International Revolver Championship

Shooting USA - International Revolver Championship

It’s the action shooting competition for wheel guns only at the International Revolver Championship. The annual match brings out the best of the revolver enthusiasts to compete on challenging stages of fire at the Universal Shooting Academy in Florida. Plus, the Remington New Army, the other cavalry arm for the Union, is one of History’s Guns. And thousands of hunters flock to Nashville for the NWTF annual convention.

International Revolver Championship

The International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts, or ICORE, has been the governing body for practical shooting with revolvers since 1991. The organization holds competitions using elements of other handgun sports, and the biggest competition of the year is the International Revolver Championship, now at the Universal Shooting Academy in Florida. The championship includes diverse courses of fire, such as the accuracy element found in Bianchi Cup, fast steel-shooting found at the Steel Challenge, and colored steel with colored corresponding shooting boxes found at the Pro-Am.

“As a match director, it was really cool for me to explore the ICORE rule book,” says Shannon Smith. “It leaves things way more open than I am accustomed to and allows you to do some cool stages like our static steel stage… and I think it gives a great variety to the match.”

ICORE recognizes three divisions: Classic, Limited, and Open. The Classic revolvers have iron sights, and a six-round capacity, with reloads from speed-loaders. Limited revolvers also have iron sights, but an eight-round capacity, with reloads from the faster moon-clips. The Open Division revolvers are the fastest wheel guns in the match, using red dot optics, eight-round capacity, with moon-clips as reloads. High school teacher Rich Wolfe is one of the top contenders in the Open Division, competing with his Smith & Wesson 627, chambered in .38 Super, but with an unusual optic.

“It’s an EO-tech sight right out of the box. You usually see those on ARs,” says Wolfe. “The reticle for this discipline just fits me. I can pick it up really quick with the one-MOA dot in center of it for those really precise shots, and I can put that bullet just about anywhere I need to.”

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ICORE Match Schedule

History’s Guns: Remington New Model Army

Wartime always means high demand for arms. So, when Sam Colt’s patent on the revolving cylinder expired during the Civil War, Remington was quick to produce the New Model Army, a percussion-revolver for officers and horse soldiers. During the war, soldiers typically loaded the New Model Army with six pre-wrapped paper cartridges, but if cartridges were scarce on the battlefield, soldiers could load each chamber, one at a time, with loose black powder and ball.

“Basically, once you’ve fired your six rounds you’re pretty much, pretty much out of it, unless you’re in a safe position where you can load the gun again,” says Firearms Historian Garry James. “This is one of Remington’s great achievements. All of the Remington revolvers, percussion revolvers, were quite good, but this one was the A-plus ultra.”

National Wild Turkey Federation Convention

In typical Turkey Town fashion, more than 50,000 hunters flock to Nashville for one of the biggest conventions that has now become a tradition. It’s the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention and Show where turkey hunters and wildlife conservationists fill the Opryland Resort and Convention Center to swap stories, compete in turkey call competitions, and scout hundreds of new products.

The convention spans four days and features concerts, contests, and well-known personalities; including two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Vincent Hancock and Michael Waddell from “Bone Collector.”  And the major manufacturers are here to show off the latest guns and gear.

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The Model 642 Airweight with factory Crimson Trace Laser Grips is still a strong choice for concealed carry. It’s a stainless steel barrel and cylinder in an aluminum alloy frame, weighing just one pound fully loaded with five shots of .38 Special Plus P. The Model 642 has the centennial frame with internal hammer, so it won’t hang up on your clothing in an emergency draw.  Smith & Wesson now owns Crimson Trace so the Model 642 is equipped with laser grips installed and sighted, so you’re ready to go right out of the box. Suggested Retail $699.

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Hornady’s Critical Defense family of ammunition has a couple of options to fuel the Smith & Wesson Model 642 or any carry gun chambered in .38 Special. .38 Special+P uses a 110-grain FTX bullet. The FTX stands for Hornady’s revolutionary patented Flex Tip Technology, which guarantees penetration and expansion even through heavy garments.

Hornady’s Critical Defense line also includes a “Lite” version to minimize felt-recoil, especially in smaller, lightweight carry guns. Critical Defense Lite uses a 90-grain FTX bullet, but without the +P rating. In either case, both options have a muzzle velocity of more than 1,000 feet per second.

Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special +P

Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special Lite

Pro Tip: Julie Golob - Carry Gun Practice Drill

More and more of us are carrying concealed, but not getting around to practicing with that carry gun. That’s where Smith & Wesson Team Captain Julie Golob comes in. She has some tips on how to shoot fast and accurately with a carry gun, including a couple of drills to keep your practice up to date.

SEE THE PRO TIP
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NRA Membership Offer:  Jim Pays $10 when you join the NRA through the Shooting USA website.