Saturday, December 26, 2009

The Month Ahead -- Dec 26, 2009



The Month Ahead
Note: all links to programs and Schedules in this news letter are permanately posted at the Minnesota Rifle Shooting blog: http://minnesotarifleshooting.blogspot.com/

Jan 2nd, 2010 -- Start off the new year with participation in the 2nd match of the new "Winter Highpower League"
to be shot at Mpls. Rifle Club (Elect. targets) and put on by George Minerich, match director and MRRA President. Match is in the OTC format, 50 shots plus sighters with first shots down range at 1000 hrs. There is no need to be cold shooting here as the target house is heated and very comfortable and no target pulling is necessary. Match program: http://mrra.org/downloads/mrc/MRC_Winter_League.pdf
If you can't shoot because your trigger finger is broken (or some other lame excuse), come by and shoot the breeze about the up-coming big dollar ($$$) prize standing match in Feb
Results of Dec. match were not received by me.
Jan 10th 2010 -- Will be the first 300 meter match of 2010 again at Mpls Rifle Club -- Prone, Offhand, or 3P Take your pick.

300 Meter match report from Brian shiffman-- Dec
Robert Smith and shot monitor.jpg Mpls Rifle Club shooting house and shot monitor

"It was a pretty good day to have a match. Conditions required a bit of wind doping. We had 14 shooters with one abstaining. Several shooters that were new to me joined to shoot. We encourage all centerfire rifle competitors to participate in our monthly club matches; they are open to all. Just remember, no hunting or expanding bullets and no muzzle breaks.
The scores for the match are posted at http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=12 As you look through the scores you will notice that ta number of shooters post consistent scores in F-Class and Prone. Philip Klanderud’s scores were very consistent; his first string only 2 points down from his next two strings of 20 shots each. Phillip was bested by one point by Matt Griffin. Their first and third strings were identical (187 and 189) but Matt shot a 190 to Phillip’s 189 in the second string. I shot F-Class with optical sight for my first string and got brave to shoot the last two strings with iron sights. Even using a rest, my scores are not good or consistent which means I still need work on my sight picture and alignment. I want to move to Prone but I’ll have to do better with iron sights before I tackle the other variables of position dynamics.
NOTE: With the upcoming Robert Sandager offhand match scheduled for February 13 and 14 we added an Offhand Class to the December and January matches for those wishing to get some practice under match conditions. We had two shooters at the December match that shoot Offhand Class, Erhard Bruderer and Mark Havlik. Erhard was shooting a full on match rifle while Mark shot his AR15. Our web scoring page does not have an Offhand Class so here are the results for Erhard and Mark:
Erhard 160 167 167 504
Mark 119 119 131 369
The January club 300 meter match will be on January 10th and as usual we will start at 10AM and a match fee of $15, all up. This match will again include the Offhand Class.
As I write this we are under a blanket of snow and the satellite dish is not getting a signal. It is a good time to sit by the fireplace and think about the many blessings we have had this year.
Happy holiday season."
Brian D. Shiffman shiff004@umn.edu

2010 Highpower Sched
from Bob Peasley
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23879501/2010-High-Power-Shcedule-Dec-5th-Version

Highpower
Kurt Borlaug has announced the schedule for the summer 2010 Thursday evening HighPower league matches at Gopher Rifle and Revolver club. Program (Schedule):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24410947/2010-GRRC-Thursday-Evening-High-Power-Prone-League-Schedule


Kurt has also organized a Tuesday evening M1 Garand league for summer of 2010 (again at GRRC), and these matches will be shot as a "President's" match format -- 10 shots prone slow fire, 10 shots rapid fire Prone, and 10 shots Standing.
Program (schedule) is found at http://www.scribd.com/doc/24412448/2010-GRRC-M1-League-Schedule

High Power clinic
When --Jan 23 rd
Where -- Gander Mt.-- Lakeville, MN
What -- Everything you wanted to know about High Power rifle competition
(rules, sight settings, how to zero, wind reading, basic sight alignment, trigger control, sling attachment, getting into position, scope placement, etc.)
Who -- Bob Peasley (High master shooter in Long Range, OTC, Mid range, etc)

