills to your walk to get that heart
food that you take in. using good form is more important
rate up; keep yourself moving. Don’t stop
than lifting heavy weight. So if you
and lollygag, get the arms going, get
1. Stop drinking soda – I’ve can’t keep good form, use less
moving. It’s not a pleasant stroll through
personally seen people give up soda weight until you get stronger.
the neighborhood, so you need to move
and immediately drop 10-15 lbs. of
2. Overhead Press and Deadlifts – at a pace like you’ve got somewhere to
useless weight. Soda can replaced
be careful when deadlifting. Doing be in a hurry. If you want to add some
with un-sweetened tea, coffee, or
deadlifts correctly will strengthen sport specific training for USPSA, throw
best yet, water.
your lower back, not hurt it. But in the occasionally 30 second sprint.
2. Get rid of most condiment doing deadlifts wrong can lead to
sauces: Ketchup, mayo, and any injury, and injury time is not training
dressing other than oil and vinegar. time.
That’s really it though. You’re looking
Just get rid of them. Most mustards
3. Clean and Press – one of the at a time investment in your workouts of
are still okay.
great Olympic lifts, the clean and 4ish hours a week, assuming you take
3. Reduce the fried foods: I like press combines the motions of the about 30 minutes to do your lifts. People
French fries. I like fried chicken. I deadlift and overhead press into one say that they “don’t have time” to work
hardly ever eat them, because fried motion. Great for building explosive out, but ask yourself – how much time do
foods are full of the sort of fat that power foods are full of the sort of fat you spend on Facebook or watching TV
my body doesn’t need. that my body doesn’t need. each day? Next time you’re on a USPSA
stage or hunting that trophy bear, you’ll
There are quite a few more steps that Again, form is important here. If you’ve thank yourself for enhancing your awe-
you can take to get a healthier diet, and never done the lifts before, get a coach someness.
there’s plenty of information out there on to teach you. Make sure you’re not over-
good vs. bad fats, sugar intake, sodium, loading your weights to do ego lifts,
etc. This is just a starting point. We’re and instead using weight that provides
not trying to win a marathon here, just a challenge while still maintaining good
get a little healthier. form.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 31

 TRAVEL

NRA LATEST

The NRA Annual Meetings, held in April at the Hous-

ton Convention Center in downtown Houston, Texas,
were divided up into three floors, each a unique experi-
ence. The first floor held the manufacturer booths, the
second floor held contests, book signings and a Star-
bucks and the third floor was full of meeting rooms and
offices. The first floor, the show floor, is the life of the
party and something to behold.
The first steps on the NRA show floor can be intim-
idating for someone who has never been to a show like
this. The security at the NRA Annual Meetings was
noticeably more present than at many other shows,
including the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s
(NSSF) Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show
(SHOT Show), a large industry-only event held every
January in Las Vegas, Nev. While the security at the
Annual Meetings wasn’t intimidating, it was essential
to have badges on all the time when on the floor. The

NRA few protestors that did show up had to set up across the
street and were monitored closely by Houston PD.

ANNUAL
The very first thing apparent upon entering the floor
at the NRA Annual Meetings was the large registration
desk, which was constantly busy up until Sunday after-

MEETINGS
noon. Beyond the desk were rows and rows of different
colored booths decorated with firearms, TVs and giant
company logos.
Lone Wolf Distributors had set up a trailer in the
middle of the show floor. Stairs served as an escort up to
a display of handguns customized with their parts and

THE SHOW FLOOR accessories. The top of this trailer was one of the first
stops of the week for the GunUp crew, and the view

32 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS: SHOW FLOOR

was something to behold. Over 7 acres of

guns and gear spread across the convention Find out more about the
new products we found
center floor!
from the NRA Annual
The Sig Sauer booth became a popular Meetings on page 44.
location when team captain, Max Michel,
got up on stage to do demonstrations or
share shooting tips. (We could all use some
shooting tips from Max.) Max wasn’t the
only one, Todd Jarrett was up on stage at
the BLACKHAWK! Booth giving a sim-
ilar demonstration, while Team FNH was
demonstrating ways to reload a shotgun in
between country singer Mark Wills’ per-
formances. There was almost always an in-
dustry celebrity, be it a pro-shooter, a top
hunter or a radio or TV host, signing auto-
graphs or doing demonstrations somewhere
around the show floor.
There were a lot of other mainstream ce-
lebrities wandering the floor besides coun-
try star Mark Wills. Sarah Palin was spotted
on the floor after her speech on the opening
day, and MMA Fighter Matt Hughes was a
constant addition to the crowd. Reality TV
stars from the Swamp People and American
Guns could also be found on the floor, or
signing autographs at different booths.
Of course, if live action isn’t your cup of
tea, there were plenty of booths playing vid-
eos. Some were showing their competition
shooters, or others, some had informative
videos playing and AAC had an awesome

