pg. 17 - new york state rifle and pistol association

Official journal of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, the state’s official NRA affiliate

Donation: $2.50

Vol. 59 No.3 USPS 996-700 June 2020

The Fight Goes Onpg. 17

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Your Board of DirectorsPresidentTom King 713 Columbia Turnpike PO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061 Phone: (518) 272-2654 Fax: (518) 274-4972 [email protected]

TreasurerBrenda Leder PO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061 Phone: (518) 272-2654 [email protected]

SecretaryStephen D. Kraynak 1120 7th Ave. Watervliet NY 12189 [email protected]

Industry RelationsGeorge K. Kollitides II Aegis Capital Advisors LLC 299 Park Ave., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10171 Phone: work (212) 284-7825 cell (917) 747-2751 [email protected]

SmallboreCharles J. Meyer 158 Willow Lane Scotia, NY 12302 Phone: (518) 265-3555 [email protected]

PistolStephen D. Kraynak 1120 7th Ave. Watervliet NY 12189 [email protected]

High Power ChairpersonGeorge W. Kline 6 Carrie Lane Nanuet, NY 10954 Phone: (917) 709-3691 [email protected]

Junior ChairpersonJennifer Schmitt 713 Columbia Turnpike PO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061 Phone: (716) 397-4378 [email protected]

Women in the Shooting Sports ChairpersonJackie Emslie 17 Corlies Ave. Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Phone: (914) 475-4901 [email protected]

DirectorsCharlie Beers III Glenville, NY Phone: (518) 469-5312 [email protected]

John Butcher Lockport, NY Phone: (518) 272-2654

James Collins 177 Violet Ave. Floral Park, NY 11001 Phone: (516) 775-6597

John Cushman 107 Truberg Ave. Patchogue, NY 11772 Phone: (631) 475-8125 [email protected]

Marie D’Amico Phone: (518) 272-2654 [email protected]

John Greene PO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061 (914) 804-0158 [email protected]

Glenn Hancock 57 Wardell St. Adams, NY 13605 Phone: (315) 408-7340

Maria Mann Port Jervis [email protected]

Brian Olesen 1702 Central Ave. Albany, NY 12205 Phone: (518) 817-2223

J. Scott Sommavilla Westchester, NY (914) 747-5001 [email protected]

Keith A Wiggand 252 Glenmont Road Glenmont, NY 12077 (518) 434-8550 [email protected]

Past PresidentsRobert Kamholtz 4123 Osage Lane Ormond Beach, FL 32174

Tory Brainard 3105 Schindler Drive Pearl River, NY 10965

Dr. Robert Cornute 33 Locust Grove Road Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Charles J. Meyer 158 Willow Lane Scotia, NY 12302

Willard E. Doughty 9221 Leatherstone Lane Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Chairman of Cowboy Action Shooting CommitteeDave Meyer 70 Rosemont Drive Amherst, NY 14226 Phone: (716) 838-4286

Advertising Sales ManagerCarl Gottstein 713 Columbia Turnpike PO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061 Phone: (518) 470-7874 Fax: (518) 274-4972 [email protected]

General Information(518) 272-2654 [email protected] www.nysrpa.org

Tel: (518) 272-2654

ContentsYour Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Collectors Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Adirondack Regional Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Highpower Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Commodities and Covid-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9How (& Why) You Should Keep Both Eyes Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The Streak Continues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Concealed Carry at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14The Fight Goes On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Here is Joe Biden’s Wish List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Perpetual Lockdown Batters New York City’s Gun Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Notes from Brenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Member Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26NYSRPA Individual Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Bullet (USPS # 996-700) is published 6 times a year (February, April, June, August, October, December) by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, 713 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, NY 12061. Periodicals Postage Paid at East Greenbush, NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Bullet, 713 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, NY 12061.

NYSRPA is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Rifle Association—for the purpose of promoting safety and education in the sport of shooting and hunting. The Bullet is sent to members of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association (fair market value: $5 per year or $1 per copy.) Published in the U.S. by PIA Management Services Inc., 25 Chamberlain St., Glenmont, NY 12077-0977. Postmaster send change of address forms to: 713 Columbia Turnpike, PO Box 278, East Greenbush, NY 12061.

June 2020 Vol. 59 No. 3

The official journal of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association 3

Deadline for submissions for the August issue of Bullet magazine is: June 22, 2020

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President’s Message by Tom King

Know your sources2020. A year that will live in infamy. We faced many enemies, and it appears we are defeating them all. Why do I say, it appears we are defeating them all? Because, it depends on what news outlet you are tuned into to see how you are doing.

Let’s break this down a little, on the left you have NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Daily News, Newsday, USA Today, The Washington Post, L.A. Times and all the major media conglomerates that have outlets in the less populated cities. Those are just a few of the major media outlets that are constantly spreading their progressive tripe. When I discuss this matter with many of our followers, they all agree, the mainstream media is biased, and they usually respond, “Thank God we still have the internet and social media to tell us the truth.”

Whoa! Hold on there, partner. Know your source. Did you know that many of the popular media news sites are owned and operated by Bloomberg, Soros and their ilk? Did you know that progressives have hired hundreds of trolls to cruise our sites and stir up controversy and discontent during this critical election year? The surest way, for the forces of evil, to defeat us is by dividing us. Hence, we have the NRA controversy as a method of attempting to disarm and disable the most potent Second Amendment defender in the United States. Why? To defeat President Trump’s reelection

campaign, and to prevent us from retaking the House of Representatives.

Any victories the NRA has won are ignored or spun to make it appear we lost or were inconsequential. People the NRA, like the NYSRPA are active daily pushing our issues and taking the important pieces to court where victories come in many forms. Let me provide an example: NYSRPA v. NYC the recent Supreme Court case that was declared moot. The court may have decided not to rule on the case, but we achieved our goal, New York City and New York state both pushed through legislation that corrected the ongoing situation we sued over. Ladies and gentlemen, it is the first case that New York City or the state has ever capitulated on because they feared an unfavorable SCOTUS decision. That is a victory anyway you parse it, but you never read that in the mainstream media, in fact you didn’t hear much about it on the internet either.

That is why you must get your information from trusted sources, which do not gratuitously take shots at other organizations to raise money or attract members. You must listen to organizations that have a proven track record of accomplishments and not of making unfulfilled promises. Look back over the years and listen to the people who have said it straight from the beginning.

Call the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association or the NRA if you want the straight scoop on the issues at hand. Call us any time.

The court may have decided not to rule on the case, but we achieved our goal, New York City and New York state both pushed through legislation that corrected the ongoing situation we sued over.


In this installment of Collector’s Corner, I’m going to take a slight departure from my usual articles in which I go over the history of a firearm or accessory.

While things have improved dramatically over the years, it still can be difficult to find ammunition for some of the older cartridge firearms people may have in their collections.

So, in this month’s column, I’d like to talk about cartridge conversion—sometimes called wildcatting. This is the modification of one cartridge case into another chambering, perhaps even a brand new one.

If the result is a brand new case design, this is called wildcatting. Many of the cartridges we know today started as wildcats (e.g., the .22-250 Remington, 6.8 mm SPC, 7 mm-08 Remington, and .300 Blackout). In some instances, the wildcat cartridge was developed with help from commercial industry (e.g., the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .221 Fireball, and .22 Jet).

The conversion process can be fairly simple or more complex. It may involve necking the parent case up or down for a different diameter projectile, moving the shoulder forward or back, changing the shoulder angle, adjusting the case taper, trimming the case length, modifying the rim dimensions, or any combination of these actions.

I’ll start with a fairly basic procedure, and go through the steps for one of the simpler conversions (.223 Remington to .300 Blackout). You also can use 5.56 mm cases, but they have two

Collectors Corner by David Bock

additional concerns. One is that military primers often are crimped, and removing the crimp is an extra step. The other concern regards the case wall thickness. Since the case length is trimmed back significantly, case wall thickness may become an issue when the new case neck is formed. Certain brands of cases seem better for this than others.

The first step is to sort, deprime, and clean the brass.

Once the batch of cases is ready to go, there are a couple of options for the first step. Some people prefer to size first, others prefer to trim first.

