It's the end of the year, the weather has been freezing all over the country, and we're still catching up from last month's sales promotions. Despite the cold weather, several events have managed to get our blood to boil.

Right here in Texas, a spoiled teen gets out of any jail time after killing 4 during a drunk driving incident because his well-off family never taught him that criminal actions have consequences.

In Colorado, another school shooting. According to the Denver Post, the shooter described himself on facebook as "Keynesian" who was against gun violence and had anti-Republican views. He legally purchased a shotgun and ammunition and openly carried it and several molotov cocktails into his school seeking revenge against a debate-team instructor, asking several students along the way where she could be found.

While an innocent 17 year old was shot, things could have been much worse. No assault weapons ban, or high capacity magazine ban would have prevented this event from happening. A shotgun, glass bottles, flammable liquids and a lighter are within reach of most. The intent to harm another would exist in this case regardless of the weapon of choice.

While many details are still to be released, the quick response of one individual with a firearm ended this tragedy before any more were injured. Why did others not stop him before he got a shot off remains to be seen. Various reports claim that he was seen openly carrying a slung shotgun and even asking about the whereabouts of his intended victim.

Innocent lives were lost, and our hearts go out to the families of the victims. Also, this month we lost one of our members- Jeffry Bryan Reed, 45, lost his bitter eight-month battle with Burkitt's lymphoma on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, at a hospice in Fort Worth. It started with a simple request for a shoulder to cry on, but his thread touched us all, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP Jeff.

As this year comes to a close and we enjoy time with our families and loved ones, remember our service men and women who cannot be with their families, and those that have given there lives so the rest of us can.

Next month is SHOT Show. Until then, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to all.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE GUNSTRUCTION TEAM!

As 2013 comes to a close the GUNSTRUCTION team is hard at work making sure our online, 3d, customizable, weapon builder is even better for 2014! Our vendor support continues to grow, and our next update, due late December, will include new parts from Black Rain Ordnance, Rainier Arms, Inforce, Mission First Tactical, and the Prezine Group (including Rogers and Wilson Combat, among others).

The next update will also include support for calibers other than .223 / 5.56. We are focusing on 300 blk, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .22lr, and 9mm, with more calibers being supported as interest dictates.

Your feedback is critical to the success of GUNSTRUCTION, and something we take very seriously. By far the most common requests are related to support for mobile and tablet devices. Fear not! We’re happy to report that GUNSTRUCTION will be available for iOS and Android devices in early 2014. Watch for related announcements around SHOT Show in January.

What better way to put you in the holiday spirit than winning your dream AR? GUNSTRUCTION and Black Forge have teamed up to do just that in our “Build It, Win It” contest! Entering is fun and easy – build your entry in GUNSTRUCTION and email us the result! Complete details can be found here. The deadline is December 19th, so if you haven’t already entered, get on it!

This is just the beginning. GUNSTRUCTION is pleased to announce that every month throughout 2014 we will be holding firearm giveaway contests featuring parts from sponsoring manufacturers! So, come and make them, like you can only do in GUNSTRUCTION!

2014 is shaping up to be an exciting year as we keep adding to and improving GUNSTRUCTION. We appreciate your continued support and feedback and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

Press Release: Smith Enterprise SHOT Show

Tempe, AZ - Smith Enterprise will be at the Shot Show in full force this January (Booth 6410). Ron Smith and his staff will be there ready to talk the latest and greatest sound suppressor, flash suppression, AR15, and M14 innovations. The following staff will be there eager to talk to visitors:

• John Bainer (master armorer and retired 27 year Marine M14 match grade rifle-builder)
• Andy Horton (master armorer and former infantryman)
• Jack Rosfeld (armorer and former combat medic)

All new product lines will be present to include the new 17-4 Stainless Muzzle Brake for the M4, M16, and AR15 (PN 1002-SS-17-4) that is sound suppressor capable. Also debuting is a new 17-4 Stainless Steel Muzzle Brake for the AR10 (PN 1002-RR-17-4) that will fit any rifle with a 5/8 x 24 thread.

The new and improved quick disconnect bipod will be there. The material has been changed to give it more durability and longevity. The design has been tweaked for optimum weight and functionality. Note: the 82nd Airborne (1-505th) will be placing an order for this bipod now that it passed a 30 day field test at Fort Bragg, NC.

