There are a few rules for basic firearms handling and safety:

• Keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction
• Keep your firearm unloaded until ready to fire
• Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire
• Wear appropriate eye and ear protection
• Always be certain of your target before firing
• Never operate a firearm under the influence of drugs or alcohol

However, the rule that is the most difficult to follow, and most frequently broken, involves accuracy:

• Shoot safely and ethically

This last rule might sound weird. Ethics are just for politicians and bankers, right? Wrong – shooting ethically means being responsible for wherever your bullets go. In the bush, ethical shots are lethal, and they put prey animals down immediately and humanely. Unethical shots hit the gut, or a limb, and cause the prey animal to suffer unnecessarily. On the range, ethical shooting means safe shooting, and it means complying with range etiquette. Shooting without sights, or missing your target entirely, is unsafe and unethical.

So how can this issue be solved? The answer is obvious – shoot as accurately as possible, and for that, it means trying to shoot sub-MOA, the gold standard of precision shooting. But what is MOA? And what is sub-MOA? Let’s discuss:

    MOA – Minute of Angle, or less commonly, Minute of Arc

    Sub-MOA – Shooting within the confines of 1 MOA in multiple groupings  

If you’re shooting at a target from 100 yards away, and you consistently shoot within 1 inch of the bullseye, you’re Sub-MOA. If you’re shooting at a target 200 yards away, and you consistently shoot within 2 inches of the bullseye, you’re Sub-MOA.

You’re not Sub-MOA if you achieve this accuracy with 1 shot, however. To truly be Sub-MOA, a shooter needs to average 1 MOA or less in several groups.

This may sound simple, but achieving this feat requires a good deal of focus, education and energy. Rifles and scopes are not automatically ‘zeroed’ upon purchase, so a precision-minded shooter must do it for themselves. But how? What are the steps from purchasing a new rifle or scope to shooting Sub-MOA, and consequently, shooting ethically?

1. Take your new (or used) rifle to a range
2. Use an in-chamber boresight to get your rifle as close to zero as possible before using live ammunition (Sightmark offers a huge variety of in-chamber boresights)
3. Boresight your weapon at 25 yards. If you’re not sure how, consult an expert or read this blog
4. Fire at the target. Adjust your windage and elevation turrets as needed. Employ a friend with a spotting scope as needed (for accuracy-feedback without needing to pull in the target)
5. Move the target back to 50 yards, repeat step 4
6. Move the target back to 100 yards. At this distance, an in-chamber boresight won’t help very much because the red dot will be difficult to see, especially in daylight. Now, you’ll have to rely on live ammunition and a spotting scope
7. Continue to adjust until you are shooting within a 1-inch grouping at 100 yards
8. Achieve that same degree of accuracy over multiple shooting sessions

Firearm accuracy is an ongoing science. Different experts have different methodologies for achieving that elusive Sub-MOA score. Conditions like wind, precipitation, barrel quality, ammo quality and reticle all affect where a bullet goes.  Some firearms, like handguns, are nearly impossible to shoot Sub-MOA. For shooting purists, 1 MOA is not 1 inch at 100 yards – it is 1.047 inches at 100 yards. For simplicity sake, and assuming this blog is consumed by entry-level and moderately experienced shooters, we used the 1 MOA, 1 inch at 100 yards metric. For someone who is more interested in the physics than the general application, AmericanHunter has a great article on Sub-MOA.

Ethical, safe shooting is the goal. Responsible firearms users want their bullets to go exactly where they are aiming. It is not enough to merely ‘graze the animal’ or ‘hit near the target’. In inexperienced, impulsive hands, firearms can be exceptionally dangerous. For most people who want to enjoy their guns and shoot ethically, attempting to shoot Sub-MOA is a worthy goal. This means that not only do you want to be a better shooter, but you want to be among the best and never endanger innocent people with bad shots. Shooting Sub-MOA is like studying to get an ‘A’ in college – even if you don’t get the ‘A’, your efforts and concentration should earn a ‘B’ or ‘C’, and over time, you’ll eventually get those high marks on every single attempt. 

