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Action Target Listed Among Utah’s Fastest Growing Companies

PROVO, Utah – Action Target Inc., a world leader in shooting range technology and tactical training systems, has been named to the Utah Business 2012 Fast 50 list, which ranks the 50 fastest-growing companies in the state of Utah.

The Utah Fast 50 award program, founded by Utah Business magazine, annually recognizes Utah companies for exceptional growth, entrepreneurial spirit and consistent innovation in the business community. Action Target Inc. was ranked #45 at a banquet held Wednesday in Salt Lake City. The rankings are based on total revenue and revenue growth over the last five years.

“We’re honored to be recognized among some of the greatest companies Utah has to offer,” Action Target co-founder Addison Sovine said. “Our team here at Action Target works hard to produce the greatest shooting products on the market, and it feels great to bring home this award for them.”

Action Target’s Vice President of Sales Randal Graham accepted the award certificate at the banquet held at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City where Utah’s 50 fastest-growing companies as well as eight emerging companies were recognized. Combined, the 58 companies were responsible for$7.3 billion in revenue last year.

“We feel very blessed to be in the position we are,” Graham said. “We’ve been around for 26 years, and despite a national recession, we’re still recording consistent growth which allows us to create more jobs in the community.”

Action Target will be featured in Utah Business magazine’s September issue among the other Utah Fast 50 award winners.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Action Target to Receive Fast 50 Award for Business Growth

Action Target, a leading global supplier and manufacturer of shooting range equipment and products, has been named to the Utah Business 2012 Fast 50 annual ranking, which lists 50 of the fastest growing companies in the state of Utah.

Action Target Vice President of Sales Randal Graham will be accepting the award for the company Aug. 29 at a luncheon held at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. “Being listed as a Fast 50 business means a lot to us,” Graham said. “We’ve been working hard to expand our clientele and product lines over the past few years, and it’s nice to be recognized for the success of our efforts.” As part of being listed as a Fast 50 business, Action Target will be featured in Utah Business magazine’s September issue.

About Utah Business Fast 50

Created by Utah Business Magazine, the Fast 50 Award highlights 50 of the fastest growing companies in the state of Utah. Sponsors for the Fast 50 Award include Kirton & McConkie, Volcom, VLCM, Layton Construction, and Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

10 Ways to Prevent Wildfires while Target Shooting

More than 20 wildfires have been started by target shooting this year in Utah alone with dozens more started in Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington. Many of those fires could have been prevented or stopped had the shooters been prepared. Here is a list of 10 things shooters can do to prevent wildfires while target shooting:

  1. Bring a bucket of water – This may seem obvious, but often, shooters fail to bring enough water to put a fire out. A five gallon bucket of water at the ready while shooting could prevent a disaster if a fire does start. We recommend placing the bucket near the targets you’ll be shooting. That way, if a fire starts, you won’t have to waste precious time carrying a heavy bucket all the way to where your targets are set up.
  2. Shoot on quality steel targets – Action Target’s steel targets are designed to minimize risks to both the shooter and the environment. The flat target surface with no exposed clamps or brackets allows for a predictable bullet splatter, and the 30 degree angle of the target plate forces bullet fragments down toward the feet of the target. Uneven shooting surfaces produce unpredictable splatter and ricochet which increases the surface area exposed to sparks and hot bullet fragments.
  3. Place your targets on dirt or gravel – Make sure your target is placed on a level, unvegetated surface of dirt or small grained gravel. Placing a target in tall grass increases the risk of fire.
  4. Don’t shoot trash – Trash like old couches and TVs can often be found on public land but are dangerous fire hazards when shot. Because there is no hard surface to cause the bullet to break up, hot rounds can build up inside and create enough heat to cause a fire.
  5. Don’t shoot with steel core ammo – Ammo that contains a steel core will spark when it hits a rock or a steel target. To avoid any chance of sparking, do not use steel ammunition and avoid shooting in rocky areas.
  6. Bring a shovel and an old blanket – Use the shovel to dig a trench around your targets before shooting to ensure that any fire caused by sparks can be easily contained. Place the blanket near the targets you’ll be shooting so it’s easily available if needed. A blanket is one of the best ways to smother a fire and can be even more effective than water.
  7. Never shoot exploding targets – Binary exploding targets made of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder (commonly known as Tannerite when combined) are popular among recreational shooters, but can be highly destructive. Never use exploding targets in flammable areas. Exploding targets (listed as “other pyrotechnic devices”) are outlawed on public lands by the Bureau of Land Management’s Fire Prevention Order.
  8. Don’t use incendiary or tracer ammo – Incendiary and tracer ammo are also outlawed on public lands by the BLM’s Fire Prevention Order. Any ammo that “burns” can easily ignite grass and brush and should not be used in flammable areas.
  9. Don’t smoke – Even if you’re following all safety precautions in regard to shooting, you can still easily start a wildfire by smoking. If you’re shooting in a dry location, make sure that all cigarette butts are properly extinguished or avoid smoking at all.
  10. Park your vehicle away from dry grass – Several fires this year have been started by vehicles parked over grass. Many people don’t think about it, but the hot undercarriage of a car or truck can easily create enough heat to ignite dry grass.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Crystal Lake Gun Center to Hold Grand Opening Celebration

