The week Ahead -- Aug 5th,

Shooters
This week the National Matches continue with many Minn shooters traveling to Ohio to shoot in the various shooting disciplines. This week is specifically matches for Service Rifle and Service rifle teams and next week will start the NRA matches. For those not attending the Nationals this weekend, there is an M1 Garand match at the Eau Claire Rifle Club, and a 300 m match at the Mpls Rifle Club

Note: The Matches scheduled for Elk River Sportsman's club this weekend are cancelled-- see below

But First
This past weekend NorthStar Rifle club put on the Mid Range Regional and saw 26 hard holders shooting Iron sights and Scopes in prone matches from 300yds to 600yds. Saturday was all iron sights with 15 shots at each distance. While the wind was blowing and gusting in the 20 mph range most everywhere, the shooters at NorthStar benefited somewhat from local conditions and posted very good scores. Stacey Tamulinas walked off the 300 yard line with all 200 pts on his score card and just behind by 1pt were Morgan Dietrich and Jim Soderstrom. The 500 yd line did not separate the shooters at all as three shot clean sco res of 150 -- Steve Knutson, Bob Peasley and Steve Erickson, while Stacey and Morgan both dropped pts. Leaders at the 600 yd line then were Stacey T. and Steve E, down 1 each, then Capt. Bob 2 down, and Mogan and Steve K. next. So, not letting any one catch up, Steve Erickson cleaned the 600 yd target -- the only one to shoot clean, and after dropping only one pt in the 45 shot match, Steve wins the Iron sight Mid range match.
F-Class was dominated by Ben Winget who won all three matches dropping only 7 pts for the day on that incredibly tight F-class target. Wade Brown would take 2nd but also take a 10 pt deficit into Sundays final matches.
The end of the shooting was only the beginning of the day at Northstar, as Mike May, the Club President and wife Ruth Ann, started up the barbeques. Bergers, brats, etc and good shooting stories followed. The food was great.
Sunday dawned with much better weather. Forecast for only 12-14 mph wind, blue sky, and 75 degrees------my kind of a shooting day.
See pictures posted Below

This would be the first chance I've had to shoot the re barreled 6m BR that Randy Gregory originally built for me in 6.5x.284. I was hoping that the new tube that Randy put on was as good as the old one. That 6.5 was the best tack driver I ever had. Todays matches would be scope matches I would get a good chance to find out how good it is. Since I was a post entry, I got squaded with the F Class shooters, and had a good chance to watch this newer shooting discipline. The F Class targets are harder than the sling shooters targets, but those guys were still drilling that little x ring constantly. In the first match -- 20 shots at 300yds -- the new rifle barrel performed as good as I hoped. I had X ring high elevation, and was happy to get my first 200 in a while with 12 Xs. Winning score ?--nope-- only good for 2nd as Stacey shot clean with 16 Xs to take that match. Other guys with solid 200s were Elliot Zunich, Morgan Dietrich, and Steve Knutson. So 5 shooters went back to the 500 tied for the lead. In that match, Steve Knutson started a come back after being in 4th at the start of the day. He held hard --shooting all 10s and Xs for a 200-13 and gaining back 2 pts on Steve Erickson in the 2 day aggreate score . So who would win it all---they would have to win in the the last match of the weekend at the 600y d line. The wind came up a little at the 600, not strong but a little tricky, most shooters missing one or more out the left on let ups. Jerry Reitfort got in the groove with the changes and shot the only 200 in that match. Myself, Bob Peasley, and Steve K. were close with 199s, but Steve Erickson lost 4pts in that match and let the Mid Range Championship slip through his fingers by one pt. Steve Knutson had won the day with a 599-33. Close, but no cigar was myself next with 597-29, Stacey T. with 596-44, Morgan --596-28 and John Andres at 595-19. After two days of prone shooting, only 2 pts separated the top 3 shooters.
Congratulations to Steve Knutson - gold medal winner and Mid Range Prone Champion at 1042-45x pts, silver medal goes to Steve Erickson at 1041-42x, Bronze to Morgan Dietrich at 1040-53x.
On the F-Class end of the line, Wade Brown could not catch up to Ben Winget who padded his lead at each yd line by a point or two. Ben finished down only 9 for the day and only 16 for the whole weekend.
Congratulations to Ben Winget -- F-Class Mid Range Regional Champ, and Wade Bown who finished 2nd.
Great Match ! Thanks to Mike May and Ruth Ann for all the work they did, also to Gerald Johnson who ran the line and kept things safe and on track all day. The range was in beautiful shape - I'm sure that my shooting pals in AZ can hardly imagin shooting on grass firing lines as smooth as a golf course green. Eat your hearts out guys.