Program:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24413996/High-Power-Rifle-Clinic-Bob-Peasley

Long Range:
Berger Bullets SouthWest Long Range Nationals -- Feb 4th--7th 2010
Get away from the Cold!
Shoot long range at the Berger Bullets Southwest Long Range Nationals-- Feb 4th thru Feb 7th. This is a good opportunity to shoot head to head with the top prone shooters in the nation and thaw out a little in the process. This will be 4 days of Palma and 1000 yd matches at Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, AZ. You can test your skill against the big boys and the Ladies, such as Trudy Fay, Michelle and Nancy Galagher. You know that you need a shooting vacation this winter----this is your chance!
See you there
Match program:
http://www.desertsharpshooters.com/champ/2010/2010%20Berger%20SW%20Nationals/Berger_SW_Nationals.pdf


Small Bore:
Our friend from North of the Border-- NWOshooter-- has posted a couple of good articles on his blog (Prone in the Wilderness) about his own training regimen, and the one I think that bears reading is about keeping a shooting diary. Keeping such a diary forces you to confront and list your mistakes and thereby reinforcing your memory to what you did wrong. Reviewing your shooting diary before a match and during your training helps you concentrate on the things that have caused problems in the past and hopefully you can apply corrections to your methods. We do hope to see NWOshooter at one of our next MN Small bore matches this coming summer. here is an example of one of his methods : http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B6GgWSR_71MKMTgxNDMyYTktMjBhNC00MWM1LTk3MjUtZGZhMGZkYWFlZGUw&hl=en

Article at: http://proneinthewilderness.blogspot.com/

Personal Notes:
Never get too Discouraged

OK, so you had the worst day of your shooting career today -- There is always tomorrow, and there is no place to go but up. Following is a letter I sent to my shooting Buddy who has vowed to Quit shooting due to lack of reward for all the effort he has put in trying to be a better shooter. ---

"(B.....)
Taking a break from an activity for a while can be a good Idea. However, one must be careful about over-reacting if one has had a bad day or a bad weekend. Recognizing "burn-out" for what it is helps one cope with the stress of relative failure in competition.
Remember, we don't shoot, at our skill level, in order to win, but to compete--to "play the game" as it were. I haven't won a rifle match in the last 5 years. It's doubtful weather I'll ever win another rifle match, so for me the competition is just to shoot at least above my average. If you think about it, this actually becomes easier and easier, as if we don't shoot well, our average goes down and then it's easier to shoot our average. So, eventually we win (shoot our average), and all is well.

I think there is no doubt that you shoot too much. I come to practice on Tuesday, and Thurs, and you are there before me, shooting away, and then when I leave, you are still there banging away. I shoot about 40 rds at practice and you shoot about 140.
Now, you have added long range to your goal, and shoot a Palma match. I couldn't handle that much shooting, besides the fact that long range is very hard to score at. Too much shooting and too much loading ! Too much time spent on the sport for it to be fun. I becomes a chore, ---work. Work with no pay off.
So, think about what it is about the matches that is fun--- being at the match with the guys, -- having the opportunity to stretch your limits a little, --- Try new things out, -- a little friendly competition --- A person needs these things to stay young.
So, instead of quitting, just ease off a little, shoot less, enjoy it more. You will actually shoot better because of it. Go back to what you found to be fun when you started --- over the course, service rifle---well maybe not that far back. You now see why I don't shoot as much Long range prone. Prone shooters are so serious. The sport is boiled down too far to perfection. You have to shoot almost perfect scores or you are a failure. Like, Why did I drop those two pts yesterday---Why?
It's lots easier to have some fun in OTC matches-- No one shoots perfect scores there, and rapid fire is always fun --- and sometimes you get lucky.
So, take a little break from practice and loading, mix up your matches -- a little Prone, a few OTC matches, shoot scope in SB, set reasonable goals! Look at how far you have come in the last two years and be satisfied. Remember you shot a good score just last Sat in SB. Get back to the fun part of shooting.
I'll be at the OTC Sat with the service rifle, then a week so off.