By Sightmark • August 26, 2020

Solar red dot sights are the rock-stars of the firearms-optics industry. Solar optics hold a massive advantage over every other optic – they don’t need batteries. The solar panel atop the Element Mini ensures that the device will remain powered if the sun is shining. No more dependence on batteries, no more showing up at the range and discovering you’re on ‘low power’, nor tedious trips to Target for some batteries.

Dual-Power

Naturally, the sun isn’t always shining. Clouds happen, and that’s why the Element Mini has dual-power capability. No sun? Use batteries. No batteries? Use the sun. Neither? Buy some batteries or go shooting on a different day. If you have both, the device will be supercharged, providing users with up to 400k hours of operation. With dual-power, users have greater control over how and when they shoot.

Choose Your Brightness

Like all red dots, the Element Mini is ideal for close or mid-range shooting distances. At long ranges of 100 yards or more, a red dot is virtually invisible. At 50 yards or less, the red dot should be easily visible, and with the Element Mini’s digital switch brightness controls, the user gets to decide how bright their red dot is. This ability to manipulate the dot’s brightness has a purpose – to manage the device’s power levels. In the depths of night, a mildly-bright red dot is sufficient; in the dazzling glare of daylight, the brightest setting may be needed.

Automatic Lighting Feature

The Element Mini, along with its other great qualities, boasts the revolutionary Eclipse Light Management System (ELMS). This state-of-the-art technology supports shooters who don’t want to worry about adjusting their own red dot brightness during dawn and dusk hours. Experienced hunters know that many prey animals, such as deer, rabbits and certain birds, are crepuscular. That means they are most active at dawn and dusk, which is why hunters will wake up in the wee hours of the morning to set up in a deer-blind, or set out in late afternoon to reach their hunting spot. As they wait, the level of natural light changes, and with the ELMS, the red dot will adjust automatically. There is no fooling around with dials, switches, menu options or settings – ELMS does it all. If the sun is going down, the red dot automatically brightens. If the sun is rising, the red dot dims. It’s just that simple.

A Durable Device

The Element Mini is a powerful, affordable solar red dot sight – that much is clear. What is not obvious at first glance is the Element Mini’s durability. It has a unique, shockproof design that can withstand recoil up to .338 Win Mag. The Element Mini has a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective lens coating, a hinged battery door, and an IP67 waterproof rating. To go further, the Element Mini can operate in temperatures from -22°F to 122°F, so whether you’re in Siberia or the Sahara, the Element Mini will function perfectly.

The Total Package

Every aspect of the Element Mini Solar Red Dot is designed for efficiency. This device gives you more choices and flexibility than any other solar red dot in the industry. Do you want to use batteries, the sun, or both? Would you prefer to adjust the red dot’s brightness yourself, or just sit back and let the ELMS manage things? Which environment do you want to shoot in? Freezing tundra, boiling desert, stuffy woodlands, open prairie? The Element Mini works anywhere on the planet. What if you accidentally drop the Element Mini, step on it, or it gets thrown around in your gun case? No worries, the Element Mini is eminently durable. If the device is truly damaged, Sightmark offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty to cover accidental damage. With included accessories such as flip caps, a low Picatinny Mount and absolute cowitness mount, the Element Mini from Sightmark is one of the most affordable, quality optics you’ll find anywhere in the firearms optics industry.  

It’s A Function Of Prevention, Avoidance & The Subconscious 

“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.” Sun Tzu’s ageless adage, adopted by Marine Corps drill instructors everywhere, still rings true today and not just amidst ranks of uniformed troops; substitute “war” with “defensive situations” and you’re left with similar common-sense ideology in the civilian world. While practice doesn’t necessarily “make perfect” when operating in survival mode, it certainly offers a calming of the storm, so to speak, while trapped in its vortex.