PROVO, Utah – June 14, 2012 – On Target Range & Tactical Training Center in Crystal Lake, Ill., will hold its grand opening celebration June 22 and 23. The celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local dignitaries and a drawing for guns and other prizes.

The ceremonies will start 10 a.m. Friday with an introduction from On Target owners and managing partners followed by short speeches from local government leaders. Those expected to be in attendance are President of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Gary Reece and Illinois State Senator Pam Althoff among others.

The new gun center boasts two indoor shooting ranges designed and installed by Action Target, the world’s largest manufacturer of shooting range technology and equipment. One side is a12-position 25-yard handgun range with a smart retrieval system for customized target distance control and bullet-proof glass stall separators. The other side is a 12-position 50-yard rifle range.

“We’re probably the only public indoor range in all of northern Illinois that has the capacity to handle rifles,” Managing Partner and Developer Bo Strom said. “Everything else is just pistol.”

Action Target also installed overhead protective baffles to minimize the risk of ricochet and an air ventilation system that pulls air toward the back of the range protecting shooters and the environment from hazardous lead dust contamination.

“The air that gets pushed out of the exhaust vents is cleaner than the air that came in from outside,” Strom said. “99.7 percent of all contaminates are removed through a filtering system.”

The result is a clean and safe environment that the entire family can enjoy.

“You could dress up in a tuxedo to come shooting here and then go to your anniversary dinner and not feel like you’re covered in cordite and smoke,” On Target Director of Operations Tom Dorsch said.

Apart from the shooting ranges, On Target is unique among gun centers in northern Illinois because of all the services offered on site. The new facilities include a retail firearm and ammunition store, a gunsmith shop and classrooms for in-depth training courses for everyone from first-time shooters to professionals.

“We have a significant training program here,” Strom said, “and I think the net effect will be that anyone that wants to be in the sport of shooting will have the opportunity to get upgraded training.”

Several classes will be held each week on topics ranging from gun safety to rendezvous survival training. For information on On Target and the training programs offered, visit www.OnTargetSite.com.

On Target Range & Tactical Training Center
560 Beechcraft Lane, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012
Contact: Judy Claxton (815) 477-2020 Office / [email protected]

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Loves Park Gun Store and Shooting Range to Hold Grand Opening Celebration

PROVO, Utah – June 14, 2012 – KAP Guns in Loves Park, Ill., will be holding a grand opening celebration from June 18 – 23. The events will include daily gun giveaways, ammo and firearm specials, a chance to shoot a Barrett M107 .50 BMG and food provided on Saturday by Giovanni’s restaurant.

Representatives from Smith & Wesson, FNH, Springfield and Ruger will also be present throughout the week with products that customers can test in the shooting range.

“All these manufacturers are coming out with new guns and they’re really hard to get,” co-owner Ken Polhamus said. “Having them there is going to make it so the customer can be one-on-one with the rep so they don’t have to go through us.”

Polhamus worked in the family-owned drywall business for 30 years and made a living as a contractor, but when the housing market went south three years ago, he decided it was time for something new. His son, Kenny Polhamus, proposed the idea of taking his small gun business and moving it to their construction warehouse where they would have room for a retail store and a small shooting range.

Ken Polhamus jumped at the chance to go into business with his son and donated the warehouse as the business’ storefront.

“It just keeps us working together,” Ken Polhamus said.

Now, the warehouse contains a firearm and ammo store with an attached indoor shooting range designed and installed by Action Target, the world’s largest manufacturer of shooting range technology and equipment.

The range has five 28-yard lanes with a smart retrieval system for customized target distance control. With a rubber berm capable of stopping a .50 bullet at point-blank range and safety baffles to contain any possible ricochets, KAP Guns promises a safe and enjoyable shooting experience.