When will the NEXT

NRA Annual Meeting
be in your area?
Each year, the NRA hosts their
Annual Meetings in a different location.
Find out when they might be close
enough for you to attend!

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN NASHVILLE, TN LOUISVILLE, KY ATLANTA, GA DALLAS, TX
LEARN OUT ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S
NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS
AT NRAAM.ORG

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 33

 TRAVEL NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS: SHOW FLOOR

NRA LATEST

video from DART that was basically just suppressed machine gun shooting and
therefore really awesome. You could easily spend the entire weekend just watching
videos and demonstrations.
But who would want to when there was so much else to see?
The major manufacturers pull out all the stops for the NRA Annual Meetings.
It’s the one time they get to interface with consumers on a personal level and show
off what exactly they can do in the process of building their booth. XS Sights, for
example, had a “dark room” that customers could enter to see how their sights
performed in a low-light setting.
Walking through the big booths is almost overwhelming, there are a lot of
bright colors and a lot of bright lights and it can be a lot to take in. This isn’t
true for the entire floor, though. As you proceed toward the back of the floor the
booths get smaller. Here is where treasures can be found.
Visiting the lesser-known companies at the back of the show is a must-stop for
any NRA attendees. There are a wide variety of products that NRA is the best
place to hear about. From jewelry and handbags to holsters and ammunition, it’s
surprising what’s to be found. There are also a lot of collectors associations hidden
back here with interesting and impressive guns on display that are fun to browse
and informative to learn about.
There were a few food options on the show floor as well. It was a toss-up be-
tween talking yourself into an over-priced hotdog from one of the show floor ven-
dors and having to leave the floor but having the opportunity to dine anywhere in
downtown Houston. For many people, the Starbucks on the second floor served
as a primary food stop.
The first floor of the NRA Show is where it all happens, it’s the life of the party
and where everyone wants to be. The booths, the guns, they’re all there for attend-
ees to ogle and enjoy, and while it’s impossible to see it all, it’s a lot of fun to try.

Find out what was going

on upstairs in our look
at the Second Floor
Experience on page 36.
LEARN OUT ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S
NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS
AT NRAAM.ORG

34 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 TRAVEL

NRA LATEST

NRA
ANNUAL
MEETINGS
THE SECOND FLOOR

The second floor of the NRA Annual Meetings was a

completely different world from the first. While there
are still plenty of people, guns to see and celebrities to
meet it was not the same giant spread of booths cover-
ing acres of convention show floor. Rather, it was set
up more as a hallway and while not quite a retreat, it
offered a different atmosphere from the bottom level.
When you first ascended the stairs to the second level
you were greeted with a series of tables and line of giant
posters depicting different celebrities and NRA execu-
tives. It was interesting to browse and see who had their
photo displayed so prominently at the NRA Annual
Meetings.

36 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS: SECOND FLOOR

There was a constant noise on the second floor, as

loud if not louder than the hub-bub on the show floor: ON THE THIRD FLOOR:
each year the NRA Foundation hosts the Wall of Guns.
A display that not only showcases the new guns but al-
THE “PYRAMID AIR” GUN RANGE
lows show attendees to enter for a chance to win one of The third floor was host mostly to meeting rooms and press offices
them. Winners get to select any firearm from either side that leave little to be discussed. One of these rooms, however,
of the wall. The pace is rapid and there is an announcer stood out. Pyramid Air had set up an air gun range where
constantly commentating on the game, but if you man- attendees could try out the latest models of air rifles, air pistols, air
aged a moment in all the commotion there were op- silhouette rifles from manufacturers including:
portunities to meet Team Weatherby, New York Giant’s Air Arms World Class Air Rifles Gamo
Bear Pascoe and even country singer Darryl Worley. All AirForce Talon SS H&N Pellets
the proceeds from the game went to benefit the NRA
AirForce The Edge IZH-Baikal 46M Match Air Pistol
Foundation.
The book signings were another popular stop for Air Venturi Bronco IZH 60
many attendees. Saturday afternoon, Glenn Beck was Beeman Precision Airguns RWS
signing his book Control and the line stretched across Beretta PX4 Storm Sam Yang Big Bore Rifle
the entire lobby. Sunday morning was another popular
Browning Buck Mark Air Pistol ShinSung
time period as Ted Nugent was in house signing Ted,
White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto. While the lines Browning Leverage Stoeger X5
varied depending on who was present signing books, Crosman Challenger Sumatra Air Rifles
there was always a crowd looking to purchase one of the Evanix MAX Umarex USA
books that were for sale on the spot.
Evanix Rainstorm Walther PPQ CO2 Pistol
The second floor also hosted an area where a series