In this context, training isn’t a function of simply educating; it’s a function of prevention, avoidance or, ultimately, committing survivor tactics to our subconscious—not processing what needs to be done but doing it automatically and without hesitation. Training also means incorporating the right
tools — the ones you are likely to use when chaos kicks in your door.

Personal defense expert, Rob Pincus, coined a phrase I have adopted, “Protect what you love.” This simple phrase embodies the reason we should take self-defense seriously and to what measure we are willing to commit ourselves to it, both in dynamic training and doing it with the right equipment. To that end, your defense weapons, whatever they may be, must be there when you need them and be the right tools for the job. 

Latest And Greatest Personal Defense Go-To's

AR-style pistol-cartridge carbines have become exceptionally popular for home defense over the past couple of years and rightly so. My latest, greatest in-home go-to is a new Lead Star Arms PCC9 carbine designed to use standard double-stack Glock magazines and 9mm ammo. Atop the PCC9, you’ll find a Sightmark RAM Series Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight. The Ultra Shot M-Spec delivers a crisp, parallax-corrected field of view, even in low light, an adjustable circle-dot reticle, easy-to-use digital controls and long battery life. The Ultra Shot’s rugged M-Spec durability lets me know that if necessary, I can beat the offender senseless with my carbine and it will still hold zero for some Saturday morning trigger time.

For me, a carbine like Lead Star’s PCC9 9mm and the Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight, or another quality red dot sight, are a perfect combo for personal defense in the home, especially at longer distances; of course, my current concealed-carry gun, a Glock 17 9mm (same ammo and magazines) is also close at hand. With respect to red dot sights, as well as reflex sights like the Ultra Shot M-Spec, these types of optics are perfect for self-defense firearms in the home because they facilitate rapid target acquisition, often even in low light.

For my personal home defense, the Lead Star Arms Barrage PCC9, Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight and a road-hard-hung-up-wet Glock 17C, combined with dynamic training, deliver big on the confidence I need to achieve an effective balance of speed and precision if and when a threat darkens our doorway—balance and speed being a focus foundational to the Intuitive Defensive Training I received from Mr. Pincus himself (www.icetraining.us). 

The Solution:

The Liberty Pole had it right when it asked readers, “How many times have you read, 'An unidentified woman, heavily armed with a semi-automatic weapon was raped by a man wielding a knife?’” The question itself carries a lot of weight unless you qualify it with a lack of training and the right tools for the job. Let’s face it, lack of defensive knowledge manifested in ineffective subconscious responses have resulted in hundreds of thousands of victimized firearm owners. Be ready and equipped to—as Pincus puts it—protect what you love.

Learn more about Sightmark’s RAM Series Ultra Shot Reflex Sights and other red dot optics at www.sightmark.com. 

Sightmark Pro Staff member, Bob Abbott was pivotal in getting Michigan’s night hunting laws changed. Read his story here…

#MAKEYOURMARK

I have been predator hunting for quite a few years—most of it at night with a red light over a good day scope. I live in Michigan, where we were only allowed to use rimfire rifles or a shotgun when night hunting. It didn’t take long to realize rimfire rifles and shotguns were not an effective humane way to dispatch an animal as tough as the coyote. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of kills that happened quickly, but there were also far too many for me that ran off only to suffer.

The coyote population and issues they were causing became a hot topic in Michigan in 2015. The Michigan Natural Resource Commission (NRC) had asked Adam Bump, bear and furbearer specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resource (DNR) to do a study and present his recommendations for addressing the issue at the 2015 September NRC meeting in Lansing.

I had been following the NRC meetings and subscribed to their newsletter and noticed that this meeting was set to discuss Adam’s findings, so I went. Adam presented 4 possibilities to the NRC that morning—a year-round season on coyotes, as well as hiring sharpshooters at the cost of $200,000.00 to cover an area in the Upper Peninsula for 2 months. I don’t recall the other two.