SEI will have new, never seen before, M14 muzzle brakes that will be allowed in the NRA National Matches and the Civilian Marksmanship Program Matches. It will have the same overall length as a GI flash hider and the same diameter of the GI flash hider, but with the Smith Enterprise muzzle brake pattern that everyone is familiar with. This brake reduces felt recoil and muzzle climb. It qualifies for match competition, which has never been done before by Smith Enterprise. The brake has SEI/MATCH engraved on the bottom side of the brake. It is 2 pieces screwed together made from bar stock and then is salt bath nitrited to pass the Navy's salt fog test. Retail price is $150.

SEI will have some really nice M14s on display as well. This includes the Smith Enterprise version of the M14 EBR and the Smith Enterprise version of the MK14 MOD 2.

SEI will have the newest version of the Wind Talker Sound Suppressor boasting an easier disassembly and also an increased number of baffles which provide an optimal amount of sound suppression.

There will be M16 hard chrome bolt carriers marked SEI 3A5E1 (military Cage Code) on display.

The G6A3 Vortex flash hider will be on display for the first time at a Shot Show.

Smith Enterprise encourages everyone to come to the booth to talk M14, AR15, AR10, sound suppressors, muzzle brakes, and flash hiders.

POC: John Bainer (843) 991-3135

Smith Enterprise is also available on the Smith Enterprise, Inc. Facebook, Smith Enterprise, Inc. Twitter, Smith Enterprise, Inc. Youtube, Smith Enterprise, Inc. Google Plus, and Smith Enterprise, Inc. Blog.

"Off Camber"

A viewer requested some overland training... we obliged.

Practice engaging targets while moving over uneven terrain vs. the perfectly flat and unobstructed terrain of a traditional range.

www.PFCtraining.com

Thermal optics, while expensive, are coming down in price and many hunters are giving serious though to acquiring them. However, because of their high price point, you will not find them at your local gun shop or sporting goods store; you cannot walk in and compare various sights.

These are complex devices, and as a result shopping for one a complicated process. There are different types of sights (clip-on or dedicated), the sensor itself, refresh rates, screen size, screen resolution, sensor resolution, screen technology type, magnification (digital and optical), housings, firmware, and many other factors that need to be compared.

Comparing specs may give some indication of relative performance, but it does little to convey how the unit will perform for your real-world needs. What combination of magnification and resolution will you need to accurately identify a hog-sized target up to 200 yards away? How does refresh rate affect things? These factors can significantly alter the price of the scope you buy, and can mean the difference between one that works perfectly for your application and one that might not have enough resolution or magnification to see your intended game at your expected range.

So a lack of experience with thermal sights combined with complex sight specifications, limited access to the product, and high prices are enough to scare most prospective buyers away. However, the benefits of hunting with the thermal advantage are enough to keep us reading all we can. Videos online prove that a thermal weapon sight is an incredible tool to have in your arsenal, but there is only so much that an image or video can do to accurately convey performance and usability.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
There is however a way to safely and inexpensively get first hand experience with weapon sights. A way to ensure you're making the right decision before you spend all that money. That option is to rent the unit(s) you are looking to buy. Try it out on your gun, against your game and in your environment. See how it works for you, and if it's not the right solution, try another.

You can rent a scope for a weekend hunt and apply that rental towards the purchase price of your new sight. Don't fork over a several thousand dollars for a product that you have not had the opportunity to test, touch, or even lay your eyes on. Instead, try renting the scope for only a couple hundred dollars, all of which can be applied to a purchase if you decide to take the plunge.

More often than not rental customers receive the justification they need to purchase through a few days of one-on-one with a thermal scope. Some decide they need higher magnification, longer detection range, more resolution, or just the opposite. We are proud to say that we have saved many customers from over purchasing.

FREE ARFCOM UPPER
Right now, we're featuring a free ARFCOM upper with your purchase of an ATN ThOR 336-3x. The complete upper allows you to leave your ThOR thermal scope mounted and sighted in without the need to remove your existing day optic. Having a dedicated thermal upper will allow a longer detection range and overall better image than using a clip-on thermal in front of your existing day optics.

So for those of you thinking about getting a thermal sight, the time is now. Compare the specs or contact us to help you decide on the best solution for your needs. And be sure by trying it out for a weekend before you buy. When you do decide to purchase, your rental will apply to your purchase price and you may get a free upper to go with it!

More Info

Perfect Practice

By: Chris Andersen, 3-Gun Nation Pro Shooter

For this month’s pro tip, I decided not to address any one specific drill or training routine, but instead talk about the efficiency and structure, and how it can help you be a better shooter while you put those ideas to work.