I’m a size-first person. To start this step, I apply a dab of lanolin-based case lube to the first case, then run it up into a .300 Blackout sizing die. This can take some force, so I use an O-Frame press as it has more strength. Not every case needs to be lubed. I’ve found I only need to apply it every three to five cases with carbide dies.

Once the cases have been run through the .300 Blackout dies, they need to be trimmed to the proper length. I use a small chop saw I bought at Harbor Freight. While there are jigs available to hold and position the cases on the saw bed, I made my own out of scrap wood and a couple of brass screws.

After the cases have been rough cut slightly oversize, they get trimmed to final length. Again, there are several different tools available for this step. I like the Lee Precision trimmer that can be used with my drill press.

The final step for this stage is deburring and chamfering the case mouth.

At this point I run the sized and trimmed cases through a case cleaner to remove the lubricant and any brass shavings. Generally, I use a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media.

In this conversion, there’s an optional step before sizing. In other conversions, it’s a necessity.

You may have heard of annealing cases. This is the process of heating the brass to a specific temperature and then cooling it quickly. Brass work hardens and becomes brittle with use, so case conversion can pretty significantly work the brass, and annealing can both prevent splitting during the conversion process, and increase case length afterward.

I know some shooters who anneal their special match cases after every so many reloadings to preserve them.

For any of our readers who are also members of AR15.com, there’s a discussion in the Reloading section on

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Valad Electric Heating Corp.Arthur Cecchini

65 Leonards Dr., Montgomery, NY 12549(914) 631-4927

a DIY Annealing machine. I haven’t done this yet, but it’s on my list.

Once the brass is converted to .300 Blackout, it can be shot and reloaded multiple times. If and when it finally fails, the case neck usually is the culprit due to that pesky work hardening again. At this point, the brass can be discarded, or it can be trimmed and sized further to be used in .380 ACP handguns.

Converting .223 Remington to .300 Blackout is, as I said, a fairly simple and straight forward case conversion. A much more involved one is converting 24 Gauge Magtech Brass Shotshells to .577/450 Martini–Henry.

That conversion requires multiple sizing and annealing steps due to the more significant changing of dimensions, and therefore increased work hardening of the brass.

For other conversions, it may be necessary to redimension the case rim or extractor groove. This is best done on a lathe as the amount of material to be removed is precise and if the rim needs to be made thinner, material is removed from the inside of the rim.

By this, I mean the portion of the rim opposite the case head.

Obviously, there’s much more to this topic then I can cover here. If converting one cartridge case to another interests you, there are a number of resources available both in print and online.

Case conversion is an excellent way to not only get some older firearms shooting again, but is also a great way to learn more about the family relationship between some otherwise very different cartridges.

For details on cartridge case dimensions, see the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (saami.org).

There are two excellent reference books on cartridges, their history, and conversion data: Cartridges of the World by Frank Barnes, and The Handloader’s Manual of Cartridge Conversions by John and Judy Donnelly.

As usual, if you have an idea for future articles, please send an email to [email protected] with “Collectors Corner” in the subject line and make sure to include your name for proper credit.


Adirondack Regional Director by Glenn Hancock

Trap season is upon us!* Trap shooting is a great sport that’s easily participated in, and you do not have to join the league to shoot on practice nights. Where we live, there are a dozen clubs all within a half hour of Watertown, and many more within an hour. Don’t care to shoot trap? Most of those clubs have rifle and pistol ranges, and increasingly other shooting events are going on at the same time, and there the folks inside the club who talk about current events while eating a burger ... you remember those times don’t you?

Participate as much or as little as you want, but do become a member, and do become involved, the future depends on it.

For more information see these websites: www.facebook.com/NorthernTierTrapLeague/ and

www.northerntiertrapleague.com/index.html.

Opportunities abound!By now we all know the outcome of our Supreme Court case against New York City, and while we did not gain the success sought, it was not a total loss in a war that we’ve been fighting since the Gun Control Act of 1968. We made New York City blink, and change its laws—as it knew it was breaking state law in its administrative practices, and civil rights at the federal level.

Multiple opportunities abound for other cases awaiting certiorari, see the following:

www.scotusblog.com/2020/04/after-ruling-in-new-york-gun-rights-case-more-second-amendment-cases-

set-for-friday-conference/ and news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/more-gun-cases-waiting-in-high-court-wings-if-ny-dispute-flops. Time will tell.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 came a sudden, and expected demand for items needed to ride out and survive this new-to-us event, one of which was guns and ammunition, and as in times of catastrophe before, those without suddenly became interested in something previously abhorred or found uninteresting; now they want guns, that’s great and here’s where opportunity lies: New Gun owners need training, education and encouragement. They need to be included in the gun-debate issues, they need to understand just how quickly those new purchases can become illegal overnight. We have an opportunity to educate, train, and further our Second Amendment rights. Remember, one of the charter premises of NYSRPA and the NRA is the education of people unfamiliar with guns and marksmanship. For more information, see firearmtraining.nra.org.

EducationSchools are closed and will not reopen until the fall, these closures also close high school trap teams. Here in the North Country interest has been astounding—and despite the Democrats in the state Legislature passing laws to prohibit young people from touching guns without strict supervision, and completion of a state-sponsored Hunter Safety Course—it is growing, and we will find a way for those who are interested in participating to do so. This is an

opportunity for gun clubs to bring young people in and older ones back: Trap shooting is safe, economical, and a wonderful way to safely introduce new shooters into not only a sport, but eventually into the gun-control debate—not with innuendo, but with facts, education, and experience. For more information, see: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/92267.html.

PoliticalNot just in the coming presidential election, but right now, right here in New York, we have the opportunity to replace the inept and dysfunctional, Democrat-controlled Legislature. We must dismiss apathy, laziness and ignorance. We must become active in the selection, vetting and support of viable candidates who represent our culture, stop with the “We can’t beat NYC” attitude, the admonishment “Well, my guy’s different” and worst of all “My vote doesn’t count” Those are three prime examples of why we have the representation we have now. We will have the very government we allow.

When you really step back and look at all big picture, you’ll find that opportunities abound, but you have to go and find them, then you have to become involved, you have to find the time, and when you do the payoff is fantastic.

*At the time of this article was written the Norther Tier Trap League 2020 season is on hold, with hope that things “open up” across the state.

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Highpower DirectorHello Highpower Shooters, I sincerely hope that all NYSRPA members and their families are well and have not experienced any tragedy resulting from this COVID 19 pandemic—other than having to remain home as we flatten the curve. To those of you who are on the front line and must go to work each day— police, firefighters, medical workers and hospital staff—you exemplify the best of the best and what is great about our country. Thank you. This year was shaping up to be a terrific highpower season beginning with the Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) at the Peconic River Sportsman’s Club and highpower programs across the state. However, we have fallen victim to social distancing for the time being. I am certain you all have received messaging from the CMP and NRA informing you of local, regional and National Match cancellations. It has been 70

years since the last cancellation of the National Matches due to the Korean War. As stated by the NRA Executive Committee in NRA Tournament News, August, 1950: “In view of the increasing seriousness of the foreign situation and a growing demand for all-out civilian support of National rearmament effort and troop requirements, the Executive Committee of the National Rifle Association ... canceled the 1950 … National Smallbore and Pistol Championships … and the National High Power Rifle Championships. …When the National Rifle Association took similar action in February of 1942, there was considerable criticism from those quarters which felt that America could fight a war while continuing business as usual. But subsequent events proved the leaders of the NRA were merely in advance of the rest of the sports world in recognizing the true state of affairs. The men who head the NRA at this time believe that the present world

situation warrants husbanding all available ammunition, supplies and channeling of both supplies and man power into an aggressive nation-wide Small Arms Training Program even at the expense of the Annual Championships.” Those of us who enjoy the National Match experience—walking down Viale and Rodriguez Ranges in the dark morning hours, the firing of the canon followed by the bugle rendition of the National Anthem, and the excitement of being called to the firing line for the President’s 100—we are disheartened by the cancellation. But it is a small price to pay considering what our fellow shooters, many of whom we only see at Camp Perry, may be going through.Stay in touch with your local highpower Program Directors. Match programs will come back online, and they will need your support.

by George Kline

Deadline for submissions for the August issue of Bullet magazine is: June 22, 2020

Continued on page 23


Maybe my definition of a commodity falls short of Webster’s Dictionary but, I’ll call them items of trade value that are—or may become—in high demand. Unbeknownst to many, I became a commodities trader in the late 1990s, when I served in the U.S. Navy. In those days, tobacco products, flavor ice, spring water and other beverages held the most value on a ship. After a few weeks at sea, each of those products rose in value—especially as known supplies on board ship dwindled. As a non-tobacco user, it was never hard to allow the value to elevate a bit before unearthing the “last pack or tin” aboard a ship. Sometimes the payment was in cash and other times my laundry was done or my floor waxed. Without exaggeration, these times made me look at supply chains, and the availability of all products.