Want to see the vehicles that

were displayed on the first floor?
Check out Vehicles of the NRA
Annual Meetings on page 48.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 37

 TRAVEL NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS: SECOND FLOOR

NRA LATEST

of new products were displayed.

The “Featured Product Center”
displayed products from various
manufacturers, including Heizer
Defense, Concealed Carrie and XS
Sight Systems. While not extreme-
ly popular as a destination, the
center provided entertainment for
those waiting in long line for book
signings or those who happened to
wander through.
The second floor of the NRA
convention was a completely dif-
ferent world from the first, but it
provided an interesting look at
some of the upcoming products,
an opportunity to meet some in-
fluential people and the chance to
win some cool, new guns. Plus it
was also where the Starbucks was,
and to a lot of people that made it
extremely important.

FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

2013
NRA
Annual Ambassador John Bolton MAJOR DAN ROONEY TED NUGENT
Meeting How Barack Obama is Endangering
our National Sovereignty
A Patriot’s Calling Ted, White and Blue:
The Nugent Manifesto

BOOK
SIGNING
SCHEDULE

COL. OLIVER NORTH KATIE PAVLICH ROB OLIVE

Heroes Proved: A Noel Fast and Furious Essential Liberty

Find out more about the

new products we found
from the NRA Annual
Meetings on page 44.

RICK SANTORUM GLENN BECK DAVID KOPEL

American Patriots Control The Truth About Gun Control

LEARN OUT ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S

NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS
AT NRAAM.ORG
38 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013
 TRAVEL

“MY LITTLE SLICE OF PARADISE”

BATTLEFIELD
VEGAS LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

BY ZACK WARBURG

T
he brainchild of Ron Cheney, Battlefield Vegas is any firearm fan’s
dream come true. Located just over two miles from the heart of
the strip, this five acre complex features an indoor shooting range
and military vehicles scattered across the tarmac to create a modern mil-
itary theme.
From the moment you pull off the road into the parking lot — and are
immediately greeted by a half-track — it is clear this is no ordinary gun
range. The complex is encircled by camo-covered fences and sandbags
are stacked high as if to ward off incoming mortar fire. Humvees and an
M35 truck all sit waiting for their next rider. Oh, and let’s not forget the
UH-1C Huey! In total, Battlefield has a fleet of more than twenty-five
military vehicles, from Jeeps used in WWII to 2.5- and 5-ton carriers
used in conflicts from Vietnam to the present day. Don’t feel like driving
from your hotel to the facility? No problem. They will pick you up from
your hotel in a Humvee.
Upon walking in the front door, you instantly feel as though you have
walked into another world, you are no longer a block from the Vegas
Strip. Over eighty percent of the employees of Battlefield Vegas have
served in the armed forces, and those who haven’t are mostly sons and
daughters of those who have. Ron makes a determined effort to help
his brothers and sisters in arms and goes to great lengths to hire veter-
ans. Additionally, they are encouraged to wear the uniform from their
branch of service, which means it feels something like walking around a
Ron Cheney shows off one of his personal
favorites during our tour of the vault. military compound. That being said, there are little things that are done
to distinguish these vets from those on active duty. First, rather than