With virtually every element of shooting, loading, and manipulation of three different firearm platforms used in each match you shoot, the idea of preparing for all of it can be daunting, especially for a newer shooter or someone who finds themselves in a rut. Effective time management in practice is the key to success in a sport like this. Since most people have limited practice time available to them, getting the most bang for your buck at the range means you will have the most to show for it on match day. It can also mean a lot less impact on family time and work.

You will find that efficient practice is one of the biggest keys to success in 3-gun. Because this sport encompasses such a large variety of challenges, how you manage your time in practice can effect improvement just as much as the practice itself.

Get organized

A shooters training log or journal is an invaluable tool in a sport like 3-gun. I try to keep an ever-changing list of skills I want to improve, or elements that I need to practice in mine, as well as set drills and practice session times for comparison throughout the season. A season calendar allows me to plug in practice sessions and track progress leading toward each match. This log also travels with me to matches, and I make notes in it when traveling home about how things went, what caught me off guard, and elements that need to be improved. Write down as much information as possible in your training log, and refer to it frequently. This will help you stay focused on your improvement.

Set Goals

Take a look at where you are with your shooting currently and write down a list of all of your strengths and weaknesses. Then at the bottom of that same page, pick five or six overall goals that you would like to accomplish for the upcoming season. I would recommend writing those goals on every page of your training log, so that you constantly reinforce the big picture. Always having them there will help you stay focused on them when you are planning practice sessions, and tracking progress. Develop a practice priority list based on your strengths and weaknesses that push you towards those goals specifically.

Be honest with yourself

Everyone has a drill, or element of their shooting that they dislike practicing. Typically, you hate that element because you are not very good at it. If you are honest with yourself you will realize that the biggest improvements are made if you move problem areas like that to the top of your practice priority list. Trips to the range to repeatedly do something that you are already good at, repeating a tired drill over and over can actually result in backpedalling in terms of your match finishes and overall ability level.

Keep your list of strengths and weaknesses in your training log arranged in terms of skill level and priority throughout the season. I recommend compiling this list from three places. Your own personal experiences, match video review, and constructive criticism from skilled shooters. Multiple sources will help keep you honest and that honesty will keep training on track.

The skills that are most lacking should stay at the highest practice priority, with the items you are best at toward the bottom. Items on the list will likely change in level of priority throughout the season, but this big picture approach will keep your overall skill level improving.

Make every shot count

The more seriously you take practice, the better your results will be. Period. Go to the range with a pre-determined plan and stay on track. Avoid just spraying rounds at a target if things go off track during a drill. Stop. Reset. And do it again correctly to avoid reinforcing negative techniques and mindset. Every shot you send down range should be taken seriously, performed with good fundamentals, and according to a plan. If you get off track, it important to take a step back and figure out why it happened, so you can avoid it next time. That directly translates to the mindset you should have when you shoot a stage in a match, and ensures time well spent in your practice session.

Accept setbacks

Things won’t always go your way. That is just the reality of this sport…accept the fact that you will take setbacks and have to adjust for them. You are going to eventually make mistakes in your training methods that cost you positions in a match. Regular checkups with your established drills and match performance tracking will tell you what needs to change. If you keep your eyes on the ball though, you can make these adjustments and minimize the missteps, and correct them as quickly as possible when they do happen. This will ensure your big picture continues to improve.

Track your progress

Establish some basic skill drills to do on fairly regular basis and write down completion times to set baselines and track progress. Regular check-ups in practice will make sure that you don’t find out that a particular skill has slipped on the clock in a match. Also log match performances for comparison to make sure you aren’t making the same mistakes over and over again.

Prepare Properly

Depending on the part of the shooting season you are in, your practices will be different. You should tailor your range sessions to maximize success based on what is available. Typically during the 3-gun season, most of my time is spent preparing for specific challenges I expect to see at the next major match. Map out your season and take a long look at the time available to prepare for each match. Then take that available time and plug in the elements needed for that match into your practice schedule in order of priority.

The offseason is where the big improvements are made. Avoid the temptation to sit around. You will likely have more time to practice because there are fewer matches going on and those who take advantage of it will reap the benefits when the season starts.

Stay out of ruts

Be sure you are prioritizing properly. Keep a close eye on the big picture, meaning your OVERALL skill level. Each small aspect of your abilities add an element to your overall performance. Think of your skill set as tools in a tool box. A good tool box has a diverse selection of quality tools in it. Continually keeping each one of those tools finely tuned means that skill set improves as a whole.