The COVID challenges of 2020 caught many folks short of simple household items. I was amazed by folks who lacked food of any duration and even toilet paper. Maybe having Depression-era grandparents had shaped my buying habits, maybe times on ship with only ultra pasteurized boxed milk but, certainly “Uncle”

Commodities and COVID-19 by Charlie Beers

George played the biggest role. As I have mentioned previously my father’s cousin George fed my shooting and reloading habits when I was younger. These early lessons were learned as I borrowed primers and powder during the Gulf War—with a promise of repayment when shelves were flush once again. I learned to stock up and stay ahead of the cyclical norms of life.

The panic purchases made prior to the closure of gun shops in New York state was like nothing I have ever witnessed. There were non-gun owners in gun shops—some I knew personally, and some who had even challenged my use and ownership of sporting arms in the past. The most vivid memory of this time is the man who purchased an early Savage 99 in .303 Savage. The man with snow white hair purchased the last lever-action rifle, even after being told the ammo was hard to come by, and the shop had none to sell. I tried to identify with emotions that would drive such a purchase; they seemed not to exist in my body. The gentleman left, commodity in hand and beaming with satisfaction.

Some folks were not so polite, culminating with a downstate physician in Fulton County who was displeased with the “hoops and paperwork” to purchase a firearm. I was proud to see that he was not from Fulton County or anywhere close. It was sad to listen as new gun owners requested training as the state was locking down, and there was no capacity for training. I expect deals to hit the market within the next year as some of these new firearms are resold; have your cash ready. However, we need to seek out and educate these new gun owners. Every one we win over, is an ally.

As weeks wore on it was the men and women of my local gun clubs who reached out most to check in and offer help. Many of them had a surplus of needs at home and they actively were reaching out to support friends and neighbors. A close friend—who is not a gun owner and differs with me on political issues—swore she would use leaves and pine needles before asking me for toilet paper.

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A common topic among shooters is how to shoot with both eyes open. There are several advantages to not closing an eye when forming a sight picture, that range from accuracy to situational awareness. I am also a firm believer that the grimace we make when squeezing one eye shut heightens our sensitivity to unpleasantness, and actually leads to jumping and flinching. Here’s an example: Getting a shot in a doctor’s office. Before the needle hits our arm, the first thing many of us do is close our eyes and tighten our facial muscles. However, if we relax, the pinch is barely noticeable and we get more comfortable with needles.

Then there’s the tactical question. If you close one eye, you lose half of your field of view and leave yourself open to a second attacker or other hazards. So whatever style of shooting you prefer, you owe it to yourself to learn how to do it with both eyes open.

From my sample of more than 1,000 students at Renaissance Firearms Instruction, we have determined approximately 85 percent of shooters are same-side dominant. This means that most right-handed people are also right-eye dominant, and most lefties are left-eye dominant. This demographic has the easiest time learning how to shoot with both eyes open. However even they require instruction on how to do so.

My basic instruction with same-side-dominant people starts with having them lift just their right arm, then just their left, followed by legs,

How (& Why) You Should Keep Both Eyes Open While Shooting

followed by closing one eye then the other, and last having them breathe through just one nostril and then the other. I do this to assure them that they can independently use any voluntary muscle God gave them two of, once they realize how. After this I have them focus at any distant object with their dominant eye, and then their non-dominant eye. Then I have students focus on the white of my fingernail that I raise up and concentrate on bringing it into focus and allowing my face to blur in the background, then I have them do the opposite.

If done correctly, I have just taught the student two things.1. They can focus on an object with

either eye; and

2. They can focus at different distances, as long as they concentrate on the details.

It’s important to understand that your non-dominant side isn’t useless; it’s just not as strong and agile as your dominant side. Consider your weak hand—after all, it’s still good enough for most tasks and with a little practice, you can even write with it to some degree.

So what about that 15 percent that is cross-dominant? Well, just like when you broke your wrist back at summer camp you can train yourself to get those muscles up to snuff and shoot just as accurately as your same-side-dominant buds.

On a personal note, I have even taught myself to change dominance at will

and even shoot a long gun off of either shoulder. You see, I’m left-handed and left-eye dominant. However, most students are right-handed and watching a left-handed demonstration can be very confusing. Therefore, just from years of handling a gun and demonstrating proper cheek weld, I am approaching a level of ambidexterity that is merely a happy accident. My happy accident can be your happy training plan…so here’s how I did it:

Don’t overdo it with a pistolIf you’re cross dominant both-eyes-open pistol shooting is very easy to attain. Most folks take the instruction of “hold the gun over more” to a ridiculous extreme and cock or turn their head or even cant the pistol. These positions are doing nothing to help promote a relaxed form and even slow you down as they become habit before you fire a shot. The secret is in the septum. All you have to do is use the septum of your nose as a dividing line and make sure you are bringing the pistol towards the dominant side of your face. Here you don’t need to focus with your non-dominant eye at all, just make sure you are shifting your eyes to the front sight, to bring that into focus. By doing this you will no longer need to close one eye.

Stay natural with a rifleWhen it comes to long guns, you have that stock in your way, so the only way for a cross-dominant shooter to use their dominant eye is to fire off of their non-dominant shoulder. While this is certainly an option, many shooters


don’t have the dexterity to do so. However, some people do some things weak-sided and they don’t understand why. Therefore I always present this as a first option; oftentimes they are equally comfortable on either side, so why not embrace that?

However, for those who must shoot a rifle cross, dominant the secret is just a few cents’ worth of tape. By covering the eye protection over the dominant eye it forces the shooter to use and strengthen the non-dominant eye. After time goes by, they can often shoot without that eye covering—simply by shifting focus and attention to the eye that they need to use. Just as they can raise their weak hand without raising their strong hand, they can use

their weak eye to focus on a front sight while relaxing their dominant eye.

However, this only works if they mount the rifle the way it is supposed to be mounted. Most cross-dominant shooters will attempt to hyperextend their neck in an attempt to get their dominant eye behind the sight or scope. Here they find themselves with their cheek lying on top of the stock instead of alongside it where it belongs. Once they find themselves trying to do this all is lost, as neither eye is going to be in line with the aiming device. Here I discourage the use of “Band-Aid solutions” like the installation of high scope rings, as this only promotes poor form and eventual neck pain.

Being cross-dominant or left-handed is not a handicap, and in fact, it can

be the catalyst to making you a better shooter than those who are considered “normal.” I recall once, during a practical carbine match, I watched shooter after shooter bend and twist to engage a target from both sides of a barrier. When it was my turn, I shot left-handed from one side and then right-handed from the other side earning me the fastest time on my squad for that stage. All it takes is a little practice using that “other” eye and you can easily shoot with both eyes open and be comfortable doing so.

This article was first published by Frank Melloni on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 reprinted from NRA Family and is republished here with permission from the NRA.

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Support NRA-ILA April 2020 set another record for background checks conducted through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Check System (NICS). The FBI NICS office conducted 2,911,128 background checks last month—a nearly 25% increase from the previous April, which had been the previous record high for the month of April.

April 2020 is now the fourth-busiest month in the history of the NICS office. Moreover, the week of April 13th through the 19th is the 9th busiest week in NICS history.

The more than 2.9 million checks run last month included: 984,872 checks related to the transfer of a handgun; 508,122 checks related to the transfer

The Streak Continues: April Sets NICS Recordof a long gun; 68,746 checks related to “other” transfers; and, 34,779 checks related to multiple transfers in one transaction. There were also 311,568 permit checks and an additional 888,385 permit rechecks.

