This Isn’t Your Ma’s Dinner Party!

Ok, this might not be the image you conjure in your mind when the word “camp” is mentioned….

Babes With Bullets Camp, Steamboat Springs, CO June 2012

What happened to dinner?!

  Steamboat Springs was host to another Babes With Bullets Camp, www.babeswithbullets.com, last month.  Smith & Wesson, www.smith-wesson.com, is the primary sponsor of the camps as you can see by the camp loaner guns, which are M&P 9mms, provided by S&W, equipped with our HIVIZ sights. 

HIVIZ M&P Sight

  The camp had 30 women in attendance, anywhere from 20 years old to their mid- 60s.  We had beginners who had never touched a gun just wanting to get started, to a few competitors wanting to hone their skills, and some with personal life experiences that brought them to camp wanting to learn more about safe gun handling.   As always, the “dream-team” of instructors were there!   IPSC style shooting was the focus, first day is simple gun handling, safety, holster use, etc. before the ladies are moved on to “Bill Drills”, transitioning between targets, and movement and timing on regular IPSC stages.

“Back to the line for you!”

  And no, this wasn’t a camper trying to sneak off the line.  Camp Director, Deb Ferns was getting a little encouragement /pat on the back for a job well done from Instructor Judy Wooley.  

Our “Princess” bullseye shooter for the day!

  Deb makes sure the ladies have fun during their instruction and of course there is a “Princess” Bullseye shooter title to be had for the lady with the tightest shot group.

With a view like this, who cares what the accommodations look like!

  Of course our accommodations were over the top here also, but with views like this who would have cared? 

  The camps are a great avenue for women wanting to get some intensive training from the elite shooters like Kay Miculek and Lisa Munson, and a host of other top shooting instructors on their team, with some quality equipment and accessories to learn on.

“Ma would be impressed!”

Sports World Tulsa Open House

Mid-August HIVIZ will once again be attending the Sports World Tulsa Open House.

Sports World, Inc. in Tulsa, OK

   The owners of Sports World, www.sportsworldtulsa.com, have their annual Open House mid-August each year.  Last year was our first time in attendance.  The store is stocked with rows upon rows of long guns and quite the assortment in the cases of handguns also.  Many of the major gun manufacturers and other major sport accessories manufacturers have representatives in attendance for the weekend event as well.  The store is beautiful with a small cafe located inside, gunsmithing on the premises and a friendly and very knowledgeable staff working the floor.  You can’t go wrong coming to this store!

Check out the HIVIZ Display!

 HIVIZ is proud to offer our product through Sports World!  I hope if you are anywhere in the vicinity of Tulsa, OK  Aug. 16th-19th that you’ll take the opportunity to stop by the Open House. 

HIVIZ BirdBuster Shotgun Sight

Keeping it Fun! – Introducing the next generation to shooting.

Target practice at the range.

  Recently I finished a trade show inHarrisburg,PAand had some time to visit with nearby family.  This included a beautiful morning spent at the range with three generations of the family.  The youngest was my 11 year old niece.

  Bella has been going to the range with her dad off and on for the past four years.  She started out with a Cricket .22 single shot.  Last year I won another Ruger 10/22 at a match and changed out the stock with a Boyd laminate with the some snazzy purple coloring for her.  Bella was now upgraded to the ten shot magazine!  This girl is now putting 1 inch groups at 100 yards from the bench!  Her dad offered to take her for an evening at the sprint car races if she put the first shot in the bullseye….darned if she didn’t just edge it too!   Races it is! Next to safety, the point is to keep it fun for them!

Look at that concentration!

    After convincing me of her prowess with the 10/22, we brought out her little 32 revolver.  We went over safe loading and muzzle management from bench to shooting line.  You could tell this was not her first time at the range, but it still gave opportunities for giving little lessons on range terminology such as not “sweeping” any part of your body, muzzle down range, “going hot” etc.  I was impressed with her concentration.