Not really knowing how to go about introducing a centerfire at night proposal, I asked a few people I knew during the break. Adam Bump being one of them. He indicated he thought it was a good idea, but the major roadblock would be from DNR law enforcement. Apparently, it had been talked about before and the Chief and Assistant Chief were adamantly against it stating safety reasons.

I had previous connections with the Chief and Assistant Chief for them to clear up other muddled predator hunting laws, so they were familiar with me. During lunch, I approached them and started a conversation about the coyote issues, introducing my idea. It was not received well.

They both said it was not safe and they would never allow it in Michigan. I explained that many of our surrounding states allowed it and asked if they had any safety statistics to go by. They both responded, “no.” I asked them why they thought it would be unsafe when during the day we weren’t restricted by caliper.

The chief raised his arms as if holding a rifle and fired it into the air and said because some yahoo would do this and the bullet would come down, go through a roof and kill a baby in its crib. I was shocked at his obvious emotional reaction and his words about sportsmen.

I then asked why he thought that wouldn’t happen during the day. The discussion pretty much ended then, but I then knew what I had to do to. I told them they would see me later with a proposal.

I got home that evening knowing I needed to get safety stats from our surrounding states. If the stats showed no concern for safety for both personal injury and property damage, then there was a good chance of getting this through.

I contacted Indiana and Ohio with a request to find out how many personal injury and property damage incidents had happened from predator hunters using a centerfire during the nighttime hours. This proved to be time-consuming as it wasn’t readily known by the main DNR contact numbers for those states who would have that info. I have to say both states were very cooperative and eventually got me to the right people.

I ended up talking to a Major of the Indiana DNR and once I explained what stats I wanted and why I wanted them, he was very happy to help. We spent nearly an hour and a half on the phone gathering all the info I needed, and I was sent an email containing the results.

Next up was Ohio.

It took about eight weeks, but once connected with the person that would be able to get the info to me, things went smoothly. They were very helpful but had requirements and steps that needed to be followed before they could release the info to me. I had to submit a letter with the exact information I needed and why I needed it. Eight weeks later, I received an email with a searchable spreadsheet and an apology for it taking so long.

Now for the results:

Indiana went back to 2011 and had zero incidents of personal injury or property damage caused by a predator hunter using a centerfire at night. Ohio’s spreadsheet went back to 2003 and showed the same statistics.

This was great news! It was exactly what I needed to get the ball rolling. I knew full well there would be other concerns to address and that recruiting the right people to help was going to be very important as they would need to help address some of the rest of the concerns.

Knowing we would need to have a restricted caliber proposal to even get our proposal looked at, I recruited a friend of mine that was a retired marine and retired DNR officer. He was also a ballistics expert and he helped me form the proposal. He and another retired DNR officer came to testify at the May 2016 NRC meeting in support of the law change. This was a major step forward for the movement. Before this, we had the support of 3 out of the 7 NRC committee members. Afterward, we got the support of the two more we needed.

In 2015, night hunting was not that popular and finding other dedicated night hunters was not that easy. My teammates from “Dog Tired TV” and a few others were the only ones I really knew.

I created the Facebook page “Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night” and began to have meetings with the other core supporters that would make up the team. We gathered petition signatures at outdoor expo events around Michigan totaling over 4,000.

From this point on, it was a matter of being present at the meetings to address further concerns and provide expert testimony from others in the sport. Many, many obstacles were thrown up by the opposing side but all of them were answered and in June of 2016, the Michigan United Conservation Club adopted the centerfire proposal (a 42,000 plus membership strong). On December 8^th, 2016 the Michigan Natural Resource Commission voted to pass amendment #11.