To be blunt: Americans set another record for background checks last month because we are a nation of law-abiding gun owners intent on keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. Nearly three-million background checks to purchase a firearm or obtain a permit were conducted in just the thirty days of April. That is not a small group of “super gun owners” stockpiling thousands of firearms or some small subset of the general population.

Gun owners include all, from every race, gender, and creed. We—the gun owning community—reflect the overall population because we are a significant part of the overall population.

April continued the 2020 trend of record-setting months for the NICS office. January was (at the time) the sixth-busiest month ever and the busiest January by far. February saw even more checks than January, making it the third busiest month ever (at the time) and easily set the February record. March reset the all-time record with more than 3.7 million checks.

This is not an emerging trend. December 2019 saw more than 2.9 million NICS checks and was the second-busiest December ever. Before

Freedom isn’t free.

Vote! The official journal of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association 13

that, each of these months in 2019 had set the record for that respective month: April, May, June, August, September, October, and November. Of course, April 2020 and May 2020 shattered those respective records.

There were more NICS checks run in 2019 than in any other year, and there were more run in 2018 than any prior year except 2016. The four busiest years for the NICS offices have been the last four years. So far this year, there have been 32% more NICS checks run than there were in the same time period in 2019.

We suspect that we may see more NICS records broken this year. The anti-gun billionaires see these numbers, as do their “volunteers” and

their bought-and-sold puppets. Do you think that Mike Bloomberg is going to take this as a sign that the American people support 2nd Amendment rights?

This is a man who spent more than a billion dollars on a shortsighted bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination that only lasted three months. Bloomberg and his allies—as well as those that depend on his funding for their campaigns—will double down as they try to eliminate gun rights in the United States.

We respect the millions of Americans who have decided to become law-abiding gun owners in 2020, but their rights may be revoked if they do not vote this November.

Protecting our rights will take every one of us. Every single American that applied for a permit and/or purchased a firearm this year must do everything they can to help us protect our rights.

Volunteer. Spread the word. Get your family and friends registered to vote. Vote and make your friends and family vote, too.

This article was first published on Monday, May 11, 2020 reprinted from NRA Grassroots and republished here with permission from the NRA.

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Whether you are a woman who works from home, or from an office or business, there are options in what and how you carry after you return from your daily activities outside your abode.

The choice to own a gun is the choice to invest in our safety and the safety of our family. That choice leads to other decisions. Whether you are a woman who works from home, or from an office or business, there are options in what and how you carry after you return from your daily activities outside your abode. I am going to share a few ideas on things to consider when you carry a firearm at home.

First Things First: What is the Best Choice for Your Home?Carrying a firearm at home doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to carry on your body. It can refer to your house gun, or the firearm in a quickly accessed cabinet. For me, there are certain times where a gun close at hand makes more sense than wearing one. There are times we cannot wear a gun (the shower and when we go to sleep), but that doesn’t mean we cannot have an “off-body” gun handy.

Not All Carry Solutions are EqualWhile everyone might have a different upbringing and understanding in relation to firearms, there are some universal truths we need to follow, no matter the setting in which we use a firearm. Items like the need to follow the rules of firearms safety, the need to properly store ammo and firearms. You

Concealed Carry at Home: What You Need to Know

want to begin with what you know, find out what else you might need to know, and design your at-home carry plans around that. Key points for choosing a method of carry for your home and property:

• Does it secure my firearm in a safe manner?

• Is the trigger guard covered and protected?

• Can I actually get to my firearm quickly?

• Does it keep young children from accessing the firearm?

• Do I have to consider any state or local laws if I carry on my property?

Different Solutions for Every HomeI can share what some of my solutions are, but they might not be right for your family. My choice to leave my concealed carry gun in its holster in a particular cupboard where I will pick it up with my wallet and keys the next time I leave the house would NOT be a solution for a home with small children. I could share that a home defense rifle or two are strategically placed, along with ammo. But that also might not fit your home or the people in it. The most important thing you need to do is find the solution that puts your family’s safety first. That might mean you only carry in your home in a manner your children cannot access, like a holster with retention, or an empty rifle with the ammo out of reach of those who shouldn’t have access. Whatever you decide, it has to

fit the laws in your area, the people in your home.

Key Points for Carrying a Firearm at Home: WHERE: On body, off body, IWB, OWB

WHAT: Pistol, shotgun or rifle? Do I have additional ammo nearby?

WHY: Do I have children or guests who might come across it and should I change my plan?

HOW: How often do I inspect this firearm? Do I know how to check if it is loaded? Do I know how to reload it? Do I know where ammo for this firearm is?

Common Sense and Serious SituationsAnother item I would add to what makes concealed carry at home a thing you actually do is whether it’s necessary. Do you live in a place that sees home break-ins? Do you have a serious threat, like a stalker? Do you live in a rural setting and have livestock to protect? (This is one reason many rural residents carry daily.)

Common sense tells us that we don’t have much to fear in our own homes, but when times are uncertain or there are known dangers, the choice to stay armed is logical. To make it happen more easily, work for consistency, but also make it a simple practice to adapt. Buy leggings or comfortable clothing that is designed for carry AND women’s bodies. Find clothing that is “every day” but functions for


concealed carry, and then go focus on your life! Find a support group

Women are fortunate to have access to what I would call “support groups” for female firearms owners. There are many organizations that hold ladies-only events and range days, which are welcoming places to ask your questions. Some offer the option to take an online class, and find out what others are doing to stay safe at home. These can be great places to find encouragement for your choice to carry, even while at home. Do some shopping around.

One of the best ways to understand if a piece of gear will work for YOU and how you plan to access a firearm is to test it out. Don’t rule out attending events that allow you to “test drive” products. A range day with a brand or facility might be a great chance to understand whether a particular set up is right for you. The NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits is a huge event that has vendors with products you can

actually try, and often times purchase on the spot. Shop for brands that will allow a swift return of products that are not right for you.

Make safe and informed choices and be consistent. Whatever way you choose to carry a firearm while you are at home or busy on your private property, some basic truths apply: Having a firearm at hand and accessible is better than having a brilliant solution or the best concealed carry device that money can buy. Some gear can buy you ease in carrying, and comfort ... some even style, but just having your firearm with you is a choice that you have to make on a consistent basis. Making the choice to carry, even at home, is the thing that can save you.

About the Author: Becky Yackley competes in the shooting sports across the country and around the world with her husband and three sons. She has spent much of the last 20 years holding down the fort while her husband proudly serves

our country in both the Marine Corps and state law enforcement. Her writing, blogging, and photography are ways that she shares her unique perspective on firearms, competition, hunting, and the Second Amendment, especially as it applies to mothers on their own. She grew up the daughter of a gunsmith, and with her siblings competed in NRA Highpower and Smallbore, and she has since competed in more disciplines than almost any woman involved in the shooting sports. From IPSC, USPSA, Bianchi Cup, 3 Gun and more, she enjoys sharing that to be proficient and knowledgeable with a firearm is within the reach of anyone! She’s the founder a 501c.3, 2A Heritage Ltd., and works with industry partners and other volunteers who share the ethos of bringing new youth into the shooting sports with personal commitment to safely sharing an historically American pastime.

This article was first published by Becky Yackley on May 4, 2020 and is republished here with permission from the NRA.

The Fight Goes On by Carl Gottstein

I know we all hoped this would be the seminal Second Amendment case of our era, because blue states are over-stepping to a degree that requires immediate court intervention. This case did its job. Yes, the fact is it did what it was set out to do in slapping back the controlling hands of New York City authoritarians who are determined to deny our citizens the right to keep, bear and operate arms in Downstate New York, and carry them to our homes in Upstate New York. If you are in New York City, you know what I am talking about, and I expect you’re celebrating this case from soup to nuts. We are proud to make a difference for the gun owners in all of the state and those in New York City who would like to be responsible gun owners, too. NYSRPA and the NRA are here to fight for everyone in New York looking to lawfully exercise our God-given rights.