For more information about KAP Guns products and events, visit KAPGuns.com.

KAP Guns
7307 Edward R., Loves Park, IL. 61111 USA
Contact: Kenny Polhamus (815) 708-8281 Office / [email protected]

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Action Target Founders named Entrepreneurs of the Year

PROVO, Utah – June 12, 2012 – Addison Sovine and Kyle Bateman of Action Target, Inc. both received the Utah area Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Thursday at a ceremony held in Salt Lake City. They were selected from among several applicants for the significant impact they have had on the surrounding business community.

“Receiving this award means a lot to me personally and to Action Target as a company,” Sovine said. “I feel honored that we’re in the company of so many other great businessmen.”

Sovine and Bateman were among 13 winners chosen from the Utah region which also includes Wyoming and half of Idaho. As regional winners, they will have the opportunity to attend the Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs, Calif., this November where the national Entrepreneur of the Year will be announced.

Sovine and Bateman founded Action Target in 1986 based on local law enforcement’s need for better training equipment. Basements and garages became the first fabrication shops for Action Target, Inc. as the two friends pioneered new target systems for firearms training.

“It was a ton of work, more work than we thought it was going to be,” Sovine said, “but seeing the company grow the way it has and winning this award makes it all worth it.”

Action Target is now the largest manufacturer of shooting range products in the nation and has installed training facilities for the FBI Academy, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Federal Air Marshal Training Academy, the Orlando Police Department, FBI Fort Dix, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Fort Benning, and hundreds of other law enforcement and military ranges in the U.S. and throughout the world.

The Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program honors entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence in innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award, now in its 26th year, includes more than 140 cities in 50 countries and is considered the most prestigious entrepreneurial award in the world.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

New Local Shooting Range Promises Clean Environment

PROVO, Utah – May 16, 2012 – Field Time Target and Training in Stanton has teamed with Action Target to create a state-of-the-art shooting range for firearms training. The new facilities which are located just northeast of the Beach Blvd. and Katella Ave. intersection include a firearms and ammo retail store, two indoor shooting ranges and classrooms for in-depth instruction.

“Orange County is range deprived,” said Field Time owner Greg Caringella. “There was a great need for another range in the Orange County area and I think our range is going to have an extremely positive effect on the community.”

The new facility includes two 25-yard indoor ranges with 14 lanes each. One side was specifically designed for civilian use and utilizes digital target retrieval systems for fast results. The other side was designed with local law enforcement in mind and includes a pneumatic target system from Action Target capable of turning 180 degrees. In the future, police departments will be able to use this system to test officers’ decision-making abilities in tactical situations with hostile and friendly turning targets.

With the help of Action Target, the world’s largest manufacturer of shooting range equipment and technology, Caringella made sure that his range is as safe and comfortable as possible for shooters.

“I’ve been inside shooting ranges my whole life, and I would always come out feeling like I breathed in half of all the debris that went down range,” Caringella said. “I wanted to create a shooting range where you could leave without feeling like you needed to take five showers.”

Caringella said he feels like he has accomplished his goal through the use of quality materials and safety technology. Both ranges are equipped with an air ventilation system to protect shooters from lead dust contamination and debris.

“The air coming out of our range is much cleaner than the air you breathe outside,” Caringella said. “Our range presents itself as something you would find in your living room.”

Field Time Target and Training will officially open to the public May 26 but a pre-opening celebration will be held May 19-20. Everyone is invited to come enjoy barbecue pulled pork and chicken at the range from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

At the pre-opening event, Field Time will also raffle off a Springfield XD .40 handgun, a Ruger 10/22 rifle, a Mossberg home protection 12 gauge shotgun, and various 5.11 Tactical gear. The raffle will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Participants do not need to be present to win.

Field Time Target and Training
8230 Electric Ave., Stanton, CA 90680 USA
Contact: Greg Caringella (714) 677-2841 Office / (714) 615-4169 Cell / [email protected]

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Action Target Founders Named Finalist in Entrepreneur of the Year Award

PROVO, Utah— In today’s hard-hit economy, two local Utah businessmen have been named finalists of the 2012 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Kyle Bateman and Addison Sovine of Action Target, Inc. are among a handful of entrepreneurs to be named finalists in the Utah region, which includes Wyoming and half of Idaho. These local businessmen were selected from more than 1,700 applicants because of their significant impact on their surrounding business community.

“It is an honor,” stated Sovine. “There are so many great companies in this area and I am grateful to be listed among them.”