A little intimidating, but willing to give it a “shot”!

  We brought out the 20 GA Remington 870, www.remington.com, youth model for her next.    This is still a bit intimidating for her.  We made sure she had the light loads for the least recoil possible and set her up with dad to assist.  With some Shoot ‘n See targets she shot twice and peppered it!  Now the big grin was on.  Along with this I’ve been sending her the occasional DoAll, www.doalloutdoors.com,  self-healing fun targets to shoot at.   She loves it and I will continue to encourage her whenever I have the opportunity. 

  Check out HIVIZ Sights for the shotgun, rifle and handgun fiber optic sights available!  www.hivizsights.com

Sharing family time and enjoying a sport together is time cherished.

Corey Cogdell Secures Spot on 2012 Olympic Team

Corey Cogdell won bronze at the 2008 Olympics and recently qualified for her second Olympic Games by winning the US Olympic Trials on Sunday, May 20th in Tucson, AZ!   Now an Olympic veteran she hopes to bring back gold this summer from London.

 Congratulations Corey!!!

Women Getting Started in the Shooting Sports….

Below is an email I received this morning from a woman who recently attended one of the Babes with Bullets Camps instructed by Kay Miculek and her team of top notch competitors.  I encourage others if they have the opportunity, to introduce someone to shooting sports, women or youth that may not know how to get started.  You can make a difference!

“Dear Chris:

 I recently attended a BWB Camp for the first time in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

My husband, Dan, has been active in the shooting industry his entire life, including the almost 27 years we have been married. I have never taken any interest until… Sheila Hoekstra from On Target Guns encouraged me to attend a camp. Did not expect such a life changing event. Having a healthy respect for weapons and somewhat intimidated by their power, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into.

I have worked in the medical field for over 30 years, and was a little afraid, but initially was looking for a concealed carry because of rotating shifts and fear for my safety. I also want you to know I stood a little straighter with that holster around my hips. Did I stress enough how the ladies treated us with respect, never made us feel stupid or out of our element? (even though I sure was?!!) The camp was first class all the way. Safety was number one, and was at the forefront of everyone’s minds for the duration.

This was very empowering , not overpowering as Sheila had promised. I can not wait to purchase my own handgun, and begin serious shooting at the range. Dan is excited as well to share his life long passion with me on the range. All the instructors were top notch and made an unbelievable team from which to learn.

 I applaud you and your company for sponsoring these camps, and the education of women in an otherwise male dominated field.

Thank you, and please extend my thanks to all those who make these opportunities available.

 Best Regards,

 Carla LaFond”

2012 IRC Championships

      It’s time again for the upcoming International Revolver Championship coming June 1-3rd hosted a the Hogue Action Pistol Range in San Luis Obispo, CA. 

The International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts (ICORE) www.icore.org was founded in 1991 by Mike and Sharon Higashi.  Amidst all of the other action shooting sports at the time they started the revolver-only competition.  The sport combines elements of Bianchi Cup, IPSC, and the Steel Challenge exclusively for revolvers.

The event draws some 250 of the top revolver shooters from over 22 states and 6 foreign countries.  The main match consists of approximately 300 rounds with side matches available every year.  Smith & Wesson, www.smith-wesson.com, sponsors the match.   A popular model in the event is the SW 627, 8 shot, where you just might see quite a few HIVIZ sights on the Limited Class revolvers!  

HIVIZ Model #SW3002

S&W professional shooter and HIVIZ Pro Staffer, Jerry Miculek, www.bang-inc.com, has won 20 out of 21 Championships…and only because he missed attending one year! 

Photo by Yamil Sued

Two of the summer upcoming regional matches are the Rocky Mountain Regional, June 23-24 at WCFW High Plains Shooting Range in Galeton, CO and the East Coast Regional on July 22 at the Ontelaunee Rod & Gun Club in New Tripoli, PA.  You can visit www.icore.org for complete match listings and schedules for 2012. Also check out the ICORE website for courses of fire and classifier stage descriptions.