At issue in the case, was whether the Second Amendment allowed New York City to prohibit licensed handgun owners from transporting their guns, locked in a case and unloaded, outside the city for lawful purposes. Before NYSRPA brought the case to court, New York City did not allow for much freedom at all. But, due to the case being taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court, the New York state and the city reversed course, and now both permit licensed handgun owners to travel within the city and state. A stunning victory for NYSRPA and our allied partners America’s NRA, combined forces of justice and common sense.

The reversal was so complete—and their capitulation so unlike New York Democrats past actions—it took even the courts by surprise, and in a majority of their eyes it rendered the case moot. Is New York state seriously admitting defeat, not publicly or so you would notice, but is it admitting its actions will not hold up in a high court? Yes it is—on paper and behind closed doors.

“The U.S. Supreme Court took another pass on deciding a case that could have helped to clarify proper Second Amendment analysis and bring defiant lower courts into line.”—NRA

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“The city subsequently admitted that the challenged regulations had no bearing on public safety and changed the rules to allow licensees to take their guns to ranges, competitions, and second homes outside municipal limits,” according to a statement from the NRA.

Nevertheless, the changes specifically required that the licensees had to travel “directly” between their residences and the permitted destinations and that any portion of the trip within the city itself had to be “continuous and uninterrupted.”

The state Legislature also amended the state’s handgun licensing statute to specifically authorize New York City licensees to undertake a “direct” trip to a range or competition outside the five boroughs.

But the case was not without controversy, and the Wall Street Journal thinks there should be consequences as democratic senators filed an “enemy of the court” brief. Basically, Democrats ordered the court justices

to drop the NYSRPA v. NYC case. Sens. Gillibrand and Schumer openly threatened reprisals to the justices if they failed to find the case moot.

The effect was obviously chilling on the court.

Politicians like to restrict our rights in the broadest of terms, but most often they are only won back in court in small bites, begrudgingly. This case was set to blow their multitude of hairbrained infringements right out of existence. It kept them up nights. So, they wrongly influenced the court.

The fight goes on …

Although Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s vote to moot the case—joining with liberal justices—could be read as a disturbing indicator, it also should be noted that Kavanaugh wrote separately to underscore that he agreed with a dissent written by Justice Samuel Alito as it pertained to the methodology of resolving cases under the court’s precedents in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago.

Justice Kavanaugh added: “I share Justice Alito’s concern that some federal and state courts may not be properly applying Heller and McDonald. The Court should address that issue soon, perhaps in one of the several Second Amendment cases with petitions for certiorari now pending before the Court.”

That statement could be mean good news for future rulings, and so perhaps there still is room for some portion of rational optimism.

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our membership, board of directors, the staff at NYSRPA and our executive Director to thank the NRA for once again being by our side and matching our efforts in this case and in the good fight stride for stride, and never letting us down. NRA’s support makes the difference, we thank you! Lots more work to do!

See you in court!


Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, just published his anti-gun wish list. Guess what’s on it—yup, you and your freedom. Now guess what’s not—right again, there is very little on it about targeting criminals who use guns.

Biden’s list includes gun bans, forced confiscations of guns, mandatory licensing and many other restrictions. Put together, he is looking to effectively smother the Second Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights.

Add to this the fact that he’d nominate judges, including any justices to possible openings on the U.S. Supreme Court, who would vote to gut the Second Amendment of our individual right, and it’s clear he would, if he got his way, terminate our right to keep and bear arms.

Biden begins by bragging that he has singled out your preeminent civil-liberties association: “Joe Biden has taken on the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the national stage and won—twice. In 1993, he shepherded through Congress the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which established the background check system that has since kept more than 3 million firearms out of dangerous hands. In 1994, Biden—along with Senator Dianne Feinstein—secured the passage of 10-year bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. As president, Joe Biden will defeat the NRA again.”

Let’s pause for some fact checking. The NRA was actually instrumental in fixing the legislation that created the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). As for the

Here is Joe Biden’s Anti-Gun Wish List1994 “Federal Assault Weapons Ban,” the NRA won this battle in 2004 by lobbying for legislators to allow it to sunset.

A few sentences later, Biden’s campaign website takes credit for “increasing the number of records in the background check system, and

expanding funding for mental health services.” Actually, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been spearheading this effort to update NICS with legitimate records of prohibited persons (see, FixNICS.org), with lobbying help from the NRA, for years. The Obama

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administration was largely an obstacle to improving this system.

Biden then says that he would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), so that gun makers and dealers can again be sued because someone used a legally purchased firearm to commit a crime. This is like allowing people to sue GM if, say, someone used a Chevy to harm someone else.

Biden lies about this legislation by saying the PLCAA “protects these manufacturers from being held civilly liable for their products—a protection granted to no other industry.” The PLCAA plainly says that gun manufacturers can be held civilly liable if they make a faulty product, if they break the law, and more. Biden has spent his life in politics, but nevertheless he should know that omission is a form of lying.

Biden’s declaration then says he’d “[b]an the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.” After that he says he’d “[r]egulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act.” This, of course, would create a federal registry for these popular semi-automatic rifles—and maybe for other firearms, as the “assault weapons” term is a political one that is very expandable.

After saying he’d make people register their semi-automatic rifles, Biden says he’d use government funds to “[b]uy back the assault weapons and

high-capacity magazines already in our communities…. This will give individuals who now possess assault weapons or high-capacity magazines two options: sell the weapons to the government, or register them under the National Firearms Act.”

Biden then says, to reduce “stockpiling of weapons,” he supports “legislation restricting the number of firearms an individual may purchase per month to one.”

Biden also wants to prey on Social Security recipients by reinstating “the Obama-Biden policy to keep guns out of the hands of certain people unable to manage their affairs for mental reasons, which President Trump reversed.” In 2016, the Obama administration weaponized the Social Security Administration against seniors by sending the names of those, for example, who needed help filling out forms, to NICS so these citizens wouldn’t be allowed to purchase firearms.

In his long list of gun bans, restrictions and more, Biden also says he’d “enact legislation to give states and local governments grants to require individuals to obtain a license prior to purchasing a gun.” So this right, as protected in the U.S. Bill of Rights, wouldn’t be a right at all once Biden was done; it would just be a legal privilege citizens could apply for with the full knowledge their right to keep and bear arms could be denied or

taken away at any time at the whim of government.

As a caveat, Biden even says he’d “[p]ut America on the path to ensuring that 100% of firearms sold in America are smart guns.” This is a ban on every gun now sold in America, so that maybe someday we can have battery-powered, experimental models that somehow might identify users with bracelets, fingerprint readers or other devices.

Biden, of course, includes “universal” background check laws, “legislation requiring firearm owners to store weapons safely in their homes” and much more in his comprehensive plan to turn you into a helpless victim in waiting.

As if we need to add something more to this list, Fred Guttenberg, a gun-control activist and Joe Biden surrogate, said that if Biden were in office right now he’d surely use the pandemic as an excuse to shut down all of America’s gun stores.

Whereas Obama often tried to hide his gun-control agenda, at least Biden is telling us what he really wants to do with our freedom—he wants to take it, every bit of it, from you and every other law-abiding U.S. citizen.

This article was first published by America’s First Freedom, Frank Miniter, Editor in Chief on Friday, April 24, 2020 and is republished here with permission from the NRA.


Some of America’s most pro-gun people ironically inhabit some of its most anti-gun locales. Like plants that can survive the harshest desert climates, they are among the hardiest of their kind. And for those in the know, they are as much a part of the Second Amendment landscape as cacti are to the desert.

In New York City, epicenter both to America’s COVID-19 outbreak and to anti-Second Amendment fervor, one of the city’s gritty gun culture icons has already succumbed to the economic pressures of the Big Apples interminable lockdown and another is fighting for its life. Your help can ensure the latter survives.

First, the bad news. John Jovino Gun Shop on Grand Street in Little Italy and Chinatown had served New Yorkers since 1911 and billed itself as “the oldest gun shop in the USA.”

Ironically, 1911 was the same year Tammany Hall grifters—including Sen. Timothy Sulliva—enacted a New York State law that made possession and carrying of concealable firearms subject to a license issued at the discretion of local officials. In New York City, the infamous “Sullivan Act” was openly promoted as a way to keep firearms out of the hands of such “undesirables” as working class Italian immigrants, or the same people the New York Times described at the time as “[l]ow-browed foreigners.”