40 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 BATTLEFIELD VEGAS

the standard nametape for their branch on while giving you a bit of history. On the exactly a new concept. Within a mile of
their left breast, all employees wear a patch range our RSO asked us about our expe- the strip there are at least a dozen differ-
saying “Battlefield”. Second, rather than rience level with the individual firearms, ent ranges where you can rent and shoot
listing a vets last name, as is done in the full-auto, and shooting in general so he guns. Having only visited this one, I can-
military, all employees wear a patch with could tailor his instruction to our experi- not speak to the experience at other ranges,
their first name. These little touches serve ence level. As we moved from one firearm though it is hard to imagine better custom-
as an homage to the military backgrounds to the next he explained how to operate er service than I experienced at Battlefield.
they all share. each one and detailed the peculiarities of What I can tell you is that the gun selection
What stood out most for me was how each. While shooting the RSO remains at Battlefield is second to none. There are
much every person at Battlefield Vegas by your side to help with any issues you not many places that I know of where you
seems to love working there. I mean, what’s may have. A large part of the Battlefield can walk into a room and see an MG42
not to love? You help first time full-au- Vegas clientele are first time shooters and laying next to a Mk 48, or an Uzi sitting
to shooters — and often times first time the RSOs do an excellent job of making next to a PPSH-41.
shooters — have an amazing experience. sure everyone is comfortable and safe at all They have the standard assault rifles
Bursts of fire on the range were regularly times. like M4s, M16s and SCARs (both light
followed by smiles, laughter and amaze- We were particularly interested to learn and heavy) as well as the classics like Uzis,
ment. I asked Carlos Munoz, our Range that our RSO had used a few of the weap- Thompsons and Garands. While these fire-
Safety Officer (RSO), whether he ever gets ons we were firing during his last deploy- arms are not readily available to the average
tired of people getting positively giddy ment in Afghanistan with the Nevada Joe, they are commonly found at ranges all
over shooting a machine gun for the first Army National Guard. A member of the around Las Vegas. What sets Battlefield
time. “Are you kidding?” he said, “That’s 1st squadron, 221st cavalry (aka Wildhorse apart from their competition is their col-
my favorite part of the job!” Squadron), Carlos served as a Specialist E4 lection of less common guns; from Ger-
I was also impressed by the individual in Afghanistan from April 2009 through man MP40s, Soviet PPSH-41s and Stens
attention that each and every customer re- April 2010. Having used these weapons toSturmgewehrs 44s, MG42s and even
ceives. Safety is the number one priority of in actual combat, he was able to provide Vickers machine guns. Battlefield’s collec-
the staff at Battlefield Vegas, but customer his own insight into how the weapon per- tion is not to be beat. In fact, Battlefield
satisfaction is a very close second. Once formed on the battlefield and the difficul- boasts what they claim is the “largest col-
you have purchased your package, you are ties of carrying a full MG kit. This added a lection of US and foreign weapons avail-
paired up with your own RSO who loads bit of perspective to the exhilarating expe- able for public use in the United States”.
your magazines and personally walks you rience of shooting these firearms. During our tour of the “vault”, we were
through the operation of each weapon, all A machine gun range in Las Vegas is not also treated to a history class in which

Our RSO Carlos demonstrates the use of the Mk 46.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 41

TRAVEL

we learned various tidbits of information The quantity of each weapon they have door airsoft field as well as a nearly 16,000
about the weapons. Once again, I was very in stock is another feature that sets Battle- square foot indoor shoot house where
impressed by the depth of knowledge that field Vegas apart. The biggest complaint shooters can compete against the seasoned
Ron possesses about each of the weapons. that Ron heard from his research of other veterans in a real world special operations
One story in particular stuck with me. ranges is that popular weapons were con- scenario. Needless to say, we look forward
During World War II, Germans we able to tinually unavailable leading to wait times to giving that a try when it opens. There
easily pick out their British counterparts measured in hours. You arrive at the range are also plans to open a military museum.
on the battlefield because of the “Chick- to shoot an MP5 but have to wait for the On a personal note, I want to thank
en Wing” stance they adopted when fir- three other people who want to shoot it Ron and his staff for the wonderful time
ing the Sten Mk II, this stance resulting first. Or worse, the weapon is out of com- that they showed us while we were visiting.
from the way the weapon is held due to mission for some reason so you can’t shoot Also, as a computer nerd who never has
the side-mounted magazine. During the it at all. Ron vowed not to let this happen. served a day of combat in my life, I want to
war the, Germans managed to capture a Their most common weapons, (MP5s, express my sincerest gratitude to Ron, his
small number of Stens and were forced to Thompsons, AK-47s, etc) are stocked by at partner David, all their staff and everyone
adopt the same “Chicken Wing” stance least the dozen. With their less common else who has served in the armed forces.
of the British when using the weapons. guns such as thePPSH-41s and Stens, I did We owe you an eternal debt of gratitude
This resulted in multiple cases of friendly not see a single one that was stocked at less and thank you for your service.
fire where another German, spotting the than 5. Even their specialty guns like the
Ron Cheney served in the Army as a 97 Bravo
stance, would shoot one of their own. The MG42s and RPDs have at least a second, Counter-Intelligence Assistant. His partner David
German solution was to cut the weapon in if not a third and fourth. Famiglietti served 13 years as a combat engineer
with the 820th Red Horse (Rapid Engineer Deployable
half, rotate the front 90 degrees, and weld Ron says there is still more to come for Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers)
it back together. This resulted in a weapon Battlefield Vegas. There are plans in the Squadron. He left the Air Force having achieved the
with the same profile as an MP40. rank of Technical Sergeant E-6.
works to add a 32,000 square foot out-

