3 Gun at the Rock

Last weekend I was able to take part in my first ever major 3 gun match;  The AR15.com Pro Am at Rockcastle Shooting center in Park City, KY.  The match was a three day event with a pro and amateur class and stages set up for each.  We had sponsored the match the year before, but all of my buddies were surprised that we hadn't actually signed up to shoot.  That was when I decided I will be shooting in this one! 
A lot of people are intimidated by a match with so much size and press.  As I said, this was my first major match with only two previous local matches to see how things worked and get those first match jitters out of my system.  If there is one thing I have learned in my short time shooting 3 gun, it is that most people are glad to have you there and are willing to give tips and help new guys like myself.  It was like a weekend hunting with your buddies shooting on the amateur side.  The mood was light and everyone was there to shoot and have a good time.  There were over 500 shooters at this match, which made for a lot of ammo downrange!
After shooting 7 challenging stages, I learned a few important lessons about three gun:

1.  Don't be afraid to try it.  There are tons of first timers at every match.  There are local matches at shooting clubs across the country that hold matches every month.  My local club charged $20 for non-members to shoot, so it won't break the bank(unless you count skyrocketing ammo costs).

2.  Shotgun reloading is what separates the men from the boys.  Pick a technique and practice practice practice!  I use the load two method.  Check it out online.  There are tons of YouTube videos about every method out there.

3.  As much as I love 3 Gun Nation, most major matches are not set up the same way as you see on TV.  Those matches are set up for speed and movement, which is awesome on TV, but a bit intimidating for a new shooter.  Most matches have shots out to 200-300 yds and timeouts of 100 seconds.  You don't have to shoot like a pro to participate in 3 gun!  Trust me, I'm FAR from a pro and still had a blast.

4.  Don't wait until the last minute to buy your shotgun shells or other gear.  I had some new ammo I hadn't tried before I picked up on the way to the shoot.  It didn't go so well.  Semi-auto shotguns can be finicky. Make sure you've tested all of your gear and ammo BEFORE you go shoot.  It will save you an embarrassing situation or two at the match!

5.  If you don't have all the gear you need to participate in a match, find a buddy that has what you don't and share.  I've shared my kit with a couple different people in the three matches I've shot.  I recommend you line it all up before you go so you have some time to practice with it.  Using new equipment at a match is just like using new ammo.  It can be embarrassing!

6.  Last, always set a goal for yourself.  My goals as a new shooter are pretty easy: don't get DQ'd and don't come in last.  Getting DQ'd is generally a lack of safety and that's never a good thing when guns are involved.  Learn procedures for switching gear if you are sharing and make sure your gear is secure.  Dropping a loaded firearm will send you home immediately!  My last goal is to have fun.  I'm not out there to make money, simply to learn and hone my own shooting skills, and maybe sell some Ace or DoubleStar stuff in the process ;-). 

Hopefully this will serve as an open invitation for all of you to participate in a match, either local or major at some point in the future.  Don't be afraid to get out there and put some rounds downrange.  There is always going to be someone better than you there and someone who could use a little help.  You don't have to have the newest gear or the most expensive guns, just bring what you've got and have a blast!  If you have questions, feel free to send them to me at nick@jtdistributing.com.

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose.
-Nick

What's new around the J&T Family of Companies?  With the industry finally calming down a bit, we have had time to catch up, get more product on the shelves, and prepare for the fall/ winter months.  The huge orders and the phones are manageable again, and R&D is back underway. 
A lot of you have been chomping at the bit about our .308 platform.  Without giving away too much, just know that it's well underway and we hope to have some ready to sell at SHOT show, and it will be worth the wait.
What else is new?  Those of you who have been following us probably saw the release about the groundbreaking of our new facility.  The new building is slated to be 40,000+ sq. ft. of black rifle awesomeness!  For those of us who started out in a tiny little warehouse, this is a big deal.  A big thanks to you customers and fans for helping make our dreams a reality.  We're hoping to be in the new place early next year doing an even better job at taking care of you.
The last thing I want to let you know about is our Armorer's Courses offered by the DSC Training Academy.  We are now teaching at least one class per month in the basic AR course and working on a few new ones as well.  It's the ONLY manufacturer's class that provides you with EVERYTHING you need to work with and it's a fraction of the cost of the other guys' classes.  For $325, you get a two day in depth class teaching you the basics of the AR15 and all you need is a desire to learn.  If you are looking for something more advanced, keep checking back.  The advanced classes are being written up now.
Thanks again for all your support.  We'll keep makin' em if you keep buying em.

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose.
-Nick

What do we do now?

First, let me apologize for the lack of content here.  I will not make excuses, only pledge to do better.

Moving on...