Small bore
from: George Minerich
*Minneapolis Rifle Club Three Position Smallbore Rifle The morning of July 25, 2009 was pleasant but challenging winds! Seven shooters competed in the match. Shooters included four Sub Juniors and three Adults. The 120 round event went off without a hitch. When the day ended Lance Peters of Maplewood, MN was the winner with a score of 1074-19X. Ben Brunk of Stevens Point, WI shot a 963-8X to Claim Second overall. High overall Sub Junior was Eric Hazelton of Zimmerman, Minnesota with a score of 678-1X. Mike Manzitelli (adults) shot his first 3 Position match and seemed to have a great time. The following is a complete list of shooters and their scores: Ben Brunk 963-8X , Brook Gahm (Jr) 530, Eric Hazelton (Jr) 678-1, Lori Huseby (Jr) 663, Mike Marzotelli (Sr)614, Lance Peters (Sr)1074-19, Scott Soik 674-2 X I would like to thank all the shooters that attended the match. Your enthusiasm and dedication to shooting along with your great sportsmanship is a credit to all shooting sports! I would also like to thank all the Junior shooters for participating in the match. You are the future of our sport.
Sincerely, George Minerich.
Match Director, President MN Rifle & Revolver Assoc.
PS: Don’t forget there will be a NRA Authorized Prone conventional 160 match at Minneapolis Rifle Club on August 22, 2009 - shooting starts at 9:00AM!

The Week Ahead :
300 Meter--- from Brian Shiffman
Subject: 300 Meter shoot this Sunday 10:00 AM
This Sunday, August 9, will be the August club 300 meter club match. These matches are open to the public, you do not have to be a member of either Minnetonka Game and Fish or Minneapolis Rifle Club.
Club matches consist of 60 shots and you can shoot in any of 3 classes:

3-Position (20 shots each in prone, standing, kneeling). Iron sights only, no rests. Unlimited sighters prior to each position.
Prone (or English as it is sometimes called); 60 shots in three strings of 20. Iron sights and no rests. Unlimited sighters prior to the first competition shot.
F-Class, 60 shots in three strings of 20, any sights, front and rear bags or rests but no single piece rest. Unlimited sighters prior to the first competition shot.

The fee is $15 which includes state tax and electronic target and heating/air-condition fee if necessary and is collected at the range.
Brian D. Shiffman shiff004@umn.edu

Highpower
Elk river Sportsman's Club--**** Matches scheduled for this weekend - Aug 8 and 9 are cancelled due to manpower shortages. ****

Most of the guys are either on their way back from Perry, or on their way out to Perry. So, Prone and Position shooters will be able to attend the 300m match at Mpls. Rifle club or go shoot M-1s in Eau claire with Ron Berg and the guys over there in Wisc.

Thursday Aug 6 th -- GRRC Highpower Practice scheduled
Saturday Aug 8 th -- M-1 Garand at Eau Claire Rifle club --Ron Berg
Sunday Aug 8th -- MRC 300 m match --3p and prone and F class
Monday Aug 10 -- GRRC -- Small bore League
Monday Aug 10 -- Elk River-- F class 300

Two Weeks out
Aug 15th and 16th there may be Matches at Redwing. I believe Mark Havlik is trying to organize at least one days shooting -- stay tuned. Elk River will host a M1/M1A OTC match Saturday, and a Vintage Bolt gun match Sunday (OTC, I think)
Long Range Matches continue at Camp Perry Nationals, and MN Palma Team shooters will be leaving for Ottawa and the Canadian Palma Matches.
Hawkeye