42 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 BATTLEFIELD VEGAS

BATTLEFIELD VEGAS: EXPERIENCES

DEFENDING STALINGRAD - WWII HAMBURGER HILL – VIETNAM SEAL TEAM VI

Tokarev Pistol – 20 Rounds 1911 Pistol – 20 Rounds Sig Mk25 Pistol Suppressed – 20 Rounds
Mosin Nagant M91/30 Rifle – 20 Rounds M14 – 20 Rounds H&K MP5-SD – 25 Rounds
PPsh41 SMG – 50 Rounds M16A1 – 50 Rounds Colt CQBR – 25 Rounds
$169.99 $169.99 M-249 SAW – 40 Rounds
$259.99
BATTLE OF IWO JIMA – WWII THE BADDA BING
1911 Pistol – 20 Rounds .38 Special – 15 Rounds THE RED THREAT
M2 Carbine – 25 Rounds Sawed-Off Shotgun – 5 Rounds Makarov Pistol – 20 Rounds
Thompson M1A1 SMG – 50 Rounds 1928 Thompson – 50 Rounds AK-47 – 50 Rounds
$169.99 $159.99 Dragunov/PSL – 20 Rounds
$179.99
DAS BLITZKRIEG – WWII BLACK OPS – GAMER EXPERIENCE
Luger Pistol – 15 Rounds H&K MP5K – 25 Rounds S.W.A.T.
K98 Mauser – 20 Rounds Uzi – 25 Rounds Glock 17 – 20 Rounds
MP40 Sub-Machinegun – 50 Rounds AKM – 25 Rounds MP5 – 50 Rounds
$169.99 Colt Commando – 25 Rounds Remington 870 Shotgun – 5 Rounds
$194.99 Remington 700 Sniper Rifle – 5 Rounds
D-DAY 1944 – WWII $194.99
1911 Pistol – 15 Rounds MODERN WAR – GAMER EXPERIENCE
M1 Garand – 24 Rounds Colt M4 – 25 Rounds HEAVY STRIKE
Thompson M1A1 – 50 Rounds AK-74 – 25 Rounds Desert Eagle .50 – 15 Rounds
$169.99 FN SCAR – 25 Rounds Smith & Wesson 500 – 15 Rounds
H&K G36 – 25 Rounds M240 – 50 Rounds
BATTLE OF EL-ALEMEIN – WWII $194.99 MG-42 – 50 Rounds
Browning Hi-Power – 20 Rounds $389.99
Lee Engield Mk4 – 20 Rounds THE LITTLE GIANTS – KIDS EXPERIENCE
Sten Mk II Sub-Machinegun – 50 Rounds .22lr Sig Mosquito – 40 Rounds THE 4 STAR GENERAL
$169.99 .22lr AK-47 full-auto – 20 Rounds M240 – 50 Rounds
.22lr M4 Carbine – 20 Rounds M249 – 50 Rounds
.22lr Silenced Walther P22 – 40 Rounds M60 – 50 Rounds
$109.99 1919a4 – 50 Rounds
$474.99
LEARN MORE ABOUT BATTLEFIELD VEGAS
BATTLEFIELDVEGAS.COM
GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 43
 THE GREATEST GEAR

NRA LATEST

NEW FROM
THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS
Each year companies use the NRA Annual Meetings as an opportunity to roll out new
products for consumers. While we spotlight the splash-making Beretta Pico, there are
plenty of other interesting and awesome products that just can’t be left out.