Boom!  With the election over and the dust settled, the phones here at the J&T Family of Companies have been ringing off the hook!  Thousands of rifles and parts back-ordered almost instantly after the election and is anyone surprised?  With the agenda our government has made quite clear, most gun enthusiasts have a heightened sense of urgency to fill their safes with more of the evil black rifles.  Personally, I detest what has happened and think it's a travesty that we as Americans even have to worry about such a thing.  It's sad and pathetic that people blame the gun instead of the shooter for any crime committed with a firearm.  The thought of restricting legal ownership boggles the mind!!  We've all seen the comment about how spoons made Rosie fat and the like.  Bob Costas really stuck his foot in his mouth after the tragedy with Kansas City Chiefs player Jovan Belcher's murder/ suicide last week.  To me it just proves that the wrong people are in front of the camera most of the time.  I was surprised that Costas didn't call for a ban on cars or alcohol after only one week later the Cowboys team suffered a death on their team due to drunk driving.

What do we do as gun owners?  We continue to support the right people in our government, the NRA and other pro gun organizations, and buy more guns!  I know I could always use a few more guns and cases of ammo.  I hate to have to buy it this way, but I'd much rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.  Companies such as ours and many others around the country are doing everything in their power to fight the anti gun agenda and do what we can.  As gun enthusiasts I implore you all to do the same.

Keep in mind that those of us here at the JTFOC are doing our very best to get parts in and orders out.  You can imagine the hectic nature of our shop.  Please be understanding if a part is on backorder.  Trust me, no one wants that part in your hands worse than us!  We appreciate all your business and hope to keep you coming back as long as they will let us.

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose.  

-Nick

NRA 2012

This year marks the first year I was able to attend the NRA show.  It’s usually manned by our Law Enforcement and longtime friend Don Alwes, but this year I had some other business to take care of with some clients and marketing partners so I took that opportunity to do so.  St Louis is a short 5 hours from my house, so it seemed like the perfect chance to finally get to the show.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the convention center on setup day was the huge amount of people on hand already.  Most of them were exhibitors, but a lot of public was already in the building.  There was a booth set up specifically for signing up new NRA members as well as renewing or upgrading existing members.  It was packed full of people!!  There was a bell that rang every so often, signifying new members.  The crowd cheered every time the bell rang, like a boxer had knocked out the evil champ.  It was great to see so many new members in one place.

Our booth was a small 10’x10’, so setup took about 10 minutes.  Don brought his training weapons and I brought along the small prototype bobtail 1911 as well as a fully customized 300 Blackout.  The rest of the guns were tricked out variations of the AR15, including the Marksman model, which is a definite show stopper. 

Friday morning it didn’t take long for the aisles to fill with anxious members wanting to see what the next big thing was going to be and who was going to sell it.  It reminded me of a scaled down SHOT show.  Maybe 1/3 the size of SHOT, exhibitors brought their nice displays and their newest products to show.  I was never able to get out and move around the show floor because our booth was stacked with people wanting to see what we had to show.  The crowd was blown away by not only the bobtail model, but the shooter 1911 Don uses with over 15,000 rounds of 45 ACP through it.  It’s still a crisp, tight pistol.  I was impressed with how well it held up to being thrown around in training and seeing that many rounds.  It was definitely a strong testimonial for our Combat Pistol.  Saturday was the same.  There were people from all walks of life in to see what was hot. 

The biggest thing I have noticed over the last 6 months worth of trade shows is how most people even though they don’t know a lot about us had at least heard about us.  We have been trying very hard to advertise and put products in the places the most people would see them and get to shoot them.  The DoubleStar name has gained a lot of ground in the last two years and we hope it continues to do the same.

I had to leave Saturday and head back for a family event, but we were busy enough that instead of leaving at lunch as planned, I stayed until close to help Don field the masses.  It was a busy show for us.  I feel like we got a lot of traffic and great feedback from DSC customers.  The thing you can always count on in this business is someone telling you what you did wrong.  That’s a good thing for a manufacturer because it keeps us on top of our game.  We will continue to build great guns and come out with new products until someone says we can’t.  With the upcoming election, there are no guarantees that we will have tomorrow in this industry.  Take advantage of the liberties that we have now.  Go to a gun show, buy a gun, sign up for the NRA if you aren’t a member.  There are a lot of great people in that organization that really want what’s best for our industry.  Do your part to keep our freedom in tact.  No one is going to do it for you.

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose!

-Nick

Here We Go Again!

It wasn't that long ago that firearms, black rifles in particular, went through the roof.  People were buying the black rifles faster than we could make them.  Prices skyrocketed and people were hording them in fear that they may not be able to purchase them ever again.  Even the dealers were going crazy.  Purchase orders came in with notes that said,"Send me 500 of whatever you got."  Parts were scarce, even down to simple things like bolt cam pins were nowhere to be found.  Somehow, the strong survived.
Fast forward to 2012.  The phones are ringing off the hooks again.  Our orders are coming in faster and faster every day.  To give you some idea, we have already bypassed the sales we did in 2009 BY A LOT!! 

So now the question is, "What has the J&T Family of Companies done to prepare?"  In anticipation of the onslaught, we have taken a lot of necessary steps to help combat this high level of orders.  We've hired more personnel, including an ARMY Ranger, National Guard armorer, and many experienced CNC operators.  We have increased our blanket orders to get product in house, and we've continued to advertise in many popular venues to keep DoubleStar's name in front of the buyer.  We're working on the websites to make them easier to use and updated with new and exciting products.