Know when to quit

Some days things just don’t go your way at the range. You’ve had a bad day at work, things are hectic at home, or you didn’t get a good night’s sleep, and you find yourself struggling to stay focused at practice when your mind is elsewhere. Sometimes it is better to simply walk away and come back another time. Improper technique or half hearted practice won’t yield good results. Take the time you need to get your mind/body right and return for practice when you are there. Rest and relaxation can be just as important to match performance as sending rounds down range.

Apply that same approach to match preparation. Cramming right before a test rarely yields good results. Make sure that you allow time in the run up to a match for rest and recovery so that you arrive fresh and ready to perform.

Have fun!

The science of improvement in sport has always fascinated me. I personally enjoy practicing, but not every one does. Practice sessions can really be work, especially if you don’t start see results right away. It is really no different than starting a new diet, or workout routine. That makes it important to inject elements in your practice that you enjoy to keep it fun and fresh. If you practice with a training partner, finish each session with a challenge you can compete at. If you are alone, pick the drill you enjoy most to end on. And don’t be afraid to take a break if things are getting difficult and regroup later to make sure you stay on track. Remember, your big picture is not likely to improve if you are not having fun.

One of my favorite things about this sport is that it can be whatever you want it to be: Anything from an occasional local match for fun, to a season of competition against the best shooters in the world. The one constant at all levels, is that good performances yield more personal satisfaction. Regardless of whether that comes from a good day at the range, a good finish at a local match, or a stage win at a major. A structured, big picture approach to your practice sessions will insure that you get there faster!

Chris Andersen is a 3 Gun Nation Pro Shooter for Team Vertx and regular contributor to AR15.com and 3GunNation.com. Look for his articles and videos every month in the ARFCOM Newsletter to help improve your performance in 3 gun competition.

UnSafe Patches support NYSRPA

You can purchase them online and all proceeds go directly to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association's Political Victory Fund to defeat those elected officials you voted in favor of restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Coming soon, bumper stickers!

These are really selling well and 100% of the proceeds go to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association's Political Victory Fund.

Super Bowl of Hypocrisy: NFL Ad Policy Stiff Arms Daniel Defense

Here at the NRA, we love football. This is America, after all.

But, let's face it. There aren't too many sports more violent than one in which men weighing well upwards of 300 pounds repeatedly and deliberately crash into one another at speeds that most avid runners can only dream about, and slam each other to the ground. Football is a physical sport.

And there's no attempt to downplay the violent nature of the sport. After all, the team with the ball is called "the offense," a long pass downfield is referred to as a "bomb," and players who get too aggressive are penalized for "unnecessary roughness."

So, we're a little confused by a National Football League policy against accepting TV advertisements featuring "firearms, ammunition or other weapons."

The subject came up recently, after Fox TV had to inform Daniel Defense, the well-known manufacturer of high-quality AR-15 firearms and related products, that NFL policy prevented it from accepting the gun maker's ad for the 2014 Super Bowl.

Notably, the ad, which can be seen here, doesn't even show a "firearm, ammunition or other weapons," but instead only advocates the right of a person to make his own decisions about how to defend his family.

What's next? Will today's NFL bureaucrats try to kick the late, great, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Bob Hayes out of the NFL Hall of Fame, because his nickname was "Bullet Bob?"

Apparently, Daniel Defense's ad was initially rejected because it ends with DD's logo, which shows an image of an AR-15. But even after DD volunteered to replace the logo with an image of the American flag, the NFL wouldn't budge.

The NFL's denial of DD's ad is blatantly hypocritical. As Michelle Malkin noted in a National Review piece this week, the NFL is free to accept or reject any advertiser it wants to, but its "prohibited content" list didn't stop them from allowing lucrative vulgar ads over the years that, according to Malkin's article, have featured:

• - an upside-down clown who appears to pour Bud Light beer up his rear end;
• - a bizarre gender-change-operation analogy to tout Holiday Inn's hotel upgrades;
• - a barefoot Kenyan runner violently dragged to the ground by white hunters and forced to wear a pair of Just For Feet running shoes;
• - a flatulent Budweiser horse whose emissions cause a candle to torch a woman's hair;
• - ad characters getting electrocuted, run over by buses, kicked, punched, tackled, thrown out of high-rise buildings, and attacked by crotch-biting dogs

And, as Malkin notes, the NFL has routinely run ads that degrade women in a variety of ways, and regularly airs trailers for violent Hollywood movies and video games. As examples, Malkin points out that the in the aftermath of the Newtown shooting, a commercial promoting the shoot-'em-up flick Gangster Squad aired during a Colts-Texans game, and a spot promoting the M-rated video game Hitman: Absolution aired during a postgame show.