Hawkeye"-


I also had to send this msg to myself last Sat night. I had just shot my personal record LOW score at a 500yd mid range match. I couldn't see the target, (old eyes) the new expensive sight I had bought didn't help, I couldn't read the wind (nothing new here), My trigger control was bad, and 2 x-fires didn't help much at all. Difficult wind (gusting to 25mph) and bad visibility didn't seem to hurt the better shooters (German Salazar shot a 598/600), so any excuses were I made were worthless. I was just not competitive --- period! Oh poor me. What a loser!
Well, Sunday morn.the sun still came up as expected, the weather was a little warmer, the wind was down, and I could shoot scope in a gentlemanly 160 shot SB prone match. I didn't have to worry about sight-alignment, and the scope substituted for old eyes. What a difference a day makes! Shooting was fun again. I shot the first 20x clean of my whole career, dropped only 2 pts for the day, and settled with a personal record high score of 1598/105x. What a difference a day makes. Two days of shooting, two personal records. I am rejuvenated. I can shoot well sometimes, and that makes it all worthwhile --- all the work, all the expense, all the mental anguish is worth it, for just one brief, shining moment when it all comes together (there is a Camelot).
Did I win that match ?--- nope. I was just 2nd loser. Rick Curtis shot 1599/136x and Allen Elliot shot 1598/112x. Oh, Well, I had fun and that's all that really counts. Think about it after a bad shooting day. The sun will come up tomorrow.
Hawkeye

Matches coming up:
Saturday Jan 2nd -- Mpls Rifle club -- Winter HP league
Sunday Jan 10th -- Mpls Rifle club --- 300m match
Saturday Jan 23 -- Highpower Clinic -- Gander Mt, Lakeville, MN
Sat & Sun -- Feb 13th &14th-- Mpls Rifle club -- Bob Sandager Offand Matches (Big prizes)

Minnesota Rifle Shooting Blog: http://minnesotarifleshooting.blogspot.com/

"If you are unwilling to defend your right to your own lives, then you are merely like mice trying to argue with owls. You think their ways are wrong. They think you are dinner." -- Terry Goodkind

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Southwest Long Range Nationals --Feb 4 thru Feb 7th

Get away from the Cold!
Shoot long range at the Berger Bullets Southwest Long Range Nationals-- Feb 4th thru Feb 7th. This is a good opportunity to shoot head to head with the top prone shooters in the nation and thaw out a little in the process. This will be 4 days of Palma and 1000 yd matches at Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, AZ. You can test your skill against the big boys and the Ladies, such as Trudy Fay, Michelle and Nancy Galagher. You know that you need a shooting vacation this winter----this is your chance!
See you there

Match program:
http://www.desertsharpshooters.com/champ/2010/2010%20Berger%20SW%20Nationals/Berger_SW_Nationals.pdf

Sunday, December 20, 2009

High Power Rifle Clinic

When --Jan 23 rd
Where -- Gander Mt.-- Lakeville, MN
What -- Everything you wanted to know about High Power rifle competition
(rules, sight settings, how to zero, wind reading, basic sight alignment, trigger control, sling attachment, getting into position, scope placement, etc.)
Who -- Bob Peasley (High master shooter in Long Range, OTC, Mid range, etc)

Program:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24413996/High-Power-Rifle-Clinic-Bob-Peasley

GRRC Thursday evening High Power prone league

From Kurt Borlaug
Here is the Program & schedule for next summer's (2010) Thursday evening HP prone league matches at Gopher.

Program (schedule):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24410947/2010-GRRC-Thursday-Evening-High-Power-Prone-League-Schedule

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Week Ahead Dec 9th, 2009

The Week Ahead
This coming Sunday be at Mpls Rifle Club and shoot from a heated shooting house. The match-- 300 meters, position and prone, take your pick. Bring 60 rds + and have some fun shooting on the electric targets. F-class shooters encouraged to come.