I'm writing this not to put fear into my readers, but to inform them of the condition of the industry.  Things are going to be a little slower, and parts are going to be a little harder to find.  Please bare with us as we try and fill everyone's orders in a timely fashion.  We will be filling orders and backorders in the order they are received as parts come in to fill them.  If you are willing to take partials, please let us know.  We will do the best we can to get everything out as quickly as we can.  We will NOT sacrifice quality to up the quantity.  You can expect the same high quality parts from DSC, J&T, and Ace Limited that you have always received.  If you have any problems or questions, please email them.  We will be answering emails daily.  Please try and keep the phone calls to a minimum.  The longer our techs are on the phone, the less time they will be spending building your orders.

As I said before, we appreciate all the business you have given.  We take great pride in knowing we are providing our fellow Americans with awesome firearms.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me directly at nick@jtdistributing.com.

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose.

-Nick

J&T Family of Companies at SHOT Show 2012

SHOT Show is always a time of excitement and anticipation for the firearms industry.  The dealers, buyers, and even the exhibitors are hyped up to see what’s new for 2012.  For the J&T Family of Companies, the show had more buzz than ever before. 

The Zombie craze has taken over the firearms industry.  Hogue had a zombie grip, EoTech had a zombie sight with a biohazard reticle, Duracoat had a zombie coat, KA-Bar and Gerber both had zombie knives, and I’m sure there are tons of other vendors I just didn’t get to see.  Even with the large amount of zombie themed accessories, one stood above the rest.  Ace Limited introduced the “Zombie X”; a rail mounted chainsaw on an AK-47.  Yes, I said a rail mounted chainsaw.  It was done mostly to poke fun at the zombie madness, but after being handled and having more pictures taken with it than the Blue Man Group, it no doubt stole the show.  People poured into booth 20063 to see the new “Zombie X” chainsaw attachment.  There were videos, pictures, and even legitimate media sources that couldn’t wait to see the saw.  I absolutely could not believe the response this thing got.  There were a few skeptics who failed to see the humor in our obvious poke at the zombie madness, but most could not wait to get their hands on it and start it up.  Yep, it was a fully functional saw.  Everyone from movie and production companies to Law Enforcement wanted to see the Zombie X.  It was truly the show stopper.

Having such a popular item at the show only provides ample opportunity to show off the true awesomeness that is the J&T Family of Companies product line.  Ace released the new Remington 870 Receiver Block and the FNAR receiver block.  Both made of T6 aluminum then hard coat anodized, they include a pistol grip and the ability to use any of the stocks from the Ace Limited product line as well as adapt to many other AR style stocks.  If you have either of these rifles, you need these blocks.

DoubleStar Corp had a great showing as well.  Along with some magnificent custom rifle builds, the Deer Rifle, Midnight Dragon, and the 5.5 lb Personal Defense Carbine all got great reviews.  Along with the rifles, DSC’s accessory line also released two new sling mounts for the picatinny rail.  The RMSS and RMSS-QD are both made from aluminum with a cross bolt to fasten it securely to your railed handguard.  The RMSS uses the A2 swivel and the QD version is available with or without a push button swivel.

The unsung hero of the show was no doubt the prototype Bobtail 1911.  Because it is so new, there aren’t a lot of details to share.  We put one together to see the response it got, and it was good.  Stay tuned for more details as they come available.

For more details on any of these items, check YouTube.  There were tons of interviews done on all of these new items by credible sources.  We will be uploading links over the next couple week along with technical specs on each item to our websites as well.  All of us at the J&T Family of Companies appreciate the great response and continued respect we receive from the industry as well as the customer.  While we like to have fun with the Zombie toys, we have not forgotten the great responsibility we have to continue providing high quality rifles and accessories for Law Enforcement, Military and hard working Americans like you. 

Keep your mags full and your trigger finger loose.

-Nick

Another Knob Creek in the Books

Fall is upon us!  Knob Creek has come and gone, the temperature dropped 15 degrees in a day, and the phones are ringing off the hook here in Winchester.  DSC has some cool things going on for 2012 including the release of the new DSC Deer Rifle.  A 6.8 SPC caliber rifle to slay the whitetail!  Look for more additions to the DSC Hunting lineup in 2012. 
I sent a Midnight Dragon to www.oneshotpub.com to get yet another opinion on the quality and performance of one of our newest custom rifles.  It did so well that the writer wants to keep it!  That's what we want out of our rifles.
Look for DSC on the Outdoor Channel as well as the Sportsman Channel in 2012.  We've been in talks with both to help promote the good DSC name.  Michael Bane from the Shooting Gallery will be at our booth at SHOT SHOW to talk to our fans as well. 
This blog was also meant to be a sounding board and a place for us to answer questions.  Please don't hesitate to submit topics you would like covered to nick@jtdistributing.com.

-Nick