Born in those inauspicious times, John Jovino Gun Shop nevertheless managed to survive World War I, the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, the

Perpetual Lockdown Batters Remnants of New York City’s Long-Lived Gun Culture

Great Depression, World War II, the Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968-69, the blackout of 1977, the Cold War and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Passers-by were lured to the store by the unlikely sight in Manhattan of a giant wooden revolver hanging outside the shop.

But thanks to the modern manifestation of the Sullivan Act, there could be no impulse purchase of any such handgun at John Jovino. That act in New York City is still treated as a privilege reserved for the well-heeled or well-connected. At best, it involves hundreds of dollars in fees and takes the better part of a year, if it proves possible to the average city resident at all.

In the 1920s, John Jovino Gun Shop passed from its namesake founder to the Imperato family, who at the time lived in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Beginning in the 1990s, the business even included a gun factory in Brooklyn, which made reproductions of Civil War-era Henry Rifles and cap and ball Colt revolvers. That part of the operation later moved to Bayonne, New Jersey, and lives on as Henry Repeating Arms, now makers of fine lever-action rifles.

More recently, the Manhattan retail outlet was able to survive on the business of the local law enforcement community and some especially determined civilians. Fittingly for a New York City staple, it also appeared in hard-nosed film and television productions, including Serpico and Law and Order.

Charlie Hu, the store’s manager since 1995 and known in the neighborhood as Gun King Charlie, spoke emotionally to the local press upon the store’s closing last week. “I’m very emotional right now, as you can see, I am having a rough day. Everything is super sad,” he said. “My whole life went into this,” he continued.

Throughout the day, according to the article, longtime friends at the New York City Police Department called to thank Mr. Hu for responsibly serving the local community and to wish him well. Finally came a call from the boss himself, Anthony Imperato. “You are completing the mission,” he told his faithful employee of 25 years.

Meanwhile, further uptown on West 23rd Street, a steely survivor of the New York City Second Amendment community continues to fight for its life.

If making and selling guns seems unlikely in New York City, maintaining a public range in the heart of Manhattan seems downright preposterous. But Westside Rifle & Pistol Range has done just that for over half a century since its founding in 1964. Now it is Manhattan’s last surviving public range, offering equipment, facilities, and training to help local gun owners responsibly and effectively exercise their Second Amendment rights. It also helps New Yorkers negotiate the complicated process of applying for a handgun license in the city.

Unobtrusively located in the basement of a large office building, the facility has been run since 1989 by Darren

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Congratulations winners and our thanks to all who participated in

The 2020 New York State Rifle and Pistol Board of Directors election

These names are printed in the order of their finish. There are 6 board members elected to full

3 year terms and one runner up.

Keith Wiggand of Delmar finished a close 7th and is first runner up.

1. Tom King, East Greenbush

2. Steve Kraynak, Watervliet

3. John Cushman, Patchogue

4. Jim Collins, Floral Park

5. Brian Olesen, Greenwich

6. Liz Joy, Glenville

Leung, a former New York State peace officer, who said a lifelong interest in firearms was shaped by uncles on both sides of the law. An NBC News profile noted in 2017 that local gun owners are as likely to come by Westside to shoot the breeze as the targets in the range’s multiple shooting bays. The business is known for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, its big city locale notwithstanding.

A staunch supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, Leung and his business are undoubtedly a lynchpin in keeping a meaningful Second Amendment alive in America’s most populous city. Perhaps prophetically, Leung told NBC three years ago: “If I ever close, I might be killing off a whole couple of generations of shooters ahead of us. … So it’s always in the

back of my mind that it’s important to maintain the range, and to maintain it correctly.”

That is exactly why members of the gun owning community have established a GoFundMe account to help keep West Side Rifle & Pistol afloat during the city’s ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. New York City rents are brutal under the best of circumstances. When there’s no opportunity for regular income, they can doom even the most resilient of businesses and business owners.

Gun owners to date have been generous, and the range remains determined to fight on for as long as possible. Said the organizer of the effort, “It’s both overwhelming and humbling to realize how many folks care and love us.“

For the time being, Westside continues to stand as a symbol of America’s Second Amendment culture even in the core of the Big Apple. A symbol that even the city’s many notorious anti-gun snobs, chief among them former mayor Michael Bloomberg, have yet been able to extinguish.

What the song said of New York is as true for the Second Amendment as it for aspiring talents: if it can make it there, it can make it anywhere. With luck, grit, and the help of gun owners, New York City’s pro-gun stalwarts will hopefully add the COVID-19 pandemic to the long list of challenges they have successfully overcome.

This article was originally published by NRA-ILA on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 and is reprinted here with permission from the NRA


I don’t believe that owning a gun makes you prepared or safe automatically. However, I do believe many prepared people who own and enjoy firearms, have a few extra cords of wood, chainsaws, oil and a filter for each vehicle and a pantry of sustenance.

In the Fire Service we always try to have logistics and supplies lined up for the next operational period (e.g., how much food or water do I need next?).

Please define your own operational period and make sure you are supplied. Could you continue to compete in next winter’s indoor league if .22 ammo dried up for a while? Do you have enough flats of 7½s to cover a season of sporting clays? Could your loading bench support next deer season for your camp if centerfire demand exploded? Only you can answer these nagging questions.

As I know shootists around the world, I believe that as a whole we are prepared people. Some of our bloodlines are from great explorers who provisioned ships for points unknown. Others of us had grandfathers who saved 20-cubic yards of electric motors stripped from old appliances; who knows when that GE washer motor might be needed.

Please stay safe and provisioned, there are more difficult times ahead.

Commodities and COVID-19, continued from page 9

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Notes from Brenda by Brenda Leder

I hope this finds all members and their families healthy and safe. As many of you know, we are social distancing here at the office. The doors are closed, but we are working hard to fight for our Second Amendment. If you need to speak with me, please call the office on Mondays. Of course, you still can reach us via email. Phone numbers and/or email addresses for all board members are listed inside the front cover of The Bullet. If you leave a message on our answering machine, please state your name and phone number clearly. If you speak too fast, sometimes we are unable to understand your message. Also don’t forget to check our Facebook page for updates of what is happening.

To all members who regularly send donations to help us fight. We send you a big thank you. We could not do the job without your help. We appreciate you.

For those looking for a Father’s Day gift for the fathers in your life, consider buying your loved ones a life membership.

If you are not registered to vote, please do so. It is vital. There are an estimated 4-6 million gun owners in New York state. In the last election, only a total of 5 million people voted. If all gun owners would have voted pro-gun, we would not have Andrew Cuomo as our governor. Remember this in November.

This issue I thought it would be fun to do a little research on the Erie

Canal. As you know the Erie Canal is a manmade waterway that joins the Great Lakes with the Hudson River. Although it isn’t Second Amendment-related, it is an important part of the history of New York state.

Construction started on July 4, 1817, in Rome, N.Y. It wasn’t completed until Oct. 26, 1825. It was restored by Sept. 8, 1999.

The canal allowed mid-western states direct access to the Atlantic without shipping downstream on the Mississippi River to New Orleans. In 1825, Gov. Dewitt Clinton opened the canal as he sailed the Seneca Chief from Buffalo to Albany two years ahead of the original schedule. The canal impacted and improved the economy in cities such as Buffalo, Lockport and Rochester. It led New York into industrialization, decreased the cost of transporting goods, and made New York City into America’s commercial capital. It reduced shipping costs from $100 per ton to $10 per ton.

Portions of the original canal still are operable—although tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the canal. Commercial and shipping traffic declined abruptly after completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. The original canal traversed 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America. It transformed New York City into the nation’s principal seaport, and it opened the interior of North America to settlement. It

took over eight years to complete and cost $7 million. It took over 50,000 workers—and there were 1,000 deaths attributed to the project. The majority of deaths were from frequent canal collapse, drowning and careless use of gunpowder. There also were deaths caused by diseases from swampy places.