“Wheel Guns are Real Guns”

Colorado Olympic Twin Biatheletes Shoot Sportsman’s Team Challenge

Lanny and Tracy Barnes Compete at NRA Whittington Center

May 11th – 13th I attended the Sportsman’s Team Challenge Regional Match in Raton, NM.  HIVIZ has been a local sponsor for the match for the past seven years.  The event consists of three shotgun events: Flurry, Flush and Mixed Bag events, and three pistol/rifle events.  

I was pleased to see the Lanny and Tracy at the event!  It is very impressive to witness the ladies shooting the rifle event.  The silhouette targets range from 40 – 90 yards and your team has about 2 mins. or less to shoot before time is called!  Apparently not so difficult for biatheletes….some of the rest of us it’s a different story. 

An enjoyable event and beautiful setting at the NRA Whittington Center.

HIVIZ is fortunate to be able contribute, in whatever small way, back to the shooting sport.  It’s our passion and we hope to even see more of you next time!

In the company of great competitors, fun sport and excellent match! !

HIVIZ Sights for the New Smith & Wesson Shield

HIVIZ Sights available for the new M&P Shield

 The NRA Show last month in St. Louis, MO proved to be extremely busy once again!  Many of our trade shows are strictly for Dealers or Distributors, but at NRA we have the opportunity to meet a huge cross section of our customer base.  At HIVIZ we work closely with many of the gun manufacturers.  This past year we had been working with Smith & Wesson on front and rear sights for their new M&P Shield that was released during the show.  Front fiber optic sights are available in either green or our new fire red color #SW2007-G or #SW2007-R.  Rear sights for the Shield will be in production later in June #SW2112-G or SW2112-R.The Shield is a slim, scaled down version of the poplar full size M&P pistols.  Available in 9mm and 40. S&W calibers.  I had the opportunity to test fire the 9mm the following week.  Comfortable grip, smooth action ….and with the set of HIVIZ sights on there it makes finding that target that much quicker!

Jon Michael McGrath

HIVIZ Pro Staffer, Jon Michael McGrath

  

HIVIZ Pro Staffer, but more importantly 2012 Olympic hopeful!!!   Jon Michael has been busy with some intense training lately, competing at the Tuscon World Cup the last week in March and now headed to London to compete in the Pre-Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Skeet to be held the third week of April.

We’ve been privileged to have Jon Michael using our HIVIZ CompSight since he was making a name for himself at the ripe old age of twelve.  Since then he’s has grown into a fine young man and driven competitor.  Jon Michael’s list of accomplishments are almost countless…not to mention the World Cup Gold medal he won in Munich previously. We couldn’t be more proud.  Jon Michael is 100% USA home-grown excellence!

US Olympic Medalist, Corey Cogdell Joins HIVIZ Pro Staff

Corey Cogdell, 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Trap Shooting

We are proud to announce the addition of Corey Cogdell to our Pro Staff!   She is the first American woman to ever win an Olympic Medal in her sport.Just last week Corey won the first Women’s Trap gold medal of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Season.  She has been training in Tucson to prepare for this match and heading to the US Olympic Team Trials for shotgun in May.

See her press release at http://www.usashooting.org/news/2012/3/30/208-americas-wining-streak-continues-with-cogdell 

In addition to her athletic talents Corey has also become a powerful motivational speaker by sharing her story and passion for the shooting sports.  Corey is also a TV personality on shows such as Cabela’s Ultimate Adventures, Outdoor Guide and Safari Hunters Journal. 

When not competing for the USA Shooting Team Corey enjoys hunting and being an active outdoors woman.  She hunted big game while growing up in Alaska, but has developed a love for bird hunting, and has become an avid bowhunter as well.

Welcome to the HIVIZ Pro Staff Corey!