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Gallery
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Ringing Steel
Team NRA captain John Bailey hammers the steel plates with a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22.
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Team NRA
Team NRA got together just before the rifle matches. From left, Darren LaSorte, Randy Clark, Kyle Crew and team captain John Bailey.
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Shooting a Sharps
Another side match was shooting a genuine Sharps 1874 rifle, chambered in .45-70. This rifle, made by Christian Sharps in 1877, fired more than 400 full-house, blackpowder loads during the two-day event without a hitch.
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Airborne Archery
Using flu-flu arrows, contestants had five tries to hit an aerial target.
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More Than Guns
One of the 17 side matches was this tomahawk throwing contest sponsored by Benchmade Knives.
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Not Easy
Many contestants found the sporting clays leg of the match quite challenging.
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Starting it Off
Former NRA editor Tes Salb fired the first shots at the Shooting Industry Masters tournament with a rimfire semi-auto.
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It’s Western
Contestants were required to shoot a compressed version of a cowboy action match featuring two revolvers, a lever-action rifle and a double-barreled shotgun.
Most shooters don’t need a "war belt." While enthusiasts like the idea of preparing for every contingency, the vast majority of us need a reliable platform for a range session, a training class or a local club match.
Among today's firearm platforms, the shotgun remains one of the most time-tested, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Today's new crop of shotguns runs the gamut, giving modern shotgunners new options in nearly every conceivable category.
One man, Alex Robinson, took it upon himself to address what he saw as several shortcomings in the AR-15 design. He consulted with special forces operators and asked what they wanted in a rifle platform. The result was the Robinson Armament XCR.
Legislation recently signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore essentially bans nearly every Glock and Glock-style pistol on the market from being sold within the state.