The canal is drained every year for maintenance and repairs. In January of 2017 ownership of the canal was transferred from the NYS Thruway Authority to NYS Canal Corp. The canal is an average depth of 9 feet. It was originally 4 feet deep with removed soil placed on the downhill side of the canal to form a walking path. The canal is now 362.9 miles long.

I would like to wish everyone a healthy and happy Independence Day! I hope to be able to see everyone in September at Hamburg or Syracuse gun shows.

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Member Clubs List your club’s events FREE! Not a member? Call us for an application.

110 Rod & Gun Club 275 Gidley Road Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 3rd Sun. 3 Gun Shoot 4th Sun. Sporting Clays M. Rossi (845) 471-7497

336 Rifle & Pistol Club Glen Head, NY .22 rifle, centerfire pistol, .22 pistol www.336rifleandpistol.com

Armed & Unarmed School of Security Inc. Defensive Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun Training Nick M. (845) 878-4804 Trap Shooting Tues./Sat. Trap Instruction Mon./Sun. Special Event Range Usage (845) 270-4232

Attica Rod & Gun Club High Power Tournaments Action Pistol G. Logan (585) 591-2820 D. Hojnicki (585) 591-1705 T. Thompson (585) 591-0697

Bar-20 Cowboy Action Shooters At Eatonbrook R&G Club West Eaton, NY SASS, IDPA, Rimfire Challenge www.facebook.com/bartwentysportsclub

Beaver Brook Rod & Gun Club 776 County Road 22 Narrowsburg, NY 12764 Trap & Skeet Sunday mornings B. Hofaker (845) 557-8522

Binghamton Rifle Club Pistol W. Platt (607) 723-2658 [email protected] P. Matway (607) 723-1418 [email protected]

Black Rick Fish & Game Club 31 Liberty St. Highland Falls, NY 10928

Bog Trotters R&P Club Eden, NY (716) 992-4292 High Power Pistol [email protected]

Brookhaven Pistol Club 41 Brook St. Sayville, NY Pistol shooting [email protected]

Broome County Sportsmen’s Assoc. PO Box 1794 Binghamton, NY Bcsportsmen.org

Brunswick Sportsman’s Club Cropseyville, NY 12052 Smallbore, Highpower, Trap & Skeet Pistol, Air Rifle, Women’s Activities www.brunswicksportsmansclub.org

Burlington Flats Fish & Game Club Edmeston, NY Pistol Smallbore Shotgun www.bffgc.com

Camillus Sportsmen’s Club High Power Light Rifle Pistol Shotgun Smallbore www.camillussportsmensclub.com

Caribou Rifle & Pistol Club PO Box 6012 North Babylon, NY 11703 Meetings in East Islip Dan (631) 327-4942 Rory (631) 232-1354 www.caribougunclub.org

Castleton Fish & Game Club Light Rifle Pistol Shotgun [email protected]

Columbia Greene FNRA Leeds, N.Y. M. Conway (518) 537-5441

Conservation Club of Brockport Smallbore Pistol (585) 637-5961 www.ccbrockport.org

Cooperstown Sportsmen’s Association Skeep, Trap, 100-yard range (607) 547-8104

Cortland County Pistol Club H. Terwilliger [email protected] www.cortlandpistolclub.net

Dunham’s Bay Fish & Game Club Queensbury, NY (518) 668-4475 (518) 792-8821

Eaton Brook Rod & Gun Club 4700 Wilcox Road West Eaton, NY 13334

Elma Conservation Club Elma, NY R. Kraft (716) 675-5318

Ephratah Rod & Gun Club Fort Plain, NY Trap Sundays 9 a.m. Hunter Training (518) 993-3061

Forbes Rod & Pistol Club Albany, NY Highpower M. McGill (518) 355-5475

Freeport R&R Club Only outdoor range Nassau County Pistol Light Rifle www.freeportlittleclub.org

Glencadia R & G Club Stuyvesant Falls, NY Pistol League R. Smith (518) 821-1255 K. Smith (518) 858-5404 Cabin Fever Bow League L. Jennings (518) 821-9213 5 Stand & Sporting Clays T. Brorup (518) 755-5997 www.glenacdiarodandgun.com

Grand Island Rod & Gun Club Inc. 1083 Whitehaven Road Grand Island, NY Trap & Skeet, Sporting Clays, Pistol, Women’s & Jr. Activities (716) 773-3529

Great Lot Sportsmen’s Club Boonville, NY Snowshoeing 10 a.m. 2/2 & 16 3/23 & 30 G. Case (315) 378-7592

Greenfield Fish & Game Yorkville, NY CMP Jr. & Sr. Shoots T. Internicola (315) 859-0796 Trap Tues. nights M. Bambino (315) 724-4954 Hunter Safety Courses www.greenfieldrange.com

Hendrick Hudson Fish & Game Poestenkill, NY High Power, Pistol NRA Silhouette/Smallbore A. Dorman (518) 573-5176 [email protected] Shotgun A. Cole (518) 674-3756

Hudson Falls Fish & Game Club Archery, Rifle & Pistol Indoor/Outdoor Skeet, 5 Stand & Trap 10 a.m. Mon., Thurs., Sun. (518) 747-4850 www.hffgc.net [email protected]

Hudson Fish & Game Club PO Box 85 Hudson, NY 12534 (518) 828-6111 Trap Fri. 7-10 p.m. Dave (518) 567-7991

Ilion Fish & Game Club PO Box 177 Ilion, NY (315) 894-2938 Trap & skeet, Sporting clays

Jamestown Rifle Club NRA/CMP Highpower League www.jamestownrifleclub.org Junior Smallbore/Air Rifle NRA Light Rifle League J. Schmitt (716) 397-4378 [email protected] Adult 4-position League D. Allen (716) 763-5000 [email protected] WNY/PA Pistol League S. Slagle (814) 730-3904

Long Island Antique Historical Arms Society, Inc. www.liahas.org

Long Island Black Powder Rifles 118 Wood Ave. Mastic, NY 11950


Marbletown Sportsmens Club Stone Ridge, NY Outdoor Range, Jr. Programs, WOT Clinic, .22 Matches www.marbletownsportsmensclub.com

New Paltz R&G Club Trap Sun. 10:30 a.m. Mon. 4:30 p.m. K. Bennett (914) 388-0510

North East Arms Collectors Assoc. PO Box 185 Amityville, NY 11701

North Forest R&G Club Lockport, NY Skeet, Trap, 5 Stand, Clays (716) 438-2009 www.nfrgr.com

North Star Sportsman’s Club Hamlin, NY Shotgun F. Petricone (585) 456-8824 www.northstarsportsmansclub.org

Northern Chautauqua R&P Club Fredonia, NY (716) 672-3488

Northern Dutchess Rod & Gun Club Rhinebeck, NY 12572 T. Abrahams (845) 389-2661 www.ndrgc.com

NYC Womens Sport Shooting League [email protected]

Old Breed R&P Club Nassau County Range Bullseye Rimfire/Center Fire Sundays 9 a.m. Bob (516) 404-9166

Oneida Rifle Club Indoor/Outdoor Pistol Indoor Smallbore Outdoor Rifle Trap Field Youth Instruction (315) 363-0249

Oneonta Sportsmen’s Club Shotgun every Sunday www.oneontasportsmensclub.com

Owlkill Rod & Gun Club Eagle Bridge, NY www.owlkill.org

Paris Gun Club Utica, NY M. Burline (315) 796-7766 K. Froit (315) 796-5518

Pathfinders Fish & Game Club 116 Crescent Dr. Fulton, NY Smallbore, Highpower, Sporterifle, Trap & Skeet, Clays, Pistol, Cowboy, IDPA,IPSC, Air rifle, Muzzleloading, Women’s & Jrs Activities www.pathfinderfishandgame.com

Pearl River Gun Club PO Box 48 Pearl River, NY Pearlrivergunclub.com

Peconic River Sportsmen’s Club Manorville, NY Club Office (631) 727-5248 NRA registered matches High Power E. Walden (631) 543-4745 [email protected]

Philmont Rod & Gun Club 65 Railroad Ave., Philmont, NY Community supported & supporting Shotgun, Rifle, Pistol, Fishing, Archery Outdoor 3D Archery Competition Adult/Youth Instruction, Boating, Archery, Hunting, Trap [email protected] (518) 672-4108