2010 Highpower Sched
from Bob Peasley
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23879501/2010-High-Power-Shcedule-Dec-5th-Version

Winter fun with Rifles and win "Big"
money!
" Hi All
Please find attached a match bulletin for a little winter fun. Feb 13th and 14th, Minneapolis Rifle Club is holding a 60 round offhand match with $1400.00 in total prize money. Pre registration is $15.00 or $20.00 walk on registration. Please see the attached bulletin. Please spread the word. Thanks!"
George Minerich -- MRRA President
Match bulletin: http://www.scribd.com/doc/23878798/REVISED-60-Shot-Offhand-Match

Mpls Rifle Club 300m Match -- Nov 8th
See Brian Shiffman's report on this match and pictures below:
Next match is Dec 13th--This Sunday Mpls Rifle Club 0900hrs

Long Range Shooters:

AZ Palma championships Dec. 4th -6th 2009
I had the pleasure of attending (pulling targets $$, not shooting) at the 2009 Arizona Palma State Championship matches this past weekend. This is a Long Range Match contested over 3 days at 800, 900, and 1000 yds with .308 caliber rifles, Iron sights, and little 155gn bullets, so as to really test the skill of the shooters. They were tested. Friday's start at the 800 yd line saw cold and strong gusty winds already separating out the top shooters from the also rans. At the 900 the wind calmed and the temp rose to a comfortable 60's deg day. Friday was great weather in the high 60s with light winds except at the 1000 yd line, and Sunday repeated Saturdays conditions, again with tricky winds at the 1000 to ensure that the top shooters earned their wins. They did.
See Links below for results:

From: German Salazar -- ASRPA Highpower Director
"We had a very good turnout and the weather was very good, presenting a range of conditions without becoming unmanageable. We hope to see you all back for the Berger Bullets Long Range Championship in February, the program and entry forms are at www.desertsharpshooters.com ."

AZ Palma champ results (agg)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23875596/2009-AZ-PALMA-AGG

AZ Palma champ results (Team)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23876443/2009-Az-Palma-Team

Prepare for 2010 Highpower-- from
GRRC December newsletter (Dave Newell -Pub)
"GRRC will be experiencing some new and exciting changes to the High Power practice format in 2010. First of all, we will have an M1 Garand League. These will be 30 shot matches fired at 200 yards in the prone slow-fire, prone rapid-fire and standing slow-fire stages. Each shooter will take a turn in the pits and then shoot, and vice-versa. These will be fired on meeting nights beginning in June, running through September. The final match will be a CMP sanctioned event where scores will be sent to CMP for national rankings. Shooters achieving "cut" scores will receive medals of bronze, silver or gold relating to performance.

The usual Thursday practices will have an added twist. First of all, we are moving to Wednesdays. Explanation to follow. The Wednesdays will be in a league format. Each session will be either 10 shots standing at 200 yards followed by ten shots sitting rapid-fire at 200. Shooters will then go back to 300 for a prone rapid string. Pits will rotate after the first relay finishes, and those who started in pits will fire. The next session will be 600 yards slow-fire prone at 600 yards, with an infantry match stage thrown in for MN Team shooters as well as anybody who wants to try this game.

Thursdays will witness the beginning of a High Power Prone League. This will be open to F-Class shooters as well as sling shooters. This will be a mix of 300, 500, 600 and 1,000 yard events. The schedule for this league is based around the LR matches that GRRC will host.