44 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 NEW FROM THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS

COLT MUSTANG XSP

Prestigious firearms WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, one of the world’s
manufacturer Colt has leading designers, developers and manufacturers of firearms, is proud to introduce the
released a polymer version of newest member of the Colt Mustang family, the polymer framed Mustang XSP.
the classic Mustang, which Like its predecessors, the classic Colt Mustang and Mustang Pocketlite, the XSP is sure
was revived in 2011 in light to become a popular option for concealed carry.
of the pocket pistol craze: “The Mustang and Mustang Pocketlite have been favorites of our customers for years.
We are excited to build on those very successful products and evolve them even further
to meet ever growing customer needs,” said Joyce Rubino, Vice President of Marketing
for Colt’s Manufacturing.
“The new XSP takes the best of its predecessor models and adds features that will make
it appealing to an even wider customer base.”
Taking advantage of the polymer grip frame, the most noticeable features of the XSP
model revolve around optimizing grip comfort and utility. A molded thumb perch under the
safeties lets the gun sit easily and comfortably in hands of all sizes. A special enhanced
cut behind the trigger guard also helps the gun sit lower in the user’s hand. Blended safe-
ty and sidestop profiles, as well as enhanced texturing on the front and back strap, provide
increased comfort and create a snag-free profile.
While some basic features of the Mustang Pocketlite, such as size, magazine and slide,
continue in the Mustang XSP, numerous changes to the new model reflect customer sen-
timent. This includes upgrading the front sight on the XSP to a dovetailed design that is
more visible to the user. The slide serrations on the XSP have been enhanced to offer an
improved grip when working the slide. The XSP also features ambidextrous safeties, rather
than the typical single sided safety. Two additional changes are an integral 3/8” accessory

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 45

 THE GREATEST GEAR NEW FROM THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS

NRA LATEST

rail below the dust cover, and a squared

off trigger guard that will allow for easy
mounting of lasers and lights to enhance
personal protection capabilities.
The Mustang XSP is constructed of an
ultra-durable engineered polymer, mak-
ing it the lightest-weight of all the Mus-
tang models at less than 12 ounces. The
slide and barrel are machined from stain-
less steel bar stock, and the slide has a
blackened finish. The XSP has a 6-round
magazine capacity, is chambered in .380
Auto and has a recommended retail of
$649.
Find out more at coltsmfg.com.
COLT MUSTANG XSP

Brownell’s Compensators Concealed Carrie Sig Sauer 1911 MAX

One of the items that didn’t get A lot of the women at NRA were While rumors of the 1911 MAX have
much attention at the Meetings but raving about Concealed Carrie, a been afloat for some time, this year
was an interesting addition were new-to-us line of concealed carry Sig Sauer had one on display at the
Brownell’s new compensators. purses that are more fashionable NRA Annual Meetings. The name
Brownell’s is not offering their pro- than many of the other options out “MAX” comes from Sig Sauer Team
prietary compensators for sale quiet there. Their bags come in a variety Captain Max Michele, who designed
yet, but they had them on display of colors and styles, from black, to the competition-oriented 1911. Cus-
at the Show and, given Brownell’s bright orange, to a crocodile print tom features include a SIG SAUER
reputation, should be of spectacular hobo. They also have totes and lap- flat trigger, an external extractor, a
quality. top cases, all of which have built-in Dawson® Ice Magwell®, a Koe-
holsters to fit a wide variety of fire- nig® Speed Hammer® and EGW®
Watch for them at brownells.com.
arms. sear and firing pin. The MAX will be
available in .40 S&W and .45 ACP.
From $249 at concealedcarrie.com.
Find out more at sigsauer.com.

46 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 V I S I T W W W . N R A L I F E O F D U T Y.T V
If you’re active-duty military, law enforcement or a first responder, come sign up for a
special NRA membership at no cost to you! Your no-cost membership comes with steep
gear discounts from great brands as well as many other benefits.

And don’t miss our exclusive library of free, compelling documentaries and reports of
the patriotism and sacrifice displayed by heroes like you.
 THE GREATEST GEAR

NRA LATEST

THE COOLEST CARS ON THE FLOOR

VEHICLES
OF THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS
T here’s a lot to see each year
at the Annual Meetings,
and as much as we all want
to look at the guns, some
companies pull out some
pretty nifty vehicles too. From
painted trucks, to race cars, to
Magpul’s mini-gun-VW here’s
a look at some of the coolest
cars on the show floor!

