by In the annual Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus competition featuring trap, skeet, and sporting clays, Team Democrat beat Team Republican.
CSC Co-Chair and team captain Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas accepted the trophy on behalf of team Democrat, made up of members of the CSC including: Sen. Joe Manchin, CSC Vice-Chair Rep. Heath Shuler, Rep. Collin Peterson, Rep. Bennie Thompson, former CSC Co-Chair Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. Tim Walz.
The Republican team, lead by CSC Co-Chair, Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida, included: CSC Senate Vice-Chair Sen. Jim Risch, CSC House Vice-Chair Rep. Bob Latta, former CSC Co-Chairs Rep Paul Ryan and Rep. Don Young, Rep. Paul Broun, Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Renee Ellmers, Rep. Steve King, Rep. John Kline, Rep. Billy Long, Rep. Tom Marino, Rep. Steve Pearce, Rep. Austin Scott, Rep. Steve Southerland, Rep. Tim Walberg, Rep. Rob Wittman.
The story in the Outdoor Wire also reports Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) won the skeet competition, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) won the trap competition, and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) won the sporting clays. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) won the beginner competition.
It is good to see both Democrats and Republicans supporting the shooting sports. However, judging from some of the comments by the co-chairs, many of these legislators still confuse supporting duck hunting with supporting the Second Amendment. It is unfortunate that not every member of both teams is signed on a co-sponsor of HR 822 and that goes for both the Republican as well as the Democrats.
Next year I’d propose a little different shooting competition. Instead of trap, skeet, and sporting clays, why not make it a 3-gun competition? You’d still have the shotgun involved but would add both rifle and pistol to the mix. Now that would be interesting! It would also show the ATF Shotgun Study team that 3-gun competition is a sporting use.
As an alternative since so many Members of Congress announced after the shooting of Gabby Giffords that they had a concealed carry permit and planned to use it, make it an IDPA pistol competition. That would let us see how serious they are about self-protection and what level of real training they have.
As I said over at Snowflakes in Hell – there are neither the facilities at PG County Trap & Skeet (or really anywhere within a couple of hours of DC) for 3 gun (I've been looking for a match to try to enter or watch, the closest I've seen is a 4 hour drive away) nor do 99.999% of people who shoot know what the heck 3-gun or IDPA is.
But, they do indeed do a normal target shoot there. This year, it was a Laser Shot event. Because PG County doesn't have a rifle/pistol range. In years past, they have had a single trailer enclosed range for the event, but its been a few years.
They use PG County's course cause its close to DC (takes me 20 minutes from my office – as opposed to at least an hour – or more – with traffic to get to any range in Virginia).
@Countertop: I appreciate the comments and also read your comments over there. See my comments there as well.
I don't live in a major urban area because I consider them, to be perfectly blunt, hellholes. Since I don't live there I don't have same appreciation for the traffic problems as those who do. For me, a long commute is driving 35 miles in 40 minutes.