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Colt Donates Commemorative M1911 Pistol & 2 New LE6920MP Rifles To Dan Wheldon Memorial Auction

Colt Defense

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. --(Ammoland.com)- Colt Defense LLC, one of the world’s leading designers, developers, and manufacturers of rifles and carbines, is pleased to announce the donation of a custom Colt M1911 pistol, as well as two Colt LE6920MP rifles, to the Dan Wheldon Memorial Auction.

The custom 100th Anniversary model of the M1911 is highly engraved to highlight the 100th Anniversaries of both the Model M1911 handgun and the Indianapolis 500.

The donated LE6920MP rifles represent two color variations of a new line of Colt rifles for 2012 that come standard with several Magpul accessories.

“We are proud to put these items up for bid to help contribute to the Wheldon family and honor Dan’s legacy,” says David Ridley, Vice President, Colt Defense LLC, “The highest bidder on the 1911 will own something that is truly one-of-a-kind and the winner of each rifle will hold one of the first guns from this brand new line.”

The donated Colt M1911 is a 100th Anniversary model of the pistol, which is available only in 2011. This gun features several unique customizations that highlight the 100-year anniversary of the Colt M1911 pistol and commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The gun’s slide features a silver-plated engraving of the Indianapolis 500 trophy. The gun is finished in Polished Royal Blue and has Cocobolo grips that feature gold-plated C100 medallions. The 1911 pistol will also ship with a walnut glass case etched with the Serpentine Colt.

The gun’s special serial number, 98INDY500, memorializes Dan Wheldon’s car number when he won this year’s Indy 500.

“Because this gun is so very unique, I cannot even begin to say what it might appraise for or the amount it might garner in this auction,” said Ridley.

The two donated rifles represent the first line of products that Colt Defense and American firearm accessories maker, Magpul, have developed together. These rifles feature Colt’s popular 6920 Law Enforcement Carbine at the base, with several Magpul accessories added as standard equipment.

Magpul Original Equipment (MOE) additions featured on the LE6920MP rifles include the MOE Carbine Stock, MVG (MOE Vertical Grip), mid-length MOE Hand Guard, the Generation 2 Magpul Back-Up Sight (MBUS), MOE-K Hand Grip and MOE trigger guard. One donated rifle, the LE6920MP-B, has all Magpul parts in black, while the other (LE6920MP-FDE) features Magpul accessories in flat dark earth.

The Dan Wheldon Memorial Auction was established for the family of the late Dan Wheldon, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, who died in a race accident on Oct. 16, 2011. The auction began when Graham Rahal, fellow IndyCar racer, offered to auction his own helmet, gloves and shoes worn in the race in which Wheldon died, to raise money for the family. To bid on these Colt firearms and contribute to the trust fund, please visit www.gunbroker.com/auction/SellerAuctions.aspx?User=2006466. The auction will close on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011.

About Colt Defense LLC
Colt Defense LLC is one of the world’s leading designers, developers and manufacturers of small arms weapons systems. The Company has supplied military, law enforcement and individual customers throughout the world for 175 years. Our subsidiary, Colt Canada Corporation, is the Canadian government’s Center of Excellence for small arms and is the Canadian military’s sole supplier of the C7 rifle and C8 carbine. The Company maintains manufacturing facilities in West Hartford, Connecticut and Kitchener, Ontario. For more information on Colt Defense LLC and its subsidiaries please visit www.colt.com.

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The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is pleased to announce the awarding of annual fund-raising hunt tag opportunities for big game in 2012.

California Department Of Fish And Game

California --(Ammoland.com)- In cooperation with several hunting-oriented conservation organizations, DFG will offer 13 big game fund-raising license tags for eight mule or black-tailed deer, two desert bighorn sheep, one Grizzly Island tule elk, one multiple zone elk and one pronghorn antelope.

Following a competitive bidding process, DFG proposes to award agreements for the auction or sale of the 13 tags to the following organizations: Wild Sheep Foundation (National and California Chapter), Safari Club International (Orange County and San Francisco Bay Area chapters), The Mule Deer Foundation (National, Central Coast, Chico, Shasta-Lassen and Redding chapters), and the California Deer Association (North Valley, Salinas Valley, Gridley and Mount Saint Helena chapters).

These conservation organizations submitted a bid package describing their intent to auction off a particular tag at their annual fund-raising dinners/conventions during late winter/early spring. Auction of these tags typically generates more than $300,000 per year for DFG to put back into conservation and management actions that include surveys, habitat improvement, applied research and translocation of animals to historical ranges where they may currently be absent. Such translocation efforts in California have been a great success for tule elk, desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope.

“California’s hunting organizations continue to demonstrate they are at the forefront in support of wildlife conservation through their support for these auction tags and for the purchase of licenses and tags by their members, as well as all hunters,” said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham.

In addition to the auction tags, DFG is expanding the random drawing program initiated earlier this year through the Automated License Data System (ALDS), when chances for a deer tag and an elk tag opportunity were offered to the public for $5.40 each. The drawings for those two opportunities alone generated more than $130,000 for conservation in 2011.

“In our continued support of hunting and quest to increase hunting and fishing opportunity in California, I’m pleased that our hunters can purchase multiple chances through our ALDS application process for a special hunt tag next year,” said Bonham. ”And I am particularly excited that this year we will include a once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep tag as well as a coveted northeastern California pronghorn antelope tag.”

As an added bonus for the hunter who draws the sheep tag from that random drawing, a private entity, San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters, has offered free guide services for the hunt in the Kelso Peak/Old Dad Mountains zone to the recipient.

“This is a wonderful offer and commitment by the San Gorgonio folks and demonstrates the great support of one another within the hunting community,” said Bonham.

Availability of all fund-raising tags remains contingent upon the approval of annual hunting regulations by the Fish and Game Commission.

Filed under: Conservation News, Hunting News by Ammoland No Comments »