And let's not forget last year's Sunday Night Football rant by blowhard Bob Costas, who blindsided unsuspecting viewers with a personal "op-ed" blaming the tragic murder-suicide committed by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher on America's "gun culture." Or the anti-gun ads purchased by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" that ran during past Super Bowls.

Gun control supporters--some of whom probably consider badminton too violent--will pretend to be instant football fans over the NFL's latest ad ban, and defend the NFL's rejection of the ad as "a commonsense goal line stand."

We'd say instead that it is more like a fumble.

Feinstein Uses Brady Bill Anniversary to Push for "Universal Checks"

Last Saturday was the 20-year anniversary of President Bill Clinton's signing of the Brady Act into law, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) used the occasion to urge readers of the San Jose Mercury News to go along with requiring background checks on private transfers of firearms.

A "groundbreaking gun-safety law," she called the Brady Act. "Background checks on gun purchases work," she said. Repeating a false claim that earned President Obama Three Pinocchios from the Washington Post's Fact Checker earlier this year, Feinstein said that background checks should be imposed "on the estimated 40 percent of gun transfers made between private parties."

Gun control supporters have certainly changed their tune in one respect, at least.

When the Brady Act was being debated in Congress, gun control supporters opposed the idea of a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). They instead insisted on a waiting period on handgun purchases from dealers.

The reason was simple. They were alarmed at the rate at which Americans were buying handguns. In the 1970s, the Brady Campaign, then known as the National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH), breathlessly declared, "There are now 40 million handguns owned by private individuals in the United States--about one gun for every American family. At the present rate of proliferation, the number could build to 100 million by the year 2000 (which isn't as far off as you think). The consequences can be terrible to imagine--unless something is done." (Emphasis in the original.)

They hoped that a waiting period would slow down handgun sales, and believed that slowing down handgun sales had to occur, if they were to ever stand a chance of convincing the American people to go along with handgun registration.

In 1976, the leader of the NCCH told The New Yorker magazine that "The first problem is to slow down the increasing number of handguns being produced and sold in this country. The second problem is to get handguns registered. And the final problem is to make the possession of all handguns and all handgun ammunition--except for the military, policemen, licensed security guards, licensed sporting clubs, and licensed gun collectors--totally illegal."

In 1993, Congress temporarily authorized a maximum five-day waiting period on handgun purchases from dealers. But, to gun control supporters' chagrin at the time, mandated the establishment of NICS--an instant background check--within five years. Barring misidentification of a prospective purchaser, a firearm purchase could take no longer than a few minutes to complete!

The Brady Campaign, which fought against NICS with everything it had, adapted to its defeat, however. It now calls NICS checks "Brady checks" and says they should be conducted on even private transfers of firearms.

Again, the reason is simple. Once all transfers of firearms go through NICS, gun control supporters will be in position to demand that all records of approved NICS checks be retained for an extended period of time, not merely 24 hours, as provided for in current law. The late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) proposed legislation to extend the records retention period several years ago, in fact. The next steps would be to retain the records permanently, and to require that the records include the make, model and serial number of all firearms transferred in conjunction with the checks.

The anti-gun "media watchdog" group Media Matters, funded by George Soros, scoffs at the idea that requiring "universal checks" would lead to registration. A national gun registry is prohibited under federal law, they say. The reality is, however, if gun control supporters become the majority in Congress, they could change the law at the drop of a hat.

Gun control supporters' ulterior motives aside, there are plenty of other reasons "universal checks" will not have the desired effect in reducing crime. According to Justice Department studies, people in prison for gun crimes have mostly acquired their firearms by theft, on the black market, or from family and friends. Furthermore, criminals who are prohibited by law from possessing firearms, and who therefore cannot pass NICS checks, already defeat the system by having straw purchasers buy guns for them. Finally, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, "universal checks" will not work without requiring gun registration.

As for slowing down handgun sales, Americans have bought about 60 millions handguns since Brady/NCCH sounded its false alarm several decades ago. And indeed, Americans now own the 100 million handguns that NCCH predicted.

For the record, the nation's murder rate is at nearly an all-time low.