Category: All About Guns
Hello and welcome back to The Rimfire Report! In this ongoing series, we explore and discuss various firearms, ammunition, and concepts within the rimfire world. This week we’re going to explore the indoor rimfire shooting sport of Wingo. If you’ve never heard of it before I wouldn’t be surprised as it was extremely obscure.
The Rimfire Report: Wingo – The Forgotten Indoor Shooting Sport
WHAT IS WINGO?
Wingo was the Winchester-Western Division’s answer to the shooting sports itch in the 1970s. While this sport was entirely experimental, it still had firearms and ammunition specially produced for it, some of which can be found as collector’s items today.
The basic premise of the sport was to outscore your opponent (although you could play by yourself using the machine’s options). Targets consisted of 4-inch diameter hollow ice balls which were launched at the shooter at speeds of up to 30mph, however, the speed at which the target was launched could be determined by the operator of the console. The shooter was armed with a 20 caliber smoothbore lever-action shotgun that fired proprietary 20 caliber shotshells.
The game was meant to be played by two teams with each game consisting of 10 shots that would cost $1 per game. The opponent team could select from one of 5 ports to launch from which were arranged in a quincunx shape (think of the 5 dots on a dice). The ports were distanced 75-feet away from the “player” who then was tasked with shooting and breaking the ice balls. The scoring system was automatic based on a combination of successful target breaks and time between the launch and the shot. The maximum score attainable was 100 for a series of 10 perfect shots scored between 1 and 10.
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY
The Winchester corporation intended to make this sport a high-class affair. The one and only facility was constructed using a combination of state of the art equipment and electronics combined with the luxury of a high-end lounge for potential customers. The decision to trial the viability of the sport on the west coast was picked because San Diego already had many other types of recreational activities.
The Wingo Smoothbore Shotgun
The shotgun used was electronically tethered to the shooting stand both for safety and so that an attached microphone could record the shot taken by the player for scoring. The shotgun was a smooth bore 20 caliber (5mm) lever-action shotgun which included an integrated “Qwik-Point” sight for faster target acquisition. The firearm was similar to the smoothbore “Garden Gun” that was released by Henry Repeating Arms in 2019 which made use of 22 caliber shotshells.
The inclusion of electronics also added an extra layer of safety. The shotgun could only be discharged when the ice target was launched, ensuring that shooters could not fire without a viable target downrange. The shotgun weighed a total of 5.5lbs and was 38″ overall in length.
The shotguns are now collector’s items and go for several thousand dollars on the open market and ammunition is just as rare sometimes going for $20 for a small sampling of the crimped nose 20 caliber shotshells. The shotshells themselves made use of 119 lead pellets of #12 shot which produced a 30″ pattern at 50 feet. The shotshells were the only type of ammunition that could be inserted into the shotgun as the diameter of the 20 caliber barrel was designed to specifically discourage people from bringing in their own rimfire ammunition.
Photo: International Ammunition Association
The round was said to have produced so little sound that no hearing protection was required to be worn in the range.
Targets and Lanes
The targets were 4-inch diameter one-ounce hollow ice balls which were launched by opponents who sat behind the shooter at a control console for the lane. The balls were launched via a pneumatic air cannon ensuring the ice ball didn’t prematurely break in flight. The operator’s console also had an automatic mode for single players in which the electronic system would randomly select speeds and ports to launch the 10 targets out of.
Popular Science Volume 198
From my research into online forums, it seems that there are very few who remember the sport or even knew of it. The facility was only open for about a year and consisted of 10 lanes and a concessions area, restaurant, and two sunken lounges for potential patrons waiting for a lane. The exterior of the building was labeled only with the words “Wingo” which was intended to draw curiosity by passers-by.
Popular Science Volume 198
Ironically, the sport may have been ahead of its time with the ice targets. Not only were they cheap to produce but they were environmentally friendly which in today’s Californian environment would mean it would be under less scrutiny than normal.
FUN BUT NOT PROFITABLE
Unfortunately, the Wingo shooting sport was not long-lived. The one and only shooting facility in San Diego was shut down less than a year after opening due to a lack of interest as well as a failure to be a profitable sport. Winchester never made another attempt at generating interest in the sport in order to reopen.
Photo: International Ammunition Association
The Wingo Shooting Facility was closed and converted into a Branch of the San Diego Superior Court. Meanwhile, the rifles, ammunition, and ice machine equipment were sold off. Many of the rifles are in the hands of private collectors while one of the two remaining ice machines is known to be in the Cody Firearms Museum in Cody, Wyoming.
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Model 1897 (trench grade) and the reproduced Norinco (riot grade)
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NRA Member Survey
We share the results of a wide-ranging survey conducted at the 2024 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings in Dallas.
National Rifle Association members expect unrest surrounding 2024’s elections and are buying ammo ahead of the fall, according to a recent survey conducted by AmmunitionToGo.com.
Quick Links to Survey Topic Sections:
The National Rifle Association
Methodology and Margin of Error
The survey, conducted in-person at the 2024 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings in Dallas, Texas, included nearly 1,000 respondents. The NRA claims five million protectors of the Second Amendment in its ranks. Some board members and news reports suggest that number is now closer to four million members.
Taking the NRA’s 5-million member figure, the 986 sample size returns about a 3% margin of error.
Want the raw data to filter and explore yourself? Get the NRA Annual Meeting Survey Data here.
NRA Members on the Presidential Election
- About 84% of NRA members do not believe Joe Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. This held steady among all age groups surveyed. 84% of 18-30 year olds do not believe Joe Biden was the legitimate winner. 80% of those 60 and older don’t believe Biden won the election legitimately.