Pine Tree Rifle Club 419 Johnson Ave. Johnstown, NY Fishing, hunting, shooting, military, Buy-Sell-Trade NRA Basic Shotgun 6/9 Registration (518) 883-8605 Skeet Tue./Thur./Sat. Trap Sat, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (518) 883-8605

Plattsburgh Rod & Gun Club Indoor Range NRA Rifle Matches League Competitions Junior Programs Equip & Instruction Provided P. Visconti (518) 534-1730 [email protected]

Ramapough Sportsmens Assoc. PO Box 366 Nanuet, NY Smallbore, Pistol, Women’s & Junior Activities

Ridge Runners Shooting Club, Inc. Champlain, NY www.ridgerunners.us www.facebook.com/rudgerunnersrange G. Graham [email protected]

Rockland Rifle & Revolver Camp Smith G. Kline (917) 709-3691 [email protected]

Rockland Rifle Club West Point E. Mahecha [email protected]

Roosevelt Rod & Gun Club Inc. Box 2458 Seaford, NY 11783 Hunting big & small game

Roslyn Rifle & Revolver Club 1130 Broadway, Westbury 11590 Indoor Pistol NRA Conv. Pistol Intnl. Pistol Sectional M. Gorman (917) 929-8717

Saugerties Fish & Game Club 168 Fish Creek Road, Saugerties, NY Breakfast & lunch served Swap Meet & Gun Show June 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. All items are outdoor related Trap Thurs. & Sun. (open to public) D. Zeeh (845) 481-4465

Southampton Pistol & Rifle Club 919 Majors Path Southampton, NY 11968

Sportsmen’s Club of Clifton Park CMP Matches J. King (518) 896-6596 sportsmensclubofcliftonpark.org

Stephentown Valley Rod & Gun Club PO Box 545 Averill Park, NY (518) 766-5350

Taconic Valley Rod & Gun Club 420 Dater Hill Road Troy, NY www.tvrgc.com

Ten X Shooting Club Inc. Lancaster, NY Smallbore, highpower, sporterifle, Pistol, air rifle, women & Jr. activities Tenxshootingclub.com

Tioga Co. Sportsmen Owego, NY NRA/CMP J. LaClair (607) 748-2369 Sporterifle R. Colling (607) 699-9061 Ruger Rimfire B. Waite (215) 688-0614 CMP Rimfire sporter Conventional Pistol B. Aube (607) 754-6182 IDPA B. Vernola (607) 754-0740 Trap ranges L. Howe (607) 659-5069 Skeet D. Mider (607) 642-8419 5 Stand K. Gee (607) 237-6786 Cowboy Action B. Compton (607) 659-4770 Silhouette M. Porter (607) 687-2472

Trenton Fish & Game CMP Matches Bullseye Rimfire/Center fire B. Kapfer (315) 896-6596 Action Pistol B. Judycki (315) 732-0873 Trap L. Pawlings (315) 723-5657 Women’s Shooting Events J. Roberts (315) 865-6520 NSSF Rimfire Challenge M. Kay (315) 939-0563

28 BULLET magazineThe official journal of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association

Tri-State R&G Club Port Jervis, NY Highpower Pistol Shotgun Smallbore (845) 551-9265 Ladies’ Events M. Mann (845) 551-9265

Troy Pistol League Troy, NY (518) 235-7800

Twin City Shooting Club North Tonawanda, NY Pistol, Light Rifle, Indoor Range www.twincityshootingclub.com

Voorheesville Rod & Gun Club 52 Foundry Road, Voorheesville (518) 765-9395 www.vrgclub.com Open daily @ noon Trap Sun. & Tues. at 1 p.m. Pistol Classes 1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. Wolfgang or Tony (518) 441-2160 Berne Range 9 a.m.-1/2 hr. before sunset [email protected] Archery: clubhouse grounds Target points only, brdheads prohibited. Crosbows bring own bolt backstops Call club to book parties or events

Wallkill Rod & Gun Club Clays & 5 Stand Sun., 10 a.m., year-round Wed. evenings in summer Harry (845) 219-9327 Bucky (845) 542-8571 www.walkillrodandgun.com

Waterloo Rifle & Pistol Club Waterloo, NY Smallbore Highpower Sporterifle Pistol Women’s & Juniors waterloorpc.com

Whortlekill R &G Club Hopewell Junction, NY Indoor Pistol & Handgun Instruction G. Robinson (845) 298-3263 Shotgun J. Stern (203) 232-7896 Hunter Education P. Scarano (845) 401-6636

Wolcottsville Sportsmen’s Club 1525 Phelps Road Cofu, NY 14036

Bullet Advertisement RatesCommercial/business advertisements are subject to space availability in any given issue of the Bullet. Advertisements should be submitted in electronic format suitable for print reproduction (i.e., PDF, TIFF, etc.), and at 300 dpi. Our graphic artist can create your ad for an additional fee.

Faxed materials cannot be accepted. The rates for commercial/business ads are as follows:

Note: Rates are per ad. For example, a black and white quarter page ad in six issues would be six times $160 for a total of $960.

For pricing on premium placement, page bleed, inserts, two-page spreads, or other special considerations, contact the editor at [email protected] or (518) 272-2654.

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If your club is a member and would like to be listed, please email club info to

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30 BULLET magazine

Are your friends members? If not, use the application below to sign them up. Make copies if you have lots of friends!

Application for Individual MembershipPO Box 278, East Greenbush, NY 12061

Please check one □ New member

□ Renewal (NYSRPA #___________________ )

Name (Please PRINT) _________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________

City _________________________ State _______ ZIP ____________

County (NYS residents only) ____________________________________

Phone (home) _______________________________________________

Email _____________________________________________________

Date of birth (required) (MM/DD/YY) ______/_______/________

NRA Member? No Yes (NRA # __________________________ )

For statistical purposes only, please indicate □ Male □ FemaleRevised 1/1/2011

This application was referred to NYSRPA by: NYSRPA Membership # _______________________________________________________________

Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Please select your enrollment type/term

□ Active Military ......................................... $25.00 $ ___________

□ Adult - 1 year (ages 18-64) ...................... $30.00 $ ___________

□ Senior* - 1 year (ages 65-over) ................. $25.00 $ ___________

□ Junior - 1 year (under 18) ......................... $15.00 $ ___________

□ Family - 1 year ......................................... $50.00 $ ___________

□ Life (under 65) ...................................... $500.00 $ ___________

□ Life (ages 65-over) ................................. $300.00 $ ___________

□ Additional Voluntary Contribution ......................... $ ____________

TOTAL ENCLOSED ................................................... $ ____________*Disabled American Veterans qualify for the Senior 1-year dues rate

Please indicate your payment method:□ Check/money order (payable to NYSRPA)

□ Visa □ MasterCard CVV# (required)___________

Acct.# _________________________________________Exp.________

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THE GUN OWNERS VOICE IN ALBANY!

GET MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION HEREwww.nysrpa.org


Name (Please PRINT)

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Amount of donation: $ ______________________

□ Check/money order (payable to NYSRPA) □Visa □MasterCard □Discover □AMEX

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Signature

NYSRPA needs you!There is no doubt that Cuomo, Bloomberg, DeBlasio and liberal Anti-Second Amendment people are trying to destroy the NRA and NYSRPA. We are certain that you’re aware of what legal costs are in today’s economy. We are fighting hard against their cause.

We need your help today!

Here is the bottom line: DIG DEEP. Contribute to keeping the state of New York free, free from Cuomo’s idea of utopia, free from DeBlasio’s socialist mentality; free to protect one’s self, home and family.

Freedom is NOT free. It always costs dearly. Remember that.

Make donation to: NYSRPAPO Box 278 East Greenbush, NY 12061

Editor Brenda Leder Assoc. Editor Carl Gottstein713 Columbia TurnpikePO Box 278East Greenbush, NY 12061

Articles and graphics appearing in the Bullet may be reprinted, provided appropriate credit is given to NYSRPA and Bullet Magazine.

MEMBERSHIP HOTLINE (credit card orders only)(518) 272-2654

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RALLY THE VOTE!

pg. 17 - new york state rifle and pistol association

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