All leagues will be open to members and non-members alike. If you have wanted to try HP in some form and never had the chance, this will be a low-impact introduction to the sport. I will need HELP! Please contact me if you are interested in competing/assisting. Start prepping brass as it will be a long season!!"
Kurt Borlaug

1st Annual GRRC Smallbore Prone League Final Results
Larry Sawyer 6354-403X League Champion (MNCenter shots Head Coach, Distinguished Smallbore position and prone shooter)
Jim Evenson 6299-326X First GRRC Member
Jonell Sawyer 6281-263X First Woman (Larry’s partner in love and crime)
Kurt Borlaug 6251-271X (GRRC, Mn Rifle Team)
Carmen Fry
6169-195X First Junior and GRRC Jr.
Joel Peabody 6164-187X (GRRC)
Scott Chester 6138-210X (GRRC JR)
Shelby Sandstrom 6128-175X (GRRC JR)
Danielle Groeshens 6113-180X (GRRC JR)
Mark Schoess 6064—134X (??) (GRRC, MN Rifle Team)
Randy Allee 6033- 160X (GRRC MN Rifle Team)
Bill Lahti 5999-143X (GRRC)
Willy Elliot 5929-123X (GRRC, Anoka Cty. 4H Coach
Tom Torborg 5928-111X (GRRC, Mn Rifle Team, NewFather)
Gordon Kordosky 5847-106X (GRRC)
Allie Taschuk 5667-82X (Mn. Centershots JR)
Gabe Starr 5585-71X (GRRC JR)
Sarah Kostick 5559-76X (Anoka County 4H Coach)
Rik Rarick 5545-65X (GRRC BPCR)
Cliff Secord 5533-47X (GRRC wearer of many hats)

The total possible points for this league was 6400-640X. Small-bore prone is fired at 50 yards, 50 meters and 100 yards. The
blackpowder range is where we fired this league and many thanks are due to GRRC members for help setting up this range, as well as the cooperation involved among other disciplines. The turnout was far better than I expected and a special thanks is due to Jim Evenson for helping to run the “Day Shift” shooters. These were a group of retired gents who fired in the mornings and
helped to take pressure off the evening shift when firing points were at a premium. All scores will be sent to the NRA and you will receive a classification card representing the classification you earned while participating in this league. Thanks to all participants and we hope to see you next year
-Kurt Borlaug

Next Match
Dec 13th 2009
-- Mpls Rifle club -- 300m prone and position

Keep em in the middle
Hawkeye

"If you are unwilling to defend your right to your own lives, then you are merely like mice trying to argue with owls. You think their ways are wrong. They think you are dinner." -- Terry Goodkind

Mpls Rifle Club - 300 m Match - Nov 8th

If the temperature was in the 70’s is might have been a better day than what we had on Nov. 8. Calm to begin with and a little breeze from now and then by 11AM or so. Basically, a really nice day to shoot .Lance was on his game, particularly in kneeling. Look at his score (and all the rest) at http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=11

We had a couple of new shooters at this match, Robert Smith and Steve Morehead. Steve’s a lefty, like me, but shooting a right handed hunting rifle. I’ve included pictures as attachments so you can see who the shooters are and what they were shooting.

This was Robert’s first time out and with a custom AR15. The rifle was set up with iron sights and he was intending to shoot Prone class but with the combination of rear riser and high front sight there was not sufficient adjustment up; with the riser removed there was not adjustment down! That issue will be solved with new parts. As a result, Robert shot in F-Class, and for his first time out did remarkably well. Robert is an air and free pistol shooter and so has picked up some good habits along the way.

If you look at the scores of the F-Class shooters you will see very good consistency for each as the match progressed.

Ed Facundo brought his twin sons for their first trip to watch the match. They are not identical but I still could not remember which name went with which boy. They were remarkably well behaved and quite interested for being almost 9 years old. After the match they had a chance to fire a few shots from his rifle and then some through my Anschutz air rifle. 300 meters is a stretch for a pellet but he wanted them to get a chance to get up close and personal with an air rifle. Ed has plans to get one for the boys.

The December match will be this Sunday, December 13th. As usual, shooting will start at 10AM so get there in time to set up, go through the administrative process (really easy, just pay $15) and a review of the electronic target operation. Oh, get there really early if you want to set up and go through the admin stuff before the BS sessions begin. I expect to have several new shooters at this match and there should be time to get to know each other.

I missed summer; it looks like winter decided to show up after all.

Brian D. Shiffman
shiff004@umn.edu