- 75% of respondents anticipate some level of civil unrest surrounding the 2024 presidential election. Almost one-third of those surveyed believe there will be some kind of American Civil War in which armed citizens fight each other in the next decade.
- 70% of surveyed respondents indicate they will be stocking up on ammo ahead of the 2024 election.
- According to the survey responses, 39% of NRA members believe our country will see some kind of American Revolution in which armed citizens have to arm themselves against a tyrannical government in the next decade. Generally, the younger the respondent, the more likely they were to believe a Revolution was imminent.
Party Affiliation
78% of NRA members plan to vote for a straight Republican ticket in the 2024 general election. 17% expect to vote a mixed party ticket with nearly 5% indicating they don’t plan to vote at all.
The border and immigration top the list of most concerning issues for NRA members as the nation approaches the 2024 elections. Even among NRA members, gun rights are a distant second.
Member Advocacy
6 out of 10 surveyed say they have contacted a lawmaker to share their opinion on a potential law or policy related to gun rights. Generally, the older the respondent, the more likely they are to have contacted a lawmaker. 80% of respondents who were at least 60 years old have contacted a lawmaker about gun rights.
This suggests NRA members are more politically involved than the average American. A 2018 Pew Research poll found 4 of 10 adult Americans had contacted an elected official in the past five years.
The 2nd Amendment
97% of survey respondents believe the 2nd Amendment was, in part, enshrined in the United States Constitution as a defensive mechanism against a tyrannical government.
When it comes to what threatens the 2nd Amendment, NRA membership is split. That said, the concept of a gun owner database appears the most concerning to members among the more commonly discussed threats. Red flag laws and a renewed assault weapons ban follow.
Currently, Federal law prohibits a universal, national gun registry or database through the Brady Act.
Rights for Anti-Gun Citizens & Politicians
Respondents did not feel that simply voting for politicians seen as “anti-gun” was grounds for giving up 2nd Amendment rights. 57% of those surveyed believe voters who support politicians pushing for tighter gun control should still enjoy the right of gun ownership.
However, NRA members see lawmakers in a different light. 84% of NRA members believe politicians who oppose the 2nd Amendment should forfeit taxpayer-funded armed security.
Gun Safety
Nearly 55% of National Rifle Association members believe a safety course of some kind should be a requirement for gun ownership. Our survey didn’t define what would constitute a “safety course.”
Respondents were also split on mental health screenings for firearm purchases. 45% of those surveyed believe a screening should be necessary prior to purchase. Generally, the younger the respondent, the more in favor of mental health screenings they are.
Minority Groups & Firearms
Transgender Rights
Fewer than 22% of National Rifle Association members surveyed believe a person who has undergone gender reassignment surgery should have their firearms taken from them. 28% of respondents are undecided on the issue.
The age group most supportive of trans-gun rights was the oldest segment of our survey. Just 18% of those 60 years old and older believe gender-reassignment is grounds for firearm confiscation. 29% of the the 18-30 year old respondents felt gender-reassignment surgery recipients should have their guns taken away.
Non-binary and trans gun rights is an emerging issue that’s drawn strong opinions nationally. In recent history, the National Shooting Sports Foundation asked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for guidance related to background check forms. Then, in 2020, the ATF added a “non-binary” check box to its Form 4473 – their background check for firearms purchases.
Illegal Immigrants & Firearms
In March, a federal judge in Illinois found at least some illegal immigrants have gun rights via the Constitution. That contrasts with the nearly 95% of NRA members surveyed who don’t believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to legally own guns. In April, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas introduced legislation along with a host of other senators that would notify Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and relevant local law authorities when illegal immigrants attempt to purchase firearms through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
The older the respondent, the more likely they are to believe illegal immigrants should not legally own firearms. 308 of 317 respondents older than 60 do not believe illegal immigrants should have firearms – that’s 97%.
Bump Stocks
In 2018, the Trump administration banned bump stocks, a type of firearm attachment that some believe allows semi-automatic rifles to fire faster. The rule gave bump stock owners until March 2019 to turn in or destroy the accessory.
The decision faced a legal challenge and that made its way to the United States Supreme Court. With a decision from the court expected this summer, NRA members largely disagree with Trump’s decision on bump stocks. 76% of survey respondents do not support Trump’s decision to ban them. (About 9% of those surveyed do not know what a bump stock is.)
27% of those surveyed said if Trump is reelected and he signs more anti-gun bills into law, they would still support him. 68% would no longer give their support.
Memberships Feelings on the NRA
Despite media reports about lagging membership and infighting among leadership and board members, 75% of respondents trust the NRA to advocate for the 2nd Amendment. About 86% of those surveyed find value in their membership, with older members finding more value in their membership than younger members. (76% of respondents under 30 years of age find it valuable versus 94% of those older than 60.)
Still, 87% say they think the NRA could be doing more to advocate for Americans’ 2nd Amendment rights. Respondents point to the case of Kyle Rittenhouse as an example.
A jury acquitted Rittenhouse of double murder in 2021 after the 17-year-old shot and killed two Black Lives Matter protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse successfully argued the shooting was in self-defense after an angry mob attacked him.
Three years later, Rittenhouse says the NRA did nothing to support him in his high profile case. 74% of NRA members believe the organization should have done more to help Rittenhouse.
About the Survey Respondents
AmmunitionToGo.com conducted via face-to-face surveying of NRA Annual Meeting attendees with the aid of survey software and iPads May 17 – May 19, 2024.
Staff solicited members to take the surveys on the floor of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center during the annual event.
More than half of the members surveyed were 50 years old or older.
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