MAGPUL VW VAN

48 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 VEHICLES OF THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS

ATI Gun Stocks Race Car

Did you know that Milwaukee -- Advanced Technology International® (ATI), the leading manufacturer in gun
ATI Gun Stocks sponsored stocks and firearm accessories, announced Tuesday that it will be Joe Nemechek’s primary
Joe Nemecheck in the sponsor under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway this Saturday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Spring Cup Series NRA 500 NRA 500, with coverage starting live on FOX at 7PM ET.
at Texas Motor Speedway Nemechek’s #87 NEMCO-JRR Racing Toyota will be wrapped in a black and red ATI paint
in April 2013? The race car scheme that features unique design elements taken from ATI’s trademark branding.
was parked right in their “ATI is extremely excited to be a first-time Sprint Cup Series Sponsor,” said Director of
booth at the NRA Annual Business Development Jon Shaffer. “We thought there would be no better place to enter
Meetings. Take a look at the this sport than at the Texas Motor Speedway just a few short weeks before the NRA Annual
press release that came out Meeting comes to Texas.”
back in April: Shaffer later added that partnering with NEMCO-JRR Racing and a NASCAR icon like
“Front Row Joe” is a great opportunity while leaving the door open to future involvement in
the series.
With the NRA as the new title sponsor of the 500 mile Texas race, as well as the 2013 NRA
Annual Meetings and Exhibits being held in nearby Houston, the fit seemed natural for ATI.
The National Rifle Association was announced as the title sponsor of the April 13th NRA
500 race at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year. Sprint Cup Veteran Joe Nemechek and
driver of the #87 ATIgunstocks.com NEMCO-JRR Toyota stated; “I am very glad to have
them aboard as our primary partner and I look forward to continuing a partnership with them
in the future. That #87 ATI paint scheme looks extremely sharp and I am excited that our
Team is flying the ATI colors this weekend.”

For information about ATI’s U.S. made firearm accessories online at

www.atigunstocks.com or by phone at 1-800-925-2522.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 49

 THE GREATEST GEAR VEHICLES OF THE NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS

NRA LATEST

THE MAGPUL UNIMOG AND VW VAN

Magpul is a unique company who is known for doing unique (read: awe-
some) things. Which is probably why their vehicles are two of the most
popular photo stops on the NRA show floor.
Magpul’s custom Unimog was built by Couch Off-Road Engineering, one
of the most popular custom Unimog shops in the United States. (And here
we thought it was cool that there were custom 1911 builders, “custom Un-
imog shop” is pretty difficult to beat.) It shows up a lot of the most popular
trade shows and industry events, there are YouTube videos of it all over the
internet.
Magpul’s VW van was posted at their booth, rather than the area where
many of the other vehicles were. The dark red van started to develop some
attention after its debut at this year’s Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade
Show (SHOT Show), the giant industry-only trade show held every January
in Las Vegas, Nev. It was picked up by several large blogs and was eventu-
ally picked up on reddit’s /r/guns forum.

Remington Truck & Wheels

Freedom Group goliath Remington had a
much more low-profile truck parked on site.
There were other vehicles on site as well, includ-
The black truck was tastefully painted with a
ing the brightly painted ammotogo.com truck, a
Remington green stripe and their logo. Rem-
Bass Pro Shops race car and a helicopter that one
ington had more than the truck there though,
company down in Texas will let you hunt hogs out
next to the truck was a display of Remington
of. There is definitely some cross over between
wheels. It turns out that Remington has en-
people who like guns and people who like cars,
rolled an entire line of products for different
and the ever growing stable of vehicles that
pick-up trucks, Jeeps, and other popular out-
comes out at every show makes it increasingly
doors vehicles.
apparent. Even for those who are more interest-
The line includes wheels, decals, bull bars,
ed in guns, seeing the creative ways companies
lug nuts, bed liners, floor mats, head rests,
utilize vehicles to develop their brand make for a
and rain window guards. Basically, if you want
great spectacle, and seeing what crazy thing they
your truck to be entirely Remington, they can
come out with next is never boring.
make that happen.