There are many people who helped along the way, but most notably are the following:

• Tony Demboski (President Upper Peninsula Sportsman Alliance
• Merle Jones (Member of Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night)
• Kevin Rought (Member of Overdrive Outdoors)
• Robert Shultz (Member of Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night and Dog Tired TV)
• Fred Gadsby (Member of Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night and Dog Tired TV)
• Paul Cianciolo (Member of Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire, owner of Predator Hunter Outdoors) Order #11 was written to exclude thermal and lights. Paul provided expert testimony on the day of the vote and was able to convince the NRC to amend the order to allow the use of these before the vote.
• Dale Hendershot (President of Michigan Trappers and Callers Association)
• NRA for the support

About Bob Abbott

Bob Abbott is the founder of the “Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night” grassroots movement that got Michigan legal to use centerfire rifles at night. Bob is also a member of the Dog Tired TV group. Bob has many years of hunting experience. He particularly enjoys hunting the elusive predators at night. Bob starting out with red lights, then moved to Gen1 NV, then to digital NV and now enjoys thermal.

How have your Made Your Mark? Tell us in the comment section.

By Suzanne Wiley • December 1, 2019

The Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) have joined forces to offer youth hunts that are safe, educational and very affordable. We sponsor introductory, instructive youth hunts for deer, turkey, hogs, javelina, exotics, dove, small game, waterfowl, varmints and other species. Normally, we provide mentors, lodging and meals.

Sellmark, Inc. (Sightmark’s parent company) has always been dedicated to participating in a wide variety of charitable youth hunts by providing mentorship, sponsorship and products.

We not only design and make products for shooters and hunters but hunting is also in our blood. It is our lifestyle, too. It is just one way we can help pass down the tradition and heritage of ethical hunting to the next generation.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, from 2011-2016, our community lost 2.2 million hunters. In 2018, less than 5% of the American population hunted. This is a significant amount of loss in hunting licenses that provide money to fund conservation and advocacy…not to mention the economic impact due to loss of jobs.

The bulk of hunters have been Baby Boomers—people born between 1946 to 1964—and naturally, this group is aging out of being able to participate in hunting. By teaching the younger generation the healthy benefits both to wildlife and ourselves of hunting, we can help prevent the potential loss of $3.3 billion in funding toward conservation. All it takes is introducing just one new hunter a year.

Sightmark encourages you to #MakeYourMark and introduce a new hunter this season! Show us how you’ve Made Your Mark by following us on social media, posting a picture of you teaching a new shooter, helping out with a youth hunt or other charitable act or event, tag us and use the hashtag #MakeYourMark for a chance to win a Sightmark Wraith digital night vision scope. Winner will be determined by a random drawing on December 23, 2019, and announced on our social media channels on Christmas Eve 2019, December 24, 2019.

This is just one way we made our mark this year…

To support a healthy outdoor lifestyle, we wanted to put our philanthropic efforts toward an organization that aligns with our values, so for the 2019 hunting season, we donated 1,500 brochures, 15 Core HX 3-9x40mm Riflescopes and 5 Solitude 11-33×50 SE Spotting Scope Kits to the Texas Youth Hunting Program (TYHP.)

The Texas Youth Hunting Program

 

In 1996, the Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department developed the Texas Youth Hunting Program to encourage youth hunting. Since then, the program has taken over 55,000 Texas youth on guided hunts and other outdoor activities. Children are taught hunter and firearm safety, wildlife management, ethics and sportsmanship.

Partnering with landowners and skilled mentors and volunteers, the TYHP organizes deer, turkey, hog, dove, small game, exotics and waterfowl hunts for Texas youth, providing guns, ammunition, calls and other equipment, lodging and meals. Hunts generally last through the weekend providing ample bonding time between parent and child, mentor and youth and youth and nature.

You can learn more about how to get involved and the youth hunt schedule on the TYHP official website, click here.

Enter to win a Sightmark Wraith Digital Night Vision Riflescope:

Show us how you’ve Made Your Mark by following us on social media, posting a picture of you teaching a new shooter, helping out with a youth hunt or other charitable act or event, tag us and use the hashtag #MakeYourMark for a chance to win a Sightmark Wraith digital night vision scope. Winner will be determined by a random drawing on December 23, 2019, and announced on our social media channels on Christmas Eve 2019, December 24, 2019.