But being a successful entrepreneur in today’s economy does not come easy. “It has required a lot more work than I might have imagined early on,” said Bateman. “It is hard to comprehend how many things there are to do and how much work you will have to put into your business to make it successful. Having said that, I am still amazed that things have worked out as well as they have.”

Sovine and Addison founded Action Target out of an auto body shop in 1985. Their business idea was created atop the hood of a police vehicle, followed by their tireless work and hours to bring their ideas to the country. Since that time, Action Target has become the industry leader in shooting range design and Portable Steel Targets.

Sovine and Addison are in the running with 32 other finalists for this year’s top honored award. Ernst and Young developed the Entrepreneur of the Year Award program to celebrate successful entrepreneurs. It has grown into an award program that spans more than 140 cities in 50 countries. This year’s Utah region winners region will go on to compete against winners from other regions around the country, and subsequently the world. Utah Region winners will be announced on June 7, 2012.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

S and D Indoor Range Teams with Action Target to Deliver Superior Training

PROVO, Utah – May 3, 2012 – S and D Indoor Range held its grand opening celebration Saturday in Nicholasville, Kent. The new facilities include a firearms retail store as well as an indoor range built with equipment and technology from Action Target, the world’s largest manufacturer of shooting range products.

The range has 12 25-yard lanes, four designated for rifle use and eight for handguns, with target retrieval systems to deliver quick results. To maximize shooter safety, S and D installed a Total Containment Trap from Action Target which safely catches rounds at the end of the range.

The bullet trap uses armor steel to funnel bullets into a small gap that runs along the entire 50 foot width of the range. Once a bullet passes through the gap, it enters a deceleration chamber that spins the bullet in a circle until it runs out of energy and falls harmlessly into canisters that can be disposed of with minimal lead contact.

“The Total Containment Trap just makes it more convenient for us and safer environmentally,” said Lynn Dix, co-owner and manager of the range. “If anybody buys indoor range equipment, then the Total Containment Trap is the only way to go.”

Action Target also installed overhead protective baffles to minimize the risk of ricochet, shooting stalls separated by bulletproof glass and an air ventilation system that pulls air towards the back of the range protecting shooters and the environment from hazardous lead dust contamination.

“Choosing Action Target was the correct decision,” Dix said. “If I had to do it over again, and I might, I would not look any further than Action Target to take care of our needs.”

S and D Indoor Range offers classes for concealed weapons permits as well as an introductory course on handguns and handgun safety. Customers can also rent firearms to use in the indoor range. S and D Indoor Range is located at 440 E. Brannon Rd. in south Nicholasville. For more information, visit www.SandDIndoorRange.com or call at (859) 273-0311.

S and D Indoor Range
440 E. Brannon Rd., Nicholasville, KY. 40356
Contact: Lynn Dix (859) 273-0311 Office / (859) 576-1188 Cell / [email protected]

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244

Shot Show’s Media Day at the Range Announces Action Target Safety Award

Las Vegas, NV — Media Day at the Range announces its partnership with Action Target to create the 2012 Media Day Safety award. This award will be given to the media day exhibitor that holds to the highest standards of safety during the shooting event on January 16, 2012. Each exhibitor will be judged by a panel of safety auditors that will score each exhibitor on their firearms safety practices during the event.

Action Target is a leading global supplier of superior shooting range products, equipment, design, manufacturing, and training for law enforcement, military, and commercial ranges. Action Target is recognized for developing innovative new firearms training technology, and for having the experience to properly apply that technology to solve today’s safety issues on firing ranges all over the world. “We have been a major supporter of Media Day at the Range for many years and being the sponsor of the 2012 safety award is an honor for us,” said Chad Burdette, Portable Target Manager for Action Target.

Scoring and grading each exhibitor at the shoot will be based on specific safety criteria of handling firearms, ammunition placement, and maintaining a safe environment at their shooting station. The winning exhibitor will be awarded the Action Target safety award trophy at the Action Target SHOT show, booth (#10564), on Tuesday afternoon January 17th during the show. The safety award winner will also receive $3,500 toward their 2013 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range shooting lane.

In its sixth year, SHOT Show Media Day at the Range will host over 120 exhibitors and over 1000 media members of the hunting and shooting industry. This award will give recognition to that industry member that is an example to all others of the importance of safely demonstrating their products to the media on that day.

Public Relations

For Action Target Public Relations and media inquiries please contact: Seth Ercanbrack email | (801) 377-8033 x 244