50 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 LOW PRICES.
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 THE GREATEST GEAR

SHOOTER’S TECH
small but mighty: Heizer Defense HD2

Heizer Defense HD2

After the breakup between Heizer Defense and DoubleTap both

companies fell pretty silent. There was some talk about the DoubleTap
after SHOT Show 2013, but not the same hubbub as when the
companies originally announced their idea.
At the NRA Annual Meetings in 2013, however, on display in the
Feature Product Center on the second floor, was the Heizer Defense
HD2, based off of the original concept of the Hezier Defense DoubleTap.
The HD2 is a two-shot, break-open .45 ACP pistol that is designed for
the ultimate in concealment and pocket carry.
In this same vein, Heizer has also introduced their HD1: A pocket
shotgun. The little gun is chambered to fire both .45 Colt and 2.5- or
3-inch .410 shotgun shells. The gun is available in both aluminum and
stainless steel, or with a titanium frame construction and Heizer is
offering a variety of finishing, including titanium grey, black, and military
green.
It will be interesting to watch how these two unique little guns do on
the market, as they will undoubtedly be unpleasant to shoot but will
provide concealed carry option for people who are concerned about
using smaller caliber firearms or who may not have faith in their shot
placement abilities. (Find out more at heizerdefense.com)

52 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

 SHOOTER’S TECH

if you don’t already have a pair...

THIS MONTH’S
PHONE APP

IPSC
Shot Timer
The IPSC Shot Timer app does exactly what it
sounds like it does. Designed for USPSA, IDPA,
brite-strike IPSC or other action sports, the app acts as an
tactical balls rid-3 alternative to expensive shot timers for those
who are not ready to make a several hundred
Brite-Strike Tactical Balls RID-3, or Rolling Illuminated Distraction and
dollar financial commitment. While the timer
Disorientation, are flashbang alternatives designed for police offers with
does not work as flawlessly as an actual shot
no specialized training. They are designed to take the bad guy’s focus
timer, for a cheap and dirty way to set up par
away from the user.
times or check split times the IPSC Shot Timer
Small, lightweight and shock resistant, the balls are concentric and
app works great.
weighted to wobble and spin around when tossed. This creates a strobe-
The simple interface is easy to use and provides
like effect that will settle down before landing upward, backlighting the
a wide variety of adjustments to help get the
bad guy. The idea is to disorient the bad guy without causing a continuous
timer set to work right for the environment.
affect that will detriment the good guys who enter the room after the balls
Users can adjust the decibel threshold the timer
are thrown in.
registers, set a random start and edit the echo
While Brite-Strike’s Tactical Balls don’t work quite like a flashbang, their
delay, which helps avoid the timer registering
websites puts a flashbang at a 10 and the Tactical Balls at 2, they serve
its own beep. Different timer modes include Par
as a good back up for those who lack training. Plus, we think they’re pretty
Time, Comstock, and Virginia.
cool and have the feeling they might turn into a Halloween prank.
The timer registers split times, the number of
Available for $39.99 at midwayusa.com. shots fired, the overall time, and the maximum
time in between shots. While the app is a work
in progress, the price is right for an easy way to
get set up on the range.

Available in for free the Google

Play store.

GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013 53

 WE ARE GUNUP

“LET US NOT FORGET”

This year, May brought both Memorial Day and the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meeting.

The 142nd NRA Annual Meeting was held this year in Houston, Texas with over 86,000 members in attendance.
This was, by far, the largest annual meeting in the history of the NRA, a strong sign that gun ownership and support
for the Second Amendment is not dead nor dying – quite the opposite. It is on the rise. Responsible, law-abiding
Americans of all shapes and sizes, of varying ages, races, walks of life, backgrounds, genders, and creed are
buying firearms in record number. Please support the NRA and other organizations like the Second Amendment
Foundation and the National Shooting Sports Foundation that are fighting to preserve our freedom but most of all let
us not forget those brave American who paid the ultimate price to preserve our freedom.

On Memorial Day the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to
the half-staff position to remember the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of our
country. At noon their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in
their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

Let us not forget. Rest in peace, fallen comrades. You are in our prayers and you are not forgotten.

Dan Hall
CEO, GunUp.com

Follow Us
/gogunup)
@gunup

54 GUNUP.COM | JUNE 2013

I carry.
It’s my choice. It’s my right. It’s my Taurus.

carry on
National & World Champion Pistol 9
Shooter, Team Taurus Captain

CarryOnMovement.com/Jessie
Scan to see Jessie in action.
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